Meet Suchi Singh Kalra - A Bestselling Author

#AuthorInterviews

• Hi Shuchi, please tell us something about yourself.

I'm Shuchi, author of two romantic comedies - 'Done with Men' and 'I'm big. So what?!'. I am also the wife of an Army Officer, the mother of a pint-size daughter, and two lazy cats. I hold a degree in Optometry from the Bausch & Lomb School of Optometry. Realizing that I wasn’t really cut out for the profession, I went on to pursue a Masters in English Literature just for the sheer love of it. I spent my growing up years between Libya, Lucknow, and Hyderabad.

I'm also a wine connoisseur, baking enthusiast, a restless traveler and a compulsive nomad. I'm a sucker for funny romance and I think my best writing happens when I'm surrounded either by mountains or the ocean. I used to run a quaint writing and editing studio and currently, I'm in a full-time corporate job. 

When not doing any of the above, I love engaging with people on social media and inflicting my opinions on random strangers. I love creating quirky craft work when I get some time to myself and I am also a hoarder of eccentric fashion accessories for no reason at all.

• You have recently published a book, please tell us something about it.

It's been a long and arduous journey but my third book ‘A Cage of Desires’ is finally out there in the stores now. Although it straddles many genres but if I had to label it, I think it would come closest to contemporary romantic erotica. It initially started off as a short story published in New Asian Writings anthology. The story received a lot of praise which encouraged me to develop it into a full-length novel. Like all my other books, this one too is also woman-centric, but the central theme is far more intense. It's about a woman's journey towards facing her inner truth and finding freedom. At the same time, it also explores the depths of female sexuality, toxic love, and emotional abuse. I'm sure every reader will relate to it at some level.

• What inspired you to write your recent book?

It was a discussion with a Pakistani author who writes under a pseudonym that triggered the story. Initially, it was published as a short story that got a lot of praise from readers and I decided to spin it off into a full-length novel. From there, it flowed on its own.

• You have written multiple books, which one is your favourite and why?

That’s like asking a mom which is her favorite child. :) All my books are my favorite for different reasons.  I can’t really choose a “least favorite” because they are all very close to my heart.

• What kind of books do you read? Any favourite authors/books?

There are just too many! I have been a voracious reader since childhood and I never missed a chance to bury myself in a book. From the Bronte Sisters to Enid Blyton, and Shakespeare to Sophie Kinsella, I’ve lapped them all up. I believe that my writing style carries the influence of all the authors I have read till date. 

• What were the key challenges that you face while you write?

For me, it is to sit down and WRITE. I get easily distracted by the internet and I am the most productive on days when the signals are down. I know a lot of authors who meticulous foreshadow and plan every chapter of their book and write regularly with great discipline. I often wish I could do that too. My writing schedule mostly involves long periods of writer’s block and then suddenly the floodgates open and there is a deluge of ideas and words. I wish I could be more disciplined but with my current schedule, it’s really difficult for me. That, I think is the key challenge I feel I have. Other minor and specific challenges appear while writing each book, especially the genres I have not earlier written. They do not naturally come to me.

• Which phase of book you hate most? Writing, Editing, Marketing, or something else?

While I am writing, every time it feels like this must be the most difficult part of seeing a book come to write. When the book moves to the editing phase, I am proved wrong. And this time, with ‘A Cage of Desires’ when I delved into professional marketing and promotion of the book for the first time, that can actually convert into sales, I was proved wrong once again. There are different aspects about different phases of publishing a book that I am not too fond of but I guess there’s no escape from them :)

• Are there any words of wisdom that you would like to share with new authors?

I am just three books old so I’m not sure if I am the right person to dole out advice, but I would just say that don’t wait for the perfect moment to write that book cooking in your head. Set a routine, write a few words every day and FINISH that first draft. Don’t waste time on fancy words and expressions when you are writing – just let the story flow. And sometimes when you really get stuck, read the kind of books you want to write. Do not get disheartened by the writer’s block. It eventually goes away.

• Any other projects you are working on? Yes, what are they?

I am already halfway through writing the sequel to ‘Done With Men’, my first book. The characters got pretty popular with the readers and many of them asked me if there would be a sequel. It’s going to be a fun breezy read like the previous one, and although it takes off where DWM ended, it is intended to be a standalone book. I also have a couple of other stories inside my head that I would really love to put to paper soon. 

• Lastly, if you have to describe your book in few lines, how will you do it?

Although it’s difficult to capture the essence of ‘A Cage of Desires’ in just a few lines I think these lines from the book almost capture its soul.

‘She was exactly who she was meant to be—a glorious bird in the sky with fire in her soul and ferocity in her heart; a soul free and fluid like the wind; wings wooing impossible dreams. She was no longer a bird in love with her cage. She was a phoenix resurrected. She was Maya.’

Hope you enjoyed reading about Suchi and her books. Do grab a copy of her latest book from Amazon today.

Lots of Love