Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?

I’m currently residing in Sri Ganganagar and grew up in the same northernmost city in Rajasthan State, India. I’m an assistant professor and a passionate teacher. I believe in promoting learning through questioning. Keenly interested in intellectual discourses and humanitarian services; I’m also a random choreographer, and I often tap my feet with a story in my mind.

How many books have you written?

So far, my two books have been published: the first is a non-fiction work on spirituality, and the second is Shots, a collection of 25 very short stories. Some snippets of my work have also been featured in various journals and anthologies.

What is the name of your latest book, and what inspired it?

The latest book by me, as I have mentioned, is SHOTS: Tell It Slant. It is inspired by my quest to address the issues that are almost normalized, even though the practises are subtle forms of exploitation, disparity, and prejudice. In the humdrum of our hectic lives, we tend to let them happen as if nothing has happened. At some places, I also wanted to show the daily happenings in their core reality, which is, of course, disturbing and unsettling.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?

Yeah! There is, but I would rather call it a condition than a habit. It’s when I’m plotting a story that I want pin-drop silence.

At what age did you realise your fascination with books? When did you start writing?

I’ve been a bookman since my early childhood, but not in the typical sense. I’m not the one who is always on a quest to hunt down some good books in his specific genre. Luckily, until today, there has been no academic break in my life. So, in one way or another, I’m always working on some project, and for the best outcomes, I’m required to do as much reading as I can. So, my reading happens out of necessity, and my nature of doing things in the best way possible makes me read intensively, which is when I enjoy the reading. Whether it were my course books or the books related to my research, I always digested them to their depths and loved them along the way. I started writing during my college days, when it became tough to sustain some overflowing emotions in my tiny skull.

What authors or books have influenced you?

I write because it is my calling, and when no other option is left but to manifest it in the form of a written piece, I just do it under the influence of its necessity to come out on paper or screen. I’m not a typical reader, but I agree that a good reader is a good writer. So, before any such venture, when a story in my mind nudges me to come out, I prepare myself with the readings of the relevant theme or genre. In particular, I can’t name any. I always have this conflict about naming someone or a few. 

What is your favourite genre to read? Who inspires you in your writing?

It is a dilemma, to name a few. As I have mentioned, I read to better understand the things I’m working on, and that makes me a sensitive reader. With this sensibility, I’m always able to derive something substantial from any write-up. In addition, I get influenced by every piece of writing that attracts me intellectually and also goes straight to my heart. I enjoy reading realistic and spiritual content. (Yes, spirituality is not a fantasy.)

In terms of inspiration, it’s my own calling; when it pushes me, writing happens.

Tell us a little more about your latest book?

That’s a good question! “SHOTS: Tell It Slant” is a collection of 25 very short stories; each story packs an emotional punch that leaves you in contemplation. You don’t read these stories; you feel them. In this book, I have attempted to portray a variety of characters in a few pages, where you experience the characters’ angst, dread, longing, and desperation in a very relatable manner. So please give it a shot! I’m waiting to hear your views.

Do you have any advice for new authors?

There are many lessons I have learned throughout my SHOTS journey, and I would love to discuss them in detail. For now, in brief, I can enumerate the three most important.

i. Ideas come out of the blue and also vanish in the blink of an eye. So, be vigilant. Always keep something with you on which you can scribble or jot down your thoughts. Ideas can pop up anywhere and ridiculously anytime, so never delay in giving them words. Just plan what you want to write and then see the miracles of your mind. It works; you just pay heed to its calling.

ii. When you are writing your first draft, don’t bother about its quality. You are vomiting, right? So, just let it out and hop on to the next chapter; don’t start editing right off the bat. Maintaining a suitable gap helps you detach yourself from your beloved first draft. And if some factual data in your write-up bothers you, then just leave the space or highlight the things you would come back to when you finish your first draft. Don’t divert your mind toward the factual or nitpicking part; it kills the creativity. Just focus on your story and its spirit.

iii. After maintaining an adequate gap, when you return to your first draft, you may find it terrible or a shitshow, but believe me, it’s not. & Congratulations! You have a story now; you just need to improve its expression, grammar, and punctuation. Editing can be a rewrite, but again, you have a story now; just toil over it.

I hope it helps.

Thanks!

If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take three or four books with you, what books would you bring?

Haha… I would love to take “Bhagavad Gita” (The Song of the Lord) with me; it’s a wonderful spiritual text. & What do you think? Would I take it for myself? I have read it, dear! and the one I would take along with me will be to help someone with its magical teachings, if I happen to find anyone on that island.

Have a great day!

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