While the world is filled with uncertainties, perhaps the life of the writer has more than most. Rhea Dhanbhoora discusses just this and more in today's chat about her pages penned in pandemic.
What does the pandemic currently look like in your city?
It's pretty quiet—I'm lucky to be in upstate NY where it isn't as crazy as the city, but it's been scary nonetheless. And I'm thousands and thousands of miles from my family back home (India), so that's affected me a lot more than my immediate surroundings because I'm constantly worrying about what it's like where they are too.
What are some favorite books you've read during quarantine?
Viet Thanh Nguyen’s The Sympathizer, Yashica Dutt’s Coming Out as Dalit, Samanta Schweblin’s Fever Dream, Per Petterson’s Out Stealing Horses, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s Friday Black, and a lot of Svetlana Alexievich. I’m currently reading Anthropica by David Hollander.
Have there been any movies, tv shows, podcasts, etc. that have helped keep you at ease the past few months?
“Black Monday” and “Fargo.”
How has the pandemic affected your writing?
I haven't been able to write too much! I did write several poems (these included) about life in a disappearing ethnoreligious minority/ in a constant diaspora, but not much else. It's been really stressful and I've been too tired to think.
Are there any projects you are excited to keep working on? If so, can you give us any details (no spoilers please!) about your project?
I lost a novel on an airplane a few years ago and I'm trying to rewrite it! It's a coming-of-age book about a boy obsessed with Freddie Mercury because of his struggle with his own sexuality but also because of cultural (Parsi Zoroastrian) ties that Parsi Zoroastrian kids don't usually get to have with celebrities.
If you haven't been able to write, are there any projects you're hoping to work on next?
Same as above ^^
Are you a plotter, pantser, or somewhere in between? Has this changed during the pandemic?
100% pantser.
Where is your favorite place to write? Has this changed during the pandemic?
I used to love writing in bed but I've been trying to do it at a desk more—mostly because being in bed too much this year can be depressing!
Without too many spoilers, what is your favorite scene / poem you've written since the pandemic began?
I'm particularly fond of my poem “Categories we fit into,” which was published in October by Lit Quarterly.
Is there any advice you would give to young writers during this time?
Just keep going—it's never going to be what you expect but really, we've picked an 'industry' where the uncertainty is going to be part of our lives for good so it's best to get used to things like rejection and plans changing and whatnot pretty early on!
ABOUT Rhea Dhanbhoora
Rhea worked for close to a decade as editor and writer in print and digital content for a variety of clients, before quitting her job and moving to New York to get her master's degree, and finally writing the stories everyone told her no one would ever read. Her work has appeared in or is forthcoming in publications such as The Hindu, Quint, The Apeiron Review, Sparkle & Blink, Awakened Voices, Five on the Fifth, Capsule Stories, Fly on the Wall Press, Rejection-Letters, HerStry, Artsy, Broccoli Mag, and JMWW. She’s currently working on a linked collection about women based in the underrepresented Parsi Zoroastrian diaspora.
To learn more, follow Rhea and her writing journey at her website and on Twitter and Instagram.
Thanks for chatting, Rhea!
