“Alka Joshi’s author talk was a truly remarkable experience. Her personal insights into the writing and publishing process provided invaluable perspectives. Joshi captivated the audience with rich cultural and historical details from her Jaipur Trilogy, skillfully blending her extensive research with her unique experiences as a South Asian woman navigating both India and America. What truly distinguished her talk was her graciousness and accessibility. Joshi engaged with attendees in a warm, personal manner, making everyone feel valued and connected. Her presence and approachability made the talk not only informative but also deeply inspiring, leaving a lasting impression on all who attended.” — East Baton Rouge Parish Library, 2024
“Alka Joshi, is a generous speaker and wonderful storyteller. I think her personal growth experiences regarding her own life and those of her characters resonates with our readers.” — Henderson District Public Libraries, 2024
“Alka’s warmth and enthusiasm were evident throughout the event, making the presentation and book signing both informative and enjoyable for all attendees.” — Thousand Oaks Library, 2024
“Alka was a great author to work with. She is super friendly and always ready to meet her fans.” — Palos Verdes Library District, 2024
“From the moment she arrived, Alka was a delight! It was a busy day with a press conference, VIP reception, keynote presentation and an hour+ of book signing after and her energy never wavered. She seemed genuinely excited to be there and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with her. Our guests were blown away and impressed by her story of perseverance! I would highly recommend Alka to anyone looking for a speaker!” — John Cooper School, 2023
“I featured Alka Joshi and The Henna Artist for my Stanford Continuing Studies Course: A Book’s Journey. I’m absolutely impressed by Alka as an author, a savvy marketer, and an engaging speaker. The course included Alka discussing her journey to bestseller status, presentations by her agent, her marketing and publicity team, and the HarperCollins art department. Her publishing team loved what a willing and valuable partner she is to their efforts to put her books in the hands of readers. Students raved about Alka’s presentation, stating that her journey inspired them to pursue their dreams of becoming a writer at any age. Alka is that rare combination of author and dynamic speaker that every publisher dreams of; I’d gladly have her back to talk to other aspiring writer.” — Heather Lazare, Editorial and Publishing Consultant
“Thank you so much, Alka! I really was not exaggerating when I said your panel was probably the best panel we have ever had. Thank you so much for joining us and I cannot wait to read all of your upcoming books!” — 2023 Southern Voices Festival-Carrie Steinmehl, Festival Chair
“The audience LOVED your keynote. I know you may have not been able to hear the audiences’ reactions, but people were incredibly impressed by your story. The room was filled with laughs, a lot of clapping, and overall awe. You are such an inspiration, and as a South Asian immigrant myself, your words really resonated with me personally. Thank you again for joining us Saturday and fitting us into your busy schedule. We look forward to reading your next book and seeing the development of the TV adaptation.” — Haas School of Business: Women In Leadership 2023, Aahana Sahai
“Thank you so much for your time this past weekend! It was such a pleasure having you at this year’s Southwest Florida Reading Festival. I was so pleased that you had such a great attendance at your library branch event as well as the festival stage presentation. The bookstore manager told me there were only 2 of your books left at the end of the festival!” — Southwest Florida Reading Festival, Melissa Baker
“That was just a superb conversation, and you had me grinning ear to ear by the end. Alka, it has been our pleasure! I heartily second everything Angie shared about your generosity and warmth with readers, and I cannot wait to have you in person at Kepler’s. Count us in for galleys of book 3, and thank you so much for sharing your time with us tonight.” — Keplers Literary Foundation, Amber Clark
“The girls are still talking about you and several of them have purchased your book and convinced their grandmothers and mothers to read your book as well. You changed some lives today and opened up a new world for others. Thank you for inspiring them to read, for helping them to think outside their everyday life and imagine the possibilities!” — Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board, Cheryl Reynolds
“Thank you so much for your wonderful talk! You were just so down to earth and offered real advice and wisdom to those of us who dream of making it in this hard profession! We were walking on clouds after your presentation. It was just so wonderful to hear from you.” — Redwood Writers, Crissi Langwell
“After a truly invigorating speech about her 3Ps, Passion, Patience and Perseverance, Alka spoke passionately on the topic of gender equality as she answered questions from our team. It was an honor to have her share her stories with us, built from experiences of inequality and her personal heroines. She has developed a way to tell the world how important and inspirational women throughout history can and have been.” — Celegence Global / International Women’s Day, Sonia Veluchamy
“What an absolute joy to speak with you today – thank you for taking your valuable time to tell your story. It was a wonderful highlight to my year! We’d be happy to recommend you through Innovators Chat for speaking engagements, people would be lucky to hear from you.” — VMLY&R/Women’s History Month CMO Podcast, Beth Wade
“What an exhilarating session with bestselling author, Alka Joshi, as part of our VMLY&R Women’s History Month celebration. Alka is the bestselling author of the “Jaipur Trilogy” including the well-known “The Henna Artist,” which has been translated into 26 languages around the world! We hosted Alka today because, not only do we love her books, but for the prevailing themes contained throughout her writing that are extremely relevant: gender bias, cultural norms on gender roles, reproductive health and rights, and women empowerment. Thank you, Alka, for sharing your journey with us!” — VMLY&R/ Women’s History Month, Kiran Chaudhry Lenz
“Alka, it’s beyond me to tell you what a joy you are. I’ve interviewed hundreds of people – maybe into four figures now – and you’re such a standout with your enthusiasm, the depth and breadth of your answers, your generosity – so willing to go down random alleyways and have some fun there. Any interviewer would be lucky to work with you once, let alone twice. I’ve already told – not asked, but told – Jean and Amber that I’m your partner for the next one. Take care, you lovely woman, and I can’t wait for book three!” — This Is Now, Keplers Literary Foundation, Angie Coiro
“Just wanted to say a huge thank you again for such an inspiring and captivating session! We felt as if we lived the Henna Artist journey with you and great to have takeaways for such a diverse audience. I’m immensely grateful to have worked with you the last few months towards this session, and hope to continue to keep in touch.” — GSK Global, Harini Murali
“Captivated me from the first chapter to the final page.” — Reese Witherspoon
“Eloquent and moving…Joshi masterfully balances a yearning for self-discovery with the need for familial love.” — Publishers Weekly
“Rich in detail and bright with tastes and textures, The Henna Artist is a fabulous glimpse into Indian culture of the 1950s.” — Bookpage, Starred Review
