As a librarian, reading has always been my passion…but I have to admit that being a foodie, there’s nothing better than when an author discloses their recipe for a food that you read about. I’m definitely going to have to try it, and I hope you will too. While you’re at it, read Star Daughter because Shveta Thakrar has these food descriptions that just make you sohungry. Not only the food though. Shveta has written some of the most opulent scenes in any book I’ve read, and I’m so excited to have gotten to interview her for The Nerd Daily!
Can you tell us about yourself and about Star Daughter?
I could confess that I’m secretly part star or part nagini, if that’s what you mean. Oh, wait—you want me to talk about why I wrote the book. Well, I am a huge lover of mythology, folklore, and fantasy, so all my fiction to date has been full of magic, and Star Daughter’s no different. I’ve spent my whole life daydreaming about finding a portal to a land full of enchantment and adventure, so I just stuffed Star Daughter with all of that, including apsaras, magical Night Markets, and a girl who’s half star and half human and who, after accidentally burning her human father with her flame, must go on a quest to find her sidereal mother and obtain a drop of her healing blood. You know, typical teenager problems.
How did you get started writing, and what does your writing space look like?
I’ve told myself stories on and off for as long as I can remember—I’ve had rich, magical worlds inside me for as long as I can remember—and I have fond memories of writing fan fiction of The Legend of Zelda (silver Triforces for the win!) alone and Street Fighter (yes, really!) with my sister when I was in high school. It just felt natural to move my personal daydreams into a form I could share with others.
I call my writing space my dreaming room, a term I borrowed from Grace Nuth, and I did my best to make it as magical and inspiring as possible. I painted the walls aquamarine; hung purple sari-fabric curtains over the windows; painted my bookshelves berry pink, violet, and that same aquamarine; displayed a large faerie doll, a selkie doll with a separable sealskin, and a nagini sculpture; hung up fairy lights and plugged in my LED cherry blossom tree; nabbed Indian embroidered cushions in jewel tones; bought a teal mushroom light from overseas, found a moon lamp, and set out a glowing Dark Crystal Gelfling essence bottle made by Grace; purchased lots of magical art to hang on the walls, including a painting a friend did of Sheetal from Star Daughter . . . and I put a table and chairs and faerie and Hindu goddess banners out on the little balcony that extends off the dreaming room. (There’s more, but I’ll stop there!)
When you began writing Star Daughter, did you start with characters or the worldbuilding?
I started with Sheetal; her identity as a half-star, half-human girl came to me first. But then I dove headlong into the worldbuilding, lots and lots of worldbuilding, and had so much fun.
What’s one of your favorite things to write in a story?
The worldbuilding! I love constructing the worlds I want to visit and describing the delightful things I see in my imagination and having excuses to dream up more. See basically every bit of description in any of my work, particularly Star Daughter.
Is Sheetal or anyone in your story based on people in real life?
Sheetal has bits and pieces of me in her, like being caught between worlds and wondering what that means, but the part that’s fully based on real life is Radhikafoi’s serial couch buying! My harp teacher told me about someone who kept buying harps and returning them to buy different ones, because it was just never the right one, and my first thought was, Who does that? My second thought: I have to put that in a book! And so Radhikafoi’s quirk was born.
Who was your favorite character to write into Star Daughter?
There are a lot, but if I have to limit myself to one, I’ll say the wily, slippery harp sisters. I think they’d approve—not that you’d ever get a straight answer out of them admitting as much.
What is something that you’ve learned through the publishing process of Star Daughter that you weren’t expecting?
There’s so much to do behind the scenes that the reader never sees! I’m donning five hats at all times, some fashionable and others less so. But each hat is just as important as the rest.
Sheetal talks about some of her favorite meals in Star Daughter, and all the foods you described made my mouth water! What’s one of your favorite comfort food or meals that could turn around even the worst of days for you?
I do love food and descriptions of food, so thank you for such a kind compliment! Chocolate-covered almonds are a great pick-me-up, as is any of my mom’s desi home cooking. Random highlights of her kitchen: aloo mattar, khaaribhaat, sheero (like Sheetal eats in the novel). In fact, here’s my mom’s recipe for sheero:
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup sugar mixed with 1½ cup milk or water and heated
- A pinch of powdered cardamom
Melt butter in a nonstick pan. Add cardamom. Add flour and cook on low heat, while stirring constantly with a wooden spatula. Cook till brown and the butter separates from the flour, giving out a delicious aroma. Add hot milk (with added sugar) while stirring constantly, till mixed thoroughly with flour.
Turn off the flame and cover and let sit for 2–3 minutes.
Garnish with slivered almonds. Enjoy piping hot.
Are you working on any projects you can tell us about?
Yes! I’m frantically drafting my second book, a young adult fantasy that will draw on even more Hindu mythology, and you can expect dreams and nagas, among other wondrous things.
What have you been enjoying lately, and how can we support your upcoming release?
Lots of books! Here are a few for readers to check out: Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust; The Falling in Love Montage by Ciara Smyth; Forest of Souls by Lori M. Lee; A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown; A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow; A Spark of White Fire by Sangu Mandanna; The Princess Will Save You by Sarah Henning.
That’s so nice of you to ask! I suppose tell people the book exists and that they can preorder to have that absolutely stunning magical brown girl cover in their hands. Oh, and that the inside of the book matches the outside, so they should definitely check it out.
