Thank you for celebrating the release of TASTES LIKE SHAKKAR with me!
Some proof that it was amazing.
I am almost home from my whirlwind release week book tour. During my week of travels, I got the chance to meet so many incredible readers, many of whom made me cry while also crying!?
I wanted to share some pictures from my week and tell you my favorite part of each event.
TUESDAY
Thank you to Doylestown Bookshop for launching me and hosting my pre-order campaign. To Rosie Danan for taking the time to do my launch event with me, and for being so supportive. I can’t wait for your curse-breakers release / Mummy fan-fiction <3
Favorite Part: Meeting Rosie Danan for the first time, and a reader who cried because she found my books during the pandemic when she worked as a nurse, and she felt seen *sobs* But most importantly, my family got to come and see my event!
WEDNESDAY
Thank you to Word Bookstore for working with ARTSDISTRICT BROOKLYN to secure the incredible venue for the biggest event on my tour stop. To Ana Huang for being the sweetest and kindest human being ever, and my new favorite foodie twin. And to the friends who joined me for dinner before the event! Special shout out to PAPIER for providing recipe journals for the dinner!
Favorite Part: Spending time in person with the people who I’ve admired online. To people like Cilina and Sandy and Hira and Priscilla Oliveras and Reni and Shaye and Tavi and Deirdre and Satoria and Bridget AND SO MANY MORE who all came out to see me. And for my pre-event dinner at NURA! OMG THE FOOD WAS AMAZING.
THURSDAY
Thank you to Book People for hosting a joint event with myself and Zoraida Cordova, and special shout out to Ali Hazelwood for moderating the panel and being so incredibly supportive as always.
Favorite Part: THERE ARE SO MANY! Austin treated me so well because I got to have drinks with Zoraida and Ali at the Supernatural brewery. Family beer company I think? Look, all I know is that Zoraida had a themed shirt and it was great. Then spending time with Naina Kumar (watch for her book next year!) and with Jessica Goudeau who are so fun, and my favorite people.
Oh, and when I showed up in Austin, TX complaining about my backpack, and Ali Hazelwood bought it off of me because she’s a KWEEN like that.
FRIDAY & SATURDAY
The way that GenreCon rocked my world. This Kansas City library community is so amazing. Thank you to the organizers and every single reader who came to see all of the featured authors including myself. You have made this such an incredible experience for someone like me. And so glad I got to spend time with people like Kwana Jackson, Julie Tieu, Jayci Lee, Janna McGregor, Megan Bannen, Lyssa Kay Adams and more.
Favorite Part: Look, I have been meaning to come out to Kansas City for so long because two people I love and admire call the Kansas side home. And that’s Megan Bannen and Sierra Simone. The way that I totally lost my shit when I finally saw those two is imprinted in my heart. In this industry where people are often looking to you for what you can do to help their platforms, or they are second guessing your motives, Megan and Sierra are genuine lovely good-hearted people that have taught me so much about myself and about the work we do. I am incredibly blessed to be able to call them friends. Even though we live so far away from each other, and we can go months without texting, it’s like no time has passed when I’m back in their company and that is so special to me.
MONDAY
Five years ago, Porter Square Books gave me a chance and hosted an event with me for my debut novel when no one knew who I was, and I’m thrilled I got to go back and see them again. More importantly, my real-life best friend in the whole world was there, and my writing life best friend and writing sprint partner Namrata Patel did the event with me. (Hint, there is now a Namrata Aunty in the Shakespeare universe)
Favorite Part: Having dinner with my besties and my agent Joy who came out to see me! Without Joy I wouldn’t have a career. She’s truly helped shape my dream into a reality, and I was thrilled to see her beautiful face. It was the perfect way to end a week of fantastic book celebrations.
I know I sound like a broken record, but thank you to each and every one of you who made this experience so special for me. I’ll be at Steamylit Con next week, and after that I am going to take a bit of a hiatus from traveling until my next book comes out.
Just a note, it really helps if you drop a review once you’ve bought/read the book or requesting the title from your local library. I’d love to do this for a long time and investing in my stories will help me continue to sell to publishers and write more stories for all of you.
If you want any of my books signed, can still order personalized Nisha Sharma titles from Doylestown Bookshop, too!
Okay, random fact before I end this newsletter:
If you want a backpack that holds a laptop, an iPad pro, 12 inch, a coil agenda/planner, Apple AirPod Max Pro headphones, snacks, a makeup bag, and a tech organizer, then you’re going to need something that is 31-34L in volume. Those bags include: TUMI, JANSPORT, and very very few NorthFace bags. Learn from me and check the tag for volume.
Thanks besties!
Until next time/book news,
xoxo, Nisha