Success Story Interview - Nanda Reddy

An Interview with Nanda Reddy (NanRed on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Sarah Bedingfield of Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency.

10/23/2023

QT: Can you tell us a little bit about the book for which you've found representation? What inspired you to write it?

Nanda Reddy:
A Girl Within A Girl Within A Girl is an adult upmarket novel about a Guyanese-American woman with a history of illegal immigration, abuse, and multiple identities. When she gets a letter from her long-lost sister, she must come clean to her husband of fifteen years. I wrote this because as an immigrant from Guyana, themes around identity, assimilation, and home resonate strongly with me. Plus, I wanted to see a Guyanese-American protagonist in a book; guess I wrote the book I wanted to read.

QT: How long have you been writing?

Nanda Reddy:
Twenty five years, but this is my debut.

QT: How long have you been working on this book?

Nanda Reddy:
Three years

QT: Was there ever a time you felt like giving up, and what helped you to stay on course?

Nanda Reddy:
I have several books in drawers and many unfinished, half-drafted works. But, like most writers, I can’t help but write. Publication was always the goal, but I knew I’d always write even if I didn’t get there.

QT: Do you have any formal writing training?

Nanda Reddy:
No. I read a lot, attend workshops and conferences, and study craft books. My favorite is The Science of Storytelling.

QT: How many times did you re-write/edit your book?

Nanda Reddy:
I overhauled the book about five times. By swapping work with ten beta readers (two to four at a time), I received valuable developmental feedback that helped me see the forest for the trees. I was able to cut entire scenes, rework characters, and add necessary scenes to get to the final product. I knew the work was ready when my final round of beta readers had minor feedback.

QT: Did you outline your book, or do you write from the hip?

Nanda Reddy:
I had a rough outline with four-five key plot points. I didn’t know what would happen between the plot points, but they served as signposts as I wrote.

QT: How long have you been querying for this book? Other books?

Nanda Reddy:
I started querying in October 2022; I found representation in March 2023; we did two rounds of edits, and the book sold to Zibby books in September 2023.

QT: About how many query letters did you send out for this book?

Nanda Reddy:
38 in two rounds. About half didn’t respond; many sent form nos. Received 8 full requests.

QT: On what criteria did you select the agents you queried?

Nanda Reddy:
Reputable with some experience; interested in upmarket or literary fiction; liked my comps or works I also liked.

QT: Did you tailor each query to the specific agent, and if so, how?

Nanda Reddy:
Generally, yes. Based on their wish lists or repped work.

QT: What advice would you give other writers seeking agents?

Nanda Reddy:
Make your work as strong as you can before going out. Seek beta readers for full-length swaps, which I find more valuable than critiques of scenes you might end up cutting.

Query Letter:

Dear Sarah,

My 98,000-word upmarket novel, A GIRL WITHIN A GIRL WITHIN A GIRL, is an edgy coming-of-age work that examines the themes of identity, home, and migration, much like BLACK CAKE, a recent favorite of yours.
This is the story of a woman who hid her past as an illegal Guyanese immigrant from her husband. When she receives a letter from her once beloved sister, she grapples with coming clean and narrates this story of abuse, assimilation, and reinvention. In some ways, it’s SHUGGIE BAIN meets THE VANISHING HALF meets AMERICAN DIRT.
Maya has lived four lives. Born Sunny, she enjoys an idyllic childhood in Guyana. In 1985, at age twelve, she believes America is a fantasyland nestled in the clouds, full of paper-white people and talking cars. She never expects to trade her home amid the cane fields for this dream, and she believes she’ll forever translate for her deaf older sister, Roshi. But when her father gambles on an unlikely chance at her illegal immigration, she lands in Florida, severed from Roshi and a family who expects her to sponsor them one day.
In Miami, she takes on a dead girl’s identity to become Neena, and reality mocks her naive expectations. She faces abuse, struggles to assimilate into American culture, and makes choices that further alienate her from her family. After a downward spiral, she reinvents herself as Synthia, an exotic dancer intent on extricating herself from a life she did not choose. An unexpected chance at revenge sends her into hiding in Atlanta, where she lives for decades as Maya, an average suburbanite.
In addition to those listed above, this novel will appeal to fans of GIRL WOMAN OTHER, THE GIRL WITH THE LOUDING VOICE, and WHAT STRANGE PARADISE.
I am Guyanese-American, and I immigrated to the US legally at age nine. My sole publishing credit is 180 DAYS TO SUCCESSFUL WRITERS (Corwin Press), an elementary school writing curriculum I co-wrote as a fourth-grade teacher. This is my debut novel.
You will find the first 50 pages and a synopsis below.

Thanks for your consideration,
Nanda Reddy