My latest book, Into the Light (Releasing 28th October, 2015) is a collection of short stories. The book is divided into three genres- science fiction, human interest and comedy so there's something in there for everyone. I wrote one story per week so, I had a diverse range of inspirations. Some of them were old ideas, some were writing prompts, some were a thinly disguised re-writing of the events that occurred in my life that week.

I've been writing stories and novels since I was seven. I've been sending out manuscripts since I was eight. Over the years, I have seen so many rejections. Even when there is nothing wrong with the book, there seems to be an issue with the target market or perhaps, the publisher doesn't want to take a risk on a new author.

Discouraged by decades of rejection, I finally decided to join the Indie wave. The publishing world has changed tremendously compared to when I began. The value of traditional publishing has declined. Now, people consume books online or in the form of audiobooks. Independent bookstores have been closing down and publishers have been merging. There has been a steady rise in the sales of ebooks and other electronic media. I figured that this was the best time to take advantage of this new paradigm of publishing. I decided to go for it and make my dreams a reality.

Writing, to me, is the ultimate form of self-expression. I'm a very introverted person. I rarely express my feelings. Writing empowers me. It helps me connect with the deepest part of myself. I have complete freedom when I write. I don't have to be shaped by people's expectations. I can be myself. I've enjoyed writing ever since I was seven. In a way, it has become intertwined with my identity as a person. It is a mirror of my soul.

I'm working on a chick lit novel. I serialise one chapter of the novel on my blog each week. All chapters are free and can be accessed at: http://www.pwish.net/confessions.

Here's a brief synopsis:

It all began with a confession….

Julia has it all.

She is a successful romance writer with a movie deal knocking at her door. She has a day job at Stone Enterprises. She lives in a large apartment and makes a living out of her passion.

But, not everything is perfect.

Julia hides her double life from her parents who disapprove of her writing career. She hasn’t slept in ages because her boss makes her work late. What’s more, Lucas Stone, the superstar who is acting in her debut movie has developed an interest in her.

Then, there’s trouble.

Julia’s secret life is threatened when her parents find out about her writing career. She begins developing feelings for her boss. Now, Julia must figure out where her heart really lies.

The list is endless. I'll classify by genre.

Romance and chick lit: Barbara Cartland, Judith McNaught, Lisa Kleypas, Sophie Kinsella, Meg Cabot, Julia Quinn, Susan Elizabeth Phillips and many more...
Mystery and thriller: Sidney Sheldon, Keigo Higashino, Agatha Christie, Gosho Aoyama etc.
Children's: Antoine de Saint-Exupery, R.L. Stine, Enid Blyton

Messy.
I don't write on a desk. I write on my bed.

I started writing when I was seven. I filled a diary with essays. I filled another one with a fantasy novel that was the first in a series. I discovered Microsoft Word at ten. It changed my life. I could write novels faster and editing them became easy. I've been writing ever since. Each year, I set a new target for myself and go for it. I fell out of a regular writing pattern during university but I'm back on track now.

Uncertainty.
I look forward to the new things that I can learn each day. I look forward to the progress- professional, personal or emotional. I am excited by the thought of taking one step out of my comfort zone each day. Ultimately, we all crave fame, fortune and happiness but the journey is just as important.

It's really embarrassing to discuss this. I don't have a process. But here's how it usually goes:

1. A great idea hits my head and knocks me off my feet.
2. I want to plan but I'm too excited to. So, I begin writing the first chapter.
3. For three days, I write continuously.
4. By the fourth day, I fall off the wagon. I drown in self doubt. (Usually, I am halfway or 1/3rd through the book at this point)
5. Then, I decide that it's time to plan.
6. I do a boring plan and self the book for a year. During this time, the idea marinates in my head.
7. After a year, the idea bug bites again and I race to the end of the novel. At first, I find faults and try to edit what I wrote.
8. Then, I progress to adding new chapters and sticking to a schedule.
9. I fall off the wagon again sometime around the end.
10. I find inspiration and write the last bits of the novel. The end.

I'm a very spontaneous person. Planning is hard for me. Following the plan is harder. During the writing process, I come up with possibilities so, the plan has to be flexible. I'm trying to be more organised now and structure my creativity. I write one chapter every week now because it needs to go out on my blog. This has helped me stay on track.

I've always been fond of reading. These days, I read a lot of books about startups, marketing and business. It's an incredibly interesting field. I also love to read about psychology, astrology, new age, popular science and music. I like to keep my interests diverse because it helps open up my mind to more possibilities.
I also love to paint. Painting is the ultimate stress buster.
I've recently been bit by the Korean drama bug. I consume Korean dramas voraciously. I've always been a fan of Japanese culture, music, anime and dramas but I'm hooked to Korean dramas and music now.
Besides these, I watch a lot of random beauty and fashion videos on youtube. I also spend my time reading blogs and learning about different cultures.