Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
As a teenager I was a jolly friend, a promising football player and a staunch punk-rock fun. Nobody expected me to become a monk! However, at the age of 19, a sudden inspiration changed my life altogether – and two years later it took me into a Uruguayan forest to lead the life of a hermit. For three years I meditated and prayed in solitude, living in utter simplicity.
During this period, I become close to a man of knowledge, who had a good number of followers in the country. I felt that this man could teach me, the man, however, requested me to join the Ramakrishna Order in the Buenos Aires Ashram where he himself had been trained.
After eight years as a monk in that country, I finally felt I had learnt all I could from the Ashram. It was then, that, following a dream, I traveled to London, and joined the London Vedanta Center, where I soon became the Vedanta magazine editor, learned Italian and translated Ramakrishna’s main biography into Spanish.
Altogether I lived at the Vedanta Center, in UK, for 16 years. During that period I wrote Meditation on the Imitation of Christ: A Vedantic Interpretation, which is the only Vedantic commentary ever written on that Christian bestselling classic.
In 2004, I moved to India, where I spent two years studying different philosophies and the complex Indian culture. In 2007, I made my last trip to India and became Swami Chidakarananda.
In 2013, I moved to the Vedanta Society of Southern California.
Tapping from my deep and extensive experience of Eastern and Western philosophies and cultures, I created the series of The Rishis, whose first volume is The Rishis and the Book of Secrets (Published by Caliburn Press). A story that emphasizes the magical and mystical side of the extraordinary power and knowledge of the ancient rishis. It is a unique fictional story based on real archaeological discoveries, where I fill with rich and vivid imagination the lines that history could never tell.
At present I am staying in Argentina, where I recently published The One Infinite Being, and continue working on the fiction series of The Rishis.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest work is the series of The Rishis.
The story came to me quite suddenly; it was literally a kind of inspiration. Three years ago I stumbled upon an article narrating the discovery of the ancient city of Gonur Tepe, in Central Asia. I found it interesting, but that was all, I didn’t make much of it. Minutes later I went for a walk, and that’s when it happened. I felt a rush of ideas and information appearing in my mind, it was like making a download from the Internet, it took just seconds. It hit me suddenly and so strongly, that the experience inebriated me for a while. Then I felt an enormous urge to write, and I had to rush back home and begin to write it down.
That was the beginning of The Rishis and the Book of Secrets, the first book of the sequence on The Rishis.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
To be honest, I never imagined myself as a writer until quite recently, just a few years ago. First I started writing non-fiction, particularly philosophy and spirituality, which was my main interest at that time. Then, about three years ago, this fictional story came to my mind like a storm: it was a kind of inspiration, but an overwhelming one. It filled me so fully that I had to sit and write it down. The whole think kept replaying in my mind and it wouldn’t give me rest until I wrote it. Now, after finishing the draft of the second book of the series, I feel much better, the pressure to write had diminished to a reasonable state, so I hope to finish the rest without much urge.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
In the world of fiction, J. R. R. Tolkien; but my perspective of life was affected mostly by Swami Vivekananda. Nevertheless, I am a deep thinker, and I have gradually developed my own line of thoughts.
What are you working on now?
The second volume of the series is undergoing the editorial process and hopefully it will be out soon. Besides, I am about to begin the third book of The Rishis series.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Normally I use Facebook, Twitter, my personal author page and other free sites. Awesomegang is my first paid experience, let’s see how it goes.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
To relate with your readers, you need to keep in mind the same elements needed in order to maintain a good relationship with those around you: honesty, unselfishness and good will.
If you don’t write what truly lives in your heart, and that with the best intentions, the reader will detect it and will not like your story. I firmly believe that if you write the story the way you truly conceive it, not wanting to adjust it to please this or that kind of public, then you will find a group of people that will love your book, and many that, although they may not like your stile or genre, they will, nonetheless, respect your writing.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Know yourself.”
What are you reading now?
I have been a keen reader for more than 30 years, but at the moment I am using all my free time in writing. I hope to begin reading again soon, I really miss it.
What’s next for you as a writer?
First I intend to finish The Rishis series, which will take possibly four books, and then I would like to write a stand-alone based on the life of two of the characters of the book, Burdock and Alexandra. What will happen beyond that, it’s hard to say at the moment.
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 Bhagavad Gita, The Lord of the rings, and The Rishis series.
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