1. Can you tell us a little about your book?
This book which has a true story, basically tells you about the ordeal of a lady with cancer and about a girl who lost her father and is hopeless in life. The lady is the girl’s aunt. The girl is attracted to her aunt’s cheery persona and wants to discover her story of surviving the worst and still maintaining a charismatic demeanour. Her Aunty takes her on a journey of doubts, sadness, hope, love, respect, challenges, belief and happiness.
2. Is there a specific event that inspired this story or was this an out of the blue idea?
I always dreamt of writing and when I found a story, my heart and hands could not stop to say things aloud.
3. What got you writing in the first place?
I wanted to do something where I could write my father’s name forever and bringing out a book is the best I could do. When your pain is undefined, can’t be articulated, just scribble, it will not disappear, but the intensity would decrease and you settle with it.
4. What was your impression of your first draft when you read it?
I thought I would complete a book in 3 months unless one of my friends read it and scolded me badly and said “I expected more from you”, that is when I realised that my first draft was exceptionally pathetic.
5. Which part of your story connects the most with you? Why?
A dream where I see my father. IT’s real, I see him most of the nights, sometimes quiet, sometimes standing far away, sometimes reminding me my potential, sometimes just laying lifeless and sometimes just sitting and seeing us.
Also, where Manju Aunty talks about the way her husband supported her. The Love I still try to figure out, if it is alive in today’s generation. The episode gave me goosebumps.
6. What makes your book the one to read?
Two stories, running parallelly, one teaching the art of life and another learning the art of life. The story is about the emotional conflicts an individual goes through and how with time they try to settle.
7. What was the best advice you got while writing?
When you write, write in such a way that the reader can imagine the scene and feel every emotion of it.
8. Who’s your all-time favourite author? Which book of his/hers made you fall in love with them?
Robin Sharma, is one of my favourites. I love his book ‘The monk who sold his Ferrari’.
9. What is your evergreen tip to the writers out there?
Be confident about your script and your story. Put your soul into it. Do not worry about the criticism, just give your best.
10. What was your hardest scene to write?
The scene where I am venting out all my emotions, talking about how it feels to see someone you love in pain, and someone who is surviving with the pain.
11. Do you have another plot brewing?
Yes