We chat with author Sajni Patel about her latest release A Drop of Venom, which sees Circe goes YA in this unapologetically feminist retelling of the Medusa myth steeped in Indian mythology.
Hi, Sajni! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
Hello! Thanks so much for having me! I write fantasy and contemporary in the YA and adult spaces. My novels focus on strong Indian women while touching on social and cultural issues. I was born in India and raised in Austin, TX. where you can often find me visiting family and eating an excessive amount of Tex-Mex. I’m a huge Marvel fan and have two adorable yorkies named after X-Men.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I’ve always had a vivid imagination and devoured books as soon as I could read. By the time I was ten, I was reading Stephen King and writing my first short story—about vampire bunnies. From there, I was constantly composing poetry, short stories, and entirely too-long novels. My writing took me to nationals and earned trophies that were on display in my high school’s trophy case.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Sideways Stories from Wayside School
- The one that made you want to become an author: Fear Street
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Mexican Gothic
Your latest novel, A Drop of Venom, is out January 16th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
An Indian feminist Medusa retelling.
What can readers expect?
A Drop of Venom is a dark fantasy that follows Manisha, a young refugee of war, who is sexually assaulted and discarded only to rise with snake-like powers and the slayer sent to kill her. The anachronistic, dual converging timelines showcase how the narrative can twist the truth, turning a victim into a villain, and asks the question: What does it truly mean to be a monster? This novel contains several trigger warnings including sexual assault, violence, gore, mutilation, and misogyny. But it’s also a hopeful and empowering story of survival, sisterhood, friendship, and resistance.
Where did the inspiration for A Drop of Venom come from?
Medusa’s story has stuck with me since childhood as something that was incomplete and haunting. Most people who’ve heard of Medusa know her as the snake-haired monster who turned men into stone. But the story behind this once beautiful priestess is that she was raped inside Athena’s temple. Athena, angered by the desecration of her holy grounds, cursed Medusa by stripping her of her beauty, changing her hair into snakes, and turning any man who gazed upon her into stone. Medusa is discarded and exiled while her attacker is never held accountable. A demigod named Perseus then hunts and beheads Medusa so he can use her head to turn the Kracken into stone and save the woman he loves. He kills two monsters and is deemed a hero.
I’d like to mention that there is a version of Medusa’s story where she has a consensual relationship, but she’s still cursed, exiled, beheaded, and used even after her death while her attacker or lover continues without culpability. No matter which story is told, we see something that happens far too often across cultures, civilizations and time where women are demeaned, abused, ostracized, and failed by society. I saw myself in Medusa.
I knew that I wanted to retell this story from Medusa’s viewpoint, but with Indian lore—the naga specifically, which are a benevolent half-snake/half-human race. These were floating pieces of a story that I desperately wanted to tell but couldn’t figure out how. Until I saw the gripping statue of Medusa with the Head of Perseus by Luciano Garbati that this story came rushing out of me. To see Medusa take on her attacker and win, the formidable look on her face, the determination and fire is a testament to all the women who have been wronged and villainized. It’s the perfect reversal of the famous Perseus with the Head of Medusa statue by Benvenuto Cellini.
Manisha is my Medusa. Pratyush is my Perseus. Add in snake lore and Indian mythology, and A Drop of Venom was born.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I loved exploring Manisha and going through all of her struggles and pains that some of us, including myself, know all too well. It was very carthatic and empowering. My favorite moments are of Manisha coming into her powers, overcoming trauma, and becoming the badass she was always meant to be on her way to destroy the patriarchy.
This is your seventh published novel! What are some of the key lessons you have learned when it comes to writing and the publishing world?
There are far too many things in publishing that I can’t control, but one thing that I can control is my craft. I continue sharpening my skills in order to give readers my best.
With it being the new year, will you be setting and goals or resolutions?
I don’t set goals for the new year, rather my goals are revolving. I keep a list of things that I’d love to see happen. Many are steps, always striving for the next thing. This way, there’s no soul-breaking disappointment if it doesn’t happen this year. Instead, my goals remain obtainable and hopeful. And more than that, as I cross off items, I can reflect on how far I’ve come and if these goals continue to bring me joy.
What’s next for you?
There’s a second installment in the Venom series that I’m currently working on, and I hope to give readers a few more books in this world. I also have a few projects potentially on the horizon, and I’m excited to see where they take me.
Lastly, are there any 2024 books you’re looking forward to that our readers should look out for?
2024 is packed with amazing books. To name a few, I’m eager to read It Waits in the Forest by Sarah Dass, To Gaze Upon Wicked Gods by Molly X Chang, So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole, and Tales of the Celestial Kingdom by Sue Lynn Tan.
You can find Sajni on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok, along with at her website.
