Hello everyone! Welcome another interview of ‘BTB: Behind the Book’. Today, we have author Deepti Menon. She will talk about her book ‘The Dance and the Trance’.

When I first came across her book title, I didn’t waste another moment to let her know how much I loved the name and how much I was intrigued by the fascinating title of the book. So sweet of her, as I told her my fondness to her book, she gifted me a copy of ‘The Dance and the Trance.’ I am forever grateful to her for this lovely gesture and the wonderful gift.

Now, after reading the book, I decided to write a detailed book review of ‘The Dance and the Trance’. And then, I interviewed author Deepti Menon on her creation.

I asked her some questions on her book ‘The Dance and the Trance’. Here’s the full interview.

Q. Hello Deepti Ma’am. I loved reading your book ‘The Dance and the Trance’. I would like to know what inspired you to write this book.

A. Hi Swarnali, thank you for your questions. ‘The Dance and the Trance’ is a book extremely close to my heart because it is autobiographical in parts. Ever since I was a child, I would go to Kerala with my parents and sisters, and many of my memories are preserved in this book, especially the bits about Ammu and her friends, the awe and dread of the Velichappadu that my mother passed on to me, the big house and the matriarch modeled around my ancestral home and my great grandmother. Premila and Govind’s lives follow a close parallel to that of my parents. So you see, I had many reasons to write this book.

Q. What was the inspiration behind writing a story around the theme of Velichappadu?

A. The Velichappadu was a huge figure in our lives when we were growing up. He was revered, but I was always curious about the man behind the oracle who was the mouthpiece of the Devi. How was he as a husband and son when he was not in a trance?

Q. Does the concept of Velichappadu really exist? We would like to know more about it.

A. Yes, even today, many temples have Velichappadus or oracles who go into a trance and through whom the deities speak. Devotees believe in their proclamations which are often made for the good of a family, a town or even the land.

Q. How did you create the character of Mani? What do you like the most about him?

A. Mani is a totally fictional character, a man who sees his brother suffer because he is forced into the role of the Velichappadu. He is a normal man, but when tragedy strikes, he dons the traditional mantle of the oracle and plays his part with dignity.

I admire his strength of character and the culture that he shows right through the book.

Q. Ma’am, in your book The Dance and the Trance, you have written about a fictional village. We would like to know from an eminent writer like you, while setting up a fictional place or say a fictional village in the story/novel, what points the writer should keep in mind so the village comes alive to the readers?

A. Good question! A fictional village needs to still be authentic. You could change the name, the recognisable landmarks and what else makes a village unique. However, one should remember to make the locale believable by adding all the ingredients that make up most villages – the tea stalls, the stores that people throng to, the temples, mosques and churches, the market place, the village hall, the narrow lanes… the idea is to make it so authentic that it could be just any village in the place you are describing.

Q. How long did it take to write this book?

A. I wrote the book in parts. The story of Ammu and her friends was a standalone manuscript earlier. However, when the idea of writing this book occurred to me, I decided to blend Ammu’s story into it so that I could flesh out the narrative. Ammu’s part was written around twelve years ago. Mani’s part and the rest of the book would have taken me around two years. So, in all, I would have taken around three and a half years or so, I guess.

Q. What are your suggestions and tips for budding authors to create a fictional character that stands out?

A. I feel that even a fictional character needs a platform of reality to stand on. You need to model him or her on characters you know of, disguising them well, of course, in your own terms. Fictional characters should not be cardboard figures or too bizarre to be believable. Thus, you need to give them a plausible background and make sure that your facts tally, because otherwise, your readers will see through the inaccuracies. Make your characters believable.

Q. Please share some more suggestions for writers who are beginning their career.

A. I think we are all newbie writers every time we write a fresh book because each book is different and needs different treatment. My suggestion would be that when you write, let all your creativity come out. Let your imagination run riot. However, the most important thing is to edit what you have written and do so till your writing sparkles. Never send a half-baked piece of writing to an editor. If you have doubts about your editing skills, send your work to a professional editor, or writer friends who will help you. Keep in touch with writing… write every day, if possible. Read as many books as you can.

(I thank Deepti Menon for accepting my request to be a guest at BTB and giving her precious time to this interview. It was an absolute pleasure to have her with us and know so many things about her book. I wish her all the best for her future endeavors. Gratitude.)