Interview With Author Imran Khan
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m someone who’s always been drawn to the parts of history most people skip. The quiet corners. The people working in the heat and noise, while the world focuses on the heroes up top. I’ve been reading and researching military engineering for years, and this is my first published book. It felt like the right moment to finally put something out there instead of just thinking about it.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Fires Below: Survival in the Heart of a Carrier at Midway.
I kept noticing how almost every Midway story takes place in the sky. Pilots, dogfights, big moments. But below deck, there were guys whose whole world was steam lines, boilers, and machinery that couldn’t fail even once. That pressure felt more intense to me than anything happening above. That’s the story I wanted to tell.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I tend to write scenes in fragments first, like snapshots. A sound, a moment, a bit of dialogue. Then I stitch it together later. I also read technical manuals while drafting, just to get the little mechanical details right.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Writers like James Jones and Herman Wouk have always stuck with me. They wrote war in a way that wasn’t shiny or heroic, just human and messy. Nonfiction accounts of ship engineering and naval operations have also influenced me.
What are you working on now?
I’m outlining another short military piece, this time set on a submarine. Same idea: focus on the people doing the invisible work that keeps everything moving.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
So far, the most helpful places have been book promotion sites that reach military fiction readers directly. Free listings on places like AwesomeGang, BookGoodies, and similar sites have helped more than social media.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Finish something small first. A short story. A small project. It teaches you more than any long plan you never start. And don’t wait for confidence. It never shows up on time anyway.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write the story only you can write. The one you’d care about even if nobody else saw it.
What are you reading now?
Right now, I’m rereading parts of Shattered Sword and digging into some firsthand accounts from Pacific War sailors.
What’s next for you as a writer?
More short, tightly focused war stories. I like exploring the hidden spaces in significant events, and there’s a lot more to cover.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Thin Red Line, Master and Commander, Shattered Sword, and maybe a survival manual just to stay practical.
Author Interview Series
To discover a new author, check out our Featured Authors page. We have some of the best authors around. They are just waiting for you to discover them. If you enjoyed this writer’s interview feel free to share it using the buttons below. Sharing is caring!
If you are an author and want to be interviewed just fill out out Author Interview page. After submitting we will send it out in our newsletters and social media channels that are filled with readers looking to discover new books to read.
If you are looking for a new book to read check out our Featured Books Page.