Malaysian thriller writer Felicia Yap is visiting the literary festival for the first time. The young and the beautiful Felicia make heads turn around with her bewitching smile and her easy-going attitude.   She is a master of many trades. A writer, academician, catwalk model, she has scored brownie points on her debut novel Yesterday. She was listed as the rising star of 2017 by the Observer magazine. At the Mathrubhumi Festival of Letters, she shares her experience on what makes her feel excited when she is in Kerala.

1. How did your writing process evolve?                        

The idea of writing came to me when I was going to a dance studio. The journey began from there and I wanted to know how to solve a murder in one day.  My debut novel `Yesterday’ talks about the story of a murder and I wanted people to know the truth. Writing is a journey and a process of discovery.

2. You are a successful model and a writer? What makes you more happy?

Of course its writing. Its a form of expression. When you are writing you discover yourself, the world you live in. I have learnt from this book that happiness is a process.

3. Has modelling changed your outlook and has it given an impetus to your writing or reasearching?

Modelling is fun. When you do it, you see a lot of human condition. Modelling is very glamourous.

I have learnt from modelling that things i remember are the things that make me feel when I was doing a catwalk.

4. Your first book Yesterday won quite a laurels? It was translated in many languages. You keep jumping tracks. Are you a colourful chamelon?

I love doing things because what drives me is collecting experiences. No experience is ever wasted for a writer. The more experiences you embrace, the better your writing becomes.

5. Is Felicia visiting India for the first time. And your take on attenting the fest?

I was in India in 2008 for an academic conference. This time I’m here as a novelist and not as an academian. The part of joy of meeting international and other writers..sometines we learn a lot from other writers, what they themselves have learnt.