The Literature Times: Congratulations on winning the Sahitya Sparsh Awards Season 4 in the Fiction > Supernatural Horror category for The House of Nothing. How does this recognition feel?
Guruguhan Iyer: Thank you so much. This award means a lot to me because it recognises and rewards my three years of writing and rewriting The House of Nothing. I want to take this moment to express my gratitude to my literary agent Suhail Mathur, his wonderful team at The Book Bakers, and my publisher Locksley Hall for believing in the story.
The Literature Times: What inspired you to write The House of Nothing, and how did the idea for Flat 7, Srujan Nivas come to you?
Guruguhan Iyer: If I must be brutally honest, it started with a panic attack. My panic attacks feel like the end of the world. Back in 2019, when I faced this demon in my head, I chose to confront it by writing the scariest thought my mind could perceive and making Venkat live through it. A part of it found its way into the second chapter. From there, I just went where the story and characters took me.
The Literature Times: The novel beautifully blends spirituality, philosophy, and supernatural horror. What drew you to combine these themes?
Guruguhan Iyer: I didn’t approach this book with any genre in mind. The story unfolded as I kept writing. Suhail keeps telling everyone that almost every chapter belongs to a different genre. The first chapter, for instance, has a dash of romance. The second explores grief. Then there are demons disguised as gods tormenting a simple South Indian family in Matunga, Mumbai. Strange things happen on the Moon, Mars and inside a black hole because of a ceiling fan. Until now, I couldn’t tell which genre The House of Nothing belonged to. Thanks to the Sahitya Sparsh Awards, now I can. It’s officially Supernatural Horror.
The Literature Times: Shunya and Vedana are among the most intriguing characters in the story. How did you develop these unique personalities?
Guruguhan Iyer: In the first draft, Venkat and his family were at war with real gods. But when I got through it, I realised it didn’t make any sense. I approached the second draft with the intention of creating fictional gods. I wrote page after page imagining myself interviewing them. It led me nowhere. I was stuck for months.
And then I read Stephen King on Writing. A simple piece of advice from that master gave me all the answers. He said, and I’m paraphrasing, ‘Put your characters in a tricky situation and see how they behave’. I soon discovered who they were, why they identified themselves as gods and where they came from.
The Literature Times: Did you have the entire plot planned from the beginning, or did the story evolve as you wrote?
Guruguhan Iyer: I cannot plot to save my life. The story evolved as I kept writing.
The Literature Times: What do you hope readers take away after finishing The House of Nothing?
Guruguhan Iyer: That no matter what life throws at you, if you stand and trade shots without giving up, you will win.
The Literature Times: Are you currently working on your next book? If yes, can you share a small hint with our readers?
Guruguhan Iyer: Yes. I am working on a full-length novel and a collection of short stories. Don’t ask me about the genre. I genuinely don’t know. My literary agent loves them both. I hope readers will too.
The Literature Times: Are you active on social media? Where can readers connect with and follow your work?
Guruguhan Iyer: I’m active on Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/guruguhaniyer?igsh=dGM1ZTJoZ2dmZnYz
Occasionally active on Medium. https://medium.com/@guruguhan.iyer?fbclid=IwVERDUATNNoRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR63SWSP6N9dkUFyuHvRNyAOjeDbEkFkxFw0o5s7KHWviR1FJJnHUb-iIZpRCQ_aem_YLeTNqUcLBQme8j_ssYXdw
Not so active on LinkedIn.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/guruguhan-iyer-58b89518?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_android
Not at all active on X.
https://x.com/TheGhantalAadmi
The Literature Times: Where can readers purchase The House of Nothing?
Guruguhan Iyer: It’s available on Amazon and Kindle. https://amzn.in/d/07BtJwMG
The Literature Times: What advice would you give to aspiring authors who want to write supernatural or philosophical fiction?
Guruguhan Iyer: I don’t know if am qualified to give advice, but I can say this. Writing is the only way to become a writer. Keep writing. Finish what you start.
The Literature Times: Is there a message you would like to share with your readers and everyone who has supported your journey?
Guruguhan Iyer: Even gods cannot bless writers like readers and loved ones do. Let me share my experience. There are mornings when you wake up to a stranger’s heartfelt review. Someone close to me has been suffering from an age-related mental health issue. The doctor advised her to stay intellectually active. Her son told me she enjoyed reading The House of Nothing. I lost a family member a few months ago. One of the last things she told me when I met her was ‘I’m really enjoying the story.’
Friends and acquaintances with whom I had not been in touch for years reached out to me after reading the book, saying they found a part of themselves in the story. Books have a way of making you experience life through someone else’s mind. When a reader tells you something like that about your book, the feeling is incomprehensible. I want to thank everyone who has read The House of Nothing. If you find yourself in it, the story is yours as much as mine.
The Literature Times: Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. We wish you continued success and look forward to your future books.
Guruguhan Iyer: Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to present my thoughts and pour my heart out. It was an absolute pleasure.
