During my time in graduate school, I was fortunate to be surrounded – and mentored – by numerous strong, female scientists. It’s no wonder parts of who they are have snuck onto my pages.

Piyali stepped into A Trace of Copper already strong-willed and determined. A woman who doesn’t put up with any nonsense, a woman who Gets Things Done. All characteristics she shares with my friend. So one night over a glass of wine, I said, “I’ve this idea for a character… will you help?”

Meet Dr. Rajendrani Mukhopadhyay, one of my fellow graduate school inmates classmates. While we didn’t share a laboratory for more than a few weeks, we did share a number of coffee breaks over 5+ years of research while we waited for a gel to run, a transfer membrane to wash, her granite, graveyard slab to stabilize… It’s a long story. In a nutshell, Raj studied microtubules using Atomic Force Microscopy before fleeing the laboratory to become a science writer of the non-fiction variety.

Without further ado, I present an impromptu interview:

Click on an image below to learn more:

BONUS! 

In which Raj’s husband, Gautam, recounts a story about his hunt for a very specific Bengali word.

About Anne

Though USA TODAY bestselling author Anne Renwick holds a Ph.D. in biology and greatly enjoyed tormenting the overburdened undergraduates who were her students, fiction has always been her first love. Today, she writes steampunk romance, placing a new kind of biotech in the hands of mad scientists, proper young ladies and determined villains.

Anne brings an unusual perspective to steampunk. A number of years spent locked inside the bowels of a biological research facility left her permanently altered. In her steampunk world, the Victorian fascination with all things anatomical led to a number of alarming biotechnological advances. Ones that the enemies of Britain would dearly love to possess.

To chat with Anne, stop by on Facebook or join the Department of Cryptobiology Facebook group. You can also join her newsletter list to have cover reveals, sneak peaks, sales and giveaways delivered straight to your inbox.