About Deepali Adhikary
Deepali is a seasoned finance professional and a prolific writer. In her career spanning over almost two decades, she has worked with leading corporate brands as finance professional and corporate trainer. Her writing career includes writing for various websites, contributing to journals, and creating specialized content for select clients. Her work in fiction has been loved and praised unanimously. Her first book, Cross Connection, is a humorous autobiographical narrative of a Marathi Bengali marriage. It is available on Amazon at eBook. Her short story, Hotel Comfort Inn, is published in a horror anthology – the City of Screams, by Half Baked Beans. Somewhere Beyond Hope is her third book, available as an eBook and paperback on Amazon.
LiFT: Tell us about your book, the journey of writing it and its content.
Deepali: Somewhere Beyond Hope is very special to me. Readers often tell me that they were overwhelmed with emotions while reading the book. What they don’t know is that I was equally overwhelmed when writing it. I have lived the characters, their joy and anguish. I have cried. I have felt immense love. And also, the unending pain of loss and grief. And that is why I wanted to make sure that the ending gives the reader a strong sense of positivity. They should know that even when the darkness seems to stretch till horizon, there will still be light beyond that.
Jatin and Jenny are characters that you will fall in love with. Their pure and unconditional friendship makes you think of your friends. They may be young but the sadness they carry within themselves is beyond their ages.
Meera is your typical urban woman who it trying to juggle everything and still feeling guilty of not doing enough. Preeti’s story is no different. And when at crossroads, these women will do what mothers do best. Try to protect their children.
LiFT: Why you chose this title?
Deepali: In times of grief and despair, everything seems hopeless. You hang on to the bleakest hope but slowly everything seems to be drowning. That is a breaking point. But if you hold on for just a bit more, you will realize that there is a place somewhere beyond the last and faintest streak of hope that promises salvation. Only if you could find strength to go beyond and see.
LiFT: When did you realize that you want to be a writer and what’s your inspiration behind it?
Deepali: In school, I used to sit on the last bench and read literature in maths and physics period. I guess that was when I knew I was going to be around books all my life. The fact that I may have my name on the cover page came very late in life. I was a blogger for a long time and decided to turn some of my blogposts into a book. That was how my first book “Cross Connection” came to life. It is a funny autobiographical narrative to the inter-cultural marriage of a Marathi girl to a Bengali boy.
After that, I wrote many short stories which won praise and accolades. One of my stories was selected by Half Baked Beans to be a part of their horror anthology-City of Screams. My readers love for my stories and the characters is my biggest source of inspiration.
LiFT: Where do you see yourself ten years down the line in the world of literature?
Deepali: I want to challenge myself to write more and experiment into different genres. Ten years is a long time to plan but I wish I am able to create something that stays with the reader forever.
LiFT: How much do you think marketing or quality of a book is necessary to promote a particular book and increase its readers?
Deepali: Quality of the book is a pre-requisite for any book or any art form to be accepted. The quality should speak to the targeted audience. Effective marketing brings the book to the audience. We are in the world of shorter attention spans and short-lived fame. An effective marketing strategy will ensure that you cross both these barriers and make a space for yourself in the market that is immune to these short-lived ups and downs.
LiFT: What is the message you want to spread among folks with your writings?
Deepali: What is life without stories! Books and stories introduce you to a parallel world. A world of interesting characters, heart-felt stories and sometimes magic beyond your imagination.
Through my stories, I wish to create characters that feel real and face the same emotional turmoil that we do. I want my readers to understand that it is emotions that make us special. Acknowledge your emotions, even when they are not very pleasant.
Social media has created a bubble where everyone is happy. But under this falsely created happy world, people are struggling to come to terms with their emotions. And it is pushing them into darkness. People need help to come to terms with their real emotions.
Reading can be therapeutic. It helps you grow and expand your thinking horizons. Through books you can see different perspectives. Sometimes, that is exactly what you need. A fresh perspective.
LiFT: What do you do apart from writing?
Deepali: I am a finance professional. I have spent almost two decades in finance and corporate training. I have had a long career as a freelance writer also.
LiFT: What are the activities you resort to when you face a writer’s block?
Deepali: Ah! The dreadful writer’s block. I wonder if there has been a writer ever who has not come face to face with this monster. But I guess I am being harsh. Sometimes writer’s block is good. It gives your creativity a fresh surge.
I have learnt to respect my block. I take a break from writing and read more. I also catch up on movies, since I usually miss many good ones. When I feel rejuvenated enough, I go back to my paper.
LiFT: What if your story will be adopted as a movie? Whom would you want to work as a director or actors in it?
Deepali: Imitiaz Ali and Zoya Akhtar have exceptional way of treating the stories and characters. I wish if Somewhere Beyond Hope is to come on screen, one of these directors will do justice to the characters.
I can only see Shefali Chaya as Meera. And Neeraj Kabi as Raghav. Ashlesha Thakur(Family Man fame) seems perfect as Jenny and Manoj Vajpyee as Prashant. Viren Vazirani(Arya fame) comes closest to Jatin’s character.
LiFT: Are you working on your next book? If yes, please tell us something about it.
Deepali: Yes, I am working on two projects. One is a horror plot with a subject that has hardly been touched in the Indian context. The other one is a love story, something I have never tried before. It is going to be a challenge for me.
LiFT: What are your suggestions to the budding writers/poets so that they could improve their writing skills?
Deepali: Read a lot of books. And not only the good ones. Also read the ones which are not so good. That way you will know what NOT to do.
Workshops help in the initial days as they teach you to create a plot, develop characters and write impactful conversations. Once you identify your own style, work on developing it by writing more and more and editing it.
Click here to order Deepali’s Book – Somewhere Beyond Hope
