Tag: Inspiration

Bygone

Published on by B Sudharsan2 Comments

POEM

Right here where tough deodars burgeoned for years
With blooming flower beds and brazened beasts,
I now behold concrete blocks with my peers
And swirls of dust rising upon tarred streets;
Devouring canned foods, wolfing salted beets,
We think about the time that has flown by
During which woods that proffered meaty sweets
Have got replaced by stores that sell baked pies.

The green carpet that graced our eyes back then
Is gone to a place I might not know of;
All we gaze upon is large crowds of men
That go about felling trembling trees off.
The grazing cattle are grazed, their skin’s doffed;
My soul yearns to inhale the air I’d known.
But frenzied fumes surround me, polluting the troughs
That back then abounded on each land mown.

Oh, yesterdays astounded, made our days
While the now makes us ponder bygone times.
I wish we’d soon discover brand new ways
To get back and live lives lived betimes.

Stories Among the Stars

Published on by B Sudharsan1 Comment

INTERVIEW

Croatian author and composer Valentin Sarić began writing in high school after encountering Roger Zelazny’s Nine Princes in Amber, a novel that awakened in him a flood of imaginative possibilities. Speaking with Literary Harbinger, the 32-year-old writer recalls how the book inspired him to transform his ideas into stories of his own. Today residing in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, Valentin balances literature with an equally passionate devotion to composing classical music. A self-published author, he has released multiple short story collections, speculative fiction novelettes, and a science fiction romance novel while simultaneously composing symphonies, concertos, and sacred music. His creative world, rich with philosophy, satire, romance, fantasy, and futuristic speculation, continues expanding across both literature and music.

SPECIAL & EXCLUSIVE

Between Symphonies and Stars

B Sudharsan: It is a pleasure having you with us, Valentin. To begin with, please tell us about your published works. How did they happen? Also, what is your latest book about?

Valentin Sarić: I have published four short story collections, one sci-fi horror satire novelette, one sci-fi transcendence novelette, and a sci-fi epic romance novel. Since I self-published them, I did so out of my own intent and determination. That way of publishing currently sits well with me. My latest work is an epic sci-fi romance novel titled Carmania. The story takes place on a planet named Galanthris, located twenty-one light years away, in a utopian society ruled by an AI. The story follows a young racetrack builder who falls in love with his mysterious neighbor while slowly realizing that his parents may not actually be dead and that the woman he loves may not even be human.

B Sudharsan: That certainly sounds ambitious and cinematic. Before you begin writing a book, do you already know your characters and plot, or do you discover them along the way?

Valentin Sarić: Before I start, I usually have only a vague idea of the characters, but the plot itself is solid. I mostly know how the story will unfold. Still, while writing, I allow myself many detours and upgrades to the narrative. The destination remains largely the same, though the journey becomes richer with unexpected adventures gathered along the way.

‘Fantasy, Humour, and Alien Civilisations’

B Sudharsan: Are there any authors who particularly inspire you?

Valentin Sarić: Yes. My favorite authors are Roger Zelazny, Ursula K Le Guin, J R R Tolkien, and Lee Child. Roger Zelazny inspires me because of his humor and his descriptions of magic and atmosphere. Ursula Le Guin is extraordinary when it comes to portraying alien societies and psychologically believable cultures. Her endings are immensely hopeful and emotionally devastating in the best possible way. Tolkien impresses me because of the sheer depth of the world he created. Geography, lore, languages — everything feels complete and alive. As for Lee Child, I admire his telegraphic style and the addictive rhythm of his storytelling. Jack Reacher is such a compelling vehicle for adventure that I sometimes wish Lee Child would place him inside a fantasy setting.

B Sudharsan: Fascinating! There is no denying the sheer depth and intricacy of Tolkien’s worlds. And Jack Reacher wandering through a grim medieval kingdom or a morally fractured fantasy world with the same cold precision and razor-sharp intuition would make for an unforgettable read. One can almost imagine him dismantling corrupt kings and mercenaries with the same ease with which he handles criminals in the modern world. That said, do you keep a strict writing schedule, or do you write whenever inspiration strikes?

Valentin Sarić: I generally write in the evening or at nightfall. I try to write daily, though occasionally I miss a day or two. There are also moments when I suddenly brainstorm an entirely new idea and begin writing spontaneously.

Music as the Other Half of Creativity

B Sudharsan: Was becoming an author a conscious decision for you?

Valentin Sarić: Very much so. I see writing as a balancing act that complements my composing efforts. The two are different sides of the same creativity. To maintain harmony within myself creatively, I need to continue doing both.

B Sudharsan: And how do you manage writing alongside composing and your other responsibilities?

Valentin Sarić: My most cherished hobby is composing classical music. I have composed concertos, symphonies, symphonic ballet fantasias, and sacral music for children. Usually I compose earlier in the day and write later in the evening. Even while working a regular job, I try to maintain that rhythm consistently.

B Sudharsan: Tell us a bit about your current works in progress. Do you see yourself becoming a full-fledged author someday?

Valentin Sarić: I recently began writing two fantasy novelettes. One deals with multiverse themes while the other explores love between two humanoid species. As for becoming a full-fledged author, I am still thinking about that possibility.

‘Reach a Critical Mass’

B Sudharsan: What would you like to tell budding authors who lose motivation if a few of their works do not perform well?

Valentin Sarić: If you are self-publishing, promotion is essential; without it, there is almost no visibility. I would also advise writers to experiment with other genres for a while because doing so sharpens one’s skills. When they eventually return to their primary genre, they often become much stronger writers. Another important thing is quantity balanced with quality. Two or three books may psychologically appear insufficient to readers, whereas five or six works create a stronger sense of reliability. I think authors need to reach a kind of ‘critical mass’ where both quality and consistency inspire trust in their readers.

B Sudharsan: If there is one thing you would like to change in this world, what would it be?

Valentin Sarić: I would like more chemists, musicians, and philosophers to become political leaders. Too many politicians seem devoid of imagination and flexibility. Without creativity and humanistic understanding, societies become trapped in old patterns of division and conflict. I strongly believe that peace with neighboring nations should become a foundational ethic for humanity. Otherwise, I struggle to imagine civilization surviving long enough to truly spread among the stars.

To achieve harmony within creativity, I must compose and write equally often. One balances the other.

~ VALENTIN SARIĆ

PS: In addition to writing fiction and composing classical music, Valentin Sarić also writes satirical ‘mega-haiku’ works under the pen name Brighty Salamander. He has additionally launched a collaborative pen name, Wilfried Wott, alongside his father, a retired professor specializing in the sociology of religion. Through it, the two intend to merge speculative fiction with sociological, political, and cultural inquiry.

ENGAGE WITH LH | Click on the cover image of the book you wish to read and buy yourself a copy right off the bat!

PS: The remaining books written by the author can be found here.

From Monsters to Falling Worlds

Published on by B SudharsanLeave a comment

INTERVIEW

Writing does not always begin as a chosen path. Sometimes it reveals itself early, almost quietly, before it is ever understood as a craft. Author Kathleen McCluskey fits into that space where instinct precedes definition. ‘My very first “book” was one I made myself,’ she recalls, speaking with Literary Harbinger in an exclusive interaction. ‘I was eight. It was called The Monday Monster. It was a Father’s Day gift,’ she adds. The story was simple in concept but vivid in imagination. A creature lived under beds and bit ankles every Monday morning to make people grumpy. What sounds playful now was already an early sign of something deeper: an imagination that did not wait for permission. That imagination did not fade with age, mind you. It simply expanded outward into school publications, college journalism, and later, short fiction. ‘Over time, writing stopped being an activity and became a natural extension of thought itself,’ Kathleen shares.

From Short Fiction to Worlds That Refuse to End

Before novels came short fiction. Before short fiction came experiments. Kathleen, remember, has published across magazines and anthologies in both national and international spaces. She also writes regularly for a blog where a single image must be transformed into a complete story under 500 words. ‘It sounds simple,’ she says. ‘But it forces a different kind of thinking. A novel lets you expand. A prompt forces precision.’

That contrast between expansion and compression eventually shaped her most ambitious work, The Long Fall. What began as a single idea about a vampire origin story gradually expanded into a trilogy involving celestial war and fallen angels besides the reinterpretation of myth itself. ‘I did not plan a trilogy,’ Kathleen admits, adding, ‘I started at the beginning and it kept growing. It became something much larger than I first imagined.’

Writing Without Maps Or Outlines

Planning is not part of her process. Structure comes later, if at all. The first stage is vision. ‘I do not work from outlines,’ Kathleen reveals. She goes on, ‘I see scenes. It unfolds like a film in my head, and I write what I see.’ This method creates a writing rhythm that is immersive and intense. Once the process begins, time becomes irrelevant. Hours disappear without awareness. She describes entering a mental state she calls ‘the Zone’, where external reality fades into the background.

‘There are moments when I am so absorbed that I do not notice anything else happening around me,’ she lets on. ‘It becomes continuous,’ she adds. The result is prose that does not overexplain. Instead, it suggests. It allows space for the reader to complete the world rather than receive it fully defined.

The Influence of Horror And Human History

Ask about her reading life and it is rooted in horror and speculative fiction. Richard Laymon, Bentley Little, Jack Ketchum, Clive Barker, Anne Rice, Dean Koontz. Stephen King remains a major influence although with a preference for his earlier works. ‘His earlier novels had a different kind of intensity,’ Kathleen notes.

Beyond fiction, there is a strong pull toward history, particularly the European theatre of World War II and the American Civil War. These are not casual interests but thematic echoes that inform her understanding of human behaviour. She says, ‘History shows you what people are capable of. Not always in a good way.’

The Discipline of an Undisciplined Life

Despite the chaotic energy often associated with creativity, Kathleen lives within a structured daily rhythm. Early mornings define the start of the day. Work and responsibilities follow. Writing arrives later, when the mind is ready rather than when the clock demands it. ‘I wake up early. I work through the day. And I write when I can,’ Kathleen says simply.

Alongside writing is family life, reading, yoga, and a steady presence in digital literary communities. Creativity is not isolated from life but woven into it. ‘Writing does not replace life,’ she stresses. ‘It comes from it.’

On Failure, Persistence, And the Act of Continuing

For emerging writers, her advice is stripped of sentimentality: Keep writing. That is all there is.

Rejection is not treated as a setback but as a structural reality of the craft. ‘Not every reader will connect. Not every story will land. That is not failure but distribution,’ she explains, adding that one person not liking one’s work means nothing in the larger picture. ‘Another person might connect with it completely,’ she tells us. Clearly, persistence, not perfection, becomes the defining requirement.

‘I Observe Something And It Becomes a Story’

There is a quiet certainty in the way Kathleen speaks about becoming a writer. It is not framed as a choice made at a single moment but as something that was always unfolding. ‘I was always writing,’ she states. ‘Always imagining. It was never a decision. It was just what I did.’

For her, writing is not construction but translation. Experience becomes narrative almost automatically. Observation becomes story before it becomes thought. ‘I do not write stories first,’ she explains. ‘I observe something and it becomes a story.’

The Final Question

When asked what she would change in the world, the answer is immediate and unembellished. ‘World hunger. It should not exist at this stage of human progress.’

It is a simple statement placed at the end of a conversation filled with angels, wars in heaven, vampires, and mythic collapse. The contrast is striking but intentional. One world exists in fiction. The other exists in reality. In the end, Kathleen’s work moves through darkness and apocalypse. But her final concern remains grounded in something far more human.

Writing does not replace life. It comes from it.

~ KATHLEEN MCCLUSKEY

ENGAGE WITH LH | Click on the cover image of the book you wish to read and buy yourself a copy right off the bat!

Finding Meaning in the Current

Published on by B SudharsanLeave a comment

INTERVIEW

Some writers plot every twist with precision. Others dive in and let the story carry them. S S Turner belongs unapologetically to the latter. His work rises from lived experience and a restless engagement with life’s uncertainties. It echoes the rivers that shape his fiction. His journey began early. ‘Way back when I was at school my English teacher advised me I was a natural writer,’ Turner says in an interaction with Literary Harbinger. The instinct stayed. ‘Ever since I have written stories, novellas, screenplays, and children’s stories as a way to make sense of the world,’ he adds.

The Birth of a River Story

That search finds form in his debut Secrets of a River Swimmer, published by The Story Plant in the United States. It is a story of transformation and the pursuit of meaning. We meet Freddy on the edge of a Scottish river in the dead of winter, staring into despair. ‘He is ready to jump in and end his less than fulfilling life. But what happens next is not what he expects.’

What follows is not an ending but a beginning. ‘From the moment he enters the river Freddy begins a journey which is more beautiful and funny than he could have imagined on dry land,’ Turner says. Along the way Freddy encounters others who are just as lost. ‘Eventually they all unite in their quest for an answer to the biggest question of them all. Will the river take them where they want to go?’

Themes of Meaning and Discovery

Readers have drawn parallels with The Alchemist and Life of Pi. Turner does not resist the comparison. ‘It is an exploration of the pathway we all follow towards living a meaningful life,’ he tells us.

The novel is rooted in memory. Turner, now based in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland in Australia where he lives a quiet life with his family, traces the idea back to his years in Scotland when he felt unmoored. ‘One of my closest friends was in the same boat, so we decided to meet up for an adventure to spice things up.’ They chose the River Tweed. The shock was immediate. ‘We were shocked by how cold the water was and how large the white water rapids were.’ They went in anyway. ‘It turned into an uplifting and glorious experience.’

That first swim became a ritual that lasted seven years. ‘Every time we entered the river we were inspired and uplifted,’ Turner recalls, describing encounters with gillies and aristocrats that lent texture to those journeys and eventually to his fiction.

Writing Without a Map

Turner writes much like he swims. He begins with intent but lets the current take over. ‘I generally start writing with a written plan for the novel’s plot and characters. However, I am a pantser by nature and usually within about 20 pages the plan goes out the window.’ What matters is movement. ‘I love writing in flow without knowing exactly what is coming next. I find that when I am writing in flow my stories feel like they are jumping onto the page like living beings.’

Discipline still plays its part. ‘I am a big believer in writing every day,’ he says, though he has learned not to force the process. ‘Writing when you are in flow is a lot more productive and enjoyable than writing on the days when the words do not come so easy.’ These days he adjusts his pace, often rising early and fitting writing around other work since, as he puts it, ‘most writers need to generate additional income beyond their writing.’

Among his influences, Mark Twain stands out. ‘He creates a world which is so remarkably accessible due largely to the authenticity and strength of the narrator’s voice.’

A Shift in Genre

His next novel The Connection Game moves into psychological suspense. ‘It is a unique psychological thriller which delves beneath the surface of the human condition amidst a broader mystery,’ Turner shares. Early praise has followed, with Bill Fitzhugh calling it ‘a one of a kind tale and a surprising and entertaining piece of work.’

For Turner, the label of ‘author’ arrived gradually. ‘It was more a realisation than a decision,’ he reflects, adding, ‘It was only when my first novel was about to be published and others started referring to me as a writer that I realised that what was deep inside my heart was now front and centre in my life.’

Meaning is not found at the end of the journey but in the courage to step into the current.

S S Turner

Final Word

His advice to aspiring writers is simple and firm: Keep going. Rome was not built in a day. He stresses the value of feedback and persistence. ‘I would recommend seeking as much feedback as possible on all of your works which do not succeed.’ He also draws from Stephen King. ‘Once you have written your first draft and given it some space, it is prudent to delete around 10 percent of the words when you edit it.’ For Turner, that discipline is essential. It strips away excess and leaves clarity behind.

Beyond writing, he finds joy in travel reading paddle boarding hiking and time with friends, while holding a quiet wish close. ‘I would love to be able to protect all the animals of the world from humans,’ he states categorically.

In the end, SS Turner writes like the river he once stepped into. His stories move with uncertainty and force. They invite the reader to let go of control and trust the current, where meaning is not fixed at the destination but revealed along the way.

PS: S S Turner blogs at https://ssturnerblog.com

ENGAGE WITH LH | Click on the cover image of the book you wish to read and buy yourself a copy right off the bat!

What Happens When Animals Seize Power?

Published on by B SudharsanLeave a comment

BOOK REVIEW

Book: Animal Farm
Genre: Satirical Allegorical Political Novella
Author: George Orwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Reviewer: B Sudharsan

Animal Farm by George Orwell, born Eric Arthur Blair, comes in layers. At least seemingly. Every time you read the twentieth-century fictional tale, you are more likely than not to discover a deeper meaning or two obscured within and amongst its ninety-odd pages (mine was published by Select Classics; some run over one hundred and ten pages). Between the lines of Animal Farm, therefore, lie tales that might otherwise evade the not-so-discerning reader. On the face of it, though, the book seems to be a humorous (spoiler alert: at times ghastly) story of anthropomorphic animals that overthrow the self-serving lord of a manor farm, taking ownership of the place with pride.

The novella, which might initially overwhelm the reader on account of its having very many animal characters, begins by depicting the farm, rich with power play and chitter-chatter, where many animals abide together, albeit not peacefully. Oppressed and overburdened with work, they stage a revolution under the leadership of Old Major, a boar. They eventually succeed in appropriating the land; the human owner is shooed away, and what begins as a founding of a peaceful animal community ends with an ending that comes acrossseemsyrannical and oppressive than what it used to be during the human owner’s presence.

More Than a Fable, More Than a Satire

In what may also aptly be called a fairy story, animals convene regularly, turning intense and deliberative at times; a promulgation of seven commandments occurs, each of which undergoes fine-tuning with time to feed the needs of the ruling pigs; and even a key song entitled ‘Beasts of England,’ symbolizing home and the fight for freedom, that is oft-repeated initially gets pronounced forbidden as the plot advances.

Hypocrisy is part of the leitmotif, for Napoleon, the celebrated pig that eventually exclusively comes to rule the farm, after having a fallout with its comrade Snowball, another pig, steadily goes on to reduce its sightings in public and is almost always worshipped by its protective guards, i.e., dogs and an obsequious pig named Squealer. The other animals add color to the story, but their brainlessness and utter tolerance seem to tell the reader what could go wrong if one ended up accepting whatever was hurled at them.

You might finish reading Animal Farm in one sitting without realizing what you read was a masterpiece, wondering if there was some hidden meaning, nay, meanings, only to later probably either accidentally or purposefully figure out for yourself that it was a satirical take on Stalin’s regime that began in the late 1920s. What you should be able to figure out in the first read is this: Power corrupts. Absolute power absolutely corrupts, irrespective of whether humans or animals hold it. I do not quite remember how many years ago I first gave Animal Farm a read. What I do remember nonetheless is that I flipped through it more like a fable, blissfully ignorant of the historical context and completely unaware of the rise of Stalinism in the then-Soviet Union.

Where Symbolism Reigns Supreme

I decided to reread the book two weeks ago, for I had to discuss it with my students, who I am given to understand are well-read. Only this time around, I was wiser. I did my research, read about Orwell, and arrested the fact that the book was a chastising of sorts of the Communist rule in the Soviet Union, especially under its controversial ruler Stalin. I discovered with conviction that it is an allegory, a stark political satire that comes with a deep, moral message.

The animals’ revolt could not just be a symbolic representation of the revolt that led to the establishment of the Stalin regime in the then-USSR but also a depiction of how any individual seeking power is not immune to corruption. Perhaps the power-seeking individual himself hardly realizes he may end up corrupted and oppressive? I leave you with that question to ponder. And this quote from the book: ‘Some animals are equal, but others are more equal than others.’

‘Music Is Important to My Writing’

Published on by B Sudharsan2 Comments

INTERVIEW

Author Mark Everglade began writing as a child; he would often rewrite X-Men comics and what today people term fan fiction. Soon after turning ten, his tiny hands flurried across the typewriter, alternating Metallica and Schubert on the tape player, as each scene required a different tone and thus different music to accompany it. Speaking with Literary Harbinger, Mark said he began writing soundtracks to go with his stories. ‘The music and the writing fed off one another,’ he stated. Nonetheless, as technology began modernizing, the author became more intrigued by its possibilities, shortcomings, omens, and false promises and began exploring the cyberpunk works of Gibson, Stephenson, and others. Working a daytime job, Mark takes care of his family. Surprisingly, he has almost never watched TV; however, he may only see a movie or one TV show a year, preferring reading and the arts over watching television.

SPECIAL & EXCLUSIVE

No Cypher for This Cyberthriller

B Sudharsan: It is a pleasure having you with us, Mark. To begin with, please tell us about your published works. How did they happen? Furthermore, what is your latest book about?

Mark Everglade: I publish through two traditional publishers. My latest novel, Inertia, is about a young woman, Ash, and her father; they are trying to solve the global warming crisis in space. Hacking government servers, they uncover a conspiracy to alter the planet’s rotation to control its economy and cast half the world back into complete darkness. Ash’s life is in danger when she uncovers sensitive, classified data, so she must ask her father, Severum, for help. The trouble is that he does not know she exists, so while the book is a cyberthriller, it is also about their relationship.

B Sudharsan: Well, that does sound ‘thrilling’ to say the least. A lot of planning must have gone into writing the book, or… are you a plotter?

Mark Everglade: At first, I did not plot at all, but for every hour of planning, you save about 10 hours later on, so it is definitely worth doing a ten-hour outline.

‘Creativity Knows No Time or Place’

B Sudharsan: I cannot agree more. Do you derive inspiration from any authors? 

Mark Everglade: My favorite authors are Iain M. Banks, Charles Dickens, Haruki Murakami, and Catherynne Valente. All four understand culture and character and merge the two so that others can see the intersection with poetic prose.

B Sudharsan: Time I told you Murakami would remain one of my most favored writers. And that brings me to my next question: Do you, like the Japanese author, follow a rigorous schedule, or do you write when you feel the need to pen down your thoughts?

Mark Everglade: The creative process does not know your place or time and does not conform to your schedule. I make notes throughout the day; I am always writing a line here and there. Writing, therefore, is simply weaving those individual threads, those passing moments in life, together until a cohesive narrative emerges.

ENGAGE WITH LH | Click on the cover image of the book you wish to read and buy yourself a copy right off the bat!

Dealing With the In-Betweens

B Sudharsan: In that case, was becoming an author a conscious decision?

Mark Everglade: Yes. After the 9/11 incident in America, movies and books radically changed. Any publication with characters that were ‘shades of grey’ was immediately a failure. Americans wanted an absolute bad guy and an absolute good guy, so art adapted to its audience. Unfortunately, this ‘good guy bad guy’ mentality has become so strong and polarizing in our rhetoric that I decided we needed literature to unite and mobilize the masses from the ground up. So, I wrote books with characters who were all shades of grey from various walks of life, books like Song of Kitaba. Nowhere is the shade-of-grey protagonist more valued than in the dystopian subgenre of cyberpunk, where anti-heroes roam the pages.

B Sudharsan: Fascinating! How do you juggle writing and other tasks, by the way? What are your hobbies and interests besides writing?

Mark Everglade: I am primarily a musician, and music plays a key role in my writing. When I need to write with a certain rhythm, I turn on Red Hot Chili Peppers. When I need to write a lamentable scene, I turn on the indie metal band Soen. I actually named my first book, Hemispheres, after a Rush album.

B Sudharsan: Wow! Could you share a bit about your works in progress? Do you intend to become a full-fledged author?

Mark Everglade: I am working on the third and final novel in the Gliese Trilogy, tentatively named Hydrosphere. It will be released in three years and is similar to the Kevin Costner movie Waterworld but set in space with tons of cybernetic technology.

‘Authors Write Because They Must’

B Sudharsan: And is there anything you wish to tell the budding authors who lose motivation if a few of their works do not do well?

Mark Everglade: If you are doing this hobby for the money, then do not. Even the bestsellers who are hitting number one in numerous Amazon categories are not making even a month’s bills after paying advertising, retail, and royalty fees. If you write, do it for your own creative expression, with a message that will make the world a better place and inspire others. Authors write because they must; the act is a fountain of emotion and a labor of love.

B Sudharsan: If you could change one thing in this world, what would it be?

Mark Everglade: Inequality. For instance, at Disney World, a custodian would have to work 2,000 years to make as much as the C.E.O. made in one year. The level of poverty that so-called ‘first-world’ nations allow is a blight upon the potential of our species. The current system allows the wealthy to exist in a predatory relationship with people whose income is below the poverty threshold, exploiting them for their own ends.

If you write, do so for your own creative expression, with a message that makes the world a better place and inspires others. Authors write because they must; the act is a fountain of emotion and a labor of love.

MARK EVERGLADE

‘I Think Writing a Novel Is a Little Like Archery’

Published on by B SudharsanLeave a comment

INTERVIEW

On a fine day in 2017, R C Robbin was tarrying for his group yoga class to begin. ‘I was sitting in the lotus pose on my mat,’ begins the lover of yoga on being asked how his debut novel Savasana’s Kiss – A Yoga Love Story happened. ‘The weather outside was poor, and perhaps because of that, I ended up being the only student in the class. I was 44 then,’ Robbin, who lives at Westchester in New York, lets us know.

Flabbergasted, I gawp at him. ‘Excuse me, did you say you were 44 then?’ I want to know of the American author, and he responds in the affirmative. I keep mum to allow him to continue. His calm demeanour and the charm he exhibits make it appear as if he is in his early thirties. But as it is rightly said, looks can be deceptive. Thus, I take him at his word and sip some freshly brewed coffee even as he ventures to speak his mind.

‘The yoga session was one-on-one, and for some strange reason, the session felt more personal, more intimate. And while driving back home I thought how it might feel to have romantic feelings for my teacher,’ he lets me know, adding that in real life he and his teacher share ‘a strong platonic friendship.’ Calling his yoga trainer an ‘amazing human being’, he states, ‘She is beautiful from inside and out’. And this brief thought that struck his mind, says he, is what turned into a story idea. ‘I rushed to the keyboard and started typing out my thoughts. One year later Savasana’s Kiss was born,’ he divulges.

Robbin, who has been writing short stories and poems since his teenage years, says that although this episode became an idea for the book that has now bagged the NIEA Finalist (Erotica, 2018) and NGIBA Finalist (Romance, 2019) awards, he had to create a rough outline of the main characters including the chapter breakdown. ‘I think writing a novel is a little like archery,’ he opines, and asks a very intriguing question, ‘Would you shoot a bow and arrow with your eyes closed?’ And when I nod my head from left to right, he gives me the answer, ‘No, right? It’s much easier to aim when you can see your target.’ The stress on ‘target’ goes without saying.

ALSO READ | After a Lifetime of Facts, He Chose Fiction

And what about a schedule? Does he feel obligated to follow a strict routine? ‘I think writing doesn’t work that way. At least for me. I write when inspiration strikes though I wake up by eight in the morning and go to bed by midnight. It’s just that I don’t feel obliged to follow a schedule,’ says Robbin whose favourite author happens to be Kurt Vonnegut. ‘Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five has been my all-time favourite,’ he stresses, stating that the late author was a great inspiration to him as he could write non-linear stories.

The author, who has been married for ten years, makes it clear that he did not aspire to become an author. ‘Writers write because they are compelled to do so,’ he declares, and I meditate on the sentence. ‘That makes a lot of sense,’ I tell him. But that’s not the only thing we agree on. Unlike a few authors who’ve maintained they never feel the burden of writing, Robbin affirms that writing a novel is not a piece of cake. ‘It’s a grind. However, when the results are appreciated, it makes it all worthwhile,’ says Robbin, who is also into fitness, weight training, and archery. Oh yeah, and he loves watching football!

When asked if he has any works in progress, he says that his debut book’s success has compelled him to work on its sequel. ‘Besides that, I am experimenting with the horror genre. I have about fifty pages done on a spiritual zombie novel,’ he lets out.

By the way, is there anything he would like to tell the budding authors who lose motivation if their works don’t do well? ‘Of course. I would tell them to be patient with themselves. Added pressure does not help the process. Also, with age comes wisdom. As well as more stories to tell!’ And if there is one thing that he would like to change in the world, what might that be? ‘A vaccine for COVID-19 immediately comes to mind,’ he says, adding ‘other than that, to end world hunger.’ He signs off with a beatific smile.

DO READ | Writing Beyond Retirement

‘Take a Chance on Yourself’

Published on by B Sudharsan15 Comments

INTERVIEW

Author C M Turner does not mince words a bit. With a childlike charm and ebullient disposition, Turner’s repartees to the questions she gets asked are no less than a joyride, for her whimsical responses, just like her impressive works, are not only interspersed with idiomatic expressions and vivid verbs but also with wit and humour. She does not use the word ‘laugh’, for instance, but says ‘chuckle over’. Likewise, instead of ‘shout’, she employs the word ‘bellow’ to convey the meaning she intends to convey. The list, notwithstanding, is endless. To add to that, her works are filled with such graphic accounts that reading a book of hers is like seeing a movie being played in a home theatre. So when the illustrious author agreed to get interviewed by Literary Harbinger, our joy knew no bounds. 

‘My Dog Is My Writing Companion’

‘Becoming an author was a well-thought-out decision,’ says Turner, who is currently living with her daughter and son-in-law in Las Vegas, the US. She adds that she pets a Golden Retriever. ‘We call him George Clooney, and he is my writing companion,’ she says with a smile. On being asked how her latest book Where the Ironweed Blooms happened, Turner, who loves to explore different genres including mystery, horror, and surrealism, tells me that it all began with her desire to create a Halloween story for her daughter. ‘It was originally just twenty-five pages,’ says she, adding, ‘but every time I read it, a new idea came to my mind. After years of these new ideas, I ended up with the novel it is today.’

But if you thought she wrote only novels, boy, you were mistaken, for Turner tells me that she loves to paint as well! ‘But painting has never presented the same calling to me as writing. I have always been content to have it as a hobby, something to fall back on during lulls in my writing, or when the mood strikes,’ she explains, clarifying that she has not been painting much lately. ‘It requires a certain amount of space to leave your equipment set up, and my room only accommodates the necessary amount of bedroom furniture, plus a desk, desk chair and computer,’ she elaborates.

Inspired by Old Yeller

So as the discussion warms up, I decide on asking her about her inspiration and she calls to mind the first book she had read when she was all of ten years of age! ‘It was Old Yeller by Fred Gipson, and I knew right then I wanted to be a writer,’ she tells me. Going further, she says, ‘I wanted to try to write a book just half that good. The memory of that book has been so long-lasting that even today the breed of dog I have looks an awful lot like the one in that book did!’

Talking about her published works, Turner says her first book titled Husband: A Short Story Series is a compilation of stories she wrote in her early twenties. ‘They are nothing like my two novels though,’ she states. ‘They occasionally depict true occurrences and most have been embellished for the enjoyment of the reader.’ And as far as her latest novel Not Flowers for Charlie is concerned, she says she had started writing it way before she began working on Where the Ironweed Blooms. ‘It is just that the second one got published first,’ she smiles. 

Flying by the Seat of Pants

Reared in South California, the author, who initially experimented with poetry, also lets me know that she has never outlined or planned her story. ‘A story just unveils itself as I am writing it. Sometimes new ideas might come as I am writing, but I will incorporate them right as I go. I do usually have some idea of a plot in mind, but the characters always develop as I tell the story,’ explains Turner, whose list of favourite authors includes Harper Lee, John Irving, J D Salinger, Henry Miller, Emily Bronte, John Knowles, Toni Morrison, and Rebecca Welles amongst others. ‘This is just a partial list, of course!’ she laughs.

Be that as it may, none of Ms Turner’s works has ever got a rating below four stars on Amazon or Goodreads (with a majority of readers giving these books a five-star rating). She, nonetheless, tells me that there is always scope for improvement when it comes to writing. She plans to launch a book by the end of this year and may launch two more in 2021. ‘What I have learned from this business is that you need to exercise a great amount of patience. Nothing is fast,’ she stresses.

‘Don’t Give Up On Yourself’

And does she have any suggestions for budding writers? ‘I suppose what I would tell a budding author who is becoming discouraged is this: Do not give up on yourself. If you believe in your work, then it is your job to make others believe in it too. Do not give up! Just try harder. There are so many more ways to get your work out in the world today than ever before. Do not wait around to be that very small percentage who gets lucky enough to land an agent or miraculously has their work seen just at the right time by the right person in a big publishing house.’

She also emphasises that it is only commonsensical for an indie author to make the most use of the different ways to self-publish in this day and age of cut-throat competition. ‘Take a chance on yourself! If you are not willing to gamble on you, then why should an agent or publisher?’ she says signing off with a beautiful smile.