Writer’s Corner: Prashanth Srivatsa talks fantasy, sci-fi, and the creation of new worlds on paper

The city itself might not be a setting anytime soon, however. Srivatsa says, “I like to write stories that are a little more fantastic in nature, magical worlds that do have some basis and roots in our real world. I leave it to people to have the freedom to think that this could very well be their city”.

Srivatsa started out writing short stories, stemming from a fascination with science fiction and fantasy that started out in childhood and kept up in his college years. He adds, “And as it always happens, you pick up a pen and start to write for yourself. I was not very confident about writing a full-blown novel at that point. Over a period of time, I started sending the stories to magazines and newsletters. Eventually, I got a few publications in magazines based out of the US and UK, and that boosted my confidence.”

Srivatsa’s idea for The Spice Gate was rooted in his fascination with the Silk Road trade network. Hence, his novel envisions kingdoms linked with portals that facilitate the movement of spices, and an oppressed group of spice carriers who travel through them.

He says, “There used to be this fascination with a massively complex organism, this Silk Road which stretched for centuries and shaped our understanding of trade in Asia and Europe. I used to think, ‘How would the world be if I eliminated that distance with magic?’ So that’s where the concept of The Spice Gate came in, with these mythical portals that take you from one place to another in the blink of an eye.”

While the term “spice” might immediately draw comparisons to Frank Herbert’s Dune series, some of the most foundational books in science fiction, Srivatsa only got around to reading them once he had already written The Spice Gate’s first draft. He laughs, “This question keeps coming up. I read it and thought it was eerily similar in terms of the overarching concept of spices being a pivotal part, but once you read the books, they are vastly different.”

In terms of influences, he cites celebrated Tamil author Perumal Murugan, as well as American author Ursula K Le Guin and British artist-writer Mervyn Peake in terms of world-building and character construction.

In terms of writing habits, he prefers working for a couple of hours each morning. Srivatsa also makes a point of quick first drafts of novels as opposed to perfection, aiming to get to the end, giving him a perspective on how to edit a second and third draft.

Srivatsa continues to work remotely in the financial field, balancing his writing and mainstream professional life. Meanwhile, two other novels are in the process of submission.

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