My Turkish mother-in-law has a killer hug.
On visits to my husband’s hometown on the Black Sea, Sevim smooches and smothers our cocuklar until they gasp for air and squirm from her arms.
Sometimes, her grandmotherly embraces end in tears.
My in-laws love hard, you see. Like most Turks they are quick to pinch a child’s cheek or spank their bottom, all in the name of love.
In my experience Americans are less effusive in their displays of physical affection.
Or maybe it’s just me? Perhaps I was born without the touchy-feely chip in my DNA? [continue reading…]
Author Meera Sriram makes world literature come to life for young readers and their parents.
You have a Master’s degree in electrical engineering and worked for a bit in the corporate world. What led you to writing for children?
Growing up in India, I read a lot of British publications and homegrown stories, myths and folk tales. My parents loved to read – they still do, in fact — and they always stressed the importance of books. But there was nothing like the picture books published in the U.S. When I had my first child, I wanted to expose her to great books, especially ones that mirrored our distinct experiences. There was almost nothing from my own culture then so I turned to immigrant stories from other cultures. When I went back to work after staying home to raise my daughter, I realized my priorities and aspirations had changed. I started reviewing books and eventually began writing stories.
On your website you write that “I believe my life across two continents puts me in a vantage point when I write.” Can you tell us more, please?
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