LETS KICK OFF THE NEW YEAR WITH A BRAND NEW INTERVIEW.

If it's not obvious, diverse books are our #1 priority here at TBV so we decided to interview the lovely, Roshani Chokshi. Her book, The Star-Touched Queen, is influenced by Indian mythology and has such an intriguing premise, we were dying to know more. There also might be a small snippet at the bottom? hmmm :)

TBV:  To start off, can you tell us what the Star - Touched Queen is about for those who don’t know?
Roshani: Unofficially, The Star-Touched Queen is about constellations, beautiful monsters, obscure fates and all the ways we define ourselves. Officially, here’s the synopsis! 
most? It must of been so exciting to add some stories into your book!<3
Roshani: The story that had the most influence on me was the tale of Savitri and Satyavan, which originally appeared in the Mahabharata. What I loved about the myth was Savitri’s agency. She was the rescuer. She entered a relationship of love knowing the consequences. She reinterpreted her husband’s fate against all odds and tricked Death himself! It’s also a very personal story to me. When my family moved, we stayed with my aunt and uncle. They had a beautiful illustrated version of the Savitri and Satyavan tale, and my aunt would read it to me thousands of times.  
Roshani: I was inspired to write The Star-Touched Queen because of my family life. I’m Indian and Filipina, and devouring fairytales and folklore from around the world helped me navigate belonging to two heritages. So many of the stories I loved shared characteristics that I wanted to write something that would be familiar to fairytale fans and also new because the story drew on different cultural traditions. I also felt an obligation to write this for my younger self. Growing up as a fantasy reader, I never saw people like me represented in those stories. I wanted to change that. 

TBV: Who was your favorite character to write?
Roshani: My FAVORITE character to write was Kamala, the flesh-eating demon horse. She’s just the absolute best. She’s hilarious. Her moral compass skips from ruthless to terrifying. And yet she’s capable of fierce affection. I like writing lovable monsters.

TBV: Which part are you most excited for readers to see about your book?
Roshani: I’m really excited for readers to (hopefully) immerse themselves in the world building. The setting really informs the emotional notes of The Star-Touched Queen, and so I hope that readers find themselves transported.  

TBV:  We are so excited for your book! Is it possible if you can give us maybe a one - liner or an excerpt for us? :) (If you can’t answer don’t worry!)

Roshani: "The Night Bazaar had ensnared me. I could smell its perfume on my skin — of stories and secrets, flashing teeth and slow smiles. In the arms of this land, I was no stronger than a calf in a lion’s jaws. But I liked it. Even though I couldn’t admit it aloud, even though I comforted myself that I had no choice but to go with him, the truth was that I wanted this. I yearned to draw breath beneath a split-sky leaking with magic. And not just live within one of the other realms’ strange kingdoms, but rule it. "