Interview With Author Dibyendu Bhattacharyay
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a writer fascinated by the darker, psychological side of fantasy worlds—stories where emotions matter just as much as strength, and where the meaning of “power” is constantly questioned. I’ve always been drawn to anime, gaming, and exploring how people respond when pushed into extraordinary situations.
The Forsaken Player: Exile.exe — Volume 01 is my debut novel, the first in a series that blends GameLit progression systems with moral tension, character-driven storytelling, and high-stakes worldbuilding. I’m currently expanding this universe and building out multiple connected arcs.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is The Forsaken Player: Exile.exe — Volume 01.
It was inspired by the idea that morality could actually be a system mechanic—not just a theme. I kept wondering: What if your emotions shaped your stats? What if choices weren’t optional? What if a player’s personality could rewrite their power?
From that seed, Exile.exe was born: a brutal VR world where every emotion has weight, every decision leaves a scar, and the biggest battles are often internal.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to build scenes like a game developer. I’ll sketch out emotional “stats,” environmental pressures, and internal conflicts before writing the dialogue or the action. I also write key scenes like “cinematics,” visualizing them exactly like anime cutscenes before translating them to text.
Another odd habit is that I always write with dark music or atmospheric fantasy soundtracks—it helps me stay fully inside the world.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I’ve been shaped by a wide range of storytellers — from epic anime creators to classic fantasy authors.
My influences include the emotional depth of Naruto, the worldbuilding ambition of One Piece, and the moral complexity of Game of Thrones.
I grew up inspired by the imagination of Harry Potter, the psychological intensity of Death Note, and the self-sacrifice themes in Demon Slayer.
In the GameLit and isekai space, titles like Re:Zero, Solo Leveling, Sword Art Online, and Log Horizon have had a major impact on how I think about progression systems, character growth, and the relationship between a player and a world that challenges them.
Together, these stories helped shape my approach to writing — emotional arcs with consequences, worlds that evolve, and characters who are forced to confront themselves as much as the battles in front of them.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently drafting Volume 02 of The Forsaken Player: Exile.exe, which will explore deeper layers of the morality system, new factions, and a massive story shift toward consequences spilling into the real world.
I’m also outlining side stories and lore expansions to fill out the world of Exile.exe.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
For free promotion, sites like Awesome Gang, BookGoodies, and ManyBooks work well to get early visibility.
For targeted reach, Reddit communities (r/LitRPG, r/GameLit) and LitRPG Facebook groups have been the most effective for reaching readers who genuinely enjoy the genre.
I also like using X/Twitter to share character teasers and worldbuilding insights.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t wait for perfection. A book only becomes real when someone else can read it.
Focus on finishing, revise with intention, and always listen to early reader feedback.
And remember: writing improves through consistency, not inspiration.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Write the story only you can write.”
It reminds me not to chase trends blindly. The books that stay with readers are the ones that feel personal and carry the writer’s genuine voice.
What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading a mix of LitRPG and dark fantasy titles—revisiting parts of The Witcher and exploring newer indie LitRPG releases to understand where the genre is evolving.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m building The Forsaken Player into a long-form, multi-saga epic.
Right now, I’m finishing Volume 02 of Saga 1: The Forsaken Player: Exile.exe, which is planned to be a 13-volume Saga. This saga explores the foundations of the Living Morality Engine and Vivan’s evolution as both a player and a person.
After Exile.exe, the story expands into The Forsaken Player: Road to Light, where the consequences of Vivan’s choices inside game starts affecting reality when he comes out of it, in ways no one expects. The volume count isn’t fixed yet—I want the story to determine its own length.
And in the Final Saga The Forsaken Player: Amaterasu, everything Vivan has faced—every hardship, choice, and truth—comes to a point where he must finally confront the values that shaped his life. Not in a loud battle, but in a quiet, personal reckoning about ambition, sacrifice, and what it truly means to rise without losing yourself.
The saga asks the final question the entire journey leads to: when two people walk different roads to power—one built on integrity, the other on convenience—who gets to decide what was right? And what does it really mean to be good, when the world demands you become something more than human?
My goal is to deliver a complete, interconnected universe with emotional weight, high-stakes progression, and evolving moral complexity.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
If I were stranded on a desert island, I’d take the stories that shaped my imagination the most.
I’d start with Naruto for its heart and resilience, and Sword Art Online for its immersive game-world storytelling. I’d also bring a massive stack of the anime and manga that formed my storytelling foundation — One Piece, Death Note, Demon Slayer, Solo Leveling, Log Horizon, and honestly a hundred more that taught me progression, emotion, and worldbuilding long before I ever wrote my own novel.
Alongside those, I’d bring two fantasy pillars: The Witcher for its moral complexity and atmosphere, and Harry Potter for its sense of wonder and world-shaping imagination.
For darker, epic storytelling, I’d pack Game of Thrones, and for pure lore and world-depth I’d bring the Elden Ring lore books. And for something timeless, I’d take Sherlock Holmes, because even on a deserted island, a brilliant mystery never gets old.
Those stories — anime, manga, dark fantasy, epic lore, and classic detective fiction — would keep me endlessly inspired and entertained.
Author Websites and Profiles
Dibyendu Bhattacharyay Amazon Profile
Dibyendu Bhattacharyay’s Social Media Links
Author Interview Series
To discover a new author, check out our Featured Authors page. We have some of the best authors around. They are just waiting for you to discover them. If you enjoyed this writer’s interview feel free to share it using the buttons below. Sharing is caring!
If you are an author and want to be interviewed just fill out out Author Interview page. After submitting we will send it out in our newsletters and social media channels that are filled with readers looking to discover new books to read.
If you are looking for a new book to read check out our Featured Books Page.