Inside the stuffy New York apartment, spices sizzled on the stove. The radio blared news about a war in Bengal, the land of my ancestors. Clutching a library book, my journal, a pen, and some Sweet Tarts, I made my escape. Ahhh! Blue skies, breezes, and a whole hour until dinner. What could be better than this? It's not legal to sit out on a real fire escape these days. So, if you feel the heat of two cultures, like I did -- or even if you don't -- welcome to my virtual fire escape. You may find out more about my books here:

But I also hope you leave inspired to write your own stories, and join the ongoing conversation on my blog.