Mala Kumar, the author of The Circumstance of
Marriage, was born just outside of Los Angeles, and grew up in the suburbs of
Richmond, Virginia. She is now an international development professional who
has called New York City home for five years, and has been lucky enough to work
in, live in and travel to four continents.
Welcome Mala!
Your real name
and pen name?
Real name: Mala
Kumar
Pen name: N/A
Please share
some of the best memories of your childhood
Playing soccer
(football) after a long day at school.
About your
education
Grad school in
New York City was one of the best times of my life.
What career did
you plan during your education days
International
development - it came true!
What languages
you can speak and write?
I'm a native
English speaker and writer. I also speak, read and write French with
professional proficiency.
What is your
biggest source of inspiration in life
All of the
dynamic people I have met over the years.
What hurts you
most in this world
The level of
abject poverty so many people still face on a daily basis, especially compared
to the total wealth of the world.
What is the
biggest challenge you have faced? How did you overcome it?
Being who I am
where I grew up was very difficult. I'm glad I found my niche.
If you had to
live a day of your life as one of the living or dead personality, who would it
be and why?
I always
wondered what it would like to be a straight white guy, so I guess any famous
straight white guy would do - maybe Brad Pitt?
What is your
favorite genre and why?
Of books?
Anything that is well written does it for me, though of course as of late, I
have read quite a few south Asian fiction books that have really inspired me.
When did you
start writing? What is the purpose of your writing?
I started a
travel blog when I was in grad school - that was my first attempt at public
writing. I have also written a lot for previous jobs at the United Nations and
other development institutions, which I think really honed my ability to make a
point. Given the breadth of my writing, the purpose can range from poverty
reduction, to making friends laugh, to anything in between.
Which of your
work has been published so far? Would you like to share a synopsis of your
work?
I have a lot of
writing available to the public. See http://malakumar.com/writing for a few highlights.
What are your
forthcoming writings?
I already know
what my second book will be. Details to come!
What are your
future plans?
In life?
Probably refocus on my professional life and dating life. Beyond that, whatever
the tides may bring...
How much real
life goes into a fiction writing?
It depends. For The Circumstance of Marriage, a lot of the
emotions and sentiments are real, but nearly none of the events are true.
Is high level of
imagination important to have for an Author?
Yes and no. I
think some of the best writing is telling an other mundane scene or story in a
new and engaging way. Not all authors need to invent the Sci-Fi world.
Your dream
destination on Earth?
I'd love to see
east Asia. China is introducing a new high speed rail that will connect the far
corners of the country; I'd love to see a country as ecologically diverse by
train.
Your origin of
birth and other countries you have visited/ stayed. What best things you liked
in these countries around the globe?
I was born and
raised in the States. I now live in NYC. I've been all over the world -
highlights include living in France and West Africa. See my travel blog for
more info: http://maladumonde.blogspot.
The last line of
your autobiography would be…
"Indeed it
was."
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