Tell us about yourself.:
My name is Chandrayan Gupta – do not make any shouldn’t-you-be-on-the-moon “jokes” – I’m a psychological crime thriller author and a full-time writer. I’m 25 years old, a law graduate, and I can wiggle my ears without touching them. I can also bend my fingers all the way backward, which used to freak people out in school.

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?:
I grew up in Guwahati and Kolkata. I was too young in Guwahati, so it hasn’t influenced my writing at all, but all my stories are set in Kolkata, since it is the city I know and love the most. I am a Bengali, and so growing up in Kolkata has meant I’ve always been connected to the Bengali culture, which I believe does show sometimes in my writing, the dialogue, the environments, the characters.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know if this is unusual, but I always need music when I’m writing, preferably music that matches the mood of the scene, and I need it playing at full volume. Apart from that, I don’t think I have any strict writing habits at all.

What authors have influenced you?
I grew up in Guwahati and Kolkata. I was too young in Guwahati, so it hasn’t influenced my writing at all, but all my stories are set in Kolkata, since it is the city I know and love the most. I am a Bengali, and so growing up in Kolkata has meant I’ve always been connected to the Bengali culture, which I believe does show sometimes in my writing, the dialogue, the environments, the characters.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
Ignore the voice in your head that tells you you’ll fail, that no one would buy your books, that you’re a talentless hack. I know it’s easier said than done, but just plough through. Don’t give in to that voice.

What is the best advice you have ever been given?
To keep on keeping on, to survive, to never give up, because nothing remains the same forever, meaning the bad times always end eventually.

What are you reading now?
I’m currently re-reading The Woman in the Window.

What’s your biggest weakness?
If you mean something I can’t resist, I’d have to say a story-driven stealth video game, or a woman with a killer sense of humor. If you mean my actual biggest weakness, I’d say I’m too sensitive.

What is your favorite book of all time?
The Woman in the Window by AJ Finn.

When you’re not writing, how do you like to spend your time?
I love gaming, and reading, and watching movies and television shows, and cooking, and painting. I am a man of many interests, you see.

Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
The first story I ever read was one of the early Famous Five books by Enid Blyton, I can’t remember which one. I was enthralled. I thought books were the greatest thing ever, and soon after, I developed the desire to see my name on the cover of one someday.

What has inspired you and your writing style?
I have always wanted greater gender representation in fiction. An overwhelming majority of novels seem to have male protagonists. I have also always wanted to see realistic depictions of mental illness in fiction. So at least one of the protagonists in my books is always female, and all my protagonists suffer from mental illness, some more than others. Be the change you want to see and all that. As for my writing style, my main influences are John le Carré, Charles Cumming, Karen Cleveland, AJ Finn, and Arundhati Roy.

What are you working on now?
I’m currently writing Fate Misnamed, the sequel to Reason to Fight.

What is your favorite method for promoting your work?
I’m horrible at promotion, so I stick to the tried-and-tested giveaways

What’s next for you as a writer?
I have the Radha-Aditya series planned out until 2030. 7 books. Long commitment. But I also have ideas for a couple unconnected, standalone books, too, so, I don’t know. I run on instincts and urges, so, apart from the 7-book Radha-Aditya series, everything else is up in the air.

How well do you work under pressure?
I prefer working under pressure. I love having a deadline, I love high stakes. If there isn’t pressure, I don’t feel motivated to work at all. That’s why I often impose deadlines on myself.

How do you decide what tone to use with a particular piece of writing?
It depends on the genre. If I’m writing a dark noir, having the characters constantly crack dad jokes wouldn’t work. Out of instinct I like to maintain the lightest possible tone, but ultimately the genre of the story and the kind of emotions I want the readers to feel supersedes all else.

If you could share one thing with your fans, what would that be?
“Fans” is too grandiose, I prefer “readers”. I’d like to share with them that if you keep your head down, work hard, and treat people with respect, you will get far in life.

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