Book Discussion with Aditya KV - Author of Daitya Diaries

Today we have Aditya KV with us to discuss his book Daitya Diaries with us.

Do tell us about your educational & professional background?

I am Fellow of Cornell Alliance for Science and also hold  PGD in Management. Currently I am working with a Production house developing scripts but previously in my corporate stint I was largely into communications consulting specializing in the fields of Science and technology.

What were you like at school/college apart from studies?

I was an avid debater and my debates were fueled by the plethora of books I ended up reading. I spent an inordinate amount of time out of classes working on obscure projects which might never see the light of the day.School years were probably the time I was usually locked up in the library and had an unhealthy obsession with history.

Do you read much and if so who are your favorite authors? Which author inspire you the most?

I read quite a bit. My most favorite author has been Alexandre Dumas. Count of Monte Cristo has been an inspiration and will always be the go to book for me to understand the baser human emotion of rage. Even the Character of Vaira had been modeled on Edmond Dantes from the book.

When did you start writing?

This was not very long ago, I started writing about 4 years back in 2015. I ended up working on a treatment for a film script and that pretty much put me on track to write my first book

When did you decide to become a writer?

Being a book worm, I always wondered how it would be to see my own name in print. It has been a lifelong dream but It took me years to gather the courage and focus to sit down and write the story I wanted to. I kept postponing it telling myself I needed more research but I think I was simply lay or even worse I was afraid of how the book would turn out.

What are your ambitions for your writing career?

I would,like continue enjoy writing. The process is tedious and enjoyable but I hope someday I dont find it only tedious. I think the biggest ambition would be to keep enjoying the process.

Do you have a special time to write, or how is your day structured to accommodate your writing?

I am a nocturnal creature and you would find me at late night coffee shops across Hyderabad writing away till early mornings. Yes, my day does get affected but nowadays, writing is taking the priority.

Is this your debut work?

Yes, Daitya Diaries is my debut work to be published, sometime back I did write a series called the K project for a site. That was a quite hit with Mythology fans.

What genre are your books?

I write a mixture of Hindu Mythology and world History, Someone asked me to describe my book once and I said it is when Lord Indra Meets Genghis Khan and they do meet in the book. I have to clarify here that I write only fiction and nothing I write needs to be taken too seriously. It is for entertainment only.

Can you describe your current book in few lines? What’s it about?

Daitya Diaries is an amalgamation of world history and Hindu mythology with a tale of revenge thrown into the mix. It brings forth unknown characters in the mythological space which are so obscure that they have been forgotten. It is an ode to the pagan mythology across the globe. It also subscribes to the idea of humanism, which is also a tenet in Hindusim and puts man as the someone who can achieve beyond the potential of just being a pawn in the cosmic verse Somehow I believe the idea “ I am just human” to be more of a compliment than an insult. Though through the book you are following the life of a principal character, we interweave through time and space of world history this gives the audience a glimpse into world history through the lenses of Hindu mythology.

Give us an insight into your main character(s)

The key character here is Mallikarjun/Vaira. A simple small town tour guide who is wronged. The key element of his story arc is the metamorphosis of the man who has to travel through hell. As the simple world he built for himself crumbles he transforms him into a machine of vengeance. He is a broken man seeking justice for the fate that has been dealt to him.

Where did you get idea for this book?

I have been a huge fan of Marvel and DC comics. Though we had much more entertaining storylines with complex characters and brilliant villains. Hindu mythology never really made it into pop culture. Daitya Diaries is an attempt to bridge the gap, this is pop culture mythology which can be turned into a universe.

How much research did you do for this book?

Travel, for the first 5 years of my career, I used to take long leaves from my work and travel across the country. I have gathered obscure stories of village deities and alternative storytelling. From Varanasi to Kamakhya. This was for writing Daitya Diaries as a 4 part series. The storyline formed in my head over these years and as characters fell into place, it was matter of referring back to my research from these places.

Who is your favorite character in your book and why?

Other than the main characters, Thakshaka is probably my most favorite, his story in a way mirrors that of Vaira, a broken man who sought vengeance and failed at it. A great king among the Nagas reduced to nothing. Even if we go by the cannon of Mahabharata, Thakshaka is one of the most complex characters in play. How he loses his entire family, sees a kingdom built on his home and finally does get revenge on the Pandavas but at a great cost. It is a character with a lot of grey areas and in a way is boon to the author.

Who is your least favorite character and why?

None actually, all the characters have been crafted with care. I don’t think there has been a single arc which I felt burdened writing.

What was the hardest thing about writing your latest book?

The pace and the mood are the hardest to maintain, since the book is written over a prolonged period of time, if I end up losing the momentum, it becomes harder to gain it back for myself. Consistency is lost and that affects the flow of the story.

Release date. 

Feb 2019

What are you working on at the minute?

I am currently working on an independent film and a couple of webseries, I have taken to script writing full time recently and it has been a rewarding experience. 

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Keep writing, it is the toughest job on the planet, especially when you are yet to be published.