Rubina: Who is M. V Kasi? Not the one you write on your bio but the woman behind M.V Kasi. :)
M.V.Kasi: In real life, I am a slightly sarcastic woman with a dry sense of humor. I also feel I might have borderline OCD with attention to detail and excessive planning which sometimes bugs the heck out of some of my loved ones. Fortunately, they have accepted me with all my faults and provided me with a great support system. :)
But I've noticed that while writing my stories, I turn into someone else. I sometimes forget to eat lunch, forget what day it is, get lost in my own thoughts often, or find the strangest of happenings around me interesting, and make quick notes of them for the future books. As an author, I am definitely beginning to see things and people a little differently.
Rubina: What made you pick up your pen and create Mahi?
But I've noticed that while writing my stories, I turn into someone else. I sometimes forget to eat lunch, forget what day it is, get lost in my own thoughts often, or find the strangest of happenings around me interesting, and make quick notes of them for the future books. As an author, I am definitely beginning to see things and people a little differently.
Rubina: What made you pick up your pen and create Mahi?
M.V.Kasi: I wanted to create a character that was very strong due to her past circumstances, yet those very same circumstances left behind some scars and weaknesses as well.
I've always been fascinated by the bad guys in books and movies (apparently that little quirk can be hereditary, since my son cannot get enough of the cartoon villains either). Most books satisfied my need to delve further into those bad guys' back stories of what made them that way, and how they finally found their redemption or peace. But they weren't many books (outside the paranormal genre) that had female protagonists with a bad girl as a heroine. Most bad girls in books were a little too one-dimensional and were used to make the good heroine jealous or used to show how the hero was a better man for picking the nice girl instead of the complicated bad girl. Well, there was only one way a romance book would end the way I would like it to—with the hero ending up with that bad girl. So I picked up my pen (laptop). :)
Rubina: I read in an interview that you wanted to explore the female protagonist in all her forms. Why should men only be bad? I loved it about Mahi btw. So is there M.V Kasi hidden in Mahi?
I've always been fascinated by the bad guys in books and movies (apparently that little quirk can be hereditary, since my son cannot get enough of the cartoon villains either). Most books satisfied my need to delve further into those bad guys' back stories of what made them that way, and how they finally found their redemption or peace. But they weren't many books (outside the paranormal genre) that had female protagonists with a bad girl as a heroine. Most bad girls in books were a little too one-dimensional and were used to make the good heroine jealous or used to show how the hero was a better man for picking the nice girl instead of the complicated bad girl. Well, there was only one way a romance book would end the way I would like it to—with the hero ending up with that bad girl. So I picked up my pen (laptop). :)
Rubina: I read in an interview that you wanted to explore the female protagonist in all her forms. Why should men only be bad? I loved it about Mahi btw. So is there M.V Kasi hidden in Mahi?
M.V.Kasi: There is definitely a little bit of M.V Kasi hidden in not just Mahi, but all of my book characters. When I created characters with similar traits to me or that of a close acquaintance, it helped me immensely to write about their motivations, actions or reactions. I also think there is a little bit of Mahi in most women. :) When it comes to negative character traits, it's what makes us human. We are all products of our circumstances. When I had told my friends and family about how my lead heroine was going to be a thirty four year old divorcee, who had an extra-marital affair, and was a college bully who ruined lives around her, let's just say there were very long pauses. :) But when they read Mahi's story, her motivations and her circumstances, some of them could empathize with her and loved her as much as I did. There were also a few readers who couldn't connect with her character and loathed her. I was okay with that reaction too, as long as they felt strongly about her.
Rubina: What is your daily routine as a writer? Are you a writer by passion or profession. [As far as I see not every writer writes because they have a passion but economics. I saw a lot of passion in your work :)
Rubina: What is your daily routine as a writer? Are you a writer by passion or profession. [As far as I see not every writer writes because they have a passion but economics. I saw a lot of passion in your work :)
M.V.Kasi: I am a writer by passion and I find writing extremely therapeutic. Unfortunately, I don't have a set routine yet. :) When I first started my book, the timing was perfect. Each day, after dropping my son at school, I used to rush back home and start writing. Being an amateur writer, I would simply start writing a scene in middle of the story that I found very intriguing or emotional. I knew it wasn't the norm to just write what was on my mind and to use a plot outline as a guide. But Mahi's entire story wasn't very clear in my head to write an elaborate outline. I built the plot based on the characters and their feelings. I used to write obsessively, sometimes for almost eight hours straight in a day, until I finished the rough draft in thirty days. I spent two more months editing and polishing it before publishing it. For my next story, I don't have a lot of daytime hours to spend on writing. So in between work, commute and family life, I spend some time on research and taking notes. But every night, I make it a point to write for about 3 hours. Luckily, I am a night owl and have enough passion to continue this for long. But, I am hoping to find the right kind of groove and enough discipline to write like a true professional for my future books.
Rubina: Why the name M.V Kasi? Are you inspired by JK Rowling of J.D Robbs? Don't you feel your audience would want to know the person behind the name?
Rubina: Why the name M.V Kasi? Are you inspired by JK Rowling of J.D Robbs? Don't you feel your audience would want to know the person behind the name?
M.V.Kasi: The first reason, I chose that pen name was to make it a very neutral one, not associating it with any gender or race.
The second reason was because the person behind my real name is a little too ordinary, leading a happy, content life. But as my alter ego M.V Kasi, I'm passionate about the stories I write. During the process of writing and research, I get to vicariously lead and experience my book characters' angsty life, ridden with varied obstacles, making them stronger.
I almost feel like Clark Kent and Superman. :)
Rubina: When was the eureka moment when you wanted to start writing?
The second reason was because the person behind my real name is a little too ordinary, leading a happy, content life. But as my alter ego M.V Kasi, I'm passionate about the stories I write. During the process of writing and research, I get to vicariously lead and experience my book characters' angsty life, ridden with varied obstacles, making them stronger.
I almost feel like Clark Kent and Superman. :)
Rubina: When was the eureka moment when you wanted to start writing?
M.V.Kasi: I have always wanted to write before, but I always found excuses to not begin. But soon I had the perfect timing. A few months ago, I had an unexpected (unplanned) break from work after fourteen long years. It left me with a lot of free time at home. During that time, due to stress and fear of the unknown, I simply couldn't enjoy reading books or doing things that used to previously help me relax or unwind. My husband was trying to cheer me up, saying that we were pretty lucky and in a much better place, with a healthy and happy family. That got me thinking about others who really had it rough, and some of whom were dealt with pretty bad cards in their lives. Being in my mid-30s, I had personally seen, heard and also experienced enough in my life to write about a woman's journey with realistic issues and experiences. It was my aha moment. And also when my character Mahi was created.
Rubina: What is your next venture? Do let us have a peak in your next venture.
Rubina: What is your next venture? Do let us have a peak in your next venture.
M.V.Kasi: My next venture features another tortured heroine. :) But unlike Mahi, my next heroine is very reserved and extremely detached. She is accused of being cold and soulless by some people around her. She secretly suffers from paranoia and has a long addictions history. She is not really looking for love. She is simply seeking means to her self-preservation and is quite ruthless in her way of finding it. Will she find her inner peace? Would the hero (who got duped by her and is her newly-wed husband) fall in love with her? Find out in my next book of The Match Made in Hell Series.
Rapid Round...Write a line with the first thing that comes to your mind.
Rapid Round...Write a line with the first thing that comes to your mind.
a) Love: Makes the world go round. (That was quite cheesy, but it was the first thing that came to my mind!)
b)Reading: My known addiction.
c) Writing: My new passion and obsession.
d) Readers: Their feedback made all those hours worthwhile.
e) Marketing. Help! I'm clueless!
M.V. Kasi's book 'That Same Old Love' is available at :
b)Reading: My known addiction.
c) Writing: My new passion and obsession.
d) Readers: Their feedback made all those hours worthwhile.
e) Marketing. Help! I'm clueless!
M.V. Kasi's book 'That Same Old Love' is available at :
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