BENGALURU: Author Novoneel Chakraborty’s inspiration comes from life itself. “It teaches you new lessons every day. I had a near-death experience a few years ago and that’s when I realised the value of life and how you go about doing things you love. For me, it’s writing and this is how my books come up,” he said, ahead of the launch of his new book, Roses Are Blood Red, at Landmark, Forum Mall.
In a casual conversation with CE, the author also spoke about the latest issue haunting the country, the Citizenship Amendment Act. Born in Silchar and having done his initial schooling in Guwahati, Chakraborty said he is disturbed with Assam’s current scenario. “Protest can be through dialogues and peaceful display of anger. It does not have to be violent all the time. I have been trying to contact my extended family but failing miserably,” he said, adding that violent behaviour takes you nowhere and nothing gets sorted. “It only increases tension. The creamy layer doesn’t get affected but it is the common man who bears the brunt of violence. Such violent protests have some or the other hidden propaganda,” he said.
Apart from writing novels, Chakraborty has also written for short films and television. He began writing for the screen when he was in Kolkata but gradually shifted to Mumbai and started writing scripts for web series. Recalling memories of his first novel, A Thing Beyond Forever, he said writing the book was nothing short of major challenges. No one really understood what he was doing, including his family, which often left him frustrated and demotivated. Getting enough money for publication was also an issue.
Chakraborty also said growing up in a Bengali family meant lots of reading. He grew up reading authors like Rabindranath Tagore, Buddhadeb Bose, Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, Enid Blyton, Ayn Rand and more. He also has been a great fan of Stephen King, Lee Child, Agatha Christie, and John Grisham. His specialty lies in romantic thrillers that he writes along with philosophy mixed with it. “Authors do not choose genres, genres choose authors. While writing, my inner personality comes out and that’s my natural instinct,” he said.
He uses the pseudonym Elizabeth Eli to write his novels for Wattpad. “Elizabeth is a name from my debut book. I used some alliteration with the name and that’s how the name ‘Elizabeth Eli’ came up. Wattpad has an international readership and the name is easier for readers to connect with,” he added.
About the book
“All my books are from a woman’s perspective but here, it’s about a man’s dissection of what relationship and love is. Roses Are Blood Red talks about the absence of someone in your life, the pain that someone gives with their absence,” Chakraborty says.