Vikky Abraham
Book Title : Light
Stories woven around Indian women from different strata’s of society, a reflection on contemporary India.
‘Light’ is your debut book as an author. When did the thought of writing a book come to you? Let the readers know a bit about your author journey and the people who played a major role in this.
Being a part of the creative Industry for many years this was an organic shift to another media of expression. It was a spontaneous ‘Stream of Consciousness’ experience during the lockdown phase. Words leapt out in a frenzy which formed the many short stories as if on an inner cue!
They are a series of short stories woven from the fabric of our society. Some dark, some intriguing and some heart-wrenching. Stories are woven from her interaction over many years with women from diverse background pan India. The underlying theme of injustice and patriarchy reigns in most narratives. The pathos is evident throughout different premises and social constructs.
The underlying theme of a society built on suppression and unequal status is exposed in a series of heart-wrenching stories. I consider Shashi Deshpande, Kate Chopin, AttiaHosain, Sudha Murthy, Sri Aurobindo and Yuval Noah Harari as my literary mentors.
The six stories in the book revolve around women and the situations they face. Why did you choose to write your first book particularly women-centric?
As a woman, I have over the years gathered many incidences around other women.
Some left me intrigued and some simply shocked me. As we move into the 21st. Century its time I think to start a dialogue around these difficult subjects, if not change society…at least make a dent in it! Women readers are heavily impacted by ‘Light’ as they can see a reflection of truth and society in the many narratives. And the title description – A bit of fact, a bit of fiction is justified! Readers especially women like the stark depiction, and the need for open conversations around topics ranging from child-abuse to unequal status in marriages, financial exploitation, early marriages, women’s health and widow status in modern India.
Who is the favourite character from your book and why?
Supriya‘ from ‘Pandemic is my favourite character as she emerges from the threshold of victimhood and decides to save herself. Though the characters in all stories are unconnected,
Supriya’s story is a depiction of how collective consciousness works…as the new age woman will no longer play the victim card but rise as a ‘hero’ and save herself.
How has your experience in publication, advertising and media helped you as a writer?
Tremendously, as having worked on many aspects of communication through different medias, my visualizing capabilities have been enhanced over the years. Today as a writer I am able to combine all the techniques into one medium of expression, hence my short stories can be adapted to screenplays and use a visual medium to depict the unsaid effectively.
Your book is an example of ‘Less is More’. Is this your particular style of writing or you deliberately picked it up for the dark and realistic stories in your book, ‘LIGHT’?
Yes! – I honestly believe less is more!!
The stories are dark in nature; hence I want to leave the audience with a sensation and not overwhelm them with too much details. This leaves scope both for Screenplay writer as well as the Director to have some creative liberties.
Do you think there is something as ‘Readers Block’? With the plethora of visual mediums around us, do you feel reading has taken a backseat?
Visual mediums are enticing but nothing compared to the way an individual chooses to see his/her story. The only reason reading can take a back seat is if you don’t like reading!
According to you which are the 5 books, everyone should read and also who are your top 3 Authors and what impact they had in your journey as a writer?
5 Must- reads – This is a tough one! There are too many to read.
Autobiography of a Yogi / 21 Lessons for the 21st Century / The Power of Now / The Fountain Head / The Alchemist
3- Top Authors – Sri Aurobindo / Yuval Noah Harari / ShashiDeshpande
Topics ranging from Metaphysics to Philosophy to everyday life – all have a holistic approach with one weaving into the other effortlessly. For anyone who has read the above three will understand the depth of their intelligence and a life well lived, yet with a look into the beyond where only the flight of one’s imagination can give a glimpse of the reality yet to be faced by mankind.
Could you share a few tips for Young Authors? If you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult, what would you do?
For me writing like any other creative pursuit is a calling.
You cannot try hard to be a writer! It will come if it has to come…as you navigate through your life with empathy and a quest for truth. But what truly will help is to read different genres and different Writers to have an open mind and different perspectives on life.
At Sharing Stories, we have an ongoing campaign ‘Empowering Our Kids’ where we are trying to encourage and inculcate reading habit from a young age. We are trying to pick up 20 to 30 must read books for children and try and make them available at our library in Jaipur, also take this initiative across the globe. Please suggest some books which you think every child should read before the age of 15 (mostly the character defining age).
Sudha Murthy all volumes / The Little Prince / P.G. Woodhouse all volumes / Mark Twain / Little Women / Indian Mythology / Ramayana and Mahabharata / Rabindranath Tagore / Jules Verne all books
Rapid Fire Round
Favorite Place- Always near to the Sea
Person- Daughter / Dog / Cat in that order
Food-Rice and Goan Curry
Beverage- Tea
Your other Talents- Dancing
Your First Love- Hmmm…too many…
Favorite Quote-
“Life’s under no obligation to give us what we expect. We take what we get and are thankful it’s no worse than it is.” ― Margaret Mitchell
Favorite Character from a book- Scarlett O’Hara from ‘Gone with the wind’
What if Round
What if you had to live with only three things all your life, what would the three things be?
Daughter / Dog / Cat & One Book!
What if you were given the power to change one thing from this world, what would you change?
Abolish Patriarchy!
What if you had all the money in this world, what would you do first?
Take a long vacation and read all the books I want to!
