Author Answers with Laxmi Hariharan





Fiction, that draws us out of our comfort zone, makes us think- what if? A different world, a reality and a future unlike the paradise we envision.  How do you see the future and does your vision reflect that of Ruby Iyer and her Many Lives? Welcome to the dystopian world created by Laxmi Hariharan.
Fantasy, adventure and a feisty young lady leading us along on her escapades, all set in future Mumbai.
Today the very talented and acclaimed writer; Laxmi Hariharn shares with me her motivation, her muse and her vision with The Ruby Iyer Series and a lot more.



Q1. What has been your motivation for writing this book The Many Lives of Ruby Iyer ? What were the challenges (research, literary, psychological, and logistical) in bringing it to life?

The rape of a journalist in Bombay in 2013 (following the rape of a young girl on the moving bus in Delhi in 2012) affected me for I too had been a young journalist in Bombay not very long ago. I wished for a strong female figure who would stand up for herself. As a young girl travelling on the local trains of Bombay city I was at the mercy of those men who groped me, felt me up on each trip… I was helpless. Ruby is not.

Ruby Iyer is the ANGRY YOUNG GIRL of today. The millennium belongs to her. She stands up for herself mentally, physically and emotionally. She does not need anyone to save her. She saves herself.

Ruby’s choices are not always correct, yet we empathise with Ruby because she does not hesitate to follow her instincts whether it is to save another girl from being molested by the Hand who also assaulted her, saving the man who tries to commit suicide from the Bandra-WorliSealink or teaming up with the cop Vikram Roy to save Bombay from the clutches of the devious Dr Braganza.

I suppose the one incident I did personally draw upon was being caught in a ladies compartment on the way home from work in Bombay, when I worked as a journalist. The compartment became unisex after 9 pm. So there I was caught between a heaving crowd of men. And I had to fight my way through the crowd… I emerged with every part of me having been felt up, clothes torn, but miraculously with my handbag still in hand. Not a pleasant experience for a young twenty year old to have. I guess I’ll never forget the terror of the situation. I was helpless. Ruby is not.
I hope the book will appeal to anyone who has never lost that spark of anger inside… who wants to continue to live life on her own terms… Anyone who wants to know what it feels like to live and come of age in a confusing, dystopian city like Bombay. And ultimately for any young person  this is a great book to inspire them to fight back, to follow their heart, to live life spontaneously.

Q2. The cover is worth a thousand words, since this is the second/ new cover for the book, how much of this and the previous cover did you choose or was it designed by someone else?

In both cases I chose the picture and then the designer helped bring it to life. You know sometimes you look at a picture and you just know … that’s how it was for me with both pics


Q3. Give us three “Good to Know” facts about you. Be creative.

I listen to brain.fm when I write.
Very proud of my twitter monomym @laxmi
I was a tree in my past life.

Q4. If you could cast your characters in the Bollywood adaptation of your book, who would play your characters?
To be honest I am not sure J I think I’d like new actors whose energy vibes with that of the characters to play it


Q5. How important are names of the characters, Ruby & Vikram to you in your books? Especially the title of the book? Do you choose the names etc based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning? Do you have any name choosing resources you recommend?
I have learnt never to consciously decide on a name either for characters or books. I normally let it simmer in my subconscience and then I just know when it is the name – there’s just this ‘click’ inside J I like to have names which translate across cultures and are easy to pronounce so they travel well.

Enter a $10 festive giveaway HERE


About Laxmi Hariharan


She had an awesome time launching TV channels for MTV and NBCUniveral (Syfy) around the world, when a near death experience convinced Laxmi Hariharan that she had to get writing. NOW. A one time journalist with The Independent, she is now the author of the multi award winning fantasy adventure, The Ruby Iyer Series.


She also blogs for the Huffington post, has written for The Guardian and has been featured in publications including The Economic Times, The Times of India and Verve.

Married to a filmmaker and fellow author, her life often resembles a dramedy of errors film script. Born in Bombay she now lives in London, where she writes while listening to electronica and is an avid street art photographer. She is also the proud owner of a mononym Twitter handle @laxmi

Receive a free copy of THE RUBY IYER DIARIES when you sign up to her newsletter http://bit.ly/NewsletterLH
Reach Laxmi, on Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/laxmihariharanauthor
on Twitter 
https://twitter.com/laxmi
on Instagram
 http://www.instagram/com/laxmiwrites

Suggested reading order in The Ruby Iyer Series (Each is a standalone book)


First Life (of Vikram Roy) : http://bit.ly/VikRoy

Inside Dark (The Elusive Life of Kay Braganza), coming soon
Second Lives, coming soon
Secret Life, coming soon
Stories set in the Ruby Iyer universe







The Ruby Iyer Diaries
by 
Laxmi Hariharan



The Blurb

The prequel to The Many Lives of Ruby Iyer: This is a peek into the soul of an angry, young girl, who will come of age in a city on the verge of total annihilation.



Get a FREE copy of The Ruby Iyer Diaries here 



You can know more about Laxmi @

                           


         

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