AUTHOR’S BIO:
Vani is an international author, journalist and a popular columnist. She took a plunge into the world of fiction writing after working as a business journalist for leading newspapers, The Times of India and The Financial Express. She explores the other side of fame in her latest romantic thriller, ‘Seconds Later.’ The novel has been steadily climbing up the charts ever since its worldwide release with rave reviews in popular media. Vani has already been profiled by international media houses like Transcontinental Times, apart from The Tribune, Sunday Guardian, Dainik Bhaskar, Indian Express, Yugmarg and Doordarshan. Vani and her new book were recently profiled by Cyrus Broacha on his popular show, Cyrus Says.
1. Who and what inspired you to write?
As a child, I loved reading, but writing stories of my own never occurred to me, much like everything else. Becoming a doctor wasn’t an option, for the very sight of blood made me uneasy. Mathematics and Excel sheets bored me no end, leaving Humanities as a last resort. I could easily compete for the civil services, my parents reasoned, although, sitting for an exam with a million potential candidates vying for one job didn’t make much sense to me.
Life took a better turn and it was a Masters degree in Economics alongside a programme in Mass Comm. that set my foundation for a career in business journalism. Luckily, I got to work with some of the best organisations in India, like ‘The Times of India’ and ‘The Financial Express.’ In 2004, I was hit with the desire to write a novel. However, a few drafts and several ideas later, I gave it all up to pursue an MBA degree from Kingston University in London. Of course, I dreamt about MNC firms coveting me, the Deloittes and the McKinseys of the world chasing me down with multiple job offers, the likes of Accenture begging me to work for them. The reality was quite different, though. The completion of my course coincided with the start of global recession and my dreams could never be realized. My situation, nevertheless, prompted me to write my first novel and the journey that started in 2011 has been going on since then. I am three books old now and the more I write, the more ideas I get.
2. What challenges did you face while writing and getting published?
My background in business journalism trained me to write in the inverted pyramid style. I wrote facts and supported them with numbers. My dictionary was also made up of words that common people understood. I worked with a team of editors who were always there to help and guide me. Writing fiction was a different ball game altogether. I couldn’t use the style of news reporting, and fiction required a lot of ‘creative imagination.’ Initially, everything was a challenge for me, from writing a few pages every day to completing the final manuscript. Gradually it became better and by the third book, I had my internal ‘creative’ compass guiding me every step of the way. The next stage was about looking for a publisher, which was equally daunting. I kept trying on my own and even contacted a few literary agents in India but nothing seemed to work out until Suhail Mathur stepped in and took charge of my manuscript.
3. How did you come to know about the literary agency THE BOOK BAKERS?
Suhail and I had been friends for a while on FB, but I’d never really thought about approaching him. I was facing the lowest lows as a writer when Kulpreet Yadav happened to tell me about Suhail and The Book Bakers. I took an appointment from Suhail and waited to hear back from him. He was professional from the get go. He listened to me very patiently and asked me to send him my manuscript which I did. That was in 2017 and there’s not a day that goes by when I don’t feel grateful for his support and guidance. He is every author’s dream, literally.
4. How did THE BOOK BAKERS help you and what would you like to say about them?
First of all, writing is a very lonely profession. Writers sit for hours in their rooms, practically doing nothing but talking to their characters in their heads, crafting their stories, building those beautiful worlds for their readers. Needless to say, they need a lot of mental and emotional support which only a good literary agent can provide them – or someone who understands their work. Suhail as a literary agent is just that for me. He is kind, respectful, to the point and super cued in to the demands of the publishing industry and what they are looking for. That besides, there are a whole host of services that the Book Bakers provides to its authors so they don’t need to go anywhere else. For example, ‘Seconds Later’ has a book cover to die for designed by none other than the Team Book Bakers. Suhail represents some 400-500 authors, including many Bollywood celebs, and everybody is connected to everybody via whatsapp, FB, Twitter and Insta. It’s like one big family of writers and you never feel alone because of all that support. The next stage of your work involves marketing and promotions and Team TBB helps you with that as well, offering you services like book trailers and all, very comforting!
5. How do you see literary success for yourself?
I am not chasing anything. My aim is to serve, to entertain my readers and that’s all. A good story touches your soul – and the purpose of my writing is to create such stories for my readers. If I am able to do that, there’s nothing else that I need. There’s no feeling to match that.
6. When can we expect your next book?
Year 2023 (fingers crossed!). My next book is for my tribe, best classified as a self-help book in the non-fiction space. In it, I try to explore themes that are dear to us women, but those that we seldom talk about. I am still working on it so can’t give a specific date.
7. Any message or tips for aspiring authors?
Be honest. Write every day. Write first, revise later. The process of writing a novel is as difficult and as easy as you make of it. There are good days and bad days and a writer must learn to take it all in stride. If finishing a manuscript is a challenge, finding a suitable home for it is no mean feat, achieved effortlessly, at least in my case, by my literary agent, Suhail Mathur, who not only believed in my book but carried it through the publishing process. In that way, I’d say, surround yourself with people who can support your journey. No one has had it easy, not even those who are famous today, so things can’t be any different for us. But it doesn’t serve us to get unnerved by it all. So keep going, no matter what.
BOOK NAME: SECONDS LATER
PUBLISHER: VISHWAKARMA PUBLICATIONS
BOOK BLURB:
Stabbed and lying in a pool of blood next to her killer, Nikita never imagined an end like this. A talented VJ, popular talk show host and national darling, the cruelty of it cut through the pain she was feeling.
She scanned her failing memory for answers. Who was this young man lying next to her? Where did he come from? Why did he stab her?
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