It's never too late to educate yourself or start a new career: sci-fi writer SB Divya

In SB Divya's 2016 novella Runtime, nominated for the prestigious Nebula Award for science fiction, a gritty, under-equipped young tech genius competes with the most advanced cyborgs in a challenging multi-terrain marathon set in the distant future. As the protagonist battles the elements, pain and even betrayal equipped only in gear put together from other people's garbage, the gripping, fast-paced narrative brings up issues relevant to the present world: economic inequality, corporate monopoly, and social injustice. There are other thought-provoking, absorbing stories in Divya's 2019 collection Contingency Plans for the Apocalypse (Hachette, Rs 399), which is full of fantastical situations, genderless, ageless humans and brilliant machines – a must-read not just for fans of sci-fi but anyone who loves a good book. "Most of my ideas tend to be mashups of different elements in real life. The technological inspiration often comes from science and technology, because I love to read up on the latest research and developments. I draw the human and social elements from observations about my life or news items," says the 44-year-old US-based author, who worked for 20 years as an electrical engineer before becoming an author.