1. Can you tell us a little about your book ?
“The grapes are sour.”
Drawing inspiration from this phrase and the story, this book talks about how human desires like love, a happy life, companionship, being successful, living your dreams are nothing but grapes we often crave for and that makes us all foxes going to extreme lengths at fulfilment of those worldly desires which often drive us mad until we finally realize that it's not always in our cards. Thus we just make up excuses in our minds about how materialistic or how childish those desires were and we never really craved them in the first place.
But this book is not only about drawing parallels between a moral lesson from a world renowned fable and harsh realities of real life. But it also talks about grief and how we as mortal fallible human beings handle it. You see, you can fool your mind into thinking that you never really craved for your desires but your soul never falls for this bluff! While you are busy living an illusion of a life created by your mind trying too hard to impress the world, your soul silently embarks upon a journey through various stages of grief in an attempt to overcome it one day and sync up with your present reality.
2. Is there a specific event that inspired this story or was this an out of the blue idea ?
As clichéd as it can get, there was actually a woman involved; a person who actually made me believe that I have got a chance at a peaceful and well ornate life with every spec of virtue I could have asked for. But who was I kidding! I really thought that she could help me run from my demons but I was wrong. Very very wrong. Not only did I drag her into my mess, I literally hung to her like a parasite draining a host of its life. And a person can only be humane enough to help but not at the cost of getting drowned. Thus, that whole episode proved to be my only turning point in life when I finally came to a conclusion that love is never enough! Not only did I realize that I need to be whole by myself before I can share myself with someone, but also I started writing about my emotions – the ones to hold onto and the ones to let go. Through this journey of processing my grief and chaos inside, I started learning how to fight my dark necessities and figure out a way to live a life worth living for. In a way, one clichéd act of hopelessness and a lifelong lover’s spat opened my eyes to a world of introspection. After all, what is life if not one big cliché?
Like a fox who tried his best to eat those grapes but when he failed, tricked his mind into thinking the grapes were sour, I too tried my luck at a happy life with a peaceful love but when it didn't pan out as expected, I too blamed my demons.
3. What got you writing in the first place?
I was around 12 when it all started. What started as a casual thing to just observe the world around and scribble down my thoughts on paper transcended into becoming a medium to vent out my thoughts which often clog my mind and I feel the pressure to just pen them down as soon as I can. The first poem I wrote was about the education system we were preached about and how hollow it was.
4. What was your impression of your first draft when you read it?
I hated it. I kind of don't like my present draft too. I am one of those kinds who can't fall in love with their own voice but will fall for a total random stranger!
5. Which part of your story connects the most with you? Why?
The stages – of Hope & Bargaining, Introspection & Acceptance, resonates with who I am and what I am becoming.
6. What makes your book the one to read?
Maybe if you love to hear about raw, naked honesty, mental health issues (not the awareness propaganda bs) and harsh realities of life and how it can bring you down just to propel you to get back up, then this book might just ignite that spark you’ve been looking for.
Never wait for the light at the end of your tunnel. Embrace your darkness, wear it like your precious jacket and try to befriend it if you can. It’s going to be a less painful. Acknowledge your pain enough to let it flow through you. Don’t fall for fake positivity which is so prevalent nowadays in this ocean of chaos. Your struggle and your hardships are yours and if you don’t feel okay, it’s okay. Just introspect before taking any drastic steps and you’ll be cool.
7. What was the best advice you got while writing?
Write as if no one’s going to read!
8. Who’s your all time favorite author? Which book of his/hers made you fall in love with them?
I hate reading books. But I love watching movies. But I do have a soft corner for Robert Frost.
9. What is your evergreen tip to the writers out there?
Thoughts or new ideas are like passing trees while travelling in a train or like dreams which you can'tcant recall as soon as you wake up. So always try to record or write down your thoughts/ideas whenever they drop by. Don'tDont wait to write later with better structure and articulation – that day will never come.
10. Do you have another plot brewing?
Yes. It's gonna be my debut story book. The plot involves zombies and betrayal with traces of hope and clean water here and there.