When did your love of books begin?​

My elder sister introduced me to this beautiful world of books when I was in grade 4. It was one of the Famous Five series by Enid Blyton. The exhilaration and the excitement I felt for the characters was something I’d never experienced before. The five friends became my friends too before the end of the book. I’d never imagined that some words printed on a paper by a person decades ago could make me feel like that, and it opened a whole new world for me. I never looked back after that and have devoured books ever since. 

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How did your journey begin as a writer?

I have been writing since childhood—for the school magazine, office newsletters, and the like. Later, as life got busy, I continued to write occasionally to get emotions out of my system as a cathartic process. Serious writing, however, started only in 2020. I started writing a blog (www.intelligentparent.com) and opinion pieces for a news site. I wrote some short stories, and I realized I loved writing fiction. It gave me a sense of fulfillment and happiness like no other. 

That was the birth of my first short story collection, The Tales Next Door -a collection of ten short stories depicting various slices of Indian life. This was the precursor to the Aarya Sarkar series and my debut novel, The Spiral of Deception.

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What was the inspiration behind your debut novel, The Spiral of Deception?

I enjoy reading thrillers and mysteries. Therefore, it was not a surprise to me when the first plot of an entire novel I thought of was in the same genre. Most of my stories are influenced in some parts by what happens in reality. Some news articles, some stories that your neighbor tells you, a piece of gossip that you overhear—these influence the various parts of the story.

Aarya is such a cool character! How did you go about constructing her personality and her career as a private investigator?

I have to agree (with all humility) that Aarya is terrific. I love her, and so do most of my readers. As I have often said, she is the type of daughter I would hope for if I had one.

There was a discussion with some of my friends where we talked about various professions and how women have added significant value to each. We all felt that investigation and crime are places where, especially in cities like Delhi, women might find it difficult, almost impossible, to make a mark. That was the genesis of Aarya’s character. I started imagining a woman, her personality and traits, strengths and weaknesses, who could make an indelible mark as an investigator.

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What about the Gravity’s Edge series? How did that come into being? 

A short story, or rather a flash fiction, written by my son, planted the seed of the idea of Gravity’s Edge in my head. It had a Captain Xandar, fighting aliens on a volcanic planet. I loved the concept and fleshed it out a little more. It was just for fun in the beginning since it’s a different genre, but before I knew it, I had the complete novel plotted out. I loved writing the series. It is more of a space thriller than hardcore sci-fi, so in a way, it’s not that different from what I’d written earlier.

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How have you found the process of becoming an author?

It has been an insightful process. Each character you create is a part of you. You give something away, a part of yourself in each story, while the story gives you back a part of yourself. You evolve as a person with every plot and every character. I know myself better, my desires, my weaknesses, and my strengths with every page I write.

 

Who are your favorite mystery authors?

I have to say, Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle. I grew up reading their books and have enjoyed every mystery.

 

What are you working on now? 

I am back to working on the next Aarya Sarkar novel. She still has to face her nemesis, Z, and uncover his identity.