Author Sanjena Sathian’s enigmatic Atlanta-based novel, Gold Diggers, compounds a thrilling supernatural tale with a relatable coming-of-age story. Here, the wordsmith relays her own experience growing up in Atlanta and talks her optioned limited TV series set to be produced by Mindy Kaling.

What was your experience growing up in Atlanta in comparison to your characters?

I grew up very OTP, like Neil, but, like Anita, I lived a lot of my life ITP. (I attended schools ITP, often sitting in traffic for hours to get there.) Like Neil, I’m shaped specifically by the immigrant communities in the Atlanta suburbs.

How did your TV partnership with Mindy Kaling come about?

My agent sent the manuscript out to folks in Hollywood at the same time we sent it to publishers. We were lucky that she and her team read it quickly and saw potential in it to option the book!

What can we expect from the show?

We have a long way to go—an option is just step one. Now we have to pitch networks, write a pilot and hopefully get to actually make the show. So I’m not sure what to expect, but I’ll be co-writing the adaptation.

How do you feel about ambition and the American dream today?

I grew up believing in the American dream in many ways, but that’s because I didn’t have a full picture of history—of how often that dream is engineered to keep the status quo, and kept to benefit only certain types of people. It’s a fairly conservative idea. Now I am a little more skeptical. I’ve learned a lot more about how Indian Americans specifically have been used to justify the mythology of the American dream. It’s therefore our job to question it.

What are some of your favorite spots in Atlanta?

Chai Pani in Decatur is one of my favorite restaurants on the planet. My second favorite spot in Atlanta is its other restaurant, Botiwalla, at Ponce City Market.