^{1. How would you describe Soft Side of Red?}

^{Soft Side of Red is a series of recollections from my childhood, youth and adulthood, spanning experiences from Sri Lanka, England and Australia. It is a collection that also explores how the past informs our present and future.}

^{It’s an easy-to-read collection that is for anyone interested in hearing other people’s stories and hopefully inspires readers to reflect on their own story.}

^{2. What drew you to write this poetry?}

^{In quiet moments, I love to put words to a moment or a feeling that is significant in some way. It’s a way I unpack, deconstruct and explore. These poems were written in these moments. After an initial conversation with Life Before Man’s poetry editor, I pulled these poems together and embarked on an editing process of shaping them into this collection, with broader themes, images and sounds emerging in the process.}

^{3. Tell us a bit about the experience of writing the book…}

^{For me, writing this book involved playing with each poem, to find a way they would fit in cohesive flow. It was a really joyful experience working with my editor to help me view the poems in a more distanced, objective way. I could then go deep into the process and rewrite parts of them in different ways. New poems also emerged through this process. It was very much an iterative process taking a few years, with time breaks in between edits.}

^{3. Who is this book for?}

^{This book is for anyone willing to take some moments to experience a different pace, is curious about life and enjoys listening to other people’s stories.}

^{The book is dedicated to my Appammah (my father’s mother), Ammammah (my mother’s mother) and my parents.}

^{4. When (or where) would be the perfect time (or place) to read this book?} 

^{This is a hard question to answer! In my head, the best places to read poetry would be when alone and in nature – the mountains, at the beach – but those moments can be rare! I tend to carry a book of poetry around with me, as I never know when I’m ready for a poem. What I really like about poetry is that you only need a few quiet moments to read one. Poetry books are usually slim and small, so they are easy to carry, ready for when you have a moment to open them up.}

^{5. What prompted you to start writing poetry and when did you start?} 

^{I have played with words and phrases for as long as I can remember. I took a creative writing class with Marion Campbell when I was at university many years ago now. The first piece I wrote for that was a short story, part prose, part poetry. The feedback from that session was to make the whole piece a poem. That piece was the first poem I ever published. I’ve been writing poems since.}

^{I, like a lot of writers, use writing to work out what’s happening in my own life. And it can be frightening to write about real life. I figure things out, or call things out, in ways that can be surprising and confronting. Although I write mostly fiction, this collection, in contrast, is real life stuff.}

^{6. One thing you’ve learned the hard way when it comes to writing poetry?}

^{That a poem rarely comes out perfectly the first time. Poetry requires patience, and reworking, which is hard work!}

^{7. Best investment you’ve ever made in your writing?}

^{Making time for it. Writing requires time. And not just time for when pen goes to paper, but time to think and play with ideas, words and form.}

^{And lastly…}

^{8. Favourite bookshop anywhere in the world?}

^{I adore bookshops. I have a particular fondness for independent bookshops. I find they have a unique and a fresh selection of books I may otherwise not come across. Some of my most treasured finds have been in an independent bookshop. I’m hesitant to call out a particular bookshop in Sydney, we’re incredibly spoilt for terrific ones.}

^{I was recently in England, and Waterstones in Nottingham was a delightful experience. Megalong Books in Leura, The Little Lost Bookshop in Katoomba, and The Bookshop in Kiama, are ones I love and get to at least once a year. And as cliché as it is, Shakespeare and Company in Paris is always a delight and worth the queue.}

^{9. What book are you currently reading?}

^{I read across genres, all the time. I tend to have a couple on the go – one poetry book, and a novel. I’m carrying Kirli Saunders’ Kindred. She’s a Gunai woman and I was drawn to her poems about her matriarchy when I flicked through this in a bookshop. I’m also reading Yellowface by R.F. Kuang, which so many people have been speaking about so I was keen to read it before I heard too much more about it. It has an unlikeable protagonist, and is an easy, intriguing read with great pace.}

^{10. What’s the last book you read that you loved?}

^{The last poetry book I read and loved was It’s the Sound of the Thing by Maxine Beneba Clarke. It’s technically a book of poetry for kids. We had this book on our dining table for a few weeks, and us kids of all ages enjoyed opening it and reading some out aloud. It got our tongues twisted, giggling and reflecting. It’s terrific and a book I wish had been out when I was a kid!}