ASHA Sue Elias

The Satire Guru

Asha Elias wrote this summer’s must read book: Pink Glass Houses. In this social satire, mean moms fiercely compete with couture outfits, jewels, cars, parties and donations to see who will become PTA President at Sunset Academy. This humorous and surprisingly suspenseful “only in Miami” story reveals what it is like to climb today’s social ladder.

Her debut novel, set in an ultra wealthy neighborhood in Miami Beach, kept everyone guessing if characters were based on reality. It’s a fun and eerily familiar tale for anyone who has raised kids in South Florida-Newcomer Melody‘s continuous attempts at fitting into the Miami jet-set environment of the PTA crowd at her children’s new school.

We interviewed Asha at her house in Miami Beach and learned she graduated in print journalism from University of Miami and is a columnist for New Times, but only began her first novel during Covid. “The spark that led to the characters in Pink Glass Houses was inspired by being a mother to young children. I started noticing that we were getting unnecessarily upset about things like Halloween decorations and bake sales because we were putting all of our efforts that used to be focused on careers and sales into things like the kindergarten Christmas party”. We have all attended over the top children’s birthday parties in Miami, buther literary agent sold the novel to HarperCollins in one day because she knew people across the country would be fascinated by this satirical, voyeuristic look at the over the top antics of the characters.

Watch our interview to learn why Asha will be part of the Miami Book Fair at the end of November. Learn about her new book The Namaste Club that follows a cast of charactersat a yoga retreat in Central Florida. And finally, find out Asha’s recommendations for restaurants and shops in her favorite neighborhood Sunset Harbour.