We chat with author Radhika Sanghani about I Wish We Weren’t Related, which is a hilarious, heartwarming novel about love, family, and new beginnings.
Hi, Radhika! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hi! So I’m a writer – mainly a novelist but I’m also a journalist and screenwriter. I teach yoga in my spare time as well!
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I’ve always loved stories – I used to get told off for reading too much as a child. But my love of writing is something that came when I was at university, and realised how much I adored creating stories myself.
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 Pied Piper.
The one that made me want to be an author – maybe Jane Eyre. That book affected me so much when I first read it aged 12 (a similar age to Jane in the bok), that I knew I’d love to create something like that one day.
The one I can’t stop thinking about is Harry Potter. All of them. They’re forever integrated into my mind.
Your latest novel, I Wish We Weren’t Related, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
Inspiring, funny, dramatic, witty, original
What can readers expect?
A lot of drama! It’s about Reeva – a woman with a very complicated family. She thought her dad died when she was younger but her mum only just revealed that he was alive all this time – until now. He’s only just died and Reeva has to spend two weeks with her sisters (who she isn’t speaking to) at his house doing the Hindu funeral rites.
Cue lots of family drama, comedy and spiritual healing.
Where did the inspiration for I Wish We Weren’t Related come from?
I think it came from lockdown when I was thinking a lot about funerals, grief, growth and spending time alone.
Were there any favourite moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I loved writing Reeva’s relationship with her two sisters. They’re both awful, and it was so fun writing their sarcastic, passive-aggressive comments – but also with an underlying layer of pure love.
This is your fourth published novel (plus you’re also a journalist and screenwriter)! What are some of the key lessons you’ve learnt over the years when it comes to writing?
I guess that sometimes it flows and sometimes it doesn’t, but if you love it, you’ll keep going. The more you put into your writing, the better it will get. Even if you have to do endless drafts.
And I think my top lesson is keep it simple. I love novels that are tight and well-paced. So I always try and cut as much as I can from mine!
What’s next for you?
I’ve just written a children’s book for 9-12 year olds, and I’m currently writing a teen novel! Both will be out next year. But I’m also thinking of new ideas for adult books too!
Lastly, do you have any book recommendations for our readers?
Always! I love Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee – it’s about a daughter of immigrants, family pressures, class pressures, romance and careers. I found it hugely relatable.
Also Dear Daughter by Elizabeth Little is such a fun thriller!
