Visiting with Mitali Perkins
by Claire Guyton, Art + Life Editor
What’s your best “This is how I got the idea for that story” anecdote?
The character of Jay in Secret Keeper (Delacorte) came to mind when my mother told me one of her secrets. She was a teenager growing up with extended family in Kolkata, India, much like my main character Asha and her sister Reet.
One afternoon, Ma went on the rooftop to let her long hair dry in the sun. A window next door flew open, and a neighbor guy started a conversation. It was sweet—innocent by Western standards—but flirtatious nonetheless, and risky for a girl and boy who could never marry for love. They spoke a few more times, and soon it was clear: He liked her, and she liked him.
Somehow, my grandmother found out. Next thing my mother knew, the servants had boarded up the door to the roof, and my grandmother was issuing a stern diatribe about shaming the entire family.
Baba and Ma Bose, wedding photo
My own parents’ marriage was arranged shortly after that. They saw each other briefly before their wedding in front of the extended family, and Ma served Baba tea, but they first spoke to each other on their wedding night. The good news is that Ma did get her happy ending, as I trust Reet and Asha both will in Secret Keeper. My parents have been married for over fifty years now, and they adore each other.
Tell us about your usual writing process.
Coffee house with no Internet access. Vanilla latté with full-fat milk. Two to three hours of butt in chair. Edit and delete most of yesterday’s 1,500 words. Compose 1,500 new words. Permission to write badly.
What’s the most important book you ever read?
The Bible.
All writers have favorite words we have to guard against over-using. What are yours?
Adverbs like really and very. I really always do a very thorough search, I promise ☺.
*Contact Claire with any questions or suggestions for Hunger Mountain’s Art + Life section at hungermtnal@gmail.com.
