Q.1 Tell us a
little about yourself?
A. I’m a girl next door. Just like you
find everywhere in malls, colleges, markets, and metro. I studied psychology
from Delhi University. When I came to Delhi for College I was very shy and
inexperienced in many ways. I had come from a small town in Uttarakhand where
life was very different. Life in Delhi it was totally the opposite.
Q.2 Do you have
any upcoming books? Any plans on writing a full-fledged novel?
A. Yes, currently I’m working on it. I
guess by July I will be done writing. And it is going to be a full-fledged
novel.
Q.3 When and why
did you begin writing?
A. While attending college I was
exposed to many new things that I had never experienced. Living in Delhi was a revelation for
me. I met so many youngsters and others from different walks of life that my
world view changed dramatically. Study in psychology made me understand human behavior in a very unique way and it gave a perspective on everything.
My College forced me to write
something on what I have experienced so I started with a personal diary and a
blog. I was very candid, especially in my diaries. I wasn’t writing for anyone
else. A friend of mine asked me to publish my notes. I was scared that no
publisher would buy my raw work. My friend was a great help and he asked me to
talk with a fairly new publisher who was basically into e-books and audiobooks. That how I met Tiwa Publications. They immediately put out my work on
Amazon. Lo and behold I’m now a published author of two books.
Q.4 What do you
want readers to take away from your book?
A. I want my readers to come out of
this mindset that women and girls have not come from another planet. They
are like normal people with every character's strength and flaw you can imagine.
And also the girls can be expressive and outspoken when it comes to sex.
Especially in a country like India a girl talking about sex, erotica, or any
fantasy is seen as a different species, which is not the case.
Q.5 How do you
come up with the name of your books?
A. Well, I prefer to keep my titles
simple and easy to remember. I like to give some hint to my readers of what
they should expect. And that’s why I included words like diary and journey in
naming my first two books.
Q.6 If you could
tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
A. Read More, Travel more, and
experience more.
Q.7 Your work
Life of a Young Girl depicts many social issues, according to you what is the main reason that women have to go through all that?
A. I feel that our social norms have
not accommodated or truly accepted an emancipated woman. So a strong woman
would be labeled, a woman with desire would be called names. But a guy would
be considered a gentleman for doing the same.
Q.8 How does the empowerment of women affect development?
A. As you know a woman has certain
traits that make her a natural nurturer, creator and she is in sync with her
emotions. We need a humane face of development. Society in men’s hands produces
weapons of mass destruction whereas we offer love, harmony, and balance. So we
know how to play our part.
Q.9 How do you
deal with a lingering, creeping thoughts of doubts and fears?
A. Doubts and fears are part of our
lives. All we need to learn is how to deal with it. My worst fear is losing
people I love. I have lost some really close people. It hurts.
Q.10 Do you read
your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?
A. I do read the reviews, but I don’t
judge my work based on the reviews. The reviewers tell you more about
themselves than the author.
Q.11 Who would
you most like to thank for their involvement in your writing career?
A. Well, I would like to thank my
friends Savneet, Pooja, and Bhumika who read my diaries after I allowed them.
They encouraged me to publish. I take their advice when I’m writing. Then some people don’t want to be named, but they have been watching my back. I
love them for being there.
Q.12 Do you
believe in writer’s block? If yes, how do you deal with it?
A. There is this devil called writer's
block, but then you learn how to deal with it.
Q.13 Where do you
hope to take your writing in the future?
A. I want to write and if possible
then make it a career. Writing is my passion, but I haven’t set my goals yet.
Q.14 Do you have
any unique and quirky writing habits?
A. Yes, I like to have a glass of wine
while writing something intense.
Q.15 What do you
consider to be your best accomplishment?
A. Getting published was my dream. It
has now been realized thanks to my publishers, Tiwa Publication. Now I want to
sell like a hot cake. That would be another accomplishment.
Q.16 What is the
most unethical practice in the publishing industry?
A. Selling crap as a bunch of Roses.
Q.17 Who edited
your book and how did you select him/her?
A. Editing is a problem area because I
write freely and don’t care for editing while writing. I believe a good editor
is key to come up with better work. And behind every best-selling author, there is an amazing editor. I’m yet to find my soulmate editor.
Q.18 Which famous
person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?
A. I would like to meet Anais Nin who
was dead way back before I was even born. She is the only one who I think has
understood women's sexuality in the right perspective and even dared to portray
in an era when women were no more than a walking hole.
Q.19 What is your
favorite book and why?
A. Delta of Venus by Anais Nin. She
can be experienced while reading, but words cannot explain the depth of the
work.
Q.20 Share the
experience of your journey so far?
A. My journey has just started. I’m in
for a long haul. I want to break barriers and it may sound clichéd but I really
want to push the glass ceiling for my sorority sisters.
Share your social account links -
Facebook - @AuthorAnushkaMehta
Twitter - @Mehta_Anushka
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