how did you come up with the title for REASONS WE BREAK?
alright everyone; we doing a Reasons We Break Q&A dump courtesy of @ruhwubby's questions under the cut!
but, I'll answer your first question here. I did not come up with it—my editor did! The book was originally "Simran book" in my drafts, then became "The Bookkeeper", and then my publisher wanted to change it to something that sounded a bit more YA. We tossed around multiple different possibilities, but when my editor brought up "Reasons We Break", I felt pretty good about it immediately! It felt so on theme for the book.
BEWARE: Major Reasons We Break SPOILERS under the cut!
for the mathematics and code breaking aspect of the novel, did you conceptualize the puzzle prior to writing the story or during the drafting process?
During the drafting process (although more accurately, the published version's code breaking came into being in like, the third draft). I regret to tell you that the extent of my planning prior to writing was "uhhhh Simran cracks the books". the story always comes to me first; the logistics of how to write it are for me to figure out later LMAOO.
what is Rajan's opinion of Charlie? (also, in universe up through the end of RWB, has Rajan and Charlie's only verbal interaction been the one scene in TJP [page 176]?)
RUBBING MY HANDS TOGETHER. unfortunately you're correct, that's the only time they met. however i have LOTS of thoughts about them as a duo. i think rajan likes him, because charlie is very likeable and non judgmental (he did, after all, defend Rajan, who was ostensibly a murderer, to his girlfriend and her parents on their first meeting, which was ballsy). I'm sure Rajan recognizes him as a #real one; his intuition is pretty good.
following the last question, I'm guessing that, at some point, Rajan and Charlie meet (again)! when (in what context/for what occasion) does that happen??
Oh, because their girlfriends are cousins, of course they meet again! I won't say when in case I ever write it. But, overall, I think they wouldn't hang out on their own, but at any family reunion event (holidays, weddings, road trips, etc etc) where TJ and Simran bring them along, and they automatically seek out the other's company. Long term, they'd be each other's favourite extended family members. Rajan teaches Charlie Punjabi swear words and tries to get him drunk (although much to his disappointment, Charlie is pretty much exactly the same when he's drunk). Charlie likes to throw random debate topics at Rajan to ragebait him. Rajan ignores Charlie's stutter when he's tired and Charlie distracts Rajan when cravings get to him.
I think theirs would be a very wholesome friendship. The entire extended family would be like "what an odd pair" but also secretly think it's cute that they automatically find each other and start yapping in the back of the room.
VERY SPOILERY, please feel free to redact names (or anything else) as necessary, even though these q's will be under the cut:
I love how you chose not to make the reader aware of Simran's plan when she meets Manny Khullar for the first time and takes the "refreshments." Even though we're in Simran's POV, we don't have full access to her thoughts in these scenes. From a craft perspective, why did you decide to write it this way? In other words, how did you decide not to closely follow Simran as she risks her life to take photos of the ledger, in real time? Did you automatically know that you would rather sprinkle hints throughout the scene to allude to what she did and only reveal it outright later?
When I was writing Simran, I was thinking about the conniving, manipulative POV characters in the media I consumed and grew up. Think (some versions of) Sherlock, Artemis Fowl, Kaz Brekker, Eugenides, etc etc. In my experience, they were mostly male. Smart female characters, in my perception anyway, seemed often driven by on-page rage/powerful emotion, and their plans were usually laid out transparently as events were happening. Whereas with the male characters, it was usually cloaked, they moved in silence, and you'd have to guess what they were really doing. One exception I vividly remember is Kestrel from The Winner's Curse.... she will ALWAYS be famous! (There are a lot of personality similarities between Kestrel/Arin and Simran/Rajan now that I think about it...)
So, yes it was planned. I wrote Simran with the hope of coding her in the same devious way as Kestrel, as Kaz, as Artemis etc, to outwit her enemies, and maybe even thrill her readers! I'm glad it worked for you!
VERY SPOILERY once again: which idea came first—Zach making Rajan OD by force or Perry threatening Zach at needlepoint?
Needlepoint. I believe that might have been in the first or second draft—it was a threat that a real life gang member mentioned in a documentary I watched for research, and it stuck with me enough that I added it to the story. Rajan's unfortunate OD came later. Connecting them made absolute sense to me!
did you always know that you wanted to write chapter 45 in script/screenplay format, or did you try to write it as prose first?
I think I did try writing it in Nick's or Sukha's POV at first, but those were extremely half hearted attempts because it was so obvious it wasn't right. I had a tough time deciding how to tell that piece of the story tbh. But, the screenplay idea just came to me and I rolled with it.
why June 18, specifically? (is it a date that you like, or did it just work best for the story, etc)
LMAO of course YOU would ask this question Miss "I remember all significant dates". regrettably my mind is simple and it just worked best for the timeline.
what kind of phone does Simran have? what color is it (mainly, the back and sides, since I'm guessing the front is a screen)? does she use a phone case, and if so, what is the color/design like? which apps does she use the most, besides the ones featured on page in RWB (i.e., calling, texting, camera)?
mrs puff from spongebob sweating and saying "oh neptune". gif
she definitely has some old version of the most cheap line of phones and a super cheap phone plan. It's black, she doesn't have a phone case because she lives on the edge, and in terms of apps, probably whatsapp for family reasons, followed by internet, and then the alarm clock app (she puts 3 alarms in succession if she has to wake up early).
not a question but your "I will pass on part A" from the 2022 TJP tumblr q&a was SO WORTH THE WAIT EEEEEEEEEEEE
I'm so glad!! (Q&A for anyone interested)
similar to the tjcharlie question in 2022, how often do Simran and Rajan see each other after Simran moves to Vancouver? (I LOVE THEM SOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH)
MEE TOO <3
Not that often, given Simran's busy schedule, and Rajan not wanting to bother her (silly boy). Probably a few times a semester when she comes home for break, but they text constantly, every day. Simran didn't used to be a chronically-on-her-phone girlie but lemme tell you, when she's in Vancouver she ALWAYS BE ON THAT PHONE in class trying to keep a poker face in class when he sends her something funny.
And when she's struggling Rajan would surprise her with a visit mid-exam season. He'd bring her cookies and sweets and keep her place clean for her, fall asleep on her bed while she's studying at her desk late at night, and wake up early with her snuggled against his side.
and rajan when he's alone in kelowna? INCREDIBLY grumpy, especially right after simran leaves. but he does start building his own community without her, which is exactly what he needs. <3
also similar to the tjcharlie question in 2022: when Rajan visits Simran in Vancouver, what is the first thing he does when he sees her? when Simran visits Rajan in Kelowna, what is the first thing she does when she sees him?
HE picks her up in a big hug and swings her around in a circle, kisses her cheek, etc.
SHE smiles bigger than she has the whole semester.
what was Charlie's reaction when he realized TJ and Simran were no longer at the party, and TJ's car was gone? (how many times did he call and/or text her? did TJ call/text him back while waiting for Simran, or was she was too busy processing everything Simran told her?)
He probably realized when word started going around that Simran had been caught with Rajan. He looked for TJ, couldn't find her, and texted her, then Simran too. Only TJ responded, reassuring him everything was alright, just that she was driving Simran home (TJ at this point in the proceedings would lie about Simran's gang involvement to protect her, not knowing that Simran had already trusted him with the USB).
how did Charlie react the next time he saw TJ? (this goes without saying but please feel free to give as many details as you want hehehehe) WHEN was the next time he saw TJ?
TJ dropped Simran off home, made sure she was okay (as okay as she could be while sobbing off all her makeup into her outfit and incoherent on her bedroom floor). then she drove back to the party in complete silence, no music, windows down, unable to get the image of her cousin losing it out of her head. then returned to the party, where Charlie could tell she was shook but she wouldn't tell him why. after she reassured him that nobody was hurt and she was alright, he'd probably say, "You know you can trust me, right?" and TJ would smile at the irony of this before saying "It isn't my secret to tell." And she'd be afraid he'd take it badly but Charlie is Charlie, and he'd just accept it and ask her to dance with him.
(a loooong time later, Simran would eventually tell him the truth about everything herself, and TJ would be relieved she doesn't have to keep that secret anymore. then charlie would tell TJ about the usb finally and she'd be mad he didn't tell her sooner. he'd remind her they were both keeping Simran's secrets.)
a silly egg question: I've noticed that my favorite way to eat eggs changes over time. I'm currently in my omelet era, but I've had fried, scrambled, and boiled eggs eras in the past. during the time when REASONS WE BREAK takes place, what are the following characters' favorite way to eat eggs (if they like eggs)?
Simran, Rajan, TJ, Charlie, Kiran, Sukha, Yash, Chandani, Jassa, Neetu, Zohra, Nick, Kat
going through egg eras is SO real
Simran: egg bhurji the way her mom makes it
rajan: hard boiled because it's easy to make the night before and eat on the way out the door to early morning work
tj: scrambled
charlie: eggs benedict
kiran: she pretends she likes scrambled, but secretly it's her mom's egg bhurji too :(
sukha: eats only egg whites for the protein bc he's going down some bodybuilder internet spiral currently (yash teases him mercilessly for this)
yash: only eats the hardboiled eggs rajan makes him
chandani: a fancy omelette
jassa: usually eats a plain omelette but he too prefers a fancy omelette
neetu: doesn't eat eggs much because most of her fam is vegetarian
zohra: whatever they serve in jail (LMAO that was mean. fr she probably likes egg muffins)
Announcing: preorder/library request gift Reasons We Break!
I have totally been neglecting this blog smh but I just wanted to put out on here that you can receive a GIFT personally from ME for nabbing my book early which is very fun and EXCITING!!
If you preorder, in any format from any retailer, and fill out the form below, you will receive from me (after Nov 4, the release date):
a PDF bonus extended prologue (if you want the full scoop on the pre-book Simran/Rajan friendship, you will want this! It’s 4 extra chapters of material.)
a signed bookplate! (which you can stick in the front of the book, to have it be signed!)
a Reasons We Break themed bookmark because this book is chunky and you may need to mark your place ;)
If you request the book from your library, you’ll receive the PDF extended prologue! So lots of goodies to go around. And it’s all international!
Claim Your Gift!
Want to read the first 3 chapters of RWB before deciding? I gotchu—they're on my Substack!
And lastly, here's a tiny teaser from the bonus story that I have shared NOWHERE ELSE yet. for funsies (subject to change because I'll still edit it before I send it lol):
“Tell me it didn’t hurt you,” he said quietly. “Tell me it didn’t get to you, not even a little bit. Tell me that, and I’ll say I’m sorry. I’ll say I won’t do it again.”
Simran opened her mouth but discovered she could not form those words.
(If you have read TJ POWAR I think you might enjoy this particular scene of the bonus story hehe <3)
Hello! no question, just wanted to tell you I recently read TJ Powar and I loved it SO much, from a fellow hairy Desi girlie! I’ve struggled with my body hair my whole life (or more accurately, struggled with my worries about how people will see it) and it was so validating and helpful to read a book about it that tackled the subject in a nuanced way and brought up all the different sides of the conversation. Also just love the characters and the way you write, can’t wait for Reasons We Break!!
thank you so much!! i love to hear this, every time. :') i hope you like Reasons We Break!! you'll get lots of familiar cameos hehe <3
