Uday Satpathy is an Information Technology expert in the world of Healthcare and Life Sciences. He has a degree in electrical engineering and an MBA from one of the top B-schools of the country. Brutal, his first novel, was born out of his love for thrillers with intricate plots. He is a movie connoisseur, a cricket fanatic, a quizzing enthusiast and a travel freak. As if that was not enough, he has a special place in his heart for cooking as well.
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Interview with the Author:
When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/ a storyteller?
I have been more of a reader than a writer throughout my life. During my childhood, I had written a couple of SciFi short stories but they were laughably amateurish. Perhaps the first realization which struck me was that I could create stories. I was more of a story formulator than a storyteller. I would think of interesting plots, yet never put them on the paper. It would all be in my mind. Things, however, took a different turn for Brutal. The story was as usual running in my mind for a few months, without coming out in form of words. One day while driving to my office, I struck a brilliant plot twist, which made me desperate to put my thoughts in writing. That was the beginning of my dedicated attempted at writing.
What inspires you to write?
I am a thriller novelist. I want my readers to get thrilled, get absorbed in the world created by me. My work is not finished till they get what they asked for.
Is there some stories tucked away in some drawer that was written before and never saw the light of the day?
Oh yes! A lot of thrillers yet to see the light of the day because I am still doing research. I have already begun working on one such idea. More news will follow soon.
Tell us about your writing process.
I create a high level plot of the story I am going to tell. This process takes months and takes a lot of research. I don’t feel confident about starting a story if I haven’t read multiple books and articles on the topics contained in my book. I sleep over plotlines for days and trash them if they are not interesting or are clichéd. I have to get that ‘eureka’ feeling before I start writing. What follows is a race from one plot milestone to another. In this process, I get stuck multiple times, sometimes because of writer’s block, sometimes because my characters get stuck in impossible situations and then need ideas from me to get out. It usually becomes tougher as we near the end of a story.
What is your favorite scene in the book? Why?
Well, my book is not yet released, so I can’t reveal much. Just to give you an idea, the most memorable scene in my book occurs when something very terrible happens to one of my major characters. Personally, I was in a sort of trauma while writing that scene.
Did any of your characters inherit some of your own quirks?
No. My characters are more interesting than me.
What is your usual writing routine?
I usually work late nights after my dinner. I wish I could write on weekends, but it never happens.
Do you read? Who are your favourite authors and how have they influenced your writing style?
My favorite genre is thriller. Personally, I don’t have a preference for an author, because there are a lot of good ones. I go by their books. I keep skimming through Amazon.com reviews and ratings and if I like a book, irrespective of whether the author is a known one or not, I would get it. Having said that, I like Scandinavian thrillers a lot. Taking about their influence on my writing, I would say I do have an inclination towards building dark, somber worlds.
What is the best piece of advice you have received, as a writer, till date?
“Show, don’t tell.” It is a wonderful guiding light to avoid lazy writing.
What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
You have to write in spite of the criticism. You have to write better because of the criticism.
How do you spend your free time?
I watch lots and lots of movies. They can be of any language and from any country. I love to cook also.
Can you share with us something off your bucket list?
- Go to the extremes of this world. To places like Antarctica and Mount Everest.
- Writing a romantic novel someday under a pseudonym (borrowing from my wife’s bucket list for me).
- Spend a vacation where I don’t touch my phone or laptop for one full week.
What do you have in store next for your readers?
A political thriller with the working title “Victim Six”.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with your readers?
Keep reading and trying new authors.
About the Book:
"You are in real, real danger." - A school teacher gets a creepy warning in his mailbox. Seven days later, he murders eleven of his students. Two months later, he is gunned down in broad daylight by an obscure militant outfit. Justice served. The nation pacified. Case closed.
But not for two crime reporters. Seeking redemption through this case are Prakash and Seema, ace journalists but broken individuals. As they follow the story, they are led to the ominous wilds of Bandhavgarh where an eerily similar massacre had occurred eight years ago. Little do they know that they have stirred up a hornet's nest.
One by one their leads start turning up in body bags and they are chased by assassins at every corner. Soon they realize that they are pitted against evil powers pervading the business and political DNA of the country, with an unbelievably sinister agenda. People who are about to let Prakash and Seema know how brutal they can be.
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