In Conversation With Bloggers & Authors

I have interviewed both authors and bloggers. Check out the links below.

Blogger interview series – Parul Thakur

I have always believed that humanizing individuals is a great way to understand what they think and what makes them click. In keeping with this philosophy, I have regularly interviewed authors from different walks of life over the last few years.

And now continuing this theme, I begin a blogger interview series. My first guest is a full-time HR professional during the day and blogger after calls in the night. A working homemaker who hates cleaning and can hardly cook, she is also a family photographer and life lover. She spreads happiness all around through her lovely posts with an aptly named blog – Happiness & Food.

Ladies & Gentleman, welcome Parul Thakur.

To read more, log on to – http://transitionofthoughts.com/2017/03/26/blogger-interview-series-parul-thakur/

In conversation with Nishant Kaushik: Author of multiple bestsellers

Aseem: How does it feel to be the author of multiple bestsellers?
Nishant: I am not yet content. Bestseller is an ambiguous term, because as well as your books sell, they can always sell more. I keep working towards that.

To read more log on to – http://transitionofthoughts.com/2016/12/17/in-conversation-with-nishant-kaushik-author-of-multiple-bestsellers/

In conversation with Ram Sivasankaran – Author of The Peshwa

Ram Sivasankaran was born in Madras, India, but has spent most of his life abroad largely in the Middle East and the United States of America. He was brought up with stories from Hindu legend and the great epics and classics of both India and the West. In addition to being a passionate student of history in school, Ram built keen interest in stories of valor, heroism, chivalry, beauty and romance.

A day-dreamer of sorts, Ram believes deeply in the power of imagination – the mind being the canvas on which even the seemingly talent-less can create new universes, resurrect eras long gone, bring the gods to life and even resurrect heroes and damsels of yore. As such, Ram makes his debut with a historical novel on one of the greatest and yet, to an extent, less-known warrior from Indian history – Bajirao Bhat, Peshwa of the Maratha Confederacy.

He joins us for a quick tete-a-tete.

Aseem: When did you first feel that you had it in you to become an author?

Ram: I have always written tiny blog posts across many topics such as politics, religion and ancient science and received decent feedback among close friend and family circles. Many have encouraged me to write in a form that ups the scale of both words communicated and audience reached so I decided to give professional writing a try.

The earliest though when I fell in love with writing and recognized any innate ability to do so was in third grade, when my teacher appreciated me for a little story of Winnie the Pooh I had written in the form of a couple of paragraphs.

To read more log on to – http://transitionofthoughts.com/2016/12/09/in-conversation-with-ram-sivasankaran-author-of-the-peshwa/

In conversation with Olivier Lafont: Actor & Author

You would remember him as Suhas Tandon, the money minded fiance of Kareena Kapoor in the 2009 blockbuster – 3 Idiots. But there’s more to Olivier Sanjay Lafont than just acting. From writing scripts to modelling, he’s done it in all in a career spanning more than a decade.

We have him here for a short tete-a-tete to understand what all goes behind excelling in so many forms of creative expressions.

Aseem: Actor, Writer, Screenplay Writer, Director, Producer, Model, Voice-over Artist – You seem to be doing it all. How do you manage it? Which of these creative hats do you find the most challenging?
Olivier: I’m mainly guided by my passion and interests, so my career evolves fairly organically and effortlessly. To me all these are different aspects of a single passion: storytelling. So they all actually fit together quite naturally in my life.

In the same vein, none is more challenging than the other, really. I just do what’s most interesting to me, and do the best I can at it.

To read more log on to – http://transitionofthoughts.com/2014/12/09/in-conversation-with-olivier-lafont-actor-author/

In conversation with Shobhan Bantwal

Shobhan Bantwal is the author of six novels and co-author of two anthologies. Her books combine contemporary women’s issues with romantic elements. Her articles have appeared in The Writer, Romantic Times, India Abroad, Little India, New Woman and India Currents. Her short fiction has won her honours & awards in contests sponsored by Writer’s Digest and New York Stories. She won the First Place Award in New Woman magazine’s 2005 Short Fiction Competition for her story, Lingering Doubts. Her debut book, The Dowry Bride, won the 2008 Golden Leaf Award. The Unexpected Son won the 2012 National Indie Excellence Award. Shobhan lives in Arizona, USA.

And today, we have her here for a short tete-a-tete –

Aseem:What does writing mean to you?
Shobhan: Writing is almost a spiritual experience for me because I put my heart and soul into each story. The characters I create for each book temporarily come into my life like family, friends, or neighbours. Many of my characters also possess the traits of people I know, some of them intimately. The wonderful thing about fiction is that one can express just about anything via one’s characters that would not go over as well in non-fiction or speech.

To read more log onto – http://transitionofthoughts.com/2014/11/14/in-conversation-with-shobhan-bantwal/

Q & A with Amreekandesi aka Atulya Mahajan: Blogger & Author

Atulya Mahajan is an Indian author and is the creator of the Indian satire blog amreekandesi.com. Professionally a technologist in an investment bank, Atulya Mahajan went to the US in 2004 to complete his Master’s degree. He worked there for five years and then returned to India. He started his blog while studying in the US and used it as a platform to share his experiences of people living in a foreign land. Besides this blog, Mahajan also works with the Crest Edition of The Times of India as a columnist and writes occasional humor.

Masters of America is his first novel. We have him here for an interesting tete-a-tete.

Aseem: So now that you have reached the big league of celebrities, how does it feel? 😀 Are people running to you for autographs?
Atulya: It feels awesome. You know, I go to Big Bazaar and they give me a free hamper. I go to the market and get mobbed as soon as I get out of my car. I go to work and they ask me to just sit back and relax and bring me a nice cold coffee, while the others do the work. Life just changes the moment you become one of a gazillion Indian writers.

Yeah, right. In my dreams!

To read more log on to – http://transitionofthoughts.com/2014/02/10/q-a-with-amreekandesi-aka-atulya-mahajan-blogger-author/

Interview with Rajshri Raajgopal – Author of Boomerang

Rajshri Raajgopal is a graduate in English Literature from Kerala University. She also gained CELTA from Cambridge University and Postgraduate Diploma in Pre-Primary Teaching from Pune. Rajshri was a Cabin Crew with Emirates Airlines and has lived in Dubai, Ireland and United Kingdom before relocating to Bangalore. She also writes children’s books for Mimitra Enterprises. Her first book in this genre is Mani. She is a single parent whose determination to become successful led her to fulfill her dream of becoming a writer. Boomerang is her first adult fiction.

She joins us exclusively for an interview –

Aseem: From graduating in English literature to writing. Your life seems to have come a full circle. How did it come about?
Rajshri: Destiny. I took up English Literature because I love reading. Writing had always been on my mind but it never really materialized until now. I guess that’s why they say there is a time for everything.

Aseem: What’s the most challenging of them all – Writing or being a cabin crew member?
Rajshri: The most challenging was being a housewife.

To read more log on to – http://transitionofthoughts.com/2013/07/07/interview-with-rajshri-raajgopal-author-of-boomerang/

Q & A with Madhumita Mukherjee: Author of ‘The Other Side of the Table”

Madhumita Mukherjee grew up in Delhi and did her medical education from Calcutta National Medical College. She has been living and working in England since 2001 as a Paediatrician. She has a special affinity for epistolary novels as well as novels written as journals and diaries like ‘Diary of a Provincial Lady’ by E.M. Delafield, and ‘I Capture the Castle’ by Dodie Smith. Besides these, she takes special interest in novels with medical themes such as ‘A Country Doctor’s Notebook’ by Mikhail Bulgakov.

‘The Other Side of the Table’ is her first novel. She joins us here for a small tete-a-tete –

Aseem: Who or what inspired you to begin writing?
Madhumita: Nothing in particular and certainly not anyone. I suddenly had the time for the wrong reason and I wanted to distract myself by telling myself a story…

To read more log on to – http://transitionofthoughts.com/2013/06/13/q-a-with-madhumita-mukherjee-author-of-the-other-side-of-the-table/

In conversation with Oswald Pereira – Renowned Journalist & Acclaimed Author

A veteran journalist, Oswald Pereira has worked for leading newspapers and magazines in Mumbai, New Delhi and Muscat. Oswald, who has taught journalism at The Times School of Journalism, is an editor and an English language trainer. Oswald is the author of the widely-acclaimed, best-selling crime thriller, The Newsroom Mafia, published by Grey Oak Westland in December 2011. He was born in Thane, Maharashtra, and studied at St Xaviers College, Mumbai. He now lives with his wife and son in Noida. Revenge of the Naked Princess is his second novel.

Oswald Pereira with a copy of his novel Revenge of the Naked Princess

He joins us for a small little chat –

Aseem: When and how did you decide to start penning down novels?
Oswald: Before entering journalism, while doing my post-graduation in Economics in Bombay University I wrote my first novel in the young adult genre. It was liked by the editor of a top publishing house. But the editor-in-chief overruled the editor. I was unfazed and wrote my second novel in which the protagonist was a priest who falls in love with a girl. Then I joined journalism and reporting and writing front page stories seemed far more exciting than churning out fiction. My two novels written back then, which still remain unpublished were a forgotten story. They still lie somewhere among my old papers that include a big scrapbook of hundreds of news stories.

To read more log on to – http://aseemrastogi2.wordpress.com/2013/06/05/in-conversation-with-oswald-pereira-renowned-journalist-author/

In conversation with Rishi Vohra – Author of Once Upon the Tracks of Mumbai

Rishi Vohra recently relocated back to Mumbai after completing a Green MBA from San Francisco State University and a Masters Diploma in Environmental Law, prior to which he has had a successful career in the Indian entertainment industry. Having been a guest columnist for various newspapers in India, he currently writes for delWine and is a Certified Specialist of Wine. ‘Once Upon the Tracks of Mumbai’ is his first novel.

He is here with us for a short tete-a-tete.

Aseem: Take us through your journey from the entertainment industry to releasing a novel.
Rishi: Well Aseem, it was a long journey. After my B.S. in Corporate Finance / Film making from the U.S., I moved back to Mumbai. I started of in ad films and then moved on to feature films as an assistant director. Side by side, I was also independently directing music videos, TV shows, stage shows, live events, and promos. During this time, I realized that writing is where my passion lay. So I kept writing as I proceeded to San Francisco to study an MBA in Sustainability. During that time, I wrote a novel and pushed it for publication while working / studying. Though it was rejected in the U.S. and other foreign markets, several Indian publishers showed an interest in it.

To read more log on to – http://aseemrastogi2.wordpress.com/2013/04/22/in-conversation-with-rishi-vohra-author-of-once-upon-the-tracks-of-mumbai/

In conversation with Shatrujeet Nath: Author of Karachi Deception

Shatrujeet Nath was born in Shillong in 1971. As a young man, he sold ice-cream, peddled computer training courses and wrote ad copy before finding his true calling in business journalism. But while still at the top of his game as Assistant Editor at The Economic Times, Shatrujeet quit journalism to write fiction. The Karachi Deception is his first book. He is currently writing his second book, The Guardians of the Halahala, which is part of an epic fantasy trilogy based on the legendary king, Vikramaditya.

We have him here for a special tete-a-tete –

Aseem: Considering you were at the top of your game, why did you decide to forgo a successful career in business journalism?
Shatrujeet:The truth was that after more than a decade of being a journalist, I found that I had stopped learning anything new at work. I was stuck in a routine that I didn’t enjoy, and even the prospect of writing a business story didn’t lift the spirits – which is downright scary for anyone who aspires to write. I realized that the problem didn’t lie with journalism; the problem lay with me. I needed to re-invent. And the only way I could think of doing that was by writing something completely different from what I had been writing for ten years.

To read more log on to – http://aseemrastogi2.wordpress.com/2013/03/29/in-conversation-with-shatrujeet-nath-author-of-karachi-deception/

In conversation with Sami Ahmad: Author of “Red Jihad”

Sami Ahmad Khan read Literature at Hindu College and Rajdhani College, University of Delhi. He then completed his master’s in English at Jawaharlal Nehru University. Sami was awarded a Fulbright grant at The University of Iowa, USA, in 2011. He has engaged in film production, teaching, theatre and writing. His short stories, plays and articles have been published in magazines and academic journals. His political thriller Red Jihad won the Muse India Young Writer (Runner-Up) Award at the Hyderabad Literary Festival 2013 and “Excellence in Youth Fiction Writing” at the National Debut Youth Fiction Awards at the Young Writers Meet during Delhi World Book Fair 2013.

Currently, Sami is a Doctoral Candidate at JNU, where he is working on Science Fiction and Techno-culture Studies. He is now working on a sequel to Red Jihad.

So we have him here for a tete – a – tete –

To read more log on to – http://aseemrastogi2.wordpress.com/2013/02/19/in-conversation-with-sami-ahmed-author-of-red-jihad/

In conversation with Mukul Deva: India’s first military thriller writer!

An alumnus of La Martiniere College, Lucknow, the National Defence Academy, Pune and the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, Mukul Deva was commissioned in December 1981 into the Sikh Light Infantry of the Indian Army. He took early retirement from the army after fifteen years of service, including a decade of combat operations in India and overseas. He is now an entrepreneur and motivational speaker, leadership, business and executive coach, and consultant.

To read more log on to – http://aseemrastogi2.wordpress.com/2012/09/27/in-conversation-with-mukul-deva-indias-first-military-thriller-writer/

In conversation with Priya Narendra – Author of ‘You Never Know When You’ll Get Lucky!’

A corporate big wig, a former advertising professional, a writer, a mother – Priyadarshini Narendra, an IIM Kolkata and INSEAD passout has worn many hats. ‘You Never Know When You’ll Get Lucky‘ is her first attempt at portraying life in the happening world of advertising. So we have her here for a short tete-a-tete.

Aseem: What was that one ‘spark’ which inspired you to pen down “You never know when you will get lucky”?
Priya: Believe it or not, the crucial parts of the story came to me in a dream. I had the same dream three nights in a row and realized that I had to write down the story! The rest of it was just fleshing out the before and after.

To read more log on to – http://aseemrastogi2.wordpress.com/2012/09/03/in-conversation-with-priya-narendra-author-of-you-never-know-when-youll-get-lucky/

In conversation with Bhavna Rai: Author of Fate, Fraud & A Friday Wedding

Bhavna Rai was born in Delhi and has subsequently lived in the Philippines, Kenya, Thailand, Germany and the US. In a career spanning fourteen years, she has worked with some of the leading technology firms of the world. She currently lives in Hong Kong, with her husband and their two children. Fate, Fraud & A Friday Wedding is her first novel.

1. When did you say to yourself – “I am going to become a writer”? How did it all begin?
I would have to go all the way back to IXth grade for this one. I always knew that I could write and would write. Why I didn’t actually write for about 10 years from college onwards, I can’t quite explain. Life took over, I guess. It was only in 2001 that I realized I had a story to tell and I needed to start writing it. So I opened a blank Word document with no plan, no outline, no timeline and then somehow it all just came together. For me, “Fate, Fraud And A Friday Wedding” is all about the characters. It’s set in a time when India was going through tremendous transformation and I wanted to write about how people’s lives have been transformed as well.

To read more log on to – http://aseemrastogi2.wordpress.com/2012/07/01/in-conversation-with-bhavna-rai-author-of-fate-fraud-a-friday-wedding/

In conversation with Parimal Kalikar: Author of The Godly Blunder

Parimal Kalikar graduated in Hotel Management and earned his first buck as a bell boy at a five star resort in Goa. Even though he pursued his master’s in Human Resource Management, he worked as a credit cards salesman in a multinational company. After leaving his lucrative job in 2009, he decided to pursue his dream of writing and owning a business. His hobbies include photography and listening to music.

You can read my review here – “A Godly Blunder”.

1. What drove you to write?

I always liked writing essays and penned random thoughts. I dreamed of publishing my novel one day, but never did I imagine that it would happen so early in my life.

Penning down my thoughts excites me and I enjoy it immensely. And so the move was made to give this career a try.

To read more log on to – http://aseemrastogi2.wordpress.com/2012/04/14/in-conversation-with-parimal-kalikar-author-of-the-godly-blunder/

In conversation with Puneet Gupta: Author of The Suicide Banker

Puneet Gupta is a career banker with experience of over fifteen years in India. Presently working with one of the largest banks in the Middle East, he has retained his passion for writing, trekking and painting. ‘The Suicide Banker’ is his first novel.

1. What was your inspiration to write? When did you decide that you wanted to put your thoughts into words?

When I think of it, more than inspiration, it was my frustration that forced me to write. During one of my stints with a leading bank, I felt hopelessly frustrated with the way the business was being conducted and when nobody heeded to my voices, I took to pen.

Initially I had no plans of making it a commercial venture but when I read a leading Indian mass fiction writer, I suddenly realized that if he can become a successful writer, why can’t I?

To read more log on to – http://aseemrastogi2.wordpress.com/2012/02/07/in-conversation-with-puneet-gupta-author-of-the-suicide-banker/

Tete-a-Tete with Jims Andrews – Navy Engineer & Author of The Patriot

Jims Andrews is a chief engineer with the merchant navy, sailing the high seas for the last ten years. He lives in Calicut with his family. He has written two books namely – “Fall of a Sparrow” set in the backdrop of the tsunami which lashed the archipelago of the Andaman and Nicobar and “The Patriot” which is a marine terrorism edge-of-the-seat thriller.

1. What inspired you to start writing?

The answer to this one is very simple and honest. I write for the love
of writing.

To read more log on to – http://aseemrastogi2.wordpress.com/2011/12/07/tete-a-tete-with-jims-andrews-navy-engineer-author/