Author Interview: Shilpa Suraj

Shilpa is an Indian Mills & Boon author. She has written two books: The girl he left behind, and Rescued by Love., and is currently working on her third.

Interview

Well, first things first: How does it feel to be called a Mills & Boon author? How was the journey to becoming one?

It is quite literally a dream come true. I’ve always wanted to write but somehow life kept getting in the way and I never got around to it until I got married and my then new-husband announced that he needed to be based out of Chennai for six months. I decided to take a sabbatical from work and tag along. Finding myself with an unexpected block of free time, I started writing and haven’t stopped since. It’s been an incredible, soul-satisfying journey so far and I fully expect to be typing away even when I’m old and gray and squinting at my laptop.

The novel, Rescued By Love begins with the following sentence; "I'd rather die than marry him", doesn't it sound like an epic start to a romance novel?

From the moment the idea of Rescued by Love took form in my mind, I knew  Naina, my heroine, was going to be feisty, scrappy and full of life despite the fact  that her life was going to be very hard and full of hurdles. So the opening line perfectly encapsulates the drama that is her life and the start of the roller coaster ride that is the rest of the story.

What about the plot? Is it completely a figment of your imagination or have you witnessed perhaps one or more of the characters of the book?

The plot, characters and events of the novel are completely a figment of my imagination. Although, I wouldn’t mind meeting Arjun in real life :)

In my review, I have specially mentioned how I loved the wordplay and the creation of dialogues. How do you manage to keep it all spruced up with puns, and witty replies?

I’m so glad you enjoyed the dialogue and wordplay of the book. Most of it is instinctive and comes naturally to me. I guess to some extent my personality comes into play while I’m writing.

Who better person to answer this: what part do stories play in our lives?

I can’t imagine a world without books and the stories they tell. Nothing gives me more pleasure than turning the page on a good book in eager anticipation of what comes next. Stories open up our imagination, let us explore new worlds, and teach us new lessons, all without having to move from the comfort of our favourite reading spot.

Tell us in less than 20 words, why should people read this book?

Strong protagonists, livewire supporting characters, infectious humour, complex plot twists and soul searing passion. It’s romance at its best!

Check out the author's books :
(for more information, click on the book cover)

      

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