Preethi Venugopala's Blog, page 32
December 18, 2015
On Writing: Ruchira Khanna
Today on 'On Writing, we have Ruchira Khanna, a talented writer who defines herself as just another soul who is trying to make a difference in this lifetime. Ruchira is a Reiki Master in her spare time where she passes out information about channeling universal energy and conducts sessions. Stay tuned for another fiction novel coming in early Jan’2016.
Welcome to ‘On Writing’ Ruchira Khanna.
FOLLOW HER: AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE
FACEBOOK
How did writing begin for you? Was becoming an author always your dream or was it a particular event or incident that gave birth to the author in you?
Honestly, I never thought of penning my thoughts cause I would just say it loud enough for anyone or everyone to hear it. Thus, was quite happy in my corporate life as a Biochemist. It’s after the birth of my son I kind of sobered down with my words and realized how soothing it is to say minimum yet mean a lot. That inspired me to pen down those words, and voila! The birth of a writer took place!
How important are the names of the characters in your books to you? Do you spend agonizing hours deciding on their names?
Sometimes.Esp the ones who play a significant role in my book. I research for their meaning depending on the role they will be playing in my novel.
What is your least favorite part of the publishing/ writing process?
I agonize over the part of finding a publishing house. Choices were my first book, and I did not even bother to look for one. Went ahead and self-published it. For my Children’s book I had to look for an illustrator but fortunately, after a year of looking, I could grab a deal of a publishing house n an illustrator in their house. I have a second novel coming up, which again took me over eight months to finalize upon a publisher. I guess until I find a literary agent, this will continue to agonize me!
What is ‘Choices’ all about? How long did it take to complete writing it?
Choices: A Novel makes us ponder IF fate makes a man, or do his desires? Do ambitions and desires actually lead a person to true happiness and fulfillment, or does providence and life changing events actually show a person the true path to follow? ‘Choices’ raises these questions, and attempts to answer them.
This Novel was a part of my Nanowrimo in the month of November 2012. So, took me a month to complete it.
Who is your favorite character in the book and why?
Fortunately, Leonardo gets an opportunity to stand on the intersection of desires versus fate. But, characters such as Mateo and Albert are my favorite who in spite of fate churning them like dead meat, could stand up and make the necessary choice.No doubt, man is the strongest when he is at rock bottom, but to be aware of it, and making a choice is what makes him admirable!
Do share a snippet/ Quote from your book.
Mateo made a decision to control his own choices, thus controlling his fate at this junction.
Is there a certain type of scene that is harder for you to write than others? Did you face such an issue while writing ‘Choices’?
My most challenging scene to write was the time when Albert was being killed. I had a terrible time to be in the scene and continued to pen them down at the same time. Usually, I shun away from the bad and the ugly, but I had no ‘choice.'
What is your method of writing? Are you a plotter or a pantser?
For me, a take home message is very essential. Thus, decide on that foremost and then develop my characters. After that, I go with the flow while writing.
Do you read your reviews? Do you respond to them, good or bad? Do you have any advice on how to deal with the bad?
So far the reviews for my plot for “Choices” are satisfactory. I thank my readers for their time to review it. However, being my first publication I did not research well for an editor thus, shows in my work.Overall still satisfied with it being my first published work.
With regards to advising…I would embrace the bad, and convert it from bad to good. After all this is a ‘choice’ we ought to make, if we want to grow as a writer.
What are the three tips you have for readers who are aspiring writers?
1) Allow your surrounding to inspire you.2) Write because you feel for something not because you have to!3) Be open to criticism and make it a stepping stone to move ahead.
Thank you Ruchira for the interesting answers. I wish you all the very best for your future endeavors.
Ruchira's Books:
Choices
Blurb:
Leonardo is a young man who is standing on a crossroad of life, facing choices. He has a few questions, questions that all of us have faced when facing choices that can change our lives. Does fate make a man, or do his desires? Do ambitions and desires actually lead a person to true happiness and fulfillment, or does providence and life changing events actually show a person the true path to follow? ‘Choices’ raises these questions, and attempts to answer them. It is a slice-of-life, a book written from the heart.
Buy Choices
The Mystery of the Missing Iguana:
Blurb: Alex and his pet chimpanzee Angelo are the young detectives of their neighborhood. When a friend's pet Iguana goes missing, Alex and Angelo immediately take on the case, and the sneaky reptilian leads them on an exciting chase. How will Alex and Angelo use their sleuthing skills to solve this mystery?
Buy The Adventures of Alex and Angelo
That is all for now, folks. Do pick up her book.
Have a great day.
Much Love,
Welcome to ‘On Writing’ Ruchira Khanna.
FOLLOW HER: AMAZON AUTHOR PAGEHow did writing begin for you? Was becoming an author always your dream or was it a particular event or incident that gave birth to the author in you?
Honestly, I never thought of penning my thoughts cause I would just say it loud enough for anyone or everyone to hear it. Thus, was quite happy in my corporate life as a Biochemist. It’s after the birth of my son I kind of sobered down with my words and realized how soothing it is to say minimum yet mean a lot. That inspired me to pen down those words, and voila! The birth of a writer took place!
How important are the names of the characters in your books to you? Do you spend agonizing hours deciding on their names?
Sometimes.Esp the ones who play a significant role in my book. I research for their meaning depending on the role they will be playing in my novel.
What is your least favorite part of the publishing/ writing process?
I agonize over the part of finding a publishing house. Choices were my first book, and I did not even bother to look for one. Went ahead and self-published it. For my Children’s book I had to look for an illustrator but fortunately, after a year of looking, I could grab a deal of a publishing house n an illustrator in their house. I have a second novel coming up, which again took me over eight months to finalize upon a publisher. I guess until I find a literary agent, this will continue to agonize me!
What is ‘Choices’ all about? How long did it take to complete writing it?
Choices: A Novel makes us ponder IF fate makes a man, or do his desires? Do ambitions and desires actually lead a person to true happiness and fulfillment, or does providence and life changing events actually show a person the true path to follow? ‘Choices’ raises these questions, and attempts to answer them.
This Novel was a part of my Nanowrimo in the month of November 2012. So, took me a month to complete it.
Who is your favorite character in the book and why?
Fortunately, Leonardo gets an opportunity to stand on the intersection of desires versus fate. But, characters such as Mateo and Albert are my favorite who in spite of fate churning them like dead meat, could stand up and make the necessary choice.No doubt, man is the strongest when he is at rock bottom, but to be aware of it, and making a choice is what makes him admirable!
Do share a snippet/ Quote from your book.
Mateo made a decision to control his own choices, thus controlling his fate at this junction.
Is there a certain type of scene that is harder for you to write than others? Did you face such an issue while writing ‘Choices’?
My most challenging scene to write was the time when Albert was being killed. I had a terrible time to be in the scene and continued to pen them down at the same time. Usually, I shun away from the bad and the ugly, but I had no ‘choice.'
What is your method of writing? Are you a plotter or a pantser?
For me, a take home message is very essential. Thus, decide on that foremost and then develop my characters. After that, I go with the flow while writing.
Do you read your reviews? Do you respond to them, good or bad? Do you have any advice on how to deal with the bad?
So far the reviews for my plot for “Choices” are satisfactory. I thank my readers for their time to review it. However, being my first publication I did not research well for an editor thus, shows in my work.Overall still satisfied with it being my first published work.
With regards to advising…I would embrace the bad, and convert it from bad to good. After all this is a ‘choice’ we ought to make, if we want to grow as a writer.
What are the three tips you have for readers who are aspiring writers?
1) Allow your surrounding to inspire you.2) Write because you feel for something not because you have to!3) Be open to criticism and make it a stepping stone to move ahead.
Thank you Ruchira for the interesting answers. I wish you all the very best for your future endeavors.
Ruchira's Books:
Choices
Blurb:
Leonardo is a young man who is standing on a crossroad of life, facing choices. He has a few questions, questions that all of us have faced when facing choices that can change our lives. Does fate make a man, or do his desires? Do ambitions and desires actually lead a person to true happiness and fulfillment, or does providence and life changing events actually show a person the true path to follow? ‘Choices’ raises these questions, and attempts to answer them. It is a slice-of-life, a book written from the heart.
Buy ChoicesThe Mystery of the Missing Iguana:
Blurb: Alex and his pet chimpanzee Angelo are the young detectives of their neighborhood. When a friend's pet Iguana goes missing, Alex and Angelo immediately take on the case, and the sneaky reptilian leads them on an exciting chase. How will Alex and Angelo use their sleuthing skills to solve this mystery?
Buy The Adventures of Alex and Angelo
That is all for now, folks. Do pick up her book.
Have a great day.
Much Love,
December 12, 2015
On Writing: Ruchi Singh
Today on 'On Writing', we have the gorgeous Ruchi Singh. Winner of TOI WriteIndia story contest, Ruchi Singh is a novelist and writes in two genres; romance and romantic thriller. She has a degree in Electronics Engineering and has worked as IT Quality Consultant. She has been a contributing author to many anthologies and has published her first book Take 2, which is a contemporary romance with a spice of social drama.
Welcome to ‘On Writing’ Ruchi Singh.
FOLLOW HER: FACEBOOK TWITTER WEBSITE
Thank you Preethi for having me on your blog. It’s an honor. I would also like to congratulate you on the stupendous success of your novel ‘Without You’.
Thank you, Ruchi. To begin our chat, how did writing begin for you? Was becoming an author always your dream or was it a particular event or incident that gave birth to the author in you?
RS: Writing was never a childhood dream or aspiration. Reading was and is still a passion, now writing has taken precedence. Writing happened by chance in 2013, like an epiphany that yes I can and should write. Since I am very fond of novels, I began with a novel. I really enjoyed the first few days of putting my thoughts on paper. After the first draft of 'Take 2', it was my choice to continue writing since I immensely enjoyed the process of creating something new. But it was only when I had won the Indireads Short Story competition, in Oct 2014, I knew I will become a fiction novelist.
How important are the names of the characters in your books to you? Do you spend agonizing hours deciding on their names?
RS: Names of the characters are very important. I feel they should appeal to me as well as the readers. I was reading a wonderful novel, but the name of the protagonist was so long that it was like a speed bump while reading. That was the time I decided to keep the names short. I spend many hours on deciding the name of all the characters, sometimes they do not appeal to me while writing, I use XXX or YYY.
What is your least favorite part of the publishing/ writing process?
RS: Talking and marketing about my book is agonizing, but a necessity.
What is ‘Take 2’ all about? How long did it take to complete writing it?
RS: here are two main themes which I wanted to highlight in 'Take 2', firstly the plight of women who were divorced or thinking of divorce, and secondly the co-existence of conservative and modern India.Take 2 is about Priya, who is a small town, intelligent girl, for whom ethics and family values hold an important place in life. The story revolves around her struggle to carve a life for herself braving the conservative society and realizing that the choice to be happy remains with her. I wrote the first draft in 3 months, but edited it for at least 5 months, wrote the first five chapters 3 or 4 times, as far as I remember.
Who is your favorite character in the book and why?
RS: Abhimanyu is my favorite. His character was conceived to compliment Priya. He is far more mature than his age. If you are in love with someone you have to nurture it by showing support, care, and affection. And that is what Abhimanyu does for Priya. I have tried to bring out that sentiment in the story along with some drama to entertain the readers.
Do share a snippet/ Quote from your book.
She didn’t give him any chance to speak and went on as if possessed. “You know, what I understand from all this? You want me to get so used to you that I become dependent on you like… like… Kitkat, unable to survive without you. Well, I have news for you, Abhimanyu Malhotra, I don’t need your money or your company. I don’t need anything or anyone.”
He stood up, with his fists clenched on either side. Priya took a step back. “Oh… now it’s all the more clearer, this is that shrew of your lawyer speaking. You have let that cynical lady fill your ears with venom due to failures in her own personal life.”
“And you know what, she is absolutely right.”
“This conversation is absurd!” Eyes ablaze he threw the box, bracelet and all, across the room. She flinched, but couldn’t tear her gaze away from the storm swirling in his eyes.
“You’ve always trusted others more than me, Priya. But enough is enough. I will not let you toss my actions and feelings back at me like this.” Though he spoke calmly, his eyes mirrored the depth of his anger. “In these months that I have known you, you have never called me once or made that first move I hoped for, but now you will have to! You want a risk free life. I have news, you don’t get anything until you take risks. You may have your way today and I am tired of waiting for crumbs of your attention and affection. Now I want either all or nothing! The choice is yours and the risk is also yours. If you decide either way, be completely sure about yourself and your feelings. There will be no going back.”
A wave of regret and sorrow moved on his face. He caught hold of her arms and jerked her against him. She gasped. Plastering her against him, he kissed her as if there was no tomorrow.
Is there a certain type of scene that is harder for you to write than others? Did you face such an issue while writing ‘Take 2’?
RS: Specialized scenes like fighting or love scenes and scenes where the characters are hurting are harder to write. Fighting ones because one needs to convey the action, love scenes have to be aesthetically appealing. Since Take 2 is a debut, I found all the above very tough to write :-)
What is your method of writing? Are you a plotter or a pantser?
RS: I am a plotter and decide on one major aspect/ characteristic of my protagonists which I need to stick to throughout the book. I just can’t proceed if the broad level framework or path is not clear to me.
Do you read your reviews? Do you respond to them, good or bad? Do you have any advice on how to deal with the bad?
RS: Yes, I do. I read all of them. The best way to approach the reviews is with a dispassionate mind and look for pointers where one can improve. Do not get swayed with a very positive one and do not get de-motivated with a bad one. It's okay, not everyone is going to like your book/work, so treat a bad review as a mismatch between the book and the reader.
What are the three tips you have for readers who are aspiring writers?
RS: Well I want to state four…1) Read lots of Good books on the genre you plan to write.2) Read ‘On Writing: A Memoir Of The Craft’ by Stephen King and follow it.3) Buy a good editing tool and use it.4) Write, and edit, edit, edit… (there are no shortcuts)
Thank you Ruchi. That was so interesting. I wish you the very best for all your future endeavors.
Book Blurb:
Priya’s idyllic world turns upside down when she realizes her husband considers her dead weight after stripping her off her inheritance for his ambitions and lavish lifestyle.
Instantly attracted to Priya, Abhimanyu knows getting involved with a married woman is inviting trouble. But despite common sense, cautions and hesitations, he is drawn to help her.
Happily ever after has become a myth for Priya and trying to keep the relationship platonic is becoming more and more difficult for Abhimanyu.
In the tussle between ethics, fears and desires... will Priya embrace a second chance at happiness?
Buy 'Take 2', here:
Amazon US Amazon India Amazon UK Flipkart Goodreads
That is all for now, folks. Do pick up her book.
Have a great day.
Much Love,
Welcome to ‘On Writing’ Ruchi Singh.
FOLLOW HER: FACEBOOK TWITTER WEBSITE
Thank you Preethi for having me on your blog. It’s an honor. I would also like to congratulate you on the stupendous success of your novel ‘Without You’.
Thank you, Ruchi. To begin our chat, how did writing begin for you? Was becoming an author always your dream or was it a particular event or incident that gave birth to the author in you?
RS: Writing was never a childhood dream or aspiration. Reading was and is still a passion, now writing has taken precedence. Writing happened by chance in 2013, like an epiphany that yes I can and should write. Since I am very fond of novels, I began with a novel. I really enjoyed the first few days of putting my thoughts on paper. After the first draft of 'Take 2', it was my choice to continue writing since I immensely enjoyed the process of creating something new. But it was only when I had won the Indireads Short Story competition, in Oct 2014, I knew I will become a fiction novelist.
How important are the names of the characters in your books to you? Do you spend agonizing hours deciding on their names?
RS: Names of the characters are very important. I feel they should appeal to me as well as the readers. I was reading a wonderful novel, but the name of the protagonist was so long that it was like a speed bump while reading. That was the time I decided to keep the names short. I spend many hours on deciding the name of all the characters, sometimes they do not appeal to me while writing, I use XXX or YYY.
What is your least favorite part of the publishing/ writing process?
RS: Talking and marketing about my book is agonizing, but a necessity.
What is ‘Take 2’ all about? How long did it take to complete writing it?
RS: here are two main themes which I wanted to highlight in 'Take 2', firstly the plight of women who were divorced or thinking of divorce, and secondly the co-existence of conservative and modern India.Take 2 is about Priya, who is a small town, intelligent girl, for whom ethics and family values hold an important place in life. The story revolves around her struggle to carve a life for herself braving the conservative society and realizing that the choice to be happy remains with her. I wrote the first draft in 3 months, but edited it for at least 5 months, wrote the first five chapters 3 or 4 times, as far as I remember.
Who is your favorite character in the book and why?
RS: Abhimanyu is my favorite. His character was conceived to compliment Priya. He is far more mature than his age. If you are in love with someone you have to nurture it by showing support, care, and affection. And that is what Abhimanyu does for Priya. I have tried to bring out that sentiment in the story along with some drama to entertain the readers.
Do share a snippet/ Quote from your book.
She didn’t give him any chance to speak and went on as if possessed. “You know, what I understand from all this? You want me to get so used to you that I become dependent on you like… like… Kitkat, unable to survive without you. Well, I have news for you, Abhimanyu Malhotra, I don’t need your money or your company. I don’t need anything or anyone.”
He stood up, with his fists clenched on either side. Priya took a step back. “Oh… now it’s all the more clearer, this is that shrew of your lawyer speaking. You have let that cynical lady fill your ears with venom due to failures in her own personal life.”
“And you know what, she is absolutely right.”
“This conversation is absurd!” Eyes ablaze he threw the box, bracelet and all, across the room. She flinched, but couldn’t tear her gaze away from the storm swirling in his eyes.
“You’ve always trusted others more than me, Priya. But enough is enough. I will not let you toss my actions and feelings back at me like this.” Though he spoke calmly, his eyes mirrored the depth of his anger. “In these months that I have known you, you have never called me once or made that first move I hoped for, but now you will have to! You want a risk free life. I have news, you don’t get anything until you take risks. You may have your way today and I am tired of waiting for crumbs of your attention and affection. Now I want either all or nothing! The choice is yours and the risk is also yours. If you decide either way, be completely sure about yourself and your feelings. There will be no going back.”
A wave of regret and sorrow moved on his face. He caught hold of her arms and jerked her against him. She gasped. Plastering her against him, he kissed her as if there was no tomorrow.
Is there a certain type of scene that is harder for you to write than others? Did you face such an issue while writing ‘Take 2’?
RS: Specialized scenes like fighting or love scenes and scenes where the characters are hurting are harder to write. Fighting ones because one needs to convey the action, love scenes have to be aesthetically appealing. Since Take 2 is a debut, I found all the above very tough to write :-)
What is your method of writing? Are you a plotter or a pantser?
RS: I am a plotter and decide on one major aspect/ characteristic of my protagonists which I need to stick to throughout the book. I just can’t proceed if the broad level framework or path is not clear to me.
Do you read your reviews? Do you respond to them, good or bad? Do you have any advice on how to deal with the bad?
RS: Yes, I do. I read all of them. The best way to approach the reviews is with a dispassionate mind and look for pointers where one can improve. Do not get swayed with a very positive one and do not get de-motivated with a bad one. It's okay, not everyone is going to like your book/work, so treat a bad review as a mismatch between the book and the reader.
What are the three tips you have for readers who are aspiring writers?
RS: Well I want to state four…1) Read lots of Good books on the genre you plan to write.2) Read ‘On Writing: A Memoir Of The Craft’ by Stephen King and follow it.3) Buy a good editing tool and use it.4) Write, and edit, edit, edit… (there are no shortcuts)
Thank you Ruchi. That was so interesting. I wish you the very best for all your future endeavors.
Book Blurb:
Priya’s idyllic world turns upside down when she realizes her husband considers her dead weight after stripping her off her inheritance for his ambitions and lavish lifestyle.
Instantly attracted to Priya, Abhimanyu knows getting involved with a married woman is inviting trouble. But despite common sense, cautions and hesitations, he is drawn to help her.
Happily ever after has become a myth for Priya and trying to keep the relationship platonic is becoming more and more difficult for Abhimanyu.
In the tussle between ethics, fears and desires... will Priya embrace a second chance at happiness?
Buy 'Take 2', here:
Amazon US Amazon India Amazon UK Flipkart GoodreadsThat is all for now, folks. Do pick up her book.
Have a great day.
Much Love,
December 9, 2015
Newbie Corner: Diptendu Chakraborty
Today on Newbie Corner we have Diptendu Sekar Chakraborty who considers Stephen King as his biggest inspiration, yet debuted with a romance novel!
Welcome to Newbie Corner Diptendu!
Tell us a little about yourself. How did you begin writing?
Well to begin with, I am the only child of my parents. My Dad is serving in the Armed forces and my mother is a homemaker. I have traveled practically throughout my life through the various nooks and corner of India since I belonged to an Army background.Writing as a habit was inculcated during my childhood. As a kid, I was an introvert and didn’t use to speak much. However, I used to maintain a dairy in which I always penned down my thoughts every single day as it happened. So writing as a habit began right from that point of my life.
What is your favorite genre in writing?
Although I have started my writing career with a romantic comedy genre (3 @ a time), but being a Stephen King fan for ages I love reading and writing mystery and thriller genre. In fact, currently I am working with thriller script to be made into a Marathi movie soon.
Who inspires you most and to whom would you dedicate your creative growth?
Stephen King was the only writer who right from my childhood inspired me to take up writing as a profession. I would like to dedicate my creative growth to Mr. Stephen King and his books because of which I was able to transform my thoughts.
What kind of a writer are you? Do you plot the entire novel/story or make it up as you write?
I usually frame up the entire story, the plot and divide it into sections post which I start developing it into chapters and proceed on the novel.
Do you have a favorite place to write or a scheduled time to write every day?
I usually prefer framing the storyline and the plot whenever I am alone and prefer a calm place like being at a beach. A calm place really helps in transformation of my thoughts into black and white.As far as time is concerned, I prefer late nights to write my stories.
Who are your favorite authors and what is the genre that you like reading most?
Stephen King is my all-time favorite author. Amongst the current authors, I loved reading Nicholas Sparks. I love reading romantic comedies and thrillers.
Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
In the next 10 years, I wish to see myself in the shoes of such an author who resides in the heart of the readers and not in their minds because if one is in the mind it can eradicate easily but if your destination is in the heart of someone, you would be placed there forever.
Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? What is it?
Well if given a choice to choose a topic that I would never like to write about as an author, it would be the “Political difference between India and Pakistan” because it’s a never ending topic of discussion and I believe being a citizen of India, if I am not able to help in the cause to solve it practically I don’t deserve the right to sit in a room and comment about the same.
How much important do you think marketing is for the success of a book?
Most of the authors believe that marketing for a book is extremely necessary. However, I believe that if your book has the required quality and essence, it will be automatically be sold in the market and no marketing and promotions are required for the same.
What is the message that you want to convey to the readers through your writing?
Through my books the only message I would like to convey is the entire world is full of so many issues which include political and personal issues. If I am able to bring a smile on people’s faces through my writings, my aim would be fulfilled.
Thank You Diptendu!
About his book:
Falling in love is one of the most exquisite feelings that one can experience in their lifespan. But what if while searching for your true soul mate, you end up having that "exquisite feeling" for three people at the same time.
3 @ a time is the story of Deepankar and his tryst with trust, love, relationship, betrayal and humiliation with 3 girls at the same time along with maintaining his reputation as the wonder boy of his college.
Deepankar- Strong, laborious; with a never-say-die attitude while searching for true love ends up in a relation with three girls from his college...Notorious yet dedicated for his deeds at college, Deepankar seeks love from his dream girl who turns out to be Homosexual!
And then destiny plays its game...And the reason - GIRLFRIENDS...But one should never back down and nor did Deepankar; Pooja stood by him in full support.And In the End...It does matter...Will the search for his soul mate be completed after his rendezvous with all the 3 girls?Will Deepankar restore his faith in others or will life throw curve balls at him?Will he be able to maintain his reputation or will be hailed as a onetime wonder?
Goodreads: http://tinyurl.com/pbzmln9
Buy Links: http://tinyurl.com/nbsvu7s (Flipkart)
http://tinyurl.com/p7e5fl7 (Amazon)
http://tinyurl.com/q7djqzh (Infibeam)
Reviews for “3 @ a Time”
A book for all the engineer and management students. Flirting, Love and Campus Life, narrated by the Author. The concept was not fresh but still one can read it, if they are interested in Campus Life.~ Himani Gupta @ Review Station
I just loved the attitude of Deep towards life. Characters were described well.~ Komal Priyani – Amazon.in Top 100 Reviewer
“3 @ a time” is ranked 3rd amongst the top 50 and top 100 bestsellers in a recent survey by an online magazine.Click the link below for the rankings.http://salisonline.in/Blog.aspx?BLOG_ID=320
That is all for now, folks. Do pick up his book.
Have a great day.
Much Love,
Welcome to Newbie Corner Diptendu!
Tell us a little about yourself. How did you begin writing?
Well to begin with, I am the only child of my parents. My Dad is serving in the Armed forces and my mother is a homemaker. I have traveled practically throughout my life through the various nooks and corner of India since I belonged to an Army background.Writing as a habit was inculcated during my childhood. As a kid, I was an introvert and didn’t use to speak much. However, I used to maintain a dairy in which I always penned down my thoughts every single day as it happened. So writing as a habit began right from that point of my life.
What is your favorite genre in writing?
Although I have started my writing career with a romantic comedy genre (3 @ a time), but being a Stephen King fan for ages I love reading and writing mystery and thriller genre. In fact, currently I am working with thriller script to be made into a Marathi movie soon.
Who inspires you most and to whom would you dedicate your creative growth?
Stephen King was the only writer who right from my childhood inspired me to take up writing as a profession. I would like to dedicate my creative growth to Mr. Stephen King and his books because of which I was able to transform my thoughts.
What kind of a writer are you? Do you plot the entire novel/story or make it up as you write?
I usually frame up the entire story, the plot and divide it into sections post which I start developing it into chapters and proceed on the novel.
Do you have a favorite place to write or a scheduled time to write every day?
I usually prefer framing the storyline and the plot whenever I am alone and prefer a calm place like being at a beach. A calm place really helps in transformation of my thoughts into black and white.As far as time is concerned, I prefer late nights to write my stories.
Who are your favorite authors and what is the genre that you like reading most?
Stephen King is my all-time favorite author. Amongst the current authors, I loved reading Nicholas Sparks. I love reading romantic comedies and thrillers.
Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
In the next 10 years, I wish to see myself in the shoes of such an author who resides in the heart of the readers and not in their minds because if one is in the mind it can eradicate easily but if your destination is in the heart of someone, you would be placed there forever.
Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? What is it?
Well if given a choice to choose a topic that I would never like to write about as an author, it would be the “Political difference between India and Pakistan” because it’s a never ending topic of discussion and I believe being a citizen of India, if I am not able to help in the cause to solve it practically I don’t deserve the right to sit in a room and comment about the same.
How much important do you think marketing is for the success of a book?
Most of the authors believe that marketing for a book is extremely necessary. However, I believe that if your book has the required quality and essence, it will be automatically be sold in the market and no marketing and promotions are required for the same.
What is the message that you want to convey to the readers through your writing?
Through my books the only message I would like to convey is the entire world is full of so many issues which include political and personal issues. If I am able to bring a smile on people’s faces through my writings, my aim would be fulfilled.
Thank You Diptendu!
About his book:
Falling in love is one of the most exquisite feelings that one can experience in their lifespan. But what if while searching for your true soul mate, you end up having that "exquisite feeling" for three people at the same time.
3 @ a time is the story of Deepankar and his tryst with trust, love, relationship, betrayal and humiliation with 3 girls at the same time along with maintaining his reputation as the wonder boy of his college.
Deepankar- Strong, laborious; with a never-say-die attitude while searching for true love ends up in a relation with three girls from his college...Notorious yet dedicated for his deeds at college, Deepankar seeks love from his dream girl who turns out to be Homosexual!
And then destiny plays its game...And the reason - GIRLFRIENDS...But one should never back down and nor did Deepankar; Pooja stood by him in full support.And In the End...It does matter...Will the search for his soul mate be completed after his rendezvous with all the 3 girls?Will Deepankar restore his faith in others or will life throw curve balls at him?Will he be able to maintain his reputation or will be hailed as a onetime wonder?
Goodreads: http://tinyurl.com/pbzmln9
Buy Links: http://tinyurl.com/nbsvu7s (Flipkart)
http://tinyurl.com/p7e5fl7 (Amazon)
http://tinyurl.com/q7djqzh (Infibeam)
Reviews for “3 @ a Time”A book for all the engineer and management students. Flirting, Love and Campus Life, narrated by the Author. The concept was not fresh but still one can read it, if they are interested in Campus Life.~ Himani Gupta @ Review Station
I just loved the attitude of Deep towards life. Characters were described well.~ Komal Priyani – Amazon.in Top 100 Reviewer
“3 @ a time” is ranked 3rd amongst the top 50 and top 100 bestsellers in a recent survey by an online magazine.Click the link below for the rankings.http://salisonline.in/Blog.aspx?BLOG_ID=320
That is all for now, folks. Do pick up his book.
Have a great day.
Much Love,
November 29, 2015
Stormling: John Hennessy
Buy it HERE
About the Author:
John Hennessy is a British author of paranormal fantasy horror for YA, psychological horror and murder mysteries, plus his own unique take on vampire lore. He has also written ghost stories and delved into high epic fantasy with a hint of romance. A kung fu addict; he teaches martial arts full-time but writes at all other times, working on four series:- Dark Winter, Haunted Minds, Stormling and A Tale of Vampires.
Get his books here:
Blurb:
In an age when Stormlings have only known peacetime, one man's desperate action threatens not only the stability of the mystical world of Mordana, but Earth as well.
Teenager Ophelia Drewe discovers a jewel that has been lost from its homeworld, and whilst she thinks she can keep it, demonic forces believe otherwise.
She’s not alone, but who can she trust? The head Stormling, Anadyr, hasn’t been to the Earth in 500 years, but go there he must – if the jewel is not returned, it will destroy both Ophelia’s world and his own…
* * *
A Lost Jewel. A World in Chaos. An Epic Fantasy Adventure like no other.
When a jewel is lost from the mystical realm of Mordana, and found on Earth, so begins a race against time to ensure the safe return of the jewel to its rightful place.
With news that the jewel has now been located, two warring factions fight for the control of Mordana. Anadyr, the strongest and bravest of the Stormlings, is sent on a quest to retrieve the jewel, as the survival of his race depends on it, but he finds there are some on Earth that are out to stop him as well.
On Earth, teenager Ophelia Drewe discovers the jewel. Anadyr needs to win her trust, but the task is made more difficult as Ophelia finds herself in conflict with dark mages, sorceresses, elves, demons, giant-folk, and more.
However....Evil stirs East of Mordana, with the minions of Andus Rey also working together to release The Fourth – the entity who was a good Stormling at one time, but has since turned to darkness.
Even if Anadyr helps to restore order to Mordana, his quest will not be truly complete until he announces his successor from a group of trusted, but untested Stormlings.
The evil in Mordana knows this too, and is just waiting for the right moment to strike, to set in motion a new and terrifying age of darkness...
My review:
Stormling is book one of the series, the Mordana Chronicles. From the page one, the author takes you to the magical land of Mordana, a realm of magic. The land where there is peace during the rule of Stormlord Anadyr, an immortal who has been at the helm of power from the time he was eighteen years old. Now he is over three thousand years old and is facing troubled times. The threat from AnnanGhorst is looming near. The powerful Aynara, the half-breed who protects Mordana has lost a jewel from her magical necklace which if ended up in the wrong hands will spell doom to Mordana.
The author introduces the main characters one by one and through these character introductions we are given a tour of the mystical land of Mordana, the enemies that have been threatening the peace of their land and also the stromlings who are immortals. The real world, our earth, comes into picture when Ophelia a teenager living on earth is introduced. Ophelia, a carefree teenager finds the lost jewel and now has the responsibility of returning the jewel to Aynara. Her committed group friends: Melody, Siobhan and Michael, is by her side in this mission. But their biggest enemy Mindy, their schoolmate, turns up on the wrong side and hinders their mission.
Will Ophelia succeed in the mission?
Will Anadyr win over the dark beings that threaten his land?
Will Aynara, who is half stormling and half Andurii, help Anadyr when darkness threatens to annihilate earth and Mordana?
I won’t tell you that. You have to read the book to know. The book is a tome, with 495 pages of absolute fantasy. I admire the skill of the author for keeping the pace of the narration uniform and interesting in such a long book. The many side stories during the character introductions are interesting as well. Then there is the romance between the beautiful sorceress Corianna and Anadyr.
The whole book is like watching a fantasy movie where magical creatures like elves, stormlings, Andurii, witches, sorcerers and Shadow wraiths runs the show. This book I hear is the lone book written by John Hennessy which doesn’t have horror/ violence that would give you nightmares, the reason why I picked the book. Yes, it is not dark. It comes in the category of fantasy like the harry potter series, the hobbit and the lord of rings. It is definitely a book which can be made into a movie. Hope one day I will get to watch the Stormling as a movie!
The Cover of the book is very beautiful. So is the book.
Highly recommended if you like reading fantasy that borders with horror.
That is all for now.Until next post,
Much love,
November 26, 2015
Grab my best-selling book from Kindle for free
Grab my Amazon best-selling romance novel 'Without You' for free from kindle today.Do spread the word folks!
Get the book here:
Amazon India: http://amzn.to/1VTvsQ3It will be free till tomorrow 2 PM (IST)
Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B015TJJOJE
Synopsis: When Ananya, a bubbly twenty-year-old engineering student, reaches her Grandmother's house in Sreepuram on a month long vacation, romance is the last thing on her mind. However, she meets Dr. Arjun there and falls head over heels in love.
As it often happens, the path of true love never runs smooth. Circumstances force them apart even though they were madly in love. She becomes a victim of depression. When everything fails to return her to normalcy, help arrives from an unexpected source. Will she ever find happiness again? Will time allow her heart to heal and forget Arjun? What indeed is true love? What is that strange secret that locks all the circumstances together?
Travel with Ananya to the picturesque Sreepuram, face the chaos of Bengaluru, and relish the warmth of magical Dubai in this heartwarming tale of love, betrayal, friendship, and miracles.
Meet the main Characters in order of appearance:
Ananya: A bubbly twenty-year-old engineering student— the narrator of the story.
Ammamma: Ananya’s Grandma, Arundhati Mukundan, an author by profession, who loves playing Cupid.
Dr. Arjun: The dashing doctor who is the heir to a multi Billion super market chain ‘Shine’.
Colonel R.S Nair: A helpful neighbor whose charming talks always influences Ananya.
Dr. Vishal: Ananya’s cousin and Arjun’s best friend.
Shakuntala Devi: Arjun’s mom, the current head of the ‘Shine’ empire.
Shankar & Sukanya: Ananya’s parents.
Khushi and Poornima: Ananya’s best friends in college.
Kishore: Ananya’s cousin who lives in the United Arab Emirates.
Shreya and Aditya: Kishore’s wife and son.
Lily: The cute Filipina girl who is Ananya’s colleague and best friend.
Tom: The handsome and funny colleague who is the heartthrob in the firm Ananya works.
Sophia: Ananya’s flat mate and friend who is an expert on Zodiac signs.
November 23, 2015
Newbie Corner: Ashutosh Bhandari
Today on Newbie Corner we have blogger and author Ashutosh Bhandari, whose first book talks about aliens!
Welcome to Newbie Corner Ashutosh!
Follow him on Blogger Facebook Twitter
Tell us a little about yourself. How did you begin writing?
I'm a Chennai-based guy with a round routine of College - Home, 5 days a week. Whatever my résumé says I'm not 'active' or 'focused person' but I eat and sleep every chance I get.
Writing began as an activity out of interest after my schooling seeing that I had a certain pull towards literature. And after getting a few good feedbacks I decided to do it on a regular basis.
What is your favorite genre in writing?
Fairies, Gnomes, Elves in childhood and Wizards, Aliens, Centaurs and Orcs in my schooling days made it evident that Fantasy and Science Fiction was my thing. Non-humans, speaking strange languages and living in weird places was something that made fantasy a lot more interesting and real than reality.
Who inspires you most and to whom would you dedicate your creative growth?
Those people I read and hear about every week on social media, the people who write great books at the same age I try to come out of my '5 pointer' status in my college are the people who prevent me from procrastinating. They are my inspiration!
In the initial steps I would dedicate my creative growth to every person who gave honest feedbacks, criticism and suggestions about my writing. But for the big leap I would thank my friends from my team 'By Lines' for their immense support and help in my way to become an author.
What kind of a writer are you? Do you plot the entire novel/story or make it up as you write.
Not sure, 'Unpredictable' might be the word because I remember surprising myself at times.
The only published story, "The Awakening" was a pre-planned one, but for my next project I have only made up the opening and will be going with the flow. I might end up surprising myself again.
Do you have a favorite place to write or a scheduled time to write every day?
Unlike many people who can write anytime and anywhere, I have a restricted bubble. Midnight is the most suitable time and in the confinement of my bedroom is were thoughts come to me.
Who are your favorite authors and what is the genre that you like reading most?
It is extremely hard to name just one. J.K.Rowling, Dan Brown, J.R.R.Tolkien, Amish Tripathi, Agatha Christie, Mark Twain, Suzzane Collins the list is very very long!
And likewise there is no single genre I can mention. Fantasy, Sci-Fi, crime, thrillers, murder mysteries, mythology are a few genres I would never say no to.
Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
Having a job I'm actually comfortable with, striking the last book title in my 'To Read' list, finally deciding who my favorite super hero is and planning the release of my next big thriller! (Yea, I might've written a couple already)
Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? What is it?
Of the selected few I've read there were only a couple of 'Romance' novels I would actually rate 5/5. If there is a subject I would never write about is 'Love'. There is not much flexibility and it lacks the suspense and gore which generally I look forward into as a reader. And yes, I also don't get those cheesy lines.
How much important do you think marketing is for the success of a book?
Unless you are Mr.Tolkien Jr. Or Rowling Jr., marketing is very much needed for a book if it’s your first. It helps in the basic step every writer dreams of, announcing your arrival at the crease! It is essential if you're looking for commercial success or even if you want your book to be read, loved and recognized.
What is the message that you want to convey to the readers through your writing?
In the first book, "Six Degrees" the clear message given out by the team in our story, "The Awakening" is, "No matter how grey, evil, and cruel you are, you will be easily be defeated by peace, bravery and will.
Wonderful Ashutosh, it was fun knowing more about you!
Thank you, Preethi!
So folks, pick up his book. I personally can vouch that it is 'unputdownable' from the very first page as I am also a part of it.
Buy it from here:
Amazon.inThat is all folks....
Until next post,
Much love,
Welcome to Newbie Corner Ashutosh!
Follow him on Blogger Facebook Twitter
Tell us a little about yourself. How did you begin writing?
I'm a Chennai-based guy with a round routine of College - Home, 5 days a week. Whatever my résumé says I'm not 'active' or 'focused person' but I eat and sleep every chance I get.
Writing began as an activity out of interest after my schooling seeing that I had a certain pull towards literature. And after getting a few good feedbacks I decided to do it on a regular basis.
What is your favorite genre in writing?
Fairies, Gnomes, Elves in childhood and Wizards, Aliens, Centaurs and Orcs in my schooling days made it evident that Fantasy and Science Fiction was my thing. Non-humans, speaking strange languages and living in weird places was something that made fantasy a lot more interesting and real than reality.
Who inspires you most and to whom would you dedicate your creative growth?
Those people I read and hear about every week on social media, the people who write great books at the same age I try to come out of my '5 pointer' status in my college are the people who prevent me from procrastinating. They are my inspiration!
In the initial steps I would dedicate my creative growth to every person who gave honest feedbacks, criticism and suggestions about my writing. But for the big leap I would thank my friends from my team 'By Lines' for their immense support and help in my way to become an author.
What kind of a writer are you? Do you plot the entire novel/story or make it up as you write.
Not sure, 'Unpredictable' might be the word because I remember surprising myself at times.
The only published story, "The Awakening" was a pre-planned one, but for my next project I have only made up the opening and will be going with the flow. I might end up surprising myself again.
Do you have a favorite place to write or a scheduled time to write every day?
Unlike many people who can write anytime and anywhere, I have a restricted bubble. Midnight is the most suitable time and in the confinement of my bedroom is were thoughts come to me.
Who are your favorite authors and what is the genre that you like reading most?
It is extremely hard to name just one. J.K.Rowling, Dan Brown, J.R.R.Tolkien, Amish Tripathi, Agatha Christie, Mark Twain, Suzzane Collins the list is very very long!
And likewise there is no single genre I can mention. Fantasy, Sci-Fi, crime, thrillers, murder mysteries, mythology are a few genres I would never say no to.
Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
Having a job I'm actually comfortable with, striking the last book title in my 'To Read' list, finally deciding who my favorite super hero is and planning the release of my next big thriller! (Yea, I might've written a couple already)
Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? What is it?
Of the selected few I've read there were only a couple of 'Romance' novels I would actually rate 5/5. If there is a subject I would never write about is 'Love'. There is not much flexibility and it lacks the suspense and gore which generally I look forward into as a reader. And yes, I also don't get those cheesy lines.
How much important do you think marketing is for the success of a book?
Unless you are Mr.Tolkien Jr. Or Rowling Jr., marketing is very much needed for a book if it’s your first. It helps in the basic step every writer dreams of, announcing your arrival at the crease! It is essential if you're looking for commercial success or even if you want your book to be read, loved and recognized.
What is the message that you want to convey to the readers through your writing?
In the first book, "Six Degrees" the clear message given out by the team in our story, "The Awakening" is, "No matter how grey, evil, and cruel you are, you will be easily be defeated by peace, bravery and will.
Wonderful Ashutosh, it was fun knowing more about you!
Thank you, Preethi!
So folks, pick up his book. I personally can vouch that it is 'unputdownable' from the very first page as I am also a part of it.
Buy it from here:
Amazon.inThat is all folks....Until next post,
Much love,
November 21, 2015
On Writing: Sid Balachandran
Today on 'On Writing', we have the award-winning blogger and writer, Sid Balachandran, who is also daddy dearest to a three-year-old.
Academically an engineer, Sid recently swapped his decade-long professional career to be a work-from-home Dad. When not running after his three-year-old son, he writes about fatherhood, parenting in general, social satire, humour and fiction. He is also working on his first full-length novel, which he hopes will see the light of day this year if he gets his son’s blessings to finish writing. You can find him often brewing his thoughts at iwrotethose.com.
Welcome to ‘On Writing’ Sid.
FOLLOW HIM: BLOG
FACEBOOK TWITTER GOOGLE PLUS GOODREADS Your blog ‘I wrote those’ was awarded the best personal blog for 2015 in the WIN BlogAdda blogging awards. Tell us how your journey as a writer began.
I’d never actually considered writing as a full-time career. Back when I was in school, I would write these tiny little stories and scribble fan-fiction version of books that I used to read – like Famous Five series or Hardy Boys type ones – but nothing mainstream. In fact, I’ve never even thought about getting published. And then as I got caught up in studies, degrees and career, writing took a back seat and I almost forgot about it; until 2013, when I started my blog and started to write again.
It originally started as a couple of blog posts – some to do with fatherhood and parenting along with some tiny humor pieces and short stories. Fortunately for me, they all took off. One thing led to another and here I am. And if I’m honest, now I don’t think I can go back to any other career apart from writing.
Your ‘Daddy Journals’ are a pleasure to read. Have you thought about compiling them in the form of a book?
Thank you for that compliment. I suppose the USP for Daddy Journals is the fact that there aren’t many fathers who have the luxury of spending as much time as I get to, with their kids. As for compiling them into a book, I am currently working on a non-fiction book along the lines of Daddy Journals; It’ll be a few humorous anecdotes and instances from the life of a SAHD.
Do you plot your stories or write it the way the story takes you?
It’s a little bit of both actually. I reckon there are both plotters and pantsers in all of us. I normally have a rough idea about the story and what I want to achieve with it when I start to write. Often, I end up with two or three different endings, and depending on the theme I want to stick to or the emotions/feelings I want to evoke in the reader, I choose an ending that suits. I prefer to be fluid with my stories and adapt as I write.
Which one is your most popular blog post till date and what do you think makes it so loved by the readers?
I predominantly write under three categories – humour, parenting, and fiction. There are a few from each category that has sort of hit the mark with my readers.For example in humour and satire, my trust with low waist jeans was quite popular: http://www.iwrotethose.com/2014/03/21/fashionista-i-think-not/
My parenting article about ‘co-sleeping with kids’ was also widely shared. http://www.huffingtonpost.in/sidharth-balachandran/sleeping-with-the-enemy_2_b_7262674.html In fiction, one of my most popular stories has been this: http://www.iwrotethose.com/2015/07/22/the-house-on-the-sea/
You have contributed to the anthology by Indireads after being a winner in a short story contest and have also won the Tatalitlive flash fiction contest. You have won many blogging contests as well.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have won a few blogging and writing competitions. While it is always great to have that recognition, I’ve come to realise that winning these aren’t necessarily about just writing good stories or posts. Yes, it’s important and we’d all like to have a few wins under our writing belts, so to speak. But as I read more entries for these contests, I’m starting to realise how much our bloggers and writers overlook the fact about how a post or story connects with the reader. Your post or story should be something that the readers can relate to and if it’s fiction, your readers should be able to visualize it too. And that’s true victory as a writer.
Parenting is the toughest job in the world. As a stay-at-home-dad, how do you find time to churn out stories and blog as well?
It’s all about being organised and knowing when to switch off and then switch back on. I understand that it’s not always possible, but if you can make a schedule and stick to it as much as you can, then it definitely helps. Of course, life and little kids get in the way, but as long as you can stick to your plan as much as possible, it’ll help. Again, everyone is different. Like, as much as it pains me to say it, things like NaNoWrimo don’t work for me – I’m more a writer 10k words in a day and then may not write anything else for 3 days kind of person.
Among the stories that you have written, is there any one particular story that is close to your heart?
Since my blog started in October 2013, I’ve written over 130 short stories there. While they’re all special to me, perhaps the closest one to my heart is a novella that I’d written called ‘Harry’s Hut’. It’s no longer on the blog, as I’ve decided to rework it and release it as an eBook, but it will always be my first ‘baby’ when it comes to my stories.
Amongst the ones that are on the blog presently, one of my favorite ones remains: http://www.iwrotethose.com/2014/05/29/at-the-stroke-of-midnight/
I have read two of your novellas and quite liked them. What else is in the offing for your readers?
Thank you, Preethi. It’s always a good feeling to hear that readers and other writers enjoy pieces that we write. I’m working on a few things at the moment – a couple of novellas which I’ll be releasing as eBooks. There’s always a full-fledged fiction book too and the ‘Daddy Journals’ books that I mentioned earlier. Also, I love writing short stories – so I’m also working on a collection of stories written for a set of different themes.
If you could choose any place on earth to be born as a famous person, which person and place would you choose? You can choose any time period in history.
Can I not just be reborn as me? I love my life :)
Jokes aside, I’m not sure. I guess, I’d love to be reborn as someone like Ruskin Bond, who remains one of my favorite authors. Or maybe even as Wodehouse, because I love reading witty stories. If not a writer, I guess, with my penchant for technology, I’d probably be ok to being reborn as someone like Steve Jobs.
What are the three tips you have for readers of this interview who are aspiring writers?
· Don’t think of writing like a job. Think of it as an art and you as an artist. What you write is essentially part of your identity, and like any artist worth his or her salt, you should be ready to put in your sweat, blood and time into it.· Be open to feedback and criticism. There are no perfect writers. Every writer, bestseller or aspiring, can always improve. Because when you refuse to accept feedback or criticism, you’re barricading yourself in and refusing to grow. And that’s never a good thing for a writer.· Find a niche. Not every writer can write effortlessly about every topic or theme. Especially when it comes to something like fiction, find your niche – if you’re good in writing romance and the feedback from honest critics has been positive, then stick to it. Forget whether it sells or not. You’d best be known for one thing than just disappear as a jack/jill-of-all-trades-kind of writer. Also, always pay attention to what you write. While you may be writing for yourself, you are also writing for the audience who want to read you. So you need to find a fine balance between giving the readers what they want, yet delivering it in your own style.
Thank you, Sid. Wishing you all success in all your future endeavors.
Thank you!
That is all folks....
Until next post,
Much love,
Academically an engineer, Sid recently swapped his decade-long professional career to be a work-from-home Dad. When not running after his three-year-old son, he writes about fatherhood, parenting in general, social satire, humour and fiction. He is also working on his first full-length novel, which he hopes will see the light of day this year if he gets his son’s blessings to finish writing. You can find him often brewing his thoughts at iwrotethose.com.
Welcome to ‘On Writing’ Sid.
FOLLOW HIM: BLOG
FACEBOOK TWITTER GOOGLE PLUS GOODREADS Your blog ‘I wrote those’ was awarded the best personal blog for 2015 in the WIN BlogAdda blogging awards. Tell us how your journey as a writer began.
I’d never actually considered writing as a full-time career. Back when I was in school, I would write these tiny little stories and scribble fan-fiction version of books that I used to read – like Famous Five series or Hardy Boys type ones – but nothing mainstream. In fact, I’ve never even thought about getting published. And then as I got caught up in studies, degrees and career, writing took a back seat and I almost forgot about it; until 2013, when I started my blog and started to write again.
It originally started as a couple of blog posts – some to do with fatherhood and parenting along with some tiny humor pieces and short stories. Fortunately for me, they all took off. One thing led to another and here I am. And if I’m honest, now I don’t think I can go back to any other career apart from writing.
Your ‘Daddy Journals’ are a pleasure to read. Have you thought about compiling them in the form of a book?
Thank you for that compliment. I suppose the USP for Daddy Journals is the fact that there aren’t many fathers who have the luxury of spending as much time as I get to, with their kids. As for compiling them into a book, I am currently working on a non-fiction book along the lines of Daddy Journals; It’ll be a few humorous anecdotes and instances from the life of a SAHD.
Do you plot your stories or write it the way the story takes you?
It’s a little bit of both actually. I reckon there are both plotters and pantsers in all of us. I normally have a rough idea about the story and what I want to achieve with it when I start to write. Often, I end up with two or three different endings, and depending on the theme I want to stick to or the emotions/feelings I want to evoke in the reader, I choose an ending that suits. I prefer to be fluid with my stories and adapt as I write.
Which one is your most popular blog post till date and what do you think makes it so loved by the readers?
I predominantly write under three categories – humour, parenting, and fiction. There are a few from each category that has sort of hit the mark with my readers.For example in humour and satire, my trust with low waist jeans was quite popular: http://www.iwrotethose.com/2014/03/21/fashionista-i-think-not/
My parenting article about ‘co-sleeping with kids’ was also widely shared. http://www.huffingtonpost.in/sidharth-balachandran/sleeping-with-the-enemy_2_b_7262674.html In fiction, one of my most popular stories has been this: http://www.iwrotethose.com/2015/07/22/the-house-on-the-sea/
You have contributed to the anthology by Indireads after being a winner in a short story contest and have also won the Tatalitlive flash fiction contest. You have won many blogging contests as well.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have won a few blogging and writing competitions. While it is always great to have that recognition, I’ve come to realise that winning these aren’t necessarily about just writing good stories or posts. Yes, it’s important and we’d all like to have a few wins under our writing belts, so to speak. But as I read more entries for these contests, I’m starting to realise how much our bloggers and writers overlook the fact about how a post or story connects with the reader. Your post or story should be something that the readers can relate to and if it’s fiction, your readers should be able to visualize it too. And that’s true victory as a writer.
Parenting is the toughest job in the world. As a stay-at-home-dad, how do you find time to churn out stories and blog as well?
It’s all about being organised and knowing when to switch off and then switch back on. I understand that it’s not always possible, but if you can make a schedule and stick to it as much as you can, then it definitely helps. Of course, life and little kids get in the way, but as long as you can stick to your plan as much as possible, it’ll help. Again, everyone is different. Like, as much as it pains me to say it, things like NaNoWrimo don’t work for me – I’m more a writer 10k words in a day and then may not write anything else for 3 days kind of person.
Among the stories that you have written, is there any one particular story that is close to your heart?
Since my blog started in October 2013, I’ve written over 130 short stories there. While they’re all special to me, perhaps the closest one to my heart is a novella that I’d written called ‘Harry’s Hut’. It’s no longer on the blog, as I’ve decided to rework it and release it as an eBook, but it will always be my first ‘baby’ when it comes to my stories.
Amongst the ones that are on the blog presently, one of my favorite ones remains: http://www.iwrotethose.com/2014/05/29/at-the-stroke-of-midnight/
I have read two of your novellas and quite liked them. What else is in the offing for your readers?
Thank you, Preethi. It’s always a good feeling to hear that readers and other writers enjoy pieces that we write. I’m working on a few things at the moment – a couple of novellas which I’ll be releasing as eBooks. There’s always a full-fledged fiction book too and the ‘Daddy Journals’ books that I mentioned earlier. Also, I love writing short stories – so I’m also working on a collection of stories written for a set of different themes.
If you could choose any place on earth to be born as a famous person, which person and place would you choose? You can choose any time period in history.
Can I not just be reborn as me? I love my life :)
Jokes aside, I’m not sure. I guess, I’d love to be reborn as someone like Ruskin Bond, who remains one of my favorite authors. Or maybe even as Wodehouse, because I love reading witty stories. If not a writer, I guess, with my penchant for technology, I’d probably be ok to being reborn as someone like Steve Jobs.
What are the three tips you have for readers of this interview who are aspiring writers?
· Don’t think of writing like a job. Think of it as an art and you as an artist. What you write is essentially part of your identity, and like any artist worth his or her salt, you should be ready to put in your sweat, blood and time into it.· Be open to feedback and criticism. There are no perfect writers. Every writer, bestseller or aspiring, can always improve. Because when you refuse to accept feedback or criticism, you’re barricading yourself in and refusing to grow. And that’s never a good thing for a writer.· Find a niche. Not every writer can write effortlessly about every topic or theme. Especially when it comes to something like fiction, find your niche – if you’re good in writing romance and the feedback from honest critics has been positive, then stick to it. Forget whether it sells or not. You’d best be known for one thing than just disappear as a jack/jill-of-all-trades-kind of writer. Also, always pay attention to what you write. While you may be writing for yourself, you are also writing for the audience who want to read you. So you need to find a fine balance between giving the readers what they want, yet delivering it in your own style.
Thank you, Sid. Wishing you all success in all your future endeavors.
Thank you!
That is all folks....
Until next post,
Much love,
November 20, 2015
Newbie Corner: J Alchem
Today on Newbie Corner, we have J Alchem, the very successful, prize-winning and talented story teller.
Welcome to Newbie Corner, J Alchem!
FOLLOW HIM: STORYMIRROR FACEBOOK
Tell us a little about yourself. How did you begin writing?
I am a storyteller; it is the only most important thing that defines me.In terms of qualifications, I have done MBA in Finance and International Business. Since the beginning, I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I do not know how, but the writing bug bit me 5 years ago and left me bleeding on paper.I have written in several magazines and newspapers and received the appreciation for the same. I am a winner of Story Mirror Season-1 and Superhero storyteller Award. I have co-authored more than 4 books including Love bytes, the second life, Catalogue – A menu of memories, and mighty thoughts. My next solo book, “A road not traveled’ is gonna hit the market before the end of this year.
What is your favorite genre in writing?
I mostly prefer to write motivational stories. Although, I am not restricted to any specific genre. I have written on love, humor, suspense, thrill, and on social issues as well. I do believe in writing something out of the box.
Who inspires you most and to whom would you dedicate your creative growth?
Anything that makes me emotional inspires me to write. Be it a movie, or a struggle story of someone. The best thing is that I get inspired easily. When I see an old man carrying something heavy on his head over the busy street, I get inspired. When I see a beggar asking alms and then offering the same to another beggar who is not capable to even ask, I get inspired. I would dedicate my creative growth to these same people.
What kind of a writer are you? Do you plot the entire novel/story or make it up as you write?
I do not plot my novel in a single go. I just start with an idea. When I proceed to pen down that idea, ink flows on its own and an entirely different picture comes in existence, a picture that I did not imagine at first when I set down to write. All of my stories are end-products of such flows.
Do you have a favorite place to write or a scheduled time to write every day?I do not have any favorite place or schedule time to write. However, I mostly prefer writing when all people are asleep. I need complete silence so I can imagine and meet my characters and become a part of their fictional life before portraying them in my books. Though, it is not necessary that I need a secluded place to find silence, I can feel lonely even in a crowd. That’s the most amazing gift I got from God after creativity.
Who are your favorite authors and what is the genre that you like reading most?It is really hard to name few favorite authors because there are so many. Still, I love to read Paulo Coelho, Nicholas sparks, Khaleed Hosseini, Oscar Wilde, and Emily Bronte. I read their work. I re-read their work. I re-re-read their work.
Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?That’s the most amazing, but a typical question. It is amazing because it gives me goose bumps when I think about future and typical because I do not know how to answer it.I do leave it on my readers, wherever they want me to be, I will be. I can only promise to give the best of mine to them.
Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? What is it?
There is no such subject. As an author, I would love to explore each and every subject and genre. But yeah, I am little weak in history, so in case, I do sit to write a book based on historical facts, then I will be needing lots of research for sure.
How much important do you think marketing is for the success of a book?
Hell, important. Marketing is what makes a book reach to maximum readers. If good marketing is there, a book is sure to succeed no matter what content that book holds. I see many average books being bestsellers just because of marketing and many beautiful books not doing so well just because of lack of marketing.
What is the message that you want to convey to the readers through your writing?Stop chasing people. If tThank you, J Alchem. It was very interesting. Wishing you the very best for your future endeavors.
Thank You!
Buy his books, folks!
Buy Blank Space, an anthology with 100 inspirational short stories by 100 writers from the Propel Steps Online Store ( delivery time within India 1 week) or from Amazon.in (Fulfilled by Amazon + Additional postal charges, delivers in 1-4 days)
Amazon.in
Until next post,
Much love,
Welcome to Newbie Corner, J Alchem!
FOLLOW HIM: STORYMIRROR FACEBOOKTell us a little about yourself. How did you begin writing?
I am a storyteller; it is the only most important thing that defines me.In terms of qualifications, I have done MBA in Finance and International Business. Since the beginning, I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I do not know how, but the writing bug bit me 5 years ago and left me bleeding on paper.I have written in several magazines and newspapers and received the appreciation for the same. I am a winner of Story Mirror Season-1 and Superhero storyteller Award. I have co-authored more than 4 books including Love bytes, the second life, Catalogue – A menu of memories, and mighty thoughts. My next solo book, “A road not traveled’ is gonna hit the market before the end of this year.
What is your favorite genre in writing?
I mostly prefer to write motivational stories. Although, I am not restricted to any specific genre. I have written on love, humor, suspense, thrill, and on social issues as well. I do believe in writing something out of the box.
Who inspires you most and to whom would you dedicate your creative growth?
Anything that makes me emotional inspires me to write. Be it a movie, or a struggle story of someone. The best thing is that I get inspired easily. When I see an old man carrying something heavy on his head over the busy street, I get inspired. When I see a beggar asking alms and then offering the same to another beggar who is not capable to even ask, I get inspired. I would dedicate my creative growth to these same people.
What kind of a writer are you? Do you plot the entire novel/story or make it up as you write?
I do not plot my novel in a single go. I just start with an idea. When I proceed to pen down that idea, ink flows on its own and an entirely different picture comes in existence, a picture that I did not imagine at first when I set down to write. All of my stories are end-products of such flows.
Do you have a favorite place to write or a scheduled time to write every day?I do not have any favorite place or schedule time to write. However, I mostly prefer writing when all people are asleep. I need complete silence so I can imagine and meet my characters and become a part of their fictional life before portraying them in my books. Though, it is not necessary that I need a secluded place to find silence, I can feel lonely even in a crowd. That’s the most amazing gift I got from God after creativity.
Who are your favorite authors and what is the genre that you like reading most?It is really hard to name few favorite authors because there are so many. Still, I love to read Paulo Coelho, Nicholas sparks, Khaleed Hosseini, Oscar Wilde, and Emily Bronte. I read their work. I re-read their work. I re-re-read their work.
Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?That’s the most amazing, but a typical question. It is amazing because it gives me goose bumps when I think about future and typical because I do not know how to answer it.I do leave it on my readers, wherever they want me to be, I will be. I can only promise to give the best of mine to them.
Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? What is it?
There is no such subject. As an author, I would love to explore each and every subject and genre. But yeah, I am little weak in history, so in case, I do sit to write a book based on historical facts, then I will be needing lots of research for sure.
How much important do you think marketing is for the success of a book?
Hell, important. Marketing is what makes a book reach to maximum readers. If good marketing is there, a book is sure to succeed no matter what content that book holds. I see many average books being bestsellers just because of marketing and many beautiful books not doing so well just because of lack of marketing.
What is the message that you want to convey to the readers through your writing?Stop chasing people. If tThank you, J Alchem. It was very interesting. Wishing you the very best for your future endeavors.
Thank You!
Buy his books, folks!
Buy Blank Space, an anthology with 100 inspirational short stories by 100 writers from the Propel Steps Online Store ( delivery time within India 1 week) or from Amazon.in (Fulfilled by Amazon + Additional postal charges, delivers in 1-4 days)
Amazon.inUntil next post,
Much love,
November 14, 2015
On Writing: Vani and Recession Groom
Vani is a former business journalist turned fiction writer. As a child, she loved listening to stories until she grew up and started writing her own. Her first book, ‘The Recession Groom’ is out now and she currently spends her time reading fiction and working on her second novel. She also writes blogs and columns for ‘The Huffington Post’ and ‘DailyO’.
FOLLOW HER:
Twitter
Website EmailAuthor Facebookpage Facebookpage of The Recession GroomGoodreadsauthor page Welcome to ‘On Writing’ Vani Kaushal
Thanks, Preethi.
Your debut novel “The Recession Groom” went into reprint mere weeks after it was published. What do you think makes it so popular?
I chose a contemporary theme and combined it with arranged marriages, a concept that has always piqued the curiosity of readers. While other novelists present a hard-hitting satire on our society thus commanding a more mature readership; my novel was a light-hearted take on the Indian family value system and I made every attempt to engage readers from multiple cultural backgrounds and social milieus. The novel was also positively reviewed by top newspapers of the country which I think helped its sales.
You opted to become a writer ditching lucrative day jobs though you have a management degree from Kingston University in London. Why? Do you regret your decision?
Writing is my passion and nothing gives me more pleasure than working on my stories. It was hard for me to leave the comfort of a full-time job, but I’d rather spend my life doing what I love than counting days from Monday to Saturday. No, I don’t regret my decision. What kind of a writer are you? Do you plot the entire story or write it the way the story takes you?
I like to prepare a rough plot line. It gives me an idea about the research I need to do, the characters I need to build, and the method of narration that would work best. Maybe when I am a few books old, I’d be able to write my stories without plotting them.
You have toured all over India to meet the readers of your books through book launches. Which launch is memorable among all?
I travelled to nine cities for launching my book and most of these were new for me. I was really scared about going to Kolkata; it has such a thriving community of readers and writers, I wasn’t sure I’d be accepted there. To my surprise, I had three wonderful events in that city, including a very successful event at IIM Kolkata, and I made amazing friends. Most of them have been asking me to visit the city again during Durga Puja. For that matter, I loved Trivandrum, Kochi, Bangalore, Pune, Mumbai and Surat and met some of the most wonderful people in these cities.
You are a Bharatnatyam student as well. Do tell us about the dancer Vani.
I always wanted to learn classical Indian dance. Growing up, I never got that opportunity. However, when I came back to India in 2014 from London, I decided to join a Bharatnatyam class and was placed in a batch of these four to ten-year-olds. Guess what, the leaning, jumping, bending routines that we had were so intense, I lost a lot of weight within days which gave me the initial high. Today, I cannot stay without my dance classes. Dancing clears my aura and helps me unclog my mind.
What is your favourite time to write? Any particular place that makes you more productive?
I wake up early and work through the day, getting up for lunch and tea breaks. I love to work in my bedroom. On good days, I can easily write five pages, and on my non-writing days even twenty words are a headache. When I am not writing, I’m reading books.
Is there a particular book that you have read and wished that you had written it?
I’m reading one such book. It is the most amazing book I ever read. Please read it and you’d say the same. It was released in 2004 and was an instant bestseller, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke. The only other book that has had this effect on me is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, also The Colour Purple by Alice Walker.
Are you a full-time writer? What other works are you currently working on?
Yes, I am a full-time writer. I have finished writing my sequel to The Recession Groom. There is a third one that wraps up the series.
Who are your favourite authors/ favourite books?
I am an avid reader and take inspiration from many authors like Jane Austen, J R R Tolkien, George R R Martin, Stephen King, John Grisham, J K Rowling, Dan Brown. Susanna Clarke is my new favourite. Among Indian authors, my favourites are Sudha Murthy, Ravi Subramanian, Chitra Banerjee Devkaruni and Shashi Tharoor.
What are the three tips you have for readers of this interview who are aspiring writers?
1) Read as much as you can and across genre. 2) Be disciplined about your writing. Don’t let anything disturb your writing routine.3) Believe in yourself, work hard and never lose sight of your goal.
Thank you Vani, that was a very interesting chat. Wishing you the very best for all your future endeavors.
About her Book: Name of the Book: THE RECESSION GROOM
Author: VANI
Publisher: Leadstart Publishing
Book Blurb: Parshuraman Joshi, 27, handsome, Hindu-Brahmin, IT Professional, settled in Canada, earns a high figure salary. These are credentials that would make any young man hot on the Indian wedding market, so it's no wonder that Parshuraman's family is inundated with matrimonial proposals. While so far all attempts to 'settle' him have gone kaput, he has bigger issues vexing him – such as Jennifer, his 'fireball' of a colleague, and their efforts to save Project Infinite. To top it all, as the credit crisis grips the global economy, the little world he's created for himself begins to fall apart. Will he be able to pull himself together to face the challenges posed by a tough economy? More importantly, will this Recession Groom be able to find his 'perfect partner'?
Book Trailer
Click the links below to purchase her book from:
Amazon.in: Flipkart.com: Infibeam.com: Amazon Kindle: Amazon.com: Newshunt*:Rediff.com: uRead.com: BuyBooksIndia.com: Crossword.in:
Landmark:
That is all for now folks!
Until next post,
FOLLOW HER: Website EmailAuthor Facebookpage Facebookpage of The Recession GroomGoodreadsauthor page Welcome to ‘On Writing’ Vani Kaushal
Thanks, Preethi.
Your debut novel “The Recession Groom” went into reprint mere weeks after it was published. What do you think makes it so popular?
I chose a contemporary theme and combined it with arranged marriages, a concept that has always piqued the curiosity of readers. While other novelists present a hard-hitting satire on our society thus commanding a more mature readership; my novel was a light-hearted take on the Indian family value system and I made every attempt to engage readers from multiple cultural backgrounds and social milieus. The novel was also positively reviewed by top newspapers of the country which I think helped its sales.
You opted to become a writer ditching lucrative day jobs though you have a management degree from Kingston University in London. Why? Do you regret your decision?
Writing is my passion and nothing gives me more pleasure than working on my stories. It was hard for me to leave the comfort of a full-time job, but I’d rather spend my life doing what I love than counting days from Monday to Saturday. No, I don’t regret my decision. What kind of a writer are you? Do you plot the entire story or write it the way the story takes you?
I like to prepare a rough plot line. It gives me an idea about the research I need to do, the characters I need to build, and the method of narration that would work best. Maybe when I am a few books old, I’d be able to write my stories without plotting them.
You have toured all over India to meet the readers of your books through book launches. Which launch is memorable among all?
I travelled to nine cities for launching my book and most of these were new for me. I was really scared about going to Kolkata; it has such a thriving community of readers and writers, I wasn’t sure I’d be accepted there. To my surprise, I had three wonderful events in that city, including a very successful event at IIM Kolkata, and I made amazing friends. Most of them have been asking me to visit the city again during Durga Puja. For that matter, I loved Trivandrum, Kochi, Bangalore, Pune, Mumbai and Surat and met some of the most wonderful people in these cities.
You are a Bharatnatyam student as well. Do tell us about the dancer Vani.
I always wanted to learn classical Indian dance. Growing up, I never got that opportunity. However, when I came back to India in 2014 from London, I decided to join a Bharatnatyam class and was placed in a batch of these four to ten-year-olds. Guess what, the leaning, jumping, bending routines that we had were so intense, I lost a lot of weight within days which gave me the initial high. Today, I cannot stay without my dance classes. Dancing clears my aura and helps me unclog my mind.
What is your favourite time to write? Any particular place that makes you more productive?
I wake up early and work through the day, getting up for lunch and tea breaks. I love to work in my bedroom. On good days, I can easily write five pages, and on my non-writing days even twenty words are a headache. When I am not writing, I’m reading books.
Is there a particular book that you have read and wished that you had written it?
I’m reading one such book. It is the most amazing book I ever read. Please read it and you’d say the same. It was released in 2004 and was an instant bestseller, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke. The only other book that has had this effect on me is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, also The Colour Purple by Alice Walker.
Are you a full-time writer? What other works are you currently working on?
Yes, I am a full-time writer. I have finished writing my sequel to The Recession Groom. There is a third one that wraps up the series.
Who are your favourite authors/ favourite books?
I am an avid reader and take inspiration from many authors like Jane Austen, J R R Tolkien, George R R Martin, Stephen King, John Grisham, J K Rowling, Dan Brown. Susanna Clarke is my new favourite. Among Indian authors, my favourites are Sudha Murthy, Ravi Subramanian, Chitra Banerjee Devkaruni and Shashi Tharoor.
What are the three tips you have for readers of this interview who are aspiring writers?
1) Read as much as you can and across genre. 2) Be disciplined about your writing. Don’t let anything disturb your writing routine.3) Believe in yourself, work hard and never lose sight of your goal.
Thank you Vani, that was a very interesting chat. Wishing you the very best for all your future endeavors.
About her Book: Name of the Book: THE RECESSION GROOM
Author: VANI
Publisher: Leadstart Publishing
Book Blurb: Parshuraman Joshi, 27, handsome, Hindu-Brahmin, IT Professional, settled in Canada, earns a high figure salary. These are credentials that would make any young man hot on the Indian wedding market, so it's no wonder that Parshuraman's family is inundated with matrimonial proposals. While so far all attempts to 'settle' him have gone kaput, he has bigger issues vexing him – such as Jennifer, his 'fireball' of a colleague, and their efforts to save Project Infinite. To top it all, as the credit crisis grips the global economy, the little world he's created for himself begins to fall apart. Will he be able to pull himself together to face the challenges posed by a tough economy? More importantly, will this Recession Groom be able to find his 'perfect partner'?
Book Trailer
Click the links below to purchase her book from:
Amazon.in: Flipkart.com: Infibeam.com: Amazon Kindle: Amazon.com: Newshunt*:Rediff.com: uRead.com: BuyBooksIndia.com: Crossword.in:
Landmark:
That is all for now folks!
Until next post,
November 7, 2015
On Writing: Shikha Kumar
Today on 'On Writing' we have the talented best selling author Shikha Kumar.
Shikha Kumar has a B-Tech degree in Computer Science from Bharati Vidyapeeth, Delhi. Professionally she’s as a Manager with top IT company. She has travelled to, and worked in different countries. She enjoys travelling, reading, writing and watching movies.
Her first book - "He Fixed the Match, She Fixed Him" recieved huge appreciation amongst media, critics and readers. **** It will soon be adapted as major motion picture.***Shikha is presently working on her next book. Details to be revealed soon.
Welcome to ‘On Writing’ Shikha Kumar.
Follow her: Facebook Twitter DailyO TOI Blog-Rightly Nailed Website
Your debut novel “He fixed the match, she fixed him” is a national best seller. What according to you makes it so popular?
It feels very humble to know that you’ve managed to make a mark. I’m just doing my best in my capacity in every area possible – from writing to marketing. I think my book is being loved for its content, so everything else is working in its favor.Your book is being made into a movie soon. Do tell us about it.
Yes, that’s dream come true for any author. I’m lucky that my angels smiled wide at me. It’s still in the infancy stage, and I’m actively looking for PR to take this news to the world. Let’s see how things turn out.
You have a regular day job as a manager with a top IT company. When do you find time to write?
Finding time is an unceasing daily battle, I hope to win each day, but still there are days I don’t write a word. So I guess it’s all credit to this shark after me to squeeze some time from the crazy schedule that keeps me going.
What kind of a writer are you? Do you plot the entire story or write it the way the story takes you?
I’m definitely the second one. I write scene by scene. I change many things to chisel story. I think my loyalty is always more with characters than story, for me their personalities drive the story.
Which part in the creation of a book do you find the most boring— writing, editing, querying, publishing or marketing?
I think editing. Not boring to be honest, but it excites the least. Making grammatical corrections, some re-writing, etc. are important aspects, but then I don’t really add value to your product. Having said that Editing is an important devil and can really take you down if not well-addressed.
Is there any particular habit or belief or superstition that you associate with your writing process?
No really. In fact, I’m on a war against superstitions. And then with a handful of time to write, if I have quirks or superstitions, I’ll go nowhere. Having said that, I consider Thursdays lucky for me. So I prefer signing important deal or agreement on that day. Pretty much, that's it.
What other works are you currently working on?
Next book in December. And then I’m writing my third very actively. Then of course are my columns at DailyO, which I write a regular basis.
How important do you think marketing is for the success of a book?
Unfortunately, most important. Even more important than writing a good book. To go out and convincing readers to grab a copy is the biggest battle of today’s ruthless world.
What are the three tips you have for readers of this interview who are aspiring writers?
1) Be fearless. Don’t follow trends, write what you can write the best.2) Set a marketing budget3) Don’t give up. Detach yourself to rejections.
Thank you Shikha. That was interesting! Wishing you the best for all your future endeavors.
Click the link below folks to buy her book.
Amazon
Flipkart
That is all for now folks!
Until next post,
Shikha Kumar has a B-Tech degree in Computer Science from Bharati Vidyapeeth, Delhi. Professionally she’s as a Manager with top IT company. She has travelled to, and worked in different countries. She enjoys travelling, reading, writing and watching movies.
Her first book - "He Fixed the Match, She Fixed Him" recieved huge appreciation amongst media, critics and readers. **** It will soon be adapted as major motion picture.***Shikha is presently working on her next book. Details to be revealed soon.
Welcome to ‘On Writing’ Shikha Kumar.
Follow her: Facebook Twitter DailyO TOI Blog-Rightly Nailed WebsiteYour debut novel “He fixed the match, she fixed him” is a national best seller. What according to you makes it so popular?
It feels very humble to know that you’ve managed to make a mark. I’m just doing my best in my capacity in every area possible – from writing to marketing. I think my book is being loved for its content, so everything else is working in its favor.Your book is being made into a movie soon. Do tell us about it.
Yes, that’s dream come true for any author. I’m lucky that my angels smiled wide at me. It’s still in the infancy stage, and I’m actively looking for PR to take this news to the world. Let’s see how things turn out.
You have a regular day job as a manager with a top IT company. When do you find time to write?
Finding time is an unceasing daily battle, I hope to win each day, but still there are days I don’t write a word. So I guess it’s all credit to this shark after me to squeeze some time from the crazy schedule that keeps me going.
What kind of a writer are you? Do you plot the entire story or write it the way the story takes you?
I’m definitely the second one. I write scene by scene. I change many things to chisel story. I think my loyalty is always more with characters than story, for me their personalities drive the story.
Which part in the creation of a book do you find the most boring— writing, editing, querying, publishing or marketing?
I think editing. Not boring to be honest, but it excites the least. Making grammatical corrections, some re-writing, etc. are important aspects, but then I don’t really add value to your product. Having said that Editing is an important devil and can really take you down if not well-addressed.
Is there any particular habit or belief or superstition that you associate with your writing process?
No really. In fact, I’m on a war against superstitions. And then with a handful of time to write, if I have quirks or superstitions, I’ll go nowhere. Having said that, I consider Thursdays lucky for me. So I prefer signing important deal or agreement on that day. Pretty much, that's it.
What other works are you currently working on?
Next book in December. And then I’m writing my third very actively. Then of course are my columns at DailyO, which I write a regular basis.
How important do you think marketing is for the success of a book?
Unfortunately, most important. Even more important than writing a good book. To go out and convincing readers to grab a copy is the biggest battle of today’s ruthless world.
What are the three tips you have for readers of this interview who are aspiring writers?
1) Be fearless. Don’t follow trends, write what you can write the best.2) Set a marketing budget3) Don’t give up. Detach yourself to rejections.
Thank you Shikha. That was interesting! Wishing you the best for all your future endeavors.
Click the link below folks to buy her book.
AmazonFlipkart
That is all for now folks!
Until next post,
