It’s my pleasure to introduce another new contributor to our upcoming Mythical Creatures of Asia anthology, Meera Dandekar. Let’s get to know her a little better with the following 25-question interview.
Meera Dandekar loves to explore the fictional worlds that show the magical realm of being. She’s studying mechanical engineering but has a definite admiration for the written word. You can befriend her by offering her some coffee, she loves it. She wants to visit the scariest place in the world, Derry, Maine. She’s currently living in Mumbai, India.
TWENTY-FIVE QUESTIONS
- Author Name/s: Meera Dandekar
- Years active as a writer: Since 2020 (since Lockdown. Although I’ve attempted to write a novel back in 2014)
- What genre/s you write: mostly speculative fiction
- Favorite genre to write: all of Horror
- Favorite length of story to write: Between 1000-5000
- Your nationality: Indian
- Country you live in: India
- Number of Asian countries visited: 1
- Favorite Asian country (visited): Thailand (since it’s the only one)
- Favorite place in Asia (visited): Goa. The ambience is great!
- Place (city or country) you most want to visit in Asia: Japan
- Favorite Asian cuisine: Punjabi
- Favorite Asian dish: Murgh Makhani
- Favorite Asian movie (any genre): Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
- Favorite Asian book (any genre): 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
- Favorite Asian celebrity: Farhan Akhtar
- Best thing about being a writer: Experiencing a world that you have designed and looking at it through the eyes of your protagonist. Nothing like living a double life.
- Worst thing about being a writer: probably the constant need to analyse every story and not enjoying them as a normal person.
- Day writer or night writer: Day Writer. I’m an early riser so I feel that I’m most productive early in the morning.
- Drink and snack of choice (while writing): Coffee, coffee, coffee (I’m Lorelai from Gilmore Girls when it comes to coffee)
- Number of short stories/poems submitted each month (av): 10-15 (that includes drabbles)
- I dream to be published with/in (publisher/publication): Penguin, Jimmy Patterson or HarperCollins.
- Most active on (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram): Instagram (I have a bookstagram)
- Self-published, traditionally published, or both: I prefer traditionally published. I feel that reaching out to agents for help is better. They know more about publishing than I do. And Publishers look out for their authors.
- Currently working on: YA crime series, YA fantasy series (all still in the works—far from publishing)
Meera’s drabbles will appear in Insignia’s upcoming Mythical Creatures of Asia anthology.
She’s also featured in Ghost Orchid Press’ horror anthology, Home: An anthology of dark microfiction (Hundred Word Horror. Available now! (Link to Amazon).
Work included in the Insignia Drabbles anthologies:
Mythical Creatures of Asia (Insignia Drabbles Vol.3.) Coming Soon
Continue reading Women in Horror Month at Insignia Stories here.
Visit the official Women in Horror Month site here.
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