On this episode of Characters Like Us, we’re joined by author and multi-hyphenate creative Malavika Kannan for a conversation about queer girlhood, radical storytelling, and writing at the intersection of the personal and political.

Malavika reflects on her journey from self-publishing in high school to releasing her YA debut All the Yellow Suns, a novel shaped by her experiences as a queer South Asian American growing up in Florida. We talk about what it means to write boldly when you don’t see yourself in books, how her Stanford years and journalism career shaped her voice, and what she’s working on now—including her upcoming adult novel set during the COVID-19 pandemic.

From zines to sapphic supper clubs, this episode is a celebration of craft, community, and coming of (r)age.

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Follow Malavika on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/literarymal/ and check out her debut YA novel ALL THE YELLOW SUNS on our Bookshop Page! https://tinyurl.com/clubookshopATYS

⏳ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Introduction

02:39 - Numbered Narratives Segment

05:46 - Malavika's Journey to Becoming an Author

09:14 - Malavika's Writing Practice

11:52 - Transition to Full-time Writing

12:28 - Writing First Novel During the Pandemic

15:11 - Malavika's Approach to Reading as a Writer

22:29 - Exploring Nonfiction and Essay Writing

23:01 - Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and Embracing Authenticity

27:20 - Advice for Emerging Writers

32:17 - Reflecting on Early Work

39:05 - Navigating Cancel Culture and Online Criticism

48:32 - Closing Segment

50:32 - Closing

This video comes with captions and a transcript.

Characters Like Us is a podcast dedicated to exploring the craft of diverse and inclusive writing in the books that we read and write.

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Music by Hafijur Rahman from Pixabay.

Sound Effects from Pixabay.

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