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We are thrilled to introduce you to our newest published author, Nithya Karambakkam! Nithya recently published her book, The Quest for Sniffleleaf, through our Fresh Ink publishing program. In Fresh Ink, youth authors with a completed draft of a novel are mentored through a chapter-by-chapter revision process. At the end of the program, the author is guided through the publication process resulting in an ink-and-paper book they can hold in their hands and share with other readers! We interviewed Nithya about her experience in the program. Keep reading to learn more about Nithya’s book and Fresh Ink.

Interview with Nithya Karambakkam

Who is your favorite character in your book and why?My favorite character is Brilliant the unicorn. He is not the nicest person, but writing his dialogue was fun. I also like him because he makes the story really interesting. He’s not perfect, but he’s definitely not evil. He has depth.Did you enjoy revising your story in layers? What did you learn about revision by working on it stage by stage?It was very effective to revise the story in layers, because that way, I could make sure I didn’t miss anything that needed to be revised. It was better than just revising flat-out. It wasn’t very easy, but I think it made the story a lot better.What is something that surprised you about revising?One thing that surprised me about revising was that it was actually fun. I thought revising would be tedious, but it was nice. It’s not boring at all. It could be tough at times, but it was not boring, and it is definitely necessary. It makes your story a lot better.

 What do you hope your readers will take away from your book?

I think one of the lessons in the book was that you should give people a chance. Sometimes they might become your friends. That happened with some of the main characters in my book; one of them was very prickly, but once they started to talk to each other they became good friends, which they never would have predicted.

Nithya Karambakkam is in seventh grade. She loves to read, especially books about magic, and mostly writes mystery and fantasy stories. When writing this book, Nithya was inspired by her love of animals. She plays tennis and likes to knit, crochet, and make up ciphers. This is her first novel. 

All royalties will be donated to the nonprofit Room to Read. You can grab your copy of at Amazon, Bookshop.org, or request it at your favorite indie book store!

Are you ready to publish your novel?

It’s time to take your novel, and your writerly skillset, to the next level! In the Fresh Ink Program, professional writers mentor youth through a chapter-by-chapter revision process which results in a printed or published book available through independent bookstores and other retailers. Through Fresh Ink, you will: complete a full novel revision, take your writing skills to the next level, and learn what it takes to publish a book