Publishers Weekly

Possessing a reporter's eye for detail, Staples gives an "insider's" view of Asian culture without imposing judgment or injecting American values. "Shiva's Fire required a tremendous a mount of research and two trips back to southern Asia," she says. Not only did she go to a renowned dance school in India to observe the practices of young dancers both inside and outside the studio, but she also visited a religious leader, who shared religious stories, ancient legends and principles of Hinduism. While the connective tissue of her novels is purely fiction, most of the images and characters come from true experiences. "My books are made up of real stories about real people," the author emphasizes, citing the inspiration for a tiger attack scene in Shiva's Fire.

"I was in northern India riding through the jungle on an elephant with two friends and their two daughters as we came across a beautiful tigress sitting atop a rock," the author says. "We didn't realize that we were walking between her and her babies. The tigress leapt on to the elephant's trunk and climbed all the way up to his forehead, so that she was face to face with the driver." Staples was "terrified," but seizing the opportunity to capture the dramatic moment, she had the presence of mind to grab her camera.

Amazon.com

Amazon.com: How did you begin writing? Did you intend to become an author, or do you have a specific reason or reasons for writing each book?

S.S.: I began writing when I was a child -- diaries, poems, I even started a newspaper. But I was always most interested in stories. When I graduated from college newspaper work seemed a good way to earn a living. So I did that for several years. Then I took the leap and wrote a novel. I haven't looked back. I do have a specific reason for writing each book. Usually it's because an idea for a story grabs me and won't let go. My ideas are sparked by my passions -- for the exotic (which I manage to find almost anywhere), for the particular details that make other people's lives unforgettable.

Amazon.com: What authors do you like to read? What book or books have had a strong influence on you or your writing?

S.S.: Michael Ondatje, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Shakespeare, E. Annie Proulx. I try not to let other books influence my writing, but I'm sure each of them does in some way.

Teenreads.com

TBB: Since we are shaped by our experiences, how did your experiences in Asia shape you? How did your view of the world, and life in general, change?

SFS: I think perhaps I'm less quick to judge other people than I used to be, more willing to share, and eager to explore cultural differences. And from the years of waiting in airport lounges and dealing with bureaucracies, I've learned patience!

TBB: As a child, you were a great reader. Do you think the time you spent reading a variety of books helped you to become the open-minded, accepting, compassionate woman, capable of seeing the beauty in difference, you are today?

SFS: That's very flattering! I think reading does open our minds to the possibilities in diversity, and makes us curious to explore cultural differences. But the most important thing I think I learned from books is love of story, the joy of sharing emotional experiences and vicarious adventures. And I know that broadened my world tremendously.