Ep 44 - Behind the Pen: Annika Sharma on Writing, Rejection, Motherhood, & Social Media


In episode 44, Julie chats with Annika Sharma.
Annika is co-founder and co-host of That Desi Spark podcast, one of the largest independently run South Asian podcasts in the world, which has led to appearances on the BBC, Forbes, and on a Spotify billboard campaign.
Annika is also an author and her debut romcom novel, “Love, Chai, and Other Four-Letter Words,” the first in the Chai Masala Club series, earned starred reviews from the Library Journal and BookList, and was described as a “love letter to both Indian culture and the streets of New York City,” by Publisher’s Weekly. It was named an Amazon Editors’ Pick and Apple Books called Annika a “Writer to Watch.” Her second book of the series, “Sugar, Spice, and Can’t Play Nice,” released May 2, 2023.
She currently lives in the New York City area. She is a lover of long conversations, superhero movies, reading, and travel.
Tune in to hear Julie and Annika chat about:
- Her childhood & growing up in State College, PA
- Various careers paths + becoming a writer
- Insight into the world of book writing, connecting with publishing houses & editors
- Dealing w/ rejection and creative blocks
- Becoming a new mom + pregnancy
- Using Social media as a creative while also upholding certain boundaries on what she does and doesn’t want to share, so I really loved hearing take on it.
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Connect with Annika | IG: @annikasharma | Twitter @annikasharma
Listen to Annika's Podcast | That Desi Spark
Buy Annika's book, Sugar, Spice, and Can't Play Nice | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop
Connect with The Brown Girl Podcast on IG: @thebrowngirl_podcast
Connect with Julie on IG: @thejuliegeorge
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