What genre is your first book?
Honestly, the book cannot be classified into any particular genre. The
story is more of a drama with a dose of romance thrown in along with it.
So, I can’t really name it as being of any one genre but it is a
unique story that adults and teenagers can both enjoy.
Why a book about dance? Are you a dancer?
No, I am not a dancer at all! I have learned Bharatanatyam until about
ten years old but never performed seriously at any time. But a story set
in the dance world was an idea that I was intrigued by and that is the
reason that I felt compelled to create a tale based on that.
How do you describe your first book ‘Blood, sweat and tears?
My book is a story about a young woman with an ambition she is
determined to fulfill more than anything else. She wants to make it as a
professional dancer, which is a really long and hard journey to
undertake. The interesting part is that the girl is of partly Indian and
partly Russian descent, so in her story the cultures of both countries
will be brought out. The story is not deep and serious but is a light,
short read that I hope readers will enjoy.
Have you had any stories or poems published prior to this book?
No, the few short stories I did write earlier were quite terrible in my
opinion, so I ended up throwing them away. Some years ago, I tried
writing a blog but ended up deleting that as well. Still, getting some
writing published eventually was something I was determined to do.
What do think of so many people wanting to write books today?
There does seem to be a new author emerging in India every week now! I
look in the paper and see that everyone wants to write a book today- or
just has. This makes it the worst time to want to write a novel since it
will be just one of so , so many! but it is still nice to see that
writing is a growing trend in today’s time when people are reading less
and less.
Who are your role models?
Many people across different fields are role models for me for different
reasons. Monica Seles the tennis player is someone I really admire for
the way she overcame her adversity and returned to life. Audrey Hepburn
is another figure I look up to because of the elegance that she always
displayed.
Thanks for your time Arya and all the best for your first novel!