I Was, I Am.

-R A N D O M F A C T S-

I've been wanting to write this chapter for the past year and a half, that is ever since I managed to finish this novel. Life's super hectic even now, and yet I couldn't stop myself.
This chapter is just going to be about some random facts related to this novel.
So here it goes!

#1 I started writing this novel originally back when I was fourteen years old. I was a hopeless romantic and obsessed with the name 'Aakash'after reading a novel somewhere. I just knew I needed an Aakash of my own. (Go figure!)

#2 In the first draft of this novel, Aakash was actually a super sorted and well resolved individual who knew what he wanted from life and placed Aditi as number one priority along with his career. (Quite a utopia eh?)

#3 After completing my ninth grade from one school, I moved to another for my last three years of schooling. Made a couple of friends, and of course, met a guy who went on to become one of my closest friends. I developed a massive crush on him. You know, the craziest kind of love that a hopeless fifteen year old can experience? That was me. :p
He didn't reciprocate and let's just say things went super downhill for me. Which is when I decided to revisit the  draft of this book. (Yep, I like to write when I'm heartbroken or ecstatic or excited. Any extreme feeling basically)I didn't like the fact that Aditi got to be in the same school and same city all her life along with getting the guy too. Hence, Aakash and his leaving. (I know, how lame of me.) I needed an outlet, and Aakash became the punching bag.
Every hate comment I got for Aakash gave me this weird, sadistic pleasure. (Bah! I was just fifteen. Cut me some slack okay?)

#4 The first chapter of this novel is a wedding scene. I had always had this plot in my head but it was only after watching YEH JAWAANI HAI DEEWANI that I actually moved my lazy ass to the desktop and typed out the first chapter of 'I WAS, I AM'. But then came a dark phase of my writer's block where in I didn't what to do with the story. So I waited, and waited, and waited till one fine day, I got into a heated argument with some of my friends in school. I don't know how or why, we got into a discussion about Indian values about marriage. And I learnt that a huge chunk of the guys considered having to take care of the house a rather derogatory task for the man of the house. The girls, to my complete surprise agreed with them to a very great extent.
I didn't know whether it was my upbringing or just the fact that I was an over-thinker, this discussion never left my head. And I decided, I wanted gender roles redefined in one of my works. Arjun and Disha became super important suddenly because in my head, I'd already pictured Disha as a very headstrong woman with strong ideals.
My sister helped me give it shape with her expert view as always. Without her, Arjun and Disha would have been a complete mess. I give her credit for the ideas of almost a ninety percent of their scenes.

#5 In the first draft of 'I WAS, I AM' however, the reason for the disagreements between Disha and Arjun was the fact that Disha gets pregnant and considers herself not ready for the responsibility. Arjun disagrees of course. Hence, the drama.

#6 Aditi and Dev were supposed to be doctors initially. Why? Because the author here had all plans of pursuing medical till the tenth grade. *rolls eyes at Universe*

#7 Mihir was never a part of the plan. He just...happened. *looks elsewhere* And maybe, just maybe, when I edit this novel as a whole, I'll remove his character altogether. (What are your views?)

#8 I had never intended for Mihir and Aditi to get mushy. Maybe I wasn't too good a writer or whatever, because I know it seems very mushy when you read it. And then you sit and wonder, 'JUST MAKE UP YOUR MIND ADITI'. It's my fault I guess. But come on, it was my first novel. I'll definitely edit all those bits someday.

#9 Why is Disha a Bengali? Well, I'm Bengali. (Duh!) And I do take pride in it.

#10 How did Dev come up? I guess he was always in my mind.
He's basically a combination of all the things I look for in a guy.
I love Dev. To the moon and back. To infinity and beyond. Need I say more?

#11 I love Aakash too. He's not that one guy for me anymore.(psst the crush I mean) He's now just another one of the many friends I've had in the four schools I've been in and somehow managed to stay in touch.

#12 Why Mumbai? Because I lived in Mumbai for five years. And I loved the city.

#13 Where am I now? Well I'm in Delhi and yes, my new stories will probably be based here. Let's face it, Mumbai is getting a little too monotonous for all my works yeah?

That's all I can come up with right now. I'll keep adding stuff as and when I remember them. :)

Thank you so much for the 90k+ reads. This is beyond my imagination and it blows my mind everytime I see the increase in votes and reads.

~kimayaa aka Ankita