We chat with debut author Ananya Deverajan about Kismat Connection, which follows a girl who’s determined to prove her star chart wrong ropes her longtime best friend into an experimental relationship—not knowing that he has been in love with her for years.
Hi, Ananya! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi, everyone! I’m Ananya Devarajan, and I’m the author of KISMAT CONNECTION, my debut young adult romance novel that released from Inkyard Press on June 13th, 2023. I recently—and by recently, I mean four days ago—graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a degree in Neurobiology, and in August, I’ll be starting my first semester of medical school at the Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Middletown, New York. When I’m not writing or studying, I can typically be found lazing around the beach with my best friends, or trying an expensive vanilla latte at one of the million new coffee shops in Orange County.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I always love to answer this question with the story of six-year-old Ananya, who looked her family of engineers dead in the eye, and confidently claimed that she’d become a HarperCollins author one day. That’s the first real memory I have of my love for writing and stories, so I’d like to consider it my point of origin!
Quick lightning round! Tell us the first book you ever remember reading, the one that made you want to become an author, and one that you can’t stop thinking about!
The first book I remember reading is THE SECRET OF THE OLD CLOCK, which is the first book in the Nancy Drew Series. The book that made me want to become an author is WHEN DIMPLE MET RISHI by Sandhya Menon, and a book I can never stop thinking about is ALONE WITH YOU IN THE ETHER by Olivie Blake.
Your debut novel, Kismat Connection, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Coming off of an incredible debut week, I’m afraid I’ve lost a bit of my creativity when it comes to the English language, so I’ll stick with describing KISMAT CONNECTION as a “Desi Fake Dating Love Story” J It’s a simple five word combination, but I’d say it’s pretty accurate!
What can readers expect?
In KISMAT CONNECTION, readers can, of course, expect a whirlwind romance featuring two Indian American childhood best friends who enter an experimental fake-dating relationship to prove the existence of their free will against the Universe. However, my debut also spotlights the lived experiences of teenagers in the Indian American diaspora, as well as how culture, family, and identity intersects and influences their coming-of-age journeys. Combine all of that with a sprinkling of astrology, curses, and magic, and you have the premise of KISMAT CONNECTION.
Where did the inspiration for Kismat Connection come from?
KISMAT CONNECTION is inspired by bits of pieces of my own life—namely, the family dynamics in the Iyer household, and Madhuri’s character arc as she begins to accept and ultimately embrace her Indian culture. The romance, however, is a figment of my seventeen-year-old self’s overactive imagination, but I think that’s what gives KISMAT CONNECTION such a genuine, dream-like feel to it!
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
Oh, absolutely! I’m particularly partial to the scene in KISMAT CONNECTION where Madhuri asks Arjun to help her find her gold jhumka, which is a traditional, Indian earring, and once he does, he’s tasked with the task of putting the jewelry back on for her. It’s a swoon-worthy moment that forces Madhuri and Arjun, who’ve only ever physically interacted with each other as best friends, to see each other as a potential romantic partner, and I had such a blast writing it.
Can you tell us a bit about your journey of getting Kismat Connection published?
KISMAT CONNECTION honestly had such a fast journey to publication. I wrote the first draft in three months during my first semester at the University of California, Irvine, and I signed with my agent in September of 2020, right before the start of my second year and at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. I was on submission for the next five months until Inkyard Press offered on the manuscript in May 2021, and now, I’m releasing KISMAT CONNECTION the week of my graduation from university. It’s been so busy in the best possible way, and I wouldn’t change it for a thing!
What’s next for you?
I’m so thrilled to announce that my sophomore novel, SANSKARI SWEETHEART, will be releasing from Inkyard Press in Summer 2024—so about one year from now! This second chance romance features Raina Iyer and Aditya Kumar, who are forced to confront their recent breakup while stuck in a time-loop at a Bollywood dance competition. It’s messy and complicated and delightfully fun, and I’m excited to share more about their love story soon J
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
I love this question! I’m going to plug Swati Hegde’s 2024 Adult RomCom Debut MATCH ME IF YOU CAN, Kalie Holford’s 2024 Young Adult Contemporary Debut THE LAST LOVE SONG, and Morgan Watchorn’s 2025 Young Adult Fantasy Debut FIRE TO THE STARS. They’re all available to add on Goodreads, and as one of the first people to read their work, I cannot recommend them enough!
