2.9: Rheea Mukherjee - Exploring Unconventional Relationships and Lives Through Fiction

Find out how she explores unfamiliar concepts like polyamorous relationships and the Munchausen syndrome in her literary novel.

Tara and Michelle talk to Rheea Mukherjee, whose literary novel “The Body Myth” artfully explores polyamorous relationships, mental illnesses like the Munchaussen syndrome, and how people respond to grief. Her manuscript was rejected 40 times before she finally submitted it for “Pitch Wars”. Rheea tells us how a writing mentorship changed her life and transformed her book from ordinary to extraordinary. Now her book has been published in the US and India!

Michelle first discovered Rheea’s work in a literary magazine. We discuss why writers should submit their work and embrace rejection as a part of their lives. Rheea shares her love for dark humor and black coffee. Tara admires how she balances a business with her writing. Why did she write about these specific subjects? How does Rheea deal with rejection? What is she writing next? Tune in to find out!

'Books and Beyond with Bound' is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D'costa of Bound talk to some of the best writers in India and find out what makes them tick.

Rheea Rodrigues Mukherjee is the author of The Body Myth (Unnamed Press /Penguin India 2019) which was shortlisted for the Tata Literature Live First Book Award. Her work has been published and featured in Scroll.in, Southern Humanities Review, Los Angeles Times, Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, Vogue India, Out of Print, TBLM, and Bengal Lights, among others. She co-founded Bangalore Writers Workshop in 2012 and currently co-runs Write Leela Write, a Design and Content Laboratory in Bangalore, India. Rheea has an MFA in creative writing from California College of the Arts.

Mentions: My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh, The Glass Castle Book by Jeannette Walls, My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

You can get your copy of her book here: 

https://www.amazon.in/Body-Myth-Rheea-Mukherjee/dp/1944700846 

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‘Books and Beyond with Bound’ is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D’costa uncover how their books reflect the realities of our lives and society today. Find out what drives India’s finest authors: from personal experiences to jugaad research methods, insecurities to publishing journeys. Created by Bound, a storytelling company that helps you grow through stories. Follow us @boundindia on all social media platforms.