Interview With Author Jyothi Gupta
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
“As of today, I have published two books: Hands on the Lever and Silvershadow.”
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Both of my books were released just a week apart. The publishing deal I signed was for three books, and I delivered two as part of that commitment.
The first one, Hands on the Lever, tells the story of a female journalist who becomes a hangwoman. The inspiration came from a chance encounter during one of my journeys, where I met someone whose ancestors had served as hangmen during British India. Hearing how that legacy affected his family across generations made me reflect: if I were in his place, how would I respond? That thought became the seed for the novel.
My second book, Silvershadow: The Widow Code, was sparked by a news story. A prominent business magnate took his life in the Mandovi River despite having more assets than debts, which made me question the deeper reasons behind such choices. Around the same time, I was also intrigued by how smartphones are increasingly used for surveillance and how the Indian government banned certain brands over privacy concerns. I combined these threads into a fictional narrative, blending fact and imagination, and that’s how Silvershadow was born.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
One unusual habit of mine is that I love to travel and meet strangers. Whenever I come across new people, my curiosity takes over: I start imagining their lives in my own way and often jot down those thoughts in my diaries, which I call Jet-Set Diaries. Over time, someone encouraged me to take those diary notes more seriously and turn them into stories, and that’s how my journey as an author truly began.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Two authors who deeply influenced me are Gabriel García Márquez and Fyodor Dostoevsky. Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude left a lasting impression on me—the emotional depth he brought to his characters and the way he wove together such a vast number of lives into one tapestry always makes me wonder how such brilliance is possible. He has been a constant source of inspiration. Then comes Dostoevsky, especially with Crime and Punishment. His exploration of morality, guilt, and the human mind pushed me to think more deeply about storytelling and how writing can create an entirely new world for readers to step into.
What are you working on now?
Right now, I’m working on a new book with a female protagonist. The central idea I’m exploring is how far a woman can go in today’s highly competitive world—and how that journey affects her personally and emotionally. Recently, I’ve also been reflecting on the realities of social media: the way some people, especially on messaging platforms, respond to women and how quickly interactions can turn inappropriate or disrespectful. Of course, this doesn’t apply to everyone, but the behavior of a few really made me think. At this stage, it’s still a broad concept I’m shaping, but I feel it has the potential to grow into a full-fledged book.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m quite new to book promotion, so I’m still in the learning phase. Honestly, I don’t know much yet, but I’m exploring step by step. AwesomeGang is actually one of my first encounters with book promotion, and I really liked the way it’s designed for authors and readers. Beyond that, I’m still exploring different platforms and figuring out what works best for me.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
To be honest, giving advice at this stage would feel like a blind man guiding another blind man or like describing an elephant just by touching it. I’m still very new to this world myself and learning every day. I began writing for my own pleasure, but once I stepped into publishing, I realised how quickly it turns into a kind of social media circus, where you end up spending more time in the digital world than actually creating something new. So instead of giving advice, I would say I’m in a place where I’m taking advice and learning from others.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I received came from one of my mentors at work. He encouraged me to submit Hands on the Lever to an OTT platform, and I decided to follow his suggestion. Recently, I got the news that they are planning to adapt it into a series. That single piece of advice not only opened a whole new possibility for my book but also introduced me to the exciting world of scriptwriting. Looking back, I can say that was truly the best advice I’ve ever taken.
What are you reading now?
Lately, I’ve been reading my own book from a reader’s perspective. It’s interesting to spot flaws and think about how to improve them. Recently, I also finished rereading Crime and Punishment, which continues to inspire me with its depth and insight into human nature.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I don’t have a solid answer to that yet. In my professional life, I always have a clear plan of action, but as a writer, it’s different, success isn’t entirely in my hands. It will ultimately be decided by the readers and how they connect with my work.
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 deserted island and could take three or four books, one would definitely be Refugee No. 566 by R. Shyam Nair. I’ve read it before, and the story of a Sri Lankan refugee: the survival journey, how a number becomes an identity, and the lengths a person goes to find themselves, really made me reflect. Aside from that, I enjoy light rom-coms, though I can’t recall specific titles at the moment.
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