The Angels of Kailash is full of love, despair, drama & action, says author Shubira Prasad

Rajkumari Sharma Tankha

After getting a tremendous response to the Demons of Jaitraya, her first book in the trilogy on the battle between humans and demons, author Shubira Prasad is now back with The Angels of Kailash (Vitasta Publishing). While The Demons of Jaitraya results in the total annihilation of The Gurukul, protagonists Aishani and Adheesh have to come back stronger to reclaim what belongs to humans, from the demons. Prasad tells us more:

You are an educationist, a writer, an astrologer, and an author. Which of these roles do you like playing the best and why?
All the three vocations are somewhat related. A writer observes and writes, an astrologer observes the pattern and effect of stars on a person and predicts, an educationist observes his students’ abilities and imparts knowledge according to their capabilities. When I enter into a one-to-one discussion with either a student or a client or my characters in a book, I get fully engrossed in these people and vocations, and each of them for that period becomes my favourite.

When you start writing a book, does the astrologer in you come and tell that you should be following a certain plot or proceed with a different storyline?
Whenever I begin writing a book or a new chapter, there is nobody else but the writer Shubira and her thoughts and her characters. Astrology may have had a passing influence, no more than that. Most of my plots have been influenced by our epics.

Between The Demons of Jaitraya, The Angels of Kailash and the upcoming The Kumbh Consipracy, which one is closest to your heart and why?
A good question and a difficult one to answer. In The Demons of Jaitraya, I had to acquaint the readers to the characters and their special powers and the background of the plot, the strength and the vulnerability of the characters, description of the Gurukul and its functions. The actions came later in the book.
In The Angels of Kailash, the introductions have been done with, and the protagonists are raring to go. There is lots of drama, action, love, despair, the works.
The third book The Kumbh Conspiracy will also have plenty of action, but there will be additions of children in the family. How will the family cope up with all the warfare and magic floating around them?
All the three books are different but joined together. They are like my three children. I will say that each one is close to my heart in their own way.

According to Shubira Prasad, what does it take to be good storyteller?
A bit of suspense, a hint of romance, plenty of action, a dollop of humour, a shard of anger, some despair and irretrievable loss. These along with lush imagination, good exchange of dialogue and repartee, are some of the points which make for a good storytelling.

What if your creative work doesn’t get good reviews (honest confession)?
Touchwood, I have mostly received good reviews. But honestly, I was quite disturbed when I read my first bad review. I wanted to argue with the reviewer and put across my point to him/her, I have forgotten the gender. But I held myself. My experience of life has taught me to be patient. The hurt faded away. It had lasted only till the next good review.

In your opinion, what is the one thing which is the most important part of a book?
The plot anytime and of course its treatment. It is the job of a writer to make his/her story so interesting to make people want to read it again. Having said that, I feel it is the all-round treatment which makes a story or a book interesting. The locations, geographic or historical, their ambience, the different characters, their traits, and emotions. In my case explanations of their superpowers too, the description of the society and/or its villains. In other words, the writer’s thoughts and imaginations should be able to create a similar image in a reader’s mind.

Is writing energizing or exhausting?
Both. There are times when one is bereft of ideas. Writing becomes exhausting then. You plod from one word to another and keep at it. And then ‘Eureka!’ You suddenly find inspiration and are raring to go again. Believe me, it’s a roller coaster ride.

The word “creative” to you is…
Thought, meditation, and creation. All the three components have to be together to create something beautiful to present to the world.

Are authors friends with other authors or are they, competitors?
At the end of the day, authors are human beings. You get along with some, you don’t get along with some. Every author has his or her own genre. A writer can be up there, in the middle or really down there. I do not personally know many writers but have clicked wonderfully with the ones I do know. I personally do not like the word competition and like to stay away from it.

How much time do you write in a day?
Sometimes I sit the whole day in front of my laptop and produce nothing significant. On other days, two hours are enough to bring out a full chapter. Depends on my mental homework too. I am not a very fast writer. I can write about 700 to 1000 words comfortably.