Interview : Anandaa

A wonderful book - A Cupful of Aha! and equally wonderful author description of himself. I must post the exact message from author here. 

"About the Author

The author is possibly the only double PhD(one in Applied Psychology, the other in Comparative Tribal Music) who has spent multiple stints in several rehabilitation centres for problems ranging from drug abuse, mental breakdown, and schizophrenia. 

He then spent 8 years roaming the remote regions of the Himalayas - living with goatherds and monks, and often going several months with not a work spoken.

At ease with Prime Ministers and commoners alike; he has the unique ability to predict key events of your future just by looking at a photograph of your little finger.

P.S. : None of the above is true. The author is just the average John (or Jani or Janaradhan). does not matter.

The message is important; not the messenger."

How did the idea of 'A cupful of Aha!' occur to you?

Quite honestly – right out of the blue! J

I just started putting pen to paper (actually, fingers to keyboard) and the story literally wrote itself. I didn’t have the plot thought out – I just started with the base premise and went with the flow. After a point, the words wouldn’t come and I’d stop for the night. And then enjoy the suspense as I had no clue what was coming next. But the conversation between the two main characters did feel very real as I wrote.

So – divinely inspired or temporary schizophrenia – I’m not sure. But I loved the process and the end product!

What was the objective of putting the wisdom of life in words?

Thank you – very flattering words – ‘wisdom of life’! But seriously, I was just sharing some insights and a quirky perspective. I’m in no way qualified to expound on such matters; but as I’ve said in the book - ignore the messenger, the message is still very relevant for you.

How much of what you have written did you actually experience?

Some of it, yes – and some of it I deeply yearn to instill more in my everyday life. I’m extremely grateful to the many Masters who have graced my life and pulled me along – kicking and screaming sometimes – on the path of self-discovery.

Which one thing do you want the readers of 'A cupful..' to take with them?

I’ve had very different takes on the book from people who have read it so far – from ‘simply enjoyable’ to ‘deeply philosophical’. And some of my friends have been puzzled by certain twists in the tale (again, different ones). So I think the book is more like a mirror – it seems to reflect what you need to see.

But if the book elicits a few smiles, and leaves you with a few questions – I think my job’s done.

What do you plan to write next? Is there any dream writing project that you have in mind?

I do have a couple of ideas I’m mulling over. And of course, my dream is that the next book also writes itself!

Which authors do you like reading the most - Indian and Foreign authors? Can you please name some of the books that have motivated and inspired you the most?

This is a difficult one. Because I just love to read (and re-read), and I read everything from fiction to philosophy to comics, and usually read 3-4 books in parallel. I close my eyes and at least 15 names come to mind – so I think I’ll skip this one!

How has been your journey of being an author?

A refreshingly different break from the corporate world I spend so much time in! If you thought writing a book is the hard part, wait till you figure out the process of getting it to print! And here I’d like to a say a Big Thank You to the BecomeShakespeare.com team. More than the professionalism and great quality, what impressed me most was how BecomeShakespeare.com helped convert the entire experience of getting my book to print into sheer joy - it felt like a gang of good (and talented) friends were jamming to create some awesome music together!

What suggestions would you want to offer to budding writers?

Just one – stop waiting for advice! Listen to your heart and just start writing!

Click here to buy the book.