• The author of ‘The Warm South’ on being shortlisted for the Gratiaen Prize

The written word has a unique and enduring power. Literature allows us to capture fleeting thoughts, reconstruct forgotten histories, and imagine alternate worlds. 

Through books, we share in the experiences of others and preserve the nuances of human emotion across time and culture. Whether through poetry or prose, fiction or memoir, literature remains a vital space for reflection, resistance, and reimagination. 

Last Monday (28) saw the shortlist for the 32nd Gratiaen Prize announced, celebrating outstanding works of English creative writing by Sri Lankan authors. Established in 1992 by internationally acclaimed Sri Lankan-Canadian author Michael Ondaatje, using the prize money from his Booker Prize-winning novel ‘The English Patient,’ the Gratiaen Prize has become one of the pinnacles of recognition for English creative writing in Sri Lanka.

Selected from a highly competitive longlist, the shortlisted titles reflect the vibrancy and evolution of contemporary Sri Lankan literature. The shortlisted works for the 32nd Gratiaen Prize (in alphabetical order):

• ‘He Was God’s Child Too’ by Upali Mahaliyana  
• ‘Kata Katha: Gossip, Rumours, and Idle Talk’ by Savin Edirisinghe  
• ‘Nowhere No Return’ by Ajith Perakum Jayasinghe  
• ‘The Warm South’ by Vihanga Perera  
• ‘Wombful of Weeds’ by Ranudi Gunawardena

Following the shortlist announcement, The Sunday Morning Brunch spoke with one of this year’s shortlisted authors, Vihanga Perera. 

Perera is a Sri Lankan writer, poet, and academic whose work explores memory, identity, and the socio-political realities of contemporary life. Known for his experimental style and critical voice, he is a recognised figure in Sri Lankan English literature. In 2014, he won the Gratiaen Prize for his poetry collection ‘Love and Protest,’ and most recently he won the 2024 State Literary Award for his novel ‘Students and Rebels.’

Perera is no stranger to the Gratiaen Prize. This is his sixth time being shortlisted for the prize, this time for his novel-in-manuscript ‘The Warm South.’ 

“I’m pretty excited to be shortlisted this year, mainly for two reasons. One is that this year’s longlist was very tough,” he said, noting that the longlist featured 10 authors, whereas it normally featured around seven authors, indicating how strong submissions had been. 

“The longlist itself is a very recent development and started a few years ago. This year’s longlist was very intimidating. I was very happy to have made the longlist, and now, to have made the shortlist as well,” he added. 

‘The Warm South’

Another reason Perera is excited to be part of this year’s shortlist is the book itself – ‘The Warm South’ – which is still in manuscript form. “I really liked working on it and also reading back that manuscript – I enjoyed it that way as well. So I’m happy it is here,” he said.

‘The Warm South’ is a novel in four sections. “It’s not a very long novel. It deals with a group of people who go on a weekend trip to Tangalle,” Perera explained. “In the latter sections of the novel, the narrator, who is part of the group, visits impressions, memories, and parts of that trip in later situations.”

The story spans six to seven years, with gaps in between. “I probably started writing this somewhere around 2018 or 2019. It actually went through a huge block period; what happened was writer’s block. So for about two years, I didn’t do any work on it. I wasn’t sure 

Ultimately, he managed to bring the story to what he felt was a satisfying ending. “Finally, I if I had outgrown the story,” he said.managed to bring it to a satisfactory close somewhere last year, but I wasn’t intending to do anything with it. My normal practice is, if I submit to the Gratiaen, I present a finished book. But on a whim, I sent it over, submitting it on the last day. I wasn’t sure if I was going to do it or not either.”

Describing the book’s genre, Perera said: “It’s more like a memory-reliant, memory-driven narrative. There’s a lot of memory play involved in it. I wouldn’t call it so much a thriller, but there is a certain element of suspense, not the kind of suspense that makes you channel a doctor or something like that, but a lot to do with memory and psychology.”

Brunch also investigated the role of research when writing such a book. When asked about the research element, Perera said: “I would say it inevitably happens, because there are a lot of sociocultural and political elements coming in as part of the padding in terms of the book’s timeline. There are references to things like the sudden riots in April 1971, the 1989 emergency, and many references to other literary figures.” 

He added that the narrator also took on different roles over the course of the story, and this meant the necessity of some research to line things up properly. “At one point he’s a journalist, at another point he’s a literature teacher. A lot of biography comes into the picture. So for the sake of accuracy, some kind of research was carried out – not cut-and-dry garden-type research, but an attempt at getting the details and ensuring accuracy,” he said.

With the book still in manuscript form, Perera shared that he hoped to be able to publish it soon and was hopeful that its shortlisting for the Gratiaen Prize would help build up more interest around the book and inspire publishers to take it on. 

“A publisher has shown interest at the moment, in the sense that it has been forwarded to its review board,” Perera said, adding: “I’m hoping we will now be able to get it out without too much of a delay.” 

Examining the writing process 

When it comes to writing, every writer’s process is different, but by and large, there are two broad schools of practice that writers fall in to: the planned approach, where writers plan out the entirety (or thereabouts) of their book and then follow that plan when writing; or the more laissez-faire approach, where writers begin with one core idea and see how the story develops as they write. 

On his writing process, Perera shared: “Both ways work. Sometimes, there are certain things you write where a little bit of planning helps. I would say that I don’t strictly go with a watertight blueprint or scheme like that. Your writing, the direction you take – all that plays a part. I keep an open mind.”

Specifically on ‘The Warm South,’ he said: “The ending of the book was definitely not there when I started. When I came to the place where it ended, I felt it was right and went with the flow.”

“There are certain books, poems, or stories that can probably benefit from a slightly pre-determined approach. But my preferred mode is what I call the ‘Captain Jack Sparrow’ approach,” he added, referencing the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ character known for adapting to the situations he was in and using them to his best advantage. “I play it as it comes.”

When asked about the most challenging part of the book, Perera said: “Realistically, I’m not sure if it’s a good answer, but the one real challenge was the block. At one point, I was on the brink of giving it up, because nothing was moving.”

He reflected on the timing: “Last year, I won the State Literary Award for a novel called ‘Students and Rebels.’ All that was written after I started this, so this was a long time coming. But on the other hand, maybe the block helped, because then it creates a certain kind of detachment and distance. And when you return to a half-done work, it probably helps.”

Apart from the block, he said: “The writing process was very smooth and also a bit experimental. I’m doing a few things with this because I like it. 

“Experimenting on the idiomatic language side is a double-edged knife because sometimes that kind of experiment may not be well received by readers. My experience is that they prefer to be taken along by the story. They may not consider it their idea of day-to-day reading. 

“When it comes out, readers will figure out what I mean. There’s a bit of experimenting going on, so it requires them to put in some effort. I wouldn’t call it a challenge so much as a part of the thread.”

On writer’s block more broadly and overcoming it, Perera said: “Writer’s block is very common. It happens. My experience is that it comes and it goes. It’s like a cold. You can just wake up with it one day. It’s not something to lose sleep over. This was a very uncharacteristically long spell. 

“A writer’s block doesn’t mean it is a full block. There is always other stuff you can work on.  The interesting concept about a writing block is that it’s just one channel that is not working. You can research. You can write other things. I won a State Literary Award for a completely different book while I experienced a block on this one.” 

Becoming a writer

Brunch also asked for Perera’s perspective as an academic on what advice he would impart to new writers. 

Stressing that advice was something to be given out carefully, especially on such a subjective matter like writing, he shared: “You have to be confident. If you feel you have got something solid, new, and innovative, you need to socialise and get out there. Figure out who the audience is; this is something only you can decide. It doesn’t have to be a wide audience, but it’s important that you know who your audience is.” 

Perera also advocated for writers to think about why they write. “You have to come up with a mechanism that makes your delivery count. Don’t publish for the sake of publishing. You may have that narcissistic impulse to be on the shelf of a bookshop. But have a little toolkit that you refer to. I have a reviewer who speaks to me about the work. There’s an editorial arm that does one aspect of the editing.

“Speaking for myself, I consult people I can have that conversation with. You don’t need to speak to people who will gun you down, but people with whom you can have conversations with about your work. Try to professionalise and be level-headed. Take every step as a learning curve. Learn from what you do.”