I've always loved myth and history. In college, I discovered the fascinating world of India's legends. I searched for a good novel about Siddhartha, the future Buddha. Didn't find one; finally decided to write my own. I've written drafts of two novels in a planned series that focuses on the women who knew Siddharth as a prince and when he became the Buddha. The first tells the story of the outcaste Mala, who becomes a yogi. The second novel tells the story of Yasodhara, called Dhara, a young woman who studies yoga with Mala, and who will become Siddhartha's wife. It's told through her friend Sakhi's eyes as well as from her point of view.
I am aiming for the sort of mythical realism T.H. White brought to "The Once and Future King" and Mary Renault to her books about Theseus. Deities, demons, mortals, and animals are complex characters with human strengths and failings. I also admire Philip Pullman's skill at combining fantasy elements with three dimensional characterization.