Author Highlight: Medha Nagur Discusses her New Book ‘The Last Seychelles Flame’ and Stories from her Life

We are back with another author interview. Today, with us, we have Medha Nagur – the author of ‘The Last Seychelles Flame’. In this interview, Medha talks about her writing aspirations, the route to getting her book published, and her inclination towards romance. Stay on...while we chat with her.

What motivates you to write?

To be frank, seeing my name on the book cover itself is the biggest driving force! But on a serious note, the stories that have been resting in my mind needs to be grubbed out effectively time-to-time to have peace of mind. Yes, it’s always a difficult task to keep yourself motivated to sit down and write your heart out on daily basis, but I guess if you have the zeal within then you can’t really find excuses.

How do you handle the response of this book?

So far the response has been amazing. In fact, it’s overwhelming to see my book being accepted both by critics and readers with open hearts. However, I have received a couple of reviews wherein the book has been critically dissected to its core. This is again; I believe people do only if they find the piece is worth their attention and effort.

I have my own reasons for writing (or not writing) certain things in this book, which a reader might not agree. I respect their point of view. Suggestions are always welcome. It will only help me to understand readers better.

Why did you choose to write a romance novel?

Whether you are a richie-rich businessman or an ordinary middle-class human being striving to make the ends meet, each and every one of us have a love life. Pick any genre- mystery, comedy, psychological thriller, etc. there is most often than not, love and romance involved. There is no life without love. It’s an intrinsic part of human beings and I simply had to write a story where love makes it possible for a life to take a plunge again even after going through many ordeals in life.

What are some of your favourite novels and authors?

‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen is my all-time favourite. Other books that I love are ‘Life is what you make’ by Preeti Shenoy and ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ by J.D.Slinger, which I am now reading for the second time after years but with a writer’s eye.

Do you think writing a book from the comfort of bedroom is possible?

Yes, I do believe in that and I have been writing for years as a freelancer, from the comfort of my home if not from my bedroom. Moreover, even my book was born in my bedroom! It’s only our mental block that restricts us. But the fact of the matter is, most of the things don’t need a specific place or time to turn dreams into reality.

Where do you write from? Do you go to some specific place, like beachside or into the hills?

I am not one of those who wait for the right time when I can go out on a vacation to a beach or a hill station and then pull out my pen to put those words on the paper. That's a luxury I can’t afford. We are a nuclear family and I have a tween and a toddler to take care off. For me anytime is a good time and any place is the right place to write. Considering that, sometimes even finding any time becomes a challenge while juggling life and it’s unavoidable situations.

What inspired you to write this book? Any tales to tell…

Actually I started writing a novel when I was on my maternity break last year. It was a complex subject and I was attempting to write a full-length novel for the first time. As a result, the research matter and the plot started conflicting and I was not able to handle it. In the whole saga I lost the track. That’s when I decided to write a short and simple yet a gripping love story so that I can learn to deal with the subject matter, plot and the characters well. It took only a couple of days to weave the characters and the plot of ‘The last Seychelles Flame’ since there were bits and pieces of this story already lingering in my mind for quite a while.

As a result of this book, now I am super excited to reattempt my half done novel since I have got the hold of it all. And my confidence as a writer has boosted many-folds.

What was your biggest learning experience throughout the publishing process?

There were two so to say-

First- Never release a book without editing to your satisfaction, or else you will end up releasing subsequent editions, just like I did, and you will get mixed opinions depending on who reads what.

Second- There is no surviving self-publishing without an excellent marketing plan; and that, your plan should start working even before you release the book. Unfortunately, I didn’t work towards marketing goals ahead of time. And I suck at it!

Looking back, what did you do right that helped you break in as a writer?

One thing that I did right was, I didn’t directly jump into writing stories. It was a serious affair to me and hence I took some time out and submerged myself in understanding how the stories are actually written.

I read quite a few books on character building, working on plot ideas, developing a good story arch, about good narrating skills, dialogue writing, etc. to mention a few aspects. I also took up a course on Coursera, which laid the foundation. I am glad I invested some time developing my skills, which are now paying off as I get to see the positive response for my debut novella.

Any best piece of writing advice from your side that we haven’t discussed?

I am sure this has been discussed earlier, but I would still like to emphasize on it anyway. Observe, don’t mock, if you do, then you’re sure to screw your writing career. We all have our own favourite authors, but that doesn’t mean you should adapt their writing style. It makes your work lifeless and gives it a gimmicky feeling!

Something personal about you people may be surprised to know?

I am an introvert and like to quietly use my written skills to communicate. People often mistake me for not talking enough or not participating in social gatherings. But trust me, it has nothing to do with my attitude.

Another thing, which I want to share about myself, is that I am not a good multitasker. I like to do one thing at a time with full focus and that means even a mundane thing like talking while cooking sometimes can drain me, especially if I am trying out something new in the kitchen.

Any future books that you would like to discuss now?

Yes, I am already halfway through my next novel, as discussed earlier. However, I would not like to talk much about it at this point in time. There are certain things that I need to work upon and implement my learning from my first book, The last Seychelles Flame.

Connect with Medha:

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/MedhaNagurAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NagurMedha

Website/Blog: http://www.medhanagur.com/

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/Bsf4rPmpELI