Emily Lakdawalla
Emily Lakdawalla asked Mitali Perkins:

Hi Ms. Perkins, I just read "You Bring the Distant Near" and was reminded of "A Suitable Boy" by Vikram Seth. That book is thousands of pages long. Your saga was an accessible, rapid read for a young audience yet it still spanned generations. It made me wonder how many scenes you wrote for the Das family compared to how many actually made it into the final book?

Mitali Perkins Hi Emily! Actually, none. In the revision, I had to add scenes, such as Tara's audition and Chantal's visit to Martin's apartment. I usually write spare and have to add. I really loved A SUITABLE BOY when I read it years ago, so thanks for the wonderful compliment.

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