In Conversation with Multi-talented Personality Giselle Mehta

Introducing the talented Giselle Mehta, a former officer in the Indian Revenue Service turned novelist. With a wide range of interests, passions, and proficiencies, Giselle’s fiction is shaped by her diverse experiences and creative pursuits. Her recent novel, “Vectors in the Void,” showcases her unique storytelling abilities. Through the power of social media, Giselle has connected with readers worldwide, expanding her reach beyond physical bookstores. Get ready to dive into her captivating narratives and be inspired by her engaging presence. 

1. Can you tell us about your journey from being an officer in the Indian Revenue Service to becoming a novelist?

Ans- Being in a structured job like government service offers a professional identity but when you’re out on your own,  you feel the need to stand up and be counted for other aspects of the self. This is what powered my switch to a creative literary persona. 

2. How do your diverse interests and immersions influence your fiction writing?

Ans A passion for English literature left me with a burning desire to write novels.I also have a deep fascination for history which makes me constantly imagine situations with a background in the past.  A Master’s  degree in International Relations facilitated  a novel with geopolitical elements.  I also studied Psychology and this has been crucial to how I  shape characters that  readers find to be very real and credible. Real life constantly offers  narrative inspiration, for example my hands-on experiments with  food, my involvement in performing arts, social activities, travel and so forth. 

3. What inspired you to write your recent novel, “Vectors in the Void”?

Ans My previous novel ‘Blossom Showers’ had more of male characters, so I wanted to showcase the feminine persona displaying strength amidst the challenges posed by historical events and global movements. It is an exercise to view womanhood without a lens of weakness.  I was also interested to explore issues  like the common  factors that bind people who are geographically and racially diverse, and  how genetic coding within families pans out in unexpected ways.

4. How has social media and online platforms impacted your engagement with readers and book lovers?

Ans It is indeed reassuring to have many online platforms with which to interact with readers and book lovers, obtaining their feedback on how they have related to one’s book.  From the reviews it is  possible to get a completely new perspective on one’s own writing! Interviews are a valuable exercise that  allow an author to reflect on their personal pathways and creative processes. 

5. Can you share some insights into the role of communication and observation in your writing process?

Ans In  my novels’ Acknowledgements I make it a point to thank people who have shared experiences of living in a particular time or situation and those who have communicated specialised knowledge or input. We might consider that people are like libraries of lived experience which makes communication with others useful to the flow of writing. A writer may equally depend on personal observation, for example, how I drew on childhood memories of living during the Emergency in the 1970’s, and how one may record changing styles in fashion and social celebrations as  personally known down the ages. 

6. How do you balance your passion for writing with your love for animals and being there for them?

Ans Being there for animals brings out a better side in everyone, especially if help is being rendered to those who suffer  in  harsh situations.  It enhances one’s capacity for empathy and a connection with the world outside the self  which is an indispensable quality for all thoughtful authors.