02 December, 2016

#Interview with Sudhanshu Bisen, #Author of A Thousand Times Over

About the Author:

Sudhanshu Bisen is a sports journalist by profession. Born in Nagpur, India, he travelled to places for his education, including Cardiff University, U.K., from where he did a Masters in International Journalism. His profession has allowed him to cover some of the greatest sporting extravaganzas around the globe. He is also a recipient of the ‘Best Young Journalist’ award. A Thousand Times Over is his first step into the fascinating world of being a writer. He believes in the power of love, and dreams about scripting breathtaking stories of selfless love.




An Interview with the Author:

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/ a storyteller?
A have been interested in writing, because of which I chose to be a journalist in print media. However, the kind of featurish writing I was interested in, the newsy world did not provide me enough scope to explore myself. I am an avid reader too. Novels also fascinate me. I thought if I can write news on a daily basis, why not give novel writing a try. 

What inspires you to write?
Love. There is no inspiration like love, because the emotions attached to it is so selfless.  Besides, I feel, in today’s society, we all are forced to mask ourselves and are supposed to be emotionless creatures. But I feel deep down inside, we all have an emotional layer. I want to touch that emotional chord with my writing. 

How did you come up with the idea for your current story?
I always had this sort of story of relentless love in my mind. It is purely fictional but depicts the power of hope in love. When you will read the story, you would realise how someone has never seen love in this manner. I always believe love is downplayed in this day and age and I hope this story would make you fall in love, with love.

Are there some stories tucked away in some drawer that was written before and never saw the light of the day?
Not really. I don’t tuck away my stories in a drawer. I share it, with the world. I wear my emotions up my sleeves and have no shame in doing that. Whatever I feel is a potential story, I share it via blogs, quotes or other mediums. And I hope it remains this way.

Tell us about your writing process.
I am not a 4000 word per day sort of a writer. I take my time as per the story demands. Some days I end up writing only 800 words, on others I may write more than 5000 words. I do not write loose stuffs and come back to it to deck it up. I take my own sweet time in ensuring that my first draft is as good as it can get. But then, the first draft is always shabby when you do a re-read. I also do not give break while I am involved in a story. I completed ‘A Thousand Times Over’ in less than 18 days. 

Did any of your characters inherit some of your own quirks?
Not all the quirks but quite a few. As a person, I observe a lot. Hence, there are traces of my own self in the leading characters. Many ask me if the story is inspired by some true incidents. I tell them, it isn’t, but there are some characters in the book that are based on the people I have encountered in my life. That, I guess, happens with most of the authors. 

What is your most interesting writing quirk?
I write to make sure people are inspired by the goodness of the characters. Like the first novel is a love story, I want people, even those who are not inclined towards love stories, to believe in love and its potential. My most interesting writing quirk would be that I don’t look my book as a product. I look at it as a potential view-changer.   

Do you read? Who are your favourite authors and how have they influenced your writing style?
You hand me any book, and I would start reading it a second later. I read a lot.  Indian authors have always inspired me as I feel their stories are more relatable. But I read across all genres. Novoneel Chakraborty, Amish Tripathi, Salman Rushdie and John Green are some of my favourite authors. 

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
I just would advise the aspiring authors to bleed, just bleed all over the laptop. Write, write the dirtiest draft of your story but do write. Everything else takes care itself. While publishing, the most important thing patience. Believe in your manuscript and wait for the right publisher. I was lucky to have been selected by Fingerprint Publishers, one of the best in the business. And I managed to do it because I had the patience. You have to be pro-active while marketing your books as well.

What would be the Dream Cast for you book if it was to be turned into a movie?
I have been floored by Dhanush, off late. So, I guess he, along with Ileana D'Cruz would be my dream cast, if the book was to be turned into a movie.

If you were to be stranded on the famous deserted island, what three things would you carry?
A laptop, book and a pen. I want to script stories till the end of time. 

How do you spend your free time? Do you have a favorite place to go and unwind?
I feel coffee shops are always buzzing with stories. I love to hang out at coffee shops just to unwind, observe people and feel the warmth around.  

What do you have in store next for your readers?
I have a romantic thriller in my mind next. I believe, with age, you grow as an author. While writing my second novel, I would be more confident compared to the first time. The script is in my mind, the characters as well. It is all about tightening the storyline. Once I do that I will start writing it.

About the Book:
‘Hope is a good thing’
Who doesn’t promise to love the love of their life forever?
But how many actually live up to that promise?

Nishith Singh, a seventeen-year-old, has shared everything with the virtual world—from the pain of losing his father and being blamed for it to falling in love at first sight and being rejected. But nonetheless, he hasn’t given up on his love. 
When Aahana Basu, a quintessential wife and a loving mother, comes across his blog, she is drawn deeply into his world, much to her own surprise. But when she wakes up to the sudden absence of the recurring dream the next morning, a dream she sees almost every night, and which ends at the very same point, she is left nonplussed. Are the two connected?
As Aahana finds herself falling for Nishith, she realises there’s much more to things than she sees. From coming across strangers calling out her name and greeting her to feeling an inexplicable connection with a town she visits for the first time, she is left bewildered.
Will Aahana be able to connect the dots and piece together the puzzle?
A spine-chilling tale of selfless love, A Thousand Times Over will not only make you fall in love with love but will also leave you with the desire to live up to the promises you’ve made to your beloved.


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