Author Interview- Saheba Atal
Interviewer- Animesh Das
Saheba Atal is the author of the self-help book “Urban Insanity”. Saheba Atal speaks
with the simplicity of a mother and the gravity of a modern sage. In her work,
she has beautifully analysed the various aspects of modern life and society.
She has cherry-picked some of the major issues which no-one dares to talk or
discuss about. Some people may find her solutions a bit different but there is
no denying the fact that they are very practical and effective. Recently I got
an opportunity to interview her. In it she has disclosed many unknown facts
about her personal life and work which will help the readers understand her
work in a better way.
A.D- First of all, Hearty congratulations on
the huge success of your latest book “Urban Insanity”.
S.A-Well, thanks. I am grateful to each and every person who took the time,
effort and energy to read my work. My ideology came from my heart and my first
hand observations.
A.D- Tell us a bit about yourself.
S.A- You already know a lot. Once you read all the other answers, you shall
know much more.
A.D-Well, fair enough. Let’s move on to the
next question. You are currently studying Anthropology and Sociology along with
your Ph.D. in Consumer Behavior. How do you keep a balance between your study
and passion?
S.A- I completed my masters in strategic marketing and got busy with the
errands of usual daily life. I realised there is a void in me and will always
be if I don’t keep learning and studying. I developed interest in anthropology,
consumer behaviour and their applications. Hence making time was just an art or
a practical way that I needed to chalk out anyhow. Plus it’s a distance
learning course. So I have time on my side.
Balance is a myth. I am not
balanced and I don’t think I want to be balanced.
A.D-Well, that’s amazing.What kind of research
do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
S.A- I am on a research mode all awake hours. I love to watch, observe
and research people, situations and relationships all the time. Everything that
is happening on the surface is actually layers of thoughts, complete and
incomplete actions and behind everything is intention. For my factual or historical research I reach
out to google.
One cannot decide the time
period of research, it depends on many factors. One needs to know if your
research has reached a point of conviction.
A.D-Women have received a special attention in
your work. You have talked about the equal rights for women and advocated the
idea of working women. But over the years we have witnessed incidents like
gang-rape, murder and infanticide which project the crooked mentality of the
patriarchal society towards women. What piece of advice would you like to give
your female admirers who are constantly fighting this battle with the society?
S.A- We will have to keep fighting till we win and we shall be fighting
and sorting situations for a longer time than we think we need to. We have
already sacrificed ourselves to a great extent in the past. Through social
media, Internet and my friends abroad, I learnt that even in the western
cultures women are fighting for equality till date.
Honestly it’s a battle that
shall last longer than we think. It’s not about winning a position for women.
It’s about giving them equality in the social-economic and cultural sense. Yes,
some very sad things have happened and are still happening. It’s really about
creating awareness about the importance of women and protecting them from the
grass root level to the top layers of society.
Personally in my daily life I
try my best to uplift and support all women I come across. Be it my staff
members, family members or friends, I do try to empower them as much is there
in my capacity.
A.D- Do you believe attractive book-covers help
in its sales?
S.A- yes they do. I can’t concede such facts. It’s a face of your book
just like the poster of a blockbuster.
A.D- According to Wikipedia, In India alone, 90
thousand books get published each year. How important a role do you think
promotional activities play in the current scenario?
S.A- Promotion is really important. As modern as this concept might sound
to some people, let me explain it’s just a way of reaching out to your
audience. It’s important to tell people about what you have created. An artiste
creates her /his piece but I don’t think it becomes a master piece until your
audience knows that it exists. Especially in the crowd of products one needs to
find their own shelf.
A.D- Are you working with any promotional team
right now? If yes, then are you satisfied with the services they are providing?
S.A- kitaabikeeda on instagram does our
promotions. And they are doing a great
job. Umesh has guided me well and is
always patient when I am not able to reach some decisions. He is very
understanding towards markets and budgets.
A.D-You are an avid traveler. Would you like to
share some of your travelling experiences with us?
S.A- Wow! Now that needs space for an entire book. I have lived in Dubai
for two years during my master’s degree. I have travelled to London, Edinburgh,
Vienna, Prague, Lucern, nice, Paris and a few more.
I feel travel makes you reflect
on who you are and who you are not. It does describe some limitations in our
minds. We learn to value our own homes. I enjoy architecture when I travel. I
do spend a day or two taking a tour of the city. I try to feel the historical
vibe in the monuments.
A.D- Do you google yourself?
S.A- Why not ? Focusing on yourself, your personality attributes and self
love are virtues I write about and I believe in them. You are the best project
you can work on, because you know your weaknesses and strengths.
A.D- Does your family support your career as a
writer?
S.A- Of course they do. Without the support of your family You can’t do much in
life.
A.D- Tell us about your daughter Aksania. As a
mother what piece of advice on parenting would you like to offer to the fellow
moms?
S.A- My daughter gave birth to a mother in me that I didn’t know existed.
She is just like any other child. All children are blessings and learnings. I
cannot really advice on being a mom. But I can suggest, that we must let kids
grow up in a free environment. I am a new mum and a learner myself .
I recently read some where,
‘stop buying your kids what you didn’t have and start teaching them what you
didn’t know.’ I think this is a very practical and essential advice.
A.D- What was the best money you have ever
spent as a writer?
S.A- I have spent money on stationery, notebooks, markers, coloured
writing pens. It’s the best money because I avidly use my stationery when I am
writing. I loved a set of jumbo paper clips I got online, they just light up
some element.
A.D- Have any new writer grasped your attention
recently?
S.A- I think we have a plethora of talent around us. It’s difficult to
name any one. But I like writing that is published for a purpose of reaching
out to people to tell them something useful or practical .
A.D-Do you read much and if so who are your
favorite authors?
S.A- I read sufficiently. I am a deep thinker and I romanticise life. So
for me classics by Rumi, Kahlil Gibran and the works of such
kind are a breeze. My go to book is Anuja
chauhan, love her style and suspense. Satbir
Chadha has written some varied books as well, they make a great read.
A.D- What is your favorite time and place to
write books?
S.A- My home or a nearby coffee shop. I usually get into very comfy
clothes, I wear my favourite bangles, a ring on my left hand ring finger and I
begin my process. For me to start my flow of writing, the harmony of colours is
essential.
A.D- Are you working on something new at the
moment?
S.A- I am working on poetry, intercepts, verses and a story. I want to
work on quotes and short stories as well.
The second book is a collection
of spoken word poetry. I want to release it by the end of this year.
A.D- Thank you for sharing your experiences
with us and best of luck for all your future endeavors.
S.A- Thank you so much! I wish both of us love, light and abundance.
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