NOVEL~*Hiding behind a Stranger*~THREAD 53 - CHAP 58 (Pt 1&2)- 4th - Page 92

Originally posted by: lashy

Originally posted by Unbeknown

Lashy - here are a few qs I thought of asking, donning a journalist role You might've said these things many a times, but for some of us who haven't been through this journey from the very beginning...so here you go

Awww I understand 🤗 there used to be a thing on this forum, ages ago... it used to be called the 'hot seat' where one member was chosen and the others would ask them questions ... ranging from what's your favourite flavour/colour to your first crush kinda koschuns... and there'd be hundreds of them! 😆

for some reason, this reminded me of it... though thankfully, there are only 5 questions here!

1. How did you think of HBAS - a historical romance, after writing NJAPA which is sort of contemporary and college going

I like variety. For any person who is in a creative field, there must be certain kind of variety and diversity in what they write, or the scenes shall start getting predictable and the phrases repetitive. I noticed this to be the case even amongst professional authors (who wrote book after book on the same genre!)

Which is why, after writing a contemporary romance, I was certain I would pick a different genre for the next venture (though I wasn't sure then that it would be historical!)

And yes, HBAS had formed in my mind primarily as a 21st century idea. But when I set my heart out to writing a 17th c story, I managed to convert it to the Historical equivalent.

Father's plot of land in Chennai = ancestral mansion and lands

Land grabbing mafia = prince and politics

Mafia's right hand man = Prince's assassin/spy

Partially sighted HR manager = Partially sighed diplomat

Greedy businessman engaged to didi = greedy prince from a neighbouring kingdom betrothed to jiji

and so on...😳

Certain elements made the conversion easier - the lack of mobile phones and laptops gives a lot of leeway to story/plot/thriller planning.

Certain elements made it far tougher - I had to research on times, distances, transportation, woodwork, currencies, dresses, food, language, customs, culture, cities etc in that particular era!

2. How do you put your journey so far, from NJAPA or the days before that if you have written any and we aren't aware of?

It sounds so cliched saying this - but yes, I do think I have come far... and I hope to continue onward in this journey in some form or another. I hope it doesn't come to an end here. I have learnt a lot and everyday continues to be a learning experience - no doubt about it!

These days, when I read other forums - Quora and the sort - 'clever' writing instantly stands out to me - something which would've never happened before! So yes, it has been and will continue to be a constant learning experience -where I've learnt that you might come across someone you're better than, but that there will also always be someone better than you!

3. We all know, you really really like all of us and support us in any way you could. How much does this affect your life and writing? I mean, we all tend to talk to you what all is happening in our lives. You don't have to answer if its too personal. I understand.

I was mentioning this to someone the other day, on the forum. It is only when it's coming to an end that I realise how much of a buffer this life had become, sponging up the tensions of the real world. After NJAPA this was not the case, because I immediately had Rithi and my life took a very busy turn. The forum was quite active then and PBD was also there to keep the Banjaras together.

With the end of HBAS, things will be different.

As for my friends here - if it were not for the baisas' support, I might not have been able to stick through the 2.5 years - that is for sure! So, you have all been immense support in ways you haven't yet realised (both, emotionally and creatively) and picked me up from the floor so many times without being aware of it!

4. How do you feel about connecting to all of us - e-family? How do you think you would feel when this all ends and you are thinking over all this at a later date?

I would look back at all of this fondly. There have been tough times too - but overall, I have gained such beautiful memories with my e-family. Nothing like the suda suda discussions and suda suda reviews... but words from NJAPA readers, 3 years later, still leaves me feeling warm and fuzzy. I hope that is how it'll be for HBAS too!

5. And how did you think of writing at all? we know you are active in all extra curricular activities. But writing and conveying something to a mass is something that has to come naturally. One can improve their style and everything over the course of their journey but it has to be in-built for one to start with. And I'm glad you decided to write for whatever reasons

Now for this, I'll have to say it just happened. I haven't been great at writing out essays at school or anything of the sort. Nor did I really attend any creative courses. Basically, frustration with ongoing story-lines and the bursting need to voice out an alternative approach to the story - THAT is how it started with Prithvi Raj Chauhan and THAT is what happened with the OSes and SS in Jodha Akbar too. Of course, the fact that I am an eternal 'dreamer' helped!😆

After the JA Short stories and one-shots were no longer enough of a vent for my growing frustrations at the abysmal storytelling on Indian TV, I decided to go about in a proper way from start to end. As a challenge. I used the same personalities, a simple approach, and vehemently wanted to do away with the cliches we always see!

And that's how NJAPA came into being. Being my first 'proper' story, it was also the first one that involved some amount of research. Readership-wise, it had a slow start because it was the first modern story amongst several other historical FFs. But by the end, it gave me a greater sense of success than I'd hoped to achieve.

HBAS was a step up from there - so much more research and far greater input time-wise was involved. It started off with a bang, fizzled down towards the end. But I cannot complain - the past couple of chapters have been slightly better. This forum is almost dead - so I consider the 70-odd readers coming back for the story, a positive outcome!😊

Anyhow; NONE of this would've happened without the baisas here... (I don't know if you've noticed, but I never refer to any of ya'll as readers, only friends)

So, thanks a ton for this journey,

For this experience

And for everything that came with it. 🤗

I get to chalk this down as a milestone in my life (and I hope you all feel the same way about it too!)

Originally posted by: lashy

Whopeee whopeee... I did I just did. I did feel Cookie's hugs...

Wait... warm hug, did you say?

Originally posted by: cute.manasi

Originally posted by: Sabdabhala

HOLA EVERYONE

Where was you Mohtarma? 🤗

I TOO WANT AKBAR (TEA) IN A BLUE JAMA 😳

Sharing is caring!

AND AS LASHY SAYS CAKE WAS A PRODUCT OF ONLINE SHOPPING 😉 ALONG WITH A BUNCH OF ROSES

👍🏼

I MISSED THE PICTURE QUIZ 😭

Nope da... the quiz is still open... waiting for Nams to hand in her answers so I can declare results!

LASHY SAHIBA I SAW YOUR REPLIES TO APPU BUT I NEED TO READ THEM AGAIN THOROUGHLY 😉

Awww 🤗

Originally posted by: Rashmisingh9151

Sehenshah arrived he Mimic Amitabh Sir dialogue

Partially 😉 you must have heard it to 😆

(rishtey mein toh hum tumhare baap hote hai 😎

naam ha Sehnshah bas fark itna hai ki yahan

hum naam aur kaam dono se sehnshah hai😉) 😆

>>>Yes it did feel that way 👏😆

As much it's hurt my heart to even let go of Shah sahib

>>>Try let go... It won't hurt😆

I just can't help get awe by chota Zayan scene

the way he said I so wish to learn how to caught like this

made me chuckled to 😆

but he is nowhere near my Shah sahib though

>>>No where near! He is twin brother of Prannath 😳and I see you already like him😉😆

Kuki can't let him go how can you think I will

this is so unfair 😭

>>>Unfair! 😲Well, Rashmi..

Then... I don't necessarily always play fair... at least not when I know the payoff is too valuable to put a price on'😎

Originally posted by: Kuki715

Aww... 🤗🤗

But don't worry cousin won't let you melt away 😆🤗