The San Francisco Chronicle has compared her debut novel "Atlas of Unknowns," to Zadie Smith's "White Teeth" and the Daily Mail describes her book as "equally irresistible."

What was the inspiration behind "The Atlas of the Unknowns" ?
Tania: There is not one single inspiration but many accumulative incidents and stories that encouraged me to write this book. My parents were born and raised in Kerala, a tiny state in the Southern tip of India. Once while visiting family in Kerala my father narrated a story to me about this little boy who suffers from an accident while playing with fire-crackers. There was something about that image that struck a chord with me and I kept writing and re-writing it. Every time I re-wrote it, new aspects got added to it and the whole novel just presented itself to me one after the other. I was also heavily inspired by these Indian beauty salons in Jackson Heights, New York City and I incorporated that into my book as well. One of the main characters in my book is Anju who comes on a scholarship to the US but ends up working in a beauty salon.

Have you drawn from real life experiences for the book?
Tania: Yes, minor life experiences but nothing major the book is largely fictional. There are a few incidences from real life sprinkled here and there. For instance my parents grew up in Kerala and my protagonist also is from Kerala, I studied film-making and there is a character in my book who is a film student but he's a lot more aggressive and lot less self aware than I am. I have two sisters in my book and in real life I have two sisters - one young and one older but the relationship that I share with my sisters is different from the bond that is shared between my characters Anju and Lino.

You grew up in Louisville, Kentucky how did that influence your writing?
Tania: I wrote a collection of stories when I was a grad student -- that's actually going to be my next book. Quite a few stories were set there. I was living in New York at the time, and I definitely enjoyed setting things in Southern Indiana or Kentucky or Chicago, places I'd grown up in, and writing about these isolated Indian communities that I remembered when I was growing up.

Since family and relationships form such an important part of your book, what do your parents and relatives have to say about it?
Tania: My father was extremely excited and was very much involved in the writing process. He just couldn't let me write 50 pages without reading it eight times. Both my parents loved the book and I also sent it to other people. I sent it to my relatives and family members who are in Kerala because for me it was important that my novel resonated Kerala. I didn't want it to be just a perception of the place. Everyone has been warm and receptive and have said that the book is quite accurate.

You have studied film-making so will we see you making a film on your book?
Tania: I haven't given it a thought but it does sound interesting and it would be exciting to see that happen though the process of film-making and writing are entirely different and am not sure to what extent writers are creatively involved with films. As of now I haven't yet given it a thought.

How long did it take you to write the book?
Tania: It took me about a year and half to two years to write and get the book out in the market.

Your book has opened to rave reviews did you expect it?
Tania: No I didn't expect it and I don't think too much about it. I just hope good things keep happening to my book. Its a lovely experience reading all those reviews they are often insightful.

What would you say are the qualities a good writer should have?
Tania: Presently since I am in the mode of promoting and publicizing my book I'd say discipline is extremely important for a good writer to have. Once the book is published a lot of time is spent writing e-mails and communicating with people so you need to be disciplined about that. A good writer also needs to be resilient and have faith in his or her own work. Belief in your own writing is very important and not following present trends.

Writers you look up to?
Tania: I love V S Naipaul's "A House for Mr. Biswas," I love the fact that he is able to bring out humor into the most tragic situations. I was extremely moved by this book and I love the voice in book and aspire to achieve that affect in my book. I also like the work of Alice Munro and David Means.

What makes you different from other South Asian writers?
Tania: What sets my writing apart is what sets every person apart from the next, and that is the particular, peculiar lens through which I view the world. My voice is my own, inspired and influenced by other literary voices, but also by my lived experiences, my inner debates, my preoccupations. In that way, my work is different not only from other South Asian writers, but from all writers, to some degree.

Apart from writing what else are you passionate about?
Tania: There are a lot of things that I'd like to get passionate about. It has been a long dream of mine to buy a bike and ride it around Central Park and I hope to do it this summer.

How do you spend a day off?
Tania: I can't remember my last true day off, at least not since the book came out. Even prior to that, I enjoyed the fact that my days revolved around writing. But when I have some time to myself, I like writing letters, making cards, sketching on scratch board - assembling small crafty things that always seem aesthetically pleasing in my mind, and often turn out otherwise once I'm done. If I had the time, I'd do more things of that variety. It seems a good idea to stretch the mind in different creative directions than the usual.