C. G. Salamander
C. G. Salamander is a writer and graphic novelist who splits his time between Chennai, India and Groot-Ammers, The Netherlands. Working alongside co-creator Rajiv Eipe, he’s one half of the Maithili and the Minotaur series, the Lost Creatures Picture Book series, and the Nisha Small middle-grade novels. In addition to writing, he spends his time taking long walks in the Dutch countryside, gardening, or tinkering with recipes that don’t need tinkering. He also likes to cycle, travel the world, and was once bitten by a sea-turtle.
What was your favorite book as a child?
Tin Tin! Comics were hard to find in India in the 90s, but when I got my hands on my first Tin Tin, something clicked. I can still picture that Lama spitting on Captain Haddock, as well as hear his alliterating curses. Everything from the thin pencils, the pastel colors, the pages packed with panels, and the comic relief. It was masterful. I didn’t know it at the time, but it’d introduced me to my favourite literary format.
What cool travel spots would you most highly recommend?
I have a list! Vilnius in Lithuania is a woefully underrated city. There’s this secret beach called Vruja that I stumbled across in the Dalmatian coast (Croatia) – the water is VERY cold but hands down the prettiest coast I’ve visited. The Armenian church in Chennai because it’s an oasis of calm surrounded by chaos (I once worked as a tour guide and this is where I would take overstimulated tourists). Kampung Baru in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia – to see defiant (village) houses surrounded by skyscrapers (make sure you have the Nasi Lemak at Wanjo). The Molenlanden (translates to windmill land) it’s where I call home and it’s beautiful. The Gothenburg peninsular in Sweden, the South Island in New Zealand, Pittsburgh! I’m plagued by the thought of how short life is, in terms of the number of places I won’t get to see.
Available for School Visits:
In my presentations, I teach students how to convincingly build large fantastical worlds — drawing from myth, folktales and urban lore that’s indigenous to their geographies.
Creative Process:
I’m constantly bombarded with ideas, so it’s important not to note them down, no matter how interesting they may seem. I just let them slosh around in my mind, and if they’re truly memorable, I’ll start obsessing over them. What follows is a fair amount of research, and once that’s done, the characters, arc, plot, and title usually reveal themselves. Then it’s off to getting the first draft out, either in my notebook or on my computer. If I’m visited by a colossal thought—one with multiple arcs and a fair amount of world-building—I take my time and break it down to make it manageable. With our graphic novel series Maithili and the Minotaur (co-created with Rajiv Eipe), we split one big idea into three manageable arcs across seven books. When it comes to world-building, I’m always tempted to create a One Piece (Eiichiro Oda) sized world. But I find it more manageable to take a Discworld (Terry Pratchett) esque approach, where one big world serves as the backdrop for many stories. Makaras to Manticores: Around India in 100 Mythical Creatures (Hachette, 2023) catalogues mythical beings; The Lost Creatures picture book series (HarperCollins, 2025) gives each catalogued creature its own book; and finally, Maithili and the Minotaur (PRH, 2021–present) uses these creatures as part of the world-building. Ultimately, it all boils down to obsession. I can’t write if I’m not consumed by an idea. which is why, with commissions, the first thing I do is induce obsession through a lot of research.
Specialties:
Location:
Groot-Ammers, South Holland, Netherlands
Published books:
Maithili and the Minotaur: Web of Woe (Penguin, 2021)
Maithili and the Minotaur: Forest of Forgotten Fears (Penguin, 2022)
Nisha Small: The Knot of Gold (Duckbill Books PRH, 2022)
From Makaras to Manticores: Around India in 100 Beasts (Hachette, 2023)
Nisha Small: The Strand of Silver (Duckbill Books PRH, 2024)
Maithili and the Minotaur: Dolls of Despair (Penguin, 2024)
Tara’s Elephant 2nd Editon (Scholastic, 2025)
Song of the Asunam (Harper Collins, 2025)
Tiny Tale: Frank Goes to the Market 2nd Edition (Scholastic, 2025)
Tiny Tale: Amal Rides the Rails (Scholastic, 2025)
Astray in the Sundarbans (Room to Read, 2025)
Forthcoming books:
Maithili and the Minotaur: Isle of Insanity (Penguin, 2026)
Tiny Tale: Ajay’s Surprise (Scholastic, 2026)
Aalais Like the Hills (Harper Collins, 2026)
Awards and honors:
Bangalore Literature Prize (Children’s Fiction) – 2022
Parag Honour List – 2024
Visit C. G. at:
Published Books
