Since the past 2 years of my blogging journey I have conducted many author interviews, Each inspire me a lot. But never have I even been so pleased with anyones answers, how much I have been with Author Simrita Dhirs responses.
Simrita Dhir is the author of THE RAINBOW ACRES, a historical novel set up in India and abroad. The storyline itself seems very promising and I'm very excited to dive into it! But before that take a look at her wonderful answers!
1 What inspired you to write The Rainbow Acres?
The Rainbow Acres is a historical novel about displacement, migration, love, friendship, fortitude and the quest for land and identity that unfurls in the early twentieth century. As an immigrant who is settled in California, I was naturally curious to explore the history of the earliest people who migrated to California from my homeland Punjab. I was inspired to write The Rainbow Acres after learning about the brave stories of the pioneer Punjabi farmers of California who started their journeys from Punjab in the early 1900s, shortly after the California Gold Rush. Undertaking perilous journeys, they sailed across two oceans to reach California with the hope of claiming and farming their piece of the golden land. I thought their stories of strife, struggle and fantastic success had all the twists and turns of a fictional story.
Many of these pioneer Punjabi farmers of California married Mexican women, who had migrated to California after having been uprooted by the Mexican revolution. As a result, a fascinating Punjabi-Mexican community sprang up in California. It was a beautiful coming together of two cultures - a truly secular, bi-ethnic set-up that came to exemplify a new and eclectic California.
Even though sociological research had been done about California’s remarkable Punjabi-Mexican community of the early 1900s, there had been no attempt at fictionalizing this episode from Californian history. Finding the Punjabi-Mexican community absolutely riveting, I took it upon myself to render the beautiful story of the melding of two cultures into fiction.
2. Have you been a writer all your life?
I have been writing since I was a child, loosely recording my thoughts and experiences in journals. I began contributing to leading national newspapers – The Times of India, Indian Express and The Tribune while in high school. I have also written a doctoral dissertation. The Rainbow Acres is my debut novel and a labor of love spun together after a lot of research. I write everyday about things that interest, inspire and nudge me into thinking. Writing is my ikigai, meditation and joy all packed in one.
3. Tell us about your favorite writing spot/nook?
I write at my desk in my home office, which overlooks a courtyard where a large magnolia tree, several Giant Birds of Paradise trees and many succulents grow around a Spanish colonial-style fountain frequented by thrushes and sparrows. It is a beautiful, quiet space in my house, both calming and inspiring at all times of the year.
4. At this stage in your life, whom do you admire the most & why?
I admire everyday people from all walks of life. Empathy and kindness move me tremendously, so I celebrate people who uphold and exhibit these qualities as they go about their lives.
5. What do you do apart from writing?
I teach writing, literature and critical thinking to undergraduate students in San Diego, California.
6. Please brief us about your childhood, teenage and later days?
I grew up in a house full of books. My father was a Professor of American Literature and a William Faulkner scholar. My mother was a Professor of Applied Linguistics and also a prolific painter. Both of them inspired in me a deep love and appreciation for the arts. From the very beginning, I been drawn towards literature, painting, theater, film and music. I was a national-award winning essay writer, debater, and actor in school and college and the recipient of the Gold Standard of the Duke of Edinburgh Award. In college, I majored in English, going on thereafter to receive my PhD on Toni Morrison from the Department of English and Cultural Studies, Punjab University, Chandigarh. Later, I studied Advanced Rhetoric at the Department of Rhetoric and Writing Studies, San Diego State University. My other interests are swimming and gardening.
7. Share your favorite lines from The Rainbow Acres?
I don’t have any favorite lines so to say. The Rainbow Acres, in its entirety, is immensely close to my heart and all sections, episodes and lines are vital to the success of the story. Having said that, many readers have shared with me that they have really enjoyed the sections about Kishan and Roop’s romance, Kishan’s harrowing voyage across oceans and the parallelism between Sophia’s journey and the migratory journey of butterflies. It is always wonderful to hear how deeply some sections have resonated with readers. If I had to pick a line that I feel is the most representative of the story, I would choose a line from the closing page of the The Rainbow Acres – “El Dorado is a state of mind, a quest of one’s truest self, an endless adventure under the golden sun.”
8. What is your definition of being successful?
I strive to be happy and kind at all times. I see those two qualities as being the alpha and omega – the very essence of life.
9. What were the difficulties you faced while writing The Rainbow Acres?
Writing is a very lonely and intense process. It is also time consuming and requires multiple revisions. Having said that, I did not perceive these aspects as difficulties. As I said earlier,The Rainbow Acres is a labor of love spun together after much research, multiple revisions and many years. Should I decide to write another story, I am prepared to do all of that over again and gladly so. I feel stories are integral to life, no one tells anyone to write a story. When a story comes to a writer, he/she is driven by a formidable impulse to see the story through completion regardless of all and any obstacles.
10. How do you deal with/take criticism or negative reviews?
I think novelists should focus on working as hard as possible to bring forth enduring stories. That is the only job of a novelist and that should be his or her only concern – staying true to the craft of writing.
11. Tell us about a fictional character that you adore? Why?
There are many fictional characters that I love and adore, but since you have asked me to name just one, I will pick Jude Fawley, the protagonist of Thomas Hardy’s classic Jude the Obscure. He is unforgettable in every which way, a man who attempts to defy time, class, societal norms, religion and the love laws. His struggle, longing and despair define him. At no point in the novel is he presented as the great, pristine hero, but in my mind, his tremendous honesty and his self-effacing love for Sue Bridehead elevate him to greatness.
12. Is any character in the The Rainbow Acres that is inspired by your life?
Not really. The Rainbow Acres is entirely a work of fiction. All characters have sprung from my imagination. Kishan Singh has lived the longest in my mind. I began reflecting on his character much before I even started work on The Rainbow Acres. All characters whether it be the protagonists Kishan Singh and Sophia or the supporting characters – Jaspal, Amy and Isabel – are entirely fictional. Having said that, I must mention that in one way or the other, I do relate to the struggles, beliefs and mindsets of all characters. There is something of me in all of them.
I truly had a wonderful time reading her answers and getting to know her , I hope you enjoyed reading this too! Make sure to let me know your thoughts over it and don't forget to subscribe to my blog for more such posts!
I'm grateful to her for taking time out and conducting this interview with me.
That's all for today! Take care, much love💕
