Ishita Banik has become a really popular name for her romantic and thriller novels- especially her first novel ‘If We Last’. Her last novel ‘One and a Half Moon’ was a deviation from her main genre but still garnered praises from her readers like her previous three novels- If We Last, Till We Last, The City of Tunes. ‘One and a Half Moon’ was a poetry collection that was divided into three parts- Life Hurts, Life Heals, and Life Gives. She is coming up with a new novel that will revolve around paranormal stories.
Ishita is an inspiration for many young writers who aim to become an author one day. She shared her thoughts with us on her process, journey, and her favorite books/authors-
Tell us something about yourself. (City you were born in, education, family, etc.)
I was born and brought up in Kolkata. I have a science & technical background. However, I left my M.tech to pursue my dreams. Also, that was the time when I started writing my debut novel ‘If We Last’, which later got a best seller in thriller fiction.
When did you discover your interest in writing?
Since the time I learnt writing. I wrote my first poetry or story (can’t remember exactly) when I was in first grade. Since that time writing has always been my love.
How did you come up with the idea for your first book?
I started it out of nowhere. It was during the final year of my Masters. I used to write even more to de-stress myself. And I just went with the flow. It was an amalgamation of my imagination, dreams, nightmares, and unexpected ideas I kept getting during the course of my writing.
Who has been the biggest support/mentor in your writing journey?
No such mentor, but my family has always been very supportive with every decision I took.
How did you develop an interest in the thriller genre?
I have always been fond of the thriller & mystery genre, be it books or movies. I have grown up reading a lot of books in this genre. So, it reflects in my writings too.
Tell us something about your upcoming book.
My upcoming book is going to be a collection of paranormal stories. Every story is going to be based on a very new, spooky concept. And I am really excited to share more with my readers soon!
What are you reading currently?
I am reading A Thousand Splendid Suns currently and a few other books are on my reading list that I hope to read soon!
Who are some of your favourite authors?
Paulo Coelho, Sidney Sheldon, Agatha Christie, Jane Austen…the list goes on.
Any tips for upcoming young authors to get over writer’s block?
Just be consistent with writing. And if you face writer’s block, just take a break and read a lot in the meanwhile. It always works!
