December 5, 2025 • 32 mins
How do you write an authentic story rooted in a real place and culture?
In this episode of Nonfiction Kidlit Craft Conversations, host Kirsten W. Larson talks with Sandhya Acharya, author of Living Bridges: The Hidden World of India’s Woven Trees, illustrated by Avani Dwivedi.
Discover how Sandhya turned her immersive travel research in Meghalaya, India, into a stunning informational fiction picture book about the living root bridges made from ficus trees and tended by the Khasi people.
You’ll learn:
✔️How a spark of inspiration led to years of research and discovery
✔️The role of immersive, on-the-ground research in shaping authentic children’s stories
✔️Ways to respectfully connect with experts and communities to ensure cultural accuracy
✔️How to balance fiction and nonfiction in informational picture books
✔️Tips for capturing sensory details and emotional impressions while in the field
This conversation is a must-listen for children’s book authors, nonfiction writers, and educators seeking to bring rich, authentic details into their stories.
📖 Living Bridges: The Hidden World of India’s Woven Trees is available wherever books are sold. Learn more on Sandhya's website. https://www.sandhyaacharya.com/
🔗 Transcript, summary, and writing resources at Kirstenwlarson.com.
Key moments:
00:00 – Introduction: Living Bridges and Authentic Storytelling
01:00 – Inspiration: A Spark from Bridges and Gratitude
05:00 – Research from Afar: Falling Down the Rabbit Hole
07:00 – From Nonfiction to Informational Fiction
09:00 – Traveling to Meghalaya: Immersive Research in Action
12:00 – Writing with All Five Senses
15:00 – Cultural Authenticity and Community Collaboration
18:00 – The Power of Fictional Elements in True Stories
23:00 – Collaboration with Illustrator Avani Dwivedi
27:00 – What’s Next for Sandhya
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:09):
Welcome to Nonfiction Kid Lit CraftConversations where we take a deep
dive into the craft and businessof writing true stories for kids.
I'm your host, Kirsten Larson.
Today I am thrilled to talk with SandyaAcharya, author of Living Bridges:
the Hidden World of India's WovenTrees illustrated by Avani Dwivedi.
(00:35):
This informational fiction picture bookintroduces readers to the living root
bridges of Meghalaya India, handwovenfrom the roots of ficus trees and
tended by generations of Khasi people.
Through the eyes of a curious boy,the readers discovered not only how
the bridges are made, but also howthey're cared for and protected.
(00:56):
We'll be talking about immersivetravel based research, how visiting
a place can shape a story and how to.
Use it to weave rich, authenticdetails into child-centered writing.
So welcome to the show.
Nice to see you.
you so much.
I'm so be here and talk about thebook and whatever else follows.
(01:20):
Well, and I cannot waitto hear about your travel.
So let's start at the beginning.
What first drew you to this idea of astory about these living bridges in India?
Was there a specific momentthat sparked your story, or
how did you come to your idea?
Yeah, so it was, I thinkthe story idea came to me.
(01:40):
I think I was, you know, browsingthrough my social media and somewhere
there was an article about the LivingBridges, and I had maybe read about
it before, but something about itstruck me that, Hey, wouldn't this,
phenomenon be amazing to share with kids?
It's got so much wonderand joy in it, which is.
(02:03):
Always such a great, um, youknow, so much appeal to kids.
And somewhere an idea to rootthat, hey, maybe I could write
something about it for kids.
But interestingly Kirsten, I was thinkingabout this and a few, I think years back.
Okay, so this was not even when I was likethinking about the living bridges at all.
(02:25):
But I, you know, I don't journal veryregularly, but intermittently, and
I had put in a journal entry about.
A moment I had where I had seenthis bridge actually in the Bay
Area, it's the Dunbarton bridgethat goes over to Fremont.
And I was just driving on itand I happened to see a sunset,
right, right over the bridge.
(02:46):
And I had this overwhelmingsense of gratitude come over.
And that day I went back homeand I just wrote like a little.
Thank you.
Note to the bridge, right?
And it was just like, oh my gosh.
You know, I happened to see the sunset.
It was beautiful.
And all those emotions just came out andI just listed out all the bridges that I
had traveled to and it was so spectacular.
(03:07):
You know, like I had the Golden GateBridge and the Capilano Bridge in Canada
and then this bridge, and I was justlike thinking about it and that's it.
Right?
And that was the journal entry years back.
And then I, when I was actuallyresearching, what was the
story idea for this book?
Uh, you know, because sometimes youdon't even understand your, the own
workings of your own mind, right?
(03:28):
So, and I just came across this journalentry because I was doing like a random
search in my Google Docs about livingbridges because I thought I would find out
the date of when I wrote that first draft.
And then actually this journalentry came up and I was like,
oh my gosh, look at that.
My brain was already.
Churning and putting things together.
I didn't even know about it.
(03:49):
My subconscious was probablyalready working on that manuscript.
you know, it goes to say you never knowhow something inspires you and what turn
it takes, what form it takes and comesout in the form of a book or a story.
That is so cool.
So it's like you, you had this momentthat forged this sort of emotional
connection to this idea of bridges.
(04:12):
And then who knows when you're, whenyou're seeing that, that social media
post, now, it triggers somethingthat's already inside of you.
Right.
So now you're zeroing in on it in away that maybe somebody else who hadn't
had that emotional experience, youknow, it's, I know it's is magical.
I.
It is, it's right.
(04:33):
It's just so much of it happens in thebackground that you're not even aware of.
I love it.
I love it.
So what did your early research look like?
I mean, you are researchingsomething from afar.
Yeah.
as you mentioned you're in the BayArea, so, so what kind of resources
were you gathering, before youactually made your research trip?
(04:56):
Uh, so I, once I read that article,I think I just fell into that
rabbit hole of research, right?
So I was just like.
Gathering and consuming all informationI could about, um, the living bridges.
And we are so lucky in this day andage that we have access to so much,
whether it's articles or books orinterviews, uh, YouTube videos of
(05:19):
people who have gone and just traveled.
So multiple points ofview, not just in terms of.
and fact-based information aboutthe britches, but people have
just traveled there as tourists.
And that point of view too, youknow, is that sense of wonder
and sense of exploration.
Uh, and I was able to tap into all ofthese before, and I did it very, uh,
(05:42):
it was not, it was not like plannedthat I'm gonna research this and this.
I was just, I immersed myself in the
Sure.
And then I just let themanuscript come out.
So that was kind of like alittle more natural, organic
way of writing the manuscript.
But yeah, it was just, digginginto everything I could get my,
uh, hands and fingers typing on.
(06:05):
So did you have an initial drafttogether before you traveled, or
was the traveling part of immersingyourself in that initial research?
So I did have a manuscript before I
Okay.
So once I did all the research, I kindof, you know, just put the manuscript out.
It just like tumbled out of me.
(06:25):
And it was more of, at thatpoint it was, uh, fiction.
I mean, sorry, nonfiction.
So it was more about likean ode to the bridge.
Okay.
nonfiction kind
Mm-hmm.
um, version.
And then I was.
I was okay with it.
I was especially, happy withthe way it began, but I wasn't
exactly sure where it was going.
(06:47):
You know,
Okay,
story arc? and then I trieddifferent points of view, right?
Like say, let me try, uh, addingfictional characters in it.
Let me try it from the point of view ofthe bridge, you know, different things.
sure.
tried all of this and.
I kind of liked the, nonfictionthe best, and that's the one
(07:07):
that I sent out, to my agent.
And, that's the one that myeditor actually, saw and liked.
And, but she was the one who cameup with the idea of, hey, you know,
would, would, it would be interestingto have, a child character in it.
And I said, yeah, I've got some versions,out there that I might have tried.
So it helped to have that experimentation,you know, done in the, in the beginning.
(07:30):
And then I went back and kind of rewrotethe draft and, while I was doing all that,
all the travel was, you know, was plannedand was happening, so it was kind of all.
Intermingled all of this.
Uh, but yeah, so, but to answeryour question, I did have a draft.
I had multiple drafts, multipleversions and multiple points of view
I actually went and saw the bridge.
(07:51):
And it was like a coming togetherof different things at that point.
Yeah.
Well, and it's so interesting because youknow one Thing that when I talk to writers
a lot and I, I think one thing we don'trealize when we're new to nonfiction is.
Writing of nonfiction is not necessarilylike a linear process where you research
and now the research phase is over andyou're writing, and now the writing
(08:15):
phase is over and you're revising, right?
Like re research comes in, you know,we do enough research to kind of
get the story down, but then we'redoing different layers of research.
At different points in the process.
So, going and seeing these bridges thatyou've watched all these videos, right?
(08:36):
And you've written this story, thatmust have been really unforgettable.
So tell me a little bit about thattrip and how seeing these things
in person helped shape your story.
Yeah, absolutely.
It was so exciting.
So, um, you know, while I wasdoing the research, part of my
research was also reaching outto experts on the ground, right?
So if, uh, even though I hadn'tgone there, I wanted to hear.
(09:00):
From people who are local there.
So I reached out, you know,started out with my circle.
There was somebody I knew who,has a tourism company out there
in India and takes little groupsout to, so I spoke with them, you
know, got an understanding of.
what, their perspective of whatis so attractive about this place.
It wasn't exactly about living bridges,but they do see the living bridges too.
(09:22):
Right.
Then I reached out, uh, I, youknow, talked to my neighbors.
Do you know anyone from Meghalaya?
You know, and then I got connected withjust people, locals from Meghalaya.
And then I, when I wasreading a lot of the articles.
Uh, Morningstar was aname that kept coming up.
Morningstar Khongthaw . Heis the founder of the Living
Bridge Foundation and is local.
(09:44):
He belongs to the Khasi community.
So I reached out to him and he wasvery gracious and he was willing
to talk to me, so I had already.
Established that rapport, already,you know, kind of spoken to him
about, Hey, I'm working on this, theseare the drafts I'm thinking about.
And then I did the travel, right?
So I already had it in place.
(10:05):
I was excited to meet him, uh, talkedto him, interview him in person,
uh, and see the living bridges.
And I would not have been able to dothe kind of research and to, you know,
see the bridges and really understand.
So deeply about it withouthaving made that connection.
Mm.
like if I'd just gone as a touristjust to see the bridge, I don't think
(10:27):
I would've been able to get this far.
So I think it really helped to have,um, reached out to, to the people
who are on the ground doing thework, uh, and then interview them.
That's great.
So, yeah, so I mean, that's, that's great.
I mean, having done allof that work upfront.
Yeah,
allowed you, you know, maybe insteadof asking surface questions, which
(10:51):
somebody who didn't, hadn't done thatlevel of research, you were able to
really dig deeper and kind of getdown to these really important issues.
I was apart also, you know,just getting a feel of the place
Mm-hmm.
Um, initially it was, I didwrite, you know, YouTube just
give you a lot of information.
You could see a lot.
Um, but you can't feel right.
(11:12):
And, uh, that's the missingpart I think, that I was able to
fill when I actually went there.
Especially when I, I think at thatpoint I already knew I was trying to
write this from, the viewpoint of a,you know, have a child character in it.
Or some inkling of it, right?
Right.
that, that I needed tobring out that emotion.
Um, so a lot of the things, like forexample, there is a spread in the
(11:33):
book that, about what I see, whatI hear, what I feel while I, while
the child character, um, is walking.
From his house to the bridges,and his uncle is taking him there
and he's actually seeing, he'sseeing the blue earthworms come.
He's seeing the spiders and he'sseeing walking through the mist.
And all of that just came from havingbeen there and seeing it, right?
(11:57):
Like I was, if I had written itwithout being there, I might have.
superficially written aboutit, but I was able to feel it.
And it's, it's a few words, right?
And picture books isjust economy of words.
It's just a few words.
But to make that authentic and tomake that hit the nail, you know, like
Right.
(12:18):
what you feel.
Um, I think, I think just goingthere, and I wouldn't have
known that when I made the trip.
I didn't know that I wouldwrite these little, few words.
But I was able to do that in a moreauthentic way, uh, having gone there and
felt it, having that emotional connection.
Well, and it's, and it's those specific,those few specific details that
(12:39):
really give kids this sense of place.
Yeah.
is the joy I think, of thesetypes of picture books.
I mean, we're able to be transported toa place and a culture that we may not
be familiar with, or for kids who it istheir culture, you know, they're, you're
representing it in a really authentic way.
So it's just, it's.
It's so cool to see allof that come on the page.
(13:01):
So you have, um, in the back matter,a lot of photographs from this
trip, which are really, really cool.
But just on like a technical level,do you have any tips or tools that
you were using, uh, to capturesome of these details and emotional
experiences while you were there?
(13:22):
Obviously taking pictures was one, right?
But do you have any other ways thatyou're capturing that information?
Um, so taking a lot of notes.
So after I would go, you know,spend the day, I would come back
and take down notes immediately,
Mm-hmm.
the emotions were fresh.
I got to the habit, I don't know ifthis is where I started, but I did this.
(13:43):
Like, for example, I would go onfield trips with my kids and I
would like, I need to capture this.
And it was hard to write a whole thing.
So
Mm-hmm.
making list of words.
Oh.
I would just like write a list of words.
And then maybe later on Iwas moved to write about it.
I would write about it.
Right.
But it just like, maybe it'sjust a list poem, right?
Like it just a, but just like, justput the words that come out to you
(14:07):
immediately and just capture itthere and then you can expand on it.
So that was like my parking spacefor the immediate emotion that I
felt, um, that I was able to do.
But you know, that'sjust like one technique.
Other than that, like justtaking like a lot of videos
Mm-hmm.
Um, notes, of course, and thenkeeping that line of communication
open, um, with the people out there.
(14:29):
I think that helps a lot too.
Like for example, I shared my initialdraft of the manuscript with Morningstar,
like, Hey, can you sit down and I'llread the manuscript to you and tell
me, you know, what's wrong in it?
Because he.
As a person living therecan tell me, right?
Hey, you know, the sapisn't yellow, it's white.
Right, right.
you know, things like that that, uh,come out and give it authenticity, but,
(14:52):
and, and just like, Hey, do you like it?
Does this sound like.
The culture,
Right.
Like is it authentic for example, um,the character in the book, the Boy, he
is going on a journey and understandinghis traditions from his uncle
Mm-hmm.
Right?
And that is very unique to theKhasi community that it's more
(15:13):
of a matrilineal, structure.
Um, the uncle plays, the maternaluncle plays a very big role in
the family structure, right.
And they are usually the.
He's usually the person who is sharingthis knowledge and teaching the nephew.
And, um, when, when I said childcharacter, I, I, so when I was doing
the research right in the initial stagestoo, I was not just researching the
(15:36):
bridges, I was also researching the Khasicommunity because the community is such
a big part of, of building the bridges.
So I felt like I wouldn't be authenticin just writing about the bridges without
understanding how this community works.
What, what are the.
What are the practices?
What is the tradition they follow?
And then that's why I knew I hadto establish contact with someone
(15:58):
local there, because otherwiseI wouldn't be able to write,
authentically from my, perspective.
Yeah.
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(16:20):
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You know, I have worked on books thathave taken place in other countries,
(16:45):
uh, and sometimes a lot of my resourceswere in languages that I don't
speak, which is always a challenge.
So was that a challenge for you orwere you, um, comfortable enough in
the local dialect that you were ableto communicate without a translator, or
did you have to work with a translator?
How did, how did that workfor you when traveling?
not have to work with a translatorbecause, um, the community were there.
(17:08):
Like Morningstar, for example,not everybody, but Morningstar he
spoke, you know, the same language.
He, we spoke in English actually.
Oh, okay.
Yeah, that's helpful.
So that's helpful.
And, uh, that, so, yeah.
At least I, I, I did not have tocross another bridge over there.
Right, right.
Yeah.
I mean, talk about chabout challenges, right?
But yeah, when you're workingin another language as well,
(17:30):
aside from another culture.
Adding layers of difficulty.
Exactly.
well I love that.
So, jumping back a little bit, youknow, you mentioned that your initial
draft was more of a straight nonfiction,sort of an ode ode to these bridges.
And then in conversationswith your editor.
(17:50):
Mm-hmm.
ended up going back to some other versionswhere you had had child characters.
So, um, can you tell us a littlebit more about that conversation
and what, what was the goal?
What was the, the thinkingbehind adding a child character?
Yeah, I think, you know from the editor'sperspective, it was Catherine Lordon.
(18:11):
So Catherine, I think she came, she,I mean, as an editor you come to
it from a different angle, right?
For, for me, it was just like I wanted to.
Share this wonder and beauty and joywith the world, uh, and the editor
has to worry about is how is thisgoing to relate to the classrooms?
And, um, you know, how is thisgoing to connect with the kids?
(18:32):
And once she said that, I, Idon't react immediately when I
get feedback because I initially,it's like, how am I gonna do this?
I dunno, this was theversion I settled on, right?
But then I said, okay, letme give it some thought.
And that's what I would like,recommend everyone to do is.
Give it some thought,
Hmm.
um, and then try something, right?
Like even before you decide,like try it and see what happens.
(18:55):
Like maybe it's just a line or a paragraphthat you want to write with this new
perspective maybe whatever you write,uh, I ended up liking it better, right?
Because it's like, yeah, I canactually bring out the childlike
innocence that childlike wonder.
Much better.
When I approach it this way, andI don't have to be worried about,
oh my God, is this nonfiction?
Is it informational fiction?
(19:17):
Is it fiction?
And where am I going to place it?
And at that point I was justlike, this is not my worry, my
Right.
concern is just making a good book,or writing the story and letting
the story be what it wants to be.
And that's it.
But that's kind of my approach
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, yeah, and I mean, you know, thereare, there's obviously this, this.
(19:38):
Book is filled with facts, right?
Auth, authentic cultural details,and a lot of emotional truth, right?
So, even if you have put in a fictionalcharacter that's sort of added to
the emotional truth and illustratingthe cultural importance of these.
(19:59):
Bridges, right, fordifferent communities, right?
So in some ways you, you'vealmost made it more true by
adding a fictional perspective.
I don't know if that makes any sense.
I think, I think that's, that's absolutelyright because, I was able to bring out
like, you know, I said it was not justabout the bridges, it's also about the
community that people aspect, which isso important in the story because this
(20:25):
is actually a story that emphasizes.
How we can live in harmony withnature, It's not just about
this extraordinary phenomenon.
The, the people are the ones whoare building these bridges, using
the natural resources around them.
being so ingenious in that.
Using, you know, these ficus elasticatrees and the aerial roots, the aerial
(20:50):
prop roots to build something thatthey need that is so hard to achieve
otherwise, like, because it's inthe interiors and the hilly areas,
monsoon ridden, it's actually hardto build cement and steel, bridges.
Right?
So this is so much easier, uh,easier, not, I wouldn't say
easy, but this is, you know, just
(21:11):
It's prac, it's practical, it's the, yeah.
Very practical.
So, um, yeah.
Well, and, and stewardship, right?
They're not just building, butit's also about maintaining and
and respecting, the natural world.
So you were really able to introduce alot of ideas, again, in a very short book.
(21:33):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Oh, and that actually, that reminds meof another aspect so in, in the story,
the child character, he notices thingsthat are not going right in terms of,
uh, you know, people littering aroundthe bridge, people stealing the sap,
and he's able to take small steps ofhis own, to stop that, but also to
(21:53):
inspire and empower people around him.
To take positive steps.
Right?
So that kind of message I thinkis, came out very well once I
introduced this child character.
Right?
So that was easier to, otherwiseit just becomes very like, hey,
you know, take care of nature
can,
around you, right?
(22:14):
yeah.
I mean, it can become preachy, butwhen it's a, when it's a child who's
kind of internalizing it and coming tothis understanding, yeah, it definitely
does not come across as like preachy
yeah.
That's really awesome.
I would say a, a common thing that Ihear from writers is that they're often
very intimidated to reach out to experts.
(22:37):
Mm-hmm.
you obviously have reached outto a lot of people and, and
traveled to for this story, so.
Can you talk to me a little bitabout kind of the mental self-talk?
Like how do you, how doyou psych yourself up?
Or is it not, not an issue for you,but, how do you kind of get into that
(22:58):
mindset of, I I'm gonna, I'm gonna askfor what I need for the story I'm gonna
make the connections that I need to make.
I think like starting with whatyou're comfortable with, right.
That helps a lot.
So when I began the research, I startedwith the people I knew, and then they
gave me contacts of other people theyknew, and that made it easier for me
(23:19):
to kind of follow the trail over there.
Um, approaching like really expertson the, you know, like there were
like articles that I would readfrom National Geographic Times.
Like, can I speak to the same personthat spoke National Geographic?
I don't know, but what's the harm?
Like, what am, what am I going to lose?
And as, uh, authors write as you are soused to rejections, it doesn't matter.
(23:40):
True, true.
So I just went for it and Ido enjoy, connecting with.
People learning new things.
I enjoy traveling alone.
So all that kind offit in, uh, after that.
I love that.
I love that idea of, of starting withyour connections and letting personal
(24:01):
connections lead you to other connections.
And then, and then just framingit as part of the business of
being a writer, which is fraught,fraught with potential rejection.
So I love that.
I love that.
And usually people are actuallyvery open to speaking with you.
Right.
And, it's, I've never comeacross a situation where somebody
did not wanna talk to you.
(24:21):
Maybe they're busy or, you know,maybe it's not the right person.
Uh, but usually people are very welcomingand ready to share as long as you are
able to approach it respectfully and, you
right.
uh, coming from a genuine place, I
Yeah.
yeah, people are willing to share.
Mm-hmm.
In terms of like uses of your research,obviously that helped frame your
(24:45):
understanding, your writing of the story.
We see some of those resourcesshowing up in your back matter.
Did you also provide any of thisto your illustrator or how did, how
Oh yeah.
work?
Yeah.
I provided everything.
I just shared all myGoogle photos and videos.
Uh, with Avani, who's done such anamazing job, uh, with the illustrations.
(25:10):
I don't think I had a lot of art notes,but I had a few art notes here and there.
Um.
But the rest of it, it was her magic.
I mean, she just took itto a whole different level.
There's a spread, for example, inthe book that talks about, this boy
weaving the bridge him realizinghow generations before him, have
(25:31):
woven the bridge and generationsafter him are going to do the same.
Right.
And the importance of all thosehands coming together through time.
I could not have imagined how she couldhave brought that to life, but she did.
And
Yeah, show.
Show us for, show us forthe YouTube audience.
Oh.
Look at all.
I mean, the roots, and the hands andthe hands are weaving the roots and
(25:54):
everything is all interwoven together.
just, I mean,
Yeah.
know how the, the illustrators in myopinion, are so talented to be able to.
Capture that magic.
Right.
And get, get that sense of emotion fromthe words, and then just put in their
magic and make it a whole different thing.
Yeah.
(26:14):
Yeah, it's spectacular what an amazingsource for, you know, technical detail
and accuracy to have all those videos andphotos and I mean, that's a gold mine.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I mean, I just went crazy with allthe pictures and I had like so many
pictures and photos that I shared.
And, uh, Avani did herown research too, right?
(26:36):
And she went in andshe added aspects that.
researched into, because as anillustrator, obviously there are
things that she would wanna know about.
What does it look
Mm-hmm.
you know, um, yeah.
So it, it's a, it's ajoint effort for sure.
But, uh, I shared everythingI could, and again, technology
has made it easy to share.
So that was, that was helpful.
(26:59):
Well, you've talked about this a littlebit, but a lot of us dream of doing this
level of immersive research where wecan travel to wherever our story lies.
But if authors don't have means to travel,you've mentioned some of the places that
we can look for this level of detail.
So do you have any other tips forwriters who are maybe trying to get
(27:21):
authentic detail, but we can't travel?
Yeah, obviously all the obvioussources that are readily available,
but I would stress on reaching outto people who are on the ground close
to the topic that you're writingabout, and making that connection.
Right.
So that is extremely important and thatgives you that extra of authenticity.
(27:45):
Yeah.
Well, and do you have any,tips for the types of.
Question or, or how to conductan interview in a way that kind
of elicits those kind of details.
Is there a certain way that you shapeyour interview so you're more likely
to capture some of that information?
You know, I, I don't know.
(28:07):
I'm not, I don't know if I'm anexpert on that, but I was just open
about where I'm coming from, and justtold him, this is what I'm writing.
And I would, I also shared drafts, of mymanuscript with him, with the experts,
with multiple experts, and then withMorningstar as well, to say, Hey, is.
This is what I'm thinking aboutit, about, and not like, sometimes
(28:28):
not the whole draft, right?
Like it
Right.
this is what I'm thinking of.
Does this make sense that the,characters going out with like,
which member of the family,
Mm-hmm.
had to kind of think about thata little bit and say when I came
to that conclusion, I would likesound it off and say, does this.
Sound right.
Is this authentic?
Does it make sense?
When you are walking, is this throughthe place and approaching the bridge?
(28:52):
Does this make sense?
The people crossing the bridge,are these the kind of people
who would cross the bridge?
Does that make sense?
You know, all of these littledetails, that are, you don't think
about once you read the finalmanuscript, but as you're writing
it, you're, everything is a question.
Is this
Oh.
Is this right?
Well, so it, so it almost sounds likebecause you're, you know, because you're
going straight to the source, right.
(29:13):
To people who are from this community.
It, it's also almost like a lay alevel of, authenticity check, right?
You're making sure that you're beingaccurate as you go because you're
able to be in touch with people fromthe community and these experts.
Yeah,
Yeah.
that.
I mean, that's the best advice Ican give is if you are not able to
go there in person, then having.
(29:35):
Access to the people, uh, ora person there, um, is the
best thing that you can do.
Oh, that's awesome.
Well, what is next for you?
Are there other stories that havegrown out of your research or are you
doing something completely different?
What's, what's next on the agenda for you?
my goodness.
Of course there is.
(29:55):
So I have another book coming out.
It's actually a fiction, alyrical fiction book, uh, and it's
called Everywhere I Call Home.
That one actually.
So as an, as an immigrant, Itravel a lot to India, right?
So, especially this wasaround the pandemic.
And I was visiting my parents a lot,like lots of ups and downs over there.
(30:16):
And I was visiting a lot.
And every, like, I think one of thesetrips I would, had all my suitcases
packed and I was just had the senseof confusion or the sense of like, I'm
torn between these places and is home.
Am I going home?
Am I coming back home?
Is home here, is home there.
and it was that sense of.
(30:38):
Like, what is it?
And then the manuscriptwas like therapy for me
Yeah.
of walk through, uh, those emotionsand come, you know, find that
sense of peace or that sense of.
Congruence or, you know,
Mm-hmm.
okay, this is where I belong.
Finally, it was not, it's not home wasn'tdefined by any boundaries or geography.
Maybe it's defined by the people I love.
(30:59):
Right?
And that's.
That's the crux or that'sthe heart of that story.
But yeah, it did come out, Iguess, uh, during my, one of
my many travels back and forth,
Yeah.
of the details in the manuscriptare very specific to the places
that I, you know, uh, frequent.
Right.
So
Oh
are in there and that's whatmakes, hopefully makes it,
(31:23):
um, relatable to people.
yeah.
And when and when is that one coming out?
Uh, that will be, uh, in 2027, I think,
I know we're always working so far ahead,
Oh goodness.
the joy, the joys ofpicture book writing, right?
Absolutely.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Oh, well, Sandhya, it has been anabsolute delight having you on the show.
(31:47):
Um, I'm wishing you all thebest and readers, uh, or.
Listeners, I highlyrecommend, um, living Bridges.
I'm adding it to our, uh, toour bookshop for the podcast.
It's really an amazing, amazing storyabout these, um, ficus tree bridges.
It's fantastic.
Thank you so much, Kirsten.
It was, uh, just a pleasure being hereand speaking with you and, talking about
(32:09):
this, uh, project so close to my heart.
Oh, well, thank you.
Thank you.
Take care.
Thank you.
Bye.
Living bridges, the hiddenworld of India's woven Trees is
available wherever books are sold.
I'll include links in the show notesalong with Sandhya's website, and
of course, you can support the showby buying your own copy from our
(32:33):
bookshop links also in the show notes.
If you enjoy today's episode,please subscribe and leave a review.
It helps.
Other nonfiction writersdiscover the show.
You can find past episodes and resourceson my website, kirsten w larson.com.
Until next time, happywriting and revising.
Welcome to Nonfiction Kid Lit CraftConversations where we take a deep
dive into the craft and businessof writing true stories for kids.
I'm your host, Kirsten Larson.
Today I am thrilled to talk with SandyaAcharya, author of Living Bridges:
the Hidden World of India's WovenTrees illustrated by Avani Dwivedi.
(00:35):
This informational fiction picture bookintroduces readers to the living root
bridges of Meghalaya India, handwovenfrom the roots of ficus trees and
tended by generations of Khasi people.
Through the eyes of a curious boy,the readers discovered not only how
the bridges are made, but also howthey're cared for and protected.
(00:56):
We'll be talking about immersivetravel based research, how visiting
a place can shape a story and how to.
Use it to weave rich, authenticdetails into child-centered writing.
So welcome to the show.
Nice to see you.
you so much.
I'm so be here and talk about thebook and whatever else follows.
(01:20):
Well, and I cannot waitto hear about your travel.
So let's start at the beginning.
What first drew you to this idea of astory about these living bridges in India?
Was there a specific momentthat sparked your story, or
how did you come to your idea?
Yeah, so it was, I thinkthe story idea came to me.
(01:40):
I think I was, you know, browsingthrough my social media and somewhere
there was an article about the LivingBridges, and I had maybe read about
it before, but something about itstruck me that, Hey, wouldn't this,
phenomenon be amazing to share with kids?
It's got so much wonderand joy in it, which is.
(02:03):
Always such a great, um, youknow, so much appeal to kids.
And somewhere an idea to rootthat, hey, maybe I could write
something about it for kids.
But interestingly Kirsten, I was thinkingabout this and a few, I think years back.
Okay, so this was not even when I was likethinking about the living bridges at all.
(02:25):
But I, you know, I don't journal veryregularly, but intermittently, and
I had put in a journal entry about.
A moment I had where I had seenthis bridge actually in the Bay
Area, it's the Dunbarton bridgethat goes over to Fremont.
And I was just driving on itand I happened to see a sunset,
right, right over the bridge.
(02:46):
And I had this overwhelmingsense of gratitude come over.
And that day I went back homeand I just wrote like a little.
Thank you.
Note to the bridge, right?
And it was just like, oh my gosh.
You know, I happened to see the sunset.
It was beautiful.
And all those emotions just came out andI just listed out all the bridges that I
had traveled to and it was so spectacular.
(03:07):
You know, like I had the Golden GateBridge and the Capilano Bridge in Canada
and then this bridge, and I was justlike thinking about it and that's it.
Right?
And that was the journal entry years back.
And then I, when I was actuallyresearching, what was the
story idea for this book?
Uh, you know, because sometimes youdon't even understand your, the own
workings of your own mind, right?
(03:28):
So, and I just came across this journalentry because I was doing like a random
search in my Google Docs about livingbridges because I thought I would find out
the date of when I wrote that first draft.
And then actually this journalentry came up and I was like,
oh my gosh, look at that.
My brain was already.
Churning and putting things together.
I didn't even know about it.
(03:49):
My subconscious was probablyalready working on that manuscript.
you know, it goes to say you never knowhow something inspires you and what turn
it takes, what form it takes and comesout in the form of a book or a story.
That is so cool.
So it's like you, you had this momentthat forged this sort of emotional
connection to this idea of bridges.
(04:12):
And then who knows when you're, whenyou're seeing that, that social media
post, now, it triggers somethingthat's already inside of you.
Right.
So now you're zeroing in on it in away that maybe somebody else who hadn't
had that emotional experience, youknow, it's, I know it's is magical.
I.
It is, it's right.
(04:33):
It's just so much of it happens in thebackground that you're not even aware of.
I love it.
I love it.
So what did your early research look like?
I mean, you are researchingsomething from afar.
Yeah.
as you mentioned you're in the BayArea, so, so what kind of resources
were you gathering, before youactually made your research trip?
(04:56):
Uh, so I, once I read that article,I think I just fell into that
rabbit hole of research, right?
So I was just like.
Gathering and consuming all informationI could about, um, the living bridges.
And we are so lucky in this day andage that we have access to so much,
whether it's articles or books orinterviews, uh, YouTube videos of
(05:19):
people who have gone and just traveled.
So multiple points ofview, not just in terms of.
and fact-based information aboutthe britches, but people have
just traveled there as tourists.
And that point of view too, youknow, is that sense of wonder
and sense of exploration.
Uh, and I was able to tap into all ofthese before, and I did it very, uh,
(05:42):
it was not, it was not like plannedthat I'm gonna research this and this.
I was just, I immersed myself in the
Sure.
And then I just let themanuscript come out.
So that was kind of like alittle more natural, organic
way of writing the manuscript.
But yeah, it was just, digginginto everything I could get my,
uh, hands and fingers typing on.
(06:05):
So did you have an initial drafttogether before you traveled, or
was the traveling part of immersingyourself in that initial research?
So I did have a manuscript before I
Okay.
So once I did all the research, I kindof, you know, just put the manuscript out.
It just like tumbled out of me.
(06:25):
And it was more of, at thatpoint it was, uh, fiction.
I mean, sorry, nonfiction.
So it was more about likean ode to the bridge.
Okay.
nonfiction kind
Mm-hmm.
um, version.
And then I was.
I was okay with it.
I was especially, happy withthe way it began, but I wasn't
exactly sure where it was going.
(06:47):
You know,
Okay,
story arc? and then I trieddifferent points of view, right?
Like say, let me try, uh, addingfictional characters in it.
Let me try it from the point of view ofthe bridge, you know, different things.
sure.
tried all of this and.
I kind of liked the, nonfictionthe best, and that's the one
(07:07):
that I sent out, to my agent.
And, that's the one that myeditor actually, saw and liked.
And, but she was the one who cameup with the idea of, hey, you know,
would, would, it would be interestingto have, a child character in it.
And I said, yeah, I've got some versions,out there that I might have tried.
So it helped to have that experimentation,you know, done in the, in the beginning.
(07:30):
And then I went back and kind of rewrotethe draft and, while I was doing all that,
all the travel was, you know, was plannedand was happening, so it was kind of all.
Intermingled all of this.
Uh, but yeah, so, but to answeryour question, I did have a draft.
I had multiple drafts, multipleversions and multiple points of view
I actually went and saw the bridge.
(07:51):
And it was like a coming togetherof different things at that point.
Yeah.
Well, and it's so interesting because youknow one Thing that when I talk to writers
a lot and I, I think one thing we don'trealize when we're new to nonfiction is.
Writing of nonfiction is not necessarilylike a linear process where you research
and now the research phase is over andyou're writing, and now the writing
(08:15):
phase is over and you're revising, right?
Like re research comes in, you know,we do enough research to kind of
get the story down, but then we'redoing different layers of research.
At different points in the process.
So, going and seeing these bridges thatyou've watched all these videos, right?
(08:36):
And you've written this story, thatmust have been really unforgettable.
So tell me a little bit about thattrip and how seeing these things
in person helped shape your story.
Yeah, absolutely.
It was so exciting.
So, um, you know, while I wasdoing the research, part of my
research was also reaching outto experts on the ground, right?
So if, uh, even though I hadn'tgone there, I wanted to hear.
(09:00):
From people who are local there.
So I reached out, you know,started out with my circle.
There was somebody I knew who,has a tourism company out there
in India and takes little groupsout to, so I spoke with them, you
know, got an understanding of.
what, their perspective of whatis so attractive about this place.
It wasn't exactly about living bridges,but they do see the living bridges too.
(09:22):
Right.
Then I reached out, uh, I, youknow, talked to my neighbors.
Do you know anyone from Meghalaya?
You know, and then I got connected withjust people, locals from Meghalaya.
And then I, when I wasreading a lot of the articles.
Uh, Morningstar was aname that kept coming up.
Morningstar Khongthaw . Heis the founder of the Living
Bridge Foundation and is local.
(09:44):
He belongs to the Khasi community.
So I reached out to him and he wasvery gracious and he was willing
to talk to me, so I had already.
Established that rapport, already,you know, kind of spoken to him
about, Hey, I'm working on this, theseare the drafts I'm thinking about.
And then I did the travel, right?
So I already had it in place.
(10:05):
I was excited to meet him, uh, talkedto him, interview him in person,
uh, and see the living bridges.
And I would not have been able to dothe kind of research and to, you know,
see the bridges and really understand.
So deeply about it withouthaving made that connection.
Mm.
like if I'd just gone as a touristjust to see the bridge, I don't think
(10:27):
I would've been able to get this far.
So I think it really helped to have,um, reached out to, to the people
who are on the ground doing thework, uh, and then interview them.
That's great.
So, yeah, so I mean, that's, that's great.
I mean, having done allof that work upfront.
Yeah,
allowed you, you know, maybe insteadof asking surface questions, which
(10:51):
somebody who didn't, hadn't done thatlevel of research, you were able to
really dig deeper and kind of getdown to these really important issues.
I was apart also, you know,just getting a feel of the place
Mm-hmm.
Um, initially it was, I didwrite, you know, YouTube just
give you a lot of information.
You could see a lot.
Um, but you can't feel right.
(11:12):
And, uh, that's the missingpart I think, that I was able to
fill when I actually went there.
Especially when I, I think at thatpoint I already knew I was trying to
write this from, the viewpoint of a,you know, have a child character in it.
Or some inkling of it, right?
Right.
that, that I needed tobring out that emotion.
Um, so a lot of the things, like forexample, there is a spread in the
(11:33):
book that, about what I see, whatI hear, what I feel while I, while
the child character, um, is walking.
From his house to the bridges,and his uncle is taking him there
and he's actually seeing, he'sseeing the blue earthworms come.
He's seeing the spiders and he'sseeing walking through the mist.
And all of that just came from havingbeen there and seeing it, right?
(11:57):
Like I was, if I had written itwithout being there, I might have.
superficially written aboutit, but I was able to feel it.
And it's, it's a few words, right?
And picture books isjust economy of words.
It's just a few words.
But to make that authentic and tomake that hit the nail, you know, like
Right.
(12:18):
what you feel.
Um, I think, I think just goingthere, and I wouldn't have
known that when I made the trip.
I didn't know that I wouldwrite these little, few words.
But I was able to do that in a moreauthentic way, uh, having gone there and
felt it, having that emotional connection.
Well, and it's, and it's those specific,those few specific details that
(12:39):
really give kids this sense of place.
Yeah.
is the joy I think, of thesetypes of picture books.
I mean, we're able to be transported toa place and a culture that we may not
be familiar with, or for kids who it istheir culture, you know, they're, you're
representing it in a really authentic way.
So it's just, it's.
It's so cool to see allof that come on the page.
(13:01):
So you have, um, in the back matter,a lot of photographs from this
trip, which are really, really cool.
But just on like a technical level,do you have any tips or tools that
you were using, uh, to capturesome of these details and emotional
experiences while you were there?
(13:22):
Obviously taking pictures was one, right?
But do you have any other ways thatyou're capturing that information?
Um, so taking a lot of notes.
So after I would go, you know,spend the day, I would come back
and take down notes immediately,
Mm-hmm.
the emotions were fresh.
I got to the habit, I don't know ifthis is where I started, but I did this.
(13:43):
Like, for example, I would go onfield trips with my kids and I
would like, I need to capture this.
And it was hard to write a whole thing.
So
Mm-hmm.
making list of words.
Oh.
I would just like write a list of words.
And then maybe later on Iwas moved to write about it.
I would write about it.
Right.
But it just like, maybe it'sjust a list poem, right?
Like it just a, but just like, justput the words that come out to you
(14:07):
immediately and just capture itthere and then you can expand on it.
So that was like my parking spacefor the immediate emotion that I
felt, um, that I was able to do.
But you know, that'sjust like one technique.
Other than that, like justtaking like a lot of videos
Mm-hmm.
Um, notes, of course, and thenkeeping that line of communication
open, um, with the people out there.
(14:29):
I think that helps a lot too.
Like for example, I shared my initialdraft of the manuscript with Morningstar,
like, Hey, can you sit down and I'llread the manuscript to you and tell
me, you know, what's wrong in it?
Because he.
As a person living therecan tell me, right?
Hey, you know, the sapisn't yellow, it's white.
Right, right.
you know, things like that that, uh,come out and give it authenticity, but,
(14:52):
and, and just like, Hey, do you like it?
Does this sound like.
The culture,
Right.
Like is it authentic for example, um,the character in the book, the Boy, he
is going on a journey and understandinghis traditions from his uncle
Mm-hmm.
Right?
And that is very unique to theKhasi community that it's more
(15:13):
of a matrilineal, structure.
Um, the uncle plays, the maternaluncle plays a very big role in
the family structure, right.
And they are usually the.
He's usually the person who is sharingthis knowledge and teaching the nephew.
And, um, when, when I said childcharacter, I, I, so when I was doing
the research right in the initial stagestoo, I was not just researching the
(15:36):
bridges, I was also researching the Khasicommunity because the community is such
a big part of, of building the bridges.
So I felt like I wouldn't be authenticin just writing about the bridges without
understanding how this community works.
What, what are the.
What are the practices?
What is the tradition they follow?
And then that's why I knew I hadto establish contact with someone
(15:58):
local there, because otherwiseI wouldn't be able to write,
authentically from my, perspective.
Yeah.
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(16:20):
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You know, I have worked on books thathave taken place in other countries,
(16:45):
uh, and sometimes a lot of my resourceswere in languages that I don't
speak, which is always a challenge.
So was that a challenge for you orwere you, um, comfortable enough in
the local dialect that you were ableto communicate without a translator, or
did you have to work with a translator?
How did, how did that workfor you when traveling?
not have to work with a translatorbecause, um, the community were there.
(17:08):
Like Morningstar, for example,not everybody, but Morningstar he
spoke, you know, the same language.
He, we spoke in English actually.
Oh, okay.
Yeah, that's helpful.
So that's helpful.
And, uh, that, so, yeah.
At least I, I, I did not have tocross another bridge over there.
Right, right.
Yeah.
I mean, talk about chabout challenges, right?
But yeah, when you're workingin another language as well,
(17:30):
aside from another culture.
Adding layers of difficulty.
Exactly.
well I love that.
So, jumping back a little bit, youknow, you mentioned that your initial
draft was more of a straight nonfiction,sort of an ode ode to these bridges.
And then in conversationswith your editor.
(17:50):
Mm-hmm.
ended up going back to some other versionswhere you had had child characters.
So, um, can you tell us a littlebit more about that conversation
and what, what was the goal?
What was the, the thinkingbehind adding a child character?
Yeah, I think, you know from the editor'sperspective, it was Catherine Lordon.
(18:11):
So Catherine, I think she came, she,I mean, as an editor you come to
it from a different angle, right?
For, for me, it was just like I wanted to.
Share this wonder and beauty and joywith the world, uh, and the editor
has to worry about is how is thisgoing to relate to the classrooms?
And, um, you know, how is thisgoing to connect with the kids?
(18:32):
And once she said that, I, Idon't react immediately when I
get feedback because I initially,it's like, how am I gonna do this?
I dunno, this was theversion I settled on, right?
But then I said, okay, letme give it some thought.
And that's what I would like,recommend everyone to do is.
Give it some thought,
Hmm.
um, and then try something, right?
Like even before you decide,like try it and see what happens.
(18:55):
Like maybe it's just a line or a paragraphthat you want to write with this new
perspective maybe whatever you write,uh, I ended up liking it better, right?
Because it's like, yeah, I canactually bring out the childlike
innocence that childlike wonder.
Much better.
When I approach it this way, andI don't have to be worried about,
oh my God, is this nonfiction?
Is it informational fiction?
(19:17):
Is it fiction?
And where am I going to place it?
And at that point I was justlike, this is not my worry, my
Right.
concern is just making a good book,or writing the story and letting
the story be what it wants to be.
And that's it.
But that's kind of my approach
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, yeah, and I mean, you know, thereare, there's obviously this, this.
(19:38):
Book is filled with facts, right?
Auth, authentic cultural details,and a lot of emotional truth, right?
So, even if you have put in a fictionalcharacter that's sort of added to
the emotional truth and illustratingthe cultural importance of these.
(19:59):
Bridges, right, fordifferent communities, right?
So in some ways you, you'vealmost made it more true by
adding a fictional perspective.
I don't know if that makes any sense.
I think, I think that's, that's absolutelyright because, I was able to bring out
like, you know, I said it was not justabout the bridges, it's also about the
community that people aspect, which isso important in the story because this
(20:25):
is actually a story that emphasizes.
How we can live in harmony withnature, It's not just about
this extraordinary phenomenon.
The, the people are the ones whoare building these bridges, using
the natural resources around them.
being so ingenious in that.
Using, you know, these ficus elasticatrees and the aerial roots, the aerial
(20:50):
prop roots to build something thatthey need that is so hard to achieve
otherwise, like, because it's inthe interiors and the hilly areas,
monsoon ridden, it's actually hardto build cement and steel, bridges.
Right?
So this is so much easier, uh,easier, not, I wouldn't say
easy, but this is, you know, just
(21:11):
It's prac, it's practical, it's the, yeah.
Very practical.
So, um, yeah.
Well, and, and stewardship, right?
They're not just building, butit's also about maintaining and
and respecting, the natural world.
So you were really able to introduce alot of ideas, again, in a very short book.
(21:33):
Yeah.
Yeah.
Oh, and that actually, that reminds meof another aspect so in, in the story,
the child character, he notices thingsthat are not going right in terms of,
uh, you know, people littering aroundthe bridge, people stealing the sap,
and he's able to take small steps ofhis own, to stop that, but also to
(21:53):
inspire and empower people around him.
To take positive steps.
Right?
So that kind of message I thinkis, came out very well once I
introduced this child character.
Right?
So that was easier to, otherwiseit just becomes very like, hey,
you know, take care of nature
can,
around you, right?
(22:14):
yeah.
I mean, it can become preachy, butwhen it's a, when it's a child who's
kind of internalizing it and coming tothis understanding, yeah, it definitely
does not come across as like preachy
yeah.
That's really awesome.
I would say a, a common thing that Ihear from writers is that they're often
very intimidated to reach out to experts.
(22:37):
Mm-hmm.
you obviously have reached outto a lot of people and, and
traveled to for this story, so.
Can you talk to me a little bitabout kind of the mental self-talk?
Like how do you, how doyou psych yourself up?
Or is it not, not an issue for you,but, how do you kind of get into that
(22:58):
mindset of, I I'm gonna, I'm gonna askfor what I need for the story I'm gonna
make the connections that I need to make.
I think like starting with whatyou're comfortable with, right.
That helps a lot.
So when I began the research, I startedwith the people I knew, and then they
gave me contacts of other people theyknew, and that made it easier for me
(23:19):
to kind of follow the trail over there.
Um, approaching like really expertson the, you know, like there were
like articles that I would readfrom National Geographic Times.
Like, can I speak to the same personthat spoke National Geographic?
I don't know, but what's the harm?
Like, what am, what am I going to lose?
And as, uh, authors write as you are soused to rejections, it doesn't matter.
(23:40):
True, true.
So I just went for it and Ido enjoy, connecting with.
People learning new things.
I enjoy traveling alone.
So all that kind offit in, uh, after that.
I love that.
I love that idea of, of starting withyour connections and letting personal
(24:01):
connections lead you to other connections.
And then, and then just framingit as part of the business of
being a writer, which is fraught,fraught with potential rejection.
So I love that.
I love that.
And usually people are actuallyvery open to speaking with you.
Right.
And, it's, I've never comeacross a situation where somebody
did not wanna talk to you.
(24:21):
Maybe they're busy or, you know,maybe it's not the right person.
Uh, but usually people are very welcomingand ready to share as long as you are
able to approach it respectfully and, you
right.
uh, coming from a genuine place, I
Yeah.
yeah, people are willing to share.
Mm-hmm.
In terms of like uses of your research,obviously that helped frame your
(24:45):
understanding, your writing of the story.
We see some of those resourcesshowing up in your back matter.
Did you also provide any of thisto your illustrator or how did, how
Oh yeah.
work?
Yeah.
I provided everything.
I just shared all myGoogle photos and videos.
Uh, with Avani, who's done such anamazing job, uh, with the illustrations.
(25:10):
I don't think I had a lot of art notes,but I had a few art notes here and there.
Um.
But the rest of it, it was her magic.
I mean, she just took itto a whole different level.
There's a spread, for example, inthe book that talks about, this boy
weaving the bridge him realizinghow generations before him, have
(25:31):
woven the bridge and generationsafter him are going to do the same.
Right.
And the importance of all thosehands coming together through time.
I could not have imagined how she couldhave brought that to life, but she did.
And
Yeah, show.
Show us for, show us forthe YouTube audience.
Oh.
Look at all.
I mean, the roots, and the hands andthe hands are weaving the roots and
(25:54):
everything is all interwoven together.
just, I mean,
Yeah.
know how the, the illustrators in myopinion, are so talented to be able to.
Capture that magic.
Right.
And get, get that sense of emotion fromthe words, and then just put in their
magic and make it a whole different thing.
Yeah.
(26:14):
Yeah, it's spectacular what an amazingsource for, you know, technical detail
and accuracy to have all those videos andphotos and I mean, that's a gold mine.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I mean, I just went crazy with allthe pictures and I had like so many
pictures and photos that I shared.
And, uh, Avani did herown research too, right?
(26:36):
And she went in andshe added aspects that.
researched into, because as anillustrator, obviously there are
things that she would wanna know about.
What does it look
Mm-hmm.
you know, um, yeah.
So it, it's a, it's ajoint effort for sure.
But, uh, I shared everythingI could, and again, technology
has made it easy to share.
So that was, that was helpful.
(26:59):
Well, you've talked about this a littlebit, but a lot of us dream of doing this
level of immersive research where wecan travel to wherever our story lies.
But if authors don't have means to travel,you've mentioned some of the places that
we can look for this level of detail.
So do you have any other tips forwriters who are maybe trying to get
(27:21):
authentic detail, but we can't travel?
Yeah, obviously all the obvioussources that are readily available,
but I would stress on reaching outto people who are on the ground close
to the topic that you're writingabout, and making that connection.
Right.
So that is extremely important and thatgives you that extra of authenticity.
(27:45):
Yeah.
Well, and do you have any,tips for the types of.
Question or, or how to conductan interview in a way that kind
of elicits those kind of details.
Is there a certain way that you shapeyour interview so you're more likely
to capture some of that information?
You know, I, I don't know.
(28:07):
I'm not, I don't know if I'm anexpert on that, but I was just open
about where I'm coming from, and justtold him, this is what I'm writing.
And I would, I also shared drafts, of mymanuscript with him, with the experts,
with multiple experts, and then withMorningstar as well, to say, Hey, is.
This is what I'm thinking aboutit, about, and not like, sometimes
(28:28):
not the whole draft, right?
Like it
Right.
this is what I'm thinking of.
Does this make sense that the,characters going out with like,
which member of the family,
Mm-hmm.
had to kind of think about thata little bit and say when I came
to that conclusion, I would likesound it off and say, does this.
Sound right.
Is this authentic?
Does it make sense?
When you are walking, is this throughthe place and approaching the bridge?
(28:52):
Does this make sense?
The people crossing the bridge,are these the kind of people
who would cross the bridge?
Does that make sense?
You know, all of these littledetails, that are, you don't think
about once you read the finalmanuscript, but as you're writing
it, you're, everything is a question.
Is this
Oh.
Is this right?
Well, so it, so it almost sounds likebecause you're, you know, because you're
going straight to the source, right.
(29:13):
To people who are from this community.
It, it's also almost like a lay alevel of, authenticity check, right?
You're making sure that you're beingaccurate as you go because you're
able to be in touch with people fromthe community and these experts.
Yeah,
Yeah.
that.
I mean, that's the best advice Ican give is if you are not able to
go there in person, then having.
(29:35):
Access to the people, uh, ora person there, um, is the
best thing that you can do.
Oh, that's awesome.
Well, what is next for you?
Are there other stories that havegrown out of your research or are you
doing something completely different?
What's, what's next on the agenda for you?
my goodness.
Of course there is.
(29:55):
So I have another book coming out.
It's actually a fiction, alyrical fiction book, uh, and it's
called Everywhere I Call Home.
That one actually.
So as an, as an immigrant, Itravel a lot to India, right?
So, especially this wasaround the pandemic.
And I was visiting my parents a lot,like lots of ups and downs over there.
(30:16):
And I was visiting a lot.
And every, like, I think one of thesetrips I would, had all my suitcases
packed and I was just had the senseof confusion or the sense of like, I'm
torn between these places and is home.
Am I going home?
Am I coming back home?
Is home here, is home there.
and it was that sense of.
(30:38):
Like, what is it?
And then the manuscriptwas like therapy for me
Yeah.
of walk through, uh, those emotionsand come, you know, find that
sense of peace or that sense of.
Congruence or, you know,
Mm-hmm.
okay, this is where I belong.
Finally, it was not, it's not home wasn'tdefined by any boundaries or geography.
Maybe it's defined by the people I love.
(30:59):
Right?
And that's.
That's the crux or that'sthe heart of that story.
But yeah, it did come out, Iguess, uh, during my, one of
my many travels back and forth,
Yeah.
of the details in the manuscriptare very specific to the places
that I, you know, uh, frequent.
Right.
So
Oh
are in there and that's whatmakes, hopefully makes it,
(31:23):
um, relatable to people.
yeah.
And when and when is that one coming out?
Uh, that will be, uh, in 2027, I think,
I know we're always working so far ahead,
Oh goodness.
the joy, the joys ofpicture book writing, right?
Absolutely.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Oh, well, Sandhya, it has been anabsolute delight having you on the show.
(31:47):
Um, I'm wishing you all thebest and readers, uh, or.
Listeners, I highlyrecommend, um, living Bridges.
I'm adding it to our, uh, toour bookshop for the podcast.
It's really an amazing, amazing storyabout these, um, ficus tree bridges.
It's fantastic.
Thank you so much, Kirsten.
It was, uh, just a pleasure being hereand speaking with you and, talking about
(32:09):
this, uh, project so close to my heart.
Oh, well, thank you.
Thank you.
Take care.
Thank you.
Bye.
Living bridges, the hiddenworld of India's woven Trees is
available wherever books are sold.
I'll include links in the show notesalong with Sandhya's website, and
of course, you can support the showby buying your own copy from our
(32:33):
bookshop links also in the show notes.
If you enjoy today's episode,please subscribe and leave a review.
It helps.
Other nonfiction writersdiscover the show.
You can find past episodes and resourceson my website, kirsten w larson.com.
Until next time, happywriting and revising.
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