Bhakti Mathur began writing children’s books based on Indian mythology so that she could share with her kids the same fascinating stories she grew up with. Her very popular series Amma, Tell Me has garnered a lot of attention because of its simple and fun reproductions of mythological stories.
The latest book Amma, Tell Me How Hanuman Crossed the Ocean is part two in her Hanuman trilogy. It tells another epic adventure of Lord Hanuman as he leaps across oceans and regains lost powers. Bhakti, a full-time banker, is also the writer ambassador for Room to Read, an NGO that offers holistic literacy and girls’ education programmes.
The best opening line in a book you have ever read?
“What can you say about a twenty-five-year-old girl who died? That she was beautiful. And brilliant. That she loved Mozart and Bach. And the Beatles. And me.”
— Love Story by Erich Segal.
Which genre draws you the most as a reader and a writer?
The genre that draws me the most is mythology.
One fictional character close to your heart and why?
Ashton Pelham-Martyn from the Far Pavilions by M.M. Kaye is a character that I love. A character with a strong sense of right and wrong, of being fair, earnest and brave.
Who among the pantheon of writers (past/present) would you like to have coffee with?
J.R.R. Tolkien, author of Lord of the Rings.
Your cure for writer’s block?
I think writer’s block is a luxury for writers with a lot of time on hand. I work full-time as a banker and am always stealing time to write. Hence, I think writer’s block has given me a wide berth!
How can budding writers prevent rejection from turning into dejection?
One needs to have a thick skin when sending proposals to publishers to not get discouraged by refusals. One also needs to have a thin skin to take in the feedback and try and improve.
Ending of a popular book that you would have changed?
Man, Woman and Child by Erich Segal. I’d have changed the ending to the child staying back with Robert and Sheila.
