Writing a novel is no easy task yet for Seheni Hisara Kariyawasan, propelled by her love of reading and writing, the road has not seemed so weary. Author of “The Chameleon”, Seheni Hisara Kariyawasan has loved to read for as long as she can remember. Now, a 16 year old studying at Asian International School, her love for reading and writing has led to authorship of her first novel, The Chameleon. As a young girl she schooled at Bishop’s College where she indulged in a variety of athletic activities but none of these seemed to divert her from her passion for reading and writing.
Her creativity and imagination she traces back to her childhood when she used to play imaginary games with her grandmother. She and her grandmother would re-enact scenes from their favoured movies, role-playing and improvising when it suited them. When they ran out of movies, Seheni would create her own storylines which they would then proceed to perform. These games continued with her friends as well. “We never had the electronic things that kids have nowadays”, she said as she explained her contentment in playing her imaginary games with her friends.
She once tried her hand at poetry and even wrote a little book of poems entitled “Joys of Childhood” which she didn’t get published. Through this and a few short stories she had written, she gradually began to develop her writing. On her enrolment at Asian International School, she took up Literature which moulded her writing style and encouraged her to think outside the box.
Her novel, The Chameleon belonging to the genre of mystery thriller ticks all the boxes for any mystery loving reader but what makes it unique is its complex variety of perspectives and plotlines. “Every character has a part to play” explained Seheni as she elaborated on her choice of shifting timelines and points of view. “You’ll find that at the end, each character contributed in some form to the overall primary plot of the novel.” Every twist, every perspective, every change in story line is included and a contributing factor to her conclusion.
The Chameleon came to her in a dream, in the form of one of the main characters of her novel – Kalek Azaron. Inspired by the dream she and her friends began to develop this character, Kalek to whom she relates the most. Her favourite by far, she made sure to create him with a few of her quirks interwoven into his character such as her love of poetry which is reflected in the character. She herself favoured the genres of mystery, horror and thrillers when she immersed herself in her reading. “It’s definitely more interesting” she said and therefore writing one seemed the natural inclination.
It was however not as easy as it seems. She did have to undergo a rollercoaster of a journey as she had to deal with the frustration of many different drafts that required re-writing. She commenced her tedious task of writing in 2015 and two years requires a load of patience and determination. Her largest hurdle, in her opinion, was the setting of the novel in London. Having never been to London, yet having a story set on its real streets required a lot of research and preparation. “Mapping it all out was definitely the hardest” explained Seheni as she described the effort that went into locating two streets that were close together so as to enable a smooth change in setting.
“Having it based in Sri Lanka would just not have had the same effect.”
Seheni hopes that her readers will note and understand the importance of every character as there are no binaries and the lines between good and evil often blur. She also emphasized that “stories don’t end… it’s simply a new beginning” which she depicts at both the start and end of her novel. Similarly, she believes her journey as an author is not at its end but is definitely paused until she overcomes her next hurdle – O/Ls. She hopes to continue writing, not with the same characters but definitely in the same genre perhaps working with a little more horror. Whichever path she takes it is quite clear that Seheni’s story is just beginning.
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