Book: Strawberries Under Skin
Q1. Hello Ma’am, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
Hi, I’m Niharika. I’m 21, studying at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, graduating with a double major in Economics and English & Creative Writing. I’m originally from Kolkata, India, but have moved several cities and homes, which has invariably influenced my art and writing.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing ‘Strawberries Under Skin’ book?
Strawberries Under Skin is a compilation of some of my best pieces, dating back to 2017. The biggest challenge while putting together this manuscript was revisiting my oldest poems and getting in touch with the person I was then. Revision is always the most tedious part of publishing because a writer wants their final product to be the most perfect version of itself, and that requires constant revision, polishing and looking at it with a fresh set of eyes. So that kept me busy throughout the majority of the pandemic, and though it was hard work, it was definitely enjoyable and exciting because I knew that I was working towards a larger purpose.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
Ocean Vuong and Fatimah Asghar have influenced my writing style, and voice, in the deepest sense. Each of them, in their own unique manner, use their contemporary voices to talk about deep-rooted issues regarding families, native lands, relationships, and cultural and physical stereotypes, and I find myself in complete awe of that. Night Sky With Exit Wounds by Vuong and If They Come For Us by Asghar are therefore my top two favorites, but I also have immense appreciation for classics like Audre Lorde and Lucille Clifton.
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
Home for me is not as standard a concept as it may be for others. It’s almost bizarre because I’ve moved so many houses, ‘home’ now refers to the people I surround myself with. I think it’s not so much a singular spot in the whole country that holds sentimental value for me, but it’s a little more scattered. There’s a little bakery called Kookie Jar in Park Street, Calcutta, that was a go-to for my family for all birthdays and anniversaries and celebratory events for almost eleven years. I particularly enjoy their Chocolate Pyramids, and always get a box of those every time I visit the city. Then there’s a couple lake-side spots in Vadodara, Gujarat, that my friends and I often drove to. They were always very peaceful, breezy and an excellent picnic spot. I have special memories attached to all of these different locations and I think that’s what makes the spot so nostalgic and unique to my experiences.
Q5. Is there lots to do before you drive in and start writing a book?
Absolutely. The biggest lesson that I learnt was not to rush the publishing process. I’ve had this dream since I was 12 and I remember feeling so desperate to find a publisher that would push their stamp on my very childish, pre-mature collection of poems. But I didn’t go through with it. I grew a little older, and let my post-pubescent years drive my thought-processes and personal philosophies of love and life and growth. I also decided to start attending more workshops and seminars, studied under world-class professors and then pooled in all of the knowledge and skills and craftsmanship I’d learnt so far, and directed that towards creating a manuscript that would finally qualify as a well-written piece of literary work.
Q6. How long did it take you to write ‘Strawberries Under Skin’ book?
I never really know how to answer that question, because there are several poems in the book that I first wrote when I was seventeen years old, but only slightly re-worked them during revision. But more generally speaking, it was a year long journey, from August 2020 to August 2021, to go from drafting a rough word document with thirty poems, to a 120-paged paperback, with a unique cover design and a real ISBN code and everything.
Q7. On what all platforms readers can find ‘Strawberries Under Skin’ book to buy?
Strawberries Under Skin is available as a paperback on Amazon across the US, UK, Canada, Germany, Australia, Spain, France and Italy and as a Kindle version world-wide. Both versions are also available on IngramSpark and Kobo. I am currently in Atlanta, GA and talking to local bookstores like Barnes & Noble and Eagle Eye Books to display my book on their shelves.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Strawberries Under Skin’ ?
I always knew that I wanted ‘skin’ to be part of the title because so much of my work is inspired by the way I perceive my personal relationship with my body, the way that my body feels and the way it makes me feel. When I think about one word that describes me best, as a human being, the word ‘soft’ comes to mind. And a strawberry is a fruit that screams sensual, soft, and elegance along with a bold pop of color and juices. So the idea behind strawberries under your skin is essentially discovering the life that lies beneath your exterior, and the frailty and deep passion that you are really made of. I therefore wanted the cover design to reflect all of these notions, and I wanted the heart, the most important organ pumping blood to the rest of your body, to be infused with the red, porous structures of a strawberry.
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
I try to read as much as I can, and as frequently as I can. Being in college doesn’t allow you too much time to immerse yourself in novel after novel, but poetry books are easier and quicker to get through so I’ve actually gathered a pretty good collection of poetry books in the last two years, that constantly make me think from new perspectives, and make me write about experiences and people in a way I wouldn’t have considered before. I also often look out for online contests and writing prompts (the Instagram community of poets is an extensive and talented group of people) that challenge my comfort zone and push me to explore new styles.
Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?
I wouldn’t want to give away too many of my secrets, but I think one very cool thing about the book is I knew I wanted to have three or four chapters in the book; I just didn’t know what they would be called. Initially, the first ever edition of Strawberries Under Skin has three chapters called The Caterpillar, The Cocoon, and The Butterfly, to parallel the metamorphosis a caterpillar goes through before it can spread its wings and soar high. But that idea seemed almost cliché, overworked and a little stale, so I scratched that and decided to dedicate the three sections to the entities that pushed or provoked me into write that particular poem, which would find its place under that section. It’s funny how many times you rethink your title of the book, your subtitle or chapter titles before settling on one because you want it to be absolutely perfect without leaving much room for ambiguity, but I feel like a writer has their instincts that they must have faith in, and it’s usually a pretty incredible choice.
Book Is Available On Amazon
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