By ARJA SALAFRANCA
Ashti Juggath is the author of Peaches And Smeets, in which protagonist Smita is caught between the beloved traditions of India and life in a quickly modernising South Africa.
Writing a book is a huge commitment. What are the elements that need to be in place if you are going to meet whatever writing goals you set?
Time is the biggest factor for me as writing is not my primary profession. I generally write late at night, some weekends and during holidays. When I write, I need a quiet environment so late nights and early mornings are perfect.
Is there a specific author (or writer, journalist, etc) who made you feel, “I want to be an author”? And what was it about them that spurred that feeling (anything from admirable eloquence to an outrageous public persona)?
The TED talk The Danger Of A Single Story by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie really resonated with me. Her points about the stereotypes in English and American novels that I was also only exposed to while growing up rang true, as there was very little African or Indian literature that was popular at the time. Like Chimamanda, Enid Blyton was a huge influence on my childhood reading and I too thought that all stories should have children with English names, that prettiness was having blue eyes and blonde hair and of course that the best food was quintessentially British fare like pork pies, kippers, anchovies and ham – all foreign food that I could not eat, being vegetarian, but which sounded wonderful and exotic. From this, I was inspired to try and write my own story about the community and culture that I was surrounded by for most of my life.
Do you tend to read the same kind of material (genre- or style-wise) that you prefer to write? If yes, what makes that particular niche so attractive to you? If no, what do you think it is that makes each different area appealing?
My reading lists cover many genres – the classics, fantasy, science fiction… However, my preference is historical fiction. The immigrant stories are particularly interesting to me as they introduce new worlds and new cultures. There is a similar thread of struggle, acceptance and adjustment in all these different stories, like those by Amy Tan, Jhumpa Lahiri and Junot Diaz. Thus, my first novel was akin to that type of story, but I am working on something different at the moment.
Outside of your profession, what role do books play in your life? Are you constantly reading; is your house lined in bookshelves; are books the ideal gift to give or receive, etc?
Reading is like an addiction for me, definitely a positive addiction. But sometimes, if I choose to read a book rather than study for an exam, that becomes problematic. Reading until the wee hours of the night can interfere with the recommend eight hours of sleep and cause a reading hangover the next day. When I was younger, there were frequent visits to the library to replenish the reading pile. After earning a salary, it was possible to have books at home, but they do take up a lot of space. My husband eventually convinced me to switch to the Kindle and the reality of having access to hundreds of books on a little device is amazing. Books are the perfect gift, providing entertainment and escapism in one little package.
Who is your favourite literary character?
It’s difficult to choose, but I think it’s Vlad Taltos from a fantasy series by Steven Brust. Vlad is the narrator of the books, and his witticisms are brilliant and really funny. Even though he is an assassin and akin to a member of the mafia, he’s very likeable.