We love learning more about our contributors, and an interview seemed like a fun way to hear more about the writers and artists we publish, so we gave them a choice of questions to answer. We hope you also enjoy hearing more about the artists and their works. Read on and check out the Second Chances reprints special for
"Relics" from Oormila Vijayakrishnan Prahlad.

Or you can let them read to you!



1. What was the inspiration for the piece published in the issue?
This piece was written in an episodic manner, braiding together four seemingly unrelated events. The themes: finding a magpie carcass, dealing with an intellectual bully, trying to fit into a particular writing scene, and grappling with bureaucratic red tape, are intentionally blurred and layered. The metaphor of the bird serves as the glue that holds the piece together. I aimed for a stream-of-consciousness style, while ensuring that each of the seven parts is connected and in dialogue with the others. I love writing these kinds of vignette-style, poetic fragments and then sewing them together to form patchwork poems—pieces that resonate as a whole and work beyond the sum of their individual parts.

2. What is your #1 advice for other writers?
Never distort your voice to fit anyone else’s idea of what writing “should” be. Your voice is your strength. I’ve learned this the hard way. As a young poet, I used to tone down my style, simplify my language, and try to conform to editorial preferences because that’s what some publications seem to want. But it’s never ever worth it. The right places (the ones that truly respect you and your work) will find you. So if your writing is ornate, lyrical, sprawling, emotional, just embrace it. Don’t pare yourself down because minimalism or an aversion to adjectives is trending. Stay true to your sound, your rhythm, and your vision. Be you. Fully.

3. What is your creative process?
Do you plan pieces out or let them happen as they come? It varies. Sometimes I write drafts on my commute or while waiting for my son to finish cricket practice. I later develop these into full-fledged pieces. Other times, a single word or phrase sparks something—like when my daughter mentioned a flower called “Chocolate Cosmos,” and I immediately knew it had to go into a poem! I often build pieces around these spontaneous fragments.

Recently, I’ve started a new routine: I avoid picking up my phone first thing in the morning. Instead, I lie still, meditate a bit, tap into whatever dreams I can recall, and I shape an entire poem in my head before I even get out of bed. Later, I type it up in a kind of autopilot writing exercise. Many first drafts have come to me this way. It’s been a surprisingly fruitful practice.

4. What do you do in the rest of your life and how does that connect and/or conflict with your creative life?
I’m a wife, mother, and high school English tutor—roles that are central to my life alongside my writing and artistic pursuits. My husband and children are a huge part of my creative process. They are often my first readers and critics, giving me honest feedback on what works and what doesn’t. They also inspire much of my writing, and many poems and stories grow out of moments with them.

I don’t see parenting and caregiving as eating into my creative time. Over the years, I’ve found ways to balance these roles. Nowadays, my writing corner is right in the living room, with the kitchen behind me. It’s common to have an art project on the kitchen island, something simmering on the stove, and work happening on my computer at my writing desk, all at once. I move among these spaces throughout the day, setting achievable goals and ticking them off. This fluid, multi-tasking rhythm keeps my creative life alive and integrated with family life and responsibilities.

5. Give us a recipe and tell us why you chose it--what's special about that dish?
Here is a quick, one-bowl recipe for a super-simple wholesome cake that has never let me down. I’ve been baking it for over twenty years, and it’s always an instant hit.

You will need:
● 1 large egg
● 1 glass of full-fat milk
● ½ cup oil
● 1 cup sugar
● A teaspoon of vanilla essence
● A pinch of salt
● 2 cups self-raising wholemeal flour
● half a cup of chocolate chips

Beat all the wet ingredients together in a bowl. Add the dry ingredients, mix well, and pour into a lined or greased cake tin. Bake at 170°C for about an hour. Once cooled, pour about half a glass of milk over the cake—that’s the secret to its moist, melt-in-the-mouth texture.

I’m sharing this recipe because cake is my love language. I take this cake everywhere: to parties, as thank-you gifts, to book launches and poetry readings. People always love it. For me, this recipe is special because it literally has love in every bite. This cake does what I seek to do in my poems: create connection.