Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a young novelist. Nineteen years old. Published one book in India. My first book is an international spy fiction thriller titled Dead Underground. It’s part of a series following my titular protagonist Alec Mercer.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Dead Underground. You know, when I was about seventeen, so about two-three years back I met with this terrible road accident and my arm was broken and after an year long conundrum operated which finally fixed the issue. During the time of recovery, I don’t know whether if it was due to the cocktail of drugs that were given to me but I used to get very vivid dreams -still do! I remember one such dream I had when I retired after watching a late night news piece on how the oil prices were rising at an accelerated rate in India in those days. I was in a dark tunnel blaring the emergency lights and sirens, people were coming at me from both sides, shooting at me, and I back at them and there was this blonde woman in a cover behind me and one thought which ran in my mind, “I have to save her, because she is the key… to something!” And then I woke up when I got shot. But this idea stayed in my mind. I kept thinking about it day and night until one late night I realized that I had to write it.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
No, as such I don’t have any unusual writing habits. Although, I am a student in college so my time gets divided by various demanding responsibilities. This is why I tend to write in my vacations. During my vacations, I dedicate my entire day to writing, day and night, even as I lie on the bed, I think how to move it forward, writing late night, rushing to the manuscript at the break of light. If I remember correctly, I think I was inspired by Paulo Coelho’s method’s of writing.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
As of now, since I have only published on only one novel, I ‘ll stick to that. For Dead Underground, I really relied on The Lost Symbol and The Bourne Identity. Since I had no prior experience in writing professionally, I basically emulated the writing styles of these two books mainly, but I believe many other authors who I have been reading as a child have also made a considerable impact on my writing style like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It was after so many edits and re-writes that my own style took form.
What are you working on now?
I am actively working on many ideas at the moment. I am absolutely torn between some of the brilliant ideas which I can work with and most of all I’m teeming with ideas in completely different genres. But I owe it to my fans that my publisher is giving me the creative liberties to write and my main focus is to write the sequel to the novel Dead Underground. Apart from that I may soon begin work on speculative religious fiction, fantasy adventure romance, horror, murder mystery detective, dystopian, etc. What can I say, I fell in writing from the moment I started. I am also looking forward to inking a non-fiction books of different genres quite soon.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’ve done nothing extra-ordinary here. I mean I have my Facebook, twitter, what-have-you. Although I do not get the pleasure of being able to constantly monitor the activities on them, thankfully my publishers keep a watchful eye but I make a point to always connect personally whenever I have the chance. I owe it to my fans who promote my novel for me. I have been using Goodreads for a very long time now, much before I was an author, but as an author, it probably is the best tool available.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Having very recently crossed that mark, I think I can say something on that topic. If you are a new author, you may have been hit by a story you want to write and you wrote it, excellent! You can follow the advice of many people who have already written about the issue. What I want to say is that every industry at every instant has a particular niche which is prospering. If you find that correct niche at the correct time, your chances of becoming a published author can be tremendous. Where as if it is not part of that royal genre, your work as good as it may be might not be published or published after a lot of time or effort or even cost. So my advice to authors is too keep yourself apprised with this cut-throat industry, know the publishers, the editors, the assistants, follow them on Facebook, Twitter, their blog. Know the industry like the back of your hand, and I can guarantee, to an extent, that your work would have a much better chance of publishing and even after publishing, a much better chance of success. This I tell from personal experience.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Keep at it! Don’t give up! Send your work to anyone and everyone you possibly can!
What are you reading now?
I’ve got too many books on my to-read list, I really don’t know where to begin. Honestly, its too many.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I believe emotional growth is very important for me as a writer. Right now I am too young in the industry. I need to become more mature, rational and understanding to grow as a writer. My work needs to be more mature, I believe. Apart from writing, now as a part of the industry also I believe I need to become more mature as there is no other choice and nothing can be worse than being not taken seriously.
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?
Robinson Crusoe is a must right now! And one of mine too, to keep me comfort and happiness. Then I think a Harry Potter as many childhood memories are attached to it and a copy of “How to survive and escape from a desert island for dummies” if such a book exists.
Author Websites and Profiles
Jaideep Bhoosreddy Website
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