GREETINGS, BOOKWORMS! I’m Aisha Kandisha, Head Librarian at Kandisha Press. Join me in the dusty stacks of the library I will never leave again as I chat with some of my favorite Women in Horror. Today we feature author Nila Patel!
I am a Fictioneer. What does that mean? I’m a short story writer, fiction podcaster, and creator of digital art. I release new stories weekly on my site, Storyfeather. I’ve been enchanted with fiction and storytelling since I was a kid. I chose the biological sciences for my formal schooling and as my first profession. But fiction has remained at the core of my life. I’ve dreamed of working for myself as my second profession, with fiction as the foundation. In 2013, I challenged myself to write and post a short story every week on my site. It was meant to help me practice the craft of storytelling, of editing myself, and of finalizing my stories. I came to love writing short stories, and all of the opportunities for exploration that I wouldn’t get if I were working on longer stories. Eleven years later, I’m still writing.
Links:
Storyfeather.com/discover
Most recent work, podcast episode: My Every Existing Memory
Story I’m proud of: Lickspittle and Sobersides
What do you believe are your strengths in writing? And when you feel you need to improve on a particular writing skill, how do you go about it?
The strengths I’ve developed over a decade of writing short stories is being curious, being structured, and enjoying the journey, the process of writing.
The fun answer about strengths is mash-ups. I’ve explored blending genres, or taking an element from one type of story and applying it somewhere unexpected. For example, one of my favorite stories I’ve written is a crime noir story that stars a paramecium named Harry who investigates the murder of another single-celled organism, one who might have been killed for seeking a multicellular experience…called “love.” (I think I really went for it with that one.)
Creative challenges have been the single most effective way for me to improve a creative skill. Specifically, I mean a 30-day challenge with daily or weekly prompts. It’s been easier for me to see that improvement when it comes to my visual art. But it’s helped with my writing, too. Late in 2024, I participated in a weekly writing challenge. I wrote a bunch of flash fiction, which helped me practice being concise. And I wrote stories based on prompts that I wouldn’t have otherwise chosen. That made me realize it’s time for me to return to learning mode with my writing, and revisit storytelling structure, tropes, genre conventions, and so on. So, this year, I’ve built that into my personal challenge to write a short story every week.
Variety works for me, too. I think it’s probably true for most creative folks. That’s part of why I love writing in different genres.
What are your thoughts on the book industry today, or more importantly, about the book community?
I have little to no experience with either. my writing journey has been different, even unique, I’d say. (Is there a singular book community out there? If so, I’m outside of it and out of touch!)
But here’s some personal experience with a sort of book community on a smaller scale. (I am an introvert and an “indoor kid,” but I benefit from solidarity like many humans.)
Over the past year, I’ve made attempts to reach out and develop connections with folks in the writing and publishing sphere. I’m currently in a mastermind with a few writers and editors, and I love that. I’ve met a few other folks through online networking events. All of this happened through the context of business and entrepreneurship, so it was a little bit of a happy accident that I met and then developed relationships with people in the writing and publishing sphere.
I recently attempted to join a writers union. I say “attempted,” because it didn’t work out for me. That’s disappointing. But it’s not the first time I’ve tried to join up or enter a similar space only to find out it’s not for me. I’ll keep searching.
Do you feel it is getting harder or easier to make it as an independent author these days?
I don’t know the answer on a personal level. I have no basis for comparison. While I’ve loved fiction-writing since I was a kid, and wanted to write novels since I was 14, I only just published my first book last year, self-published through Amazon KDP. And it was a non-fiction book. (Go figure.)
My focus was on getting my book out. I had help and guidance, but it was still a lot of new and detailed things to learn about. But I knew that marketing and promotion would be my responsibility. I have heard (anecdotally) that even authors who publish through traditional presses and companies have a heavier burden of marketing their books themselves these days. So in that sense, it seems harder. Because marketing is a whole other knowledge and skill set.
Personally, I’m aiming to reframe marketing and promotion in my own context, as a different kind of creative storytelling skill. And when something feels unnatural or sleazy, I just won’t do it. One advantage I have is that I can create and produce a lot. Artwork. Stories. I currently have the privilege of time and energy to do that. And I just love to do that. So when I find the folks who love and want to buy my stuff, be it books or mugs with my artwork on it, I’ll be happy to keep making stuff for them.
Tell us about your work. What story are you most proud of?
I’m terrible at this kind of question! I refuse! This is especially challenging for me since I’ve written hundreds of short stories. Also, “I love all my children equally.” Alright, that’s not really true. I definitely have favorites. So many stories are special to me for different reasons. One year, I wrote 52 stories based on watercolor paintings that my brother sent me weekly on the theme of “creatures.”
So, I’ll answer with a story that is particularly special to me. The title might be off-putting to some, “Lickspittle and Sobersides.” It’s about two caterpillar fairies who realize they are past their prime. They didn’t form cocoons at the typical time, so instead of becoming butterfly fairies, they expect to die soon. So they decide to go to the upcoming grand fairy ball, where they would have debuted their beautiful butterfly selves. One of them is curdmudgeon-y and self-conscious about this. But the point is to go, have fun, and live it up. High jinks ensue. (And as a cheese-lover, there is a heavy helping of cheese in this story.) I wouldn’t be surprised if others don’t notice or like this story. But you know what? I am proud of this story.
What are your upcoming works and plans for the future?
I create and release stories every week. I write a new short story and release a new episode of my fiction podcast (where I narrate and perform a story I’ve written in a past year). I have a couple of newsletters. My main one is the Storyfeather Gazette, where I recap my own stories and talk about fiction I enjoy. And the newer one is Fictioneer’s Field Guide, named for my first book, where I talk about my writing experience and thoughts, and give tips and guidance on fiction-writing, especially short fiction writing. All of that is for free. But I do have plans to create written works for sale.
I want to put out an audiobook version of my first book, a practical how-to for writing short fiction, Fictioneer’s Field Guide: A Game Plan for Writing Short Stories. Then I aim to start putting together and releasing short story anthologies. Someday, I hope to write novels.
But before I create any new books, I need to learn how best to market my work and put a system in place to do that. While I primarily identify as a fiction writer (fictioneer), I also create digital art, and my overall aim is to have a business based on print-on-demand products that will allow me to continue making the art that I make anyway, because I love to do it.
KANDISHA PRESS 
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