Blessed: A tale of girl power and education

Delhi based children's author Deepa Agarwal has come out with a new book dealing with illiteracy  and girl empowerment. Released by Hachette, Blessed, is a gripping middle grade book filled with intriguing twists and turns. Find out more about Deepa's latest book and her writing in this interview.

                                                    


Hachette is extremely choosy when it comes to publishing fiction titles. What do you think tilted the scale in Blessed’s favour?Well, frankly speaking, you should ask my editor Vatsala Kaul Banerjee! I think it was the theme of education for girls that appealed to her. You know, in children’s book publishing, the general belief is that original fiction by Indian authors does not sell well. For this reason, I was overjoyed and extremely grateful when Hachette accepted this book. Ihad put a lot of myself into Blessed. Vatsala did a tremendous job on the editing and being a very experienced editor, her inputs raised the story to a different level.

2. Selentra, Rahma, Laylee and Dumor are unique names. What’s the background of these characters?
Since it’s a fantasy, I had to make up names that are not identified with real life ones. The name Selentra, however, just popped into my head. She is a girl born with the unique gift of being able to read and write without being taught, but is compelled to conceal this talent because in the imaginary land of Kote, knowledge of letters is forbidden to the female sex. In the course of time she discovers that she is the Blessed Child, destined to save her country from destruction through her inborn knowledge of their ancient, now forgotten tongue. Rahma is the kindhearted older sister. Maybe her name was inspired by the Urdu word“raham” meaning “mercy”. Laylee, the second sister, is the lively and outspoken rebel, always getting into scrapes. Laylee felt like a perky kind of name, with a lilt that fitted this particular character. I have no explanation for Dumor. He is the only brother and holds a deep-seated grudge against his youngest sister Selentra because he feels she ruined his First Letter Ceremony, when she inscribed a letter on the ritual tablet while he hesitated. This sibling rivalry turns Dumor into one of Selentra’s most determined antagonists.

3. Was Selentra’s tribe modelled after an existing/extinct tribe? Is it purely a figment of  your imagination?
Blessed was born entirely out of my imagination. But at the core it is my response to those communities who do not wish to educate girls.

4. How long did it take to weave the plot of Blessed?

The initial idea and broad outline took barely a month. The characters of the parents, sisters and brother and particularly the priest Tarash took shape very fast. However, it took me about seven years to complete this book because after writing the initial four chapters I set it aside. I loved the story, it was very special to me but for some reason it took me a longtime to get back to it.

5. You have written a wide variety of books without getting slotted as a specialist in a particular genre. a) What do you enjoy writing the most?b) Are there any genres you would like to explore in the near future?

I agree I’m not a specialist in any genre because for me the story that’s taking shape in my mind is more important than its genre. Though I’ve retold many traditional tales like myths and folktales on demand, I receive the greatest satisfaction in creating my own stories, whether they are in the realm of historical fiction, fantasy or realistic everyday tales. I really haven’t thought of exploring any new genre as a creative challenge. It will depend on the story that floats into my head.

6. What prompted you to write this book which deals with sibling rivalry, illiteracy and girl power?

The creative process is complex, so it’s very hard to pinpoint any particular trigger for this story. It disturbs me a lot when I read about girls being deprived of education even today. You recall how the Taliban did not allow girls to attend school. Not too long ago there was a news item about a girl being shot dead in Bihar because she wanted to study beyond class ten. Education, knowledge is empowering and a lot of the time you will find that it is a girl’s male relatives who put obstacles in her path to success. Again, in our country we value family relationships to the extent that girls will sacrifice a lot to win their brothers’ affection, which may be conditional. Frankly, we need to explore the complexity of family relationships more honestly and realistically in our children’s books.

7. You have done a couple of commissioned books in the recent past. How have these books help you grow as a writer?

Are you referring to my biography The Begum (Penguin Random House)and young adult book TheTeenage Diary of Nur Jahan (Talking Cub)?Well, they are both set in the past and required much research but one is non-fiction and the other historical fiction. The Begum has received a lot of attention because very few people know about the achievements of Ra’ana Liaquat Ali Khan, Pakistan’s Pioneering First Lady. It was a collaborative work with Pakistani author Tahmina Aziz Ayub and a new experience to write a biography for adults. As for Nur Jahan, I had never written a young adult book in the diary format though I have written short stories. Exploring different genres and formats certainly compels you to craft your narrative and examine structure in a way you might not have before, which does contribute to your growth as a writer. I feel a writer should keep experimenting, even though all experiments don’t necessarily succeed. However, it was fascinating to explore the personality of The Begum through anecdotes from her life. The imaginary diary of a larger than life character like Nur Jahan in her formative years was great fun to write.

8. Editors have commissioned many books in the recent past. What unique trait in you enables editors to put their confidence in you while assigning these projects?

 You should ask the editors! Probably because children respond well to my writing or maybe because I stick to deadlines.

9. You take a lot of effort in marketing your books.  When do you write?

 The main purpose of writing is to reach out to readers. With all the clamour in the marketplace, if a writer doesn’t make an effort to market her books, all the labour she has put into writing them is pointless. But I’m not sure if I’m putting in more work into marketing than other writers. About finding time, if you consider yourself a professional writer it is part of your daily routine. I usually write between 11 am to 2 pm and from 3 pm to 5 pm when I’m at home. When I’m travelling it’s whenever I can find a few quiet moments.

10. What is the secret of bringing out books consistently ?

Writing consistently. Having faith in your work. Being optimistic. That’s the only way.

To buy a copy of Blessed, click here,

(PS:  I am an  affiliate of Amazon. When you buy the book through the above hyperlink, I will receive a small percentage of sales which helps me run Kahani Takbak, a platform to promote Indian books, author and illustrators.)

To know more about Deepa Agarwal, click here.here