Book Review : ‘Colours of Life’ by Ashwani Tyagi

This is a simple story, trying to convey a message to the readers. It’s about a young boy, who is off to an engineering college. College life begins with all its good qualities peppered with bad substances. There are good friends, examinations, a wonderful girlfriend and loving and understanding parents, and eventually, a brilliant job and an excellent boss.

What is different in this book, you ask? Well, nothing actually. It’s just a young professional’s story, who believed that he had something to say. Unfortunately, he does not. His college life and his studies, his weird tryst with the police, a marvellous time with the ideal girl and probably a slightly awkward experience with another woman, are all the mixture of this story.

Unfortunately, it is lacking. On two counts, 1) an interesting story and 2) good grammar. We do need both these for any good book. I could have understood if it was not going to be different, but there are countless mistakes in the text of the book, that it just cannot be read and understood.

The first page of this book itself was replete with mistakes, like the repetition of a single word, a serious lack of commas and grammar issues. In fact, the entire book pretty much read like that. 

It could have been the Ashwani Tyagi’s diary, in which he noted down several experiences, and converted it into a book. Seems like he forgot to correct all the grammatical and spelling errors he’d made. The editors could have done a better job, I felt.

Note on Cover :  It was a  very confusing cover, too much of bad colours, and a really serious guy’s face. Do not understand it.

Author: Ashwani Tyagi

ISBN  978-93-83562-01-5

Price: India:  Rs 125 ; Elsewhere: $5

Author Interview: Anand Neelakantan, Author of 'Asura, Tale of the Vanquished' (Part II)

This is the continuing part of author, Anand Neelakantan’s interview. He remains a storyteller and an indiscriminate reader. If you want to read the first part then try this, http://srutis.blogspot.in/2013/11/interview-with-anand-neelakantan-author.html

This part deals with some of his favourite books, authors and a little on how well ‘Asura’ is doing nowadays. 

It also gives us writers, some advice on how we can be published today. So read on…

Who was it that told you that you could become the author you are today?

I am agnostic as far as my religious beliefs go. However, when I started doing my research, my elder sister Chandrika, who is a renowned astrologer, told me that the book would be a super hit and I will earn my living from writing. This was about 8 years ago, when no one was sure whether any publisher would accept a

book on mythology. Amish’s Shiva Trilogy had not happened and Chetan Bhagat’s books were the rage of the youth (they still are).

When I heard the prediction, I had laughed it off, saying that who will be interested in reading about Ramayana, except for a niche set of readers.  Now, looking back, the prediction looks amazing. Not only did ‘Asura’ become number 1 in 2012, it is one of the shortlisted books for IDBI Crossword Award 2013 along with ‘Oath ofVayuputras’ and ‘Krishna Key’. The final winner is selected by vote.

This book is coming out in 10 Indian languages. The book is still in best seller charts after 18 months of its release. As a debut author who had learned English with a dictionary in one hand and a finger pondering laboriously over ‘The Hindu’ newspaper in the library of a very ordinary school two decades ago, I could not have asked for more.

How would you relate the life of Ravana’s life to the lives today? Any similarities?

Ravana in ‘Asura’ is modelled on many megalomaniacs of history. Men, who start with good intentions, but lose their way when power goes to their heads and try to redeem their ideals, when their time nears the end. There is a Ravana inside every one of us.

What book is coming from your next besides, ‘Ajaya’? When do you see ‘Ajaya’ released?

‘Ajaya’ is expected to hit the stands on December 1^st 2013, it is available on pre-order. It is a two part book, part 1 being ‘Ajaya, epic of the Kaurava clan, Roll of the Dice’ and part 2 being ‘Ajaya, epic of the Kaurva clan, Rise of Kali’ to be released in August ‘14. I am yet to decide on my next book, though I am toying with various ideas.

Any advice to writers that would like to be published today? How tough is it to be published in India?

Publishing is not as difficult as it used to be. Getting noticed and getting the book to sell is more difficult. Indian publishing industry is on the threshold of a boom and India is the only growing market for books.

Who are your favourite authors and why?

Valmiki, Bhasa, Vyasa etc. need no explanation.

W. Somerset Maugham for his treatment of plot and deep characters, Leo Tolstoy for everything, Joseph Heller for his dark humour, P G Wodehouse for making me

laugh anytime and every time, Agatha Christie for never allowing me to second guess, Ken Follett for keeping me riveted, Crichton for his research and imagination, Rushdie for his language, O Henry for his twists and Dostoevsky for his deep psychoanalysis of characters, and Khaled Hosseini for the sheer humanity of his stories. 

Also, writers in Malayalam such as 
M T for his thoughts and lyrical beauty, Basheer for his lucidity and SK Pottekkatt, for evoking nostalgia and making me feel fiction is more real than life.

Which book are you currently reading?

I am re-reading Jungle Book and loving it. I just finished the Great Gatsby. I will start Clifton Chronicles of Jeffery Archer soon. John Grisham’s latest one is also

waiting to be read. I may read it once I re-read the ‘Last Man in Tower’ of Adiga’s.

As I said, I am an indiscriminate reader who reads while eating, in the bathroom, while travelling and even during coffee breaks. I cannot remember a time when I am not reading; unless when I am writing or am busy with my days work to put rice, idli, dosa etc on the dining table (we rarely eat bread, nor do we fancy bacon, so this is a very Indian English expression).

What do you do on a day to day basis, besides writing stories?

I am a manager in Indian Oil Corporation. The job helps me put things on my dining table that would make an Udupi Hotel owner proud. Besides, I do oil painting, was a regular cartoonist in a few local magazines before Ravana conquered me. 

I used to write parody songs and short stories in Malayalam satire magazines, once upon a time. I still dabble in painting or cartoons, the latter especially during meetings, but writing remains my first love, if I take out reading from the reckoning.

Author Interview: Anuja Chandramouli, author of 'Arjuna - Saga of a Warrior Prince'

This had to be an interview, which had me smiling throughout. Just as Anuja Chandramouli says that her book, ‘Arjuna - Saga of a Warrior Prince’ is humorous, she herself is one for a sense of humour.

When I began reading and reviewing ‘Arjuna’, I noticed the similarities, it had with most of the stories, I had already read. Still, it had something, which I had always wanted to see. She managed to put the Mahabharata together, in solid sentences. I remember reading it as a child in the comic book format, but here it was, in story book format. 

And guess what? Her next book is based on Kama, somebody who I am quite curious about, since I have read nothing about him, ever! A spinner of yarns, this one is.

So, let us be led on by Arjuna, in this one…

How did ‘Arjuna’ happen? What kind of research did you put into it?

‘Arjuna’ happened when I was wrestling with a writer’s block. Conventional wisdom has it that authors do their best work when they write about the things they know really well. And from that point of view, ‘Arjuna’ was the logical choice, because I have known him nearly all my life.

There was considerable research involved of course, but the foundation was already in place for this venture because I have been greedily devouring any and all things related to the Mahabharata from my youngest days.

Why did you choose Arjuna, considering the numbers of mythological characters and stories open to you?

Arjuna has a very special place in my heart because other swashbuckling historical characters may come and go, but he is forever. 

How do you think your book is different from everyone else’s? 

I think my book is very passionate and humorous. Enough said! I’d rather not do odious comparisons, because I am sure everyone who has written on the Mahabharata has left their special stamp on it and I applaud them for that. 

Who was it that told you that you could become the storyteller, you are?

I think the credit goes to my grandmother who forced every one of her visitors to listen to her precocious granddaughter’s rendition of Krishna’s tale, while preening with pride and urging them to ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ over my brilliant storytelling abilities.

My buddies in school were also firm believers in my storytelling skills and would even beg the teachers, to let me narrate one of my stories if a free period presented itself. Their fondness for my stories made my heart sing although I usually feigned reluctance to spin them a yarn :), just to get them to plead with me.

How would you relate the life of Arjuna to the lives today? Any similarities?

Certainly! One of Arjuna’s most enduring qualities is that he is eternally relevant. While it is true that he had divine origins and he hobnobbed with divinity, unlike mere mortals his life was not a bed of roses. What we can learn from him is that in good times and bad, he never stopped believing in himself and worked hard to achieve his aims.  

Then as it is now, life sucks on most days. Like him we need to believe in ourselves and be unafraid of good, old fashioned labour to make the most of our existence on this planet.

Who is your inspiration?

There are lots of people who inspire me. Mostly, I adore those who are amazing at what they do and I have always wanted to be included in their ranks.

I was supposed to be working on this interview, but got distracted watching Rafael Nadal thrash Roger Federer at the semi-final round of the ATP World Tour Final. Nadal is a huge source of inspiration because he simply refuses to give up whether he is battling his gifted contemporaries or debilitating physical injuries. Either way, he is a fighter and I want to be like him.

Any advice to writers that would like to be published today? How tough is it to be published in India?

It is not easy to be published in India or anywhere else for that matter. Aspiring writers just need to roll up their sleeves and get cracking on their novels, before steeling themselves against rejection, shoring up on patience as well as persistence and never giving up on what they have so painstakingly created. The rest will take care of itself.

Who are your favourite authors and why?

Veda Vyasa, Agatha Christie, George R RMartin, Terry Brooks, Jane Austen and Stephen King. As for the why, if you have read these guys, there is no need for an explanation and if you haven’t, what are you waiting for? Go read them… ASAP.

Which book are you currently reading?

A collection of short stories, edited by Alfred Hitchcock called, ‘Alfred Hitchcock’s 

Grave Business’.

What book is coming from your stable, next? When do you see it released?

My next book is about Kama, the God of Desire. It will be released in 2014.

What else do you do on a day to day basis?

 

I raise my kids, grumble about household chores, work out and attend my classical dance classes religiously, dream endlessly, read and write.