Brijesh Luthra: Author's Interview

Hey everyone! I hope you all doing great and thanks for stopping by.

I have not been very active in reading books lately but now I have planned few books to read. On that note, today I am introducing a new name in the world of books. He is an author who just did debut with a book THE GREAT MOTO-MATIC HOUSE. I have read few chapters and those are amazing. I am yet to read the complete book, which will be up very soon on my blog. For today, I grabbed the time of this new author in town to get to know him even better. Let's take a ride with my questions and his answers.

When did the first thought come to your mind to be an author?

There were three things that led to the decision. First, as a kid I used to love writing school essays (even though often they were on very boring subjects), but what I loved was the opportunity to create a narrative. Secondly, me and my son would spend hours creating stories around his incredibly huge car collection. And that led to the third one when I decided to write a book as a birthday gift for my son & daughter. The resulting books were so much beyond my initial expectations and were incredibly well received by my beta readers. Perhaps that was the time I dawned upon the possibility of pursuing this full time.

What does actually writing a book mean to you?

It’s almost like meditation. The act of concentrating for 3-4 hours every day and stitching together often random ideas into an output that will be loved by readers is one of the most satisfying activities that I can think of.

Every child dreams to be someone he/she looks up to. What was yours?

There were two. First was Neil Armstrong. The first time I saw a picture of him standing on the surface of moon, I almost felt a mild electric shock go through my body. How could someone could travel through space to get to a small shiny object one sees every night in the sky was unfathomable for me. And the second was HG Wells. His book, The Time machine was riveting. Not for its literary prowess but the feeling it created in me every time I turned its pages. And I guess my writing is a combination of many aspects of those two.

Imagination is the key to write a book for every author. Where does that come from?

While my books are about far-fetched, seemingly improbable things that a small boy does on galaxies millions of light years away, the ideas for the books come from simple everyday things or activities. I also run creative writing workshops for kids, which gives me a chance to work on those from their perspective. For example, the spark for this book was a seemingly simple parental duty from many years ago - giving my very young son a shower. Both of us dreaded that activity so much that we spent countless hours discussing ideas for a five-second shower machine that I can make it for him as a birthday gift. While that shower machine never materialized, but this book.

From a lot of amazing books, you’ve written/read so far, which one is your favorite and why?

If I have to pick one, it would undoubtedly be the Hitchhiker’s guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. The scale of the leaps of imagination that book contains is so mind-boggling that I find it difficult to describe in a few words. Add some unforgettable characters like Zaphod Beeblebrox into the mix, and you have a hands down winner. If I was allowed to pick a second, it would The invisible cities by Italo Calvino.

What are the key ingredients to become a successful author?

The first is discipline. As surprising as it may sound to many, but writing is like exercise. You have to do it regularly. You do it long enough and the Writers block starts becoming less and less of a problem. The second is resisting the temptation to start writing before one has fully fleshed out the characters in your book. I learnt it the hard way while completing this book. It’s the characters the create the story, not the other way around. The third, and perhaps the most important one is Reading. Read as much as you can, as many genres as possible. Only then will you understand what good and bad writing is.

What do you think makes a good story?

A strong beginning is an absolute must. Without that, a story(usually) doesn’t stand a chance. The foundation is a strong setting that the readers can visualize clearly. Into this you throw in fully fleshed out characters that steer the story forward decisively. And perhaps most important, a well written story shows how the characters are feeling when put into a situation rather than simply telling the reader how they are feeling. This gives a readers a chance to visualize the story and be a part of it, rather than be a passive observer.

Let’s peep into your personal life. If you don’t mind, can you tell my readers a little about yourself?

I was born in India and live in Switzerland where apart from writing, I teach at a university and run a consulting firm. I have worked for Banks, Insurance and consulting companies. I love Cricket and am the coach of the Swiss U-15 cricket team. Our family’s (my wife who is a teacher, 15-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter) lives revolve around the most important member of our family – our cat, Mango. Anytime that we do to please her is never enough.

How is your book different from others? Why should readers pick this one?

Because it will want to make you wish you were a child once again. And for kids, it will make them wish they were Ziptux.

Some lines for my readers and your fans.

Stay true to yourself & pursue your passion. Dreams do come true.

 really hope you enjoyed reading this author’s interview on my blog. Do leave your views in the comments below about Brijesh Luthra’s interview on my blog.

As always thank you so much for taking out time and reading my blog.

Always keep smiling, it makes you look beautiful!

PS: A contest will be coming soon on my social media channels where you stand a chance to win an autographed copy from Brijesh Luthra himself. Do follow me on social media platforms, links can be seen to your right. :D