By Lishanthi Wijewardene

Pics Waruna Wanniarachchi

Thiloka Karunarathne’s literary debut, ‘Kick Off’, was launched recently in Colombo. Thiloka, who is an Attorney-at-Law, is a Graduate from the Chartered Governance Institute of the UK and Ireland, and holds a Master’s Degree in Law from the University of Colombo. A mother of two young boys, Thiloka’s understanding of the pressures, struggles and inner worlds faced by teenagers adds shape to the story. Hence, this book appeals not only to young readers, but to parents, guardians and educators. 

Today’s youngsters encounter issues such as drugs, social media, gaming addiction, or the pressures of school and peer groups, and this book offers hope by providing positive ways to develop character, build resilience and channel energy. The author brings out the fact that sports like rugby, in this case, are not just games, but powerful tools which are used to teach self-discipline, teamwork, and self-respect. 

The story interwoven throughout the book is a reminder to the reader not to judge students by their appearance, family background or their past, and that it is possible for young people to change and grow with proper guidance, empathy, and by giving them a second chance. The themes of overcoming prejudice and misunderstanding, falling and rising again, the ability to be of help to others in the midst of struggles, and believing in second chances are effectively and cleverly knitted together through the author’s gift with the pen. 

Moreover, through ‘Kick Off’, Thiloka uses her writing skills effectively as a tool to instil strong social values in children whilst addressing current issues and challenges they face in the modern world by intertwining fun, excitement and adventure into her plots. 

Below are excerpts from the interview.

Q: Congratulations, Thiloka, on your maiden book. What inspired the book's central idea or themes?
A: Thank you, Lishanthi. The idea was conceived when my two sons started schooling. The first advice I got from parents who have gone through the mill was to  “please keep your kids safe from drugs. It’s happening in every school, so keep a close eye on them”. The message got into me strongly, and when I did a bit of research, I realised that most of the kids get into drugs completely ignorant of the adverse aftereffects or as a result of peer pressure. My motive was to create awareness of this dangerous trend. Initially, it was to be a short story, but I got engrossed with the plot, and the final product was this. 

Q: What was the most challenging aspect of writing this book?
This is a book for pre-teens and teens. That age is a very difficult age for kids as well as for parents. Their mindset could change either way, for the good or the bad, with a single word or sentence, and I had to be careful in what I write and how the message comes out.

Q: How long did it take you to write the book? 
I started during the COVID-19 time, when we were all stuck at home. Only finished it last year, as it was difficult to find time with my legal work and family commitments. 

Q: When did you first realise you wanted to be a writer? What is your favourite part of being a writer? 
During my teenage years. We didn’t have computers back then. It had to be rewritten all over, and a sense of happiness endures once you have a final product in hand.
My favourite part of being a writer is that I get a chance to give life to my imagination.

Q: What are your favourite books to read?    
You’ll be surprised to know, my all-time favourite is Historical Romance. I have a collection of Roberta Gellis, Georgette Heyer and Julia Quinn books. L.M. Montgomery’s Anne series, P.G. Wodehouse’s Jeeves & Wooster books, Agatha Christie’s Miss Maple and Poirot books, Jeffery Archer’s “The Prodigal Daughter”, Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code”, Jojo Moyes “Me Before You” are a few that I have read over and over. Actually, the list is very long.

From the Sri Lankan authors T.B. Illangaratne, Martin Wickremasinghe, and W.A. Silva take the lead. Nothing can beat the original Sinhala version of the publications.

These days I’m reading Rick Riordan novels, because my sons have got several as gifts and I can’t help grabbing the books when I see them lying around the house.

Q: Being a wife, a mother and working as an Attorney-at-Law, how do you find time to write? What is the best time of day for you to write?
For me, the best time to write is the morning hours, when the kids are at school.     I try to finish several pages before I start on my legal work, and it helps that I have my office at home.

Q: What is your favourite part of the book, or what do you hope readers take away from it?
It is difficult to find a favourite part because if you read my story, you will notice that the chapters differ from one to another, increasing the reader’s curiosity. It is like a patchwork; every part has a connection to the final outcome. 

A glance at the outer cover gives the impression it is all about rugby and drugs.      When you read the book, you will see characters of different races getting together to help the protagonist fight against drugs. 

Kandy is the best place to write about religious and racial harmony because it is a central meeting place for people from many other small villages and cities consisting of different races, and all the main religious places of worship in Kandy are a walking distance, which allows people to work together during religious festivals.  
 
Q: Any plans for your next book? 
I have to first see how well people embrace “Kick Off”. I do have several chapters I removed from “Kick Off” as I thought the subplots would make “Kick Off” too long and boring for Gen Z and Gen Alphas.