"I feel my writing comes from a desire to... well, it's motivated by many things, but it's inherently..." — Jhumpa Lahiri

I try to represent specific experiences of specific characters, and that's all I want to try to do. I don't ever try to think about representing a culture, because its impossible, and someone will fault you. And it just doesn't interest me.

I think it's the small things, the smaller episodes and details that I linger on and try to draw meaning from, just personally.

I would not send a first story anywhere. I would give myself time to write a number of stories.

I think there are a lot of misconceptions on both sides, the developing vs. the developed world, especially about America. I've felt the frustration in my lack of belonging to any one place, but I've also felt it liberating to be able to appreciate something without feeling disloyal to my own culture.