Hello, everyone! Today we have another mythical and amazing author, Shivran86, whose story achieved Longlist status in the ONC 2022 as well as ranked in the Top 25 for The Historical Award 2022 hosted by HistoricalFiction.

About the Author: Maya is from Bengal, India. She is currently a chemistry honours student who is sandwiched between studies, career goals, and day-to-day life. She likes to write, eat fish and rice, dance to wild tracks, and dream big while keeping her feet on the ground. She loves to work with mythological elements in her works – whether it be the Shiva and Parvati inspired Kāma: Liberation, the retold stories of Achilles and Eros and Psyche, or Where Kings Can't Rule where she invents her own world of gods.

About 'Where Kings Can't Rule': The kingdom of Aratta passes from one tyranny to another, being won over by a king who demands all royal women and servants to use a veil in his presence. Rules dictate that each new moon night he must take a woman, bed her in passion, only for her to become a corpse by the dawn. No one except the ministers and the Kandake know who he really is. One night, a young widow is summoned by him, that too when it isn't a new moon. She puts her son to sleep and takes a dagger, dresses in red, ready to please the king. One night, when his identity is revealed to her. And she returns alive.

1. What made you start writing on Wattpad? What has been your favorite moment so far on the orange app?

A classmate in school told me that I would get to read anime fanfictions on Wattpad, and since I wrote poetry at that time, I could also write on the platform. That's how it had all begun – with Fairy Tail fanfictions and poetry! My favourite moment, so far, has been 13th May 2020, when I first published Kāma: Liberation and opened myself to novel writing. The next one is when I completed Where Kings Can't Rule as a novella(now expanded into a novel)

2. Which mythology and/or legends influenced your story? Why did you choose those?

I am really, really into mythological tales and gods of the past. If I talk about Where Kings Can't Rule, I have taken inspiration from already known deities like Ananke(from Greek mythology) and Kaa (a concept from Egyptian mythology) and many more to create a whole new world of my own. I like to play with invented mythologies because not only do they allow me to work with the deities I love, but also present them as I want, allowing me the freedom of a devotee to perceive gods as I wish. It has a spiritual likeness that has bewitched me!

3. Tell us about the main character of one of your stories. What inspired their creation?

Ah, let's talk about our badass heroine Sitara from Where Kings Can't Rule! She, and her life, are as imperfect as the clouds, but also beautiful. You can judge her choices and her past or revel in watching her slowly accepting everything and trying to move on. To be a widowed mother in the ancient times isn't a profitable position, not in Aratta at least, a name that itself points toward instability. And on top of that when your lover has climbed up the stairs of insanity, things get tough. But she is willing to make sacrifices for the greater good and make a better world. The name Sitara is inspired from the name Stateira. If you try to spell Stateira fast, it does sound like Sitara! Inspiration for Sitara comes from reading the many stories of how female power helps good win in the battle against evil, like Kalika, and the thought of all those forgotten heroines (much like Darius III's daughter) that history doesn't tell us much about. 

4. What were some challenges you experienced while writing the story?

It was the first time I was going to work with first person pov and that too for at least four characters. Handling that was a bit tough because I had to understand each character and channel their energies into writing. But it came more or less easily when I was totally involved into it. 

5. Do you have a song playlist for writing? Can you share one with us?

Umm, these are mostly Hindi songs, so if anyone doesn't know the language just search for a translation. You can DM me too if you wanna know!
1. Pasoori (quite a famous number)
2. Ekla Chalo Re (a personal favourite)
3. Yeh Ishq Hain (Arijit Singh)
4. Become the Beast (by Karliene)
5. Phir Le Aya Dil Reprise (Arijit Singh)
6. In the Name of Love
7. Arcade(aha, famous one!)

Well let's keep it to lucky seven. 

6. What is your favorite myth or legend? Why?

That of Shiva and Sati. Why? It speaks of eternal love. That despite everything, babe, I am going to return to you, again and again. That despite everything, babe, I am going to wait for you, for as long as eternity. And that there's nothing that can stop lovers from becoming one. 

7. What is your favorite mythical creature? Why?

I have a recent favourite – vampires. Earlier, when I was younger, I used to think about them negatively because of their overly sexualised and inappropriate representation. When I grew up though, I learnt that vampires were more than those sickly things and began liking them. I learnt about their food habits, physical features, specialities and ways to kill them(uh, because who would want to be immortal in a body forever? Not me). I really wished they had better ways to die...like us humans.

8. If you could have the same powers as a creature and/or deity from mythology or legends, what would it be? Why?

This is interesting. Well, what do I want? It's easy, I want the power of Maya– the power of creating illusions, magic and lure people to be convinced by it, and of manipulation. I want this power of the Devi which can dazzle and puzzle even the worst demons! It is gonna come in handy. What if I ever get into trouble on the road? I can easily conjure an illusion and manipulate the culprit and escape to safety. 

9. What is your advice for other writers who want to use mythology in their stories?

Love the myth or legend you are writing about. You should be passionate about it and also sensitive enough to not use it in a way that is derogatory. Many people represent deities, especially Egyptian ones in negative light unwittingly. So be careful about how you are handling them because it's no child's play. 

That's it for the month, it was fun getting to know about Shivran86. You can check her stories featured in our reading list as well as her other works.

Until next time!