Fantasy has the remarkable ability to transport readers to extraordinary worlds while reflecting the emotions and relationships that define our own lives. In A Tale of Friendship & Brotherhood, the author brings together enchanting kingdoms, unforgettable adventures, and a heartfelt exploration of loyalty, sacrifice, and the bonds that connect us beyond blood.
Despite balancing an impressive journey as a law student at Calcutta University, a professionally trained Odissi dancer, and a published author, the writer continues to create stories that celebrate compassion, courage, and the power of chosen family.
In this exclusive interview, we delve into the inspiration behind the novel, Asmita’s creative process, the influences that shaped their storytelling, and the timeless themes that make this fantasy adventure so deeply relatable.
1. Congratulations on the launch of your book, A Tale of Friendship & Brotherhood. When did you first discover your love for writing, and what motivated you to pursue it seriously?
I have been writing from a very young age. So young that I don’t even remember when I first wrote my first poem. But as I aged, I realized that I actually immensely love creating something through my words. Especially, when words have a power to change the world for good. I first discovered how much I love writing and how much it has got to mean to me when I started my first novel, though I had already published a few books before that. And somewhere in between writing and publishing, I rediscovered my passion for writing once again. What motivated me is quite difficult to say, but I would say the desire to let myself open to the world, the desire to change the world, make it softer, better with my words was my ultimate motivation.
Every writer has a beginning, and it’s always fascinating to learn how that first spark eventually grows into a lifelong passion. We were eager to know where your own writing journey began.
2. Your journey is uniquely multifaceted. You are pursuing a law degree at Calcutta University, are a professionally trained Odissi dancer and national scholarship holder, and have also established yourself as a published writer at a young age. How have these diverse experiences shaped your perspective as a storyteller? Also, how do you balance your academic, artistic, and literary commitments?
Thank you for your kind compliment. My experiences, especially my experiences with dance and my relation with art have significantly shaped my journey as a writer. In my early years, my school used to encourage creative writing and storytelling amongst students. It was there were I first developed the taste and love for storytelling. Dance and art are also ways of conveying stories to the audience. Art deals with emotion. They have developed my emotions, and emotive skills which I weave into each story of mine as a storyteller. Various experiences in my life have given me myriad perspectives of characters in real life, which inspire and also sometimes form, the characters, and core crust of my stories.
Balancing so many commitments sometimes indeed show themselves as a herculean task. But when it comes to the things I love, especially writing, they act as a flow of fresh, fragrant air and oxygen in my life. They give a necessary break from my daily tasks, and also provide escape when life gets heavy. So, I don’t have to do anything extra to manage them, because they are the activities I enjoy.
It’s rare to see someone successfully pursuing such different passions simultaneously. We couldn’t help but wonder how each of these experiences contributes to your creative voice.
3. Which authors, books, or literary works have had the greatest influence on your writing journey?
Difficult question. There are so many writers, Tagore, Shakespeare, BankimChandra, Roald dahl, amongst contemporary ones, Madeline Miller, Rick Riordan who have influenced me that naming one and not naming the other seems unjust. But at present, I can take two names which have immediately crossed my mind when I got the question. They are – Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay and J.R.R Tolkien. My first introduction to how real friendship looks like on the fictional world, was through the lens of Sarat Chandra’s Srikanto and Indranath, two rural but inseparable friends. Later when I read Tolkien, I was deeply moved and touched by the display of emotions he uses through his characters. Brotherhood, loyalty, friendship and found family form a very significant part of my stories, and Tolkien lays emphasis exactly upon them. These two writers and their word play with emotions have always heavily influenced me as a reader and a writer, because my writings are based on such emotions.
Every storyteller carries a library of inspiration within them. We were curious to know which literary giants helped shape your imagination and storytelling style.
4. What inspired the creation of the magical kingdoms of ManiShwetShilaRajya and SuvarnaDurgaRajya, and how did you develop their histories and cultures?
I am a girl from Bengal. Bengal’s fairytales occupy a significant part of it’s culture. As diverse a nation India is, I am sure each state has it’s own set of fairytales, which are quintessential to their children’s childhood. But I have seen, there are no new collectors, neither new writers of Indian Fantasy Fiction. The last one collector from Bengal, who collected this stories and documented them was DakshinaRanjan Mitra Majumder. I have been into fantasy fiction from a very young age. Especially stories which talk on themes of found family and adventures. These reasons inspired me to create the magical kingdoms of ManiShwetShilaRajya and SuvarnaDurgaRajya, so that I can gift the reader community a fairytale or fantasy fiction solely dipped in brotherhood and Indian flavor.
I deeply developed the histories and cultures of the two kingdoms based on the diverse cultural heritage of Bengal and of India, although I kept them particularly independent of any particular heritage so that it is relatable to all those who read it.
One of the most captivating aspects of fantasy is the creation of immersive worlds. Your kingdoms feel deeply rooted in culture while remaining refreshingly original, and we wanted to know how they came to life.
5. What kind of readers do you think will connect most strongly with this story?
I had written this mainly for all ages, but my target wasn’t the age of the reader. I think readers those who love fantasy, the concept of found family, where heart matters more than blood, those who value raw emotions and emotional expressions between characters in the story, those who wish for such emotional connections in real world are likely to connect most strongly with this story.
Every book eventually finds the readers it was meant for. We asked who you envision turning these pages and feeling most at home in your story.
6. Brotherhood, loyalty, and sacrifice appear to be major themes in the novel. Why were these themes important for you to explore?
Thank you for such a lovely question. I was actually waiting to answer something related to this.
I have had many harsh experiences in my life. One of them is sibling trauma. I have often dreamt of an ideal sibling bond, the ‘your-blood-is-my-blood’ kind of loyalty. I have seen and experienced people betraying and breaking sacred bonds of brotherhood, friendship, being disloyal to each other, when the real reason human beings were given these sentiments was that they are to guard them and make life beautiful, not to ignore them as baseless emotions. The significance of brotherhood, and loyalty is immense to me, and I believe they make the world a better place. We can make the world a better place by them. People often say that blood is always stronger than choice. I have never believed it, and hence sworn brotherhood and loyalty is explored in my story which tries to convey the message that choice of heart has far more legitimacy than blood of womb.
While fantasy often dazzles readers with magic and adventure, what truly stays with us are the emotions beneath the story. This question naturally led us to the heart of your novel.
7. Fantasy novels often feature epic battles, but your story also emphasizes emotional connections. How did you balance adventure with character-driven storytelling?
One of the main elements of Fantasy fiction is adventure and resolution of crisis. I have followed this traditional structure with the adventures my characters go through. But I always wanted to write a pure, unadulterated book on brotherhood, and friendship, which would convey the importance of these in human life from the beautiful eyes of fantasy fiction. Fiction creates empathy in real world. Fiction provides a loving escape. So, while writing, the I did keep the adventure which proves the brotherhood, with the main focus on brotherhood itself.
Adventure keeps readers turning the pages, but meaningful relationships make them remember the journey long after the final chapter. We wanted to understand how you achieved that balance.
8. Without giving away spoilers, was there a particular scene or character that was especially memorable or challenging for you to write?
Yes, absolutely. There were many scenes which were challenging to me, especially scenes where the brothers or friends express their emotions towards each other or the scenes of crisis. It was a challenge, though not difficult but a sincere one, to make the reader feel exactly what I felt while creating these characters and proceeding with their story.
Every author has moments that demand a little more emotion, patience, or vulnerability. We asked whether there was one scene that especially stayed with you during the writing process.
9. What do you hope readers will remember most after finishing the journey of Hiranya and Madhupa?
I hope the readers enjoy the book all throughout, but I especially hope they remember the unique brotherhood of Hiranya and Madhupa after finishing their journey.
Every story leaves behind something a lesson, a feeling, or a memory. We were curious about what you hope lingers in the hearts of your readers after they close the book.
10. Many readers become deeply attached to the worlds they discover in fantasy fiction. Do you see yourself returning to this setting in future works, or do you have other exciting projects waiting in the wings?
Yes, I absolutely see myself returning to this setting in the future. I would love to keep creating more worlds in Fantasy Fiction, and many of my works which are indeed waiting in the wings are set in this genre as well.
Once readers fall in love with a fantasy world, they always hope they’ll get the chance to return. We couldn’t end our conversation without asking what lies ahead in your creative journey.
Our conversation offered a glimpse into the mind of an author who believes that stories can inspire empathy, preserve culture, and celebrate the relationships that give life its deepest meaning. Through A Tale of Friendship & Brotherhood, the author invites readers into a world where courage is measured not only by battles fought, but by the strength of loyalty, compassion, and the families we choose.
We thank the author for sharing their journey, inspirations, and creative insights with us. We wish them continued success and look forward to seeing many more magical worlds emerge from their imagination.
If you’re a fan of heartfelt fantasy, unforgettable friendships, and richly imagined worlds, A Tale of Friendship & Brotherhood deserves a place on your reading list.
Grab your copy of A Tale of Friendship & Brotherhood
