Interview With Sneha Gupta

‘The Untrodden Ways – Blood Stained Story of a Scientist’ is the second novel by Sneha Gupta, a banker with humble beginnings. This young authoress hails from a small town in the state of Bihar.

Her first novel ‘For what you are…’ has helped her realize the dream of being a writer. And even though she received several awards and recognition for her novel, this modest writer believes that she has to learn something new each day to give her best to the readers.

She is an avid blogger and loves to write poems, short stories and ghazals.

In an interesting conversation with Read In Park, She speaks about herself, her future plans and her journey.

Tell us briefly about the story? And what inspired you to write “The Untrodden ways”? 

THE UNTRODDEN WAYS is the story of the protagonist Shruti Sain is a successful scientist. But the day she invents the formula of ‘Transfusion of Species’, she is mercilessly thrown onto the untrodden ways of life by her cruel destiny. The untrodden ways confront her brutally. The story is all about how she confronts satanity and gets over it. The story is extremely intense and has been remarked very horrible by many readers.

Science  has  always  fascinated  me.  I  love bio-chemistry. I had kept two career options for me- either to become a doctor or a scientist. But after 12th class, I understood  that  my  life  had different plans. ‘ The  Untrodden  Ways ’ is   the novel transformation of a short  science - fiction story which I had written in Class 12th. That time I   had   named   it   ‘Betrayed’.   Later,   when   I developed the whole plot as a novel, I re-named it THE UNTRODDEN WAYS. There wasn’t any external inspiration. 

How did you choose the genre? 

Because it is my favorite genre. I am quite intense by nature. I like intensity. My debut book being an exception case, not only this book but every book I write happens to be extremely intense. It could be intense romance, intense horror, intense thriller, etc. My favorite genre falls in the disturbing category which secretly commands the neurons. 

Who are the main characters of the book? 

The story revolves around the protagonist Shruti Sain who is a 25 years old scientist. She is very intelligent and seen as the future of India in Bio-chemistry. She is working on a formula which may lead to the cure of several fatal diseases. But, before her invention could prove to be beneficial, she herself becomes a victim of it and finds herself in a series of never ending-traumas which make her life worse than death. 

Besides Shruti, other important characters of the novel are –

Professor Shrikant Sain – Shruti’s father and the voluntarily retired professor of Chemistry from W.B. University.

Mrs. Padmaja Sain – Prof. Sain’s deceased wife present all throughout the story.

Anvit Chakraborty - Business tycoon of Kolkata and Shruti’s boyfriend.

Madhurima Verman – Shruti’s best friend and Anvit’s business partner.

Dr. Arindam – Sain’s family doctor.

Dr. Chandrashekhar Mukharjee – Chief Operational - in charge of The Indian Institute of Bio-chemical Research, Kolkata and Shruti’s senior.

Srujan Mehra – Mumbai based fashion photographer with a mysterious personality and unknown motives.

And a Bio-physicist who had died few years ago in his own lab leaving behind the mystery of his missing wife and son…

These people come together to narrate a story which happens to be not suitable for weak-hearted readers…

How did you come up with the title of the book?

 

I always work very hard on my books. As I said already, earlier its name was ‘Betrayed’. Later I named it THE UNTRODDEN WAYS. THE UNTRODDEN WAYS means such ways where nobody has ever walked before. The unknown path where nobody knows what happens. Shruti Sain is mercilessly thrown onto THE UNTRODDEN WAYS of life by her cruel destiny. The untrodden ways welcome her with all the horrors and unseen unknown traumas...

What kind of response are you getting for the book in comparison to previous one? 

My debut book had limited reach since it wasn’t distributed properly. I took care of this fault with this one and made it available to all. It gave me an unexpected response from every single reader. My mailbox was flooded with overwhelming appreciations where even some of the readers remarked themselves being ‘speechless’. It reached to every stratum ranging from school and college students to administrative officers, bankers, lawyers, policemen, journalists etc. and every single of them loaded me with praises. A senior literary journalist Surendra Manpuri said that the way I balanced the theory of good and evil was remarkable and it is hard to believe that the novel was penned by a girl like me in early twenties. He said that I had the maturity of writing which is achieved by hard work in the age of 70 and that I would be remembered for this book forever. And I wish to quote the exact words of Administrative Officer [Railway], Mr. J.P.S. Singh – ‘Mashallah! Zabardast! Kya kitaab likhi hai… Sneha ne… Yakeen nahi hota…!’ 

It feels like heaven when your book is appreciated by people belonging to the intellectual class who are too choosy to pick a book as well as casual readers like school college students and what more if it succeeds in propelling the non-readers to flip the pages. A lot of my banker colleagues who hardly get time to breathe just grabbed my book and engulfed it.

This book brought me ‘The Crowning Glory of Vaishali’ award and titles like ‘Kalam ki Jadugar’ [Dainik Jagaran] and “Indian remark in Suspense and Thriller’ [Dainik Hindustaan].

The book went far beyond my expectations and I believe that journey has just started.

How did writing come into existence in your life?

 

I have been writing since childhood. My stories and poems used to get published in our school magazine. I write both in English and Hindi. I had always dreamt of being a writer. Writing is not just a time pass for me. I breathe because I write. Writing is the vitality of my life. I am dead passionate for writing and I write as if there is no tomorrow. I won the ‘Pride of Vaishali’ award on the occasion of Bihar Diwas 22/03/2012 and the ‘Crowning Glory of Vaishali’ award on 10/10/2012 for my literary efforts. I’ll keep writing until the last drop of blood lingers in my veins.

Tell us something about yourself. 

I belong to a simple family from a very small town Lalganj in the state Bihar. Life isn’t that simple and stylish in north India. I acquainted life very early and myself discovered how to make it beautiful. I have always enjoyed the challenges of my life. I started my career at the age of eighteen with State Bank of India.

I am little introvert type of girl and allow only a few people in my friendship circle. Not very expectant, I enjoy my responsibilities. I have my own rules and I stick to them without thinking if anybody considers me rigid. I live my life my way. I am not a dual personality and my nature is same for my family, friends, colleagues as well as my readers. I am not different from what I appear and what I write. I like the company of people who are of my type and are compatible with me. I have seen many odds in my life and I love my life the way it is. It is all about being happy and spreading happiness. I am a tough girl and I like tough people. I am self-made and I like self-made people. I care a lot about the people I love. I do not like to show-off but believe in living life to the fullest with all the emotions laughing loudly and crying bitterly. I do not deny confessing that I am obstinate and very possessive by nature. I believe that it is better to be beautiful than to look beautiful. I do not believe in some of the pre-set rules like ‘Jo dikhta hai who bikta hai’ etc. I am always ready to adjust but I never compromise. I didn’t compromise with my writing and today my readers like me the way I write. I live every second of my life making it more beautiful for the people I love and care for.

Can you share your experiences your publisher?

 

Nothing worth mention. 

Apart from writing, what interests you most?

Of course life interests me the most. Apart from writing, I love photography, music, cooking and doing whatever comes to my mind. I do not miss any chance to tease my Mamma, laugh with my Papa, fight with my brothers and rest of the time I spend nagging my friends. I love to read and watch intense horror stories i.e. books and movies. If I am alone and none of them are with me [which is the story of the most of the times], then I plan and execute some self-adventurous expeditions in my own home. Normally, there isn’t a particular thing I rely upon. Life is too short and uncertain to be waited. I do whatever comes to my mind. I don’t even mind being insane at times.

Your success mantra?

 

I don’t know what my success mantra is. I never thought so. May be it is because I am quite obstinate and passionate by nature and extremely strong willed and determined that I never take rest until I get what I want. As I said earlier, I have an obsessed kind of nature; I do not spare myself with failures.

What kind of books do you like to read? Who are your favorite authors?

 

I like intense books. My all-time favorite book is WUTHERING HEIGHTS. I am a fan of Emily Bronte, Sharatchandra Chattopadhyaya, William Shakespeare and John Keats.

Any future projects that you are working on right now? And which is the genre you are working on? Yes, I am writing my third book with Author’s Empire Publication. It is an intense tragedy. The story is based on the social issue of crime against women. Besides, I have 14-15 plots ready to be penned. All are intense comprising never-before humor also.

Do you have any plan to take up writing on full time basis?

 

Not now. The market is too volatile to take any risk of life.

Any message for readers of “Read In Park”?

 

Don’t live a zombie life. Live like a human. Be happy and spread happiness. Make sure your happiness does not hurt anyone. Life is too short and uncertain to mourn over. Make a difference in the life of the people who love you and for whom you care. Be ready for tough situations and tougher decisions. Live your life to the fullest. Don’t let yourself become utilized like a non-living thing. And if you like intense genre, then do read my books and send your feedback. Keep smiling!

Thank you so much Sneha. Keep your spirits up. Have a great year ahead.  

Thank you.