An Interview with Priyanka Mathur: From Global Nomad to Voice of the “Gypsy Girl”
We recently sat down with author and illustrator Priyanka Mathur to discuss her fascinating journey. A “Third Culture Kid” who spent her formative years in Nigeria, Priyanka’s work is a vibrant tapestry of cross-cultural experiences, marketing expertise, and a deep-seated love for storytelling.
In this interview, she shares how real-life family holidays inspired her mysteries and why she believes the “corporate vs. creative” divide is a myth.
1. Your creative journey began at age six while being raised in Nigeria, a different cultural landscape from your birthplace in New Delhi. How did this cross-cultural upbringing shape your imagination and influence the themes in your early writing?
Priyanka Mathur: My formative years were spent in Nigeria. As an Indian kid attending an American school in Nigeria, I got the best of all three worlds. My school laid a lot of emphasis on reading and creative writing, in addition to the regular curriculum. At an early age, I was exposed to a wide variety of literature. I was also taught early on to express myself through writing and art.
Coming back to India, I learnt about a whole different world, which was familiar, yet not familiar. Both worlds shaped my identity and that is what comes out in my writing. I often set my stories in different cities, often countries, because that’s the world I grew up in. I talk about certain things, which can termed as “international”.
The themes in general are the same all over the world. Children need to be taught a variety of things, such as friendship, values, ethics, family, etc. I try to bring those themes out in my stories, irrespective of the location of the story.
2. Your profile mentions that your experiences from living in many cities and countries are “woven into the fabric of your stories.” Could you share a specific example of how a place you’ve lived in or traveled to has directly inspired a character, setting, or plot point in one of your books?
Priyanka Mathur: Each city that I have lived in has had some impact on me. As a Third Culture Kid, my experiences have been unique and different from those of my peers. And this can be seen in my personality and my stories. I wanted to share my experiences in a fun and child-friendly way. And so, I came up with the idea of The Adventures of Gul.
The character Gul in the book series is based on my life experiences. Like me, Gul is a gypsy girl who keeps travelling to different places with her best friend Piku – the parrot. From an early age, Gul is exposed to new cultures and experiences, which help shape her identity.
One of the books in the series – The Case of the Missing Pickles – is set in Nigeria, where I grew up. In fact, it is based on one of my family holidays at a wildlife park called the Yankari Wildlife Park. In the story, Gul and Piku have gone on a safari ride, and while they are away, someone steals their bottle of mango pickles. And thus, the mystery unfolds. In reality, someone had actually stolen my mother’s pickle jar when we holidayed at Yankari Wildlife Park.
3. You have a diverse educational background with an English Literature degree, a Visual Communications diploma, and an MBA in Marketing. How do these three distinct fields of study intersect and inform your work as both a writer and an illustrator?
Priyanka Mathur: Well, the three fields are not all that diverse from each other. They are connected to each other, as they all teach some form of communication.
As a child, my teachers and parents encouraged me to do a lot of creative writing. I enjoyed writing a lot, as it was not regimented and gave me a chance to express ideas in a clear and structured manner. I began writing my first book when I was in the 7th grade, and finished it within a few months. Thankfully, it never got published. But I got tremendous encouragement from my teachers when they learned about my efforts.
Apart from writing, I have always been passionate about art. In fact, my earliest memories are of spending Sunday mornings with my father, learning the nuances of drawing. As I grew older, I realized how much I loved art. I would spend significant time on art projects and school assignments, trying to make my art work as appealing as I could.
My two hobbies came together when I started working in the print media. I wrote a lot of articles and also edited drafts, which helped improve my expression and thinking. In addition to this, I made sure that I got a healthy dose of reading. This also contributed greatly to my writing. When writing children’s books, illustrations are vital. I decided to make my own illustrations for both my books. It’s addictive and highly rewarding.
4. You transitioned from a long career in print media to Marketing Communications. How did your experience in marketing change your perspective on storytelling and connecting with an audience?
Priyanka Mathur: My transition from print media to Marketing Communications was a smooth one. Marketing Communications is simply another way of communicating with people. With my prior experience and educational qualifications, it was not as different as I had imagined. With social media being an integral part of our lives, Marketing Communications, or Marcom, has become a lot easier.
5. What prompted the decision to leave the corporate world of marketing and join your family business?
Priyanka Mathur: After having worked in the media for nearly seven years, I decided to take a break and figure out what I would like to do next. I was looking to try something new. And so, with my parents’ encouragement, I decided to take a sabbatical and go back to school. I pursued an MBA in Marketing, which opened my eyes to new opportunities.
By the time I graduated, I was ready to change my line of work. At the same time, my father wanted me to join the family business. So, I decided to join the business. Ever since I joined, I have learnt a lot. Probably more than I would have if I had stayed in one single stream of work.
6. Managing a role in a business while also writing and illustrating books is a significant balancing act. What does your creative process look like?
Priyanka Mathur: Well, when there’s a will, there are many ways. Drawing has always been my happy place. When I come back from work, I draw and paint to unwind. Sometimes, if I have a deadline to meet, I work post dinner. In general, I try to fit either hobby in at least 4 times a week. It’s better than spending time watching Netflix or scrolling Insta reels.
7. You write for both children with “The Adventures of Gul” series and for young adults with “As Darkness Falls.” How do you shift your creative voice and approach when writing for these two different age groups?
Priyanka Mathur: Writing for children is a tremendously rewarding experience. Young children are very easy to please, as they lap up the stories told to them. And the best part is, they remember every word you tell them! My stories are very simple and I try to inculcate a feel-good factor in the reader. My themes are about simple friendship, fun experiences and openness to new things.
In As Darkness Falls, my approach was completely different. I tried to cater to what young adults would ideally like to read. I also tried to imagine what I would have liked to read when I was the same age. Teenagers like to explore Gothic-Horror literature, but their appetite for those kind of stories is still developing. As such, I wanted to make my stories engaging, yet not overly scary.
8. Let’s talk about “The Adventures of Gul.” What was the initial spark of inspiration for this series?
Priyanka Mathur: It was during Covid that I came up with the idea for the series. My family had been getting after me to write a book, as they felt I was good at story-telling. I decided to give it a shot and began exploring different themes. I finally chose to write about my own experiences and portray them through the eyes of Gul and Piku. Thus, I penned down the story.
I decided to choose Gul as the main character. She’s a gypsy, inquisitive and open-minded. Piku is a loyal friend who follows her everywhere she goes. The two share a unique bond, which I feel children have with their pet friends. I too once had a similar bond with my pet dogs. 🙂 I wanted my stories to reflect that.
Another part of my stories rely heavily on familiar bonds. So, Gul shares a special bond with her Grandma, who is a fun and happy-go-lucky lady. She teaches Gul to enjoy everything she experiences, and not be closed-minded. Like all families, my family too inculcated the same values in me. Based on these ideas, I crafted my stories.
9. After exploring multiple career paths, you have returned to your childhood passion. What advice would you give to other aspiring artists or writers who might be on a different professional track but still dream of pursuing their creative calling?
Priyanka Mathur: I would advice all aspiring artists and writers to give it a shot. Today, social media is such a powerful tool, that someone sitting halfway across the world is able to see what is being exhibited. So, there is bound to be some kind of traction. In addition to that, publishing is also much easier and faster than earlier. So, it’s definitely worth a shot.