AUTHOR’S INTERVIEW OF HEENA JOSHI FOR ‘I IN LIFE’

Q1.Would you like to introduce yourself to your readers?

 Ans.A mother who is learning to be a parent. A writer who takes up writing challenges and conquers the fear of writing good. A journalist by academics and also previous profession. A teacher by heart.

Q2. What inspired you to write this book?

Ans. I hope you believe when I say that the birth of this book was an accident than any plan. It was just my recluse in writing to bear the loss of my mother in law, that “I in life”, was conceived. I was crestfallen and suddenly super lonely without having her behind me everyday and that was the month of NapoWrimo (national poetry writing month- Arpil every year), so all the poetry platforms including yourquote too, were filled with prompts and somewhere in depression, this book happened. I wrote more than 200 poetries in that month itself. Sometimes, tough times leave their beautiful footprints with you and this book is one of those.

Q3. What do you hope your readers take away from this book?

Ans. I may sound brutally honest but this book was my second book after a short story collection and for the first time, I never cared about readers. I wrote what I felt and observed around me. Be it a seemingly cheerful lady, who looks all very happy till the time someone gives her eyes a chance to talk. So basically, even though I did not care much about the response of readers, I cared enough about the lives around me. So every reader will find a part of them in the book. Somewhere struggling, somewhere settling down, somewhere learning, somewhere unlearning, to feel what they have suppressed, to suppress what lies there unnecessarily, to get carried away with the meanings much needed to sort life. 

Q4. Is writing your full-time career? Or would you like it to be?

Ans. As of now when I am home bound with my little one, writing is my only source to earn. But yes, it is turning into a full time career with my upcoming third book, a short story collection (which I attempted in May short story month.)

Q5. Do you like reading? Who is your favourite author?

Ans. Reading was part of me since my childhood and I picked up the pace in my pre wedding years where I used to read one book in a day too. I guess, reading is like setting up furniture in the room of thoughts, and writing is dusting that furniture. So reading gives a writer the raw material and writing helps to polish that rawness. Also writing is a process, where writer develops the photos or his/her read material and gets the final print in form of his own writing. My favourite authors are Paulo Coelho, Mitch Albom, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Elizbeth Gilbert, J.K.Rowling, Ruskin Bond, Agatha Christie, Amish Tripathi, Ashwin Sanghi, Novoneel Chakraborty, Twinkle Khanna, Cheryl Strayed ( the list goes on )

Q6. If not writing books, how would you express your creativity?

Ans. If it was not writing, then I would have painted graffiti on walls. I would try it once for sure. It magnanimity just drools me over.

Q7. What famous author do you wish would be your mentor?

Ans. I want Paulo Coelho to be my mentor in writing. His writings are soothing and are salad for soul; a healthiest salad. 

Q8. What did you learn while writing this book?

Ans. Writing is like mathematics in terms of practising. The more you write, is the way to crack the secret of being better at it. While writing this book, I just did not get the best secret to be a better writer, which was continuity but also a lesson that simplicity is the essence of writing, a rare and often over understood essence. Writing is not about saying something new every time, but making the old look new with your way of writing and trust me, your ways will always be unique and precious. You won’t realise it till you actually start writing.

Q9. What is your opinion on today’s relationships of the present youth?

Ans. Talking of romantic relationships amongst youth, I guess that it is the most over rated phenomenon, and it is high time, our youth needs a reality check. We writers too have a responsibility here to put a full stop to fairy tales in love, which are misguiding the youth about concept of love. I would never blame the youth because it is all an imposed, capitalist propaganda done by media in the name of love. For example, celebrating valentines day. The reason why it is a hype because if media and today’s so called literature will stop feeding the young minds about the unnecessary emergency to celebrate it, their products won’t sale. Who will buy expensive gifts in the name of celebrating the week of love. So the idea of consumerism has taken over the once upon so wise and patient love. I hope soon an eye opener comes into the scene through any book or media to raise the curtain.

Q10. Any message for your readers?

Ans. The habit of reading is habit of leading and healing. If you find unable to read or get interest in book, keep trying the other book because some book, somewhere is definitely made for each one of us. And that some book will take you to the world of knowledge, remedies, power, healing, overcoming fears. More than what today’s concept of love will do to you. Just believe in the being of a book made for you and keep trying to change genres till you find the right one for you.