Vaishnavi Patel is a lawyer who has dedicated her career to fighting for civil rights, particularly reproductive rights. As a writer, she has decided to combine her passions to bring We Dance Upon Demons to her readers.
Her new novel tells the story of Nisha, who works at a women’s clinic in Chicago. Drowned by abortion bans, protestors, and depression, Nisha seeks a moment of peace inside an Indian art exhibit. Her moment of peace turns terrifying when she finds herself bleeding and collapsed on the ground. The last thing she remembers is the statue that called her to touch it.
Now, Nisha is dealing with a new magic coursing through her veins and enemies that want to bring her down, both from the human world and otherworldly.
We spoke with Patel about what inspired this story and how her experience as a lawyer shaped her writing.
Eulalie Magazine: What inspired you to combine reproductive rights with magic?
Vaishnavi Patel: I wanted to provide a realistic portrayal of the current state of reproductive rights, which is quite bleak. But adding a dash of magic provided an escapist element that gave the story much-needed points of levity. It was important for me to balance having meaningful magic without creating an “easy” solution to the difficult nature of abortion access; I ultimately decided to have the magic represent the impossible choices faced by reproductive healthcare workers rather than a magic wand.
Eulalie Magazine: How important was your previous experience working on reproductive rights cases in the process of writing this book?
Vaishnavi Patel: The most important experience that shaped this book was my work as a reproductive healthcare clinic escort. Facing down the protestors, interacting with patients, and living through the slow loss of rights influenced my representation of the struggle of the clinic and of Nisha, the main character. I did draw on my legal work when describing the broader landscape of reproductive rights. I couldn’t have written this book without those experiences, but I also relied heavily on research and memoirs by abortion providers and researchers across the country.
Eulalie Magazine: What exactly inspired you to focus on a reproductive healthcare worker?
Vaishnavi Patel: Reproductive rights have always been extremely important to me. When Roe fell, I felt despair and hopelessness. I wanted to give up. But over time, I drew strength from others in the reproductive activism world and regained my will to fight. I wanted to write about this struggle through the eyes of someone on the front lines, who would face the same exhaustion without having the opportunity to rest and recharge. I hope that putting the focus on reproductive healthcare workers will help others understand the sacrifices that these workers are making to keep as much access open as possible.
Eulalie Magazine: How do you navigate talking publicly about a topic that is so important but has been labeled as taboo by so many?
Vaishnavi Patel: While the topic has been labeled as taboo, I believe it shouldn’t be. So long as “abortion” or “reproductive rights” are considered taboo, we will be unable to have a frank discussion about what the loss of those rights has truly cost all of us. Reproductive rights are healthcare, and we should be able to talk about them openly! Remembering this helps me navigate situations that might otherwise feel uncomfortable. I want to do my part to destigmatize abortion.
Eulalie Magazine: What would you say to young authors who want to discuss “controversial” topics but don’t know how?
Vaishnavi Patel: Don’t be afraid to talk about what’s important to you just because society has labeled it as “controversial”! If you have something near to your heart but don’t know where to start, try to learn as much as you can from experts in the area and on-the-ground research (as much as possible). We need young people to give their perspective on the issues facing our world.
We Dance Upon Demons will be available to purchase on May 12, 2026.
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Lara Rosales
By day, Lara Rosales (she/her) is a solo mom by choice and a bilingual writer with a BA in Latin-American Literature known as a Media Relations Expert. By night, she is a TV enjoyer who used to host a podcast (Cats, Milfs & Lesbian Things). In addition to Eulalie Magazine, you can find her work published on Tell-Tale TV, Geek Girl Authority, W Spotlight, Collider, USA Wire, Mentors Collective, Instelite, Noodle, Dear Movies, Nicki Swift, and Flip Screened.