Kunjan Singh: "The day my novel hit the market it was the same day she got married" (Interview) !!!

Kunjan Singh is a 2nd time author with his new book "Weekend Monks". I got a chance to ask him about his writing journey. Let's see what he said.

1. Hello Kunjan, when did it first occur to you that you should scribble something and convert it into a novel?

Do you remember the dialogue of Rockstar “ wo sidaaton wala pyaar jab tak nah ho koi dil se kuch nai kar sakta” it was rightly said.

I used to love  a girl long back and one day she told me what unique I  had in me that she could  say her  mom about me other than painting, cartooning or sketching .  I was not a dude, neither was blessed with looks like Tom Cruise , nor was having a surname of Ambani or Mallya, I mean to say was having just a meager salary so I thought why not to use my skills of writing which I had sharpened by editing my college magazines . So In order to prove to her that after atleast the novel she could say to her mom about me I penned down my first novel but trust me , real life is much different than reel life. The day my novel hit the market it was the same day she got married. I was just a normal middle class guy nor Maddy of RHTDM that Rina would close her eyes and come back to me or  neither I was Manu of Tanu weds Manu that Tanu would change her decision last minute and come back to me.

But what so ever I turned to an author.

2. How has been life after your first book released? 

Professional life had no change. But the feeling of a fan pinging at 1 am in the night to write something for good of society or the feeling of some one from remote corner of India requesting for the second novel is priceless . Every Dipiste  of Delhi Public School feels proud of me , Every Maniplaite  of Manipal university community could connect to my story .

3. Tell us something about your latest book- Weekend Monks?

Weekend Monks … 

Every weekend the monk inside  comes out &  speak their heart out. This is story of every common Indian. I am sure with one of the 3 Characters everyone can connect well. After all we all have lost something in life but the real spirit of life is not in giving up but just living it despite having the deep pain inside . 

Also this novel was written after a lot of interaction with the common Indian people.

120 pages does not scare an Indian who does not even dare to read looking at the thickness of the novel.  Now the reading habit of readers is , they prefer to read while travelling in a  flight , or train or bus and that time they prefer a light read so its exclusively  for them.

The simple English used is with a special intention that majority of India can read  after all no one likes to turn to pages of dictionary while reading but they are forced to do that while reading a novel.  Weekend monks is for Indians and it’s for masses.  I want to reach to maximum Indians because after all it’s their  story. I am sure be it Kunjan who lost his love, Andy who lost his mom & came back to India  or Phatak who could not become an IAS is story of all the Indians & they speak their Heart out on weekend after becoming a monk

4. How did such an unusual title come in your mind?

I work in a corporate house. Full week we work and it’s the week end when we get out and the monk inside us gets alive and speaks his heart out, so the Weeek end Monks

5. What makes you write your personal experiences every time you think of writing a book?

This is a fiction , written from core of my heart & I had written with a feeling that every Indian can correlate to one of the three characters in the novel as we all go through one of those experiences , which we hide deep in our heart. So if you feel it’s my autobiography I feel honoured that my imganation is so powerful that my readers can belive it to be truth.

In a nut shell would say thank s for the compliment.

6. As a reader, which writers do you prefer reading from India?

I read long back , if you want to be a writer you must leave reading fictions so that your writing does not get affected and I do follow that.

Chetan Bhagat 5 point some one , 2 states & Amish Tripathi  I have read .But trust me the best I was yet to read as I am yet to write it.

7. How hard/easy is publishing in India for first-time writers?

Not at all easy. It’s easy to write but hard to find a publisher. The way one has to loosen one’s pocket or just remain at mercy of publishers  and despite huge investments all at their plight is not a great feeling what an struggling author has to go through.

8. What is your 3rd book based upon?

         Let’s wait for it. But I can promise something with which entire India can connect.

9. Why don’t we see you actively promoting your book through social networking accounts?

     Ha ha ha… I am trying from my end. But after all this is what every author has to go through .

10. Any words for your fans who have picked your latest novel?

I am sure you will love it. I have written with heart story of all Indians and the slimness of the novel would lure you.

Don’t give up In life. Life is about living and succeeding . There is a pain in all of us. Speak your heart out every weekend by becoming the monk.

I work in a corporate house , I write for my passion for my readers, I write for India & am sure every Indian should not give up their passion and become a monk at least on every week end.