Her background includes having a top class job as a Director and Associate Professor at a Business School. She’s also a passionate philanthropist. And she’s living proof that if you want to be a renowned author no matter what your background, you can do so. We’re talking about Bhaavna Arora who had her first novel entitled The Deliberate Sinner published this year. We interviewed Bhaavna to find out more about the lady herself, and about her book, whose title intriguingly suggests a venture into uncharted territories…
You come from a strong academic background with expertise in areas including leadership and management. Can you please tell us about this and also how you came about to write your first novel entitled The Deliberate Sinner?
Yes, I’ve a strong academic background and there is a very “strong” reason behind it. As a little child I was very mischievous and would get into troubles, but I would score well academically so my mischiefs were ignored by my parents, hence I understood the importance of academic scores. Just to keep myself from punishments for the devilry I would cause, I scored well and it became a way of life for me.
At a young age I had two MBA degrees along with a doctorate in my hand and hence got chosen as a director of a BSchool that was in its inception stage. Under my leadership, I brought it to the level of “Best Upcoming B School in Asia” by KPMG. I had achieved more than I wanted to and soon got bored of it, hence wanted to realize my childhood dream of being a writer and hence The Deliberate Sinner came to fruition.
Can you please tell us what your novel The Deliberate Sinner is about?
The Deliberate Sinner has come out as a whistle-blower which is questioning our society about two grave issues. First is gender equality in terms of sexual satisfaction of women in a marital bond. Second is infidelity and how it is easily forgiven for men and is a blasphemy if committed by women. Around these two strong concepts is an interesting plot that keeps the readers hooked until the end.
What key messages about modern India and society do you convey in The Deliberate Sinner and what do you hope readers will take away from reading your book?
Writers at large have a moral responsibility towards their audiences. In The Deliberate Sinner though, there is a bold projection of a woman’s needs but the moral values are not compromised. The woman seeks marital bliss in the confinement of a marriage with her partner. Any deed that causes hurt and unhappiness is not moral, though morality is very relative and differs for various people in different situations. Today, relationships are based on convenience and selfish priorities and hence are so unstable.
In the end, the goal of all civilizations is to be happy so everyone should do what works for them. Something that works for someone may not work for another. The ball is always in your court. The way the protagonist in The Deliberate Sinner reacts to her miserable situation, other women may not and some may. So it’s all very relative and that’s the beauty of human emotions.
Are you working on any second novel? If so, could you please tell us a bit about what you have in the pipeline?
Yes, I’m presently working on my next. Though the character Rihana in The Deliberate Sinner was largely borrowed, the one in the present book will be largely autobiographical. I’m writing about the Indian Army and what our soldiers are doing for all of us to enjoy and live with peaceful freedom. The concept is in place and will weave a brilliant story around it. I’m on it.
Could you please share 3 top tips for writers who would like to get their first book published?
My only suggestion to all writers is to write about something that they really believe in. Till the time you don’t believe in your work, you can’t sell it out there. It’s not an essay completion, it’s an articulation of your beliefs that you strongly want to project out there. Take your own pick.
How can people find out more about you?
I am still in a process of discovering my own self. I change every day and it’s for the good. What I’m today, I may not be tomorrow. Thoughts, ideas and concepts are in a constant state of motion and if they are not, one stagnates.
For people to know about me they have to be in touch with my thoughts, ideas and concepts and that they can discover through my books. Keep reading and keep writing to me at writer@bhaavna.com They can also be in touch with me over at my Facebook page and on Twitter.
[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://writingtipsoasis.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/hv1.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Hiten Vyas is the Founder and Managing Editor of eBooks India. He is also a prolific eBook writer with over 25 titles to his name.[/author_info] [/author]