Interview - Author Devika Fernando

     

   About the Author -

Almost as soon as Devika Fernando could write, she imagined stories and poems. After finishing her education in Germany and returning to her roots in Sri Lanka, she got a chance to turn her passion into her profession. Having lived in Germany and in Sri Lanka with her husband has made her experience the best (and the worst) of two totally different worlds – something that influences her writing. Her trademark is writing sweet, yet deeply emotional romance stories where the characters actually fall in love instead of merely falling in lust. What she loves most about being an author is the chance to create new worlds and send her protagonists on a journey full of ups and downs that will leave them changed. She draws inspiration from everyone and everything in life. Besides being a romance novel author, she works as a self-employed German web content writer, as a translator, and as a faithful servant to all the cats, dogs, fish and birds in her home. When she’s not writing, she’s reading or thinking about writing.

    Romance Novel Author – How did you choose this particular genre?

I think it chose me. ;-) I just always knew that if I’d really finally write a novel, it would be a romance novel. And most of my poems (which I wrote before writing prose) were about love in one way or another.

Which of your books is closest to your heart? Why?

That’s a bit like asking a mother which of her children she loves most. :D If I have to choose, it would be my latest release, “Saved in Sri Lanka”. It is set in Sri Lanka, and a little of the heroine was modeled after me and inspired from real life (and I won’t say what).

What is your next book about?

I am currently working on the sequel to my paranormal romance novel “Playing with Fire”. It’s called “Dancing with Fire” and will be Book 2 in the FIRE Trilogy. It’s about fire witch Felicia and ice wizard Joshua meeting another gifted person in Iceland. While Felicia deals with unwanted attraction and struggles to train her magic, they’re facing one catastrophe after the other that might mean the end of the world.

Animal lover, content writer, author and translator. How do you find time for yourself? Please tell us a little about your writing routine?

Good question. I wish the day had 48 hours... My main job is writing non-fiction, and I work on that from morning until afternoon, with breaks for meals and some housework in between. If I am not totally swamped with work, then I’ll reserve the evening for fiction writing. I always try and write a chapter in one go. I work on Saturdays too, but I usually take Sundays off to read, read, and read.

What do you look for in a book?

That depends on the genre and the reason why I picked it up in the first place. Generally speaking, the story should pull me in from the first page or chapter. And I want the characters to feel real and to develop over the course of the story. I’m also really fond of a happy ending. 

                                                                        

Your favorite quote?

So many... Let me settle on this nugget of wisdom by Rumi: “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”

I am sure that you have received a lot of reviews about your books...what is the nicest and the most critical review you have received so far?

The nicest one was comparing me to the famous author Nora Roberts, who I admire a lot and whose books are a great source of inspiration. The most critical one pointed out that I tend to get so lost in descriptions and details that action is lagging behind a bit.

How do you spend your time on weekends?

Reading. It’s by far my preferred hobby. But I’ll also watch television with my husband, dedicate more time to my 2 cats and 4 dogs, and write all those messages and e-mails to my friends from around the globe for which I don’t have enough time during the week.

If you had one wish, what would you wish for and why?

I wish I wouldn’t get motion-sick, so I could travel this beautiful country and the rest of the world.

Links -

http://www.devikafernando.com

https://twitter.com/Author_Devika

https://plus.google.com/+DevikaFernando

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00ISH0RD2

https://www.facebook.com/devikafernandoauthor

http://www.pinterest.com/devikafernando1

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7980006.Devika_Fernando

Review of God's Table

Book - 

God’s Table

The Last Supper

Authors - 

Santosh Avvanavar

Jyoti Byahatti

Dr. Sandeep Huilgol

Blurb - 

A noble couple. In noble professions. He’s a doctor and she’s a teacher.

What do they discuss over meals – breakfast, lunch, dinner? They are perturbed by the social, moral, economical and anthropological issues plaguing our country these days.

Meet Amrita and Robert, a couple who will speak on behalf of you. Witness their daily discussions on problems you think are worth talking about. Education, Medication, Elections, Corruptions, Honour Killing, Child Marriage, Social Media – you name it and the disease has already made deep wounds in our country’s body and soul.

God comes to rescue along with Amrita and Robert. Delve into the gospels and teachings of God to find a solution to each malady, if you wish to accept it.

Authors Santosh Avvanavar, Jyothi Byahatti and Dr. Sandeep Huilgo present a unique fiction in conversations to remind you how God would have faced and erased a few of our society’s key problems.

More about the book - 

The book begins by talking more about “The Last Supper” the painting by Leonardo Da Vinci. It refers to the gospel of John to highlight the issues that have spread around us and threaten to break us slowly. The book itself is divided into 12 categories which are referred to as the “Menu.” Each category takes up one issue and this is put forward as a dialogue between Amrita and Robert. To draw the conclusion, a Godly man, Paul has been used.

Along with the above, the book also contains an author’s profile which gives you a better idea of the writers who have contributed towards the writing of the book!

Hits and Misses -

 Having reviewed a few more books by Santosh Avvanavar, I would like to mention that I appreciate the passion that he has to highlight some of the issues that we face in our lives. This book which is written by 3 writers, talk about various issues for e.g. Euthanasia, Honor Killing, Death and Abuse. Cleverly written in dialogue form, each story shows the amount of research and information his colleagues and he have gathered and put into the writing of this book.

Having said that, the book could have been better! I feel a nicer cover would have been more appealing to readers. Apart from that the sentences are very simple; there is repetition in some places along with very long dialogues. Also a few grammatical errors here and there tends to draw attention away from the interesting topics mentioned in the book. Another thing that I felt about the book is that in some instances it shows one person’s perspective only instead of humanity as a whole…this makes the book sound as if the authors are preaching!

The thought process behind the book is commendable, but if the authors had paid a little more attention to the little details mentioned above, then I am sure the book would have attracted more readers. I would like to end by wishing the authors success in their careers. I look forward to reading more books by them!

Links - 

http://www.amazon.com/Gods-Table-The-Last-Supper/dp/1511961678

http://pothi.com/pothi/book/santosh-avvannavar-gods-table

Want your book reviewed?

Drop me a mail at myriadhues14@gmail.com

Interview with Author Santosh Avvannavar

A God-fearing man, a kind-hearted human and a person who uses his skills and knowledge to write about social issues with the intention of drawing the attention of readers to the problems at hand and then working together to provide a solution for the same. Santosh Avvannvar is all of this and much more! Recently I sent him a mail asking him if he was interested in doing an interview for my blog; he replied in the affirmative. Here are the questions I asked the writer and this is what he has to say about himself, his work and what makes him choose the topics he does.

Me: All your books I have reviewed so far have a social message…how does the idea germinate? How do you zero in on a certain theme?

Santosh: Thanks for an interesting question. Let me give a brief on this, Second Heart, a book on awareness of Kidney issues through fiction stories ,was through a brain-storming session with Dr. Sandeep Huilgol, which was done over a cup of coffee. Title is Untitled was a book that has a focused structure preparation based on the social issues that I have read about through various sources. Then I went in search of such stories and it needed patience and persistence to pen down their views. Black, Grey and White began with a workshop on Sexual Transmitted Diseases by Dr. Saurabh. This led me to search for stories related to the myths surrounding HIV/AIDS. The book, Surrogate Author was out of an idea from Devdas and critics have helped shape the book. It’s similar to the books - The Departing Point and God’s Table. I believe in brainstorming to write a variety of stories.

Me: Since most of your books have been co-authored - Tell us a little about the pros and cons involved in this process.

Santosh: Teamwork is advantageous for most tasks. People with complementary skills are a great help in reaching the objective. Dividing tasks help to achieve them much better. However, sometimes there could be a lag in taking the work forward. Having said this, some collaborations may not be promising if one of the authors sees it just as an opportunity rather than a collective effort. This is more of a learning phase.

Me: I am sure that you have received a lot of reviews about the topics you choose to write about and the style you write it in…..what is the nicest and the most critical review you have received?

Santosh: The first name that comes to my mind is, book blogger Maniparna Sengupta. I like her carefully articulated reviews, which gives out negative criticism in a positive way. In other words, I see that her writing has an assertive style which is inspiring to read. I also noticed that she has never shunned away from writing honest reviews irrespective of personal expectations as a reader. I see her as an example of a good critic!

Me: How long does the whole writing process take?

Santosh: Most of my writing has been done over a span of 10 years.  A lot of backlog was also there as some books take a lot of time like for e.g - Get a Job WITHOUT an Interview took nearly seven years. Ideally books related to social issues take me about a year to write. I foster the process with the help of an editor who works along with me and completes the editing work as soon as I complete a chapter.

Me: What other books are you working on?

Santosh: I am presently working on the biography of a business leader and am hoping to wind up the writing by May end. Apart from this I am also working on two interesting books, one on Lucid dreams and another on the life of a Quality Engineer. These books should be available in stores by the end of this year.

Me: You are into a lot of other things…how do you find the time to write?

Santosh: I pen down points whenever there is little time between tasks. Apart from this, I have a fixed schedule to script a story. I don’t attend to phone calls and neither do I browse the internet during this time.

Me: How do you spend your time on weekends?

Santosh: I am in constant search of stories. Sunday’s I attend church in the first half and spend the remaining time meeting new people.

Me: Who is your favorite author?

Santosh: The Bible has a good and positive impact on my understanding and writing. Next to it are M. K. Gandhi’s books. I also enjoy reading Subroto Bagchi’s books.

Me: What is your favorite quote?

Santosh: There are several ones; however here is one …

“One does not need to create assets for future generation, make them an asset instead.”

Me: If you had one wish, what would you wish for and why?

Santosh: To put a smile on the faces of the underprivileged children! This wish would make it worth being named "Santosh" (Happy).

You can contact me at -

www.rachnagupta.in

myriadhues14@gmail.com

Twitter - @GuptaRach

Interview with Dinesh Gupta author of "Kaise Chand Lafzon Men Saara Pyar Likhun."

This week I had the opportunity to interact with poet Dinesh Gupta, a software engineer who is passionate about poetry. Here he tells us about himself, his books, his idol and what it is that keeps him writing. 

Tell us a little about yourself?

I am Software Engineer by profession and a poet by passion.

 (Bheetar Ki Gehrai Aur Bahar Ki Tanhai Ne Shayar Bana Diya)

I am basically from Mandsaur, a district of Madhya Pradesh. I currently stay in Pune and am working as a manager in a Software Firm.

What are your other 2 books about?

My First book “Meri Aankhon Men Muhabbat Ke Manzar Hain” is a collection of Poems based on a variety of topics like Muhabbat, Deshprem, Dreams, Social imbalance, Corruption, Terrorism, Life etc. I believe in 2 aspects of love - one for your country and one for the one you love.

My Second Book “Jo Kuch Bhi Tha Darmiyaan” is a collection of articles that connect with Poetry. Similar to the first one, this is also based on random thoughts. I would say it’s a collection of Articlic-Poetry.

How is this book different from the other two?

My earlier books were collection of Poems on any random topics that happened in life or things that came into my mind.  In this Book I have tried to arrange the poems in a professional way. This book is a collection of poems based on only romance which is better suited to the market today.

How did you come up with this beautiful title – “Kaise Chand Lafzon Men Saara Pyar Likhun”?

Well, I belive in choosing creative titles  for all my books. This title came out from the first 4 lines of the title poem:

“Shabd Naye Chunkar Geet Vahi Har Baar Likhun main

Un Do Aankhon Men Apna Saara Sansaar Likhun main

Virah Ki Vedna Likhun Ya Milan Ki Jhankaar Likhun Main

Kaise Chand Lafzon Men Saara Pyar Likhun Main!”

Software Engineer and poet…When do you get time to write?

Lots of people ask this question and I just say: “Engineering IS My Profession but Poetry is My Passion. Shabd Meri Ragon Men Khoon Bankar Daudte Hain Aur Kavita Meri Nason Men Behti Hain.”

Well, honestly speaking, I hardly write using pen and paper. I am very attuned to things happening around me and when I get the right words to express them poetry comes out automatically. Like, one day I saw a poor kid begging at the train station and these 4 lines came to me -

“Sabki Rahon Men Nahin Hoti Hai Chadar Phulon Ki

Kisi Ki Takdir Hoti Hai Dagar Shulon Ki

Jindagi Kya Hoti Hai Jara Unse Pucho

Jinke Ghar Roj Jung Hoti Hai Bhuk Aur Usulon Ki !”

What or who inspired you to write this book?

I was inspired to publish my work after seeing the tremendous response I got from the readers on my Facebook posts and blog. My poems also got appreciated from many editors who belong to reputed magazines. All these things inspire me to write!

How long did it take you to finish it?

I think it took 1 year to finally have the book in my hand.

Who is your favorite poet and what is it that really strikes you about his/her work?

My Favorite poet is Dr. Kumar Vishwas who actually inspired me to write. I am inspired by the tales of his struggles, the tough decision he had to take and the mind-blowing poetry he writes using simple and touching words.

What is the best compliment you have received about your work?

Well, Almost everyone who got to know about my poems said its mind blowing, amazing, fantastic, touchy, tremendous and “you write so well” etc. I am glad to receive all these comments, but the biggest one I got was when few readers said “You are not less than Dr. Kumar Vishwas and you can be on same stage if your approach is good.” There is not better feeling than  someone comparing you to your idol.

What projects are you working on at the present?

Right now I am focusing on marketing of this book. Also these days I am actively performing in poetry events. I have not finalized anything for my next book yet.

How has your experience with the publisher been?

It was a nice experience. Aniket is very cooperative and transparent. Although he is new in this field and we are facing lots of issues related to the retail distribution of the books, but I found it was a nice decision to choose a new publisher rather than an established one since I was able to take charge of the marketing in my hand. There are lots of other issues with established publishers mostly transparency. Overall I think it was a good deal.

Anything that you would like to sgare with your readers -

“Meri Aankhon Men Muhabbat Ke Jo Manzar Hain

Tumhari Hi Cahton Ke Samandar Hain

Main Har Roj Cahta Hun Ki Tujhse ye Keh Dun Magar

Labon Tak Nahi Aata Jo Mere Dil Ke Andar Hai !”

Link://www.amazon.in/dp/8192955532

If you want me to review your book or feature you on my blog, you can contact me at - myriadhues14@gmail.com

Twitter - @GuptaRach

Interview With Author Varun Prabhu

Ever since I started spending more time on social networking sites I realized that there are many people who thought out of the box and chose to write about interesting things. Varun Prabhu is one such person who I connected with on Facebook! Very like me, author Varun Prabhu is at his creative best when the rest of the world is immersed in dreams. His debut novel “Exodus” will be available in an e-book format on the 7^th of March. Here are a few questions I asked him and this is what he has to say…. Happy ReadingJ!

Ø Tell us a little about yourself ….

      I am an ambivert, as in I can be both introvert and extrovert, depending upon the situation. I am also hard-working and detail oriented; always want everything to be perfect. I love research and I do a lot of it for my stories.

Ø What do you think makes a good story?

    Content. I will even ignore the grammar if the book has good content. There must be no loopholes and the story must have been developmentally edited. I will also ignore show versus tell as long as the story immerses me into the book and takes me to the world the author has created.

Ø Why did you choose to write about this particular genre?

    Fantasy, historical fiction, and mythology are some of my favorite genres. The current book, my debut novel, is a part of the Mahabharata series, a retelling of my own interpretation which will immerse the reader into the erstwhile Aryavarta politics and folklore. For my debut novel, I chose to write about this genre as I wanted to share the mythology from my POV and how I can relate to those times. Also, many have said my writing is kinda archaic, something that would suit that era. I choose these genres because I absolutely love writing them. Other genres, well, not so much. They pretty much end up being crap..hehe

Ø How much time did you spend on research?

    I have been a fan of Mahabharata since childhood and have been researching its folklore since ages. Considering I love the era and Krishna is my favorite, you may say that I have spent most of my time researching Indian mythology.  For this series, the research I have done before helped me a lot. Plus, I did a specialized research for 3-4 months and came up with new sub-plots and brought forth minor characters to play a major role in the epic. To come up with such things require extensive amount of time. The forthcoming books in the series will only double the research time because the need is extensive.

Ø How did you come up with the title?

    I had an ending in mind. Since the book ends with a temporary disappearance of Dharma and all the characters following it, it was simple really. Exodus means a mass disappearance of people from a place. Hence the name. 

Ø How long did it take you to complete your debut novel?

    It took me a fortnight to write up the first draft. Since this is a genre I love, I can usually write fast.

Ø Do you experience writer’s block? How do you deal with it?

    Not really. I haven't yet. I am clear upon what I want in my book from the start to the end. I plan extensively. I am a plotter, not a pantser.

Ø What does your family think about your career choice?

    Like all others, I face my share of judgment. I am a professional writer and editor. I don't earn much compared to the engineers and doctors and MBAs...I think my parents wanted me to become one of those. But I am happy where I am, because I am doing what I love. Despite all this, my family has supported my decisions even though they can be a bit cranky sometimes. I don't blame them. They have a right to be worried.

Ø Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of things do they say?

    I used to post a lot on websites and the readers have both good and bad things to say about my writing. The good thing is that they love how I write and interpret things. Reminds them of classics, they say. Some have even gone on and compared me to J R.R Tolkien by saying that my writing makes them reminisce the style the great author used. I take it as a compliment but I'm definitely not taking it to my head.

Ø Who is your favorite author?

    J.R.R Tolkien of course! If I had not read his Lord of the Rings, I would probably not have read many books. Or even write one. He is my main inspiration.

Ø What do you do when you are not writing?

    Reading, watching TV Shows (I am like an avid fan)

Ø You favorite song/singer…

    I don't really listen to much music, but then I like Ramin Djawadi and Enya.

Ø Your favorite quote…

“It's the job that's never started as takes longest to finish.” - J.R.R Tolkien - Lord of the Rings

Ø What advice would you like to give aspiring authors?

    Write. Just Write. Don't worry about the grammar. Don't worry about Structure. That's for later drafts. For first drafts, just get your ideas to paper. Also research well, and even if you are a pantser, have some kind of an ending in mind. And if you find yourselves in a block, I suggest leave writing for a while, go enjoy and then come back :)

Link to his FaceBook Page –

https://www.facebook.com/Varun.Prabhu.Author

Twitter @VPAllasander

If you are interested in being featured on my blog or would like me to review your book, mail me at - myriadhues14@gmail.com