Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve published four books so far, but I’ve been writing since I was 9, so I’ve written quite a few stories. My books are light, cozy reads with happy endings and are suitable for young readers as well as adults who are feeling tired, jaded, or overstimulated by the real world.
I’ve hidden behind books all my life and dreamt of being a writer for as long as I can remember. But I do other stuff too, since writing doesn’t pay all the bills (yet!). I run an adventure travel company called The Great Next, have written for National Geographic Traveller, Forbes, Travel+Leisure and a few other publications, and am a freelance content and copy writer.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I just published The Travelling Zoo, which is a sequel to Welcome to the Zoo. I wrote Welcome to the Zoo in 2020, during the first lockdown. I wanted to write something that helped me and my readers escape to a happy place, so I dug up all my memories of growing up in an old bungalow in India in the 90s. I’m one of four animal-loving siblings, and we grew up surrounded by cats, dogs, rabbits, birds, turtles, guinea pigs, and the occasional peacock.
The book did pretty well, and I received pictures of young readers cackling over the pranks, and reviews from adult readers who loved the nostalgia of it. All that positive feedback encouraged me to start on The Travelling Zoo, and I’ve just published that too.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I like to write in silence but I often play rainforest or ocean sounds to keep me grounded in the story. I like to write stretched out on the sofa or propped up by a dozen pillows on my bed, but one day I’ll have a big, soft armchair next to a window and I’ll do all my writing there.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Jane Austen, Roald Dahl, Lionel Shriver, James Herriot, Gerald Durrell, Georgette Heyer, the Bronte sisters, D.E Stevenson, and so many more. This is always the hardest question to answer.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on a funny, yucky book for younger readers who find pooping and tooting hilarious. But I’m also in the process of outlining a couple of books – a YA mermaid story and a darker one for adults. I haven’t yet decided which of the two I’m going to work on next.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m terrible at promoting my books, but I find that Twitter works, as irregular as I am on it. What I’m really trying to do is understand the Amazon algorithm and tweak my SEO and content so that my books show up to people who are actually searching for their next read.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes, write a lot, and read a lot. Don’t just read the bestsellers – they’re usually selling so well because of marketing or social media, but it doesn’t always make them good literature. Read in your genre, read books about writing and work on your craft, read the classics (there’s an author for everyone), and make copious notes (mental or otherwise) about how you can improve or embellish your writing.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write the book you want to read.
What are you reading now?
I’m reading D.E Stevenson’s works. She lived in turn-of-the-century Scotland and her books are marvellous. I read her Miss Buncle series a few years ago, but am diving headlong into the rest of her books now.
What’s next for you as a writer?
Learning more about the art of selling my books, so that I can turn this into a full-time gig.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, Roald Dahl’s Danny the Champion of the World, D.E Stevenson’s Miss Buncle’s Book, James Herriot’s All Creatures Great and Small, and Steven King’s On Writing.
Author Websites and Profiles
Mishana Khot Website
Mishana Khot Amazon Profile
Mishana Khot’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Twitter Account