Richelle is an Indian author, entrepreneur, and proud mother who blends her love for nature, travel, and storytelling in her enchanting children’s book series, Adventures of Alice & Aurovy. Inspired by Auroville and childhood wonder, Richelle creates heartwarming stories that celebrate imagination, friendship, and bravery through the eyes of a curious little girl.
The Literature Times: What inspired you to create the magical world of Alice & Aurovy?
Richelle: A real squirrel.
The Literature Times: Was your visit to Auroville the turning point for this story idea?
Richelle: Well Auroville was an inspiration for the setting and Alice’s new home but the turning point really was my personal encounter with a squirrel that always had a way of latching onto my screen door in one of my old residences in Chennai.
The Literature Times: How did your experience as a mother shape Alice’s character?
Richelle: Every mother knows how upsetting it is for her children, when you take away the familiar and routine from their daily lives for reasons that they might not understand when they are young.
My girls faced a similar situation with us shuttling between Chennai and Bangalore and it went without saying that I was the punching bag for their emotional turmoil. This personally helped me portray Alice in the first chapter.
The Literature Times: What message do you hope young readers take away from this book?
Richelle: My hope is to create a magical world that gives them a breather from mundane, even if it just for few hours that makes them go “WOW” , brings out a giggle or two and inculcate kindness towards animals and be creative.
The Literature Times: Can you share how you developed Aurovy, the talking squirrel?
Richelle: As I said, he literally slammed himself on all fours in front of my screen door few years back and about the fact that whether he could talk or not …let’s say it’s a secret!
The Literature Times: How do you balance writing with running your business and motherhood?
Richelle: My response in the same order “hand-wrenching” “losing good eyesight” (designing) “heartbreaking mostly (parenting Phew!!)”. Read again and you will understand the plight of juggling.
The Literature Times: What challenges did you face while writing for children?
Richelle: The challenges were how to capture the attention of two-year-old (with colors and pictures) and still hook the young minds who can read on their own to find the book exciting enough to want more.
The Literature Times: If you could bring one element from Alice & Aurovy into the real world, what would it be?
Richelle: It’s an obvious answer and I am sure kids would agree “animals who can talk”.
The Literature Times: What can readers expect from the next books in the series?
Richelle: The future series is all about the strong bond that develops between Aurovy and Alice, embarking on little adventures in this new place and more characters from Aurovy’s world who become strong allies to this duo!
The Literature Times: What advice would you give to aspiring authors of children’s fiction?
Richelle: I am in no place to offer advice since I am starting out myself as a ‘Children’s Author’ this year and trying to pave a way in this genre. I guess all I can say is be imaginative!
