Monday 2 July 2018

Author Interview: Sunil Sapra


The author, Sunil Sapra is founder and CEO of Singapore based growth Accelerator for early stage software companies, Risan Asia Business Partners Pte Ltd and has been involved with many startups in his 23 years of work. Since childhood, he participated in plays, dramas and other stage activities. During his college days at BITS Pilani, he acted in, directed and modified few Hindi plays and was very passionate about this art.

Later he lost touch with this creative side, and for many years didn’t do anything in this domain. After moving to Singapore in 2013, he started writing once in a while but it was during the silver jubilee reunion of his batch in 2014 that his poetic side found its “Faqeera” and he wrote some poems and songs for the reunion. Since then he has written over 500 poems in the last 4 years. Most of his poems are inspired by the daily life and what goes on around us. When you read his poems, you will feel as if you have written them yourself and that’s the power of “Faqeera”.

We interviewed him recently. Here are the excerpts.

Where do you belong to? Our readers want to know about your education and family. 

I was born and raised in Gurgaon and lived there for most of my life and for last five years, I have been living in Singapore. My parents worked in Education department and I was born on Teacher’s Day, so it was destined that someday I would write a book. 😊

I studied engineering in BITS, Pilani and actively participated in the Hindi theatre there. That’s where I developed interest in the creative side of life.


Tell us about your book. 
The book Faqeera Chal Chala Chal is a collection of 84 Hindi poems written by me. The poems cover everyday emotions with topics ranging from Self, relationships, God, dreams, wishes, pain etc. People who have read the book tell me that they feel as if they have written it themselves.

Tell us about your other books. 
Faqeera Chal Chala Chal is my first book. However, I should do at least 2 more, one this year and one next. 

What is your writing journey like, where and when did you start? Are you a writer by choice or by chance?
Certainly, by chance. I started writing only around 2014 and it wasn’t serious. I posted few of them on my Facebook, friends liked them and encouraged me to write more. 
Around the same time, we had our BITS batch reunion and I wrote a fun song “BITS Pilani Jaisi Koi Jagah Kahan” which was loved by BITSians of all ages and batches. I followed it up by the first poem in the book “Kadam Tham gaye”. That’s how the momentum built up which is over 500 poems strong now. 
After my father read some of my poems last year, he insisted that I should get them published and that’s how the book happened.

As a new author, what is your favourite part of the writing/publishing process? Least favourite?
The most favourite part is when you feel your words have done justice to the thought and it gives you immense joy. If everyone else likes the poem and I don’t vs. I like it and no one else does, I will pick the second case always.

When you must decide about how many should go into the book and which ones to drop, that I think is the most difficult part. I won’t use the cliché that I love all my poems equally.  Out of the 500, that I have written, I certainly like about 50% much more than the rest 50% and I do have my Top 25.

Are you an avid reader as well? What kind of books do you read? What is your frequency of reading?
I used to be an avid reader and would finish at least one book a week. It was no surprise for my friends and acquaintances to receive books from me on any occasion. Motivational, biographies, mythology, fiction, poetry, stories, venture capital, technology, almost every genre. Now a days, my reading has dropped quite a bit and I read summaries and blog more than the books.

Which is your favorite book and why?
Krishna – The God who lived as man. The most mesmerising book about the most complete, the most magical Faqeera that the world has ever witnessed. Many of my poems are inspired by this book including my very favourite, “Kahan ho, kahin par”. My book is dedicated to Krishna.  

Who are your favorite authors?
Kaajal Oza-Vaidya, Osho, Gulzar Saab, Subroto Bagchi, Mohan Rakesh, Manto.

Do you pursue any other profession apart from writing? How do you manage everything? How do you find family time amidst all this?
I have been working in IT sales for 23 years and currently run a Singapore based Venture Builder company that helps start-ups in international expansion.

Poetry is a hobby and passion and not profession. Writing doesn’t take away much time because I write only when I am in the “Faqeera zone”. The ones I wrote just for the sake of it or on someone’s request are so visible and clearly out of place. 

As long as my work and writing doesn’t intrude in my family time, they don’t have any problem with it. 😊

What does your writing space look like? 

I don’t have a writing space as such. I have written poems while on a travel, during evening walks, at home, office, restaurant, hospital, cinema hall, anywhere. It’s all about the “Faqeera Zone” engulfing you. However, my balcony overlooking the ocean is my most favourite corner for writing. Have a look at the writing corner and the mesmerizing view from there.



How do you overcome writer’s block?
I don’t force myself to write because the contrived poetry isn’t something that I like. Since I write only as a hobby, I am not answerable to anyone and that’s why I go for days/ months without writing a single poem and sometimes I write 5 poems in half hour. There is no pattern or discipline to it yet.

What motivated you to write this book?
Some friends on my Facebook who regularly read and encourage me, always suggested that I should convert few of my poems to a book but I wasn’t very serious about it. 

When my father insisted that I should publish them and my wife helped me get a publisher and suggested that we should associate the book with a good cause. That energized me and got me going.

How long did you take to finish this book? What was the process like?
Most of my poems were scattered on FB and on my page www.facebook.com/chalfaqeera
Though the poems were ready but the process was still energy consuming one. The challenge was to get them all together in a document, decide the structure and flow of the book, out of 300 poems at that time, how many to include and which ones, do proof reading, how should the cover page look and what it should depict, acknowledgments etc. 

As a first-time writer, you change your thoughts and plans every day and that needs so much rework. It was very difficult to draw a line that after this no more changes and this is final copy.
Overall, it took about 4 months of working on weekends but with gaps in between.

What are you hoping people to gain from your book?
Most of my poems are straight from the heart. They are not necessarily my experiences but sometimes a friend told me something or I read about something or some other inspiration. I hope that the poems will make people think and help them connect with their emotional side.

What were some of the challenges you faced on the road to publication?
Mentioned already. Otherwise, the publisher was quite supportive.

What kind of research have you done for the book? 
There isn’t any research involved actually, because the poems are based on one’s emotions and experiences.

Any story behind deciding the title of this book?
Can’t recall since when and why, but I have always used the word Faqeera for the soul, the inner voice in my conversations and writings. And since life is a journey where nothing stops for you, the time, the earth, the world, nothing. So, one must keep moving too.  That’s why, Faqeera Chal Chala Chal. 😊

Why should we read your book?
Two reasons:

- It might help you find and connect with your own Faqeera. Trust me, that would be an awesome feeling.

- All proceeds from the book are being donated to charitable organizations. The book needs that support.

Do you have any blog or website the readers can visit?

What advice do you have for budding writers?
Write something that inspires you and let it flow. Unless you are writing a professional book, write for self and don’t interrupt the flow of thoughts. Edit later and edit brutally. 

Thursday 21 June 2018

Book Review: My Feathered Friends & the Book of Poems-Part 1


Book Title: My Feathered Friends & the Book of Poems-Part 1
Author:  Sunil Bhatia 
Publication Date: January 2017
Edition Language: English
Genre: Poetry
Pages: 230


Firstly, a big thanks to the author for sending across the book to me for review.

To begin with, the first thing I loved about the book is the quality of pages, the appealing bright cover and the textbook kind of feel that brought in nostalgia with it.

This book has majorly two halves, you may call it two-in-one. The first part is a narration of author's experiences, clubbed with his imagination and his love for nature. The second part comprises of poems.

The first part gives life to birds, and makes them the characters of the respective stories. Each of them leaves a positive impression on you, some thoughts that linger for long. They are like self-help lessons. Above all, they are not just usual do's and don'ts or speech kind of self help chapters, but interactive and story-like. The protagonist, who is a city dweller, converses with various species of birds. They are actually like his friends. A variety of birds, pigeons, peacocks, owls, parrots, doves and many others were his characters. The book is aptly titled "My Feathered Friends..."

Initially, not everyone may be able to digest the idea of the book. During first few pages, you may not be able to cope up with the frequency and the overall motive. But gradually, you start living in the book and believe in the world the author is showcasing- fiction, fantasy, self-help and poetry.

It shows the love of the author for birds and also, a different perspective altogether. Imagining birds to speak, narrate and give you life lessons is exemplary.

The second part has a poetic delight, well thought over, nicely composed poems. The poems are simple, easy read and convey messages individually. The poems belong to various categories, and each of them is for someone. They highlight the problems in the world, in very simple yet creative manner.

The author's way is very innovative, assuming the birds are conversing and being a part of his day-to-day life. I liked the first half of the book more than the poems. This is simply because, this style of narration and imagination is clearly distinct and rare.

After reading the first part, I am awaiting part two of this book!

I would recommend the book for all nature and poetry lovers. I rate it 3.5 on 5.



(PS: the reviews expressed here are based on my personal reading experience, and do not intend to defame, derate or 
degrade the sale or vice-versa for the book.)

If you are an author and want your book to be reviewed, drop an email at bookreviews@mansiladha.com.

Tuesday 12 June 2018

Book Review: A Cage of Desires


Book Title: A Cage of Desires
Author: Shuchi Singh Kalra
Publication Date: May 2018
Edition Language: English
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 175



Firstly thanks to the author for sending across the book for review. This book is a fiction based on a woman's life as evident from the amazing cover of the book. The cover of the book summarized pictorially exactly what the book is about. The title is also apt. I generally don't read erotica, so at first I was apprehensive if I must go with it or not. But the cover was enough to attract me towards it.

I am fond of woman centric stories, and hence opted to read it. The book is of ~200 pages and hence, a breezy read. The flow of the story is straightforward, no confusions at all. Though, during initial few chapters I was suspecting it to be inspired from Indian movies. Gradually I realized it is much more than that. The plot is penned so bravely, boldly and intensely. This is highly uncommon for Indian authors. Being a woman author in India, and keeping the society and culture into consideration, it is in itself a bold step to write a book like this.

The book revolves around the protagonist Renu, a simple home maker, who takes care of her kids and a nagging father-in-law single-handedly while her husband works in another town and is least bothered about the family. She, like other Indian women is bound in the web of her duties but deprived of her rights. She longs for love and affection, the desire of loving and being loved back. Her husband never realizes her worth. She doesn't get back from him what every married women needs. But bound under the rules of Indian society, she isn't allowed to look for alternates to fulfill her desires and to keep bearing her misfortune. The book is an encounter of her with other men in her life, and the fulfillment of her desires with them. The multiple facets of an Indian woman is indeed well depicted. Through the course of the story she finds love, hatred, betrayal and keeps bouncing between all these, angry and unsatisfied. (I won't give any spoilers here :) ). The story progresses on how she combats the destiny and emerges victorious. She chooses the unconventional, something that must be a motivation for other women too.

This book is also a satire on the Indian society where people are fond of reading and watching erotica behind closed doors. But at the same time, are ashamed to know their women being involved in it. (Resisting spoiler again). Maya is a writer who writes erotica under pen name and is loved and appreciated by all, but it becomes a cause of shame if men find their women in Maya's place. 

The scenes are well narrated. Love making is quite descriptive. At times, you can actually imagine what is happening, and that is the quality of a well written fiction. The usage of words and sentences for the portrayal of emotions is appropriate. It is indeed a well revised and wisely edited work.

However, at certain points you may feel that there is exaggeration of emotions, or redundancy of the same thoughts over and over.

Overall the book is a well thought over, emotional roller coaster ride.

I would recommend the book for all those who are fond of women centric Indian fiction books. I rate it 3.5 on 5.

(PS: the reviews expressed here are based on my personal reading experience, and do not intend to defame, derate or 
degrade the sale or vice-versa for the book.)

If you are an author and want your book to be reviewed, drop an email at bookreviews@mansiladha.com.

Monday 11 June 2018

Author Interview: Rahul Rai

Rahul Rai, an IIT graduate has recently authored a book called The Myth of Hastinapur. The book is based on the greatest epic of all times, Mahabharata. The well articulated book is based on great research and depicts good story telling. We recently had an interview with him. Have a look at what we discussed. Also, visit here to read our review of his debut book.







Where do you belong to? Our readers want to know about your education and family.
I am an IIT alumnus and after my graduation, I have been working as a data scientist for more than 10 years. My hometown is Lucknow where my parents live now while I am located out of Gurugram. My father is a retired civil servant while my mother is a housewife.

Tell us about your book
The Myth of Hastinapur is based on one of the greatest epic in the world, Mahabharata. It contains stories around different incidents which eventually culminated into war while the end chapters’ deal with guilt, remorse and reminiscences of few main actors in the war. Each of these stories can be read independently though they follow a sequential order to maintain the continuity of the tale.

What is your writing journey like, where and when did you start? Are you a writer by choice or by chance?
Since childhood, I have loved telling stories to people around me. I had a blog (now defunct) of my own where I used to share my stories with my near-ones. But I lacked discipline of writing a book. It was around 3-4 years ago that I decided to follow a more organised approach towards writing which helped me come up with The Myth of Hastinapur. I would like to keep on writing more in future so would like to classify myself as a writer by choice.




As a new author, what is your favorite part of the writing/publishing process? Least favorite?
I consider myself as a very picky learner. Even in my professional career, I don’t like things which are a black box about which I don’t have much knowledge. I try to decipher them till I am able to break their code. I was able to complete this book around October last year but I took a lot of time in understanding the publishing process. From editing, illustrations, book cover, ISBN assignment, online distribution etc., I found everything exciting considering they were quite novel to me.

Needless to say, a lot of people helped me through the process. I liked your review which talked about how The Myth of Hastinapur seems to be edited well. I am highly indebted to Alka Ranjan for this. She painstakingly took up the task of editing which was not limited to just looking for grammatical errors and sentence correction, which in themselves are hugely demanding tasks, but also provided me with great ideas about the overall flow of the stories and suggestions to improve upon certain scenes.

Like editing, each of the different processes were a learning experience for me and I enjoyed them all be it learning from Vikas’s thought process when he was sketching illustrations or co-ordinating with Abhilash when he was trying to create the cover of the book.

Are you an avid reader as well? What kind of books do you read? What is your frequency of reading?
Yes, I am. I really love reading fiction. Paul Auster, Vladimir Nabokov (you need a dictionary along with his books), Haruki Murakami are few of my favorites. The Book Thief, One flew over cuckoo’s nest, The Bridge on the river Kwai, Mrityunjai are few of my favorite books.

Which is your favorite book and why?
It would be difficult to point to a particular favorite as there are so many but would like to talk about the ‘The Book Thief’. It is based on the 2nd world war and revolves around a German family. Very few protagonists come closer to the endearing portrayal of characters like in the book thief. This book in its pages brings to life each and every human emotion and I would recommend everyone to read it.

Do you pursue any other profession apart from writing? How do you manage everything?
Yes, I am a Data Scientist by profession. I think everyone tries to find time for their hobby which is writing in my case. I like writing. It helps me at many different levels and has definitely helped me to grow. So, it is not that difficult to find time for it. The Myth of Hastinapur was written when I was enjoying my holidays or when I was engaged at a client location or when I was travelling. I tried to find time for it whenever I was free from my other priorities.

How do you overcome writer’s block?
There is only one way (at least for me) to do it; to keep on writing. ‘Tears of Rudra’ was one of the stories with which I struggled. I think I spent almost 15-20 days thinking about how few of its last pages needed to pan out where each day started with writing a paragraph and ended with deleting it. And it was only after a fortnight that I started making some progress. So, as a writer, I think you should keep on pushing yourself to write good content.

How long did you take to finish this book? What was the process like?
It took me almost a year to finish this book though few of the stories like ‘Yudhishthira’s Dilemma’, ‘Wrath of Draupadi’ took shape couple of years back. Writing is not always enjoyable even if you have written tonnes of stories, novels etc. It requires a lot of patience and self-motivation. Like any other activity which someone wants to get good at, writing requires one to give his undivided attention and remain focussed.

What were some of the challenges you faced on the road to publication?
Each step was a challenge considering it was a totally new venture for me. I followed a sequential approach to each of the steps (editing, cover design etc.) as I was a bit busy on personal front but it helped me gaining deeper understanding of the whole process. Considering the amount of time I have invested and the information and knowledge I have gained about the whole process, I think I am ready now to establish a publishing house J though I intend to remain a writer.

What kind of research have you done for the book?
My research is mostly internet based. But for The Myth of Hastinapur, I had my repository of knowledge ready about Mahabharata, Puranas, Ramayana which I had studied in my childhood. But internet helped me refresh my memory. Also, I tried to remain as close to the facts as possible. 

My whole idea was to while remaining closer to the incidents as written in Mahabharata to humanise the whole façade and make it more realistic with a belief that each one of us has the capacity to become Yudhishthira, Draupadi, Arjuna or even a Krishna. Needless to say, each one of us can become like Duryodhana or Shakuni as well and should remain aware of this fact.

Do you have any blog or website the readers can visit?
I am present on Facebook and made a recent profile on Goodreads.

Wednesday 6 June 2018

Author Interview: Grazia Gironella


Grazia Gironella (Bologna, Italy, 1963) lives at the foot of the Eastern Alps, in Northern Italy. She loves nature, eastern cultures and martial arts, and is fond of written words, both as a reader and as a writer. In addition to Searching for Goran, to the present day she has published on the Italian market several short stories (Tarja dei lupi, Tabula Fati, 2008, plus about fifteen more on anthologies), and essays on writing (Per scrivere bisogna sporcarsi le mani, Eremon, 2011 – La via delle parole, Eremon, 2015). In her blog Scrivere Vivere (www.scriverevivere.blogspot.com) she shares with fellow authors and wannabes the joys and problems of writing.



We recently interviewed her over email. Find below the excerpts of the same.

Where do you belong to? Our readers want to know about your education and family.

I was born in 1963 in a quite traditional middle-class Italian family, with my father a law enforcement officer and my mother a housewife. As a shy, lonely child with few relatives, I didn’t enjoy the company of kids my own age in the first years of my life, so my attention was drawn to books, that became my friends. I attended a scientific high school, then an institute for interpreters and translators, since I loved languages.

Tell us about your book.

Searching for Goran is the story of man who is struck by amnesia after a car accident. Going back to his old life, he is faced with a reality he no longer recognizes, that includes a wife who is difficult to love and a two-faced business partner. Then visions start appearing, incomprehensible and devastating, belonging to another place and time and – above all – another man.
Goran decides to find out what is happening to him and follows the clues in his visions of ice and struggle for survival across Europe, heading for Scandinavia; but he's not alone, because his past is not ready to let him go yet, for better or for worse.


As a new author, what is your favorite part of the writing/publishing process? Least favorite?

The first draft is the most exciting part. I like seeing the story take shape before my eyes, part on my own planning, part coming from who knows where. I’m also very patient and precise in the revising phase, which is really tough job, but is also rewarding in its own way. I suppose the least favorite part to me is feeling unable to write due to lack of ideas or incapacity to stay focused.      

Are you an avid reader as well? What kind of books do you read? What is your frequency of reading?

I read three-four books at a time, choosing in accordance to my mood. This doesn’t mean I’m a fast reader, because I can devote to reading just a small part of my time, maybe one and a half hour a day. I read about thirty to forty books a year, not more. I love novels that have a fantastic side, but also any other genre, if it’s well written. I read plenty of nonfiction on different topics such as nature, spirituality, eastern cultures and writing. At present I’m reading a summarized version of the Mahabharata. I like biographies as well.   

Which is your favorite book and why?

I have many favorite books, but The Lord of the Rings is “the Book” to me. I read it when I was sixteen and fell in love with J.R.R. Tolkiens’s worldview and values. I still read it the novel now and then.   

Who are your favorite authors?

Brandon Sanderson, Ursula Le Guin, Patrick Rothfuss, Diana Gabaldon… but the list is long and ever changing.

Do you pursue any other profession apart from writing? How do you manage everything? How do you find family time amidst all this?

I’ve been working as ground staff in an Italian airport for 25 years before I moved to a new town and decided to stop working. Now I have the privilege to devote my time to my family – my husband, my 21 year-old son and my dog Maya – and to writing. I also practice regularly raja yoga and taiji.   

What does your writing space look like?

I have my own desk in the very middle of the kitchen-living room area. Of course a room for me might be better, but I appreciate the company of my family while I work at a story. I’m usually able to stay focused even in the most horrible mess. On my desk I have screen and keyboard, paper for my notes, a jar full of colored pencils and a small tray that has become almost an altar to me, where I put all the small things I collect while walking in Nature, like flowers, stones, moss, wood pieces, feathers.

How do you overcome writer’s block?

Do I really? Well, sometimes I simply stop writing for a few weeks and try to get engaged in some other activity, just to wipe away the idea that I have to keep writing no matter what. If this doesn’t work… I ask heaven for ideas, and the right attitude toward a form of art I will never have the complete control of.  

What motivated you to write this book?

I was looking for a story to tell, as usual. I had read something about amnesia and found it fascinating. What is life, seen through the eyes of a person with no past? Then came the second, thrilling question: what’s the worse that might happen to a person suffering from amnesia? To start remembering something, but realizing it’s part of someone else’s past. Then came a journey with my family across Europe, destination North Cape. In Finland I learned about the dire straits people had to face during the Great Famine in the 19th century. These two elements struck the spark.   

How long did you take to finish this book? What was the process like?

The novel was written in about one year, but it underwent a new revision after a couple of years. My writing phases are planning, writing and revising. To start writing I need to know who the characters are, what they want and what will happen in the story. I prefer not to devote months to a novel before realizing that I’ve come to a dead end! During the planning I’m not deciding the details, though; there’s always a great deal of surprise waiting on the way. After the first draft is finished, I let the manuscript rest a few weeks or months (the longer the better), then I start the revision, that is thorough and demanding, with plenty of readings and different kinds of adjustments that are dealt with separately.      

What are you hoping people to gain from your book?

I think there are a few messages hidden in Searching for Goran: the awareness that to flourish as persons we need to know ourselves, and dig deep, even when what we find there makes us feel uneasy; the need to forgive in order to move on with our lives; the importance of resiliency, a gift that exists in each of us. Hopefully something of all this will stick to my readers and be useful in their lives, just as it’s been useful to me.   

What were some of the challenges you faced on the road to publication?

Oh, there were plenty! In its first version, the novel was finalist at an important literary award in Italy and was therefore published as an e-book. After a couple of years, I kept wondering: “so what?”. There was no promotion on the publisher’s side, so the novel simply agonized. That’s why I got the rights back, I reviewed the novel once more, and self-published it on Amazon, in ebook and paperback, both in Italian and in English. I think this is the best possible way to offer my novel to the readers, in this specific situation.     

What kind of research do you do for your books?

Searching for Goran includes both historical events and scientific data, so it was vital for me to make thorough research. You don’t want readers to come up with criticisms of that kind! For my researches I always use the internet, and possibly some expert who is so kind as to help me. With the social media now available it’s not so hard. 

Any story behind deciding the title of this book?

The former version’s title was (translated from Italian) Two lives are enough. It was a good title, in my opinion, but I wanted a new title for the new novel, so I chose one that described Goran’s inner and outer journey, on my translator’s advice.

Why should we read your book?

Because the novel is a mystery, but there’s much more to it. Goran’s is a fascinating story, rich in emotion and – if I may say so – very well written. I’m not taking all the credit: Juliet Bates, the English native speaker who translated the novel, really made a good job. 

Do you have any blog or website the readers can visit?

On my Italian blog Scrivere Vivere (http://scriverevivere.blogspot.com/) I deal with the many different aspects of a writer’s life. I suppose you and your readers should use the Google translator, which is not the best way to appreciate a blog, but I can assure you will be warmly welcome.   

What advice do you have for budding writers?

Don’t be hasty and keep ambition at bay. I know stories are written to be read, but if you cannot love writing in itself, regardless of sold copies and of the publishers’/readers reactions, you’ll probably have a hard time with writing sooner or later. If you self-publish your works, just as I did, demand the best of yourself. Last, write! Planning, thinking, dreaming, talking about writing is not writing.