Swathi is a 21-year-old student, who is currently pursuing her degree in Computer Science and Engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru National College of Engineering, Shimoga. She is a self proclaimed bibliophile and forgets the world around her when she dives into the world of novels! Writer, dreamer, singer, artist, travel enthusiast and nature lover – that pretty much sums up her.
To find out more about her, visit her blog Flightless Bird thoughtful Wings, where she likes to spend most of her free time. She has been published in three anthologies so far – Mighty Thoughts, Blank Space and GOOFY. She loves writing short stories, poems, book reviews and sometimes inspirational posts.
She can be contacted at:
Email: swathi.p.smg@gmail.com
Here we get to know her more closely:
Nainika: Hi Swathi, so how would you define “Swathi Shenoy”
Swathi: Hi Nainika. This is a question I always have a hard time answering. I would define Swathi Shenoy as someone who has a passion for lot of things. A writer, an avid reader, travel enthusiast & nature lover, an artist who loves sketching, painting, quilling and anything that catches her eye and also a singer (not necessarily in the same order though). But most importantly, she is an introvert who loves solitude.
Nainika: Engineering or writing, what do you enjoy more?
Swathi: Definitely writing! No doubt in this one. But I have to admit, it was during Engineering that I discovered the spark for writing.
Nainika: How did you develop your interest towards writing?
Swathi: Being an introvert, I prefer maintaining a diary rather than sharing my thoughts with someone. So I guess that is where the love for writing stemmed from. But it was only during my engineering I realized this love for writing was far beyond diary entries. I had penned down a story for creative writing competition and it was appreciated by many. The encouragement I received pushed me forward to explore my potential in writing.
Nainika: How important is reading to a writer?
Swathi: I believe that reading is an integral part of the journey as a writer. The more you read, the more polished you become. Some articles/stories trigger the thought process and will set you thinking while many others influence your writing style. When you read, there is always scope to learn new things and also improvise your way of writing.
Nainika: When so many anthologies are hitting the market every now and then, how different is Crumpled Voices-2 as compared to them?
Swathi: I have been published in 3 anthologies before Crumpled Voices 2 but this one is definitely different. It is about one of the most sensitive yet important issues that need to be addressed in our society. I believe it will make people more perceptive towards the silent struggles going on around them and will encourage them to lend a helping hand.
Nainika: Tell us something about your story, “The Lost Dreams” in Crumpled Voices-2.
Swathi: Gender based discriminations are still predominant in many parts of our country. Though lot of debate is going on about gender based equality and rules are made for the same, there are still people who consider a girl child as a bad omen and try to suppress them. ‘The Lost Dreams’ is one such story where the dreams of a child are being suppressed just because she is a girl.
Nainika: Who all are the lead characters of your story?
Swathi: The leading character of my story is Riya, a young girl who is subjected to gender discrimination by her own grandparents. She struggles to gain their approval but fails to win their heart. The story describes her inner turmoil as she tries to figure out what was that she was doing wrong that she couldn’t win their love and affection.
Nainika: Are the characters of your story inspired from real life?
Swathi: Every fiction has a little bit of truth in it. Yes, the story is indeed inspired from a real life incident; from my friend's childhood. It wasn’t exactly like Riya’s story, but it definitely was what inspired me to write this one.
Nainika: How was experience with Gargi Publishers?
Swathi: 3 words - I loved it. Right from writing for this anthology to the awesome banners made, the books being delivered to contributing authors well before release date, the getting-to-know-other-authors part through the facebook group and getting my first interview done, it has been a wonderful experience with Gargi Publishers. I hope I get to work with Pulkit Sir and team again.
Nainika: What would be your message for our dear reader
Swathi: About child abuse - It’s not just physical abuse that causes damage, but also the emotional one; more so because it isn’t visible yet it keeps consuming the soul. If you ever get even a slight hint about a child being abused or feel like they need help of any sort, don’t hesitate to help. You might be saving a life.
And about the book, if you liked my story ‘The Lost Dreams’ do drop a message. It will make my day. Thanks!
(This interview was taken by Nainika Gautam under the internship program by Gargi Publishers)
Great to read this Swathi. Loved it.
ReplyDeleteThank you Preethi :)
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