Jayanti Sahu dropped out of school in 2018 as an 11th-grade science student because she wasn’t good enough for it, for her heart lay within the pages of literary endeavors. It took about five months for her to complete this before she rejoined school again, and honestly, she never regretted it. It gave her ample amount of time to swim into the deepest depths of the ocean of the wild and crazy imagination.

• Can you tell something about yourself?

My name is Jayanti Sahu. I’m currently 19 years old. I’m studying at KIIT International School in 12th grade (Humanities). I’m an author as well. ‘Dancing Flames,’ published by Invincible Publishers came out in the month of April as my nascent literary and publishing experience.

• How is your book different from others?

As per my perception, my book is different from others as it is a fusion of two very different cultures and situations altogether. The fusion of different elements in the literary sphere is a subject of my interest so I’ve tried to work on it in my first book, ‘Dancing Flames.’ Also, I’ve tried to delve deeper into contradicting and conflicting self-introspection and self-contemplation which relates to the abstractness and the embedded sinister motives that lie in our very own humane selves.

• Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

Self-contemplation, perception, personal experiences, and uninhibited imagination would be my source of ideas for whatever I look forward to writing.

• What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your book?

Writing-wise, I thought I could write hours on end, which did not prove to be the case. I also thought that self-publishing would be very tiresome and a hectic process, which I was proved very wrong later on. The entire personal care of the publishers when it came to my publishing experience was very pleasantly surprised.

• What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

I spend the whole morning and afternoon on my school work and I don’t have a fixed schedule for writing since my flows of ideas tend to be abrupt. But you’ll find me writing late at nights when everyone is asleep since that is when I feel relaxed and at ease.

• What do you think makes a good story?

A good story is good when it appeases the audience. Every author has a different call when it comes to their definition of a good story. I think writing for the sake of writing and writing without hesitation and inhibitions make a really good story.

• What is your writing process like?

I do not have a planned writing procedure, but I ensure I jot down my sudden ideas so that I can refer them later when I sit down for writing.

• What advice do you have for writers?

I’d want all writers to write meaningful content, use their pens for a better cause, urging people to be more sensible and humane in this reckless and fast-moving world so that they think twice before doing something, and inculcate humanity within them. I’d also want all the writers to have fun and enjoy what they create selflessly.

• How did this story occur to you?

I’m very much interested in intercultural writing because I believe in the liberation of nature and things the way they are, breaking away from the rules, the reason I tried to intermix different cultures. Also, I love delving into human thoughts and finding out why people think the way they do, even if it makes sense to them or not which results in a very deep and intimate self-contemplation to understand ourselves better as well as the many unfair and atrocious moments life throws at us and the urge to not stop but to continue.

• What is the book all about?

My book is set in Russia, mostly with its nascent part in India. It’s about a girl who isn’t happy with her current life and one day decides to bunk her classes but is unaware of the hidden eyes which are constantly looking out for her. She is unexpectedly kidnapped and is taken to places which she had not anticipated to be in her wildest dreams. An adventure laden with risks follows later, and I’d like my readers to read my book to get to know about it even further.