Intimate and deeply moving, Purple Lotus is the story of one woman’s ascension from the dark depths of desolation toward the light of freedom.
We had the pleasure of chatting with debut author Veena Rao about her novel, how she tackled topics such as domestic violence and mental illness, and much more.
Hi, Veena! Tell us a bit about yourself!
I am a brown, immigrant woman in the American South who’s living her best life despite the pandemic. My debut novel, Purple Lotus is releasing on September 29. I am trying to balance my time between book promotions and my day job as founder/editor of NRI Pulse, a popular Indian-American news publication.
With the current state of the world, what are you doing to cope with the changes we’ve had to make with our day-to-day?
Living through a pandemic and an extremely divided world can be stressful. I follow some simple techniques to get through bad days.
- I work at calming my mind before responding to a stressful situation. Long walks, exercise, meditation, yogic breathing.
- I make conscious efforts to fill my mind and heart with positivity. When you are filled with positive energy, life suddenly seems lighter despite your burdens. You have the energy to overcome challenges.
- I tell myself it’s okay to have a good cry. Tears can be cathartic. Whatever emotion I am feeling– be it frustration, anger, sorrow– I don’t resist it. Instead, I observe and ask myself what I can learn from the situation.
- I focus on others. If you constantly think about your problems, they only magnify. When you shift your focus to helping others, your own problems diminish in importance.
With a background in journalism and now the release of your #OwnVoices debut novel, when did you first discover your love for writing?
I grew up in Mangalore, a small coastal town in India, where we had easy access to popular English and American books. I fell in love with the make-believe world of fictional characters very young. When I was 12, I decided I would become a writer. I wrote detective novels with American characters for my Indian classmates to read during lunch break. In college, I wrote short stories that appeared in major Indian publications. My love of writing motivated me to get into journalism. But then, once I became a full-time journalist, I moved away from creative writing, and only took it up again ten years ago.
Purple Lotus is out on September 29th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
One woman’s journey to self-awareness.
Where did the inspiration for Purple Lotus come from?
Mariam and Laila of Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns inspired me to take up creative writing again. I sat with a blank page, and the first thing I typed was the title, Purple Lotus. The lotus is such a beautiful symbol of rising above once circumstances. It grows in muddy waters, but rises tall toward the sun. The purple colored lotus is considered rare and symbolizes self-awakening. I suppose I knew what direction the story would take, but I had no story. Writing Purple Lotus was a very long, messy journey where I taught myself to write creatively as the story developed.
Purple Lotus tackles some difficult topics, such as domestic violence and mental illness. How did you go about approaching these topics?
I approached these heavy topics as a journalist might—without exaggeration, but also without underplaying the ‘violence’ scenes or the lasting trauma of psychotic illness on a victim’s family.
The abusive husband of Purple Lotus isn’t a monster. He has some redeeming qualities. But as my protagonist, Tara, says at the end of the novel: Not all monsters are egregious. Some stay hidden in plain sight. And this is something I’ve seen growing up in Mangalore, and I continue to see it now in the US. Abuse can take different forms, and transcends time, place and culture.
The character of Anand, the schizophrenic uncle, was based on an extended family member, who was the nicest, wisest person I knew on his good days. But his psychotic episodes deeply impacted his own life as well as the lives of his family. There is a deep sense of shame and stigma around mental illness. I suppose the journalist in me wanted to create grounds for a healthy discussion on the topic.
What do you hope readers will take away from your story?
I hope readers will understand and empathize with victims of abuse and mental illness. I hope women who are trapped in a bad situation will feel encouraged to take care of themselves, to take control of their lives.
Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
I am a brown, immigrant, female author with no MFA or Ivy League pedigree. I taught myself to write fiction after I started working on my novel. If I could get a book deal, so can any aspiring writer. The publishing industry is more open to diverse voices than it has ever been before. Hone your craft. Write multiple drafts until it is polished to perfection. Be patient and persevere. Your time will come.
What’s next for you?
My next novel is set in small-town Georgia. It’s still in my head. I hope to start working on it early next year.
Lastly, what are you currently reading and do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
I am reading Ya Gyaasi’s Transcendent Kingdom about a family of Ghanaian immigrants in Alabama ravaged by mental illness, addiction, and grief.
My recommendation would be for readers to pick up books that illuminate another culture and people. What better or easier way to travel the world and broaden your horizons?
Veena Rao was born and raised in India but calls Atlanta home. A journalist by profession, she is the founding editor and publisher of NRI Pulse, a popular Indian-American newspaper. Although her day job involves news reports, interviews, and meeting press deadlines, she devotes her spare time to creative writing and long walks in the woods. Purple Lotus, her debut novel, is the winner of the She Writes Press and SparkPress Toward Equality in Publishing (STEP) contest.
You can find Veena on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, along with also at her website.
Two Views:
1. There is a deep sense of shame and stigma around mental illness.
2. There are those taught and teaching there is.
Harold A Maio