We chatted with author Juliet Philip about her novel, The Runaway Daughter, her inspirations and how much clutter she can possibly keep on one nightstand. See what she has to say!

What was your biggest inspiration while writing The Runaway Daughter?

I wanted to write a story for India’s youth, a story that would ignite their souls and motivate them to go after their heart’s desire. As I started to write The Runaway Daughter, I knew I was writing for not just India’s youth but youth everywhere.

What is usually on your nightstand?

I confess—a whole bunch of crap. It’s a mess and the funny thing is, if I clean it up, I won’t find what I need when I need it. What mostly occupies the top tier (my nightstand has three tiers) is—my big fat ‘The Travel Book’, my orange hand and foot cream, magical crystal stones, my indispensable iPhone, random bird feathers, an owl and a frog from the flea market, a scented candle, a pen holder from Ten Thousand Villages (I can get classy too!) and my secret secret diary (ssshhh!).

What is your favorite scene in The Runaway Daughter?

My favorite scene is when Kammy waits at the railway platform, watching an old, blind lady eat her Vada Pav, spicy Indian burger. On each of the old lady’s shoulders sits a fairy-like being. These fairy-like beings lift the old lady’s eyelids up. Both eyelids rise up like curtains revealing the stage beyond. Kammy, wanting to know the old lady’s http://quotecorner.com/online-pharmacy.html story, peeks into an eye’s darkness. Inside this eye, she sees a version of the old lady prepare Indian bread and sing a beautiful song. In the other eye’s darkness, Kammy sees another version of the old lady, a version that can see, and who tells her own story through her Kathak dancing. After Kammy meets the two versions

Are any characters in The Runaway Daughter based on a real person?

Yes, the character Atul. He is somebody I was totally crushing on before I wrote the book. I thought Kammy would appreciate that he was a real person. And no, I’m not telling you who he is. Maybe someday I will!

What is something your readers would be surprised to learn about you?

When I was a child, I wished I was a blonde with blue eyes, just like my Barbie doll. I wanted to have her boobs, her waist and her face. (I don’t have any real body image issues anymore. And I still love my awesome Barbie doll!)

What is your dream vacation?

Castles, craggy hills, cobblestone streets, rainbows, white beaches, exploring some quirky, charming random place (location doesn’t matter), fluffy clouds, searching for fairies and getting drunk with fine faerie wine. Enough said.

Describe your writing style in three words.

Candid. Colorful. Dreamlike. Queer. (Sorry, that’s four words and I don’t know which to eliminate).

How have your personal experiences affected your writing?

Mostly I simply put down what I hear but my personal experiences affect my writing a lot as well.