Episode
Ep. 17 Traveling for Research with Sandhya Acharya
- Published
- Dec 5, 2025
- Duration seconds
- 1975
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Summary
How do you write an authentic story rooted in a real place and culture? In this episode of Nonfiction Kidlit Craft Conversations, host Kirsten W. Larson talks with Sandhya Acharya, author of Living Bridges: The Hidden World of India’s Woven Trees, illustrated by Avani Dwivedi. Discover how Sandhya turned her immersive travel research in Meghalaya, India, into a stunning informational fiction picture book about the living root bridges made from ficus trees and tended by the Khasi people. You’ll learn: ✔️How a spark of inspiration led to years of research and discovery ✔️The role of immersive, on-the-ground research in shaping authentic children’s stories ✔️Ways to respectfully connect with experts and communities to ensure cultural accuracy ✔️How to balance fiction and nonfiction in informational picture books ✔️Tips for capturing sensory details and emotional impressions while in the field This conversation is a must-listen for children’s book authors, nonfiction writers, and educators seeking to bring rich, authentic details into their stories. 📖 Living Bridges: The Hidden World of India’s Woven Trees is available wherever books are sold. Learn more on Sandhya's website. https://www.sandhyaacharya.com/ 🔗 Transcript, summary, and writing resources at Kirstenwlarson.com. Key moments: 00:00 – Introduction: Living Bridges and Authentic Storytelling 01:00 – Inspiration: A Spark from Bridges and Gratitude 05:00 – Research from Afar: Falling Down the Rabbit Hole 07:00 – From Nonfiction to Informational Fiction 09:00 – Traveling to Meghalaya: Immersive Research in Action 12:00 – Writing with All Five Senses 15:00 – Cultural Authenticity and Community Collaboration 18:00 – The Power of Fictional Elements in True Stories 23:00 – Collaboration with Illustrator Avani Dwivedi 27:0…