Mystery
Date Published: 04-01-2026
Interview with Sophie Schiller
Author of Brooklyn Masala
Could you tell us about any research trips you took for this story? Which places did you visit, and what made them essential to your writing?
I took some crazy research trips into Jersey City, to get a feel for the town and some of the locations where the Guru’s ashram could be. This took a lot of guts for me because I’d never gone to Hoboken or Jersey City before, so I combined my research trips with family history trips to the area. While I was writing “Brooklyn Masala,” I found out that my family has deep roots in Jersey City, stretching to my great-great grandparents who died in the 1880s! I also took some research trips to local Indian grocery stores, so I could learn Indian cooking while Bella was learning, and get a feel for the different ingredients they use and the cooking techniques. In a way, driving through the Holland Tunnel was like entering a Twilight Zone because I felt as if I was becoming Bella Bloom in her journey toward self-actualization.
What's the strangest thing you've ever had to research online for your book?
The Dept. of Justice has a treasure trove of indictments against diamond smugglers, diamond swindlers, and online articles describing the various ways diamonds are smuggled inside chocolates. Without all this information online, I could not have concocted my plot for “Brooklyn Masala.” These are real cases with real people who fabricated diamond certificate numbers on fake diamonds and smuggled diamonds into Dubai inside chocolate bars. It’s a whole other world out there of people trying to game the system. Fascinating and at times hard to believe. But probably the craziest thing I’ve had to research was how to take down a jetliner using “crazy” behavior: headbutting stewardesses, toppling drink carts, fighting with other passengers, etc. Again, these are real people who do these things that make headlines and also provide invaluable inspiration to fiction writers!
What research (history, mythology, science) goes into your world-building?
I think creating believable characters is the first step towards world building because everything revolves around “character.” The character of the Guru came about through hours and hours of watching online gurus and then creating my own hybrid character using satirical elements. Then you add the supporting players who operate in the Guru’s world of ashrams and phony grocery stores, giving them human qualities and foibles, and then you introduce your main character into this soup and see what happens. So, the research first and foremost is to create attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that would be believable for your characters and then have them interact with each other, staying true to themselves.
Have any of the people you've known, past or present, left a lasting impression on your writing journey? If so, we'd love to hear about a memorable experience that stands out to you.
No one I’ve known personally, but the books of Jessica Brody have made a huge impression on me and have greatly affected how I view story and character arc and what constitutes a well-written novel. Her “Save the Cat” novel writing book is groundbreaking and should be read by every aspiring writer. It will definitely change how you view story and the different types of stories and what they must contain.
Do you write in the same genre all the time?
I usually write historical fiction, so “Brooklyn Masala” is a huge departure for me that started during the Covid epidemic in 2020, when I used to go to Trader Joe’s and saw all the frozen Indian dinners that people were snatching up. This led me to explore the world of Indian cooking, which gave me the idea of a novel by asking the question: “Can cooking transform an ordinary woman’s life?”
If so, have you ever consider writing in another one?
“Brooklyn Masala” is my first contemporary cozy mystery, women’s fiction novel, and I am definitely planning out a sequel!
Which character, supernatural or human, do you enjoy writing the most and why?
I would have to pick the Guru character, Maharishi Krishna Ram, who I modeled after a real-life Guru who started out as a stockbroker who gave it all up for spirituality and now has a huge influence in Indian society. He was and remains a beloved character who, although on the surface might be somewhat devious, underneath it all he really wants to help his orphans through his network of orphanages. He does have a certain supernatural quality about him because he’s so manipulative and cunning, but he’s also very human, and I hope people will see that while he may be heading on a slippery slope, ultimately good comes from his advice and actions. And while he may have to wear an ankle bracelet from time to time, ultimately he will succeed in the end.
Sophie Schiller is a writer of thrillers and historical adventure tales. Kirkus Reviews called her "an accomplished thriller and historical adventure writer." Her latest novel is BROOKLYN MASALA. She graduated from American University, Washington, DC and lives in New York.
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