We chat with author Tashie Bhuiyan about Right As Rain, which follows recent high-school graduate Megh, who is desperate to get to college and leave behind the stormy household she’s been trapped in for years. But things get complicated when she gets struck by lightning and wakes up to a storm cloud that follows her everywhere, seemingly attuned to her every emotion.
Hi, Tashie! Welcome back! How have you been since we last spoke for the release of A Show For Two?
Hello, hello! It’s been a whirlwind, but I can’t complain—it seems wild that A Show for Two could’ve been four years ago! Thank you for having me back!
Your latest novel, Right As Rain, is out March 10th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Hmmmm… sunshine/grump coming-of-age 🙂
What can readers expect?
They can expect a YA speculative novel that follows a teenage girl with depression, Megh, after she gets struck by lightning and is cursed to have a rain cloud attuned to her emotions follow her around—and the only person who can help her is Lev, a weather intern with a sunny disposition…
Where did the inspiration for Right As Rain come from?
It came from quite a few things—the movie Weathering with You, my adventures attending various TV shows around NYC (The Today Show plays a prominent role in the story), the song Midnight Rain by Taylor Swift, etc etc. I’ve also always wanted to write about magical brown girls and this was a chance to do exactly that!
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
In a book with such an intense backdrop of rain, I knew I had to write a screaming love confession in the rain. It’s always been a favorite trope of mine, so finally being able to write it was a dream come true!
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
I had quite a bit of writer’s block a few times while drafting under a tight deadline, but I surrounded myself with friends, and that helped alleviate some of the stress and tension I was feeling. It’s good to remind yourself the world is bigger than the words on your screen.
What do you hope for your readers to take away from Right As Rain?
I hope my readers come away with a sense of hope—that even if there are storm clouds occupying their minds right now, that doesn’t mean the sun isn’t waiting on the other side of it.
What’s next for you?
I can’t say too much, but I have another YA releasing next year that also follows another brown girl who’s stuck in her own magical nightmare—I love putting my characters in Situations with a capital S. I’m excited to share more soon!
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up this year?
This year I’m really looking forward to reading the sequel to Coldwire by Chloe Gong and The Hardest Ones to Fool by Christina Li!
