I was recently interviewed by manybooks.net

Author at Chowpatty Beach, Mumbai

I spent two wonderful years living in India during the 1980’s. The interview did not allow me to go too deeply into my time here, but I can do that now on my blog.

I remember that day well: the unforgettable smell of camel comes to mind, and how I had to go home and take a shower to get the stink out of my hair. Chowpatty Beach is a popular place for locals; a small, half-moon beach ringed by a congested Marine Drive. I saw it first at night, from the air, minutes before my plane touched down at the international airport. I was told by a seatmate that it was called “The Queen’s Necklace” since it looks like a diamond necklace from the air.

Seeing it in the unforgiving light of day was quite a different experience. The aroma of raw sewage mingled with delectable cooking smells of the food vendors overwhelms the senses, as it does throughout the city, but one quickly gets used to those odors, I found.

There are no supermarkets in Mumbai; or at least, not while I lived there. The locals and I had to buy all our food from hole-in-the-wall stores, or large, outdoor market places teeming with people and feral dogs. The fish and meat markets were more than my stomach could handle. I have a sensitive nose, and meat and fish does not do well under the hot sun. But we had to eat, so that is where my maid came in handy. If I’d not had a maid to help me out I probably would have become a vegetarian. She was such an indispensable part of my life in India, and I would not have fared well without her. She meant so much more to me than just my employee.

The markets in Mumbai were colorful, and sold a variety of goods besides food. Chor Bazaar, a bustling flea market, is a popular tourist destination. Here, one can buy almost anything, from leather goods, brass, household items, touristy tchotchkes, and antiques. Jewelry is also sold there, along with silver and gold. The day the above photo was taken, we had just come from Chor Bazaar.

The sights and smells of Mumbai inspired my description of Akelarre, a fishing village, with its chaotic market place, in the Ialana Series. If you would like to read more about Akelarre, the first book in the series, “The Six and the Crystals of Ialana” is available for $0.99 on Amazon. Get it now, and sign up on this site to read my free Novella, “The People of the Damned”. I will keep you in the loop about more deals like this, and you will never be spammed.

Click here to read interview: Katlynn Brooke: Epic Fantasy Inspired By Her Own Adventures