ABOUT ME:
My name is pronounced "Mo--neeeee--ka," like the Bollywood song about the cabaret chick. (Think: Hindi equivalent of the Police's "Roxanne.") My parents emigrated from Mumbai, India, to the U.S. in the mid-1960s. I was born in Pittsburgh, grew up in the 'burbs of Washington, D.C., and met my husband during our third year at Syracuse University. Since then, we've called each of these places home (in order): New York, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Ontario, New Jersey... and recently, back to Michigan.
I count good stories, good food, and good company among life's greatest pleasures...
My father fostered my love of books when I was growing up. He didn't have a privileged childhood but studied very hard from an early age, earning a full ride to an Ivy League university for his PhD. My dad always told me that when he was growing up, certain foods and all books were luxuries, and he always wanted to me have them, would never deny me those two things. This was his definition of "living the dream." His dream that he wanted to gift me. So throughout my life, I've been indulged to my heart’s content with food and books. My blessings, that my dad gave me, are what I want most to pass along to others...
I went through a long list of professions I wanted to be when I grew up. "Novelist" was the only one that didn't fall off the list--even when I, and everyone around me, fervently wished it would! I also realized fiction provided a way I could be all the professions I wanted, vicariously; and in many ways, fantasy is MUCH more satisfying than reality! Thus I grew up to be a novelist--with NO INTEREST in professional writing other than novels (no TV, film, etc), of my own creation, which are challenge enough for me. (This means thanks but NO THANKS, I don't want to: collaborate on a book with you, hear your great idea for a story, or write your biography.)
IN ANSWER TO TWO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
What's next? Since my best-laid plans to be a one-book wonder have been foiled, I'm working on a sequel to THE HINDI-BINDI CLUB, tentatively titled THE BANGLE BAZAAR, which picks up Rani's story where I left off. No idea when I'll be done. (We've moved three times in the last three years, and I'm tired!)
Why put recipes in my novel? Well, the first manuscript I ever wrote consisted of 300 pages of people eating. That was pretty much the whole plot. Needless to say, the manuscript is buried in the backyard, never to see the light of day. So, when it came to THE HINDI-BINDI CLUB, it wasn't so much that I decided to put recipes in my novel; rather, I put some stories in my cookbook. :)
MY WEBSITE:
www.hindi-bindi.com
On the above site, under "Events," you'll see a link back to this page. I did this after my first "identity challenge" on MySpace, which mostly cracked me up, but also made me kinda sad for people who obviously have no life and have to stoop so low as to make up gossip about little ole me!
