Sutapa Basu is a best-selling, award-winning author as well as an educationist, poet, storyteller, and translator. Her historical novel, The Curse of Nader Shah won the Best Fiction Award by Auther Awards, 2020 instituted by JK Papers and The Times of India. She is the 2016 First Prize winner of The Times of India’s Write India Campaign for Amish Tripathi while her debut, a psychological thriller, Dangle was nominated for the Anupam Kher Award for Best Debut English Novel in 2017. In 2021, she received an award for Excellence in Publishing by the Public Diplomacy Forum.
In an exclusive interview with Nitish Raj; Editor-in-Chief, The Literary Mirror the award-winning author talks about various aspects of writing along with various genres of literature.
Q.1: What is the driving force for the author in you?
SB: Actually, stories drive me to write them. Stories are always humming in my ears. I am compelled to give them the opportunity to come alive either by telling or writing them. It is my passion to tell stories to listeners. When my stories are published in books, they are available to a much larger audience of readers. Nothing gives me more delight than when readers get back to me saying how much they loved my stories.
Besides I have been a voracious reader since childhood. Many great authors have been my idols and I have always cherished a dream that readers will enjoy my stories as much as I have enjoyed theirs. Finally, as I said, stories do not let me rest. The moment one is written, another story clamours to be let out. And I begin to write it.
Q.2: Your writing has an inclination toward historical characters. How did your interest develop in the historical fiction genre?
SB: History and heritage are excellent content for a storyteller like me. They have provided me with limitless potential to use my creativity and hook our readers. My favourite reading genres are historical novels and thrillers. For me, History has always been knowing interesting stories from the past. However, most people have been exposed to history as a litany of events or battles linked to dates. To them, History needs too much memorisation. It seems boring and a dead subject. Through my historical novels, I want to bring History alive. I want to transport my readers to the era of the past. In my stories I create worlds. By describing food, clothes, customs, and language I try to bring the past visually into the present.
In my stories, I describe how major historical events changed the lives of ordinary people. In that way, my readers understand their significance and what lessons can be learned from them so that the same kind of disasters are not repeated. I build detailed characters of important historical figures so that they become living-breathing people not just a name and pictures in a history book. I trace the life stories of these figures and describe how they overcame dire circumstances in their lives. Therefore, I prove that they were not superhumans just more courageous and determined to carve their destiny. I believe History has a great deal that can inspire us to navigate our lives more competently in the modern world.
Q.3: How do you steer the course while switching between different genres?
SB: It is difficult because I write historical novels, thrillers, children’s fiction, translations and non-fiction, and short stories. No doubt it takes a lot of effort to switch from genre to genre especially as each genre has specific parameters. But I also enjoy the challenge writing in various genres offer.
There are authors who believe, I am sure with good reason, that they must specialize in a specific genre. However, I believe that I must try my hand at as many genres as I can. Since they require different styles of writing, I think each will compel me to work hard at my writing skills. Thus, I shall end up refining my craft and possibly reach closer to my goal of higher proficiency and creativity.
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Q.4: You have been the proud winner of the Auther Awards 2020. How far do these accolades help women writers establish themselves in the literary world?
SB: I am sure they do.
It does not matter whether one is a male or female writer, all awards are a measure of an author’s accomplishment. They are testimonials of one’s good craftsmanship. Auther Awards by The Times of India and JK Papers are an eminent recognition that any women writer would desire. Over the last two years, the Auther Awards have provided many writers the platform to establish themselves. I am proud and honoured by their award for my book The Curse of Nader Shah.
Q.5: After two bestsellers and hugely popular titles in The Invader Series, what should your readers expect next in the series?
SB: I shall be completing The Invader Series by adding the third book. I shall also add books to the Heroines in History Series that began with Padmavati, The Queen Tells Her Own Story. I shall also be doing more work in the Children’s Fiction and Nonfiction genres that I have initiated by Princesses, Monsters and Magical Creatures and The Birth Of My Nation respectively. As I have said earlier, readers can expect my writing offered up in different genres and a variety of flavours.
Q.6: Who is Sutapa Basu as a person between pursuing her dreams and spinning new ones?
SB: I am an educationist who churns out English textbooks for schoolchildren, a professional editor, and a writing coach. I also love travelling, gardening, interior designing, reading books, and watching movies as well as OTTs of substance. Besides, I am a doting grandmother to three elves, a confidante to my two children, and try to keep pace with my life-partner.
Q.7: What is the most important part of storytelling according to you?
SB: The beginning to hook the reader, the twist to keep the reader engaged, and the satisfying end to make the reader pick up the next book by the same author.
Let me disclose the recipe I use in my books.
I ensure all my books begin with a bang. Then I build the suspense to an unexpected twist. But the end of the tale makes my reader sigh with contentment. Many of my readers have declared that they have read my books, cover to cover, over one night, unable to put them down. Hopefully, they have also looked for my name when they picked up their next book!!
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