Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I live in Abu Dhabi where I work as an investment professional by day and dreams about superheroes by night. I grew up in Calcutta and have previously lived in London and New York. I’m a passionate foodie as well as an avid reader of comic books, graphic novels and Indian mythology.
This is my first book.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The God Gene Chronicles: The Secret of the Gods.Given the number of gods and goddesses in the pantheon, Hindu mythology is vast and fascinating. The trouble is that a lot of the texts are written in Sanskrit, which is a language few people speak today, so most of my peers and I read Amar Chitra Katha – a publication focused on a simplified, graphical depiction of the mythological stories – and a few other sources to learn as much as we could. The stories in Hindu mythology are complex and nuanced, and characters are often quoted or referred to colloquially. Some characters are also held up as moral role models, such as the perfect son or honest king etc., and still find their way into society.
I grew up in a liberal Hindu family but studied in a Protestant boys school in Calcutta, where we recited the Lord’s prayer every morning, so was exposed to a blend of Eastern and Western texts and thought. My family often visited different temples across the country when traveling over school holidays, and the celebration of a major religious festival – Durga Puja (the worship of a female warrior goddess called Durga) – was a big family event where we would often be regaled with the tales of different gods and demons by older relatives. I was fascinated by the stories because there was just so much to cover. It also took me a long time to piece things together and understand the bigger picture around how the different characters all fit together. Because there isn’t necessarily a single text to use as a reference, Hinduism can be quite complicated. As such, the more I read and learned, the more I got hooked. Over time, as I grew older and my thinking developed, my appreciation for the complexities in the characters and ethical conundrums in the different stories also grew.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m not sure what usual writing habits are but suspect I have a few unusual ones. Instead of setting aside a few hours every day to work on a manuscript, I tend to set aside a few weeks or weekends at a time to try and get into my characters and the story line and push the story ahead. I then come back to it a few weeks later to see if I still like the writing and edit / rewrite the parts that I’m unhappy with. There are probably more efficient ways to write a novel.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I grew up reading a broad range of authors and I suppose some of it has stuck. My favourites include PG Wodehouse, Douglas Adams, Tagore, Julian Barnes, Jeffrey Archer, Michael Lewis, Gerald Durrell, Ruskin Bond, Satyajit Ray etc. Living in four countries (India, USA, UK, UAE) has also helped broaden my horizons and provided helpful perspective and exposure that probably filters into my writing.
What are you working on now?
I’m writing the second book in the series and hope to have it finished in another 12-15 months.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My only experience with marketing a book has been The God Gene Chronicles. I have focussed primarily on Social Media and found Facebook to be an effective and fairly low-cost way to reach out to potential fans. I think the marketing strategy depends on the genre of the book but book trailers and comic strips have worked quite well for The God Gene Chronicles so far, which is perhaps unsurprising given the superhero theme. The concept art on the website has also been getting some traction.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
It’s a long journey with plenty of twists and turns – don’t lose hope. Enlist the help of friends and family and stay invested in your manuscript. You will be proud of the outcome.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t give up.
What are you reading now?
Think like a Freak by Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt and Zero to One by Blake Masters and Peter Thiel
What’s next for you as a writer?
Hopefully getting book two of the series out next year and then starting work on book three.
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?
Comic books!
Author Websites and Profiles
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