AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Q.1 “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 ‘A Dark and Shiny Place’.

A- As I have stated in my book, writing can be a lonely process but it is never a solo journey. There has been an army that has helped me in bringing this book to life.

My husband, Paramveer has been my constant support and critic, it was also upon his insistence that I finally let go of the manuscript ready to be published. He is the wind beneath my wings. Ever grateful to my parents for being my sun, moon and everything in between. My sisters for being my guardian angels. I am blessed to have very supportive and encouraging in-laws. A big thank you to all my family and friends. Big shout out to Vidya for being my content editor and guiding me through the writing process. The Write Order for publishing my book. Lipika and her team, Chhaya and Gaurav for the invaluable guidance and direction. My colleagues and Fraternity friends for the massive support they showed during the book launch and after.

And lastly but not the least, my readers- without you, I am not an author, so Thank you for picking up my book and giving it a chance!

Q.2 How and when did you first realise your calling for writing books?

A- I have always been a voracious reader. My mom used to ensure I read myself to sleep since I was a little girl. My father is an avid reader too. I used to accompany him to the library often. I must have been 7 or 8 years old when I first wrote a short story and showed it to my parents. Their appreciation encouraged me to continue writing. My sisters gave me ideas and we cooked up all sorts of plots in the years to come. Storytelling for the screen eventually became my profession. I started writing my first book at the age of 13. My parents have saved those pages somewhere in their treasure. I hope to complete it someday. And then, it was during the pandemic that I felt the strong urge to write ‘A Dark and Shiny Place’, my debut novel. The overall atmosphere and situation of the lockdown simply set the stage for me.

Q.3 Please tell us a bit about your book titled ” A Dark and Shiny Place” and share a few lines from it.

A- My book, ‘A Dark and Shiny Place’ is a first person narrative of Maya telling the reader what she is experiencing in her home. What starts as paranormal or supernatural happenings slowly turn to playing psychological games with her mind. Trapped alone in her home through the pandemic due to the lockdown, she has not much choice but to deal with these events on her own. More than halfway into the book, the narrative switches to that of her sister, Meera telling you what Maya is going through and a little more insight into the fragility of her mental state.

My objective to write this book was to bring forward some relatable situations and characters to explore the fine line between the paranormal and the psychological. The pandemic was a difficult time for most of us and the new pandemic is to do with mental health. I want readers to connect with the book and lead them to open conversations with each other.
One of the most relevant lines from the book is my original quote- “Denial is more dangerous than the tragedy itself because it is comfortable and pleasant.” And here is a sneak peak of the introduction paragraph- “Our mind. Complex as it is, it’s also the most dangerous entity that exists. It has a mind and a soul of its own. The heart is solitary but the mind contains myriad personas within itself. It tells us stories and makes us believe things so that when we see the truth, we are too afraid to acknowledge it. And that’s what I see happening to me, for right now I am a prisoner of my own device and to find my key to freedom I must go back to the beginning…”

Q.4 According to you which are the 5 books that everyone should read and who are your top 3 Authors and what impact did they have in your journey as a writer?

A- It is really hard to pick the top 3 or 5 when the library feels like one’s candyland! But I shall try.
The Discovery of Heaven.
Lord of the Rings.
The Lord of Flies.
The Little Prince.
Autobiography of a Yogi.
The Upanishads, Gita, Bible and Koran (Given the complicated world we live in, it helps to have this knowledge to better understand and respect another’s faith and be more inclusive).
A Dark and Shiny Place 😉

My top authors are Stephan King, Agatha Christie and Frederick Forsyth.
Stephan King and Agatha Christie have had a great impact on my writing. My love for horror, thriller and mystery is attributed to their writings.

 

Q.5 What inspires you to write? Where do you get the information or ideas for your books?

A- I am not sure exactly what inspires me, yet. But I suppose reading books inspires me to write them too 🙂
I get the ideas mostly from real life incidents and people. I like to observe people. I have great interest in the way a human mind works. It is the most fascinating machine created. And once I have an idea or story that sticks, I do my research to take it forward.

Q.6 Could you share a few tips for budding Authors and aspiring writers?

A- Keep writing, finish that story. The key is to complete it.
Please do not judge your story or writing until you have put it all down on paper and definitely do not give it to anyone else to judge until then as well.
Once you see it in words, it’s a reality that will decide its own course thereafter. The second most valuable lesson I learnt was to be kind to yourself.
Be open to feedback and constructive criticism with all humility. At the same time; respect, value and be proud of your own creation- no matter how flawed it may be. Not everyone can create and if you have done it, that is an achievement to begin with.

Q.7 What has been your most cherished experience as a writer? Which is your best-preferred genre?

A- The day I completed the manuscript and shared it with my trusted few critics. That experience of feeling nervous yet confident about sharing my first independent work as an aspiring novelist, will always be one to cherish.
I am a crime, thriller, drama and fantasy fiend! Horror I enjoy, depending on my mood.

Q.8 What were the struggles and learnings you experienced while writing your book?

A- One of the biggest struggles was to find the balance between the two genres I was attempting to bridge- psychological + Supernatural. Sometimes, I got so caught up with either, I had to deal with a certain amount of emotional distress that was created by my mind alone. I won’t call it struggle but instead use the term challenge. It was a constant challenge to keep my sanity as an author and not get too lost in the minds of my characters.
I am still learning and as I write my second book, I find new learnings or the old ones seem irrelevant. I suppose that is a learning too- to constantly innovate, reinvent yourself and your writing.
Most importantly, like I mentioned before, be kind to yourself. Nobody expects you to write that masterpiece from the word go. Writing a book is a process, a journey that will take the time it needs, give it that. One must support that journey with the right discipline, enthusiasm and faith in oneself.

Q.9 Are you working on anything at present that you would like to share with your readers? What are your future plans?

A- I am working on my second book and the first draft is done. The story for the third is almost complete. Let’s see how it goes from here! I wouldn’t want to disclose much except they are quite different from ‘A Dark and Shiny Place’, but thrillers they are 🙂
I plan to keep working on exciting new web shows and films as I slowly build on my new journey as a new author.

Q.10  At Sharing Stories, we have an ongoing campaign ‘Let’s Empower Our Kids’. Please suggest some books here that you would want your child to read before the age of 15 which could help him in understanding certain dimensions of human life like empathy, sympathy, relationships, etc.

A- That is such a wonderful initiative by Sharing Stories! Congratulations and all the best to the team. Some of the books that truly helped shape my mind when I was a little girl and I recommend strongly are-
The Little Prince.
Lord of the Flies.
Some Nancy Drew/ Enid Blyton/ Famous Five.
The Lord of the Rings.
Call of The Wild.
Roald Dahl books.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide To the Galaxy.
The Mahabharata.

Rapid Fire Round- Favourite

1. Place- Home.
2. Actor & Actress – Thats tough! Too many. Jake Gyllenhaul, Julie Andrews, Gene Hackman, Smita Patil, Meryl Streep, Robin Wright, Sigourney Weaver, Tom Hanks, Al Pacino, Gregory Peck, Joaquin Phoenix, Jaideep Alhawat, Mathew McConaughey, Rekha…. endlist really!
3. Person, Food, beverage- Cannot be a person, it’s people and I have a big family 🙂 I love food but home made fish, fried or curry wins hands down. Nimbu pani !!
4. Your other Talents apart from writing- People Management, bathroom singing, decent dancer and a good cook.
5. Your First Love- My Husband and my Dog, it’s a tie 😉
6. Favourite Quote- The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live- Norman Cousins.
7. Favourite Character from a book- Otto from The Discovery of Heaven and Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings.

What if Round

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

A- Respect, Integrity and Love. Everything else can be replaced and earned if we have these.

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

A- The world today is a result of the cause and effect over centuries. Change is constant. It is happening as I write this. Rather than changing one thing, if each being lives more consciously, the world will automatically be a better place.

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

A- Remind myself that it is temporary.