Aditya’s first novel, “Dance In The Windstorm” was officially launched on 22nd of June, 2024 at the famous bookstore, ‘TitleWaves” situated in Bandra, Mumbai. Aditya described this as his, “best moment in his writing career”
The novel is available in paperback and digital formats on all e-commerce websites nationally and internationally.
Dance In The Windstorm, a dark fiction novel characterized by its psychological depth and haunting themes has been described by readers as a thrilling and unique experience- akin to “playing golf with eyeballs” We sat down to uncover the secrets behind his fresh release.
Aditya’s journey into the world of literature began at a young age. In the summer of 2014, when he was just nine years old, Aditya started crafting comic stories on A4 sheets, stapling them together, and proudly presenting them as his “books.” This early passion for storytelling laid the foundation for his future endeavours. By 2018, Aditya ventured into writing quotes and poetry, sharing his works on platforms like “Your Quote.” The pandemic years of 2020 and 2021 proved transformative as he delved into short stories and full-length narratives on Wattpad, all while reading an impressive 140 books over two years. He also launched “Booksfinity,” a YouTube channel dedicated to promoting literature in India. Aditya’s dream of seeing his name on a bookshelf materialized when he published his first poetry collection, The Floating Droplets, in 2021, followed by Scented Pages in 2022. These collections garnered critical acclaim and multiple awards, including a certification from Harvard World Records and the prestigious “21st Century Emily Dickinson Award.”
How has school played a role in your career? Which school did you go to?
During my school days, I was in four different schools.
Sherwood School was my primary school in Dehradun. I then moved to Brightlands School in Dehradun. Then my parents shifted to Bhubaneswar. I was in Sai International School till December of 2015. We then moved to Delhi where I completed my schooling in 2022 from Prudence School, Dwarka, Sector-22. I then chose Jindal Global Business School for pursuing Integrated Business Management. I am set to graduate in 2027. The encouragement from my teachers and peers played a role in my development as a writer. I feel experiences and learnings from schools I went to, can be reflected in a lot of poems and even stories I have written before. In my college, I have been involved in the literary society and my book reviews are quite popular.
How did you get the idea for Dance In The Windstorm?
“It emerged from my fascination with paranormal phenomena, science and human psychology. It started when I was stuck by this fascinating idea of the element between life and death! Plot revolves around a haunted mansion with a couple who move into their dream house and a team of paranormal investigators”.
How was the research for the book like?
“It was a great journey to research for DIW and a thrilling one because I researched on a variety of topics like “The Gospel of Mark” where Jesus casted out legion of demons from a man who was possessed along with “The Book of Matthew” which has similar lines of expelling demon. I also came across a few Latin prayers like “Exi, Seductor” or “Da Loum Christo” which translates to common notions of “Departing” or “Giving way to the Christ”
Unlike the Bible, Indian texts delve into core Hindu scriptures of healing and protection through Atharava Veda and the Garuda Purana. (Hanuman Chalisa has always been the mighty protector)
I read cases of Roland Doe, and Clara Germana before scripting my own phase that is talked about in the latter half of the book.”
If Dance In The Windstorm were to be adapted into a movie, who would you cast as the lead characters?
“Haha! If this had to be adapted into a film, I think the OG stars, Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga will do a tremendous job. I have loved watching them as paranormal investigators so there shouldn’t be any one else who does it.”
If you could have dinner with any three authors (living or dead), who would they be and why?
“Having Khaled Hosseini, late Satyajit Ray and Ruskin Bond on the same table would be so much fun. All three of them are great masters of literature and have the ability to convey deep emotions and complex human experiences.”
How did your background in poetry influence your approach to writing prose?
“Poetry is rich with symbolism and metaphor. These tools, I used regularly and it is something that is visible in my stories as well. These literary devices add layers of meaning to the narrative, allowing readers to interpret and find deeper significance in the story.”
What gives you the motivation to write?
“It is me and my dreams.
It wasn’t always smooth sailing. Some peers and teachers doubted my abilities, with a few saying, “You won’t be much in life,” and others commenting, “Your poems are very dark.” These criticisms, while initially disheartening, fuelled my determination. My mind often believed them at the time, but the drive to prove them wrong became a powerful motivator. I’m stubborn when it comes to my dreams, and I don’t stop until I achieve what I set out to do.”
What’s next for you? Are there any new projects or books in the pipeline?
“I do have an idea on which I am working on. It is definitely my dream project and requires extensive research which I am already doing. I cannot guarantee a date yet because I want to take some time and write it but yes readers should be ready for something that has not been explored widely before! That is all that I can say”
