Vignesh Sivasankar is an award-winning published author of various fictional anthologies. National print and online publishing platforms have acclaimed his credible work. Before he started writing, Vignesh got a graduate degree in engineering and an MBA. He’s an alumnus of Anna University, Symbiosis University, IIM Calcutta, and EDII, currently residing in the scorching heat of Chennai with a candid yet loving critic (wife) and an exceptionally naughty son. Vignesh’s stint as a marketing manager for about a decade in various industries and organizations doesn’t match the madness he endured as an entrepreneur for a couple of years. He’s now a fiction writer, penning down thoughts every day.
On the eve of the release of his latest book of Horror stories, The Ten Commandments of Evil, Readomania caught up with Vignesh on Ghosts, his writing, and more.
Readomania: Do you believe in ghosts?
Vignesh: In my old office building, every evening after 7 PM, employees would hear a ‘thud’ ‘thud’ ‘thud’ stomping noise from the floor above us. The night shift workers also used to hear those noises at night. Some even ascertained they hear tintinnabulation of anklets along with the angry tread of the unknown feet. Later, we came to know there was a case of suicide on the very same building years ago. A young woman leaped out of the terrace ending her life. So what we experienced is a collective imagination? Or something unexplainable?
Just like God, ghosts reside in our thoughts, memories, and sins such as gluttony, greed, pride, lust, anger, etc.,
Readomania: When and how did your interest in the supernatural begin?
Vignesh: The day I saw a burning man. Glowing embers of fire blazing his head, neck, and shoulders as he committed suicide due to his family issues. I saw him in my dreams the same night, inviting me into his abyss. There are many forces that we can’t fit into the scientific understanding of natural law. Those manifestations of understanding abnormalities piqued my interest to write about supernatural entities.
Readomania: How and when did you get the idea of writing this book?
Vignesh: As a marketing manager, my stint involves travelling to different parts of India. Being an avid story-listener, I always look out for experiences from different walks of life. When people shared their fables involving ghosts, spirits, or demons, it became fascinating to write them down. Because in these stories, sadly, the protagonists are supernatural entities and not the other way around, a bit uncanny to think.
Readomania: Are these based on real stories?
Vignesh: Yes. Real stories and actual life incidents inspired me to pen this down. As mentioned above, I collected these stories from different people and put them down, adding my own layers as and where needed.
Readomania: Have you experienced supernatural elements?
Vignesh: I met a person with quadriplegia who was sacred to death of witnessing strange anomalies in his apartment. One of his stories, ‘Scarier than death,’ is featured in this book. While I was to leave his abode, his window curtain resembled the shape of a human clawing for an attack. And the next moment, it vanished. It gave me goosebumps and chills. Who hasn’t experienced supernatural elements?
Readomania: Why did you decide to call this book, The Ten Commandments of Evil?
Vignesh: The Ten Commandments are believed to have been written by God. These are biblical principles related to ethical living and worship that are fundamental for life. Following the commandments, people think they might reach heaven to stay with God for eternity. What if the Devil wants to deliver a contrasting message to everyone out there to invite people to hell? Thus, all ten novelettes have a commandment of evil associated with it, and I mutated myself to the Devil’s hand.
Readomania: Why do you think people should read this book?
Vignesh: Books bring out various emotions and feelings. This book evokes fear. Being scared is a good thing because only then can you understand how to be brave.
Readomania: Which is your favourite story from the collection?
Vignesh: Story name – ‘Twins’ – It’s a hair-raising tale of a young couple. For eight years, they were childless, and by divine grace, they were gifted with a twin foetus. But fate treats them with a coy smile, delivering evil omen in most dubious ways. Will they fight against the imaginary antagonist or get succumbed to its ill wishes is undoubtedly one of my favourites from the book.
Readomania: What kind of emotional travails does the author go through, while writing such dark horror stories?
Vignesh: An author first has to imagine all those dark silhouettes in mind before writing them down. The most challenging job was getting into the character’s skin to get scared and later penning down the thoughts to make your readers afraid.
Readomania: Did you ever felt scared while writing these stories?
Vignesh: There was an instance when I woke up in the middle of the night; I was able to see ghastly glowing auras, which had contours of dead women all across the walls of my bedroom. I was editing the final draft of my story, ‘Speaking Walls’ at that time. Many such sleepless nights I had to endure.
Readomania: Let us understand a bit about how you write. Do you have a specific way of writing books? What is your method in writing?
Vignesh: Marriage of concept and story is fiction. Inspiration for concepts comes from varied sources, in the case of my book – horrific experiences of different people. When it comes to a story, it should have a central theme, a genre, a few characters, a start, an underlying issue (internal or external), and an ending with a climax. I plot everything on a sheet of paper, fixing all the puzzles together till I’m convinced. And then when I write, voila! I have a story.
Readomania: Are there any writing quirks that you follow?
Vignesh: When writing for a specific genre, I read books of similar genres to get those correct phrases and emotions my characters want to emulate.
Readomania: What challenges did you face while writing this book?
Vignesh: Writing is a lonely job. Sacrifices in sleep, time, and other entertainment to finish the entire draft was challenging.
Readomania: How was your journey from ideation to the final book? Do you remember some moments that were special?
Vignesh: Ideation is involved in the imagination of building characters, traits, and narration. The best moments involved adding nuances from real-life or other genres in some aspects of my story to make it more compelling. For a character addicted to Tinder, I had to install that dating app. Good, my profile wasn’t shortlisted by any of those girls looking for men. Now, if and when my wife finds out. Imagine explaining that shit to her! God bless me.
Readomania: Who or what inspires you to write?
Vignesh: My goal in life is to share thoughts. Writing is a method by which I wish to convey some ideas and notions worthy enough to be shared further. I want my readers to get entertained and enjoy the process and carry the message in their hearts. The thought of impacting human minds inspires me.
Readomania: As we end this interview, tell us who are your favourite authors? What books did you grow up with?
Vignesh: Favorite Authors – Khaleed Hosseini, Stephen King, R.K. Narayan
Books – The Shining, The Kite Runner, Life of Pi, To kill a Mockingbird, The da Vinci code, P.S. I Love You, After the Crash, Kane & Abel.
Readomania: Thank you Vignesh, for this wonderful interview. We look forward to a lot more stories from your pen.
Vignesh's book, The Ten Commandments of Evil is available as mentioned below.
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