About the Author:
Anupriya belongs to that generation of Idiots (proud ones though), who did their engineering first and then decided on what they actually wanted to do. So an Engineer turned Human Resources professional, turned stay at home mother turned blogger turned author, she has now ventured out as a co-founder of a Waste Management start-up. A mom and an entrepreneur by day and a reader/writer by night, Anupriya is a die-hard romantic.
She can be found in the dot com world at her blog www.mommytincture.com, which is her outlet to the world where she also doles out loads of gyaan on lifestyle trends, self improvement and relationship management.
Her first published book ‘Because I Promised’ a romance drama, is available online at akvire.com and amazon.in.
Anupriya on the Web:
Interview with Anupriya
When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/ a storyteller?
Realise? I don’t know. But I do remember the first time I made a wish that I be able to write a love story some day. That was when Mills & Boons first published the Indian Authors in India. I bought the entire set of M&B titles and read them. I was so overwhelmed and delighted that I felt this urge to write a love story and wished that I be published with M&B someday. Well, its not M&B yet, but I do have two published books to my credit now.
What inspires you to write?
Even though I had made that wish to be able to write a M&B someday, I wasn’t actually writing at that point of time. Then I stumbled upon a forum where fanfictions for a popular daily soap for youngsters were being published. I was following that show and realised that I had my own version of emotions and events that I would have preferred for the characters. So I got writing and published a dozen fanfictions on that platform. They were received well. And I realised that I have my own perspective of looking at things and analyzing emotions in a given set of circumstances. My perspective - that is something that still inspires me to write.
How did you come up with the idea for your current story?
So happened to be talking to a friend who was telling me, how she missed her best friend (a guy) from college. Though she is happily married and immensely in love with her partner, she still missed having her friend around her. That’s when the idea for ‘Unusual Equations’ struck me.
Are there some stories tucked away in some drawer that was written before and never saw the light of the day?
Actually, there’s one story that I has seen 50 thousand words of its age, but is still nowhere near the possibility of being published. And then, there are many stories that are tucked away in my heart and mind. But I haven’t penned them down yet. It might sound like an excuse, but time really is a scarce commodity in my case.
Tell us about your writing process.
Initially, when I penned ‘Because I Promised’ I wasn’t following any writing process. I was what is popularly known in the authors’ dictionary, as being a ‘Panster’. But with my following works, I started drawing up a basic outline of the characters and the events about how I want the story to proceed. But that’s it. I feel I am more of a spontaneous person, who writes as and when I feel things. One thing, that I do realize is that, when I have to write about something, the incident or character remains with me all through the day as I go on about other tasks in life. This way, I am constantly building up the character or the incident in my mind. So when I sit down to type, it’s just a manifestation of my thoughts.
What is your favorite scene in the book? Why?
My favourite scene from ‘Unusual Equations’ is the one in the climax when the two male protagonists are in a dialogue with each other in the absence of the heroine of the book. Their insecurities and admittance of the impossible situation that they are stuck, is bound to touch the raw nerves of every person who has had a friend or has been that friend who could have been more.
Did any of your characters inherit some of your own quirks?
Ummm! Not exactly. In my first book, my female protagonist inherited some characteristics from me. So much so that some of my friend readers could draw the direct connections. So for ‘Unusual Equations’ I made it a point to not have any similarities between the protagonists and myself.
Do you read? Who are your favourite authors and how have they influenced your writing style?
Reading came to me a little late in life. I became a reader per say only after I graduated. I haven’t stopped since then. I read. Like I read voraciously. Fiction/non-fiction, Indian/International and all kinds of genres. I could safely say that I have a Compulsive Reading disorder. My favorite authors are many. Among the Indian Authors I love Ravi Subramanian and Anuja Chauhan. And I love all the indie authors from my writers’ community – Aarti V. Raman, MV Kasi, Ruchi Singh, Rubina Ramesh, Shilpa Suraj, Rubina Kochchar and many more.
Among the international authors, I grew up reading Jeffery Archer and still read him. I am also drawn towards works of Nora Roberts and Daniel Steel for the way they bring their characters and their emotions to life.
I can’t say that any one of them has influenced my writing style. Infact I am too much of a novice and feel that I have drawn inspiration from each one of the books that I might have read till date.
What is the best piece of advice you have received, as a writer, till date?
One of my writer friends is very clear in her writing goals. She says that it is impossible to write something and please everyone. Someone or the other will always be ‘not impressed’. So it’s better to write for yourself. Your soul should feel sated once you have written something. I think it’s the most sensible piece of advice for not only the writer in me, but for every aspect of life.
I can’t (atleast as of now) write with a formula. Not beat sheets or plot sheets are relevant to me. I know I have a long way to go, but I am in a happy space.
What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
Writing is the only way one could get to writing better. So practice. But to write better , one also needs to be more mindful. Go out, observe people and make notes (mental/physical) and find ideas for your next story. I know this is against the popular theory that writers love to remain secluded from the world. But that may not be the complete truth. They may be the loners, but they definitely observe the world with more precision. I am myself not perfect at the art of observing yet. I am learning still.
What would be the Dream Cast for you book if it was to be turned into a movie?
Arjun Roy Kapoor Rao as Aman, Siddharth Malhotra as Viraj and Tapasee Pannu as Madhuri. Yes, I think this would make for a perfect cast for ‘Unusual Equations’.
If you were to be stranded on the famous deserted island, what three things would you carry?
My kindle for sure. A pair of sunglasses (I can’t stand the sun) and a lots of food ( I can’t bear hunger either)
How do you spend your free time? Do you have a favorite place to go and unwind?
You are talking to a mother of two boys who lives in a joint family. Free Time! What does that even mean! Yet whenever I have the opportunity, I like to go out dining with friends or go for a movie with husband. Ummm! Just to make a point. Last time I met my friends was the first weekend of this new year. And the last movie we watched was Bala, sometime back in December 2019. That’s how frequently free I get.
My family would like to believe that when I am free, I read books. But no, I am not reading books because I am free. I am reading because that’s a part of my routine. Like bathing, eating, sleeping. Reading is a task that I can’t do away with.
Can you share with us something off your bucket list?
Quite a few indeed!
1) Write a Bestseller
2) A road trip on the bike, across the country
3) Appear on radio
4) Go sky diving
5) Live in Paris for atleast a month
6) Be featured in a newspaper or a magazine with a half page photo of mine.
7) Make my parents (both sets) and my kids, basically my entire family, very very proud of me. I didn’t mention my husband, because I know he is already proud of me. And more than me, he is proud of himself for hitting gold by finding me for himself.
I know all this sounds crazy, but I want it all.
Tell us three fun facts about yourself.
Fun facts about me?
1) I am perpetually hungry. I will have my meal and move out of home. And before we have crossed the lane out to the main road, I am already hungry again. My friends’ gang is never worried about food being left on the table. “Anu hai na. Sab khatam ho jaayega.”
2) I was the only girl in my college (both engineering and MBA) to be riding a motorbike. I was called the bike waali ladki/junior/senior amongst the college mates.
3) I will talk non-stop if and when you meet me. Within half an hour, I will have told you everything about my life and at the risk of sounding like a pile on, I might continue to talk for the next two hours. And then I might spend the last half an hour apologizing for being such a naïve pile on.
What do you have in store next for your readers?
Aaah! There is a Novella, ready to be edited and published. But I am having some jitters about it. So I might want to go back to the table and revamp the story a bit to include the feedback that I have received for my first two books. And then there is a project for writing about the real life story of a dear friend. Let’s see when that will happen. I am keeping my fingers crossed.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with your readers?
I hear a lot of people backing out from their passion, because they feel that they are not good enough. I would urge that following your passion is not about being good or bad. Or about how other people will perceive them. It’s just about finding happiness for your soul. If the burden of failure or of expectations (yours’ or others’) is weighing down on you and keeping you away from what you love or from following your dreams, just shed the wait. In my mid-30s I can tell you, as you age, none of it matters. What matters is that when you look back in life, you should have enough memories to reminisce on and smack your head, “God! Was I that crazy! Wow!”
About the Book:
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| Check out the Book on Amazon |
The fiery and very independent Madhuri has a fight with her husband and in her rage leaves her home. She knows there is one place in the world where she is always welcome.
Viraj is struggling to concentrate at work as he has a wife to worry about. He knows that Madhuri is annoyed with him. But he is more apprehensive because he knows that she is currently parked at the apartment of his arch nemesis.
Aman knows that he can never claim her as his. Yet he can’t help but get a kick out of the circumstances that have brought Madhuri to his place. He is bound by his dedication to her and supports her, come what may.
This is the journey of lives of three people entwined by love, passion, urge and devotion. This is their story as they discover that they are connected for life because it is possible for one person to love two people with equal ardor.
Giveaway:
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