INTERVIEW WITH DOVE

interview of @_storiesthatmatters

HOST:
Hey cuties, Your Author Dove here!
We're back with our another interview
This time we have with us an author who recently published her poems paperback
Prajakta Lad ❤️

GUEST:

Hi, I'm Prajkta...the girl who probably overthinks way too much, but has a lot of stories to share. Stories are both my comfort place and my obsession. I love exploring the small, often overlooked moments in life. I’m excited to share my perspective and experiences with you today.

1. So, what made you want to write this poetry book in the first place?

I’ve always wanted the world to know me through my words. Poetry, to me, is a way of connecting with people beyond what we can say out loud. Even if we struggle to express certain feelings in conversation, we all are able to connect with verses. Sometimes the connection is found in the words themselves, and other times it is in the pauses between them. Writing this book felt like the most natural way to reach people, to share those unspoken parts of myself. So, I picked up the pen and simply started writing.

2. How did you come up with the title—was it easy or did it take forever?

I had written more than half the book before I finally found the right title. I wondered how all these emotions could be put under one title, just few words. How could one title do justice to all of them? I came up with a few before The Weather in My Mind came to me. The moment it clicked, I knew this was the one. It felt simple, yet it carried everything I wanted to say.

3. Is there one poem in the book that feels super personal to you?

There are quite a few that feel deeply personal to me, but the one closest to my soul is: "They call me naïve, I dream of places that don’t exist, write about people living in my mind, build worlds from words, and fall in love with the pauses between them."

4. Did you ever feel nervous about sharing such personal emotions with the world?

Many times. Even up to the moment I submitted the manuscript, I was nervous. I’m someone who keeps things to myself and overthinks even the smallest details, so the idea of putting my words out there felt terrifying. But I went ahead and shared them, and I’m so glad I did.

5. When did you first start writing poetry—like was it school days, or more recent?

I have been writing Hindi poems for years now. But this is the first time, I tried writing English ones.

6. Who are your favorite poets or writers that inspire you?

My favourite author is definitely Fredrik Backman. He changed my whole idea of storytelling. I also really enjoy Ashley Poston; her prose feels like poetry in itself.

7. How much of this book is drawn from your own life experiences?

Some of it is my life, some of it is my daydreams. I’ll let you guess which is which.

8. Did you always imagine yourself as an author?

Not at first. I loved stories and words from a young age, but I didn’t always picture a book with my name on the cover. Somehow, though, the daydreams grew into drafts, and here we are.

9. How long did it actually take to put the whole book together?

It took me a couple of months to bring everything together. Since I was new to writing poems in English, the process was both exciting and a little challenging. But once the words started flowing, the pieces began to fall into place.

10. Do you have a writing routine, or do the poems just come whenever?

Hehe... There is no routine. One day, I'm writing poems, and the next day, it's a story.

11. Where do you usually get your ideas or inspiration from?

I love this question. My ideas often come from the spaces in between: the pauses between words, the silences between moments. When I read a book, I catch myself wondering, what if this had happened instead? When I watch a show, I imagine how the story might change if a character said or did something different. Inspiration, for me, lives in those little "what ifs" that open the door to entirely new worlds.

12. What were your thoughts when you came up with the idea of this book.

At first, I honestly didn’t know what I was going to write. I only knew I wanted to write poetry, but about what, and why, I wasn’t sure. The idea felt both exciting and overwhelming. Slowly, though, the words began to take shape. I realized I didn’t need to have all the answers at once; I just needed to follow the emotions, the stories, and the fragments of thought that kept tugging at me. That’s how the book began to grow: one feeling, one line, one poem at a time.

13. Do you write mainly for yourself, or do you think about the reader while writing?

I do write for myself, but I always end up thinking about the readers too. I often wonder what they’ll feel when they read my words. Would they feel the same as me, ot would they think of something else entirely? That curiosity is part of what makes writing so fascinating to me. The same lines can hold a thousand different meanings depending on who is reading them.

14. Did you ever hit writer’s block while working on this book?

Not really. For me, it’s always about the first line, the first page. Once I find that, I feel confident I can carry it through to the end.

15. What did it feel like to hold your first copy in your hands?

It was a feeling beyond words. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier. Holding that first copy, seeing my name on the cover, flipping through the pages, it was all surreal. It felt like all the hadrwork I put in was worth in the end.

16. How has the feedback from readers been so far?

The feedback has been truly heartwarming. I’m deeply grateful every time a reader tells me a poem spoke to them or mirrored something they’ve felt. It reminds me why I wrote the book in the first place, to connect through words.

17. What do you hope people feel when they read your poems?

I hope they feel less alone. More than anything, I want these poems to give readers a space where their emotions are seen and understood.

18. If someone doesn’t usually read poetry, which poem from your book should they start with?

They could start with: "The storm didn’t ask for permission to arrive. It thundered through me, tore pages from my sky."

19. What was the hardest part of writing this book?

Honestly, the hardest part was writing "About the Author". Somehow, it’s so much easier to write about imaginary worlds, complex emotions, and characters who don’t exist than it is to write a few honest sentences about yourself. At least with poetry, I can hide behind metaphors. With the author bio, there was nowhere to hide.

20. And lastly—are you already planning your next book?

Haha...I’ve got a few ideas whispering in my ear. Let's see where they lead me.

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That's all for this interview!

Which author we should approach next?

Love you all
Your Author Dove 🕊️