Molly Machado holds degrees from Washington State University in Communications and English Literature and is a member of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association (PNWA.) An Indian-ish Proposal is Molly's debut novel and is inspired by her own experience of meeting and eventually marrying her south Indian husband, Melroy. Molly and Melroy live in the Pacific Northwest with their two young daughters. She is passionate about creating more content in the world that is representative of more than one culture.
Please welcome, Molly Machado!
Can you tell us a bit about you and how you got into writing?
Even as a kid, I was always a deeply-feeling person. Writing was a way for me to express myself and process my emotions through a medium that was my own. I started journaling as soon as I knew how to write properly in 3rd or 4th grade. I have boxes and boxes of journals from grade school through college.
I was always a creative kid, and I grew up competing in dance. At 15, I had a back injury that forced me to quit dancing. I was devastated. It was my first love and my first real heartbreak.
After my injury, writing became my primary creative outlet. I wrote my dance team a letter telling them how much dance and each of them meant to me. It was the first time I’d ever really shown anyone my writing.
I think the first line was something like, “I’m consumed by these feelings of vulnerability and fear.” Parents of my friends started coming up to me and asking me if I really wrote the letter. That’s when I realized the average 15-year-old doesn’t speak or write like that, and that my passion and ability to express emotions through writing might be something special.
From there, I started taking writing classes and getting involved in the school paper. I minored in creative writing in college. I started attempting to write novels in my 20s, and in my 30s, the process of completing a story finally clicked.
Did you always know you wanted to be an author?
Yes, probably since I was a teenager. Although, I don’t think I admitted it aloud to many people until much later. It was sort of this secret sacred dream I had, that I was afraid if I said it aloud too much the dream would become vulnerable to outside forces.
If you could have dinner with any character from your book, who would you choose?
This is a hard one, primarily because so much of my book is inspired by my own real life love story. I’d say about 60% of the book is based on real events, including me meeting and eventually deciding to marry my Indian husband, and facing the challenges of combining two very different cultures.
A lot of the characters in the book are inspired by real people, so in a way I’ve already met them. Of course, though, I would say my MC Sammi’s mom. She is inspired by my own mom who passed away last year and she’s the best person I’ve ever met. Listing: https://a.co/d/3IdeSyd
Do you have any specific writing rituals?
Years ago, I would have said my writing ritual would be to go somewhere by water or with a view. This is a common theme in my writing, and it’s where I feel the most inspired and in awe. Now that I have two toddlers and plenty of competing responsibilities, I write wherever and whenever I can—either in my office or in my bedroom, hiding from my kids. I do frequently go for walks when I need a break to work through the story in my head, or to get inspiration from an audiobook or writing podcast.
For me, writing has become a disciplined thing and a dedication to myself and my dreams. I never want my daughters to limit themselves in life. I want them to know that anything is possible, and I owe it to myself to do model that, so I can’t wait for the right setting or mood to hit. I just do it.
I think it’s the same discipline I learned when I was competing in dance. If you just keep going and do the best you can with what you’ve got that day, you’ll get there. You’ll get better, you’ll grow, you’ll get closer to your goal.
Can you give us a hint about any current or future projects you’re excited about?
I’m excited about my next book, which I’m describing as Hallmark meets Lifetime. It’s a fictional smalltown romance, based in my hometown of Edmonds, but there’s a little cozy suspense sprinkled in with a little bit of drama and trauma. It’s also a multicultural relationship, but it’s not as much as the central theme as it was in “An Indian-ish Proposal.”
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