In Conversation with Author Anupama Jain

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“Sometimes, we do not get a chance to thank each one who has helped us in our Journey.”  Let the readers get a chance to know about all the important people who have played a part in this ‘Author Journey of Yours’. 

My ‘Author’s Journey’ has been recent and without any prior plan. I come from a science background and without any language training. Just as it takes a village to raise a child, I have been very lucky to have multiple people helping me get better with the passage of time.

First and foremost is my mother who is a grammar Nazi. Amma has helped me immensely with the language nuances.

Many at GurgaonMoms with their generous compliments have instilled the faith in me.

Thanks to Shavet Jain and the wonderful team at Momspresso, I learned the discipline of expressing myself in 500 odd words

With Sandhya Renukamba and Aparna VedpuriSingh at Women’s Web, I learned to channel the inner angst into effective churning words

Dipankar at Readomania is entirely responsible for my donning the avatar of an author. Readomania has taught me the essence of novel writing and the grind associated with it.

I’m thankful to all the wonderful readers who have invested their hard-earned money into my works.

 You have carved a niche for yourself as humor writer. Why the affinity towards this particular genre of writing?

My father has a huge collection of joke books and his favorite pastime is to tell us situational quips. As they say, laughter is the best medicine. Humour, a great aid in overcoming stress,  is all around us. We just have to spot the fun and grab it with both hands.

I find it easier to look at a problem in the eye and laugh at it rather than wallow in grief. Plus wordplay comes naturally to me.

But let me assure you, satirical writing is a serious business and no child’s play.

‘When Padma Bani Paula to Masala Mix you have given the readers a wide variety. Given a choice what would you pick, writing a novel or collection of short stories, and why so?

A full-length novel any day. To hold your story in your hands, to smell those freshly minted pages carrying your name, your thoughts,  is indeed a surreal feeling!

Let me add further, I enjoy writing succinct short tales but cherish penning a novel.

Short-story writing is extremely challenging because the writer is bound by the word length, which in itself is daunting. There has to be a conflict, a resolution, a closure with different characters undergoing varying trajectories of growth.

A novel gives the writer the leeway to explore the nuances at length.

 Are you working on anything at the present you would like to share with your readersabout?

I had been editing the completed sequel to my debut. But the pandemic afflicted economy put paid to that project.  Now after penning short stories across genres, I’m working on a collection of feel-good essays.

 According to you which are the 5 books, everyone should read and also who are your top 3 Authors and what impact they had on your journey as a writer?

 The list of 5 must-read books is highly individualistic. I find that my choice has changed ever since I have started writing but these 5 books have remained constant as my favorites :

• The Mahabharata – The beauty of this timeless work is that the core story can be narrated from the perspective of any of the stakeholders, be it Yudhishtra, Draupadi, or Karna. As an addendum, The Gita
• The Sherlock Holmes series by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• ‘1984’ by George Orwell
• The works of R K Narayan, to get that Indian Milieu pat right. He spun gold out of the daily humdrum
• The early short-story collection of Jeffery Archer, Saki ( delectable humour), and O.Henry – This suggestion is only for the aspiring writers

                        Or

‘India after Gandhi’ by Ramachandra Guha for a glimpse of our nation.

Three authors would be Narayan, Saki, and Archer

 Have you ever gotten the reader’s block?

 So many times! That’s why I have subscriptions to Netflix, Prime, and Hotstar. The list is growing by the hour.

Tell us a bit about yourself, Anupama Jain, the person, the mother, your likes and dislikes, and about your family.

I’m a plain ‘Jain’ :D. I’m passionate, loyal, and hard-working. On most days, I’m gentle as the freshly set curd but rub me in the wrong way, I could be a tigress.

We are a family of four, residing in Gurugram. I’m a devoted mother to my grown-up children (Scintillating_Sonny & Darling_Dotty). I believe my epitaph shall read ‘And she (s)mothered us!’.

I love rains, hate winters, and dislike summers. I love tending to my little garden.

Online shopping fatigues me.

A good cup of hot coffee, a healthy, wholesome and tasty meal, a stress-free day filled with great music, laughter, games and happy conversations are what I cherish.

What does literary success look like to you?

What’s the best way to market your books?

Literary success to me is when I’m able to write a gripping book without any loopholes, a book that satisfies the critics and also finds its resonating audience across age groups and genders while being extremely commercially viable.

The best way to market your books – This, I am still figuring out but regular conversations about one’s book across platforms without grating the nerves of potential customers help! Being innovative, involving your peers and your followers in your book’s journey, (though very arduous), contest giveaways are some of the ways to market one’s works.

Do you believe in writer’s block? Could you share a few tips for Young Authors?

 Writers’ Block happens to the best. When it hits you, do not panic, take it in your stride. A break is mandatory. Indulge in other passions, take long walks with music on full blast, cook up a storm, read great works, and relax. Start with little steps. It will all come back within a short span.

 At Sharing Stories, we have an ongoing campaign ‘World Harmony through Writing’ where we encourage writers to pen down their deepest internal thoughts, daily for at least fifteen minutes. Their new ideas and profound thinking shall help to bring out some positive changes in the world we live in. We would love to hear your thoughts about this initiative. Do you view writing as a kind of spiritual practice?

I completely agree because for me writing has been therapeutic saving me from a dark space. Writing is a welcome escape to many to find peace and spread warmth. Writing is also looking at your inner demons and slaying them.

Writing is finally about finding your distinctive voice, being vocal, connecting to your dedicated audience. A stirring writing has the power to inspire many and bind them into a community and thereby make a difference!

What if Round 

What if you had to live with only three things all your life, what would the three things be?

A regenerative lighter,  Saregama Caravan,  a satellite phone.

What if you were given the power to change one thing from this world, what would you change?

As a society, we are forever at war with the unknown and are shattering hard-earned reputations with sharp tongues and bitter innuendos. Negativity has become rampant.

I believe the corrective change starts with us. Reclaim your narrative and invest in positivity, ethical value system.

As a first step towards that utopian aim, I would make good-work-ethic as mandatory. Good times follow.

What if you had all the money in this world, what would you do first?

After making the future of my children, nephew, and niece, parents secure, I would go on a whirlwind tour of the world’s most exotic spots with my husband! Please note, on my private jet!

Rapid Fire Round

Favourite Place – Goa any day! I simply love beaches

Favourite Person – My children

Favourite Food – All Veggie supreme, super spicy Sizzler

Favourite beverage – A steaming cup of Coffee, Bloody-Mary

Your other Talents – I cook better than I write. I can sing and paint

Your First Love – My mobile! Maybe my MacBook Air. Make that my Ganesha collection and my planters

Favourite Quote-…..Not quote but – ‘Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.’

Favourite Character from a book- Lord Krishna for his well-rounded personality and how he enjoyed and lived it up each phase of his life. ( I know I’m blaspheming but no one comes closer). And my own Padma/Paula from ‘When Padma Bani Paula’. She is fiercely independent, sassy yet soft.

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