The Shining Literature: Congratulations on winning the Sahitya Sparsh Awards Season 4 for The House of Nothing. What does this recognition mean to you?
Guruguhan Iyer: Thank you so much. This award means a lot to me because it recognises and rewards my three years of writing and rewriting The House of Nothing. I want to take this moment to express my gratitude to my literary agent Suhail Mathur, his wonderful team at The Book Bakers, and my publisher Locksley Hall for believing in the story.
The Shining Literature: What inspired you to write The House of Nothing, and how did the idea for this haunting story first come to you?
Guruguhan Iyer: If I must be brutally honest, it started with a panic attack. My panic attacks feel like the end of the world. Back in 2019, when I faced this demon in my head, I chose to confront it by writing the scariest thought my mind could perceive and making Venkat live through it. A part of it found its way into the second chapter. From there, I just went where the story and characters took me.
The Shining Literature: The novel blends supernatural horror with psychological suspense. What attracted you to this genre?
Guruguhan Iyer: I didn’t approach this story with any genre in mind. The story unfolded as I kept writing. Suhail keeps telling everyone that almost every chapter belongs to a different genre. The first chapter, for instance, has a dash of romance. The second explores grief. Then there are demons disguised as gods tormenting a simple South Indian family in Matunga, Mumbai. Strange things happen on the Moon, Mars and inside a black hole because of a ceiling fan. Until now, I couldn’t tell which genre The House of Nothing belonged to. Thanks to the Sahitya Sparsh Awards, now I can. It’s officially Supernatural Horror.
The Shining Literature: The mysterious world of 7, Srujan Nivas is incredibly atmospheric. How did you create such a chilling setting?
Guruguhan Iyer: In the first draft, to make the story feel personal, the house had the address of my home in Matunga. Of course, I changed it to Srujan Nivas just before it went for typesetting. But I mixed it up, it has the interior of one of my cousins’ living rooms. The view from the window is from my best friend’s home. The idea of a ceiling fan as a portal to multiple realms came about in the second draft. The idea of television came about in the fourth draft. I borrowed the good and no so good things from life’s experience and turned it around.
The Shining Literature: Without giving away spoilers, what do you hope readers will take away from Venkat’s journey?
Guruguhan Iyer: Venkat is trapped in an endless loop of living the worst phase of his life over and over. Even irreplaceable loss cannot take away what he refuses to surrender. He realises who he truly is when everything’s stripped away from him. The House of Nothing is Venkat’s spiritual journey. He teaches us that liberation is not found by escaping suffering, but by refusing to be defined by it.
The Shining Literature: You have had a successful career in advertising. How has your experience as a copywriter influenced your storytelling?
Guruguhan Iyer: As a copywriter, you only have as many words to say so many things. You learn the beauty of concise writing. Really, really helps when you write short stories and full-length novels. One of the best things about advertising is you meet amazing writers who end up becoming your mentors. I have been blessed with so many of them. Rajan Jadhav, Shankar Lakshmanan, Anand Suspi (May he rest in peace), Shriganesh Joshi, and Anant Medepalli. I can never thank them enough.
The Shining Literature: What was the most challenging aspect of writing your debut novel?
Guruguhan Iyer: Self-doubt. Imposter syndrome. Patience. Writing while holding a full-time job.
The Shining Literature: Are you currently working on another novel or any upcoming writing projects that readers can look forward to?
Guruguhan Iyer: Yes, I am working on a full-length novel and a collection of short stories. Don’t ask me about the genre. I genuinely don’t know. My literary agent loves them both. I hope readers will too.
The Shining Literature: Are you active on social media or any online platforms? How can readers connect with you and stay updated on your work?
Guruguhan Iyer: I’m active on Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/guruguhaniyer?igsh=dGM1ZTJoZ2dmZnYz
Occasionally active on Medium.
https://medium.com/@guruguhan.iyer?fbclid=IwVERDUATNNoRleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR63SWSP6N9dkUFyuHvRNyAOjeDbEkFkxFw0o5s7KHWviR1FJJnHUb-iIZpRCQ_aem_YLeTNqUcLBQme8j_ssYXdw
Not so active on LinkedIn.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/guruguhan-iyer-58b89518?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_android
Not at all active on X.
https://x.com/TheGhantalAadmi
The Shining Literature: Where can readers purchase The House of Nothing? Is the book available in both print and digital formats?
Guruguhan Iyer: Yes, The House of Nothing is available on Amazon and Kindle.
https://amzn.in/d/07BtJwMG
The Shining Literature: What advice would you give to aspiring writers who dream of publishing their first novel?
Guruguhan Iyer: I don’t know if I’m qualified to give advice, but I can say this. Writing is the only way to become a writer. Keep writing. Finish what you start.
The Shining Literature: Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. Is there anything you would like to say to your readers and everyone who has supported The House of Nothing?
Guruguhan Iyer: Even gods cannot bless writers like readers and loved ones do. Let me share my experience. There are mornings you wake up to a stranger’s heartfelt review. Someone close to me has been suffering from an age-related mental health issue. The doctor advised her to stay intellectually active. Her son told me she enjoyed reading The House of Nothing. I lost a family member a few months back. One of the last things she told me when I met her was, ‘I’m really enjoying the story.’
Friends and acquaintances with whom I had not been in touch for years reached out to me after reading the book, saying they found a part of themselves in the story. Books have a way of making you experience life through someone else’s mind. When a reader tells you something like that about your book, the feeling is incomprehensible. I want to thank each and every person who read The House of Nothing.
