Interview With Andaleeb Wajid
Andaleeb Wajid is the author of eight published novels – Kite Strings, Blinkers Off, My Brother’s Wedding, More than Just Biryani and The Tamanna Trilogy. Her Young Adult novel When she Went Away was published by Duckbill in October, 2015. She has two upcoming novels in 2016 with Penguin and Hachette. Andaleeb enjoys writing about food, relationships and sometimes even weddings. Andaleeb lives in Bangalore and is currently heading the marketing team of a software company, Quadwave.
We loved her book When She Went Away and the interview with her is on this, that and the other. We also love her absolutely charming smile!!
tgbc: Who are your book mentors?
Andaleeb : I enjoy reading and I’m also inspired by J.K Rowling, R.K Narayan, Anuja Chauhan, Jodi Piccoult, Rick Riordan, Brandon Mull, Rainbow Rowell. And also Douglas Preston/Lincoln Child who write together, as well as Marian Keyes
tgbc: What does it mean to be a writer? How do you manage it with a full time job?
Andaleeb: Being a writer is what I do best. It gives me the freedom to do things I can’t in real life. It also opens my world to endless possibilities. The full time job happened last year and I was a full time writer until then. But even with the job I’ve written two novels, both of which will be published soon.
tgbc: What do you do when you are looking for inspiration, or facing a writer’s block?
Andaleeb: I try not to think too much or consciously look for inspiration. But my mind is kept open for moments or sentences that make me tingle and I know I have to make a book out of it. I don’t really give much importance to writer’s block. If I can’t write, then I do something else and give myself a break and come back to it. That’s worked for me so far.
tgbc: Where do you observe young adults?
Andaleeb: I have an almost seventeen year old son but he’s not the inspiration for my young adult writing. At least not that much. I rely on my own memories of what it felt like to be a young adult.
tgbc: Name one celebrity you want as your book fan!
Andaleeb: Shahrukh Khan!
tgbc: A quote you swear by!
Andaleeb: Follow your dreams. Everything else will follow. (is it a quote? I’m not sure. He he! But it’s definitely one of the mottos of my life)
tgbc: What do you think happens to Maria’s mom?
Andaleeb: You know, umm… The inevitable. It can’t be helped.
tgbc: And will her father re-marry?
Andaleeb: Most likely yes. Men in most families are never left to cope alone without someone to ‘take care’ of them.
tgbc: The theme of living one’s life runs through the book. When do you think this rings hollow?
Andaleeb: Probably when you justify it to do something that you know isn’t right but you want to do it anyway.
tgbc: What are you working on next?
Andaleeb: I’m not working on a new book at the moment but editing has begun for my next novel Asmara’s Summer that’s being published next year.
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