Your real name and pen name?
Sumeetha Manikandan. I
haven’t written under a pen name so far.Please share some of the best memories of your childhood Summer holidays and books
About your education
I am an English Literature graduate with a diploma in Journalism and Communication
What career did you plan during your education days?
I once cherished a dream to become an archeologist
What languages you can speak and write?
English, Tamil and Hindi
What is your biggest source of inspiration in life?
Reviews from my readers
What is your favorite genre and why?
Historical fiction. I have always been fascinated by history and love to read anything historical.
When did you start writing? What is the purpose of your writing?
I started writing in college. I have written some plays, comedy scripts that were performed in college. Later I dabbled in translations of Kalki’s tamil epic story, Ponniyin Selvan. I am publishing it here - http://ponniiyinselvanbysumi.blogspot.in/ It was only during my sabbatical after pregnancy that I started writing seriously.
Which of your work has been published so far? Would you like to share
a synopsis of your work? As of now, The Perfect Groom is the only published work of mine.
Synopsis
I tried to talk to Ashok about the impending medical test that she might force me to have. I told him while we were in bed.
“Ashok, I need to talk to you about something.”
“What?”
“Your mother is pestering me to get a medical check-up done. I have given her many reasons why we don’t want kids right now. She is not listening. Can you speak to her and tell her that for the next two years you don’t want kids?”
“Hmm...I don’t know man.” “I have been listening to this pregnancy talk for the past month now. She wants me to go along with her to India next month and when we go she wants me to have a medical check-up with a gynecologist that she knows. If you don’t tell her that you don’t want kids right now, I will have to undergo a medical check-up. Please Ashok, speak to her.”
“What the fuck, Nithya? It’s just a medical check-up. What are you scared of? Why are you pestering me? I don’t want to talk to her about this. Just leave me alone.”
I bit my lip to fight back the tears but they just rolled down. I felt trapped in a situation where the walls were closing on me from all directions.
“You don’t understand Ashok. Please try to understand...I...”
He tore at his hair and screamed, “Oh God! I am going to kill that guy the minute I land in India next time. He sent her here deliberately to mess with my life. Okay, I will talk to her.” He turned away to sleep.
He did speak to her the next morning, I think, because she looked sullen when I came back from the restaurant and kept muttering about my hold over her son.
“God knows what sins I have committed. All I want is a grandson to hold before I die. If you cannot give it then what is the point of this marriage? I always knew that people from Salem are very cunning. Now I know why they say that. You have him twisted around your little finger. Usha’s son got a new wife because his first wife was not conceiving. You should thank your stars that we are not doing anything of that sort...”
What are your forthcoming writings?
My next novella is named, ‘These lines of Mehendi’. It will be published as a paperback.
What are your future plans?
To keep writing…
What four top most things you take care of while writing a book?
I try to make the narrative as interesting as possible. I try to get into the skin of the character and try to experience their joy and pain
Your dream destination on Earth?
Egypt.
Your origin of birth and other countries you have visited/ stayed. Born and brought up in Chennai. I am yet to step out of India J
Your favorite time of the day?
Early morning 5 AM
Your zodiac/ sunsign?
Aquarius
Your favorite color and why?
Green. Because it suits me
Your favorite book and why?
Pride and Prejudice. Because you can read it again and again.
Your favorite celebrity and why?
Daniel Day Lewis, because he is very intense
Your favorite food?
Tamarind rice prepared by my mom J
State your signature line/ tagline/ best quote: I am what I am
Links:
Twitter handle: sumeetha2
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Sumeetha.Manikandan.Author
Goodreads author page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7153351.Sumeetha_Manikandan
Amazon link: http://www.amazon.in/The-Perfect-Groom-Sumeetha-Manikandan-ebook/dp/B00HDZOQ8M/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1394599870&sr=1-1
