An Electronics and Communication Engineer, I. R. Shankar, born and brought up in India. He lives in US and by profession he is a Software Consultant. His debut novel ‘An Adolescent Mind’ was loved by book readers. ‘True colors of Love’, a psychological novella, is his second book.
We, at Spectralhues.com got in touch with the author. Here are some excerpts from an interview I. R. Shankar gave to Susmita Bose.
What kind of response have you been receiving from the readers?
The response varies from person to person. This largely depends on the sensibility of the reader and their present state of mind.. On the whole the response has been positive. For this I must thank them.
What is the inspiration behind this particular story in ‘True colors of Love’?
I read Fyodor Dosteovsky’s “Notes from the Underground”. It made a deep impression. Later I read Turgenev’s novels like “First Love” and “Spring Torrents”. These books were the inspiration behind the novel “True Colors Of Love”.
What transition have you gone through as you rolled out two back to back psychological fiction?
I believe with these two novels I have grown. Now I have experience. I am now interested in exploring other subjects. This kind of transition is natural. As one writes one becomes better at the craft.
Was it easy or difficult journey for you to be with a protagonist who is ‘compelling, satirical, narcissist, hysterical, psycho and lover’? How long it took to finish the book?
It was not difficult at all. I am very comfortable with myself. To a large extent the hero is modeled on myself. Although I must admit that I have added certain elements from the imaginative realm. This is often the case with early works of many writers. As far as the duration of writing the book is concerned, I must say that there is always a gestation period associated with each novel of mine. Oftentimes the gestation period can be years. I live with the story in my head. The writing process itself can be very short. It is especially the case with novellas and short novels of mine. For instance it took me a month to write the ‘core’ of my first novel. I probably spent 3-4 months to add a few chapters and give final shape to the novel without changing the basic plot premise. The second novel took me about 6-9 days to write although the gestation period was about 4-5 years.
Although writing itself is the product of a lone mind, still who all would you like to thank for their support as you trudged along?
Ans: I must thank the great English writers Dickens, Henry Fielding, Jonathan Swift. The Irish writer James Joyce. The American writer Edgar Allan Poe. The Russian masters Turgenev, Dosteovsky, Lermontov. Without reading their great works it is unlikely that I would have ever written a novel. Also I must thank my family for giving me encouragement. Also special thanks to my Editor Mr.Yogendra Bali.
Tell us how much your life changed after the release of your books.
Life has changed in the sense that some people now know that I have published novels. Some of them are curious about my work. Also they pay attention to my novels when I am written about in the media.
Please tell us something about yourself. What motivates you to continue writing?
I have this dream and desire to produce a masterwork. The quest began with my first novel. Now with two works of fiction published, I am not contented. I have realized that these are part of a body of work. I believe I can produce a much better work. I have story ideas in my head and I keep thinking about how to execute them as novels and novellas. Oftentimes I get excited about a certain subject and read a lot on it. It is ecstasy.
Apart from writing, what other interests do you have?
I love to read books. Especially history, non-fiction. I listen to music, both Indian Film music, Ghazals and Western Classical Music. I also like to watch movies.
Has any particular book or author influenced you significantly?
There are many authors who have inspired me. Of all the writers I have read I must single out Mr.Charles Dickens. His book David Copperfield influenced me greatly. Also his life is an example of great struggle. His rise from poverty to becoming the world’s biggest name in the world of Literature is an inspiration.
What message do you want to convey to the readers through your books?
In my first novel I have conveyed “satire of human nature”. In the second one I have conveyed “how our society functions and how people are”.
Tell us about your future plans? Have you started writing for your next book?
I am presently reading books for the third novel. The canvas is huge. The story is set in momentous times. It requires extensive research and may require years of reading. It is an altogether different novel from the kind of books that I have written so far. It is my most ambitious work so far.
Thank you Shankar for your time. Wish you all the best for your future works.
