I am excited to have Alka Dimri Saklani on my blog today. She is an author based in India and has published some touching stories. Here’s more about her.
Sue: So tell us how you became a writer. How did it all start?
Alka: I don’t remember a time when I didn’t write. I guess I am writing since I was 8. Writing is a part of me. It’s just who I am.
Sue: What’s your latest release about? And what inspired you to write it?
Alka: Beyond Scars is the story of Appu, a boy with a nightmarish childhood. His parents change his name to Vivaan to cut ties with the past, but the ties are deeper than just a name. On the outside he is calm and stoic, but on the inside, he is struggling to come out the numbness that has become a part of his core.His finds solace in painting when he grows up. His painting hides a part of his broken soul, but people can’t see that, all they see is a myriad of colours.
In their first odd meeting Vivaan knows Avni is different. Not only she deciphers his paintings, she sees beneath the layers of his indifferent exterior. She has a baggage of her own that she hasn’t shared with anyone.
They help each other heal the scars of the past but will they survive the scars they inflict on each other?
This book is a sequel to my earlier book Beyond Secrets. Beyond Secrets received tremendous love from readers and they wanted to know more about Appu. Hence Beyond Scars was penned down. In spite of being a series, both books (Beyond Secrets and Beyond Scars) can be read as standalone novels.
Sue: What kind of writing habits or rituals do you follow?
Alka: I mostly write when my kids are at school, once they return, I can’t follow any writing ritual. I just steal time whenever possible.
Sue: What are the pros of being a writer? And what are the cons?
Alka: The Pros –
- Writing is my passion and when your passion becomes your job, life gets easy.
- I can spend time with my kids and take days off if situation demands
- I am filled with gratitude every time a reader contacts me and tells that my story has touched their soul.
- I can connect with other wonderful indie author
And the cons –
- I live every emotion my character goes through and it becomes painful at times. The reader travels from despair to hope in a matter of few hours for me it takes approximately one year to travel from desolation to the hope where the story ends.
- Writing is a lonely business.I miss meeting people and daily challenges of office days.
Sue: Time for a quick fire round.
Your favourite authors…
Alka: The list is long, but a few of them are Khalid Hosseini, Kristin Hannah, Colleen Hoover, and Celeste Ng.
Sue: Your favourite books…
Alka: Again the list is long, but to name a few, Kite Runner, Me Before You, The Nightingale, It Ends with Us, Everything I Never Told You.
Sue: Your favourite fictional hero…
Alka: Vivaan from Beyond Scars
Sue: Your favourite fictional heroine…
Alka: Mariyam from A Thousand Splendid Suns
Sue: Coffee or tea?
Alka: Milk (Ha ha ha)
Sue: What can your readers expect from you next? And when?
Alka: The next book I am writing is a standalone sequel of Beyond Scars. The tentative name of the book is Beyond Lies and it’s a psychological thriller. I hope the book will be published before 2019 ends.
Sue: Wow. Thanks for being here and good luck! 🙂
Get your copy of Alka’s latest book here: https://www.amazon.in/Beyond-Scars-Alka-Dimri-Saklani-ebook/dp/B07MH9WJC6
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