In Conversation with Viji Krishnamoorthy
Viji Krishnamoorthy is an emerging Malaysian author in today’s sea of literature. She first came into the literary scene in December 2020, being an editor for The Lockdown Chronicles: 19 Malaysian Voices, alongside Shireen Zainudin.
With her debut novel 912 Batu Road hitting the shelves at your local bookstore, Viji has finally entered the world of fiction. 912 Batu Road’s story is one about history and tradition, with different timelines weaving these elements together. Set between the Japanese occupation of Malaya and 21st century Malaysia, Viji shows us just how heavy some sacrifices truly are.
In this interview, Ivan Ling chats with Viji about her novel’s ethos, the difficulties she had faced over the course of writing her manuscript, her inspirations and much more!
IVAN LING (IL)
912 Batu Road is such a stunning, yet heart-wrenching story. It is a story that weaves history, tradition and culture altogether. How did 912 Batu Road come about? What inspired you to write a tale like this?
VIJI KRISHNAMOORTHY (VK)
Some 15 years ago I was really stumped as to what gift I was getting for my husband for his birthday, so I decided to write a chapter of a story. At first, it was a random, stand-alone chapter that I had written for him on some turmeric-coloured writing paper. In the book, it is, with some tweaks, Chapter One – Getting To The Mandapam.
My husband insisted I develop it and expand it into a book, hence I became a rather reluctant and accidental writer! To do this, I had to consider the genesis. For me, that meant returning to the past in order to write about the present. This became a story of three generations, as it is ultimately a story of migration. A present, past and a super-past (in the form of letters that Rangaswamy wrote to his father in his village in Tanjore).
IL
The novel has 54 (including Epilogue) chapters, and all of them were rich in texture and immersion. Were there any chapters that stood out to you the most, and why?
VK
There are several chapters that hold a special place for me and for very different reasons.
Chapter 1 - That is what started this book’s journey, and it also sets the scene of the sticky and gritty relationship between a mother and a daughter as well as by extension, about the fractious generation gap and the chasms between tradition and modern.
Chapter 5 - It drew from my own experience of Sunday lunch with my family. It is so tactile; it almost makes me stick my hand in the page to feel the layers of viscid ghee.
Chapter 7 –Introducing Terlochan for the first time! He was my favourite character to write.
Chapters 38 and 43 – They were very hard to write as they are emotionally charged and draining. I don’t want to give away too much!
Chapter 39 – I enjoyed writing about Tochi and Gurchan’s escapades.
IL
The characters in your novel don’t seem to have it easy; from Geeta being torn between her sense of freedom and the tradition that flows in her blood, to Swamy, Chin Nam and Elaine living in a period of Hell. Which character(s) did you have the hardest time writing about?
VK
Elaine, because I had to write from a place that I would never want to imagine myself in. It was draining and exhausting to write her grief. Also, to an extent, Geeta because she was so caught between two worlds, and it was challenging to reach the right balance. She goes from being annoying to misunderstood.
IL
From here onwards, the questions would be more about your writing style! 912 Batu Road had various characters, different temporal and geographical settings, plot, dialogue and much more. As you were editing your novel, what did you consider the most difficult?
VK
My husband helped me with the history research. There is quite a lot of historical fact that is written into the narrative of the story, and it was crucial that they were accurate. Because this book took so many years before it saw the light of day, I had to ensure that these places existed in the time frame the novel was set in. My vocabulary and writing had also matured since when I first started to write making it a challenge not to change too many sentences!
IL
I think a ‘writer’s block’ is the most common thing a writer has had to face. Has that ever happened to you before, and how did you ‘exterminate’ it?
VK
I like the term exterminate! I wish I had a magical formula but what I tend to do is walk away and distract myself. I even find doing a jigsaw to be very therapeutic or having a glass of wine (if it’s in the evening!), a chat with my sister or mahjong.
IL
Moving on, is there anything you would like to share about 912 Batu Road? Perhaps a secret that readers might not have noticed, or funny moments that happened as you were writing your novel?
VK
Can’t think of any because I wrote this so many years ago!
IL
My second last question would be, do you have a favourite book(s), and/or author(s)? How have they continued to inspire and motivate you as a writer?
VK
Absolute favourite book is East of Eden by John Steinbeck. Several others include A House for Mr Biswas, Things Fall Apart, Forty Rules of Love, A Fine Balance and so many more. My favourite authors would be Steinbeck, A.A. Gill, Chinua Achebe, Rohinton Mistry, R.K. Narayan, Thrity Umrigar, Elif Shafak, Elena Ferrante and Enid Blyton. For me, good fiction writing and a well-modulated book should evoke empathy as well as to draw the reader in and have them vested in the characters. When I read these authors, I am totally swallowed up in the story and the vernacular. Good writing informs and educates as much as it entertains and allows for escapism.
IL
Lastly, writing a novel is a daunting task. It requires so much energy, time, and thought to create a world like you did with 912 Batu Road. Do you have any advice(s) you would like to give to the many aspiring writers out there?
VK
I can only offer what little I have come to depend on and what is comfortable for me, and that in order to write, you must read. Read a wide variety, be curious with things around you. Observe people and watch how they interact. Listen to what you read. Unpick sentences that appeal to you. Unpack the emotions that some works bring to the surface for you. Look at your words on paper. Do they sit well together, or do they rub up the wrong way? What are you conveying? Can you put yourself in the shoes of your character? Are you empathetic, because empathy does not mean being judgmental. Why do you like some writing and not others? If you can distinguish and find what appeals to you, try and use it in your writing. That challenges you and takes you out of your comfort zone. It is interesting to explore narratives that are unfamiliar. That’s how we learn and grow.
I have no background in creative writing, I don’t have the techniques and the writing skills that you are all lucky to be learning. My writing is instinctive and probably requires honing.
Note: This interview was conducted via email