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*** Special Feature – June 2018 ***
Quick Recap:

About the Book:

Tara is living a blessed life in the maximum city with her husband Abhimanyu, the love of her life. At the pinnacle of her career, she is the apple of her parents’ eyes and hasn’t spotted a wrinkle yet – so far, the 30s are looking great!
Nothing fazes Tara – not a foul-mouthed best friend or a food-burning arch-nemesis in the form of her maid – not even a landlady who chats with ghosts.
And then, Tara discovers that she’s pregnant, and suddenly, all that well-honed composure crumbles. It doesn’t help that she’s got an equally jittery (if supportive) husband by her side. Now, Tara must face her anxieties about parenthood as she navigates friendships, marriage and career, all the while dealing with the fact that her body and mind are steadily feeling like they belong to someone else.
An irreverent, honest and funny journey down the road – potholes and all – to (accidental) parenthood!

Book Links:
Goodreads * Amazon

An Interview:
When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/ a storyteller?

When you have three elder sisters, and there is a food chain in play, you tend to find innovative ways of saving yourself from blame and finger pointing by being imaginative with excuses. I can’t say there was one point when it suddenly dawned on me but I figured out pretty early that I certainly had it in me to spin yarns and tell stories, believable or otherwise! Then when I started writing poetry, I figured, a love for words was here to stay.

What inspires you to write?
So much! It could be an old, sad looking taxi driver, two lovebirds holding hands and laughing away, the outline of a face in the clouds. Anything that touches my heart makes me want to start jotting down my feelings. I always have a shabby tattered diary tucked away in my bag (which my husband is dying to to donate to the raddiwala) especially when I travel, because that's when inspiration unexpectedly rains down like the unrelenting Mumbai monsoons.

How did you come up with the idea for your current story?
The idea for the book came to me organically when I was busy dancing to my own baby’s never ending demands. I was losing my mind, severely sleep deprived and suddenly over a cup of strong coffee, I decided that I would have to chronicle my experiences. They were precious, laughable and I just had to share my own (often censor worthy) thoughts about the circus that had unfolded around me while I was pregnant.

Please share three interesting facts about the characters in your book.
–  Tara Roy, the protagonist, has recurring nightmares about a child chasing her down streets, wanting to bite her!
–  Mrs Dham, Tara’s landlady is known to speak with ghosts.
–  Sania, Tara’s best friend has the foulest mouth this side of the Equator.

If you could pick any famous author to review your book who would you pick and why?
Erma Bombeck if she were alive. In the land of the living, Manu Joseph. And then I would quake in my shoes, pop antacids, sweat profusely while waiting.

Have you read any books that have inspired you to improve or change yourself in any way?
How to Stop Worrying and Start living. Dale Carnegie had no idea that he was writing a book for me. My chattering mind is usually working in overdrive and producing fictional scenarios that cause worry. This book is my bible.

Do you ever experience writer’s block? If so what helps you to get over it?
The biggest writers block in my life has manifested in a 4 year old little active girl, namely my daughter. She physically blocks me from writing on several occasions by hanging off my leg but since this book would have never been written had she not come into my life, I deal with this charming little block by distracting her and resuming my writing.

What part of the writing process do you enjoy the most?
Other than the writing of-course, the editing stage. When you know someone has bought into the mad idea that made you write the book, that an excellent and qualified editor is nurturing your baby and making the grammar sound a little less horrific and that you are one step closer to smelling the fresh crisp pages of your own book!

Do you know the ending of your books before you finish writing them?
I still have a long way to go to have any definitive opinions on this but basis what I have written so far, I might have a basic idea, but the exact ending evolves along the way. I allow the story and the characters to breathe as I write.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
Stop planning and predicting whether your writing will be good enough or who will read it. Even JK Rowling had no answers to that.  Just write. Everyday, in whatever format you write, on the pot, early in the morning, late at night, during water breaks. Its all practice.

About the Author:

Richa’s life has always been marked with abundance. She grew up with three elder sisters, lived in eight cities across India, and went from being a B Com graduate who wanted to pursue dance (and eradicate poverty), to a journalist, and then landed up in an advertising agency. The only constant was that she had a blast through all of it. Now, she wants to spend the rest of her life observing people, spinning yarns and writing books. Every pocket she owns is stuffed with scraps of paper scribbled with ideas and stories. This is Richa's debut novel.

Contact the Author:
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Giveaway:
Paperback Copies of I Didn't Expect to be Expecting & Harper Collins Badges

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