Boy meets girl, they fall in love, defeat villains and live happily-ever-after. That’s what perfect love stories are for us, aren’t they?
But real life is much more complicated and Ashwath Sezhian’s debut novel ‘An Affliction of Orchids‘ dealt with a unique yet heavily realistic love story, where the melody of love remained intact despite numerous noises in the head and dangerous actions. His second book ‘When Varun met Meera‘ is all set to be released this month which will sure to run chills down your spine. Doctor and writer Ashwath Sezhian talks to Storiyaan about his journey from writing short quotes on Instagram to being all set to write his third book. Read to know more about the author!
One Cynical Conversation with Ashwath Sezhian
Interview
Questions and answers
When was it that you realised your passion for writing and what motivated you to pursue it professionally?
Scriptwriting and dramatics are what I have been passionate about since a very young age. I don’t think I’m a professional, and I doubt I ever will be. Writing has always been just a passion but I’m honoured you think I’m a professional at it.
Have you ever used your talents of writing as a way to vent out your emotions?
Fortunately, for me, I’ve never needed to depend on writing as an outlet or a vent for my emotions. I write out of sheer passion.
You have not limited yourself to one particular genre of writing. You have diversified yourself and explored various themes. How do you manage to explore such different areas and master the art of writing in them?
First of all, thank you. I don’t believe I’ve mastered the art though. I love reading stories with an amazing twist – mostly those with dark, psychological concepts. I tend to pour my interest there, and ever since I met my fiancée Sanjana, she introduced me to an entirely new genre of films and books, such as romance and chick-flicks. I end up writing what I am interested in at that time.
You have written a lot of short horror stories which convey the whole story in only a few lines. Do you actually believe in this side of the world or is it something you just like to write about?
This answer depends upon the time of the day. If I’m alone, at home and it’s 3:07 in the morning, and I feel a soft, gush of breeze in a closed room, then I immediately convince myself that such supernatural elements don’t exist, lol. Any other time of day, I believe in the supernatural.
"After the Killings" is a small tale about honour killing. What do you have to say about this evil element of the society and have you actually witnessed it first-hand in your life?
It’s a horrible truth about society, and truly is something that should have much more severe consequences. No, I have never witnessed such events, nor do I know of anyone who has.
Your Kaitlyn Becker Series has been a huge success on Wattpad. Can you tell us a bit about that series and how Wattpad has helped you grow as an author?
Yes, it reached more people than I expected. The premise was simple. It’s about a woman named Kaitlyn Becker who is kidnapped over and over again. It’s not for everyone – truly is one of my darkest stories so far. But I do intend to make it a paperback someday.
Can you give us a sneak peek into your upcoming book "When Varun met Meera". Are the characters of your new book inspired by people in your life or are they completely fictional?
Again, I owe this to Sanjana. I would like to say that each character in both ‘When Varun met Meera’ and my previous novel ‘An affliction of orchids’ has tiny pieces of her, and are brought to life by the little things she says and does.
The book is releasing this week and so far, it’s been praised as a relatable love story with deep, realistic characters.
From its writing its publishing, what according to you was the most difficult part to get your new book published?
Publishing, by far! I get anxious just by thinking about waiting for a response from the agents. Thankfully, I’ve found a friend in my consultant from Paper Towns, India.
What are some of the strategies adopted by you to promote When Varun Met Meera and what has been the response so far?
Not much. Just using Instagram as a base, by posting a few quotes and lines now and then. Yet to look into the bigger picture of amazon ads.
What is a message that you would like to pass on to all the budding authors reading this?
Read. You’re not going to write a book without reading loads first.
Quick 5
a. What is your biggest pet peeve? : People stealing my content, lol.
b. What is your guilty pleasure? : Eating chocolate, whenever.
c. What is your idea of a perfect day? : Knowing everyone I love is safe.
d. Describe yourself in one word. : Impatient.
e.Your favourite author : Though he’s only written one book called The Silent Patient, I’m currently eagerly awaiting the author’s next in May. His name is Alex Michaelides.