Q&A

In your memoir, “The Last Goodbye”, how close do you get to yourself?

Human behaviour is complex so I don’t pretend I know it well including my own nature. Having said that all I wanted to do as an author was to deliver you, as a reader, as close as possible to this person. My goal of writing my story was to immerse into that world of ‘pure innocence’ one more time and I loved it.

When did you first start writing?

It was back in the sixties in my college days when I wrote and published poetry. I switched to story writing when my first child was born. When my daughter was small we used to have bedtime story telling contests. One day she would give me a simple plot and I would finish the story and the next day we would reverse our roles.

Does your professional life interferes with your writing passion?

No, on the contrary it helps. I have lived in four continents, five countries and twenty-one cities and traveled to more than sixty different countries and have tons of marvellous stories from my life experiences to tell. These stories based on true events are what I would like to tell in my novels and collection of short stories.

And this as well as a very diverse background: born in India, educated in England and a citizen of Canada enriches my writing. My academic background includes four universities in three countries and my professional background involves living and working with many diverse cultures in several countries.

What have you published so far?

My first novel, “Truth Seekers”, was published a short while ago that sold over 2,000 copies. It was in the days when ‘social media’ marketing was not yet a recognized force. This novel would fall in the genre of thrillers of international intrigue. Its protagonist is an FBI, antiterrorism specialist who loves living on the edge. He investigates complex murders and kidnapping cases overseas and resolves associated terrorist threats of catastrophic proportions. Also this book  introduces Dr. Sophie Kramer, a daring, sensuous, adventurous physician who is keen to eneter the man’s world of ‘war against terrorism’ by becoming a FBI agent. The objective of this book is to launch two separate series of Matt Slater and Sophie Kramer. The next two books in the Matt Slater trilogy, Matt would be the protagonist solving major crimes and fighting war against terrorism and supporting human rights.

In addition to Matt Slater trilogy, what else are you writing?

I have just finished writing story of my mother, “The Last Goodbye” that would be followed by “The First Dawn”. Another non-fiction book, story of my late sister, that is currently being written is “Unbroken Line”. Additionally, I am writing fiction novels including “Tuscan Dream” and “Broken Dreams”. Additionally, I am writing collection of several short stories based on my international life titled “1001 Arabian Nightmares”, “Incredible India”, and “Expat Diaries” etc. These are amusing short stories about living in the various parts of the Middle East, India and traveling to many countries of the world.

Where does your inspiration come from?

I live my novels. My fiction novels are set in the Middle East, South America, Africa and Asia etc. and I personally spend extended periods of time visiting and/or living in these parts of the world to research my novels. True events that I hear and read about in these regions have inspired me to write my novels. My non-fiction novels are derived from the true events of my life.

What kind of true events inspires you to write fiction?

In the category of my fiction novels, the first novel, ‘TRUTH SEEKERS’ touches upon the suppression of Afghani women by their own society and highlights the brave work of the ‘Revolutionary Association of Women of Afghanistan’. My second novel, ‘SAVANNAH’ tells the story of terrorist activities behind the illegal ivory trade and the sad situation of wild life killing which exists today in Africa. My third novel will reveal the enormous problem of child prostitution in India and the sinister human organ trading between India and the Middle East.

Who are your favorite novelists?

What interests me and influenced me the most are authors who are powerful storytellers and recognized masters of their art such as Somerset Maugham, Charles Dickens, Leo Tolstoy, Feodor Dostoevsky, Henry James, Graham Green, Edith Wharton, Virginia Woolf, Brian Moore, Naguib Mahfouz, and Ernest Hemingway.

How do you intent to reach wider audience with your next novels?

I’m currently in discussions with various potential agents and publishers and exploring options for publishing my next novels. Also, I now have established comprehensive social media measures including website, blog, newsletter, Facebook , LinkedIn, and Twitter etc. to reach out to many markets and readers.

Thank you and good luck.