Author’s Corner: With Himani Vashishta

In the ‘Author’s Corner’ series we shine the spotlight on promising first-time female authors. Hope you enjoy reading some fun facts about them! 

Meet Himani Vashishta, author of Princess of Falcons, a story about a modern-day warrior princess Silviya, who is forced to choose between her deceptively normal present and her tumultuous past. 

If you had not become a writer, what would you have been?

What is the best thing about being a published author?

I feel that till now this is the greatest achievement of my life. The way people approach me and think of me now has changed radically. Every day when I open my inbox, I feel a kind of self satisfaction, when I see emails and messages from strangers, who seem eager to know more about me, talking to me because of my novel. Googling myself and opening my fan page daily, delights me. Random mails from people who really liked my book and think high of me, makes my day.

Two months back when I was travelling to Jaipur from Delhi, I met a girl who was reading my book in the train. When she came to know that I am author of the book her excitement was at a peak. The book was gifted to her by her fiancée, she instantly called him and they both seemed very excited to talk to me. The kind of respect that everyone in the train compartment started showing towards me almost made me cry with happiness.

It feels amazing when my friends introduce me as an author and they feel proud being the friend of an author. Being a single and young woman, the attention from  a few of my male readers makes me smile at times. 

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What is the hardest thing about writing a book?

Writing requires a lot of patience. For me the biggest hurdle was that I am a not voracious reader. I had the power of imagining many stories but because I was not a good reader, initially I faced a lot of problems with my use of language and words. It was only after writing the first draft of my book that I started reading other’s work also, to improve my language.

For new entrants in the publishing industry it’s very difficult to get published. Lack of proper guidance and experience can lead a budding writer astray.

If you were a man, would there be anything different about your book?

First of all I sincerely thank God that I am a woman. Patience, power and inherent dignity are God’s gift to women.

I believe women are more imaginative than men. J.K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer have proved it so far. Women are naturally better storytellers than men.

If I were a man maybe my protagonist would have been a man but being a female I chose a female protagonist. Since my childhood I’ve worshipped Goddess Durga, the source of power and I’ve always believed that a woman is stronger than a man. Hence in my novel too I have emphasized more on the power of my female protagonist rather than her beauty. If I were a man, I might have emphasized more on her beauty and tenderness.

Who was the first to read your book? What was their first reaction?

My mother, who is my tutor too, was my first reader. She is the one who taught me language and built my vocabulary. For her, reading my book was like eating the sweet fruits of a tree she had sowed years ago.

She was proud and happy. After the initial rejection of my book by the publisher, I was discouraged, but she was always hopeful and had belief in my capabilities.

One book you would love to have written?

Harry Potter, the imaginative world J.K.Rowling has created is awesome. As I like fantasies she is my idol. Her life story has also inspired me a lot.

Future literary plans?

Currently I am working on various literary projects. I have written a love stories collection Char Gulab in Hindi and, I hope that will also be published soon. I am also writing an occult nonfiction Astral Projection-Out of Body Experience & Lucid Dreaming.

Apart from that I have outlined two more books in Hindi. One book Santosh Bhawan would be based on social issues, depicting the life story of a woman, her fight for her rights, justice and her struggle for her existence and her identity. This book is somewhere inspired by my own life.

Another book Virhani also in Hindi, touches upon the pain of love and separation. I believe that the depth of emotions I wish to depict in Virhani will move my sensitive readers to tears.

Thank you Himani!

*Photo credit: Himani Vashishta

Previous Interviews in Author’s Corner:

Lata Gwalani of Incognito

Nina Godiwalla of Suits

Urvashi Gulia of My Way Is The Highway

Kiran Manral of The Reluctant Detective

Ameera Al Hakawati of Desperate In Dubai

Judy Balan of Two Fates

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