Today we’d like to introduce you to Chaitali Sen.
Hi Chaitali, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, how can you bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am the author of the novel The Pathless Sky and the story collection A New Race of Men from Heaven. I started writing at around 12 by copying folk and fairy tales and writing original stories based on books and characters I loved. I was a secret writer for a long time, but when I lived in New York, I was lucky enough to find a supportive community in a new organization called the South Asian Women’s Creative Collective. From there, I got an MFA at Hunter College, and later my short stories were published in literary magazines. I published my first book when I was 45. I suppose it’s mainly because I couldn’t stop writing. It’s a compulsion.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
It certainly has been a challenging road. It’s nearly impossible to make a living from writing, so I squeezed an hour of writing time by waking up at 4:30 every morning before getting ready for my job as a first-grade teacher. Every weekend and summer vacation was spent writing, which got tiresome for my friends, family, and me. And the whims of the publishing industry mean that I’m fortunate to have two published books, which both came from independent presses.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I write stories and novels. I also write essays occasionally and dabble in poetry, but I’m mainly a fiction writer. My first novel, The Pathless Sky, is a love story set in an unnamed fictional country. Kirkus Reviews called it “a searingly vivid portrayal of the depths of human emotions—from the first glow of young love to the deeper strength of middle-aged commitment. A poignant and sophisticated work couched in lyrical, effervescent prose.” My story collection, A New Race of Men from Heaven, was chosen by Danielle Evans as the Mary McCarthy Prize for Short Fiction winner and just released by Sarabande Books. It has a gorgeous cover. In my writing, I explore how racial, ethnic, class, and gender inequalities create conflicts in our most intimate spheres. I’m proud of both books and hope to write and publish many more. I also teach creative writing classes to community members through the Writers’ League of Texas and Writing Workshops Dallas.
Are any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
Three podcasts I never miss are Refuse Fascism; The Michael Slate Show on KPFK; and Fiction/Non/Fiction because interesting conversations on historical and political events and literature inspire me. I have a long and growing list of favorite books. My favorite book from last year was The Sentence by Louise Erdrich. And for drafting long projects, I swear by Scrivener. It’s an app you can get on your computer, saving you from having a million-word document.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://chaitalisen.com
- Instagram: @chaitali_sen_author
Image Credits
personal photo by Paige Wilks
