Q&A with Dinesh Thiru

  

Photo by Nicholas Stennet

 

Dinesh Thiru is the author of the new young adult novel My Killer Family Reunion. He also has written the YA novel Into the Sunken City. He lives in Barcelona, Spain.

 

Q: What inspired you to write My Killer Family Reunion, and how did you create your character Jay?

 

A: This book flew out of my fingers! I wrote the first draft in 6-8 weeks. Of course it needed A LOT of work, but part of the reason it came out so fast is because it’s directly inspired by the family reunions I went to as a kid. 

 

Every summer, we’d drive 14 hours to Illinois for the annual family reunion. My aunt lived there and all us cousins would pack into one room, sleeping bags lining the walls. 

 

Feast after Indian feast would be prepared; my great-aunt would solve the Rubik’s cube without ever getting on YouTube; we’d perform skits and dances and we’d re-enact Star Wars, forcing my serious (and mildly scary) uncle to be the Emperor.

 

Occasionally, my matriarchal grandmother would come from India, and she’d rule the roost, barking orders and commanding the room with her wild stories, like how she once read poetry to Gandhi.

 

It was the best, and I know these characters all too well. Though, of course: ALL characters in this book are fictional; any resemblances to actual family members are ENTIRELY coincidental!

 

As for Jay, she carries lots of me. She’s half-Indian, half-white; she’s a middle cousin who always looked up to the older cousins; she plays soccer; she’s persistent; she cares about her family tremendously.

 

Jay’s character arc is about finding her voice and being seen in the family, and this is something I created specifically for Jay. I’m a bit of a loud mouth in the family, always sucking up too much attention (more like Grand Mom or Prithi :-)).

 

Q: Can you say more about the dynamics in Jay’s family?

 

A: They’re a big, ridiculous, fun-loving family, much like my own. They’re Indian, but they’re also quite Western as they live in the states, so they love Taco Bell, and they hang Christmas lights, and the aunties and uncles are trying to teach the kids about Hinduism, but it doesn’t always connect.

 

There are powerful women in the family (e.g., Grand Mom, Aunt Shy), but there’s also a patriarchal culture and double standards for women. Girl cousins are asked to do more chores and housework; boy cousins abscond and play video games all day; women are asked about their homes or kids, rarely their jobs.

 

And of course, this is a thriller, so we need drama! Unlike my family, there are some real bad actors here. There’s domestic abuse. There’s someone who’s trying to kill Grand Mom. These people are trying to destroy the family. They must be stopped.

 

Q: Did you know how the novel would end before you started writing it, or did you make many changes along the way?

 

A: Much of what I wrote in my first draft (finished in early 2022) is still there! That said, I made loads of changes. I tightened the mystery plot to keep readers guessing. I added more fun and games, like the photoshoot or the annual physical challenge.

 

I added more emotional depth to Jay’s character, so you understand her views on things like being a physically strong woman, parents who don’t always say “I love you,” the pressure to be a fun, go-with-the-flow girl.

Q: What do you hope readers take away from the story?

 

A: First, I hope readers just have fun with it! This is Knives Out x the ridiculous Indian family from Never Have I Ever. It’s meant to be wild and crazy, and I hope readers are smiling, laughing, tense, and maybe even crying throughout.

 

After that, there are several social themes that I’ve mentioned in my responses above. Perhaps (I’m dreaming big here!) folks see some of those items reflected in their own family; the book could be a catalyst for discussions.

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I just finished a draft of a book I’m pitching as A Good Girls’ Guide to Murder x EuroTrip. After graduating, three cousins road-trip across Europe, staying with aunties and uncles, so they can ask questions about the mysterious death of their famous aunt.

 

It’s similar to My Killer Family Reunion. Cousins you’d die for, an Indian, diaspora family. But there’s more focus on wealth and money and secrets. I hope it sells!

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: My Indian grandmother passed away last year at 103 years old. She’s the biggest inspiration for Grand Mom. She was the last of 12 siblings; she lived at the extremes of poverty and wealth; she was a matriarch in the truest form, running her entire household from one living-room chair.

 

So if you love Grand Mom (as many early readers do!), then I want you to know that she was inspired by a real person—who was a legend in my life.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb