2.7: Damyanti Biswas - Tackling Social Issues Through A Gripping Crime Novel

Find out how she breaks into the literary thriller genre and reveals Delhi’s seedy underbelly.

Tara and Michelle talk to Damyanti Biswas, author of the fascinating literary thriller, 'You Beneath Your Skin'. She tells us about her process of writing this debut novel, which included fifteen drafts!

Damyanti spoke to police officers, psychologists, and acid attack survivors to make sure her story and characters were realistic. Tara is fascinated by the amount of research that went into writing this novel. Damyanti shares insights about the craft of writing unlike in any episode before, like how she creates realistic settings and how she has a song for each character she writes. We chat about the issues tackled in the book and how she perfectly captures the essence of Delhi. Michelle loves how Damyanti uses her knowledge of Improv Theatre to write dialogues.

'Books and Beyond with Bound' is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D'costa of Bound talk to some of the best writers in India and find out what makes them tick.

Damyanti's short fiction has been published, or is forthcoming, at Ambit, Litro, Puerto Del Sol, Griffith Review Australia, Pembroke magazine, Atticus Review, and other journals in the USA and UK. She serves as one of the editors of the Forge Literary Magazine. Her debut literary crime novel You Beneath Your Skin was published by Simon & Schuster India in autumn 2019, and optioned for TV adaptation by Endemol Shine.

Mentions: Anita Nair’s Inspector Gowda Series, Oyinkan Braithwaite’s My Sister the Serial Killer by, Deepanjana Pal’s Hush A Bye Baby

You can get your copy of her books here:

https://www.amazon.in/BENEATH-YOUR-SKIN-DAMYANTI-BISWAS/dp/9386797623/

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‘Books and Beyond with Bound’ is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D’costa uncover how their books reflect the realities of our lives and society today. Find out what drives India’s finest authors: from personal experiences to jugaad research methods, insecurities to publishing journeys. Created by Bound, a storytelling company that helps you grow through stories. Follow us @boundindia on all social media platforms.