Alka Joshi and The Henna Artist

Alka Joshi was born in India and raised in the U.S. since the age of nine. She has a BA from Stanford University and an MFA from California College of Arts. At the age of 62, Joshi published her debut novel, The Henna Artist, which immediately became a New York Times bestseller, a Reese Witherspoon Bookclub pick, was long listed for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and is being developed into an episodic series by Miramax TV starring Frieda Pinto.

The sequel, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur, premieres June 2021, and will be followed by the third book in the trilogy in 2022.

We talk about what it was like growing up in India and the transition to Iowa, how her family viewed dating and relationships, why she decided to break the glass ceiling on her own terms, and how she became an "accidental writer".

She talks about the origins of The Henna Artist and how the main character, Laxmi, is an ode to her mother, her mother's own journey finding herself, why she believes women are better leaders, and how she hopes these books will be her legacy.

www.alkajoshi.com