On AUTHOR's CIRCLE today, we have editor, writer, American desi and lifelong geek
Suleikha
Snyder, who published her first romantic short in 2011, going on to multiple
releases in recent years -- including three Bollywood romances from Samhain
Publishing: SPICE AND SMOKE, SPICE AND SECRETS and BOLLYWOOD AND THE BEAST.
These days, she's hard at work on more South Asian-themed romance and erotic
romance.
Suleikha lives in New York City, finding inspiration in
Bollywood films, daytime and primetime soaps and anything that involves
chocolate or bacon.
Visit her at suleikhasnyder.com and follow her on Twitter
@suleikhasnyder.
1.What’s
your personal brand of romance?
My tagline is “variety is
the spice of love,” and I think that pretty much sums up what my romances are
like. You never know what I'll come up with, where it will be set or who the
characters will be, but the through-line is always a love story.
2.Where
do you get your inspiration from, in stories and in life?
Everything. Everywhere.
Snippets of music, TV shows, people passing by on the street. Just about
anything can trigger a story idea or give me inspiration for my own adventures.
3.How
do you do your research?
I read voraciously in
whatever genre I'm planning on tackling, and I also immerse myself in films.
For my Bollywood-set romances, I definitely drew on decades of Indian cinema —
as well as Bollywood gossip magazines — to craft that world.
4.Who
is your favorite character in your book/books?
That's like asking to pick
between my kids (not that I have any kids!) I love all my heroines. They're
different shades of strong and funny and I love making sure they get what they
want. My favorite character, though, is probably Johnny Ray from “Opening Act.”
He's a scene-stealer with a smart mouth, and those types of characters are
always fun to write.
5.
Difference between love and lust?
Lust is in your pants.
Love is in your heart!
6.Your
favorite romance author or a memorable one you read that you must share with
our readers:
My bookshelf is
practically groaning from the weight of titles by Tessa Dare, Sarah MacLean,
Marjorie M. Liu, Courtney Milan, Kelley Armstrong and Jennifer Crusie. A really
recent fave, though, would have to be Forbidden, by Beverly
Jenkins.
7.In
what way are your romances different from their mainstream counterparts? Let’s
talk diversity.
I don't think the diverse
characters is what makes my stories different! Honestly, I think what makes
them stand out is that I've been heavily inspired by soap operas. So, I tell
very big, dramatic stories in short, sexy bursts. My work is very episodic,
very cliffhanger-y. I can't arc a long saga to save my life! So, that's what
sets me apart from the mainstream romance writers. That these soapy plots
happen to star characters who are primarily South Asian is just a bonus.
Because that's the world I know — people from different backgrounds falling in
love and finding their happily ever afters.
8.On
a date - would it be jeans and a top or a long sexy gown?
Somewhere in the middle —
a cute dress! I like dressing for comfort as well as va-va-voom!
9.Your
favorite fragrance.
I can't wear a lot of perfume because I get
headaches, so I'm going to cheat and say that my favorite scent is home-cooked
Indian food. There's nothing like that mix of spices — cardamom, cumin,
coriander — plus frying garlic and onions. It's mouth-watering and comforting
all at the same time!
10.
Share a little something about your work that no one knows about yet.
My next sexy story will be
released in Rachel Kramer Bussel's erotic anthology Begging For It on
July 12, 2016 … and the hero is based on Bollywood actor Kunal Kapoor. There
was one photo I just couldn't get out of my head and, lo, a naughty little
story grew from that!
And
that’s it. Thank you for visiting my blog, and allowing us a peek into your
life.
Thanks, Falguni! It was a pleasure to drop by!
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