Author Focus - Dr Kavita Bhatnagar(Author of the book "Second Chance")

 

1.What motivates you to write?

My motivation for writing comes from a desire to express my thoughts. Writing is something which comes naturally to me and I enjoy it. It is a medium to connect with people and hence

 it is an enriching experience . It is also something which gives me my 'me' time - it is something that gives me serenity and bliss both. It also becomes a stress buster . It is a channel to voice my observations about society and relationships . All these are the motivating factors behind writing.

 2. How did you feel after publishing your books?

There is a sense of satisfaction after publishing my books. Publishing is a corollary to writing. One of the reasons behind writing is to make it reach to people. Publishing makes that possible. It is a logical culmination of an author's journey. It also opens up a whole new world of opportunities  in various forums . It is a fulfilling experience.

3. What are some of your favourite novels and authors?

Having been a student of literature, some of my favourite books and authors are from the classics. I have a fondness for all of Thomas Hardy's works- sp Tess of the D'ubervilles. His characters feel alive even today and the environment that he builds becomes part of the plot itself. Charles Dickens' Great Expectations is another immortal novel . The story of Pip binds you and gives you so many life lessons. Among contemporary writers , I have enjoyed Jhumpa Lahiri a lot, specially The Namesake. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy was a wonderful read too.

4. Is there a specific reason for naming your novel?

Second Chance revolves around the theme of life giving a second chance for love to the main character Ragini. Moreover , she is also determined to get this second chance . Hence it  was an apt title.

 

5. Where do you write from? Do you go to some specific place, like beach side or the hills? 

I normally write from home , on weekends. Sometimes I write when I'm on vacations and can  find a relaxed atmosphere to create. I attended a writers's retreat in Rishikesh last year and realized that these workshops are a good way to rejuvenate one's skills. Since I have a full time job , taking breaks is not so easy and I have to weave writing in my daily routine.

 

6. What inspired you to write the books(in general)? Any tales to tell…

The inspiration to write  comes  from a desire to express my observations and to make people think about changing society and issues. But most of all I think its a desire for self fulfillment.

7. What was your biggest learning experience throughout the writing process?

The biggest learning in this entire process is that where there is a will there is a way. Despite time constraints , I have written this novel. Despite initial No by publishers I could ultimately find one . Despite the Pandemic situation, I could have a proper launch and a good event - the way I wanted. So all these just show the importance of not giving up in life.As is rightly said, when you want something from your heart, the whole universe conspires for you to get it.

 

8. Looking back, what did you do right that helped you break in as a writer?

I think I believed in myself and in my words. That honesty is very important to make a project successful. Also as I said, I did not give up. Perseverance is a another good virtue that results in success.

9. Any best piece of writing advice that you would like to share with new or struggling writers? 

From what I can tell from my experience so far is that it is very important to first get the story out. It can be rebuilt, edited , reshaped later but at first attempt , just maintain the flow of thoughts and focus on reaching the end. One may get stuck in between but resolution does come and the quicker one is in finishing the first draft , the better it is. There are many tools and techniques available to writers today but the best way still is to write from your heart. That will never let one down.

10. Something personal about you people may be surprised to know?

It may surprise people to know that I write both in Hindi and English and both poems and prose. Words and language are a medium and should not be a deterrent.

 

11. Any future books that you would like to discuss now?

Yes I have 2 ideas in my mind that I am developing. Writing comes after thinking. So right now I'm in the thinking stage ! Both are works that again focus on relationships but in a different manner. More on this later.

12.What other profession excites you the most?

My own profession - that of an Indian Revenue Service is exciting . It has multiple avenues to excel in- for eg a technical side, a legal side , an enforcement side and an administrative side. very few professions offer such a varied spectrum of roles and I'm fortunate that I have completed 24 years in this service.

13.Any special mention about your reader (be it with reviews/feedback or anything else)

A reader is very important for the writer because ultimately a book is written for the reader. Its vital for a book's success that the reader relates to the story and to the characters. Hence all details about the characters specially should be conveyed to the reader so that they are able to visualize it all clearly. The bond between the writer and the reader is a very special one and i thank all my readers who have read Second Chance and liked it.

14.Do you write the story at a stretch or you take your time to complete it? If you take a longer time, wouldn’t you be forgetting the story? How do you tackle it?

Much as I desire to write a story at a stretch , it is not so simple. I have written Second Chance in two phases itself. One has to ensure that the flow is not broken. So at times when I am not writing, I make my notes and use them later. While at times it is difficult to resume with the same though process that one may have left it at, the art lies in going back to that same thoughts and resuming it. This is a key challenge of writing.

15.Traditional or Self-Publishing? Why?

Traditional publishing . Because that's how it was meant to be. It there is merit in writing it will be picked up sooner or later. Self publishing is  as the name suggests for self! So I believe in the old school and the platform that traditional publishing gives to a book is immense.

16.How is the response so far for the book? 

Its just one week since the book released. The response has been good. Its figuring on the too hot new releases in Amazon. Readers have called me to say that they have not been able to put it down and its quite a page turner. The reviews on Amazon also say that the plot is engaging and the characters relatable. I think the books gives strong messages about the right of a woman to make her choices , her decisions and I thank the readers for appreciating that.

 Dr Kavita Bhatnagar's review of Second Chance can be found here