I had the pleasure of attending one of Kamala’s first book readings last summer. She’s a friend-of-a-friend, and I was psyched to see Barnes and Noble packed to the gills to celebrate her debut novel, The Girl in the Garden. The story’s about a woman named Rakhee who must revisit her past before she can commit to getting married. As a pre-teen, Rakhee visited family in India and came across a disturbing secret in the woods. She’s compelled to come to terms with the experience before she can fully move on.

Kamala’s prose is lyrical and vivid, and the book has garnered much praise (Booklist called it “a daring fairy tale of a story”). And lucky for us, Kamala kindly agreed to share her reading experiences—in spite of the fact that she was on the road for a reading when I contacted her!

• What’s one of the most memorable readings you’ve given and why?

“The ones I gave in my hometown, Rochester, MN, and in my current home city, New York, to launch my debut novel, The Girl in the Garden, are tied for the most memorable readings I’ve given. As a new author, I had heard horror stories about reading to row after row of empty folding chairs, dulling the high of publishing your first book. My friends and family in both these cities made an enormous effort to recruit everyone they knew to come out for my readings, and the result—standing room only at both—was astonishing and thrilling. It was really great to have such a large turnout, but it was mostly memorable because it reminded me how lucky I am to have such amazing people in my life, all of who went well out of their way to help make these events special.”

• Any particularly intriguing (or conversely, awkward) audience questions that have stuck with you?

“I think the most awkward question I received was after one of my readings. A guy came up to me and without so much as an introduction asked me if I thought the only reason I had gotten published was because India is such a hot topic. I was momentarily speechless, but I think I managed to get myself out of that gracefully…I think.”

• What’s a reading that you’ve attended that you’ll never forget?

“There are so many! That is one of the things I love about living in New York City: Having access to readings by so many great writers. The one that stands out most was by Edna O’Brien. I have been borderline obsessed with her writing since college. She is a legend to me, so having the opportunity to see and hear her in person was unforgettable…and the reality did not disappoint, it only made me admire her even more.”

Thanks, Kamala! Check out the BookStalker writeup of her event here.