
A book can hold a million stories — each born from a unique perspective on life. Some of these stories inspire, offering readers glimpses into lives and emotions they may have never encountered. Hyderabad-based author Richa Sharma’s debut novel, Finding Home Again: Our Quest to Belong, is one such work. Rooted in memory, displacement, and the human need to find connection, the book is already making waves among readers. In this exclusive interaction with CE, Richa opens up about her passion for writing, the long journey behind her book, and the stories she hopes to tell next.
Excerpts
What sparked your passion for writing?
I think my love for words started in childhood. My mother, who is from Agra, was a voracious reader; she’d finish entire libraries. My sister inherited that love too. My dad used to bring books home and always encouraged us to read. Both my parents were teachers, so in our home, stories and language were deeply valued. My mother was also a wonderful storyteller. Every day, she would narrate tales from her childhood, stories of her grandmother and their ancestral home, and we would sit around and listen, completely mesmerised. She even wrote poems for our birthdays. That environment taught us that words matter. That stories build families. That’s how my love for storytelling began.
Tell us about Finding Home Again. What inspired the story?
This book has been over 10 years in the making. The idea first came to me in 2012, when I went back to Arunachal Pradesh for my father’s retirement. I had grown up there, and when I returned, I was overwhelmed by how much I missed that place. It made me reflect on the idea of home. Although I wrote multiple drafts — maybe six or seven — I wasn’t consistently working on it all these years. But the idea never left me. The sense of displacement was always at the core. In India, we often move, whether for education, jobs, or marriage, but rarely talk about the emotional upheaval that comes with it. You don’t have to cross international borders to feel displaced. Even shifting cities within your own country can trigger questions of identity and belonging. Over time, those scattered thoughts became stories. Eventually, they formed this novel.
What does the title Finding Home Again signify?
The book follows three main characters who are, in many ways, like all of us, living in different cities, trying to navigate jobs and relationships while looking for a sense of belonging. The title reflects their emotional journey. Home, I believe, is not always a physical space. It can be a person, a memory, a moment, or even a kind of food. The characters each go on both an external and internal journey and what they find, in the end, is a version of home that resonates with them. The story is set in Assam, during the monsoon season. A train derailment becomes the turning point, not just for the characters’ physical journey, but their emotional reckoning as well. Sometimes, such unexpected events push us towards introspection. That’s the essence of Finding Home Again.
What were some challenges you faced while writing this book?
There were many. The initial drafts had up to 11 characters, which made the story too complex. I realised I couldn’t do justice to so many lives, so I refined it to focus on three key characters. That editing process was both necessary and exhausting. Emotionally, it was also a difficult book to write. The story deals with traumatic events like a train derailment and floods. While I haven’t personally experienced such tragedies, I wanted the portrayal to feel real. I immersed myself in news clippings and survivor accounts to understand that pain. For one to two years, I really internalised those emotions; it was draining, but it felt important to honour the truth of those experiences.
Are you working on anything new?
Yes, I’m always writing. I’ve finished a first draft of a poetry collection, but I’m not yet confident about it. I think I’ll revisit it after a few months with fresh eyes. I’m also experimenting with a new fiction project, something I began while editing this novel. It’s very fluid and unconventional. I want it to directly involve readers and break some of the traditional boundaries of storytelling. I haven’t decided on a structure or ending. I’m just letting it flow. Hopefully, it will take shape in a year or two.
Do you plan to write personal or autobiographical stories?
At the moment, I’m not leaning towards autobiography, though the themes I write about journeys, landscapes, memory are drawn from my life. Of course, every writer leaves parts of themselves in their characters. That’s inevitable. Eventually, I do want to publish a collection of short stories. Perhaps some of them will be more personal. For now, I’m letting the stories lead me where they want to go.