Interview with Anuja Varghese, author of CHRYSALIS

 

Another Saturday means that it is time for another interview!! Today's interview is with Anuja Varghese and we talked about her upcoming debut collection of stories, CHRYSALIS. It was so great to get to talk with her about her upcoming release!

In this interview we talked about what inspired Anuja to write CHRYSALIS, what research was necessary for this book, and what it was like getting this book published! I hope you enjoy! As always, you can find links to follow the author on her socials as well as a link to purchase her book at the end of the interview.      

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When did you first start writing? What sort of things did you write when you first started out?

I have been writing for a long time! My first stories as a kid were just elaborate Babysitters Club fanfic (although I didn't know it at the time). After graduating from university with an English Lit degree, and spending four years reading and writing about "classic" literature (which also happens to be a body of work written largely by straight, white folks), I was feeling pretty uninspired. I actually put writing aside for several years, while I built a career in the nonprofit sector. It has only been in the last five years that I returned to writing, starting out with things that I considered "just for fun" - fanfic, erotica, and short stories full of ghosts, monsters, and re-imagined myths. I don't think it's any surprise that elements of all of these can be found in my debut short story collection!

I am immediately obsessed with the idea of Babysitters Club fanfic! Haha, that's an amazing story that lead to you writing this book. I love that you included all the elements that brought you back into writing. (And yeah "classics" can definitely leave someone feeling uninspired.)
What inspired you to write Chrysalis?

Losing my job! I was a manager with a national nonprofit and I was sinking all my time and energy into this job that I didn't really like. Then one day, my position was suddenly "eliminated due to restructuring." I cleared out my office and had a cry in my car. But then I had to think about what I wanted to do next and the thing that I kept coming back to was writing. That's when I started writing more seriously, taking writing workshops and classes, and submitting my work for publication. Once I had a few stories published, I was fortunate to have supportive mentors and writing buddies who said, "Hey, maybe there's a book here!" And that definitely inspired me to start working more intentionally towards putting this collection together.

That's one hell of a push into the writing world, at least seriously. I'm sorry that that had to happen to lead you here, but on the other hand I'm glad you had the support that allowed you to get to this point.
How did you come up with the ideas for these stories?

Although I think we are seeing more diverse representations of women of color in books and media, I still think the narratives we're given are often predictable: we get cast as immigrants, nerds, victims, and sidekicks. I knew I wanted to write stories that center brown women and girls - but I wanted to give them complexity and agency. To make them angry and sexy and dangerous and brave. To infuse them with magic. As a second generation queer woman of color, I don't see a lot of stories that reflect the intersections of identity that I experience, so the driving idea unifying this collection is that those of us who don't see ourselves in most stories might find a mirror in these words, and know that we are worthy of reflection.

That is the best way to come up with stories!! I love seeing more and more works be released that feature not just diversity but also diverse intersections.
Was any research necessary for this book? If so, how much did you have to do?

On one hand, readers will find lots of strange creatures in Chrysalis - shapeshifters and ghosts and monsters re-imagined from fairy tales and South Asian folklore. There was definitely some historical and cultural research that went into shaping those stories in particular. On the other hand, readers will also find contemporary stories in this book that take place mostly in and around Toronto, and I spent several days wandering around the city, visiting specific places to really capture their sensory details. So two different kinds of research were necessary for this book.

Ooh, that's actually really interesting!! I don't often consider the fact that books with a mix of fantasy and contemporary stories will likely have to research both aspects. That is so amazing that you did all this research to come up with these stories. I hope it was fun!!
What was the publication process for this book like?

One of the first things that happened with this book was an agent reached out to me! She had read one of my short stories and wanted to see more work. She was looking for a novel (which I didn't have), but I sent along my short story collection manuscript. She HATED it. After that, I was like, "Well, I guess this is terrible." I put the manuscript in a drawer and didn't look at it for months. Again - I have been so fortunate to have supportive mentors and writing groups who read my stuff and provided constructive feedback that helped me shape a stronger book that was truer to my own voice. I decided to query independent Canadian publishers (who were accepting unagented submissions) and my book found the perfect home with House of Anansi Press.

Brutal start that lead to a beautiful ending. I am very impressed by the support you received and the amount of work that you put in to make this book what it is.
What did the process look like to come up with this cover? I don't know a lot about cover design and how that process goes.

One of the concerns I hear raised quite often when it comes to traditional publishing is the perceived lack of control over things like the cover design. This wasn't my experience at all! When we started discussing cover design, my editor at House of Anansi asked for my input and I was able to share key themes and imagery I hoped the cover could reflect, along with examples of recent book covers I liked or thought something similar could work for Chrysalis. The designer, Alysia Shewchuk, came back with the gorgeous artwork you see on the Chrysalis cover. We worked together to refine colors and fonts and I am so thrilled with how it turned out!

That sounds like it was a really interesting time! I'm glad that you were able to have control and input when discussing what the cover should look like! That is so amazing!
Are you currently working on any other books or stories right now?

Yes! I am working on an adult fantasy novel inspired by medieval India with a queer love story at its heart. Think Bollywood epic meets spicy D&D campaign!

I am looking forward to seeing what that book looks like once it's finished!!! It sounds absolutely amazing!!! Even with what little you've described!
Congratulations on the upcoming release of CHRYSALIS. I hope that you have an amazing release day!! And I hope that all your future endeavors are good. Have a great rest of the week!!

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You can find Anuja Varghese on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.

You can buy Anuja Varghese's book, Chrysalis from Barnes and Noble.

If you can't buy her books but you still want to read them, consider requesting them to your local library or suggesting them on Overdrive!