Binder1 Inner_JRD
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
ART & CULTURE<br />
For Scharada Dubey, writing is an expression of herself<br />
and her overall serious, quirky and humourous take on life.<br />
Author of sixteen published books, including Footloose<br />
on the West Coast, Malwa on My Mind and A Necessary<br />
Journey for which she has won several accolades, recognition<br />
and awards including the National Competition for Writers<br />
of Children’s Books. Her books are a true reflection of herself<br />
and her personality and like any creative writer; Scharada<br />
takes time to let a story to ripen in her mind and heart before<br />
she pens it. “For me, this process is more important than the<br />
actual writing. Most of my work has involved a lot of travel<br />
and observing people and situations is essential to my work.<br />
When I finally sit down to write, I take breaks to sleep and<br />
get over any blocks that may develop, or do the things I love<br />
to do, being with pets or friends, music or movies, till I can<br />
get back to work.”<br />
Being a prominent figure in the literary world, she<br />
credits her mother and her children to be her key influences<br />
and get inspired by the time she spends with them. She is a<br />
propeller of self love and loves spending time with herself.<br />
Two of her very important books were written in the throes<br />
of her relocation to different cities. Ask her about the pros<br />
and cons of writing and she is quick to add, “I feel really<br />
happy and uplifted when I am writing, when the flow of<br />
thoughts and words has finally been unlocked and is making<br />
something significant happen on paper. The challenge I face<br />
is dealing with all the daily responsibilities – I have no one to<br />
cushion me from a hundred chores, and every time I begin<br />
a book, these seem to multiply and turn into full-blown<br />
domestic crises! “<br />
Scharada adores Anne Tyler and her novels about<br />
families and relationships and is also fascinated by the<br />
works of Kiran Desai and Rohinton Mistry, GEral Durrell<br />
and Richmal Crompton. As a writer, she has carefully<br />
stayed away from writing about the visceral topics that have<br />
become visible in recent times like the the extreme reality<br />
of hate, criminally murderous intent, rape and incest. “The<br />
reason I have stayed away from these topics are because it<br />
would mean that I first engage very closely with people who<br />
have gone through this, and I haven’t done that. Maybe my<br />
next book will have some of these elements.” Even then,<br />
she lives her life without regret or wasted yearning and<br />
advices budding authors to truly relish the moments in life<br />
by taking time to observe and enjoy the little things which<br />
will aid them in finding a way to be expressive, “Writers are<br />
too much in a hurry these days to express fleeting opinions –<br />
making their writing shallow and unlikely to last.”<br />
58 MARCH 2017 www.crememagazine.in