Art of story-making

Sachitra Mahendra

The story begins with the reunion of Sandani, a Sri Lankan writer and historian, and her estranged husband Kevin, an officer of British counter-intelligence, in a remote Yorkshire village. However hours before, their reunion is marred by an encounter with a ghost from the past.

The events also move parallel to an ancient riddle which gets irrevocably tangled with the plan for Armageddon before the reader catches a glimpse of the connection between the two.

Ananda Liyanage Pictures by Lalith C Gamage

So starts ‘The Vengeance’, the third novel by Ananda Liyanage, the Encounter of the Week. It follows ‘The Legacy’ (2006) and ‘The Deception (2008).

A financier by profession, Liyanage retired from his banking career to dedicate more time for his passion, writing, while being a financial consultant.

The craft he is mastering is somewhat alien to the Sri Lankan reader, who is exposed to a wide range of romance novels.

Q: Bradman Weerakoon calls your genre as ‘mystery’. I expand it as mystery of history, religion mixed with suspense. How will you justify my remark?

A: History, religion and suspense give a lot of elements to story building. I have always been fascinated by these fields.

So I have been reading a lot of religion and history. A lot of writers make use of history and religion to establish their plots.

But it contains romance too. The first fifty pages of ‘The Vengeance’ will give a romance feel. That romance goes on amid, as you mentioned, history, religion mixed with suspense.

Q: More than your previous novels, ‘The Vengeance’ travels across the world. It has details of foreign places. You have to be accurate in descriptions – this is your challenge compared to an average romance novelist.

A: True. The book covers locations in England, India, Singapore, Switzerland, France, Italy, Greece and Pakistan apart from Sri Lanka. I had to check location, road maps, history and everything.

I have not been to all the countries except for India, Singapore and Pakistan.

If there is a mention about a restaurant, there should actually be a restaurant.

When one of my characters goes there, I describe the place in a page or two.

Q: Religion and history are both rooted in Sri Lankan culture, which is largely alien to English language. How would you tackle this, when you have to target foreign readership as well?

A: A Bhikkhu is not a monk or priest. Vihara is not a temple. I don’t use the English equivalents for them.

I add a footnote. Akusala karma is akusala karma.

In the footnotes I explain them as negative and positive effects.

Q: A footnote may obstruct a smooth novel-reading. It is part of a research dissertation.

A: Those who know the terms can go ahead without referring to the footnotes.

There are foreigners familiar with these terms. They would not buy the book, if they are not interested in reading Sri Lankan culture.

Sri Lankan English readers do not have to refer to footnotes all the time.

They can go ahead being more familiar with the setting.

Q: Your books are easier written in Sinhala. Why did you choose to write in English?

A: I can write in Sinhala. But I can be more creative in English. Schooling and home environment mattered a lot in my creative writing.

I was exposed to English classics such as D H Lawrence, Dostoevsky and Charles Dickens. I used to read them in my early childhood.

But the next novel, I will write in Sinhala.

It will be the original as well as translation by Ananda Liyanage.

I will get assistance from my sister to write it in Sinhala.

Q: What is the advantage when an author translates his work?

A: In my case I know where to underscore. Most original works loose the essence when it comes in translation.

Some parts will be omitted. Some words will be mistranslated, hence misinterpreted.

As the original author, I know where the importance lies. I know what I mean by certain words.

Q: In ‘The Legacy’ the relationship between Summers and Algama is not abrupt. As you hint, it’s a samsaric bond.

A: Summers and Algama meet each other as a result of reincarnation. They have been seeking out King Dutugemunu’s sceptre even prior to their current birth.

I have handled reincarnation in all my novels. It is an indigenous part of our culture.

We have a great legacy: King Dutugemunu. Sacred Tooth Relics. Sri Pada. Diva Guha. These things are highlighted only informatively. But we must need writers to be creative on them as well.

There should be novels written on them.

In all my books there is a religious background. In Legacy, yes religious. In Deception, yes there is incarnation too. More so.

Q: When your novels are translated into Sinhala, it must have been a novel experience for the Sinhala readership.

A: Yes, some still ask me if ‘The Legacy’ story actually happened.

Q: Who influences you to thrive on your genre?

A: I am an avid reader of Clive Cussler and Colin Forbes.

Q: Some critics claim novels with long descriptions to be boring. All your novels are almost or over 500 even with relatively small font size to accommodate extensive descriptions.

A: First they are lazy to read. ‘The Legacy’ has details about ancient caves and places while ‘The Vengeance’ describes hotels and eating houses in Singapore.

When I start working on a story, I have a brief idea what it is about. Not a detailed idea, though. I have no idea about how to go into details. I love reading Hammond Innes. He writes in very unlikely locations. He actually visits the place and writes totally strange.When I go on writing, if I see any instance where should have more descriptions, I mark that place for later reference.

I won’t stop writing the rest and describe that particular location. I keep it for later addition. Otherwise I lose my flow.

Q: Your descriptions are mostly based on research. Creative works on aspects such as postwar are looked down as their authors have no firsthand experience of war.

A: A writer must not visit the place. A creative work is imaginary.

Otherwise it will become a documentary. I check the names. I check the location on Google Earth. Roads in Srinagar.

When I visit there, I feel cold. You have to merge yourself into that area.

What a native can write may be more reliable than mine. But then again, it’s a creative work, which is supposed to be imaginary.

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