- What inspired you to write this particular book, and how did the idea for the story come to you?
Would it be too cliched to say that it was a heartbreak?
In all my previous relationships, the person I was with had been a muse. I think it was a lot of rage towards the transient nature of relationships that made me choose an entirely fictional character to be my muse. Thus, Meera was born. She was meant to be an amalgamation of everyone I had been with, and with time, she became someone entirely new; someone that my Instagram followers could deeply relate with.
2.Can you share some insights into your writing process? Do you follow a specific routine or have any unique rituals that help you get into the creative flow?
I wouldn’t call it a process as much as an intrinsic need to quench a thirst. If I sat down right now and started writing, the output would probably be decent? But it wouldn’t be the same as when the need to write arises from within, and that thirst wouldn’t stop until I decided to put it out.
As for rituals, I prefer to write with songs in the background. When writing different genres, I choose songs that match the zone of the story. But there is a lot of work that goes before you start writing. It is particularly important to read literature and consume cinema that inspires your writing. I believe that if you are not someone who observes people, their mannerisms and how they behave in different scenarios, you are probably not going to be a good writer.
3.The characters in your book are quite distinct and memorable. Are they based on real people, or did they evolve purely from your imagination?
Meera, like I said, eventually became an amalgamation of all the different people I had been with. But if I was to be honest, I now see Meera as an extension of my own feelings and myself in the way we both handle loss and grief. She is a character too close to me and I think it has to do with how my writing has evolved from being about angst to about acceptance.
The character of Deb is meant to be an ideal lover that you are unlikely to find in real life. He was born out of this desire for a partner that I thought I would never attain.
4.Your book delves into the themes of love, loss and acceptance. What motivated you to explore this theme, and what messages or discussions do you hope readers will take away from your work?
The only thing I want readers to take away from my book is acceptance. I have faced immense loss and grief, particularly in the last few years, and I hope that these stories in a way helps people understand loss in a way that is healthy, and become more accepting of their own selves.
Love is the guiding force for the book, with the romance between Deb and Meera being the central conflict, but as you read along, you’d realize it is really about Meera coming to terms with all that life has unfortunately doled out to her, and her cathartic journey.
5.The world-building in your novel is incredibly rich and immersive. How did you go about creating the setting, and did you draw inspiration from any real-world locations or historical events?
Major portions of the setting are directly lifted from real life. Considering how close this story is to me, some of the events and places are where some of these stories actually happened. I guess when you are trying to write something that happened to you, it looks and feels real as well.
6.As a writer, how do you balance the need for originality with the expectations of the genre? Were there any challenges in putting your unique spin on familiar elements?
I am of the belief that unless you are out there trying to actively rip off or plagiarize something, originality will never be a problem.
It is true that stories relating to romance are probably the most common out there, and it is obvious considering our underlying, collective obsession for love but if you decide to write about your personal experiences, it would still be different from mine, right?
I guess the idea is to be honest with what you’re writing and if you have read enough, which you must if you want to be a writer, you’d know what to avoid. Eventually, you’ll find your unique voice, removing the need to try to be original. It will be something that comes naturally to you.
7.The pacing of the story is well-crafted, keeping readers engaged from start to finish. Can you share your approach to maintaining tension and momentum throughout the narrative?
I have grown up on a healthy dose of short stories and thrillers where you got to hold the reader’s attention on each page. No matter the genre, I believe that you need to plan your stories such that the reader is constantly feeling energized and excited to know what comes next.
One way of doing that is knowing how your story ends and planning backwards, or at least that’s how I plan it. But I do know writers who figure out the end as the story goes along as well, so I guess there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this.
8.In the age of rapidly changing media and reader preferences, how do you see the role of traditional storytelling evolving, and how do you adapt your writing to connect with contemporary audiences?
A good story will always find an audience. We see that with books, we continue to see that with cinema. Formats and perceptions will change, what will not change is our innate need to tell and listen to stories that are captivating.
On a more personal level, I have been trying my hands at reels though my heart continues to remain with long-form written pieces. I guess we will find out where I stand in a few years?
Embark on an emotional journey with ‘Meera’ by Deb. Let the pages unravel a story of love, loss, and acceptance. Grab your copy on Amazon now, and let the enchantment begin!
