Rajdeep Paulus
Filed under: Authors
Rajdeep, who prefers to be called "Raj", decided to be a writer during her junior year in high school after her English teacher gave her an "F" but told her she had potential. She studied English Literature at Northwestern University, and spent over a decade as an English Teacher and SAT Tutor, during which she married her best friend from Chicago whom she then followed to the island of Dominica where he began medical school. Fourteen years, four daughters, and a little house on a hill in the quaint town of Locust Valley, New York later, she now blogs weekly and writes masala- marinated, YA fiction.
Growing up in a North Indian household in Windsor, Canada, attending college in Evanston, living in the Caribbean and moving to Long Island shortly before 9/11, have shaped her experiences, birthing unique stories featuring a diversity of characters. Many of whom she meets in the wee hours of the morning while her pillow still holds her captive.
Her novel manuscript, Swimming Through Clouds, won several honors in 2012: Semi-Finalist Genesis Contest (YA Fiction), Finalist (2nd Place) NORWA (YA Fiction), Finalist Women of Faith Full Manuscript (top 30 out of 660 entries), and Finalist Wisconsin RWA Honorable Mention (YA Fiction). She was also a Midlife Collage Vignette winner for her story "A Man and His Ocean".
When Raj is not tapping on her Mac, you can find her dancing with her princesses, kayaking with her hubs, coaching basketball or eating dark chocolate while sipping a frothy, sugar-free latte.
She blogs at In Search of Waterfalls and secretly hopes someday she'll own a laptop that functions under water.
Winning Entry: The Color of Tomorrow
Contest Won: Tom Howard/John H. Reid Short Story Contest 2012, Most Highly Commended
