Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a doctor from India. I have my own practice and I am working in a Covid hospital since last year. I am married and I have a daughter. i used to read a lot when i was a kid and won few awards for writing while in high school. i started writing this novel way back in 2007 when i was doing my internship. i saw a lot of strange shit no one could make up going on the daily basis in medical fraternity. i was upset about the whole shebang, so i decided to write about it. that small drunken idea ended up in the form of a novel.
This is my first novel. i never gave a thought about writing as a career. it was just a side project that lasted for three years. then it got into developmental hell and i stopped thinking about it. during this pandemic i decided to relaunch the novel.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
10 CC is the only novel i have written so far. it was inspired by the events i witnessed in the hospital when i was doing my internship.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
i wrote this novel on bunch of notebooks. i have done most of the writing lying in the bed. i used to put pillow and blanket behind me and recline on the bed as comfortably as i can. then i would get my legs closer, rest a notebook on my legs and write. i had a lot of trouble typing the novel as i got a laptop much later in my writing career. i was never table and chair guy.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
catch-22 by joseph heller made me write this novel.
i have read most of the popular and acclaimed books. all those writers made an impact on my writing style one way or another. but when it comes to influencing, catch-22 made a lasting impact on me. it showed me the power of satire and dark comedy and how to use it to deal with the difficult problems.
What are you working on now?
nothing. 10 CC was just an idea that grew beyond my anticipation. i never wanted to be a writer. i am just interested in my practice now. though collective failure of the world governments in managing this pandemic might be a great idea. i have to start drinking again if i want more inspiration.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
i googled ‘book promotion’ and found out bunch of ideas. professional paid promoters cost a lot. so for a good book promotion, you should have deep pockets or find reader oriented platforms where you can reach target audience who actually give a shit about the novels. social media promotion is also a good idea to make your novel reach a lot of people quickly, but outcome of this method is still dubious.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
writing and getting published are entirely different things and we are not on the money making page yet. so train yourself for another career while perusing your dream. not everyone ends up getting multi-million dollar deals. dream on, do your best, but have a backup plan ready.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Always have a backup plan.
What are you reading now?
Shantaram by Roberts Gregory Davis.
i have heard it is good and it has lived up to its reputation.
What’s next for you as a writer?
No plans. at least till i get another inspiration.
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?
‘how to survive being stranded on a desert island for dummies’ (if there is indeed such a book in that series)
catch-22 for sure.
then lord of the ring trilogy, as it will take a long time to finish it and it will help fight the boredom. same for three musketeers by alexander dumas.
Author Websites and Profiles
Ram Sharma Website