Into the thrill of writing

Amrita Chowdhury never planned to become an author. She started as an ngineer, worked for a bit in Silicon Valley, gathered a few patents for semi conductor manufacturing. After returning to India, worked for a publishing house, and while hopping jobs and professions wrote two books two! Now that's some feat. While her ebut book Faking It was a art heist thriller, her latest is based on cyber crime world. Here Chowdhury talks about Breach, her career shift, publishing industry and more...

Why did you choose to switch your career? Have you ever regretted it?
There are many ways of looking at your career. One is a linear approach. The other is like mine – like a river that tumbles, flows, wanders through different terrains. I have been an engineer, innovator, business strategist, publisher, and author. I have used different faculties of my brain. I have been immersed in numbers and deals, and the next moment I have been involved in something creative. I have enjoyed every bit of my journey.

Tell us about your book Breach. How did the idea come to your mind?
Initially I was discussing a story around cyber stalking and cyber bullying of a young girl with my publisher Hachette. But as I started researching, I realised that there was a wider story, on a large canvas, waiting to be told. So while Breach retains the thread of a young girl victimised by online bullying, the larger story of corporate data and intellectual property theft, corporate espionage, linked crimes over the dark net, masterminds and paid hackers, takes the centre stage. It is a multi-layered story, rooted in the cutting edge reality of India and the world.

Nowadays not many female authors write crime thrillers. Comment.
Globally, there are many well known and popular female authors in the crime genre. The queen of crime was Agatha Christie. Globally, JD Robb, Patricia Cornwell, Tess Gerritsen, Mary Higgins Clark have been bestsellers. Frankenstein, the original monster story, was written by a woman. True enough, as Indian publishing is expanding and taking shape, women thriller authors are coming up in India as well. Manreet Sodhi Someshwar, Lady Kishwar Desai, Swati Kaushal, Madhulika Liddle have all penned several books in this genre.

Throw some light on the Indian publishing industry.
As an author, I am heartened by the current state of Indian publishing industry. There is willingness to publish and read new, contemporary stories, with spirited Indian heroes and heroines that today's readers can relate with. The lens of crafting the story is of an insider looking in and out, rather than an outsider looking in and at India. As an author, I am also dismayed by the fact that with so much Indian writing being published, it is imperative to market and stand out. As a business person, I believe in the forces of creative destruction. There is competition, adapting to survive and much more. But overall the direction is forward and upward. The one thing I wish would change is book pricing – it continues to be one of the lowest in the world, even as multiplex cinema prices or fast food prices have gone up.

How has been your experience so far?
It's been a fabulous experience as an author. While there is a strong element of personal satisfaction in writing, it is equally and more exciting to engage with readers, gamers, and reviewers. It is great to have the interaction, the feedback, and of course, sales. This time, I had designed a game (bit.ly/BreachGame) which interfaces with Facebook and can be played on mobile or computer. It is an online scavenger hunt cum cyber crime trivia quiz, and conceptualized as an extension to my book and its characters. It is helping create engagement with readers and gamers.

What's the scope of publishing industry in view of ebooks, audiobooks and iPads?
Digital publishing is growing in India, though today it is still relatively a tiny fraction of books being sold. Hachette released my print and eBook simultaneously. This is great because many friends do prefer to read on their iPads or Kindle. It doesn't limit the geography of readers – they could be anywhere in the world. Audiobooks are a great invention, and again still very small in India. But given that we spend so much time staring at screens of all sizes, it would be good to have the option of audiobooks.

Do you think today's generation is too impatient to sit and read a book?
I am heartened when I see my children. There is increased push in schools to encourage reading beyond textbooks. It opens up the mind to new situations, new experiences, new emotions, new types of people. It provides a certain breadth that wouldn't be possible just with curricular reading. But when I meet people in their twenties or mid career business executives, I am saddened by the fact that they don't read beyond text books or their power point slides. Where will lateral thinking, inter-disciplinary solutions needed for today's world come from if people do not read?

Which is your favourite genre? And Authors?
I am a voracious and eclectic reader. I love all kinds of business, popular science, leadership and quirky non fiction. I love sagas, romances, mysteries, and general fiction. I love poetry. So it is impossible to limit myself to a few "favourite" authors. Currently, I am reading Linked by Albert-Laszlo Barabasi, the new Inspector Singh Investigates by Shamini Flint, and a new Mills & Boon romance. I usually read a few books simultaneously and love variety.

What are you planning to write next?
I am working on another thriller. It will again be multi-geography and multi-layered like my previous two books.