CONTRIBUTION OF DEEPTI MENON AS A WRITER

    Deepti Menon 

BRIEF PROFILE OF THE AUTHOR:

Deepti Menon began to write at the age of ten and travelled around the country as an Army kid, and later, an Army wife. Her experiences during those years helped hone her interest and flair for writing. Her first book, 'Arms and the Woman', published in 2002, takes a light-hearted look at the life of an Army wife.  During 2013 and 2014 many of her short stories were chosen for various anthologies. She also has a book of poems, titled 'Deeparadhana of Poems', compiled by her mother, herself a talented writer. ‘Shadow in the Mirror’, a psychological thriller published by Readomania in 2016, is her latest offering. Writing has been an endless journey with its twists and turns, often leading her on to the myriad mysteries of life, love and relationships. The thrill of seeing her name in print has only intensified over the years. There has never been a dull moment, never time to regret, according to her, as life is truly worth living.

Q  What is your specific field of writing?

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                  I enjoy writing short stories with a twist in their tales/tails. I wrote my first short story when I was in my twenties, but it was years later that I discovered that I could startle my readers by giving them something they did not expect, like a little surprise at the end that would leave them off balance.

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Q  Are there any specific reasons, for choosing this particular field?

                     My preference leans towards books that thrill my heart, sustain the suspense and give me a jolt at the end. Psychological thrillers are the scariest, according to me, because there is nothing more fascinating than the working of the human mind. This is why this particular field appeals to me.

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Q  Which particular book of yours, do you consider as the best so far, and why?  

                      This is like asking a mother about her children. My books have all been different. My first book titled ‘Arms and the Woman’ took a light-hearted look at my life as an Army wife, followed by a book of poems titled ‘Deeparadhana’. Finally, in 2016, Readomania published ‘Shadow in the Mirror’, a psychological thriller. All three books belong to different genres and are equally close to my heart.

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Q  Who is your role model?

                      As far as short stories and thrillers go, it is none other than Agatha Christie whose breezy style has won her myriad admirers the world over. I also admire writers like Maya Angelou, Jeffrey Archer and Chitra Divakaruni Banerjee. Having been a student of Literature, the classic writers like Dickens, Dumas, Austen and Oscar Wilde also occupy a special niche in my heart. However, PG Wodehouse wins, hands down, for the humour and cheer, he spreads through his books.

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Q  When and how do you get the ideas and do you immediately note them down in a diary or elsewhere?

                           The world is a maelstrom of ideas that lurk in every corner. I could get ideas from a walk down the street, a drive along the sea coast, a simple conversation or even sitting in my study. I enjoy meeting people and I often model my characters on real life. In fact, my friends and family are quite petrified of saying anything to me because they might see it in my next story. I note down my ideas in a little notebook (I love notebooks of all kinds, the more colourful the better!), and on my laptop as well. 

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Q  Could you share with us, an interesting event/incident/experience faced with the other writers, publishers or readers in your writing career?  

                        When I was a freelance journalist in Chennai, I was lucky enough to have interviewed some brilliant writers. Two interviews stand out in my memory. The first one was with Ruskin Bond, who came across as a gentle, good-humoured human being and it was not difficult to see a trace of his persona in his stories.

The other author was Jeffrey Archer who has a quick, acerbic wit and I had to rely on my own wits to keep up with him. When I asked him how many more books he intended to write, he retorted, “As long as I have the twists, I shall write!”

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Q  Besides the quality of writing, in your opinion, what are the other factors for the success of a book?

                    The quality of writing is a significant factor in the success of a book, but there are others, which propel a book and make it succeed. Writers are not islands. They need to interact with the readers and publicize their books widely on social media. Today’s writers can do wonders, if they are tech and media savvy and often, the best public relation teams sell the most books.  

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Q  Which aspects motivate you to write books? Earning money/publicity/helping readers/self-satisfaction/others?

                     My writing has always been an outlet for me and gives me self-satisfaction. I strive to get into the minds of my readers, so that I can give them what they look for. If I could learn to make money on the way, that would be a bonus.

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Q  Has Face Book helped you in any way, in your writing career or even otherwise? If yes, please elucidate.

                        Absolutely! Facebook has always been of great help in garnering publicity for my books, be they novels or anthologies. We have many effective writing groups and we all try to help and promote one another’s books and writing. There is immense support all around, which is encouragement enough for many of us.

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Q  Have your family members and friends helped and/or contributed in any way, in your writing career?

                             I am lucky in my friends and my family. My mother, herself a writer and educationist, not only encouraged me to write, but also brought out my book of poems on a certain birthday of mine. My husband, my siblings and my daughter read whatever I write and give me valuable suggestions. My friends, online and otherwise, rally around me every time I write and share my writing.

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Q  What are your future plans for writing books?

                     I have sent two manuscripts to a couple of publishing houses. I am keeping my fingers crossed that they are accepted because the themes of both are close to my heart. Besides, I also want to bring out an anthology of my thriller short stories in the near future.

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Q  What is your advice to the budding authors?

                    Keep writing, accept rejections gracefully, turn them into stepping stones and then carry on writing. Also remember, editing your own work and sending across an error-free manuscript in which your writing style sparkles, is all-important. Publishing houses receive thousands of manuscripts at a time and if yours needs to be noticed, it has to stand above the rest.

                                                               --------------------vijaiksharma