Zia McNeal. Photo: Chris Emeott
Books transport readers to different lifestyles, time periods or, for local author Zia McNeal, across continents. Her novel, Number Eleven, tells a riveting story—inspired by her mother and father, Nusrat and Jhoma Merchant—of engagement and marriage in 1960s Bombay, now Mumbai, India.
McNeal’s path to writing was not a linear one. Prior to studying accounting in college, she kept several journals to document her life but never felt called to share her stories until hearing her parents’ story.
“My mom and dad had told me all these stories when I was growing up, which was so different from my Midwestern upbringing,” McNeal says. “I didn’t have a lot of Indian friends … I thought my mom and dad’s story was so unique and different, and I wanted to capture that.”
A first-generation Indian American, McNeal cites both her parents as inspiration for the book. “It’s a story not just of my mom but a story of my mom and my dad,” she says. “They both had to … get to a point and a place in their minds and in their hearts to be open to somebody who they did not really plan to marry.”
In order to properly tell their story, she had to completely immerse herself within it. “For six months, I lived, basically, in their world,” she says. “When I was done, it was like, ‘OK, what happened to the last six months of my life?’”
This year marks the 10th anniversary of Maple Grove resident Zia McNeal’s first novel, Number Eleven, which is inspired by her parents’ engagement and marriage in 1960s India.
Besides for her writing, McNeal has also been featured in Maple Grove Magazine for her baking. “I think everyone needs a creative outlet,” she says. “Baking, I think, brings me more immediate joy … writing takes a lot out of me because it’s not something I’m trained [to do]. As an accountant by my college degree, writing is like the other half of my brain … so it was more difficult, but I also found it to be more rewarding.”
Number Eleven has been especially pertinent for the local bookish community, most notably for the Maple Grove Women of Today. Founded in 1950, Women of Today is an organization that focuses on community service, professional growth and fellowship for women ages 18 and older A member of the Maple Grove chapter read Number Eleven and recommended it to the chapter book club.
“Reading from a local author was very exciting,” says Sue Jammes, the book club’s leader. “When we reached out to Zia and she agreed to attend our meeting, we were overjoyed.”
McNeal and her mother attracted a crowd so large that Jammes had to reserve a separate room in addition to her apartment space to accommodate the overflow.
“Nusrat absolutely captivated the audience,” Jammes says. “Both she and Zia wore traditional sarees that were absolutely beautiful. They also brought beautiful fabrics and novelties from their time in India to share with us.”
McNeal plans to produce a sequel although there are still some needed plot changes before the drafting process begins. “I want to tell the sequel story, but … my mother has a couple of ‘no-nos’—some of the family secrets,” she says. “And I need a better ending than what I’ve got in my mind right now … so I just need to get to that point.”
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Number Eleven, Zia McNeal is running a special promotion for the rest of the year: $20 paperback signed and mailed; $30 hardcover signed and mailed. Interested customers can contact ziamcneal11@gmail.com.
