29 November, 2017

#SpecialFeature :: An #Interview with Ishan Majumdar, #Author of The Celeritas Files


*** Special Feature - November 2017 ***


Quick Recap:

About the Book
Experience the story of Shaina Desai, who finds herself in the middle of a sinister plot to steal her prized invention, which happens to be the principal subject of valuation for a multi-million dollar cross-border investment in what could be termed as one of the most brutal attempts at intellectual property theft in the history of corporate India.

Will she be forced to give up her dream to save her son’s life? Or will she lose him to the ruthless kidnappers?

A tale of professional pride and the heart-breaking choices forced upon the individual, of love and betrayal, and the dark games ruthlessly played in the corporate world, under the veneer of professional ethics…

Goodreads * Amazon * Flipkart



Book Trailer:



An Interview:

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/ a storyteller?
I have been a closet writer since many years but never really felt inspired enough to come out with my work. I guess when I started living in New Delhi, a city where I hardly have any friends and where I have enough spare time after work, I finally decided to go ahead with this.

What kind of research goes into your book?
For THE CELERITAS FILES, a large part of the research was with respect to the MaxCharge technology and its specifics. Also, I worked on understanding the patenting laws and the red-tape involved in India with respect to intellectual property registrations.

What are you working on at the moment?
I am working on my second novel which is also a crime thriller with a corporate backdrop. My genre will remain more or less consistent as the corporate world is clearly my area of expertise.

How did you come up with the idea for your current story? 
Working in an office cubicle for 10 hours a day and being fond of crime thriller films, novels and TV shows, somehow made my mind mix up the two and come up with a number of crazy plots circling around crime taking place in a corporate environment. It took some effort to actually sit down and make a concrete design of a plot that wasn’t just random ideas. THE CELERITAS FILES was the first plot idea that came to me which I believed, had good potential if it was converted into a proper novel and published.

Please share three interesting facts about the characters in your book.
Okay, here we go:
Fact 1: Amaan and his deceased wife Rehana are my two favorite characters who might continue in future books.
Fact 2: One of the Inspectors, Ajit Tyagi is given the surname “Tyagi” because one of my very good friends, Priyanka, also from the Tyagi community, often told me stories about a large percentage of people from her community becoming brave army officers and policemen.
Fact 3: The blurb of THE CELERITAS FILES comes across as that of a novel with a central character that is female (Shaina). However, when the plot was designed, it was supposed to be Amaan’s story. As the writer, the reason Shaina was eventually made the main character was purely for the impact of the climax.

If you could pick any famous author to review your book who would you pick and why?
I would pick Joseph Finder. He is easily the closest peer in terms of genre (i.e. crime fiction with a corporate backdrop). 

Have you read any books that have inspired you to improve or change yourself in any way?  
I read for benchmarking not for pleasure. The works of Lee Child and Michael Connelly really help me improve in all aspects of crime fiction writing.

Name three things that you believe are important to character development?
Clear description of the physical appearance, a good backstory (assuming the character is relevant enough) and some prominent characteristic traits which clearly distinguish the character from others.

Do you ever experience writer’s block? If so what helps you to get over it?
Luckily I haven’t experienced it as yet. Obviously there are times when I feel my pace slacken. Pushing myself really hard to get up and reach the coffee shop where I sit and write is the critical part there. Once I reach, I know I will be able to write.

What part of the writing process do you enjoy the most?
I guess it would be writing the chapters which involve confrontational scenes/ scenes with revelations which are the most fun part. The scene plays like a movie inside my head and I can’t get up until I have finished writing it.

Do you know the ending of your books before you finish writing them?
Yes, I do. I think it is the most common practice among crime thriller writers to write the end first and then build the plot backwards.

What is the best piece of advice you have received, as a writer, till date?
Focus on your creativity and your writing more than anything else. The reviews and the social media stuff will flow.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
Write for the love of it, not for fame or money. Write to influence the world with your words and your stories. Nothing else matters.

Anything else that you would like to share with your readers?
I plan to come out with a new release of the same genre i.e. crime fiction with a corporate backdrop/ corporate espionage etc. every year. Hopefully, I might even increase my publishing speed and churn out a new release every 9-10 months. Please follow me on facebook - https://www.facebook.com/theceleritasfiles/ and twitter - @ishanmajumdar1 for updates.

About the Author
Ishan is a qualified Chartered Accountant and holds a Master’s degree in Management from HEC Paris (Grande Ecole). Born and brought up in the suburbs of Mumbai, Ishan went on to complete his graduation from Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics and moved to Europe for further studies. He has a rich corporate exposure, having worked in investment banking and strategy roles in multinational companies such as BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole and Danone.
Ishan is fluent in six languages including French and Spanish, as a large part of his working life was spent in France and Spain. He currently works with a venture capital fund based in New Delhi, India.







Giveaway:
1 Paperback Copy of The Celeritas Files for an Indian Resident
3 eBooks of The Celeritas Files for International Winners

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