A spooky treat for book lovers

Minna Zutshi

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 20

“Horror books give you an avenue to explore the human psyche. Sitting in the safe confines, you get to experience what the protagonist of the story feels like,” says young author Keran Pantth Joshi (see pic). No wonder, her second book ‘Check-in Checkout’ is a treat for lovers of horror genre. The book, a collection of short stories that are connected to each other by one connecting element which is the backdrop of a hotel, has all the elements of horror — haunting, psychological haunting, gore, modern-day haunting, satanic practices, cult, urban legends and much more.

Keran enjoys writing. As she says: “It just takes me into another world where I put myself in the shoes of the protagonist, take all their experiences, feel everything and live everything. I love the fact that I can shape my characters and change the direction of the story. Sometimes I follow them and sometimes they follow my lead. I find it both magical and exciting at the same time,” quips Keran.

Born and brought up in Delhi, Keran moved to Melbourne in 2012 after marriage. She has a degree in physiotherapy and has done MBA too. She worked for various global companies in human resources and workforce planning before turning an entrepreneur. She relocated with her family to Launceston in Tasmania where she owns and runs a hotel with her husband. Asked about her Ludhiana connection, she says her in-laws live in the city.

No, the book is not autobiographical. “People who know that I am running a hotel would think so. But my hotel is just an inspiration for the Villagio hotel (as mentioned in the book) and all stories are fictitious,” says Keran.

However, her diasporic experience does find an echo in her book. “When an author writes a book, this is bound to happen. There are definitely some experiences which are mirrored in the book. Some are mine, some I have heard from my relatives and friends,” she says. Interestingly, none of the horror elements have any experiential basis. The horror element, she says, is purely fictitious and a result of hyperactive imagination.

“I am yet to experience anything paranormal!” she signs off.