Author Interview- The Secret of the Sea by Tanya Dias

Hi, everyone! I am so excited to have my classmate from college, Tanya Dias, on the blog today. Her book, The Secret of the Sea was recently released. In the interview, she will tell you all more about it and herself, as well. So without further ado, let's get to know Tanya and her book better. 

BOOK SUMMARY: 

Inspector Pinto receives a call one evening, about a new case. A young college student Namita is murdered at Morjim beach in Goa and her body is found floating in the sea. Inspector Pinto leads the investigation, only to discover a shocking secret. Namita's murder exposes a startling truth. 

Who wanted Namita dead and why? Follow Inspector Pinto in this fast-paced crime thriller set in Goa, as he finds out... 

BOOK LINKS: 

Amazon (The book is FREE to read on Kinlde Unlimited!) / Goodreads

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: 

·         Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I was born and brought up in Goa. I now live in London and work as a professional Copywriter. Believe it or not, writing has always been my passion since I was eight years old! As a child, I was always excited about Christmas because I’d receive presents from Santa (my impostor parents). When I was five, as I was looking forward to receiving a fancy doll I’d asked Santa for, I was surprised to see three Enid Blyton books instead. While I was disappointed with Santa, that turned out to be the best gift I’d ever received. I had just started learning to read in school, so I was eventually able to read the books on my own. I fell in love with reading since then and when I was eight, I wrote my first little story in a notebook. My mother was my first reader, who encouraged me to write more.

·         Tell us about your book.

My latest fiction novel, The Secret of the Sea: An Inspector Pinto Mystery is a detective-style thriller set in the state of Goa – my favourite place of course. It’s about a laidback Goan cop Inspector Cajetan Pinto aka Caji, who stumbles upon the murder case of a young college student Namita Kulkarni. With the help of constable Joao, his aide, Caji investigates the murder, only to find out a startling secret. Namita’s murder opens a can of worms that leaves the people of Goa shocked.

·         What inspired you to write your book?

That’s an interesting question. One day during a train journey home from work, I was reading a crime thriller novel, set in London. The author had written about familiar roads and areas in London. I thought to myself, “It would be so exciting if I could read a crime thriller that’s set against the backdrop of Goa, with Goan characters.” I closed my eyes and began visualising what would make an exciting crime thriller story. I had recently read about a wildlife concern in a Goan newspaper online – so I came up with a plot quite quickly! As soon as I got home, I jotted my ideas down and began writing the novel.

·         Are any of the characters in your book inspired by someone you know or are they complete results of your imagination?

The characters are completely imaginary, but the protagonist Inspector Cajetan Pinto is named after my maternal grandfather Cajetan Britto, and Pinto as a tribute to my paternal grandfather Renato Pinto, both of whom would have loved to read my work.

·         What kind of research went into writing your book?

I kept the narrative quite close to my Goan roots – so I didn’t have to look too far to craft the characters or the plot of the novel. I relied on my own experience of life in Goa.

·         Tell us why readers should pick up your book.

This book is a fast-paced suspense thriller with a chilling twist towards the end. I think I can safely say, most readers won’t be able to correctly guess who killed Namita – except when Inspector Pinto finds out who did!

·         What advice would you give to aspiring young writers?

Writing is a skill you can improve with practice. If you have a story in your mind, go ahead and write it down. Share it with a trusted friend or mentor and ask for feedback. Keep the narration simple and the characters realistic. Continue writing till you feel ready to publish, but remember that getting published doesn’t make you a writer, it’s writing that does!

·         Who are some of your favourite authors and what are some of your favourite books?

I’ve been impressed by the work of many authors, but I still adore the writers I loved as a kid. So, my favourite author has to be Roald Dahl and my favourite book – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

·         If you could read only one book for the rest of your life, what book would you pick and why?

That’s a difficult choice! I would choose Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.

·         What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

I love reading, painting and travelling. I also have my own travel blog which I write for…but again, that’s writing.

·         What is next in store for you? Do you plan on writing more?

The next novel I’m working on, is best categorised as romantic suspense. This time, the protagonist is a young girl who sets out on a journey to discover a family secret. I can’t reveal anything more yet, but will keep my readers updated when the book is ready to be released. I’ll also be working on a sequel to The Secret of the Sea, because Inspector Pinto is already dealing with a scandalous case that he’ll want his followers to know about.

Thank you to Tanya for stopping by and answering the questions!

I hope you all had fun reading the interview, and I sure hope you pick up Tanya's book. Happy reading!