PVLF 2025

Interview with Anupama Goswami, Author of “Dungeon or Daylight”

A raw, emotional journey of healing and hope—Dungeon or Daylight explores trauma, identity, and the light we find in our darkest moments.
on Jul 22, 2025

Frontlist: Alice Bugg’s journey from a cheerful home to a city soaked in emotional chaos is deeply intense. What inspired you to create such a raw and vulnerable protagonist? Is she drawn from real experiences?

Anupama: Every girl who steps out into the world carries a suitcase full of dreams—of freedom, love, growth, and identity. But life doesn’t follow a script. Often, it throws us into chaos we didn’t sign up for. Alice Bugg is every woman who thought she was ready—until life cracked open parts of her she didn’t know existed.

She's not just a character; she’s a mirror for those who’ve been lost, broken, and searching for meaning. Her journey isn’t just inspired by real experiences—it is the collective truth of many women I’ve seen and known, including parts of myself.

With Dungeon or Daylight, I wanted to show that even in our darkest moments—the ‘dungeon’ phase—there is always a thread of light. Sometimes it’s faint. Sometimes blinding. But it’s there. And it’s that sliver of hope I wrote this story for.

Frontlist: The title Dungeon or Daylight powerfully suggests a struggle between darkness and hope. How did you arrive at this title, and what does it personally signify for you?

Anupama: The title Dungeon or Daylight came to me in a moment of quiet reflection—while watching the sunrise. I had just finished writing the novel and was sitting in stillness, when the phrase floated into my mind. And instantly, I knew—this was it. No other title could capture the emotional journey of the story better.

We all have moments where we feel trapped in emotional dungeons—whether it's doubt, fear, heartbreak—but we also have the power to choose the light, even if it’s just a flicker of hope.

This book is about that tug-of-war. And this title, to me, is a reminder that we’re not alone in that struggle—and that light is always within reach.

Frontlist: Alice’s story delves into trauma, emotional turmoil, and transformation. How did you approach writing these sensitive themes without romanticizing pain?

Anupama: Writing about trauma and emotional transformation requires honesty—and deep respect. As a woman, I could instinctively understand the layers of what Alice was feeling. But as I wrote her story, I realized she wasn’t just any woman—Alice is an empath. She absorbs the world more intensely, feels everything more deeply, and carries wounds that many don’t even recognize within themselves.

I made a conscious choice not to romanticize her pain. Instead, I focused on how pain distorts, reshapes, and eventually reveals the strongest parts of us. Alice’s transformation isn’t polished or perfect—it’s raw, messy, and at times, heartbreaking. But that’s what makes it real. My goal was to let readers feel with her, not just read about her, and to remind them that healing doesn’t mean erasing scars—it means learning to live fully with them.

Frontlist: There’s a haunting line in your book: “My only desire was to die.” How important was it for you to portray mental anguish honestly, and what kind of emotional toll did it take during the writing process?

Anupama: That line—“My only desire was to die”—isn’t just a sentence. It’s a cry from the edge, and writing it was emotionally overwhelming. I began this book during the lockdown, a time when the world itself felt suspended in grief, isolation, and uncertainty. This anguish seeped into the pages.

Alice’s pain becomes so consuming that death seems like the only escape. It was important for me to portray that depth of despair honestly, without softening it or turning away. Because that is the reality for many people in silent struggles.

Frontlist: Alice’s story delves into trauma, emotional turmoil, and transformation. How did you approach writing these sensitive themes without romanticizing pain?

Frontlist: As a debut author, did you find it challenging to write something so emotionally intense for your first book? What fears or expectations did you carry while sharing this story with the world?

Anupama: Absolutely—it was deeply challenging, not just emotionally but creatively. When you're writing your first book, there's a vulnerability that comes with exposing your voice to the world. And with Dungeon or Daylight, that vulnerability was magnified because of the raw emotional intensity of Alice’s journey.

One of my biggest fears was that readers might mistake the story for non-fiction. A part of the book is written in Alice’s voice, using intimate, autobiographical tones—and that was intentional. I wanted her experiences to feel real, to breathe with authenticity. But striking that balance—portraying her emotional truth without it being taken as my personal story—was the toughest part.

That said, while the narrative is entirely fictional, the emotional light it carries is very real. The healing, the courage, the hope—that comes from a place of genuine intention. And if that resonates with readers, then I feel I’ve done my job as a storyteller.

Frontlist: Your book straddles fiction and deep psychological insight. How did you balance literary storytelling with emotional authenticity?

Anupama: I once read a quote: “Writing, to me, is simply thinking through my fingers.” That perfectly captures how Dungeon or Daylight came to life. As I began writing Alice’s journey, it often felt like her thoughts were flowing into mine—as if I was merely the medium through which her story was being told.

There were moments I didn’t feel like I was crafting her voice, but rather receiving it. Still, it took care and reflection to make sure her psychological depth never overshadowed the rhythm of the story. Fiction gave me the freedom to explore the rawest parts of her psyche, and authenticity gave those parts meaning. Together, they shaped a story that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable.

Frontlist: What kind of conversations do you hope Dungeon or Daylight sparks among young adults dealing with identity, trauma, or inner conflict?

Anupama: I hope Dungeon or Daylight sparks honest conversations about the power of hope—and the quiet strength in surrender. Too often, young adults feel pressured to have it all figured out, to always be strong, to keep going no matter what. But real growth begins when we allow ourselves to pause, to feel, and even to fall apart.

Through Alice’s story, I want readers to see that struggle with identity, trauma, or inner conflict doesn’t make you weak—it makes you human. And in those moments of deep confusion or pain, surrendering isn’t about giving up—it’s about letting go of control and allowing healing to begin.

If even one reader finishes this book and feels less alone in their darkness—and more willing to reach for the light—then the story has done what it was meant to do.

Frontlist: If a reader finishes your book and feels seen or understood, what would that mean to you personally—as an author, and as a human being behind the words?

Anupama: It would mean everything. As an author, there’s no greater joy than knowing your words have truly reached someone—that a reader didn’t just read the book, but felt it the way I felt while writing it.And for that, I’ll always be deeply grateful.