Author Vibha Batra, who has written short stories, poems, songs, plays and travelogues, has now released her first book for children recently. The 11-book-old author talks about her new book, her journey in writing and more.
Titled as Euro Trip, the book is about Rohan, a tween who goes on a trip (it’s a conducted tour) to Europe, with his folks and a bunch of strangers. And all he wants to do is click as many awesome pictures as he can! “He wants to win the summer photo essay contest back at school. But it is one crazy, rollercoaster of a journey with loads of surprises — some nice, some not so nice — in store for him,” the author reveals, adding the reason to write the book. “I love travelling, and I think of myself as a young adult.”
A compulsive writer, Vibha blames the writing habit on her genes — “My late grandfather, Vishnu Kant Shastri, was an academic, Sanskrit scholar, and prolific writer. When he passed away, I decided to translate his work on the Ishaavaasya Upanishad — a book that combined philosophy, mysticism, spirituality. And that’s how it started.”
Also a short story writer for children, her pieces are being performed by The Tuk Tuk Theatre in Mysore this week. And they are all set to be performed in Chennai come this October. For the last few years, her plays have been staged during the Short and Sweet Theatre Festival as well. “This year, my play Cold Feet won the Best Play during the week it was performed,” says the proud writer.
Vibha says that she does have a catharsis effect while writing books. “I should probably feel like a veteran after publishing 11 books. But I feel like an eager and excited newbie each time I have a book out. That feeling, it never gets old!”
The writer, who has written for all age-groups, doesn’t mind going out of her comfort zone in search of characters. “To each, his/her own. As for me, I’ve written for children, tweens, young adults, 20 and 30 something, and senior citizens. Clearly, I have taken a ‘Why spare anyone’ approach!” says Vibha.
So, how does she juggle various forms of writing? “I don’t look at it quite that way. But I do hope all the balls stay up in the air and for as long as I live! It’s just that I’m a compulsive writer and I’ve got to write. Be it prose or verse, short stories or novels, advertising or travelogues, lyrics or plays, I thoroughly enjoy writing them all. That feeling of seeing my book in book stores or on online shopping sites — it never gets old!” she concludes.
