ON A LITERARY QUEST – THE THRILL OF WRITING IS WHAT INSPIRES THIS AUTHOR

Author Interview: Rohit Kumar

Rohit Kumar is a marketer by profession, a specialization influenced by his fondness for creative pursuits. He lives with his family in Gurgaon. Having authored a young adult fiction novel titled “Breaking Through the Maze”, he has recently come out with the book “A Quest of Souls”. As a writer, he likes to delve into how his characters influence their environment and how, in turn are influenced by it. He believes writing should capture multiple hues and layers and aspires to incorporate such nuances in his books. In a candid chat with Chirdeep Malhotra, he talks about his latest book, his writing journey, his favourite books and authors, and much more. Read on!



Please tell us more about Rohit Kumar as a person.

I believe that the person I am today has been shaped by childhood boarding school education, the hostel life in my teenage years and now, having worked with different kinds of people in cities across India. I like to trek, swim and run long distance. My other interests include reading, writing and spending time at the beach, unhindered from the daily hum drum.



Has writing always been a part of your life? Or did you chance upon it later on and then instantly fell in love with it?

I was always a little studious in school and hence, a natural inclination towards books. My fascination with writing started with reading novels like the introductory Enid Blyton’s Famous Five and Secret Seven series, Hardy Boys series, and then Ruskin Bond’s books.
This led to the disposition to write: At first poems, articles & essays for magazines and newsletters in school and college and then, eventually to writing novels. The thrill of creating stories is, for me, unmatchable.



Please tell us more about your book “A Quest of Souls”.

In my novel, “A Quest of Souls”, the protagonist, young Arjun, moves to Chennai for work. Soon upon arrival, he begins to experience a feeling of ‘strangeness’ and then a mysterious, story-like dream begins to haunt his thoughts up. Further, Arjun comes across Mani, Advita and Elisabeth – who influence his journey through the novel. As the story develops, young Mani finds himself entangled in the case of the death of a little girl and Advita disappears without leaving a clue. As the book progresses, Arjun realises that his pursuit for a cure for his haunting dreams is connected with Mani, Advita and Elisabeth.
Essentially, each of them must face their inner demons. Arjun must overcome the loss of someone he loves and justify the use of ill-gotten means to a moral end. Mani needs to prove his innocence or be on the run for the rest of his life. Advita’s journey towards healing demands sacrifice from her friend Elisabeth.
The novel has themes of bonding with new people, evolving as a person and coming of age. It is written like a thriller and has elements of surrealism. In the book, the reader will experience the journeys of the characters as they navigate through their challenges.
In the end, I will leave the readers with these questions and invite them to find the answers in the novel: Will Arjun’s dream ever stop haunting him? Is Mani guilty and can he get his life back? Will Advita ever find peace with herself again?



How has the response of readers been to your book?

The response has been fantastic, thankfully. The readers have praised the book for keeping them engaged. They are also able to identify with the characters and their dilemmas. The haunting story like dream of the protagonist, around which the novel is woven, has had the effect of wanting to read further. All in all, could not have been happier with the response. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the readers.



How did the idea of writing this book emerge?

I have always relished the idea of putting characters in new and strange settings – like a new city, and see them develop; by, for example, meeting new people or challenges while soaking in and being influenced by the new atmosphere, the micro culture of a new place, the sights, the sounds, the weather, the geography, etc.



In terms of the complexity of the character and the nuances of the dialogues, the character development of whom was the most difficult in this book?

I would say all the main characters have their own backgrounds i.e. where they come from, what they do, etc. and that itself makes the development complex. For e.g. Arjun and Mani come from different parts of India and the writing had to take care of the quirks in their verbal dialogues. I believe fitting that in for English readers was quite a challenge.



What kind of research did you do for the book?

Thankfully, I have worked and stayed in Chennai for a couple of years – which provides the background for the novel. Hence, the set-up was a little easier. Having said that, searching for specific terms in vernacular language, detailing of geography and micro-culture were some of the aspects that had to be researched for accuracy and authenticity.



What challenges did you face while writing this book?

The major challenge was to develop a plot that would interest and intrigue the reader. Another aspect was being able to maintain the quality of writing across the length of the novel, as every chapter and section has to be written with the same rigour.
Also, as a working professional, finding some dedicated time to actually write was a challenge. In this regard, the support received from my wife, my parents, my in-laws and my extended family is immeasurable.



Can you recommend five books from any genre, for our readers to add to their reading lists, that you particularly cherish?

Surely. My simple test for a good book is this: If you get Goosebumps while reading a certain chapter or page or a paragraph of a novel, I think the book has done its job. That is why I personally prefer fiction, not that I have anything against non-fiction. I would recommend, in no particular order, “Midnight’s Children” by Salman Rushdie, “One Hundred Years of Solitude” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, “East of Eden” by John Steinbeck, “A Clockwork Orange” by Anthony Burgess, and “2001: A Space Odyssey” by Arthur C. Clarke. All these books have given me a profound sense of what great writing is and opened my senses to different imaginations by the way of the written word. I also prefer Indian authors a lot.



There are many new writers and poets who are aspiring to get their work published. What would you say to them?

It is great to see many new writers coming up these days. It shows that literature & the arts are still relevant and hold a fundamental importance in our lives. My learning, that I would like to share with aspiring authors is that one should stay focused, motivated and show perseverance while writing; as the journey has its ups and downs – but the fruit of the labour is wonderful.
More practically, for working professionals or students or people with family life, I would say that one needs to find dedicated time to sit down and write – because unless one writes, there is no end product – the book.



What are you working on next?

I am working on a novel that captures the essence of our times i.e. a generation that has seen immense change. The story would capture how we have become strangers in our own world and I hope to make it worthy of worldwide readership.



Can you share with our readers a motivational quote that keeps you going?

Well, one that fits the context is by Mark Twain, who said, “The secret to getting ahead is to getting started”. I applied this to writing each day, even when the words just didn’t seem to come out, or when I felt that the plot was going nowhere. I just wrote whatever I could at that time and progressed from there.