Sanjena Sathian Digs Deep Into the Lives of South Asians Growing Up in America

                        

  

Tony Tulathimutte

In her debut novel GOLD DIGGERS, Sanjena Sathan tells a funny and moving story about growing up Indian American in the suburbs of Atlanta and the costs of the American dream. The book is so good that Mindy Kaling recently announced her production company will adapt it for a TV series. Like her main character, Sanjena is a second-generation South Asian who bucked a traditional path to become a writer. On the podcast, Sanjena talks about telling the story from a guy’s point of view, her daring decision to use magic realism as a plot device, and how the strange idea for her book was actually inspired by real-life events. We also dive into her process, which includes being a vomit drafter and learning to read books for craft not just pleasure.