We has a little chinwag with Vibha Batra on Glitter and Gloss
So we has a little chinwag with author Vibha Batra about her latest romcom book Glitter and Gloss and her writing process.
Excerpts
What brought you to write Glitter and Gloss?
I’d just finished writing my first romance novel The Activist and The Capitalist. The withdrawal symptoms were severe. So like any compulsive writer, I decided to get my fix. And lo, GNG came about!
Why spend years of your life writing it?
I’d love to write faster, but until that happens, it’s kind of nice to be transported to an all-new world where love and romance (albeit with some amount of squabbling) reign supreme. So much so, that sometimes (okay, most of the times) it’s tough to snap out of it.
What are you trying to achieve with it?
No lofty goals of world peace/world domination, I’m afraid. Am just trying to tell a story and doing my bestest to have oodles of fun while I’m at it. (If I enjoy it so much, some of it is sure to rub off on the reader, right?)
What got left out in the final draft?
Haha! I’ve lost count! Writing and rewriting (and rewriting some more) a staggering number of drafts has that effect. In fact, if the deadline hadn’t loomed when it did, I’d still be writing it.
Where there alternate endings you considered?
Right from the get-go, happy ending it was for me! And for Akshay and Misha. It’s a light, frothy, bubbly romcom, so I’m not sure I should be inserting *spoileralert* here.:)
What’s next for you? What are you working on now?
Another romcom! Like I told you, I was addicted. And there’s a book for tweens as well.
Who do you think your most favourite character in the book was and why?
Call it literary incest (falling in love with your own creation, gasp!) but I love Akshay. Dreamy-dashing, sensitive-strong, smart-sweet, SLURP! Let’s just say if he came to life, I’d so be pushing Misha out of the way. Get in line, all you ladies out there!
Do you have any unique or quirky writing habits?
Perhaps sharing this anecdote will illustrate the quirky bit better.
Before starting my first romance novel:
Me: (sceptically) Romance novel? I don’t know.
My editor: It’s easy, you can do it. You are married, aren’t you? Just draw inspiration from real life.
Me: (brightly) Okay, then!
After submitting the first draft:
Me: So, what do you think?
My editor: (agitatedly) Where’s the romance? Fighting and arguing and yelling. That’s all the protagonists seem to be doing.
Me: (accusingly) You asked me to draw inspiration from my life.
My editor: (letting out an exasperated breath) I’m sorry, just use your imagination, will ya?
Anything else that you would like to add?
Please grab a copy Glitter and Gloss and if you like what you read, don’t forget to tell me (and the whole world) all about it!
Vibha Batra is an advertising consultant, published author of 8 books, poet, lyricist, translator, travel writer, playwright, script writer and columnist. Her published books include: The Activist and The Capitalist, Sweet Sixteen (Yeah, Right!), Seventeen and Done (You Bet!),Eighteen and Wiser (Not Quite!) – a YA trilogy published by Penguin, Ishaavaasya Upanishad, a translation of her grandfather, the late Shri Vishnu Kant Shastri’s book published by Rupa Publications, Tongue-in-cheek, a collection of poetry, and two short story collections, A Twist of Lime and Family Crossword. She has also contributed short stories and poems to several anthologies.
