Author Interview with Deepak Kripal
The Lifestyle Portal is happy to showcase the talents of an upcoming writer Deepak Kripal with his first book launch ‘The Devil’s Gate: An Impossible Journey’. 
An MBBS doctor by profession, this New Delhi based 29-year-old has been writing for about 10 years and has been into active blogging since the last three years.
We talked about his journey to being a writer and his debut novel – ‘The Devil’s Gate’ (available at Flipkart); read on to know his story.
When did it all begin?
Ever since I discovered my passion for writing, almost 10 years ago, I had this hidden dream of writing at least one book in my lifetime, which I thought would be inspired by my own life.
You may find it strange but it started with writing some greeting cards for my friends. My friends encouraged my writing and motivated me to evolve. Then I wrote some skits and plays during college time. I also wrote some poetry. But the landmark was my blog. It opened the world to me, and through it, I developed the much-needed faith in my own writing, for which I am indebted to all my blog readers and fellow bloggers.
About the transition, I think it was pretty smooth, for writing comes very naturally to me. I am somebody who used to have a very philosophical perspective ever since my childhood. As a child, I would watch hawks flying in the sky for hours, thinking that one would fly down and sit on my shoulder if I could connect with it!
Do you have any formal training in writing?
No. My entire course is my three years of blogging. It was an intensely enriching experience. It is like theatre where you get to know the response of readers pretty quick, while a book is like a movie, where you have to wait for a long time to assess the response; and then, there are critics to spoil the fun (in case of book)!
Talking about the journey, I think the experience of writing this book was the best I ever had. I was not myself for those 3-4 months. Can anything be more adventurous than that!
What is your inspiration behind the novel?
Honestly speaking, I had planned to write a book in my late thirties. And I had thought that it would be drama inspired by a real story. But when the idea of this book happened to me, the writer in me got way too restless to pen it down and that was the beginning of it!
The idea was what if, one-day animals wake up and decide that since humans are not listening to them, then they should talk to the demons to allow them to co-habit with them! It was an interesting thought with endless opportunities to explore.
What are the challenges that you faced while writing your first book?
I think the biggest challenge was when I began writing the first few pages. I had to develop a style according to the need of the story. I threw away the first 40 pages I wrote. It took me some time to find the suitable writing style for this kind of story and after that, it was a pretty smooth sailing.
Any particular reason to pick a thriller/mystery/adventure/paranormal’ genre for your first book?
As a child, did you ever think about what was the genre of story before listening to it? The answer is no. Similarly, I didn’t write this story thinking about any particular genre. It’s just that this idea happened to me and I felt a compulsion to pen it down. I thought the idea was incredible, and the writer in me decided to explore further.
Who are chosen protagonists in your story? 
Animals send a team of a cat and dog to negotiate a deal for co-habitation with the demons. There is no particular reason why I chose them to negotiate for animals, or maybe I don’t know the reason. They are the product of my subconscious, so it’s an instinctive thing.
Any personal influence in the story?
Of course, your personal experiences always influence your thinking. You can’t run away from who you are. But I can’t really pin point any experience that drove this story. As I told you earlier, it was an instinctive thing.
Who is the target audience for your book?
My target is any reader who has an ear for the story. This book was not a planned project at all. When I finished writing this story, I wasn’t even sure if I will get a publisher for such an unusual story. For my good fortune, Leadstart Publishing saw some merit in it.
But if you still ask, I think the story will certainly attract the children, young adults, and older adults. Those who live the story rather than reading it will find this book thoroughly engaging. It is certainly not meant for the critics!
What is the USP of the book?
USP of the book is its plot, which I think is very unique. Apart from that, there is an amalgamation of fantasy, science, philosophy and spirituality in the story, which I think adds more dimensions to it. It doesn’t really preach anything, but the message is there between the lines. The idea behind writing this story was just to tell a story that I thought was different and interesting. You’ll have to read the book to agree or disagree with me!
Is there a second book in the pipeline?
I have 3-4 ideas in my mind, but I haven’t really finalized which one I am going to go with. An idea has to excite me for a fairly long time to make me sit down and write. If you still want a little peek, I think I will write a drama in my next; but then, you never know about me! ☺
Contact the Author:
Deepak can be contacted through:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/
Email – deepakkripal@gmail.com
Watch the Book Trailer here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGJkjm68UEw
Collaborate with us:
Write to us at tanya@tanyamunshi.com if you’d like to get featured or collaborate with us at The Lifestyle Portal.
