In When Stars Fell Into My Soup, debut author Puneet Gupta weaves a deeply human tale through the metaphor of the zodiacs and the forgotten constellation of Ophiuchus. At the heart of the story is Spencer, a 16-year-old boy teetering between life and death, as he confronts the chaos of his past and the uncertainty of his future.
As his journey unfolds, twelve interconnected stories—each representing a zodiac sign—reveal the quiet strength and inner turmoil of people who don’t quite fit the societal norms. Framed in a unique composite novel structure, Gupta explores Ether — the invisible and transcendental fifth element beyond Air, Water, Fire and Earth — bringing to life themes of belonging, kindness, and self-worth.
A story for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider, When Stars Fell Into My Soup invites us to discover the strength in our quirks and the beauty in not fitting in. And it celebrates the people—the stars—who show up for those struggling to believe.
12 zodiac signs. One fading heartbeat. Infinite connections.
INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR PUNEET GUPTA
1. What initially sparked your interest in this story, and how did the concept take shape?
A few years ago, I came across an article about the constellation Ophiuchus, which intrigued me—why isn’t it included in our standard zodiac system? Among other things, one supposed reason behind the exclusion was simply to preserve the symmetry of a 12-sign structure, which reflected something deeply human: our tendency to prioritize order over inclusion. That got me thinking about those who get left out in life’s design—and that’s when the story began to form. Later, I discovered the concept of Ether—the unchanging, invisible fifth element that also doesn’t figure in our zodiac—and it all clicked. I had to write this story.
2. Can you walk us through your creative process? Do you have any habits or methods that help you write?
I don’t follow a strict writing routine or ritual. Writing happens for me when it is meant to—I don’t force it. There are days when I do not write a single word, and there are others when words pour out in thousands. In the case of “When Stars Fell Into My Soup,” once I’d committed to turning my idea into a book, the discipline followed organically. Most of the writing happened during the pandemic, and I spent 2022 and early 2023 on bringing everything into the structure of a composite novel – a format that I discovered to be the perfect vehicle for the story I was telling.
3. Your characters feel incredibly real and distinctive. Are they inspired by actual people or purely fictional?
I believe no fiction is entirely fictional. Every author draws from life—our experiences, people we meet, stories we hear or read. My characters are a blend of real emotions and imagined details. It’s a cocktail of life (including my personal experiences), observation, and creativity.
4. This book explores powerful themes like identity, inclusion, and courage. What drew you to these ideas, and what do you hope readers gain from them?
The story’s protagonist, Spencer, is a boy fighting for survival, weighing whether the notion of an imperfect life is even worth fighting for. As we follow his inner journey, we meet others—each struggling with their own feelings of being different, rejection or exclusion, dealing with the soupy mess of their lives. These narratives explore the concept of belonging without conformity. My hope is that readers walk away with greater compassion for themselves and for others. And more importantly, for knowing that “they are enough just the way they are, without any pre-conditions or clauses.”
5. The universe of your novel feels vivid and layered. What influenced your world-building, and were there any real-world references?
I’ve always questioned society’s obsession with labeling people. Here, I used the zodiac signs, elements, gemstones, and planets as metaphors for those rigid labels—and Ophiuchus as the outlier. The idea was to create a fictional but emotionally authentic universe where these metaphors explore real human challenges. Having lived through some of the ways others make you feel inadequate or unacceptable in my own life has driven me to tell this story. It was because I realized that for every hundred bullies or haters, there was a person in my life who made life so worth living to the fullest.
6. How do you stay true to your voice while innovating within familiar genre conventions?
I write to express, not to impress. For me, storytelling is about telling my truth, not surrendering to trends. I don’t aim to create something extraordinary. I aim to feel extraordinary while creating it. My unique voice and perspective are what make the familiar feel new. I respect conventions. I value creativity more.
7. The pacing keeps readers hooked throughout. How do you ensure that momentum is maintained in your storytelling?
Letting go is key. As authors, we can get too attached to certain scenes or characters. But if something doesn’t serve the story or hampers the joy of reading it has to go. Working with seasoned editors like John DeDakis and Priya Iyer helped tremendously in tightening the narrative and enhancing the story’s flow, especially making me aware of the storytelling blind spots I would have otherwise not registered.
8. With changing trends in how people consume stories, how do you keep your writing meaningful and relatable to modern readers?
Storytelling, in today’s world, needs to resonate with readers and entice them with something unique or unexpected. And more importantly, it needs to connect with something within them or entertain them in an exciting way. I’ve written this book as a composite novel—a rare format—where Spencer’s story runs as a flowing thread through 12 other character arcs, each representing a zodiac sign. These characters are universal in their struggles, yet deeply personal. The fifth element, Ether, represents the shared human experience—the connection beyond labels. That’s timeless. And that is particularly relevant in the modern urban landscape, where a whole new array of existential crises is challenging the young and the old alike. So, I believe that people would find a personal connection with the situations and characters whose stories are being told.
Grab your copy of When Stars Fell Into My Soup— now available on Amazon today!
