interview by yasmin belkhyr

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What's a superstition of yours?... I count syllables in my head when people talk or when I read books and I appreciate it when the syllables land in multiples of 4, or even better, multiples of 8.

A song that always gets stuck in your head?... 'this is the song that never ends'

Favorite thing to do in the airport?... Take pictures with the strange ads.

Good self-care tips?... I've become better at saying no to social time when it's not interesting or good for me over the past couple years, and really appreciate spending time alone doing 'date-y' things (going for walks, taking myself out for dinner, watching films).

Funniest text message you've ever received?... 'Hey man'

What's the weirdest place you found cash?... Inside a ring.

What's a line in a movie that really resonated with you?... 'I feel comfortable using legal jargon in everyday life...I object!' --Legally Blonde

What do you sing in the shower?... Old carnatic & Hindi film music.

Favorite Avatar: The Last Airbender character?... Damn this is definitely the hardest question. I would say Katara but maybe that's too predictable because strong female protagonists are cool?

8-track mixtape that describes your high school experience?... Blank tape because I wasn't cool enough to listen to music that wasn't my parents' in high school.

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Janani Balasubramanian is a writer of speculative fiction.