Writing through displacement

A book can hold a million stories—each born from a unique perspective on life.

- Shreya Veronica

Some of these stories inspire, offering readers glimpses into lives and emotions they may have never encountered. Hyderabad-based author Richa Sharma's debut novel, Finding Home Again: Our Quest to Belong, is one such work. Rooted in memory, displacement, and the human need to find connection, the book is already making waves among readers.

In this exclusive interaction with CE, Richa opens up about her passion for writing, the long journey behind her book, and the stories she hopes to tell next.

Excerpts

What sparked your passion for writing?

I think my love for words started in childhood. My mother, who is from Agra, was a voracious reader; she'd finish entire libraries. My sister inherited that love too. My dad used to bring books home and always encouraged us to read. Both my parents were teachers, so in our home, stories and language were deeply valued.

My mother was also a wonderful storyteller. Every day, she would narrate tales from her childhood, stories of her grandmother and their ancestral home, and we would sit around and listen, completely mesmerized. She even wrote poems for our birthdays. That environment taught us that words matter. That stories build families. That's how my love for storytelling began.

Tell us about Finding Home Again. What inspired the story?