Author Namrata Gupta talks about her writing | Interview

I was a science topper till class 12th and a state topper in Physics in class 12th board exams but later took up English Literature at Hans Raj College, Delhi University as I wanted to explore that area more.

I’ve won awards in fashion shows and sports championships alike. But I’ve always loved reading and writing. My poems were published in national newspapers like Punjab Kesari when I was 10. Deep down, I’m just another girl trying to make a place for herself in the world.

I like travelling and exploring new things. I dislike monotonous and fixed routines.

Anyone who’s entering a new phase in life, be it academically or professionally will be able to relate with the plot as the protagonist is a fresher taking her first step into a renowned multinational company.

The corporate setup allowed me to put in romance, suspense, lies, deception, misunderstandings, betrayal, revenge, deceit, and power plays within the narrative. The plot has business partnerships, corporate life, a warm love affair, and a thirst for vengeance.

Similarly, after looking into the heart of betrayal, Sanaya is completely transformed to right the wrongs done to her. Yet deep in her heart, she yearns to go back to old times and to her unfiltered self. Siddharth runs from his own emotions in the book. In running from his feelings, he showcases a variety of shades and at times, contradictory traits within him.

These are the struggles that everybody faces at some point or the other in life. We, as humans, experience betrayal or heartbreak, wear a mask in public, pretend to be strong when we are breaking down inside, become a victim of misunderstandings, have trouble healing from a relationship or an event, transform to become a stronger person or run from ourselves. The characters in the book are just human like us and so, it’s easy to relate to them.

Moreover, Young Adults will also connect with different familial and romantic relationships showcased in the book, given the variety of characters in different life phases, and highlighting a wide range of emotions.

For me, little breaks are important to stimulate creativity. So if I have a plot in mind, I might end up writing every day for a month. And in other months, I might not write at all.

I would personally suggest reading books of a particular genre before writing in that genre.

While Sanaya is completely transformed by the end of the book, rising from the ashes like a phoenix to right the wrongs done to her, Siddharth has contradictory traits and different shades that are embedded in our personalities in general. He is seen running from himself in the book.

Sanaya’s transformation is a necessary change that she has to go through in life to move towards the ladder of success.
Siddharth has to be clear in his head and get his shit together to make his life better.

Just like modern relationships require us to deal with our individual issues first, and it’s only after we put in efforts to resolve conflicts that we can fix or mend relationships, Sanaya and Siddharth’s relationship is no different and mirrors modern relationships.

The Full Circle captures the story of a traveller named Aditya, who on his journey to finding a ‘home’, ‘home’ in the spiritual sense, becomes a part of various stories and helps people in his own way. In the book, the concept of ‘home’ is shifted from the physical domain to the spiritual one. The book breaks stereotypes at many levels and questions ‘settlement’ as being related to ‘fixedness’.

Lost Love Late Love is about toxic relationships, their psychological impacts and has the concept of soulmates within its narrative. The book is a guide to navigating toxic relationships and explores soulmate relationships in depth. Unlike other books which give out the message of what you should do, Lost Love Late Love tells you what not to do. It explores the all-consuming disastrous side of love.

One Wedding, Three Murders is a thriller. It is set in the 1980s. Abe Town is run by a wealthy family headed by a shrewd businessman, Eric Durant. His daughter, Erica Durant, is one of the most desired ladies in the entire county, who isn’t as kind as she looks. On the day of her wedding, tragedy strikes when her father is mysteriously found dead, with a bloody knife found on an unsuspecting waitress. Multiple witnesses create a confusing timeline. Sheriff Jake Palmer must work with what he has got but is perplexed when one of the witnesses pointed towards the groom being the architect of the entire plan.

The plot required more thinking and logical reasoning but the characters required the intensity of feeling as sewing the past experiences of characters and where they come from within the narrative while justifying their present complexities as rooting from the past or being a result of various psychological and socio-cultural influences, and at the same time keeping those intact and running along in the narrative requires efforts from the writer’s end.

Plus, they also have to grow as persons within the story and that too has to be highlighted, keeping their integrity intact, without making them come out as whimsical if they’re not supposed to.

Currently, majority of Indian authors receive peanuts when it comes to royalties and are seen marketing the book by themselves only.

A more holistic approach towards making the book a success can increase readership and help in the emergence of new readers, as teamwork can do wonders!