Hyderabad: An advertising consultant, poet, columnist and an author, Vibha Batra’s published works include Sweet Sixteen (Yeah, Right!) and Seventeen and Done (You Bet!). Now she has recently released the third in the Young Adult triology titled Eighteen and Wiser (Not quite!) published by Penguin. Vibha shares about the book:
Is the story inspired from real life?
I wasn’t half as cool as Rinki at 17. Though I must add, lifetimes ago, I moved from Kolkata to Chennai. I always thought there was a story there. A funny one at that. It’d been playing in my head for quite a while. So I just decided to sit down and write it.
How difficult was it to put yourself in the shoes of Rinki? How did you achieve that?
It wasn't difficult at all because I think of myself as a young adult. And as the hubby says, “And act like one at times.” In my opinion, life (and of course, being a teenager at some point in your life) is the best research one can get!
Was it an attempt to relive those teenage years through the book? How did it work out?
Relive my teenage years? God, no! As if the first time around wasn’t traumatic enough! Well, I just wanted to tell Rinki’s story: how she adapts to change, how she handles everything life (and her parents and teachers and in some cases, friends) throws at her.
Is it just an entertainer, or is it also a guidebook for teenagers to learn from?
God, I hated guidebooks back in college. So I definitely don’t intend on writing any. Having said that, I believe that with an open mind, we can all learn something from everything — from books, movies, songs, TV shows, and even those annoying people we love to hate.
What are the challenges of writing teen fiction?
I enjoy writing teen fiction too much to think of it as a challenge. I really hope to write many, many more books. Amen! Inshallah! Tathastu!
What do you prefer? A happy ending or a tragedy?
There’s too much grief and sadness in the world. I certainly wouldn’t want to add to it. Though the way some critics act, most authors do just that! (Rolls eyes)
