Holla, mi amigos!
Today on the blog we have a writer all the way from South Africa, VASH KARUPPA, who besides giving us a sneak peek into her writing world, would also tell us more about her new book, ‘Destiny for Love Arranged’. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Vash Karuppa is a South African author of Indian origin who has been an avid reader from the tender age of five. Being a passionate romantic and voracious bookaholic, reading was a drug to which she had an instant addiction, one that only grew with time. While books in all genres interest her, it was romance that captured her heart. From early as her pre-teen years, she loved the ‘happily ever after (HEA)’ syndrome leading her to fall in love with any book in the romance genre, and later as a teenager, dreams of writing her own HEA story. Writing a novel has always been part of her bucket list, so, after spending years concentrating on her role as a corporate executive, she eventually unleashed her number one desire and passion for writing with Destiny for Love Arranged. Vash’s writing portrays the lives and dramas of ordinary people who readers can easily relate to. The crux of her stories celebrate the power of true love coupled with timeless bonds and inevitable drama that exist between family and friends, while capturing the true essence of diverse cultures especially nuances of the South Indian culture. Her stories are inspired by Indian traditions, but set in contemporary times. She enjoys writing and reading above all else, but when Vash doesn’t have her nose stuck in a book, she can be found cooking, watching movies, travelling or hanging out with her close-knit family. Vash grew up in Durban and resides with her husband in Johannesburg, two of South Africa’s most stunning cities. She is a member of Romance Organisation of South Africa. We had quite a few questions for Ms. Karuppa, and as expected, she handled all of them with élan. Here are a few of them: 1) DD: Vash, tell us more about ‘Destiny for Love Arranged’? Vash: Destiny For Love Arranged is a contemporary, gripping and angsty, second chance Indian romance that reveals the love of family and friendship bonds during trying times. The story revolves around Aariyan Ranjan, a highly successful CEO of a Hotel Empire and Varini Iyengar, an Oncologist, who are forced into a temporary marriage of convenience to help them resolve personal dilemmas. While Aariyan is determined to treat their marriage as he would any other business deal, love rarely listens to logic, and what follows is anything but business. On the other hand, Varini soon finds herself gravitating toward and rejoicing in the love she thought lost forever with a hidden hope that their marriage of convenience will end in a union of everlasting love. The story is embedded with cultural anecdotes familiar to any family of Indian origin. It takes their family, friends and a life-threatening situation to show them the love they lost is worth fighting for. In short, this is a story about family, friendship, and starting over, as Aariyan and Varini embark on a journey toward a second chance at love. You will get to share in their moments as they discover that vulnerability can actually be their strength and the most perplexing problems can be overcome with the support and resourcefulness of a loving family and faithful friends. This is Book 1 of a trilogy. 2) DD: What inspired you to write it? Vash: For many years I have read articles around the call for diverse romance novels that incorporate multi-cultural aspects into a traditional romance plot. In addition, I’m a hopeless romantic myself and always had a plot in my head around a story that integrates family and friendship bonds (which I have been blessed to have throughout my life) together with a typical romance story. When I eventually decided to put pen to paper, it all just naturally came together, giving birth to Destiny for Love Arranged. Finally, I do believe there aren’t too many novels written which share intricacies of the South Indian culture and I was determined to do this. Looking at the feedback received thus far from readers, it was well received. 3) DD: Are any of the characters in there inspired by a person you know? If yes, do you mind telling us who? Vash: Yes. The matriarch of the family, Paati, was inspired by my own grandmother. 4) DD: How many WIPs do you have currently? Vash: 2. 5) DD: How many books do you have in your TBR list? Vash: About 20 (wish I had more time to read) 6) DD: On an average, how long does it take you to write a book? Vash: From start to first draft – 3 months (courtesy of a day job which is demandingL 7) DD: Tell us a bit more about your writing process. Vash: Being a debut author, I can’t say that I have established any firm writing process. However, if I had to share the process I followed for Destiny for Love Arranged, it was a simple one.
8) DD: Do you target to complete a set number of pages or words per day? How many? Vash: I try to achieve a minimum of five pages a day. On most days I am successful and get more done J 9) Are you a plotter or a pantser? Vash: Thought I was a plotter, turned out I was definitely a punster with my debut novel. I am trying to plot with Book 2 and 3 J 10) What is your writing kryptonite? Vash: My primary kryptonite is the internet. While I start to do research on a particular topic e.g. destinations, I tend to get distracted by other pop-ups that I suddenly think could add value to the novel e.g. fashion ideas. Definite distraction! 11) Who are your favorite authors? Other than yourself, of course. J Vash: Julie Garwood, Nora Roberts, Sandra Brown, Victoria Pinder, M.V. Kasi, P.G. Van, Devika Fernando, Rubina Ramesh, Brenda Jackson and many more, but best I stop here. I’m so hurt, Vash, you didn’t mention me. :’( 12) Writer’s muse. Your thoughts on that? What’s yours? Vash: Mmmm. I believe every writer has entrenched inspiration and a muse is really kind of a “safety-net” their conscious relies on when they are having a bad writing day/period. My muse is simple… people! Just the difference between every individual provides me with inspiration for my plots. 13) Is yours a family of reading enthusiasts? Are they supportive of your writing? Vash: Yes, many of them are avid readers and they are extremely supportive. I would never have been able to embark on this journey without their support. 14) Finally, what advice would you like to give to aspiring writers? Vash: Don’t think twice about it just do it! The hardest part is getting pen to paper. Once you do that, it will all come together naturally. I thank you, Vash Karuppa, for taking time out and answering a few questions on my blog! But, I’m still hurt, you didn’t take my name. L BUY THE BOOK HERE: Amazon US , Amazon UK, Goodreads STALK HER on: Facebook , Twitter , Instagram Subscribe to the blog now, because the author next up is someone you all love… Nope, not telling anymore. J
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
ArchivesCategories |