True Fiction Project

Welcome, I'm Reenita Hora, and on this episode of The True Fiction Project, I sit down with actor, writer, and producer Rashmi Rustagi to talk about her award-winning feature film, Designed by Preeti. Rashmi takes us behind the scenes of a story inspired by the real experiences of three Indian women and follows Preeti's journey from an abusive marriage toward independence and empowerment. We talk about the cultural expectations that can keep women in unhappy relationships, the importance of talking openly about mental health, interracial relationships, and why Rashmi believes even serious stories need a little laughter along the way. And yes, we get into the story behind the movie's infamous tofu joke! Plus, stay through the end for the Designed by Preeti trailer.

Watch her film, Designed by Preeti, on Prime Video, and leave a review. Send me an Instagram DM @reenita_storyteller with a screenshot of the review and I’ll send you her cookbook, Designed by Preeti, as a special gift! Just in time for the festive season. Only a limited quantity is available so act fast!

What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 
✅ How Rashmi's experiences growing up in Lucknow, India, and her early work in radio and theater eventually led her to acting and filmmaking in the U.S.
✅ How real-life stories inspired Designed by Preeti, and why Rashmi wanted to tell an ultimately hopeful story about a woman finding her independence.
✅ Why cultural expectations, stigma, mental health, and even interracial relationships can complicate the lives of Indian-American women.

Subscribe to Reenita’s Storytelling Den on Substack for free at https://substack.com/@reenitahora and to her YouTube channel to watch the video version of this episode! https://www.youtube.com/@reenymal
Check out her website to stay up-to-date on events, book releases and more! https://reenita.com/

TIMESTAMPS:  
01:02 Reenita introduces Rashmi and Designed by Preeti
04:17 How Rashmi's mother encouraged her creative ambitions and helped launch her early career
05:20 Bienvenidos a Los Angeles and Rashmi's experience being part of an Oscar-shortlisted film
06:54 The real-life women who inspired Designed by Preeti
08:39 Domestic abuse, cultural expectations, and why women may stay in difficult marriages
11:03 The story behind the movie's very unexpected tofu/dildo joke
13:02 Why Rashmi ultimately removed the punchline from the film
14:41 Mental health, therapy, and changing attitudes across generations
18:18 What's next for Rashmi? A thriller road trip featuring three women
19:24 A special Designed by Preeti cookbook giveaway
21:46 Designed by Preeti trailer

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 
💎 Rashmi uses storytelling as a way to explore serious social issues while still leaving audiences with a sense of hope. For her, Preeti's journey is ultimately about a woman taking a stance, rebuilding her life, and standing on her own feet.
💎 Designed by Preeti grew out of real-life experiences involving three Indian women, including friends and a close relative whose stories stayed with Rashmi and eventually became the foundation for the film.
💎 The film explores the less visible layers of domestic abuse, including control, isolation, cultural stigma, and the pressure women can face from their own communities.

ABOUT THE GUEST: 
A powerful voice at the intersection of storytelling and social change, Rashmi Rustagi is a California-based actor, writer, and producer born and raised in Lucknow, India. Her acting credits include roles in major films such as The Avengers, India Sweets and Spices, and Hungry, as well as appearances on acclaimed television series such as Grey’s Anatomy, Atypical, and Never Have I Ever.
She acted in the short film Bienvenidos a Los Angeles, which was shortlisted for the 2024 Academy Awards.
Beyond acting, Rashmi has established herself as a socially conscious filmmaker. Her award-winning film, Unborn, streams on Amazon Prime Video and confronts the practice of female feticide within the Indo-American community.
Most recently, she wrote, produced, and starred in Designed by Preeti, an award-winning feature exploring domestic abuse, mental health, interracial romance, and female empowerment. It is now available to rent on demand.
Rashmi Rustagi’s website · Designed by Preeti · Rashmi’s Recipes · Rashmi on LinkedIn · Rashmi on Facebook · Rashmi on Instagram

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Welcome, I'm Reenita Hora, and on this episode of True Fiction Project, I talk with debut novelist Anika Fajardo about her new women's fiction release, The Many Mothers of Dolores Moore. Born in Colombia and raised in Minnesota, Anika opens up about writing a memoir, two middle-grade novels, and now a magical-realism story about a woman haunted by the voices of her deceased female relatives. We dig into grief, identity, and the long road to finding her Colombian father, a real search that inspired this family saga novel. Tune in to hear Anika read an excerpt describing the fateful 1989 meeting between Dory's parents in Rome.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 
✅ How magical realism rooted in Colombian author Anika Fajardo's heritage shapes her voice and storytelling style.
✅ Why Dory hears a chorus of ancestral voices left behind by her deceased female relatives.
✅ How Anika's publishing journey, from memoir to middle grade fiction, led to her women's fiction debut.

Subscribe to Reenita’s Storytelling Den on Substack for free at https://substack.com/@reenitahora and to her YouTube channel to watch the video version of this episode! https://www.youtube.com/@reenymal
Check out her website to stay up-to-date on events, book releases and more! https://reenita.com/

TIMESTAMPS:  
00:00 Anika Fajardo introduces the premise of her women's fiction novel The Many Mothers of Dolores Moore
01:59 Anika discusses her memoir, Magical Realism For Nonbelievers, and the story behind its title
03:44 How Anika stumbled into writing middle grade fiction with her novel What If a Fish
07:08 Anika explains the ancestral voices that follow her protagonist Dory throughout the story
13:10 Anika reads an excerpt describing her parents' fateful 1989 meeting in Rome, Italy

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 
💎 Dory's chorus of deceased relatives illustrates generational grief and how women absorb the messages of those who raised them.
💎 The novel weaves a present-day female protagonist story with a 1980s Colombian setting, featuring flashbacks of her parents' romance.
💎 Anika's life as a Minnesota author, teacher, and reviewer shaped her lifelong love of adult fiction and storytelling.

ABOUT THE GUEST: 
Anika Fajardo’s debut novel is The Many Mothers of Dolores Moore. She is also the award-winning author of Magical Realism for Non-Believers: A Memoir of Finding Family, and the middle-grade novels What If a Fish and Meet Me Halfway. Born in Colombia and raised in Minnesota, she currently lives with her family in Minneapolis.
Anika Fajardo - Website
Gobblefunking with Words - Website
Anika Fajardo - Facebook
Anika Fajardo - Instagram
Anika Fajardo - Threads
The Many Mothers of Dolores Moore - Book

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Southern Fiction comes alive in this episode of True Fiction Project as author Chris Skates shares the true story behind his novel Moonshine Over Georgia. Host Reenita Hora talks with Chris about his grandfather, a Prohibition-era revenue agent who hunted moonshiners through the Georgia woods, and how those family memories became historical fiction. Chris also reflects on his winding path from nuclear chemist to White House speechwriter, and how that unlikely mix shaped his storytelling voice. Tune in to hear Chris Skates read a gripping excerpt describing the violent aftermath of a real moonshine-related murder that shaped his book.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 
✅ How Chris Skates turned decades of family stories about his grandfather's work as a revenue agent into the Southern Fiction novel Moonshine Over Georgia
✅ Why real Prohibition-era moonshine busts in Georgia were far more dangerous and heartbreaking than the Hollywood version ever showed
✅ How the notorious John Wallace murder case connects directly to the events depicted in this historical fiction story
✅ How a career as a White House speechwriter helped Chris sharpen his fiction writing craft and finally finish the book he started decades earlier

Subscribe to Reenita’s Storytelling Den on Substack for free at https://substack.com/@reenitahora and to her YouTube channel to watch the video version of this episode! https://www.youtube.com/@reenymal
Check out her website to stay up-to-date on events, book releases and more! https://reenita.com/

TIMESTAMPS:  
00:00 Chris Skates explains how his grandfather's work as a revenue agent during the Prohibition Era inspired Moonshine Over Georgia
05:16 The emotional childhood memory that first revealed the real toll of the moonshiners' trade on families
09:00 How raids worked in the field and why the Southern fiction genre captures this history so vividly
16:18 Chris teases the real-life connection to the John Wallace murder case made famous in an old TV movie
22:09 Chris Skates reads a historical fiction excerpt from Moonshine Over Georgia depicting the case's violent turning point

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 
💎 Chris Skates spent nearly two decades interviewing his grandfather, tracking down living witnesses, and digging through archival records to make Moonshine Over Georgia as historically accurate as possible
💎 The real Prohibition-era moonshine trade caused widespread alcoholism, poverty, and violence, giving this Southern fiction story a weight that goes far beyond a simple crime tale
💎 Chris's mother, who lived part of this story as a child, confirmed that his historical fiction portrayal of her father captured the man and the era with striking accuracy

ABOUT THE GUEST: 
Chris is a novelist with 30 years of experience as a chemist at nuclear and coal plants. He’s been able to combine this diverse background of science and energy with a passion for writing. Chris began publishing in 2000, with over 150 stories, articles, and columns to his name, alongside four novels. He’s also contributed to Turkey Call Magazine and is preparing a non-fiction collection. His writing journey culminated in key roles as a speechwriter and energy advisor at both the state and national levels of government.  
Moonshine Over Georgia is, though, Chris’ most prized and honored work to date. A historical fiction novel, it draws on the harrowing, exciting, and very real stories that Chris’ grandfather would tell him while he was growing up, when he was working as a revenue agent in Prohibition-era Georgia. 

Sample of Moonshine Over Georgia
Moonshine Over Georgia: A Novel Based On Actual Events - Amazon
Chris Skates - LinkedIn
Moonshine Over Georgia - Facebook 
Chris Skates - Facebook
Chris Skates - X

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In this episode of The True Fiction Project, actor Rishi Jaiswal walks us through his unlikely leap from aerospace engineering to a national Broadway tour, his lead role in The Revolution's Wife, and the deeply personal story behind his new short film, The Last Waltz. This movie is about a South Asian family confronting their trans daughter's identity and the silence that follows. We also talk about dance, Sundance, and the strange coincidences that shaped this casting. Tune in to hear the trailer of The Last Waltz, highlighting the moment a father finally faces the daughter he can barely name.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 
✅ How Rishi Jaiswal traded aerospace engineering for a career on stage and screen, starting with So You Think You Can Dance and a national tour of Life of Pi on Broadway.
✅ Why he sent a freedom fighter poem about Gaza to land his role in Revolution's Wife, and how that bold risk paid off during the casting process.
✅ How growing up around a family dance studio and Bollywood culture shaped the way Rishi approaches every character he plays on screen and stage.
✅ Why The Last Waltz speaks directly to the South Asian community about learning to accept a trans child, even without fully understanding her journey first.

Subscribe to Reenita’s Storytelling Den on Substack for free at https://substack.com/@reenitahora and to her YouTube channel to watch the video version of this episode! https://www.youtube.com/@reenymal

Check out her website to stay up-to-date on events, book releases and more! https://reenita.com/

TIMESTAMPS:  
00:00 Rishi Jaiswal shares how he became involved in Revolution's Wife
03:25 How a Gaza freedom fighter poem helped Rishi land his role in Reenita's script
05:14 Discussion of the Revolution’s Wife script
07:56 The Sundance Film Festival encounter that unexpectedly brought Nosheen into the cast as Padma
11:35 From aerospace engineering to a family dance studio, tracing Rishi's winding path into the arts
15:10 Rishi introduces The Last Waltz, his own short film about a trans daughter and her parents
22:38 Watch the exclusive trailer for The Last Waltz ahead of its debut at the LA Shorts Festival

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 
💎 Rishi's role in Revolution's Wife was a lifelong dream
💎 Following your fears, not avoiding them, is what pushed Rishi from a stable engineering path into acting and dance, including his years with the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
💎 Real support does not require full understanding. Reenita and Rishi agree that parents do not need to fully understand their children, only to keep showing up for them.

BIO
Rishi Jaiswal is an Indian-American actor, filmmaker, and founder of Aikyam Entertainment. A graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles, his career spans from national television—including shows like So You Think You Can Dance, ABC’s Prank Panel with Johnny Knoxville, and NBC’s American Auto opposite Ana Gasteyer—to starring roles in national commercial campaigns. He penned the award-winning play Radicals, which is slated for a stage return early next year. Rishi also wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the feature film Unmasked now that recently gained distribution, and he is currently starring in an upcoming short film based on the Gadar revolutionary movement "Revolution's Wife", directed by Reenita Malhotra. His latest project, The Last Waltz, is set for its world premiere at the Oscar and BAFTA-qualifying LA Shorts International Film Festival." early next month!

ABOUT THE GUEST: 

The Last Waltz Tickets LA Shorts Fest
Rishi Jaiswal - Instagram
Rishi Jaiswal - LinkedIn

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This episode of the True Fiction Project dives into the remarkable true story behind the historical fiction novel, Charlotte Salomon Paints Her Life, by Pamela Reitman about Charlotte Salomon, a young Jewish artist who painted over a thousand works while fleeing the Nazis in France. We talk about the ethics of biographical fiction, how Pamela handled the unanswered questions of Charlotte’s life, and why this story of art born from unimaginable loss still resonates today. This conversation reveals the research process behind historical novels and what it means to give voice to those who can no longer speak for themselves. Tune in to hear Pamela and excerpt of the novel when Charlotte is being reminded that she is a genius artist.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 
How biographical fiction differs from traditional biography when writers face gaps in the historical record
Why Charlotte Salomon's artwork Life? Or Theater! is considered a masterpiece of Holocaust literature and modern art
How author Pamela Reitman decided which relationships, like the one with Wolf Abrams, to fictionalize and which to leave ambiguous
The role that art and trauma played in helping Salomon process the loss of her mother and family during Nazi occupation

Subscribe to Reenita’s Storytelling Den on Substack for free at https://substack.com/@reenitahora and to her YouTube channel to watch the video version of this episode! https://www.youtube.com/@reenymal
Check out her website to stay up-to-date on events, book releases and more! https://reenita.com/

TIMESTAMPS:  
01:10 Pamela Reitman shares her historical fiction novel about Charlotte Salomon's and explains the difference between biographical fiction and traditional biography writing
04:34 Discussion of the Wolf Abrams relationship and the choice to leave their romance ambiguous
07:49 Pamela describes the genesis of the book, since there was already a biography
10:39 Pamela shares how she discovered Charlotte Salomon's work at the Jewish Museum in San Francisco
13:08 Discussion of the time period during which Charlotte’s  work was created, and where the listener can learn more about this amazing woman
15:56 Pamela reads a moving excerpt from her novel about Charlotte's belief in her own artistic genius

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 
Writers of biographical fiction carry a unique responsibility, especially as Holocaust survivors who could verify the facts become fewer with each passing year
Charlotte Salomon's more than 1,300 paintings, created in a single year while she lived without identity papers, eventually became an opera that debuted in Salzburg in 2017
Pamela Reitman believes art served as a way to transform suffering rather than heal it completely, shaping the emotional core of her historical novel

ABOUT THE GUEST: 
Pamela Reitman, a Jewish Book Council Network author, is an award-winning writer with numerous publications in literary journals, news outlets, and magazines. She has a B. A with honors in English from Columbia and an MPH from UC Berkeley. She is retired from a career in public health and community service focused on reducing the stigma surrounding mental illness. Pamela is also Director Emerita of Makor Or: A Jewish Meditation Center in San Francisco. She now lives in Healdsburg, California, with her husband. 
Charlotte Salomon Paints Her Life is Pamela’s debut novel. Over two months on Amazon’s Hot New Releases for Biographical Literary Fiction, Kirkus Reviews calls this novel “a vividly detailed rendering of a real life caught in a maelstrom of 20th-century horror.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED:
Pamela Reitman (@PamelaReitman1) - Facebook
Pamela Reitman - Website
Amazon.com: Charlotte Salomon Paints Her Life: A Novel

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