19 May, 2016

#Interview with Suman Kumar, #Author of Ranga Half-Pants

About the Author:

Suman Kumar–a former IT employee–is a stay at home dad, movie writer, and astand up comic. He was born in Madras, went to school in Chittoor before he worked in a string of really boring jobs.
He lives in Bangalore now with his gorgeous doctor wife and their beautiful, six year old daughter (the girls threatened to throw him out of the house if he didn’t include them in his bio.)
His other interests include bird watching (feathered ones), movies, and books.



Interview with the Author:

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/ a storyteller?
When I was 12

What inspires you to write?
I love telling stories and entertaining people. 

How did you come up with the idea for your current story?
I wanted to write a blog post on the forgotten era when you got your clothes stitched by tailor. And this story fell in place.

Are there some stories tucked away in some drawer that was written before and never saw the light of the day?
Of course! There are two unfinished manuscripts that I need to finish writing.

Tell us about your writing process.
I stick to a schedule mostly. My favourite writing time is mornings.

What is your favorite scene in the book? Why?
The scene where Ranga walks through a burial ground in the middle of the night. That moment in his life is the tipping point. 

Did any of your characters inherit some of your own quirks?
Not really.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?
I write fast. Really fast. It scares me.

Do you read? Who are your favourite authors and how have they influenced your writing style?
Of course I read! My favourite writers are Stephen King, Raymond Chandler, James Hadley Chase, Hemmingway, P.G. Wodehouse, and Neil Gaiman. I like Yerramsetty Sai, a Telugu novelist. I love Tamil writers by Suba, Rajesh Kumar, Rajendra Kumar, Sujatha, Kalki, and Balakumaran. I learnt minimalism from Chandler and Hemmingway. I am in awe of Stephen King’s character design. Neil Gaiman for his irreverent yet magical landscapes. 

What is the best piece of advice you have received, as a writer, till date?
The road to hell is paved with adverbs ~ Stephen King.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
Find characters, story will follow.

What would be the Dream Cast for you book if it was to be turned into a movie?
Nani plays Prasad. Nitya Menen plays Tabassum. Thanikella Bharani plays Reddy the MP.  Not sure about Ranga, Gaja, and Kaivalya. 

If you were to be stranded on the famous deserted island, what three things would you carry?
A Swiss knife, my kindle, and bottle of Old Monk.

How do you spend your free time? Do you have a favorite place to go and unwind?
I do stand up comedy at various venues in Bangalore. 

Can you share with us something off your bucket list?
Spend at least a month (each) in the rainforests of Borneo, Amazon, and Western ghats. Drive to Arunachal Pradesh. Own the Canon 600 mm F4 for bird photography. Write a graphic novel for my six year old daughter. Travel the world with my wife and daughter. 

Tell us three fun facts about yourself.
I write movies. I am a bird photographer. I am a professional stand up comedian. 

What do you have in store next for your readers?
A story of heart break, rebellion, and redemption set in the 90s. 

Is there anything else you’d like to share with your readers?
Thank you for your support and love. I look forward to meeting you in person, some day!

About the Book:

How horribly wrong can a boy’s dream of owning a pair of full pants go? Set in 1986, in a small town in Andhra Pradesh, Ranga Half-Pants is a breathtaking, coming-of-age tale of love, courage, and friendship.
Ranganathan aka Ranga, 14, goes to school after Dasara holidays to discover that he is the only boy in his class still wearing half-pants. All the other boys have moved on to full trousers making Ranga the butt of cruel jokes and bullying. Things hit a real low when his arch-nemesis Joel becomes friends with Ranga’s best friend Kaivalya.
Prasad, 24, is a man forced to live by the sword. Now he wants to give it all up for the love of his life, Tabassum. His rivals, however, have other plans for him.
The worlds of Ranga and Prasad clash on a fateful, violent night. Will Ranga get his full pants? Will Prasad outwit his foes?


1 comment:

  1. SO NICE TO HAVE THIS TYPE INTERVIEW FOR THE ASPIRING INDIVIDUALS, JUST AT THE GLIMPSE OF MY EYE I HAD A CHANCE TO VIEW, REALLY NICE AND THE FACT IS I AM THE UNCLE OF THE PERSON WITH WHOM THE INTERVIEW TAKEN.

    LAKSHMINARASIMHAN SRINIVASACHARY

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