Alka Joshi was born in India and raised in the U.S. since the age of nine. She has a BA from Stanford University and an MFA from California College of Arts. At age 62, Joshi released her debut novel, The Henna Artist, which immediately became an NYT bestseller, a Reese Witherspoon Bookclub pick, was Longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and is being developed for a TV series. The sequel, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur, premieres in June 2021.
In New York Times bestselling author Alka Joshi’s intriguing new novel, henna artist Lakshmi arranges for her protégé, Malik, to intern at the Jaipur Palace in this tale rich in character, atmosphere, and lavish storytelling. In an exclusive Q&A with Asian Voice, Joshi spoke about her work.
Q - Could you please briefly explain the idea and concept behind your trilogy of books?
The Jaipur Trilogy follows the lives of henna artist Lakshmi—a woman ahead of her time—her young Muslim helper Malik, rebellious sister Radha, and their entanglement with the prosperous Singh family to reveal the ways in which they live, love, thrive, and persevere in India of the 1950s, 60s and 70s.
Q - While we've all been taught to never judge the book by its cover, I have to say that I absolutely love the covers of both your books. What goes behind in your head to zero down to the ones you choose?
The cover should paint a story so readers know where the story is taking place, who is involved, and what mood the narrative is invoking. Does it feel as something is about to happen? Are the colours cool or warm? What does that tell us about the story? Are we accurately reflecting the time period?
Q - What kind of primary research or reading do you do while writing these books?
I interview people who lived during the time period I’m writing about or are experts in the details I’m including in the narrative. I read fiction and watch movies from that period. I also read non-fiction and watch documentaries or visit museums that inform me about specific items I’m including.
Q - Could you elaborate a bit about actor Reese Whitherspoon's book club and how your books became a part of it?
When my editor at Mira Books called to tell me that Reese Witherspoon would be telling the world she loved THE HENNA ARTIST on May 1, 2020, and I wasn’t to breathe a word of it to anyone, I couldn’t think, only wonder: Did I hear right? I’m still pinching myself!
Q - You're a New York Times bestselling author. What has your biggest takeaway been in writing for all these years? What does it take to reach this stature?
I call it the magic of the three Ps: Passion (you have to love what you’re writing about); Perseverance (revise, revise, revise until you can’t); Patience (allow yourself the time to grow as a writer). Keep in mind that everything starts with intention: do you know why you’re writing?
Q - In the heavily digitised world (especially due to the pandemic), as an author, what is your take on buying physical copies versus digital version of books? What do you think is the future of publishing?
The future is bright. It’s big. And it’s filled with women. There has never been a better time to write from the female perspective. After all the dire predictions of publishing’s death, isn’t it remarkable that during the pandemic, books sales shot up? Hardcover, ebooks and audio—all!
