Interview with Author Shefali Arora (Towards Literature)

Interview with Author Shefali Arora

"The Infinite Road"

1)We would to hear a short introduction from you. 

I am an engineer by profession, with a passion for writing. I have been writing poems and stories since childhood, and thus I decided to give a direction to my passion. I am an author of two books – ‘A Paradise of Thoughts’, which comprises of haikus and short poems. Whereas, my book ‘The Infinite Road’ got launched on Amazon recently. I am currently pursuing PhD. in computer science. In my free time, I love to write, read books, listen to music and to play musical instruments. I also have a travel blog, where I share tips on place to travel around the world.

2)"The Infinite Road" seems to be an interesting read. What is this all about? 

The Infinite Road is a story about the emotions and relationships we craft in our daily lives. Alunkrita, the protagonist of the story, decides to help Anokhi, a little disabled girl, who has been abandoned by her parents. On the course of this journey, Alunkrita gets intrigued by complicated emotions-her ambition to build a start-up, her growing fondness towards her new neighbour, and the re-entry of Parth in her life. Parth, who left her years ago, decides to give wings to her start-up ideas. In the midst of everything, would Anokhi get to see the bright light of dawn? What would be her final destination on this infinite road of life? The book highlights the plight of those who are abandoned and considered despicable by the society. The book is also about staying positive and conquering all the obstacles that lie in the journey of life. So when you land on the crossroads of life, all you need is the courage and attitude to tread on this path covered with obstacles. For there is always a turn which basks in the glory of sunshine !

3)"Reading Is The Backbone of Writing". Justify this statement with your opinion. 

There’s no point saying no to this statement. I have been reading books since childhood and that’s how my fondness towards writing grew. I remember my rendezvous with the Harry Potter series, when I was in class 6. There was a new level of excitement every time the next book in the series was about to hit the nearest bookstores. Reading transports you into another world, a magical one, where you start relating to surreal characters and those emotions which unite them. Each book has something beautiful about it, and the more you read, the more you get the knack of how authors write, putting their heart and soul into the work. Reading has always motivated me to think more and relate to circumstances. Besides, it is really important for garnishing your vocabulary. So I definitely urge all the young minds to read more and explore more, it would definitely be your strength when you set your foot in the world of writing! My favourite authors are J.K Rowling, Cecilia Ahern, Chitra Divakaruni and Ashwin Sanghi, to name a few.

4)How a reader should judge a book before reading it (By its cover, title or any other thing)? 

In my opinion, a reader should judge a book by its blurb. Blurb is the little write-up of the book that is written on the back cover. Title and cover do matter. If they are catchy, you would definitely want to pick the book up and have a look. Yet the blurb says a lot. You’ll know if you like the genre and the plot. Some readers love horror fiction, some savour the plots of romantic novels. These days, Amazon ratings are playing a crucial role in the sales of a book. Readers and reviewers are working as a community, to give good insights about different books. Readers should definitely go through the ratings and reviews before purchasing a book.

5)In case of erotica genre, At what extent you support literature? 

In my view, readers should judge the book first before going ahead with the genre. Surely, there are many writers who have put in a lot of hard work in this genre and many books have turned out to be very successful. So I wouldn’t discourage any genre. Though I feel a reader should go ahead after analysing the plot, and how maturely a writer has tackled it. Reviews and ratings turn out to be a great help in such cases. In my view, I would not go for books which do not contribute anything to my creative aspects, be it in terms of a good story or in terms of good vocabulary. So there’s nothing bad with any genre, readers should do a good research on what they want to read.

6)In your opinion, How a book can be called a good book? 

In my view, a good book is the one which keeps you engaged till the end. While rating a book, I observe the writing style, characterization and how well the author connects the missing dots. Be it a genre of your liking or a contrary one- you would find a book good if it manages to keep you hooked till the end. In short, if the story is great and it has been written nicely, the book can be called good and worth recommending !

7)Writers contribute in literature by writing a book, Readers contribute in literature by reading,How should a country contribute in literature? 

That’s a really good point raised. Writers and readers do their part, the next concern is: how can a country get its people and youngsters to move towards literature? There are many ways in which a nation can promote literature- literary fests, talks, workshops etc. But these activities should not only urge people to read, they should also encourage the younger and newer generation of writers, who are coming up with many out of the box ideas.I personally know many Indian authors, who are writing brilliant fiction and non-fiction.It’s important that they catch the eye of the readers.

8)Any message for the readers to move Towards Literature. 

I thank the team of Towards Literature for acknowledging my contribution. I sincerely hope that you would like my book ‘The Infinite Road’. I would urge all the readers to keep exploring your favorite genres. For books make you richer in terms of knowledge and creativity. Read a book, have discussions, share ideas and jot down what you feel !

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