In a conversation with Ratan Kaul, author of the book The Full Circle : A Saga Of Unrequited Love.
-- Interview with Ratan Kaul --
Q: "The Full Circle" is a published book, how does it feel holding a copy of the same in your hand?
A: I felt ecstatic when the first printed book arrived—it was like “Eureka”. Even now, there is a surge of happiness when I hold a copy of the book. It’s somewhat like holding your baby.
Q: Did you actually plan the book "The Full Circle" or it just happened with the flow?
A: In a way, it was a planned affair. After my first novel that depicted a historical romance, I wanted to write a story in the current time with which the readers could relate more closely and easily. So, I thought of putting together some recollections of incidents in my life, my work place and around me, blending it with my own imagination and weaving into a story that would appeal to and entertain the readers.
Q: What was the reaction of your friends and family members when you first told them that "The Full Circle" is going to be a published book? Any particular mention about the support you received from them?
A: Oh god! I got flooded with accolades from family, relatives and friends. There was a lot of encouragement from all. I was touched when I one of my relatives told me and later wrote in a review on amazon that he was moved to tears after reading the closing chapters. Incidentally, there was a similar emotional review from another reader too.
Q: You took up writing as an intentional move or multiple sequence of events led to writing? Do you think you were destined to be a writer?
A: My flair for reading and writing originated when I was selected as an editor of the school magazine and also elected to various literary forms. I graduated into serious reading in my college when I regularly got several books like “The Discovery of India” and “A Passage to India” as prizes for my distinguished academic achievements. This passion for reading and writing has continued since then in one form or the other. As in “The Full Circle”, destiny has played a role in my literary pursuits.
Q: Apart from "The Full Circle" you have also written “Wings of Freedom”? Anything you would want to tell us about that?
A: “Wings of Freedom” is a historical, cross-cultural romance set during the fury of British imperialism and the social-cultural divide in early twentieth-century turbulent British India in the backdrop of India’s struggle for independence. In the words of a reviewer, “The romance itself was mesmerizing but when you add the demands of society, the treachery of the era and the risk involved when Raju and Eileen fall deeply in love, it becomes a great story. In the words of another reviewer, “If you enjoyed ‘The Far Pavilions’ by M. M. Kaye, you’ll love Wings of Freedom.”
Q: What can we expect from you in the near future? Any other books lined up?
A: I feel that besides my professional activities, my passion for giving expressions to my thoughts by writing will continue unabated as an inherent part of my life. In the process I am also striving to write across different genres. Two other novels tentatively titled, “Wrath of the Trinity”, a mythological fantasy and “The Vanquished Strikes Back,” a contemporary cross-genre fiction are on the anvil.
Q: Being a published author is a different feeling altogether. How do you make sure that this feeling stays alive forever?
A: Of course, getting published imparts the thrill of creating something new every time. I presume that writing more books that will be loved by the readers will continue to sustain this feeling.
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| Interview with author Ratan Kaul |
Q: How did you develop the lead characters of the book “The Full Circle”? Any particular mention of references you took?
A: The humane but gritty and rebounding attributes of the lead character are inspired by some of the people I have come across professionally and otherwise. His crusade for helping the distressed villagers evacuated due to the construction of a dam have reflections of my own experiences during my first job in a remote tribal area where the construction of a hydroelectric power station had forced the inhabitants to vacate their lands and take up manual labour.
Q: "The Full Circle" has received some great reviews, any particular review that made you go wow?
A: It was a wow moment for me, when I read the book’s review by Abhinav in unclescrooge.com. His words, “The story is a very well crafted one capturing different emotions of love, betrayal, jealousy etc which makes it more real to our imagination” and “(The Author) with years of experience and sharpness has brought the characters and events straight from the pages of life coated with passion and drama to the senses of the readers” indeed delighted me.
Q: How much of "The Full Circle" is real, inspired and completely fictional?
A: Some parts are inspired by the incidents in own life. For example the main character’s graduation in engineering, the hassles he had to face in his first job and later in his start ups in the field of information technology in India and USA, reflect to some extent my own experiences during my professional journey. The rest is all fiction.
Q: Tell us about, how writing is a part of your daily life?
A: Writing needs some discipline. So I do write a few pages everyday in spite of many distracting tasks. My computer and my cell phone are my constant companions in my writing journey.
Q: How did you finalize the cover of the book "The Full Circle"? Did you have more options?
A: I had a few options. But my preference was for the main characters to be all together in a silhouette, though all facing away from each other. This design symbolized the emotional conflicts in their relationships.
Q: The story of “The Full Circle” is high on emotions, how relevant do you find them in this fast paced life that we are leading?
A: The elements of love, romance, relationships and emotions are forever, whatever be the fast pace in our day-to-day lives.
Q: Other than being a published author, what else do you do professionally?
A: I work as a management consultant, mainly in the field of information technology (IT) as well as an empanelled arbitrator. Some of the episodes in the novel relating to the IT services companies of the protagonist are to some extent inspired by my insights into the working of such workplaces
Q: Do you think your book, “The Full Circle”, has the power to change ones outlook or belief towards love, life and emotions in general?
A: Yes, I feel that questions are sure to arise in readers’ minds after reading this novel. One such question would perhaps relate to the futility of permanently harboring resentments, and conflicts in relationships.
Q: Tell us something about your experience of getting your book "The Full Circle" published?
A: Well it was as usual…some rejections after which it was accepted.
Q: If you are given a chance to make one change in your book "The Full Circle" what would that change be any why?
A: I would have liked to add a few pages more, particularly at the end, to bring out the emotions more comprehensively. In fact this is what the editor of this novel also suggested.
Q: Do you read as much as you write? Which are your favorite books and authors?
A: Yes, I spend a considerable amount of time reading. My favorite authors and books have been Jawaharlal Nehru (The Discovery of India), E.M.Forster( A Passage to India), M.M.Kaye (The Far pavilions) ( Vikram Seth (A Suitable Boy), Jhumpa Lahiri (Unaccustomed Earth), Amitav Ghosh (The Glass Palace), to name a few. Some new authors are being added to the list.
Q: You prefer reading e-books or the traditional paper/hard back book?
A: I read both types, depending on my mood as also on the type of book. For non-fiction books I prefer mainly the paperbacks/hardcover. But for fiction I use a combination of digital and paperback, depending on whether I’m travelling or home.
Q: If "The Full Circle" is made into a Bollywood movie, who do you think should the lead characters be?
A: It would be an “I’m-on-a-cloud-nine” moment and the lead characters I can think of are: Aamir Khan (Rohit), Vidya Balan (Jhimil) and Parineeti Chopra (Sunita).
Q: Two things that you like and dislike about “writing”?
A: What I like about writing is that I can use my creativity to mingle my thoughts and imagination on the canvas of my mind and weave the threads of a story on paper. The ‘disliking’ or worrying part is the period of “writers’ block” when the juices stop flowing.
Q: If you have to give one reason to our readers to get hold of your book, “The Full Circle”, what would the reason be?
A: The readers will love it as it is an out-of-the-box contemporary romance novel, set in the era of information technology, with the saga of romance blended with emotions and human relationships in the backdrop of conflicts, intrigues, deceptions, drama and betrayals.
Q: Any message you would want to share with our readers?
A: I’d like to post a poetic quote from my book as a message to my readers:
“The world is large, but a full circle,
and it’s also so small they say,
in our journeys, perhaps we’ll meet,
surely on the way, someday.”
Q: How can our readers connect with you?
A: I can be reached via my website: www.ratankaul.in or my email: email@ratankaul.in
-- End of Interview with author Ratan Kaul --
-- You can also order a copy of the book from Amazon --
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