|
Listen to or download this article:
|
When Reenita Malhotra Hora taps that first keystroke at the start of her next book she’s not looking to soften the truth to match what the public believes.
Her mission is to bust stereotypes and celebrate authenticity.
Telling the South Asian Story
Born in India, a country whose motto is “Truth Alone Triumphs,” Malhotra Hora is dedicated to idea that authenticity is key when it comes to telling the stories of the South Asian people. Her writing doesn’t rely on tales of flashy Bollywood-style weddings and great food to lure readers in. Instead, her stories reflect the lives of everyday people living in a land that is as colorful and varied as the beautiful saris worn by its women.
Throughout her childhood Malhotra Hora heard the stories of India’s past from her grandfather and discussed the writings of Plato and Aristotle with her father, an avid follower of Greek philosophy. This informal education in history and ethics informed her writing when she eventually moved to the United States where she achieved career success in the world of business and journalism. She has since produced content for Bloomberg and other corporate entities and her writing has been published by major media companies like The Wall Street Journal, The Hindu, The New York Times, South China Morning Post, CNN, among others.
Breaking Out on a New Path
In 2021, during the height of the COVID pandemic, Malhotra Hora took a leap of faith with her writing and left her very successful career in business to turn her full time attention to telling stories that represented her upbringing, her place of birth, and the people who influenced her throughout her life. It was a frighteningly big step to take, leaving a well-cultivated and prosperous career to lean into the creative world of fiction, but that did not deter Malhotra Hora. Her commitment to portraying her culture, with all its beautiful complexity, drove her onward. Today, she has authored nine books, comprising both non-fiction and fiction works.
Malhotra Hora’s first book, Operation Mom, is a young adult tale about a teen girl’s quest to simultaneously find the super star she has a crush on and a new romance for her over-attentive mother. It’s a delightfully, humorous story with lovable characters and laugh-out-loud situations. It proved to be a great start to a literary career that has earned her well-deserved praise and eventually the reputation of being the South Asian ‘Nora Ephron.’
With a style that sizzles with great characters and scenarios, Malhotra Hora’s fiction is funny and compelling. She continues to unapologetically pursue her conviction to portray her characters with unbridled authenticity, and her stories beat with the heart of her ethnic culture. She strives to represent truth as she captures the essence of the South Asian spirit in children’s stories (When Ayra Fell Through the Fault), young adult tales (Operation Mom), novels (Vermilion Harvest), and nonfiction books (Ayurveda: A Holistic Approach to Health) where she shares wellness advice focused on the Hindu traditions of the Ayurveda philosophy.
An Ambassador of Truth
Regardless of being thousands of miles from India, its spirit continues to live on through Malhotra Hora’s writing. It’s taken her around the world and won multiple awards and accolades, including the Chanticleer International Book Award in the Chatelaine division for romance.
To Reenita Malhotra Hora it is clear that representing her South Asian culture in its truest form connects with people around the world. It’s a natural extension of the commitment she continues carry that always puts authenticity first in her writing.
Chanticleer is thrilled to bring Reenita Malhotra Hora back to the Chanticleer Authors Conference (CAC2025) and the International Book Awards (CIBA) on April 3-6, 2025, to share her knowledge with Chanticleer authors.
Don’t miss out on this chance to learn from author and podcaster Reenita Malhotra Hora!
Register now! Space is limited!
Follow this link to reserve your spot at this special event!
Leave A Comment