'Citizens tormented beneath tyrant know the value of liberal democracy'

CHENNAI: In conversation with DT Next, Chennai-based author Archana Sarat talks to us about her latest book Sleeping Dogs, her take on freedom, writing ritual, upcoming projects and lots more.

What inspired you to write this book?

The world, my experiences, and my emotions while interacting with people, places, and incidents around me formed the basis of my inspiration. For instance, the feelings of Devika and Aarna (characters in the book) when they shifted from Chennai to Mumbai are based on my personal experiences. I had undergone a similar relocation at the age of 22 and it had a huge impact on me. Similarly, I’ve witnessed several incidents of gender discrimination and passive-aggressive violence faced at home by some women.

The book discusses human nature and patriarchy. Why is it titled Sleeping Dogs?

’Let sleeping dogs lie’ is a famous idiom that describes a person who ignores problems and tries to avoid them without facing them head-on. Aarna’s quest to find out more about her mother’s suicide is the ‘sleeping dog’ here and most people advise her to avoid it. Hence, the book is titled so.

How does the novel’s narrative justify the statement ‘a cage is a cage even if it is made of gold’?

The one most precious thing valued by every person is freedom. We do not realise the value of freedom till we actually lose it. Only those citizens tormented beneath a tyrant know the value of liberal democracy. Even in a palace filled with gold and diamonds along with the finest of dresses and gourmet food, if there is no freedom, there is something crucially missing. The narrative of my novel exemplifies this message.

Are characters in the book inspired by real life?

Yes. All my characters in all my books are based upon real-life people but not one particular person. They are an amalgamation of many and the characters are therefore unique in their own way.

Every writer has a different writing ritual. What is yours?

Being a work-from-home mother means that there is a silent everyday wrestling between my pen and my household responsibilities. When the kids were younger, the motherhood responsibilities won on most days while the pen lost. Nowadays, the pen wins on many days. However, the challenge is still on. I don’t have a fixed ritual. I write in my journal in the morning before the kids wake up. I write my articles and stories as soon as they are off to school. Since I write by hand in a notebook, I type out my stories whenever the writing goes slow. The evenings are for family, long walks, reading, drawing, and painting.

What did you do when you had writer’s block?

I’ve realised that I become blocked for two reasons: either I don’t know enough about my subject or I doubt my ability to tackle that subject. When it is the former, I become immersed in my topic. I make a plan on the books that I want to read or the courses and videos that I want to watch on the topic. I speak to people in that field and do thorough research before tackling the topic again. When it is the latter, only one thing helps- silence and solitude. I need to go for long walks, or long bus rides, alone to think and wait. My self-belief returns, ideas fly in and plot holes get filled and the writer’s block disappears.

Which is that one character in this book that is very personal to you and why?

Both the protagonists of this book, Devika and Aarna, the mother and daughter, are close to my heart. In many ways, they represent my own defining values and ideologies.

What can readers expect from the book?

Readers can expect a gripping thriller that will keep them turning the pages till they are done. For me, the story comes first. If someone gets the message that is buried beneath the story, I’m delighted, but it is not a necessity. What matters is that they enjoy a good interesting thriller that keeps them excited.

What’s next for you?

I have this habit of genre rotation. After penning a thriller, I love to write children’s books. A thriller drains me. It is demanding in terms of time, attention, research, effort, and emotions but it is rewarding and fulfilling work. On the other hand, writing a children’s book is energising. I love the process. It is challenging at times but I feel rejuvenated by my efforts. I am working on a children’s book of humorous short stories at the moment. It is loosely based on the mischief and chaos that my two sons, Sanju and Aaru, unleashed upon me in their childhood.