Mindy Kaling reveals she’s writing a new book -- and gives its title

Mindy Kaling is writing a new book, a collection of personal essays to be titled “Why Not Me?,” she revealed Wednesday in an interview with The Times’ Yvonne Villarreal. The title “has kind of been my subconscious motto my whole life,” Kaling explained, saying she’s “really, really excited about” the book.

Kaling, who became known on “The Office,” is the star and creator of “The Mindy Project.” She has had success writing for both television and print; her first book, “Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (and Other Concerns),” was a bestseller.

“So much has happened between the time I published my first book and now,” Kaling tells Villarreal. “The show; my mother passed away; so many of my friends have gotten married. I’m a godmother now, and a homeowner. There’s so much that has happened in that period of time that I wanted to write another book.”

“I can only fit so much into the show and have all this extra stuff,” Kaling continues. “And I love writing in that format. It’s very different from writing dialog.”

Additionally, Kaling appreciates the way she can communicate in a book, because she can answer people’s questions. “[A]bout the writers’ room, or race on the show -- my Elle cover, body image stuff that people have questions about. I can actually finally say, in the most eloquent way, what my feelings were about it.”

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