Nav Bar

Friday, November 6, 2015

Experience Matters: An Interview with Author Sunil Sinha


Guruji's Ashram is the debut book of Author Sunil Sinha. Touching different cores of life, this book deals with the adversities of societies and mental peace of people frustrated from the life. Being motivational, this book gives readers a way to think towards the positiveness. Come, join him what he shares of his life.

Let us know something about this author of amazing book “Guruji’s Ashram”.
First of all, let me thank you for finding “Guruji’s Ashram” an amazing book. 
There is nothing much to talk about me. I travel in a world that is black and white and I have no use of gray. I love adventurous sports. I am curious, determined, intense, passionate, and filled with desire. I always follow my heart and do things which I love to do. I am not afraid of losing/failing. For me, a loss/failure today simply means an opportunity of victory/success tomorrow. 

When you realized your potential of writing? On seeing appreciation for your work from all critics, don’t you think you had to start writing earlier?
Although I loved reading books of different genres of both foreign and Indian authors since childhood, I had never seen myself as a writer. I had not written anything other than business communication before ‘Guruji’s Ashram'. 
One evening, while I was on my evening walk, a thought came and a story started forming in my mind. Moment I came home, I narrated the story to my wife and kids. They were thrilled and asked me to write it. That evening I sat for three hours and wrote a summary of the story and asked them to read it. They liked and appreciated the story. That is when I decided to write a full length novel. At that point, I was not sure if any publisher would accept to print it. To my surprise Leadstart and two other publishers accepted my proposal. 
I believe, whenever something has to happen, it happens. Inspiration of doing something new comes on its own, you just have to listen to your heart. It is never late to do something you love. 

How was your journey up to the beginning of writing of Guruji’s Ashram and what conflicts you faced while writing it?

All through my life, I followed my heart and have done things that I loved to do, because of this, my life has been full of excitement and twist and turns. I had lived almost all my dreams but felt something missing. When I started writing, I realized that my thirst for doing something new has finally been quenched. 
I fell in love with writing during ‘Guruji’s Ashram.’ There was no conflict. I already had the story in mind, I just had to sit and type those thought in words. 

Readers are saying that you have exaggerated the erotic part in the novel? Please let us know your opinion on it.
I would not say I have exaggerated erotic parts. However, I accept that the scenes of my novel are explicit. In my novel, all the scenes are explicitly described whether it is ‘Love Making’ or ‘Rape scene’ or ‘Treatment of Cancer’ or ‘way of doing Pranayama and Meditation’ or ‘description of Ayurvedic Medicines or ‘distribution of Drugs’ or ‘Torture and Murder’ or most importantly- ‘the way the protagonist brings about changes in education system and takes a poor state to the path of development’. I would say all scenes of my novel are explicitly described.

What kind of support and ignorance from your loving persons you came through after Guruji’s Ashram? 
While writing novel I got all support I needed from my family. 
Readers of “Guruji’s Ashram” who did not know me personally appreciated it and encouraged me to write more but surprisingly, I did not get much response (support or appreciation/criticism) from most of the people who, I thought, were close to me. However, a few of them had gone an extra mile to help me out.

Though, you’re book is amazing but as being debut author, what type of struggle you faced to publish your book?
I have heard a lot about the struggles of debutant authors to get their book published. I think I was lucky on this account. My proposal of ‘Guruji’s Ashram’ was accepted within a month. 

There was a message in your novel Guruji’s Ashram so what’s your motto to write novel? Is this your hobby or you want something else? 
This story is targeted on people who are looking for peace and happiness in their life by following different kinds of so called “Gurus”, without realizing that most of these “Gurus” are in fact doing business and making money in the name of offering of  peace of mind and happiness. These “Gurus”, if stop being greedy and use the money they collect from their devotees/ followers for the benefit of people and help society, they can do a lot to uplift poverty and eradicate illiteracy and they could actually provide peace of mind and happiness to millions of people.
I started writing my first novel just for fun. But while writing ‘Guruji’s Ashram’ I fell in love with writing. Now I think I have to live with my love. 

Your novel was touching different aspects of life from teen age to older age. So does it give a glimpse of your personal life? How you distinguish your life and the character of your novel Guruji’s Ashram?
I would say the novel gives a glimpse of present day scenario of commercialization of spirituality of India. Different kinds of Gurus and Babas have cropped up who are looting gullible people in the name of spirituality. 
I write fiction. Once I decide a topic and story line, I gather the information and materials needed for my book from many sources like newspapers, internet, books etc, to cook up my story. 
Guruji’s Ashram may seem like someone’s real life story but I assure you that it is purely fiction. 
I think a writer observes events around him/her and writes about it. Whatever a writer writes, it come through the writer and not by the writer. 
Characters of my novel are fictitious. I only hope, one day, if I get the opportunity and the means, I would like to do what Tapas, the protagonist of my novel, did for the upliftment of poor people and the development of country. 

Who are your favorite authors and why?
I do not have any one particular favorite author, I love - Sidney Sheldon, Irving Wallace, Harold Robbins, Jeffery Archer, Ken Follett, Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins, Khushwant Singh, Chetan Bhagat, Amish Tripathi - there are many more. They all great writers and have their own style of writing and they all are unique in their own way. 

Would you like to discuss your work on your upcoming novels? 
My next two novels are “I am not a Terrorist” and “Retribution.” Both these books will be published in 2016. At present, I am working on two more. That is all I can say at the moment. 

Any message to your readers and budding authors? 
I would like to thank all my readers for reading, appreciating/criticizing my book and giving me their valuable feedback. Their appreciations have encouraged me to write more books and their feedback/criticisms have helped me in improving my writing. 
I am a budding author myself. I am not in a position to give advice, at least, not yet.

Reach Sunil Sinha at
facebook , E-mail

Read reviews on his book at

Buy Guruji's Ashram at
Flipkart , Amazon

Interview by -
Kamal Paneru

follow Kamal Paneru at
facebook twitter google+

No comments:

Post a Comment