Akhila Saroha: If you were to describe your book “The White Maze” in a few words without giving any spoilers, what would those words be?

Arunima G: The White maze is a story where blood is way lighter, expendable and inconsequential compared to money and greed. But, however strong is the lure of grandeur and ambition, love and goodness prevails and wins every single time.

Akhila Saroha: What advice would you give to budding writers who may be planning to write in the same genre as “The White Maze”?

Arunima G: Well, by asking this question, you make me blush…for I am, if anything, the lowest on the rung of writers. My buds are budding! But yes, to those who wish to write, I would say, be clear as to WHY you are writing. For me, writing was a way of speaking for those who can’t or don’t want to speak. I wrote because i wanted a way to channelize my pain and it came forth in the form of various characters fighting to live and love. Be true to your style….because whatever style you choose, it is YOU! Your style, soft, subtle, obvious or rough….whatever it is, is YOU! And a prospective reader is going to read it because of your uniqueness. So, don’t aim at becoming a second James Hardley or Jeffery Archer…become the first YOU.

Akhila Saroha: Do you think you have conveyed all you had in mind through “The White Maze” or do you feel that there is more to come from your pen on the same subject that the book explores? How much research/revisions it took to write the book before you approved the final draft?

Arunima G: That is a point of contention. I have never re-read my work. Never. Even when I used to write for class speeches, or medical journals, the onus of re-reading fell on my comrades…..which is a bad practice. As I hear seasoned writers say in their interviews, that they micro-read and scan their work a million times before going ahead with their final draft, I feel a bit ashamed. It enrages my editor and publisher! But honestly Akhila, if i ever read my stuff, i would end up deleting all of it. Because it is like reading a confession….and like saying the truth to myself. Not a good idea! But as far as the research goes, I read every scrape of related issues. Being from the medical field, it becomes a lot easier for me. And the rest of it comes from becoming a tiny molecule in the environment and taking it all in, so that i can write about the smell of the rain drenched earth in a way that the reader can actually smell it.

Akhila Saroha: The book may become a sensation in the long run. How is the audience responding to the book? Is it close to the expected response?

Arunima G: Thanks to you and a handful of honest reviewers, the book is getting a very positive feedback. Whether it becomes a sensation or collects dust in the warehouses of Amazon is only something the future will tell. But thank you for the hopeful and encouraging comment Akhila.

Akhila Saroha: The book contains scenes that would make the readers emotional too. How did you manage to infuse them with emotions that still keep the text in the natural mode?

Arunima G: As I said, I become the characters….laugh with them, cry with them….occasionally murder with them as well. That’s why the scenes are real. Because they are.

Akhila Saroha: How would you describe your literary endeavours and all that went into your making as a writer before “The White Maze” materialized?

Arunima G: I have been educated throughout in a Convent school and have been lucky to have excellent English teachers. Also, I think writing ‘love-letters’ for my friends during school time actually helped me hone my skills! Jokes apart, as kids, we were trained to think in English. Also the fact that I have been an ardent reader helped me. I don’t have a degree in the language, but yes, I find English malleable enough to give voice to my thoughts, feelings and ideas.

 Akhila Saroha: There are so many unique perspectives in “The White Maze.” What was the most challenging thing about writing such complexity in a simpler version?

Arunima G:I think the most challenging thing was infusing contrasts in a single character. You see, I believe there is no such thing as good or bad….Everyone has smooths and roughs. When I write about a character, he or she should be relatable. So even my saints are a little naughty and my goons are occasionally kind. If you think about it, infusing simplicity is the most difficult part about writing.

Akhila Saroha: Even though “The White Maze” comes from a personal experience with a personal touch, it still keeps you, as the narrator uninvolved with the text. How as a writer did you keep that detachment?

Arunima G: I wasn’t detached. Each character has a part of me in it. It is Arunima, grounded and sprinkled all over the story as seasoning.

 Akhila Saroha: “The White Maze” is an attractive, easy-to-remember, and catchy title. How did you come up with it?

Arunima G: I think I was doodling a simple pattern of a maze when the title came to me. Paradoxically, it is the only book with a two letter title….rest of my upcoming books have bigger titles….so much so that my editor started using acronyms for better communication.

Akhila Saroha: What were the situations that led you to take the pen and explore your capabilities as an Author? Or how has your journey as an author been?

Arunima G: In earlier days, writing was a necessity. But somewhere in my sixth or seventh grade, when my teachers started keeping my essays for references, I started feeling that perhaps I COULD write. Later on, writing poetry and short stories on a whim started becoming my way of life. Much like doodling or painting or biting ones nails, writing started becoming my stress management strategy. My work was, at best, like a good dog, albeit, a stray one. The people responsible for grooming that stray dog are my family and my editor Phillips. Also, continuing in the same analogy of a dog, I would like to say, that howsoever groomed it is, if not loved enough, it cannot thrive, so yes…..someone’s unconditional love has also led me where I am today as a writer.

Akhila Saroha: If not a writer, do you see yourself engaging in any other forms of creative streams? Which would it be?

Arunima G: Oh I have loved theater since I was a child. I love to act. I would love to act on stage or even in front of the camera. It is only that I seem to be unnaturally well casted as a witch all the time!

Akhila Saroha: We all have personal favorite authors who even influence our writings. Which ones are yours?

Arunima G: Mr. Jeffery Archer. I love his twists. And Mr. Sydney Sheldon….for his unapologetic take on sex and sexual freedom and it’s expression.

Akhila Saroha: Apart from writing, what are the other activities you are involved in as a person?

Arunima G: I am a full time physician. Most of my time goes into patient care. I am a super specialist in critical care and this is my 15th year as a physician. Other than that, I love cooking. I am honing my skills in making 50 different types of chicken.

Akhila Saroha: If you were to sum up your writing journey in one sentence, what would it be?

Arunima G: Therapeutic.

Akhila Saroha: How do you see the future of reading and writing since it has gone through tremendous changes from past to present?

Arunima G: A book will always be a sane man’s best friend.

Akhila Saroha: In your busy schedule, how do you devote time to writing? Do you allocate a certain number of hours every day? Or how do you manage?

Arunima G: Writing is like an itch for me. When I get an idea or a plot, I HAVE to write it, even if that means skipping meals and burning the night oil. There are days when I write ten hours on a stretch and then again, there are days when I have such a block that I cannot even type a word. To answer your question, there isn’t any time allocation or scheduling. I write when the book calls me. Sometimes the characters will pester me till I have done justice to them…..they become very assertive at times!

Akhila Saroha: Writer’s Block is an ordinary happening in the writer’s world. How do you overcome it or what do you do when you are going through it?

Arunima G: There is nothing I can do about my bad stretches of ‘Writer’s blocks’....and they are real, frustrating and makes one feel like jumping off the building. I don’t fight it. I simply let it be and when I finish my book, I have the last laugh. Meanwhile i sip on mint tea and read my medical articles…..(and new chicken recipes).

Akhila Saroha: What are some of the dos and donts you follow as a writer?

Arunima G: Research. Always do a lot of research. Yes, there is a certain licence of liberty as an artist one can take, but when one is writing about very specific facts, say, for example, the effects of drug addiction and withdrawal symptoms, the reader will know when you are shaming. And tat is not what you want. And a definite NO is plagiarism. I don’t believe in swallowing food chewed by someone else.

 Akhila Saroha: How was the book publication journey as an experience for you? Are there any guidelines you would like to share for aspiring writers?

Arunima G: My journey was relatively smooth. Now a days publishing is not the problem. The problem and the real thing is promotion…..advertisements….getting your name and brand out there. 

 I hope that the book breaks records and reaches more readers. I wish you luck with the book.

Arunima G: Thank you Akhila. I wish you luck as well.