Astrology has always been a mystery to mankind and while some try to explain (and sometimes deny) it with the concept of science, some use it to read their characters to predict the future, and some even try to fool people with its unethical use. And then there are many others like author Dipa Sanatani who tries to explore the vast subject of astrology through the realm of human experience.
Mythology has been a part of our rich culture, tradition, literature and life since time immemorial. Even in this modern era, the advent of science and technology didn’t decrease its popularity but rather enhanced it. Not only did the film industry put the modern techniques to use for projecting the mythological tales in a vibrant way, the modern writers too took up myths to retell them in their own unique fashion.
“As an author myself I know that the authors cannot help hiding a part of themselves inside the book. And I love to search for those traces in the book, exploring the themes, symbolism or hidden meanings, significance of the title, while composing detailed book reviews. I feel this is the best part of writing book reviews, it makes one live the story twice.”
We may call it ‘mythology’ but even modern storytellers are using this age-old formula.
“It’s the idea of creating something out of a tiny spark which inspires me the most. Transforming a blank paper into something entirely different, something meaningful, is so satisfying. Artworks of some talented artists, their passion, commitment and patience never cease to amaze me.”
I wanted to write a book that would make ancient myths relevant for the modern reader while still staying true to the ‘heart’ of the myth. In Vedic Mythology, the Celestial Beings are personified as a family that have a relationship with each other – some complementary, others highly dysfunctional. What I’ve done with The Little Light is reinterpreted and reimagined those myths for the modern era.
A good publishing house needs to compete in the market for both authors and customers. One of the main takeaways I had from attending the London Book Fair in 2019 was that even industry veterans have no idea how well a book is going to do. It is difficult to predict what the next great novel will be. Even big hits that provide an influx of sales can later fall off the radar. Some books start off slow and then suddenly take off a few years later.
