Rhea Malik

What was your favorite book as a child?

Marley and Me. I remember staying up until dawn to finish it, and crying with grief when Marley passed. I was grandly lucky to have my own Marley a few years later.

Do you remember the original reason or motivation why you started writing creatively?

For this, I thank my junior and middle school English teachers. Theirs were the only classrooms where creative expression was encouraged, and it felt like play in a schooling environment that was otherwise fixated on tests and getting the right answers. There was also awe — awe for the natural world that I felt in the midst of mountains or even neighbourhood parks early in the morning, which I felt the desire to capture. Lastly, perhaps, I recall having periods of depression in my teens; reading comfort books, and maintaining curiosity through reading gave me something to look forward to, and writing followed naturally.

What was the most adventurous or thrilling thing you ever did/experienced?

I went to another continent on my own for my Master's, without knowing a soul there, and adapted to a new country, climate, and culture. I knew little about what to expect, and felt underprepared in every way, but I was fortunate enough to get a full scholarship, and one does not turn that down! It was an incredibly challenging, yet delicious adventure.

Do you listen to music while reading or writing?

Usually something instrumental — strings or piano — until the music sounds so good that I end up focusing on it instead!