Naina Gupta

Naina Gupta is the author of The Bollywood Break-up Agency.

Your debut novel is called The Bollywood Breakup Agency. Can you tell us a little about it?

Well the Bollywood Breakup Agency is about Neela, who sets up a breakup service for those who are having second thoughts about the people they have chosen as part of an arranged marriage.

She starts up her business after her parents cut off her money tap because she refuses to marry any of the potential suitors that they keep inviting to the house.

Where do you find inspiration?

I am at that time of life where everyone I know is getting married, about to get married, or thinking about getting married. I have learned a lot about the arranged marriage process over the last three years and the kinds of people my friends and family were meeting, so I thought, there is a book in here somewhere.

Describe your typical writing day.

When I write, it is usually behind closed doors, when everyone has gone to work or gone to sleep. I wrote this book in secret because I was pretty sure my friends and family wouldn’t appreciate someone writing about arranged marriages in this way. I don’t have a typical day, I write whenever there is the opportunity to do so.

How much planning do you undertake before beginning a new book?

There was some planning. I knew what I wanted and I knew where the characters wanted to go. There were a few key plot points that I wanted in the book, but sometimes there is only so much planning you can do because you do need some spontaneity.

How do you approach editing?

Cautiously. I never spend a whole day writing or a whole day editing. I know how important it is to have a fresh mind when you are looking at your own mistakes, so sometimes I won’t edit until I have had a couple of days break from the book.

Which three books have you read that have made the most impact on you?

Oh dear … that’s a hard one. The Green Mile is one of my all time favourites. The Namesake. Not for the same reasons as everyone else. I realised after reading that book that I never felt culture clash growing up, there was no identity crisis or anything. My friends and I have carved out our own identities and there never really was any confusion of cultures. And finally, to indulge my geeky side, Bad Science. I thought that book was fantastic and I really learned a lot and suddenly became much more sceptical about what I read when it came to the subject.

Is there a character from Fiction you’d like to meet?

I was just thinking about this the other day. I want to meet Natsenka from White Nights by Dostoevsky. When I read the book I thought that she was such a fickle person who leads people on, dumps them within a second and then write a letter demanding forgiveness. I hate people like that.

Best/Worst thing about being a writer?

I love being able to escape after an awful day of real life and immersing myself into an imaginary world which I have control over.

The worst is waiting for the reviews and seeing if people love or hate that manuscript that I spent a year slaving over.

Are you working on anything new at the moment? Tell us about it?

My next book is the Bollywood Wife, and it is set in India. It tells the story of one of the characters after they move to India after marriage.

Have you any advice for new writers?

Don’t give up. And write the story you love the best you can before you send it out to the publishers.

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by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.