Deepak Kripal is a practicing doctor who authored his debut novel, ‘The Devil’s Gate: An Impossible Journey’, under Leadstart Publishing in 2013 which was critically acclaimed and received good reviews. He has deeply studied subjects like Psychology, Philosophy and Sociology that have hugely influenced the stories and thoughts he chooses to tell. Deepak Kripal likes to experiment yet stay true to real life issues that concern human existence in varied aspects of life. He credits his love for stories to the bedtime stories told to the imaginative child in him by his late grandfather.
TBE: How did you come up with the idea for Sense of a Quiet?
Deepak Kripal: This was an idea that came into being 4-5 years ago. Having said that, the story that came out in the book was not planned when I conceived it. I had control over the characters and story build up to 10 chapters.
Things happened after that which were not in my control and I didn’t even make any effort to control them. I wanted Diya to fight with her husband but she didn’t fight with him and went out and fought with a lady on the road.
The best thing about writing is that once you build the characters, and they start playing themselves instead of what you think they should do. Even the climax is not what I thought it should be. Nothing better than that.
TBE: You write about some heavy themes—things that many of your readers have probably never experienced—yet it’s very easy to identify with your characters. How do you make them so relatable?
Deepak Kripal: Truth is, each one of the characters, and most events, are real people and incidences that have happened in real life. 3 doctors are made from 8-10 doctors I know closely in real life, including myself. The rickshaw person is a real man I met when I went to Haridwar for research. I went to have tea tapri in a slum where rickshaw people used to have tea just to see their body language and what and how they talk. The maid was a real maid who used to work at my younger brother’s place. So, the characters and events are real, it’s the story that is fictionalised.
TBE: Your book ‘Sense of a Quiet’ felt different and it was a wonderful experience reading, but also it felt intimate and raw in a way that differed from other romance novels. In the book you explored the complexities of a troubled marriage. Did it feel different for you while you were writing it? What did you hope to explore?
Deepak Kripal: Nothing. I just wanted to tell a story that is realistic and next door in this day and age. Also, it’s not a romantic novel if you ask me. I can’t reveal much at this stage but if you ask me one year down the lane, I will tell you how wonderful and meaningful was it to go through this journey for four years. If you read it, you will probably not even ask this question to me.
TBE: What was the most challenging part of writing this story?
Deepak Kripal: The biggest challenge was that I was writing a realistic drama for the first time. I had written a fantasy/mystery thriller before in 3 months. It took me 4 years to write this. I didn’t want it to write in 400-500 pages. I wanted to finish it under 250 pages without doing injustice to the story and convey all the feelings. And I believe I achieved that even if it took a lot of time. I wanted it to be a 6-hour read and still be a fulfilling journey.
TBE: Love, guilt and the quest to understand are big themes within this book. What drew you to write about them?
Deepak Kripal: I am someone who love stories, all the credit to my grandfather who used to narrate a story to me when I was a child. Having said that, I have read psychology, philosophy and sociology extensively. And I love to tell stories that are entertaining and enjoyable but still convey a message without preaching it loudly.
TBE: How do you see the relationship between Milind & Diya, Diya & Rohan, and Milind & Rohan?
Deepak Kripal: Sense of a Quiet. It means affection yet unsaid tension in relationships. I won’t reveal more than that.
TBE: What message do you hope people will take away from this book?
Deepak Kripal: They will find it relatable. I can say it with conviction.
TBE: How was your publishing journey with Leadstart?
Deepak Kripal: Leadstart has given me freedom to explore, to talk freely, to be myself. Ananya, Pooja, Bhavika, all the people have been so nice. They have trusted me and gone beyond the contract to back me. They are friends more than anything. And they have given me something that every artist wants, freedom.
TBE: Which books would you recommend for someone who enjoyed ‘Sense of a Quiet’?
Deepak Kripal: To be honest, I don’t know. I have read fewer than ten novels in my life. I have heard hundreds of stories from my grandfather, but I haven’t read many novels. Of whatever I have read, I love Khaled Hosseini the most.
TBE: What advice can you offer to aspiring writers?
Deepak Kripal: One, don’t copy stories, create them. Two, believe in yourself. Three, never lose hope and follow your passion.
