Marissa chats with Intisar Khanani on her new book, THORN, as well as the peculiarities of The Goose Girl fairy tale, writing mighty girl characters, and the impact generosity can have on our own happiness.
Books discussed in this episode can be purchased from your local independent bookstore or buy them online from the Happy Writer bookshop.org store (that benefits indie bookstores) at https://bookshop.org/shop/marissameyer
Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/
Marissa chats with Intisar Khanani on her new book, THORN, as well as the peculiarities of The Goose Girl fairy tale, writing mighty girl characters, and the impact generosity can have on our own happiness.
Books discussed in this episode can be purchased from your local independent bookstore or buy them online from the Happy Writer bookshop.org store (that benefits indie bookstores) at https://bookshop.org/shop/marissameyer
Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/
Marissa Meyer: 0:06
there. Hello, everyone. And welcome to the happy Writer, A podcast that aims to help readers find new books to enjoy and authors find more joy in their writing. I am your host, Marisa Meyer. I'm the author of the letter Chronicles the Renegades trilogy and heartless Thanks so much for joining me here today. I am very happy to report that as of the time of recording this, I have officially completed my self imposed 14 day quarantine. Um, that I I started right when I got home from book tour because I kind of caught a little bit of a cold on book tour. Um, so I'm done. I'm done through the 14 days. I'm still pretty sure that I don't have a Corona virus, But of course, we're all trying to be extra extra cautious right now. Um, the irony is that it doesn't really matter that I'm done with my self imposed quarantine because by this point, nobody can leave their house. Um, and we're all stuck at home in our isolation are sad little caves, but I hope that wherever you are, you're staying healthy and making the best of your time in your own personal quarantine on that note. I know a lot of my readers and people that I really hope are listening to this podcast. Ah, one thing that we have in common is that we love fairy tales and fairytale retellings. Which is why I am so looking forward to talking to today's guest. She is the author of The Sun Gold Chronicles, which includes Son Bold and Memories of Ash and her newest book, which just came out eyes called Thorn, which happens to be a retelling of the goose girl. So please welcome into Sarka Nani. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thanks for being here. And your book. Thorne just came out yesterday. Is that right?
Intisar Khanani: 2:08
That's right. It's so strange. Time to have a book coming out.
Marissa Meyer: 2:12
It is. It is a strange time. How are you feeling, Actually Really good.
Intisar Khanani: 2:16
It I'm feeling great. Um, you know, it's, um um you worry a lot about, um, the book sellers that are closing their doors. Unsure. Um, what with their with their future holds a lot of concern about our independent booksellers. Are our bookstores out there? Um, but I feel really good. My books getting kind of a slow start. But, you know, I'm more concerned with our larger contacts.
Marissa Meyer: 2:45
Yeah, No, I totally know what you're saying. The indie bookstores, they've had a tough run of it. Just kind of in general the last What? A couple of decades. Now it seems, um and I know this This isn't helping. But I also know that the bookstores that communities really love and support and have supported over the years I feel like they're going to make it. I have faced I do have
Intisar Khanani: 3:09
a lot of faith. That's been amazing to see in the outpouring of support for Freddie booksellers over the last couple of weeks.
Marissa Meyer: 3:16
Yeah, Where you located? I'm in
Intisar Khanani: 3:18
Cincinnati. We have a really cool Siri's independent book story here called Just
Marissa Meyer: 3:23
I Love Joseph Beth. My very, very first book tour event was a Joseph Bath. Hello, Uncle Memories. It was like 12 people in the audience. It was Newby Newby Author, Were you supposed to have Ah, book launch there I waas. Yeah, it was going to be
Intisar Khanani: 3:46
the Sunday but, um other things happening in the world.
Marissa Meyer: 3:50
Yeah, I actually had a
Intisar Khanani: 3:51
really fun Instagram livestream last night. Instead
Marissa Meyer: 3:55
Oh, good. It was nice. It was It was still able to
Intisar Khanani: 3:57
celebrate in our socially distant ways.
Marissa Meyer: 4:00
Yes. Now I feel like this is forced a lot of people to really kind of think outside the box and house a lot more virtual meetings and virtual events. So we're all practicing our creativity,
Intisar Khanani: 4:13
Abs, I've never had virtual craft nights before the
Marissa Meyer: 4:16
last week. What is a virtual craft night? It's just,
Intisar Khanani: 4:21
you know, you will set up with your computers and you do your knitting and you're crafting and chat with your
Marissa Meyer: 4:26
friends bits alone. Video chat. That's so cute. I decided very shuttlecraft. It was kind of rough when we were like, we were gonna have crap
Intisar Khanani: 4:42
night and I was like, You know what? We're gonna do it anyhow with that Skype.
Marissa Meyer: 4:45
That's right. We have technology. Were always with each other if we want to be Well, im sorry about, of course, everything the world as it is and not being able to have your book event, which I'm sure was going to be phenomenal and very, very well attended. Um, but nevertheless, your book is out. Thorn is in the world on. I want to know everything about it. What can you tell us about foreign eso? Thorn is a
Intisar Khanani: 5:11
retelling of the Grimm's fairy tale The Goose Girl, which is like a really strange
Marissa Meyer: 5:16
story. It's one of my favorites. It is so strange. It is when you really original and you're just like, What is going on here? Um, it's It's a story
Intisar Khanani: 5:28
about a queen who, um, has a non only child who's the daughter. And instead of giving her daughter her kingdom, um, she, um for unknown reasons sends her off to marry a prince. No one's ever met before. Um uh,
Marissa Meyer: 5:47
as happens in a someone does, too. We owe child on, um, and some zehr
Intisar Khanani: 5:53
off. Not with, you know, a set of guards to keep her safe, but with a single made who is also her bodyguard, a personal diplomat. And, um, like the person who's going to give her away at her wedding. And, um, go figure the maid is not really happy to be a made on DSO. Along the way, she betrays the princess and forces them to switch places. And, you know, as with every fairy tale, there's some fabulous elements. There's in this case a cloth with Cem talking drops of blood.
Marissa Meyer: 6:28
Really? Their only function appears to be the shame of the princess. I don't do anything useful and then on. And then there's a talking horse who
Intisar Khanani: 6:36
never actually tells anyone what happens and also does not kick the made in the head. And I just I don't understand this. Um, So they, you know, they go on to their, um, their destination and the true princesses sent off to the goose girl. And she appears to be a very happy goose girl a long time, and then eventually eyes discovered and, um reclaims her place at court. And it
Marissa Meyer: 7:04
was one of the stories that you read, and you're just like, Okay, why? You know why? Why is she happy is a goose
Intisar Khanani: 7:11
go? What? What makes a person happy to turn their back on power and rank and privilege and, um, and be like, You know what? I'm gonna watch these stinky geese that bite me. Uh, and I'm gonna live the life of a servant because that's so much better than where it came from. And you figure that there is a lot of untold story there So for me, um, Thorne was was really intriguing to write because there were all these questions about power and privilege and, um, safety and security what security really means to us. And also the ability for a person to especially a woman to choose her own path. When and it feels like so many of our choices are made at birth are made by the people around us. And sometimes you don't feel like you have any control of your destiny. So what do you have to do to to make your destiny your own? Do you have to walk away from you? Do you have to start over or can you? Can you clean your own life of yours?
Marissa Meyer: 8:10
You know, I love that. I think that fairy tales in general are such fertile ground for exploring that, um in the goose. Girl, of course, is such a prime example where she truly has no choice, no freedoms, But then, by becoming, you know, by losing her station, she's almost gifted this freedom that she's never known. You talked about a week before you told me that there's a lot of, um, kind of dark themes in this story in the book, Um, and, you know, situations of abuse, Um, assault, low personal loss. Ah, which I mean, a lot of books. And we need that to tell the stories that we're trying to tell. Um, but for a writer who's, you know, so in the mind, the head of our characters, it can be difficult. It could be trying to write very dark, difficult things. Um, what was some of your experiences with that? I mean,
Intisar Khanani: 9:16
it it can be heartbreaking. So, um, you know, when I was trying to understand my my main character, her name is a lira. So I was trying to understand liras perspective, and where she came from, Why should walk away? Um, from a position of a parent, privilege and power was the realization that she felt powerless. And, um and, you know, so as I as I came to write her, I realized that she actually came from an abusive home. Um, and it's it was I tried to deal with that is, is compassionately and sensitively as I could. But, you know, I write first person point of view, and so I put myself literally into the eyes and shoes of my characters, and I envision their lives and their interactions. And it's hard. It's heartbreaking, you know? And, um and all of the things we talked about abuse assaults where I don't I don't have a salt. Uh, well, there there, you know, assess. I don't have a salt graphically on page there. There is, um, some stuff that happens off page. There is, um, awesome violence that happens on page. And it's, um it is It's harrowing to write, you know, Um but you realize I think when you're when you're being true toe fairy tales, they are about our deepest fear is there are about the monsters that lurk in the dark. And there about the people who betray you and the dragons you have to slay. And to take those out of our stories is to do disservice to ourselves because we need those stories. You know, that's that was the power of fairy tales is to give us a sense of, like, the fact that all of this horrible stuff happens in the world, and yet you can rise above it. And you can you conceal your dragons, right? Um
Marissa Meyer: 11:08
but it is very hard
Intisar Khanani: 11:09
to do. And I think one of the the the ways of getting through it is to remember to give yourself beasts along with the famine. If I say you know that that there are always moments of beauty, there are always, um, love, friendship and hope. And you are fun That happened along the way in every life and in every situation. I mean, not in precisely in particular situations, but, you know, as you go through, um and so I think you know, a za writer like, yes, you do have to deal with, uh, the gritty, hard stuff. But, you know, there's there, some light along the way, and there's rain bows, and you have to let yourself stop it, enjoy them and bring the reader with you for that,
Marissa Meyer: 11:50
too. Yeah. Now I agree. I know for me what I'm plotting a story or visualizing a story. You know, the the happier moments, the romantic moments or the you know, those funny beats that happen. Um, you know, between the darker stuff, it's almost like the carrot on the stick, like, Okay, if I can get through this scene in which you know this character dies or there's this horrible thing that happens. But But if I could just keep pushing on eventually there's gonna be kissing. So just have t o have to get to the kissing. Oh my gosh. Oh, yeah, I
Intisar Khanani: 12:33
you know, I don't wanna don't don't want don't want any spoilers But I will admit there's no kissing in my book.
Marissa Meyer: 12:39
No kissing. How could you write a book with no kisses? Terrible. I actually remember. So it Thorne
Intisar Khanani: 12:46
was. Actually, it's the first book of traditional publishes. Also, my first Indy published book. Um, and Harper Team picked it up after about five years of its being out in the world. Um, and I remember for one of its early reviews, somebody wrote, Ah, and I think they were used to very, very romantic books because their their whole review consisted of
Marissa Meyer: 13:06
no kiss thing was what it was. Military. It's like, Oh dear, that I mess up, Go back, try again. E. Sorry I betrayed you, but, um, actually, the story is I've heard the
Intisar Khanani: 13:28
romance and that describe more of one about respect, that about
Marissa Meyer: 13:32
love. It's very if there is
Intisar Khanani: 13:35
a romance, but it's it's kind of one of these low birth is that, um is about learning to see each other clearly and, um, and respect each other and have a really strong basis for relationships.
Marissa Meyer: 13:47
I'm sure there will be kissing in the future, but that was not where we want it. But is there more to come in? This story there kind of is so storing as a
Intisar Khanani: 13:58
stand alone, um, but a Xeni that there are a couple of strands that are left kind of slightly lose at the end. Um, and at the end of the book, you'll find a short story called the Bone Knife, and it introduces a new heroine named Ray. And, um, I am writing a companion zoology featuring right now. And so she, um, she actually ends up in book one, which is called with after sunlight. She ends up ah, in the capital
Marissa Meyer: 14:28
city and somehow
Intisar Khanani: 14:29
or the other, in a strange twist of fate, ends up working for Princess Celera on, um e I mean, it's possible an author was involved in this strange twist of fate.
Marissa Meyer: 14:40
Yeah. No, that's not how that work. Uh oh. And so she her task
Intisar Khanani: 14:49
is to figure out what happened. Teoh, the Children who have been disappearing from City um, which is something that's mentioned and during but not really delved into.
Marissa Meyer: 14:59
Is this also a fairy tale based? No, this one is not. I do have
Intisar Khanani: 15:03
other fairy tale based stories I really wanted, right, and I'm sure
Marissa Meyer: 15:08
that you deal with this, too. There's just too many stores and not a home. Any story is no, I asked, Is just that that idea of the missing Children gave me Pied Piper vibes? Oh, yeah. No,
Intisar Khanani: 15:20
no, I you know, that's a really interesting idea, but it's it's not. It's not quite that, Unfortunately, it's, um it's not just one person at work. It would be so convenient if it
Marissa Meyer: 15:30
would. I hate it when stories aren't convenient. Happens all the time. It's like they're out to get you. I know they just really overcomplicate themselves to frustrating to crease. Sometimes I actually
Intisar Khanani: 15:46
have those really funny conversation with my editor. A couple months ago, I was just I was struggling with my edits, and she's like, Well, what's going
Marissa Meyer: 15:53
on? And I said, It's all logistics, just like, um because I have to figure out how to get people where and I can't have too many people in a room at a time. It's all logistics. I know exactly what you character is over in this side of the world that you really need them to have a conversation with. This character is over here, and there's no magical talking mirror. So, you know, how do you do it? There's no cell phones. It's just impossible With that. I feel like we should have the you know, there should be forgiven
Intisar Khanani: 16:34
us for at least one cell phone call in every fantasy
Marissa Meyer: 16:36
book, the wizard drops the magical cell phone talking box into their hands. I mean, why is there not acceptance of this? It's fantasy, right? Right. Right. Do anything Your writer catchphrase, so to speak is that you write mighty girls in diverse worlds. Ah, and I I love that. That that just encapsulates what you're trying to accomplish and and go after with your writing. Um, so I'm curious what to you makes a mighty character.
Intisar Khanani: 17:14
Oh, that's a great question. Um,
Marissa Meyer: 17:17
I think we
Intisar Khanani: 17:18
we tend to pigeonhole what mighty means. Um, and for me, I I I I think of mighty girls, as as women who, um, either are or learning to be strong and who they are, whatever that means. Um, so in the Sun Bowl chronicles, I have a really scrapping, resourceful, clever girl who is a hidden magical talent. And she's
Marissa Meyer: 17:44
she's one of
Intisar Khanani: 17:44
these people who just she never gives up. Like, you know, she gets smacked down, left, right, and center it.
Marissa Meyer: 17:50
I don't know. She still gets
Intisar Khanani: 17:51
up and she goes at it, and she's just amazing. In that sense, I mean, she it's not that she's in here and she has her dark moments. Um, but she's just incredibly resilient, Um,
Marissa Meyer: 18:03
when I love
Intisar Khanani: 18:03
her for that. But on the on the flip side, you have Princess Larrin. She comes from, you know, this history of abuse, and when she gets the opportunity to leave behind the the world that has hurt her so much, I mean,
Marissa Meyer: 18:16
she has
Intisar Khanani: 18:17
no second thoughts about that. She's like the trail. Whatever. This is a new life. I'm taking it, Um, and for her to be, you know, her journey of being a mighty girl is about running to find her own inner strength and who she is, and she doesn't transform into men, Joe. She doesn't have secret magical talent. She doesn't become a sorceress for her. Her strength is in her compassion and her kindness. And we forget that those can be mighty traits. We often look at mighty girls, as you know, they're strong, and they're fast. And there, um,
Marissa Meyer: 18:50
they Katniss Yeah, and absolutely that is mighty.
Intisar Khanani: 18:54
But it's not the only mighty Yeah, lady, is there? I I think we can forget that that mercy is a mighty trade. It takes so much strength to be merciful to someone, especially when they have been, you know, hurtful to you. Um, it takes, um might to, um to be humbled to to step out of the way, too. Not claimed the center of attention, But at the same time, the on the stand for yourself, you know, to not let people step on you, and you know, what does that look like? I, um I think it's really important that we envision different kinds of mighty girls that we don't as we try to empower our daughters and sisters and ourselves that we don't pigeon hole ourselves into what does mighty mean that it's this almost it's not. It's not about how is a girl mighty like a boy. Like
Marissa Meyer: 19:48
she doesn't have
Intisar Khanani: 19:49
to fight. You know, she doesn't have to be the more violent person out there. She doesn't. You know, that's not
Marissa Meyer: 19:55
sure she can
Intisar Khanani: 19:55
be, but it has to be the right mighty for her, right? And there are so many kinds of mighty. So so So writing mighty girls is is about finding, um, signing characters who are all across that spectrum and recognizing the strength and beauty of, uh, our girls and our women.
Marissa Meyer: 20:18
I think that was beautifully said, um and you and I both have young daughters we talked about on dso as a mom. I mean, you know that I I'm often thinking about what I'm portraying to my girls and, you know, encouraging in them. Um and, you know, you want to see them blossom in every way that they can. Um, but you also recognize, like every every kid has their own strength and the things that they're drawn to. And that's a good thing. Yeah, absolutely. Um, so on that note, you seem very mighty Teoh. Um, and I say that new. I noticed. I remember where he started his on your your blogger. Your website somewhere. But you're an activist. True. Uh, maybe the eyes were used, Not me. Oh, no. Oh, I'm active. Active things, Some things I care about the world, and I like to
Intisar Khanani: 21:29
shout about it. Um, I do, um I do try and teach my girls especially how to speak up for an advocate for, um, issues that we find important. Do we care about, um, so you know, we we've been to many rallies together. They trailed along with me to stand outside of senators offices, but it's not, um, it's it's just part of of what we do. It's not necessarily something we do every day. So I'm not an activist in the sense that, um, I don't have, um I don't have one. Ah, particular, um, cause that we work towards on a, you know, on a daily or weekly basis. It's more just that I tried to be actively civically engaged and teach our Children that. So, um so maybe.
Marissa Meyer: 22:28
And I think it's you have you stood in front of senators offices? I think that that counts. I have well, been a rally on? No, but I think, uh, you know, it's okay to not have one, cause that you're just out there championing champion all the time. Because there are so many things to be passionate about on dso money causes to champion. Ah, and I think it's really healthy for Children to see their parents taking on those roles on doing what they can to be a part of the conversation. Lauren war. Um, similarly something I thought was so cool. Um, before I back up just a second. Eso a lot of I've read a lot of books about positive psychology. Um, and one thing that comes up again and again is that there is a really strong correlation between, um generosity on and overall life, satisfaction and happiness. Um, and I saw on your website that you you ah, donate a portion of all sales from the sun bulk articles, your first Siri's to the United Nations Children's Fund. Um, and I wanted to know what inspired you to to take on that, um and what is it about UNICEF that that speaks to you? Oh,
Intisar Khanani: 23:58
I think I come from the very family that's been very, very aware of the fact that you know where we're middle income, but it's a It's a huge privilege to be able to say that you've really been blessed in many ways on. And so I've always been aware of the need to, um, to care for others, whatever that means. And, um, So I grew up volunteering and, um, have done in my I find that, um that that is the work of service really speaks to me in a very deep level. Um, I actually did my master's in public health and worked for six years with the Cincinnati Health Department before I had my second daughter and decided to kick off my writing career when I was seven months pregnant.
Marissa Meyer: 24:49
Yeah, I don't know. I don't know what I was thinking. I was like a two year old and a newborn. That's a perfect time to lunch a book and started writing professionally, naturally. But,
Intisar Khanani: 25:00
um uh, you know when when I left the health department, Onda um, started writing and I was looking at it more as, um, you know, I was doing it professionally, but we weren't counting on the income. Um, and I was doing it mostly as a way to stay sane because I am not one of those state home moms who can only be a mom and still remain saying like, I I need something that is for me, and it feeds me in some way. And I, you know, I think it's healthy, for most people. Toe have that. I think we sometimes forget that. But, um, so, you know, I decided to write and, um, I wanted to to, um to be ableto continue to help others and, um, to give thanks for the ability to write. So I decided that I would I would donate and actually, for thorns original release I I would give a portion of my proceeds to have for international. And I chose Heffer because they provide, um, animals and livestock to people around the world and trained them how to raise them. And, um and they're only caveat is that when those animals have been raised and cared for, um, that they're you know, they're young, we should be given to someone else in the community, and that person should also be trained and
Marissa Meyer: 26:27
care for them. It's kind
Intisar Khanani: 26:27
of a gift that keeps on giving. It's a really cool organization. They do amazing work. Um, and it kind of made sense for, um, for Thorne because, you know,
Marissa Meyer: 26:36
she's a good girl. So there's
Intisar Khanani: 26:38
a school livestock tie in. And I had loved Hafer, and I've been donating to them for years. And, um, with UNICEF with the Sun Bowl chronicles, it was, you know, I had this girl who's basically an orphan and growing up on the streets, and, um and
Marissa Meyer: 26:52
she needed
Intisar Khanani: 26:52
UNICEF, you know? But they weren't there for her because it was fantasy
Marissa Meyer: 26:55
land. So I was like, you know, but But there is a unison. Here
Intisar Khanani: 27:00
is I feel like we should be something. We should be supporting room. So, um, I, uh I chosen a suck again. It was an organization had been, um, involved with our previously just donating. I love what they do that they work across boundaries, and they're able to work with governments that sometimes won't work with anyone else. Um, and they're really there for the Children and families. And that's so important. Because, you know, through my work and my studies in public health, we know that Children and mothers are are some of the most vulnerable populations up there and Children babies, especially one of the things that you could look at for. To understand the health and future economic prosperity of a country is their infant mortality rate. The rate at which babies die in a country tells you, um, how the most vulnerable are being treated. Um, because these air the user, they can't advocate for themselves. Right? Babies? Yeah. No one to speak for them. Um, except if their families notice week for them, which we don't always, you know, on a case by case basis, you don't have that kind of power. And, um and so, you know, you know, stuff going into directly work with these populations need a part made perfect sense with me.
Marissa Meyer: 28:23
With you, Do you feel like, um being involved or connected to these different organizations? Like, how does that come back to influence? U um, either on a personal level or on a writing level, That's a
Intisar Khanani: 28:40
really great question. You know, I think it just what one thing it does is it helps me to, um, maintain a sense of connection to people around the world that but I don't necessarily have a direct connection with that makes you. But it's just a sense that, like in a world connected and I can't necessarily help people in refugee camps directly, because I can't. I'm here in Cincinnati, you know, in in quarantine, lock down. But I can still make these donations and hope, Like, right now, we're also making donations to our local freely store back our local to, uh, you know, because I know there's people really close to home who are in dire need right now, and I know way want to, um, ignore that, you know? Yeah. Um, and I hope that, you know, if everyone were to pick a couple of places and donate as they're able to, you know, those who those of us who have the income to be able to donate, we would solve so many of the world's part problems.
Marissa Meyer: 29:51
You know, it's so true. It is so true. You mentioned food banks. I would point out feeding America is is one of the organizations that I really care about and love to support. Um, and in times like these, they do need our support, So yeah. Um, thank you. I love what you said that we are. We are all connected. I think that's really important to remember. Um, and right now, it just feels particularly fitting because there is this weird disconnect happening in society. And yet, I think, though the way that people are taking to the internet and social media, um, and finding other ways to connect I mean, it kind of just shines a light on that. That that we need social interactions and connections with other people. Um, even if we can't be there together physically,
Intisar Khanani: 30:49
Absolutely. That's so important.
Marissa Meyer: 30:52
Um, all right, we're gonna dio wrap up with a happy writer. Lightning round. Okay, you read you some nervous Didn't warn me about this. One thing is the easiest part of the interview thing. There's no kiss. How much kissing is in your book? Negative. Negative. When you were talking about it, we kind of got off course a little bit, but I wanted to mention that Mullan is Of course, I think one of the best Disney movies, Um, and when you were talking about, like, this romantic relationship of respect, But does he have kissing? I was like, Well, one like I was there. So it really does. It really can work. Yeah, e you. Thank you. You just made me sound a lot less weird. I appreciate it. Okay. All right. Lightning round. Um, what book makes you happy?
Intisar Khanani: 32:02
Uh, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
Marissa Meyer: 32:04
Yeah. It's my favorite to my number. One always does. What do you do to celebrate an accomplishment? Great. Cookies. You had that one of the ready. I was eating cookies before we call. Released. What kind? Um, and today I had
Intisar Khanani: 32:28
a girl Scout tag along because I'm also a girl scout leader for my daughters.
Marissa Meyer: 32:33
You're a busy lady. It's your Alana. You got a lot going on,
Intisar Khanani: 32:38
you know? Yeah, but it's a lot by I have. Ah, wonderful co leader. And we have turned each other the trip leaders and do and we have a great time.
Marissa Meyer: 32:48
I had Girl Scout Thin mints, actually, before we started this interview. Those so
Intisar Khanani: 32:53
were hoarding ours.
Marissa Meyer: 32:55
No, we're almost outward or last, folks, it's The season comes and goes so quickly. How do you feel the creative Well,
Intisar Khanani: 33:08
I read a lot. Um, I also I really like to get a place which is has been hard to do, uh, with younger Children. But we're slowly getting back into that. But I love the theater.
Marissa Meyer: 33:22
What's your what? It was You have a favorite. Oh, no, no, not
Intisar Khanani: 33:27
really. Um, there's a lot of amazing a lot of amazing things out there, so I don't think I could one.
Marissa Meyer: 33:35
That's okay if you don't have to. You I just thought I'd check. Um, What are you reading now or what's next on your TV are
Intisar Khanani: 33:45
I am just starting the light at the bottom the world by a London Shaw, which is, um,
Marissa Meyer: 33:52
I can't e I love to tell you more about it. Uh, I'm really just starting it.
Intisar Khanani: 34:00
Um, it's about a 16 year old girl who, uh, is, um, she's a racer, like a submarine or Submersible racer. And, um, she she enters this ah super prestigious marathon. And then things go sideways and she discovers corruption. And I haven't gotten into that part yet, so I can't speak to it. But it's it's really exciting. Simple, really.
Marissa Meyer: 34:29
Uh, last question. Where can people find you? Oh,
Intisar Khanani: 34:34
so I My website is books by into star dot com and books by into stars My handle on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Marissa Meyer: 34:43
Excellent. Well, thank you. So so much for being here with me today to celebrate your new book. Thorn. Thank you
Intisar Khanani: 34:50
so much for having me. It's been an absolute pleasure.
Marissa Meyer: 34:52
I'm really, really glad that we could do this. Um, and I can't wait to get my hands on the book on. And I know all of my my fairy tale loving readers are definitely gonna want to check it out to you. Um, so, yes, everyone go get your hands on Thorn, As you heard, it is out now. Ah, and of course, if you can, we always I recommend supporting your local indie bookseller. Don't forget to subscribe to this podcast and let me know that you are listening out there. You can also follow me on Instagram at Marisa Meyer author or email me at my website, marissa Mayer dot com, and let me know if there's any particular authors that you would like me to interview in a future episode until next time, make sure you are staying healthy. Stay at least six feet away from everybody. Um, and as always, please try your best today to make someone else's day a little bit brighter.