I am absolutely miserable at memes. I get tagged and I don’t do them. But because I’ve been tagged three times for The Next Big Thing, I figured the Meme Universe was trying to tell me something. Also, it’s a great way to find out what your favorite writers are working on. So thank you Marsha Cornelius, Suzanne Kamata and Soniah Kamal for tagging me. I hope I do you proud.

What is the working title of your book?

The book that I’m working on now, which will be my master’s thesis for Queens University, is called Finding Om.

What genre does your book come under?

Literary/women’s fiction.

How did you come up with the idea for Finding Om?

Two summers ago, I was standing at the Taj Mahal watching the sunset over the Yamuna River. The idea of two female characters– came to me. By the end of my trip to India, I had the entire plot in my head.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Finding Om interweaves the story of thirty-six year-old Shan Johnson, an Atlanta yoga teacher whose failed marriage coincides with an urgent request from a long lost relative; and Deepa Mehta, a fifteen year-old girl living in New Dehli during the 1947 Partition of India, who must find a way to go on after her boyfriend Amir’s desertion and her parents’ violent deaths.

Can you tell us some more about Finding Om?

Japanese paper-making– origami– is a very important part of the book.

How did you come up with the cover design?

No cover. I’m still writing the first draft.

What does the title mean?

Om is the sound one makes during meditation. It’s an awareness of self. In my book, both protagonists are unaware of the forces that have played huge roles in their lives. They both journey to find out the truth.

When will Finding Om be released?

That’s being optimistic! I need to finish the first draft, first.

And what else do you have in the works?

I’m not working on anything else right now, but I do have an idea for a young adult novel. I’d like to do that next.

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I’m tagging the lovely Chudney Thomas for this post. I can’t wait to hear what she’s working on. Also, I know my friend Lee Wright is putting out some great short stories– I’d love to know what’s coming next. Jackie Regales always has poetry up her sleeve, and Emily Rosenbaum is an out-of-this-world memoirist. If they have the time, I’d love to see how you answer these questions!