WHEN Nalini Singh was a young girl growing up in Suva, there wasn’t a novel that didn’t captivate her.
The avid reader grabbed every opportunity to visit her school library in anticipation of securing new reading material and eventually, this interest sparked a desire to pen her own novels someday.
Moving to New Zealand when she was 10 has helped her realise this dream. Today, Singh stands as one of the most acclaimed writers in the paranormal and romance genre.
The success of her novels has been reflected in the amount of accolades she has received from the writing community, including being named in the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller Lists in 2014.
Speaking to The Fiji Times, the 38-year-old shared her experiences as a writer and her brief time in her homeland.
Starting off, would you be able to tell us a little about your personal background?
I lived in Fiji during the start of my life. I loved it there — I had many cousins and friends around a similar age and we spent a lot of time outdoors, playing. The warm nights, the sound of the tropical rains on the roof and going to the market with my mum, I remember it all vividly.
When and why did you leave Fiji? What was the move like?
We left when I was 10, after my dad got a job in New Zealand. Initially, the move was a little hard on me because I had to leave behind my friends and everything I knew also, it was so cold! However, once I settled in, I began to really enjoy our new life in New Zealand.
Did you finish your schooling in New Zealand?
Yes, from when I was ten to when I graduated from university.
What was life like after finishing school?
It was both interesting and challenging, as after high school, I went straight into tertiary education, studying Arts (English Literature) and Law. After completing my studies, I began to work in a corporate law firm in the city.
Did you always aspire to be a writer?
Always. I’ve loved stories and words since I was a young child but the idea of being a full-time writer was something I didn’t dare imagine for a long time as I didn’t know anyone who made their living as a writer.
What books did you grow up with?
I read everything I could get my hands on. In Suva, I used to wait for the book bus to come to our school and in NZ, I had my own library card which I used regularly to check out piles of books. I read adventure stories, classics and as I got older, science fiction and fantasy, plus romances and thrillers.
What has influenced your writing?
I believe everything around me influences my writing in one way or another. I do think having lived in different countries (I also worked in Japan for several years) has given me a wide world view that shows up in my work. I never assume that cultural expectations are the same from person to person — exploring that diversity of experience is part of the joy of writing for me.
You now have a worldwide following for your three major book series; Psy-Changeling, Guild Hunter and Rock Kiss. Did you anticipate such a wide fan base when you wrote these books?
No! I could’ve never imagined it. My dream was simply to be able to write for a living. I’m so deeply humbled and overjoyed at the support I’ve been shown by readers.
How did you come up with the idea for the Psy-Changeling series?
It was a case of multiple threads coming together. First of all, I was-and am-fascinated by the idea that perhaps we don’t use our brains to their full potential. What if, for example, we had the capacity for true telepathy and telekinesis? That would be amazing, right? But then I thought, what if those abilities had a dark side and they drove us to violence and insanity? What would we do to survive? That was the genesis of the Psy race, with their incredible mental abilities and a society that has the most serial killers on the planet.
The Changelings came about because I was reading a lot of shape shifter books and no one in the books seemed glad to be a shape shifter. Meanwhile, I thought it would be amazing to be able to change forms into a leopard or a wolf!
When I sat down to write, these two ideas collided and suddenly, there were humans in the mix as well. The complex politics of the world flowed from that broken triumvirate.
What is next for your series?
Allegiance Of Honour, the 15th book in the Psy-Changeling series, comes out this June. It’s the end of the first arc or season of my series. The next book will begin the second season, which builds on the events of the first season.
I also have an August release, Wild Embrace, which I worked on over a couple of years and which will feature novellas from the Psy-Changeling world.
Archangel’s Heart, the ninth book in my Guild Hunter series, comes out in November of this year. In it, we get to explore the ancestry of one of the main characters and the revelations are explosive.
My next Rock Kiss book, featuring the members of a rock band and their friends, will also be coming out soon. It’ll tie up the series, though I do intend to write a short spinoff series focusing on the brothers of one of the heroes.
For you personally, what have been some of the best moments of being a writer?
Honestly, I love everything about it! I’ll never forget the call from my initial editor wanting to buy what became my first published book or the day I began to write the first book in the Psy-Changeling series or the day I got my first ever fan letter. There are so many moments that shine for me.
What have been some of the challenges in your career?
Getting established in my career was tough at the start. I received a lot of rejection letters from publishers but I’m stubborn and writing has always been my dream so I just kept going.
These days, each book brings different challenges. Nothing is ever exactly the same and I love that.
Are there other writers that you look up to for inspiration? If so, then who are they and how do they inspire you?
So many writers have inspired me. I love Mercedes Lackey and the late Anne McCaffrey for their world building, for creating fictional places so real I want to visit them. I also admire JD Robb, Nora Roberts and Jayne Ann Krentz for their long careers and powerful writing voices. I don’t think I can list all the other writers who’ve inspired me by writing incredible stories that sweep me away. There are too many to count.
Could you walk us through a day in your life as a writer? What are some of the activities that you usually indulge in?
It all depends on the day but usually I have a pot of tea in the morning and clear my emails. Because my editor and agent are in the US and I’m in NZ, that’s the time of day all of us are online if we need to talk. Then I quickly do some social media, like update Facebook or Twitter.
After that, I write. I turn off the internet and just focus. I might take ten or fifteen minute breaks to grab more tea or check for new emails but otherwise my attention is on the book. I’ll either be writing new words or editing words I’ve already written.
Depending on the day, I may also have other “business” things to deal with and they’ll be fitted in around my writing.
What is your go-to method for beating stress?
Reading has always been the best escape for me. I love getting lost in a fictional world.
Your favourite way to relax and unwind after a hectic day?
Same as above! Though I have also been known to binge-watch a season of television after finishing writing a book.
What would you say your favourite food and drinks are?
Chocolate and tea! More seriously, I’m always open to trying new flavours. I recently had a vegetarian Vietnamese dish that was out of this world but my mum’s cooking remains number one.
Favourite author?
I can’t pick just one! I have so many: Anne McCaffrey, JD Robb, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, Sonali Dev, Mercedes Lackey, Jayne Ann Krentz, Jonathan Kellerman… I could keep going!
Best holiday destination?
Fiji
Amid the glitz and glitter of a writer’s life, what keeps you grounded?
Day to day, it’s not really glamorous! Mostly, it’s me happily alone in my study, telling a story. Makeup is a foreign concept for most of the year, except when I do book signings! In the end, it comes down to the story and the words. I take nothing for granted. Each book is a new creation that must stand on its own with readers.
Have there been any strange or bizarre moments involving fans during book tours?
No, not really. My fans are such nice people. I just returned to NZ after doing a number of signings and events overseas and all I have are wonderful memories.
Are there any favourite or cherished moments from your many book tours across the globe?
All of them! To have a chance to speak to my readers means a lot to me. During my most recent events, I had a reader break down in tears as she told me how my books had helped her through a hard time in her life, while another reader gave me art inspired by my books and another came to the signing with her mum, with whom she shares my books. These are just three moments out of so many — all of them precious to me.
Lastly, is there any message you would like to pass on to up-and-coming writers?
Follow your dreams, protect your voice as a writer and work hard. To write a story, whether short or long, you have to commit and then you have to turn up every day. This means either a snatched twenty minutes before work or an hour late at night after university.
It’s worth it.
