Shilpa Suraj was a year and a half
when she was first introduced to the world of books. Her mother would park her
with a picture book on the floor of the kitchen while she finished her cooking
for the day. While it’s no longer the kitchen floor, you can still find her tucked
away in a cosy nook somewhere with her nose buried in a book. While books in
all genres interest her, it was romance that captured her heart. While racing
through every romantic fiction book she could beg, borrow or buy, her over
active imagination started to work overtime and weave its own stories. Years in
the corporate world followed by a stint of entrepreneurship crystallised her
belief that all she really wanted to do was give life to the stories bubbling
inside of her. She briefly managed to tear herself away from the world of
fiction to find her own personal happily ever after and now spends her time
happily focusing on the two loves of her life – family and writing romances.
When
did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/ a storyteller?
I’ve always had a story to tell…the only
difference is earlier I got punished for it and now I get paid. Jokes aside, I
remember being the one narrating rather than listening to the bedtime story
even as a child. I’ve always wanted to be a storyteller but it’s only later in
life that I got around to doing this on a larger platform and with a wider
audience.
What
motivates you to write and where does your inspiration come from?
My motivation and my inspiration come from
the same place…life and my vivid imagination. I’ll write as long as I have a
story to tell and at the moment, I don’t see that ever ending. This is my
happily ever after.
How
did you come up with the idea for your current story?
Max was a character who strolled right into
my head. A vintage car restorer with a joie de vivre that’s enviable, Max is
someone I’d love to be. Unfortunately, I’m more a Krish in real life. Harried,
overburdened and stressed out. Bringing the two of them together was fun,
interesting and irresistible.
What
is your writing process? Do you follow a regular routine or do you have any
weird, funny, or unusual habits while writing and what are they?
I wish I had a process. I truly wish I did
but my process consists of writing whenever I find the time. With an active
toddler, a full time job and a home to run, my writing time is usually in the
middle of the night; the only time peace and quiet reign in my home. I don’t
have an unusual habit per se but I do have a funny story. I set up a fully
functional study in my home so I could sit at a tidy, professional looking
table and write. It’s tidy and professional alright but I haven’t written a
word at it. I usually end up tapping away in bed next to my sleeping daughter
so I can multitask…babysit and write to my heart’s content.
Do
you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?
I do. I often find myself struggling,
especially in the middle of a book. What usually works for me is to take a
break from the story. Refresh, recharge and remove yourself from the rut you’re
stuck in…the writer’s block usually will sort itself out. If you’re still
stuck, then maybe you need to revisit your story. The protagonists are probably
trying to tell you something! 😊
What
are your current/future projects?
My next book releases with Rupa
Publications next year. It is the story of three people caught in a tangled web
of love, family, marriage and each other and their dark, desperate journey of
redemption. Adultery, bankruptcy and perfidy bring the three of them to a
crossroads in life where there is no right choice. Only the wrong one.But
mostly, it’s a story of their quest to gain acceptance through love. The only
choice left to us all.
Why
did you choose to write in your particular field or genre? If you write more
than one, how do you balance them?
I never chose my genre or field. I only
ever wrote the stories I wanted to tell. My focus has always been on telling
the most compelling story I could. The rest, as far as I’m concerned, are just
labels.
Are
you traditional or self-published, and what process did you go through to get
your book published?
I’m traditionally published. When I wrote
my debut novel ‘The Girl He Left Behind,’ I didn’t have any idea how the
publishing industry worked. I went online and looked up submission guidelines
of a few publishers and sent off my sample chapters and synopsis assuming I
would be flooded with offers. I was lucky in that I did get several requests
for the full manuscript followed by polite and encouragingly worded rejections
until Harlequin reached out expressing interest. They offered me a two book
contract and I haven’t looked back since.
Do
you believe there is value in a review? Do you believe they are under rated,
over rated, or don’t matter at all?
Yes, of course, there is value in a review.
Good, bad or ugly, there is always something to learn and take away from it.
What
is the intended audience for you book?
My books are intended for any adult reader
who would like to read them. Taste or preferences are subjective, whether it’s
books or fashion or anything else in life and I wouldn’t dream of judging who
should or shouldn’t read my books. I’m happiest if everyone does.
What
would you like to write about that you have never written about before?
Motherhood...A new mother myself, I realise
just how much pressure there is on moms to be supermoms. I’d love to write a
story about the real, heartwarming, confusing and oftentimes exhausting journey
that it truly is.
Do
you view writing as a career, labor of love, hobby, creative outlet, therapy,
or something else?
Writing is my passion and a pocket of my
life that’s only for me. It’s the part where I’m not someone’s mother, wife,
daughter, employee…I’m just Shilpa Suraj. The successes, failures, bouquets and
brickbats are all mine and for that alone, the value it brings to my life is
immeasurable.
Tell
us three fun facts about yourself/your book.
I’m a terrible cook. The first time I
cooked for my husband post marriage he ended up with a mild bout of food
poisoning.
I’m as much of a klutz as Max from Driven
by Desire. I can literally trip over nothing.
I have to finish every book I start. No
matter how tedious or hard to get into I find it, I can’t
seem to stop reading until I reach the end. If I don’t complete it, it will
plague me until I do.
An ace vintage car restorer and a
pharmaceutical tycoon, Maxine and Krish have nothing in common.
A chance encounter puts their lives on a
collision course and a stubborn and steady attraction begins to bloom.
Wanting each other is easy, it's happy ever
after that's the problem...
Thank you, Shilpa for this amazing interview! I wish you success for all your future works. Keep writing!
