Author Highlight: Rajiv Mittal Discusses his New Book ‘The Panchatheertha Part 1’ and Stories from his Life
We are back
with another author interview. Today, with us, we have Rajiv Mittal – the
author of ‘The Panchatheertha Part 1’.
In this interview, Rajiv Mittal talks about his writing aspirations, the route
to getting his book published. Stay on...while we chat with him.
What motivates you to write?
All the goodly
stuff that is in my mind that I believe is more interesting than whatever is on
the internet.
How did you handle the response of this book?
Pehle, I read
the reviews. Woh acche lage. Fir socha, ab dekhte hain isko padne wala koi
hai bhi ki nahin. Aur uska jawaab? Woh kya gaana hai - ‘Intehaan ho gayi,
intezaar ki …’
Why did you choose to write a novel inspired by The Panchatantra?
The
Panchatantra offered me tremendous scope to be funny and philosophical without
worrying about anyone taking offence.
Animals can’t be bothered with those sort of issues.
What are some of your favourite novels and authors?
Favorite
novels: The type Scott Rogowsky reads on
the subway.
Favorite
authors: The chap who wrote Calvin and
Hobbes, the scriptwriters of the initial seasons of Two and a Half Men &
The Big Bang Theory. Also classic BBC
comedies.
Do you think writing a book from the comfort of bedroom is possible?
It is nobody
else’s business but I would hazard a guess that any male writer’s performance
in the bedroom is not bestseller material other than in a comedy.
Where do you write from? Do you go to some specific place, like beachside or into the hills?
Go to the
beach to write? Saudi Arabia mein shayad
ho sakta hai, koi distractions nahin hongi.
Kevin, waise have you ever tried removing sand or seawater from a
computer keyboard? Try karke dekh lo ek
baar.
The
hills? Is there anyone you know who has
ever done that? I think even Edmund
Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing descended from Mount Everest before they thought of
writing something.
I write mostly
at home, sitting on a sofa.
What inspired you to write this book? Any tales to tell…
Pehle socha
tha koi mythological figure ke baare mein likhoon – lekin sochte sochte dere
kar di yaar – koi baaki hi nahin raha!
It seems they are all taken. Then
it struck me – folktales are unexplored territory and always relevant.
What was your biggest learning experience throughout the publishing process?
How to use Microsoft
Word.
Looking back, what did you do right that helped you break in as a writer?
I told myself
that all decision makers in the traditional publishing industry are fakes.
Any best piece of writing advice from your side that we haven’t discussed?
I hesitate to
offer advice. But since you asked, this
is what I would tell any new writer:
- If you are looking for writing advice then that could be the reason why you are struggling.
- If you become successful as a novelist, you can immediately become an inspirational speaker and start saying profound things. Particularly in India. Lekin abhi don’t try to do that in your novel.
Something personal about you people may be surprised to know?
Anyone who
buys and/or reads my books makes me very, very happy.
Any future books that you would like to discuss now?
I plan to
write Panchatheertha Part 2. And till
then, it would be great if there are readers for Panchatheertha Part 1 and/or
my debut novel Brahmahatya. By the way,
I have written a third which I am silent about in the hope that people will now
go searching for it also.
Connect with
Rajiv Mittal:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/v.rajivkumar/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rajivmittal63
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