Read up,
the second part of Gayathri Ponvannan's Interview, with regard to 'Time Racers'.
In this, she tells us, how she relates the lives of her characters to lives
today, the most challenging part of the book, the next book she has planned and
also who her favourite authors are, and much more, Folks...
How would you relate the lives of characters to the lives
today? Any similarities?
Pratik is the quintessential underdog. He’s got a lot of relatable
characteristics – ‘the parents are boring’ idea, the defiance against rules,
even the ‘softie’ heart under all that nonchalant demeanor. The character from
the past, Simha, is also similar to a typical teen, in spite of the widely
disparate socio-cultural contexts.
Rebellion, awkwardness, emotional confusion, the
‘I-don’t-care’ attitude…these are aspects that don’t quite change over
generations!
What was the most challenging part about writing the book?
 |
| Gayathri Ponvannan |
Most certainly the time travel part. There was a lot
of research involved in getting the technicalities right.
I suppose my editors at Penguin, Niyati Dhuldhoya and Nimmy
Chacko, found the book’s development rather challenging too – my language and
style is rather irreverent, and they had a good deal of pruning to do before the book could be
published!
What book is coming from your desk, next? When do you see
it released?
The next book is also pre-teen fiction, but with a
female protagonist. I suppose it might be released once I’ve sorted out all the
ideas I’ve spewed onto my computer, and found a publisher for them – possibly
the next year or so.
I’m doing a Masters in Creative Writing just now,
and I’m putting so much into this course that I feel compelled to incorporate
all that I’ve learnt into my current manuscript. Which is all very well and
good, but it does tend to slow down my headlong approach to writing!
 |
| Sandra Cisneros |
Which book are you currently reading?
I’m currently re-reading Anton Chekhov, Nikolai Gogol, Ernest Hemingway, Alice Munro
and Sandra Cisneros…the set authors for my creative writing program at the University of Edinburgh!
 |
| Susan Coolidge |
My all-time reads are works by Louisa May Alcott, LM Montgomery,
Susan Coolidge and other children’s authors – ostentatiously for research, but
more for pleasure!
Who are your favourite authors and why?
I’ve always admired Jhumpa Lahiri for her no-frills
writing. I also like RK Narayan’s works – he couches the poignancy of growing
up in such simple terms.
What else do you do on a daily basis?
I’m a network engineer, and I do technical research
for corporate organizations – this is the writing job that actually pays!
You can Read the First Part of this Interview right here, Read the Review here and Buy the Book here, as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment