Q&A with writer and poet Deepti Menon.
She has also authored several award winning short stories and poems that have appeared in numerous anthologies. Thank you so much Deepi, for joining me today. So let me start off with this question for you. Your first book, Arms and the Woman, draws largely upon your life and travels as an army wife. But when writing fiction do you generally try to faithfully represent the social situations fictionalized of course, that you see around you?
And here's my next question for you, deep tea. Generally, when you write, do the characters come before the plot or which way does that go for you? I would love to know a little bit more about your writing process. And also, I've had many writers tell me that most of the work is done in the second draft. How do you do revisions and edits to your manuscripts? Bye
So your latest work TIPTI. I know it would be unfair to call it work. I know it's a labor of love attribute to your mother, Mrs. Nalani Chandran. She is someone who needs no introduction to many. But hers is also a story that needs to be told and shared widely. We sometimes fail to recognize these amazing, inspirational women who have defied age, norms and challenges. So at what point did you feel that a book about her life's work would be a book for publication?
Deepti Menon
@deepsmenon_7 · 4:41
I marry the ideas in my head, put them both together, and then I bring out a book or a story. In fact, my friends are often pretty scared. My family is petrified of me because when they're talking about something, I'm always taking things and thinking and I'm saying, how do I use this? So finally they say, this is not meant to be used. This is off the record
Deepti Menon
@deepsmenon_7 · 4:52
As far as my other book go, shadows never lie. Then also, I have been trying to interpolate character and plot. I think wherever I feel character should be given more importance, I start off with a character. Wherever I feel the setting and the plot to be given more important, I go ahead and do just that. So I think I have another story called A Descent into H***. It had everything to do with the modern era
Deepti Menon
@deepsmenon_7 · 4:47
I had to remove a complete section of my narrative. It quite broke my heart. But then I had to do it because finally I realized that it was for the good of the book. You had to cut that bit away. So I think if you're finally satisfied about what you have written, if you feel that you're writing sparkles, that is the time to say, okay, enough of editing, time to print, time to publish, and time to send your work around
Deepti Menon
@deepsmenon_7 · 4:48
My latest book, yes, is to do with my mother, Mrs. Nalny Chandran, who personally for me has been an inspiration. In fact, my parents, both my parents were my first heroes. Their love for one another inspired many of my stories. They were truly made for each other. Sadly, in 1979, my father passed away at the age of 42, leaving my mother behind with three young children