An evening with Arpita

Hi friends, it is a great pleasure for me to announce that today we have with us, as the first interviewee of this blog, the author of ‘Are you magic, or am I a trick’- the young and beautiful  Arpita Chipkar. Come, let us look into the world of Arpita and see what she has to share with us.

Hello Arpita, congratulations for your debut book, and thanks a lot for becoming a part of ‘The Insight’.

To begin with, please tell us something about yourself.

Hello! It’s a pleasure to be a part of this interview session.

Well, I am from Karwar, Karnataka. I have a B.A in Psychology and have always been keen at it and Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism.

Accidently landed into professional writing. But writing has always been a part of me. I would often scribble on my books and dairies.

I am an active blogger at http://arpitachipkar.blogspot.in and ‘Are you magic or am I a trick?’ is my debut novel. 

I see. So how did you come up with the idea of this novel?

I have contributed to various magazines and newspapers. There was always a problem that my stories exceeded a word count. I always had to limit myself with shorter stories.

I think I was meant for longer stories. That’s how I thought I must write a book. Perhaps, something with five stories or so in one. Then, I finalized one story which later happened to become my debut novel.

When I set myself to write something, I believe that some other power takes over me and I start writing about which I would have never thought very consciously about.

Even now, I haven’t figured out as what was that particular Eureka moment when I thought okay this is what I want to write.

It just happened!

How would you best describe the book in one sentence?

She wrote a book and the Protagonist walked out of her book!

Please tell us something about your entire journey of writing this book.

Interesting question. I had to think of many ideas. Romance, college stories, the stories for mature people, children and what not?

I somehow ended up finalizing this plot in which the author’s protagonist walks out of her novel. It is a fantasy novel. Something which Indians concentrate less about.

I completed my book in 20 odd days. I believed in going with the flow. What a restless person was I while writing it! It was as if I was possessed and wanted to write it as the thoughts flew in my mind.

It was a beautiful journey. But it took one and half years for the book to finally be out as a final product for the readers to read.

I had to pitch in my book to various publishers. That’s is when I simply posted on a famous literary page, that I have finished penning down my debut novel and wish to get it published.

I started getting suggestions from the established authors.

I have faced a lot of rejection too. It was sad to read the ‘Sorry your work doesn’t fit in our schedule’ kind of replies.

Most of them didn’t even reply. That is when I got a reply from Authors Press Publication. It was a ‘Yes’ from both the sides and then rest is a history.

The strange thing I did while writing my book is that I stopped reading as I didn’t wish to mix up styles.

I get nice feedbacks and they call it peppy style of writing.

Everyone has to face rejections during the initial days of anything they wish to do. It depends on how we take it. How we react to it. Do we move on no matter what? Or quit it?

That’s what can make us wither successful or losers.

Please tell about the persons without whose presence, you think, this journey would have been impossible.

I would like to acknowledge my mother, Madhuri Chipkar. Without her, I would have never even dreamt of all this. I am not telling for the heck of it. Well, she is a Kannada Writer. I have grown up reading her stories and only she inspires me. I can always count on her for everything related to my work.

Wow! That's a great thing to know!

Well, please share your experience of working with the publisher.

 It has been a great experience. Yes without their faith in me, I wouldn’t have been a published author at all.

The experience is been good as well as disappointing.

Your book is a modern-era fairy tale. Do you personally believe that miracles happen? What is your take on it?

Yes, I believe in miracles. I wouldn’t write something which I personally don’t believe in. A shy book worm ends up been a published author, is a miracle in itself.

Years ago, I would have never thought of anything as such. This was not even my distant dream. I am a hard working person. But I was more in to academics. If I can change my track and get into commercial writing, anything can happen!

Name some writers who you love to read.

Franz Kafka. I am a big fan of his writing. I also like E.L James, Emily Brontë, Preeti Shenoy and many more.

Who is/ are your role model(s)?

I wish to have an identity of my own. Just like Preeti Shenoy.

Apart from writing, what do you do?

I am a full time writer.

What is your aim in life? 

I wish to be a well-known author of India.

Great! Well, do you harbor any dream or secret wish that you want to be realized one day?

I wish to excel in my field. There are very few recognized Women writers in India. I wish to change that and inspire many more women.

Oh I also wish to be a teacher.

What is your next work going to be?

I am working on multiple projects. The details will be revealed soon.

What is the place for ‘writers’ in today’s era?

I think writers are no more the people who live very isolated and anti-glamorous. Hahaha. I feel there is a lot of scope of writing these days.

There is a new wave which is taking the people of India in to more and more reading.

You have been among the first ones to be interviewed in this newly made blog. Please tell us your experience of this entire process of getting interviewed.

I enjoyed myself. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

Thank you Arpita! We also wish you the best for your future!