Based at New Delhi, Kulpreet Yadav’s latest novel Catching the Departed was shortlisted for Hachette – DNA’S contest called Hunt for the next Bestseller and launched at Singapore during July 2014. He is also the founder-editor of Open Road Review, a literary magazine with a global footprint. We carried out an exclusive interview with Kulpreet to find out more about him and his work. Read on to learn what he had to say.
Welcome to e-Books India, Kulpreet! We are thrilled to have you join us for this interview. You have an interesting and varied background. Could you please tell us a bit about your work experience and how you became a writer?
Thank you for this opportunity, Hiten. As a child I had access to my dad’s library which was overflowing with books and it was his prodding that introduced me to the fascinating world of fiction. I loved this alternate realm where life seemed more fun and thus began my association with books which continued even after graduating from Nowrosjee Wadia College, Pune, as I joined the Naval officer’s academy. Though the formative years as an officer kept me away from books, I was back to reading soon enough. Over a period of time this involvement with literature began to overshadow my work life and made me take this rather unusual decision of leaving my well-paying job. So on 1 Jan 14 when I hung up my boots, I was a Commandant with the Indian Coast Guard and looking at a comfortable two more decades in a secure job. But I chose the path that was closer to my heart. You could say that I sacrificed my job to pursue my passion.
Your own story involves quitting your day job to become a fulltime writer. Could you please tell us about your experiences of doing this and any advice you may have for other writers who dream of writing fulltime?
Writing fulltime is an unusual career choice. Someone who is thinking about doing so should know its short and long term implications. Not more than a dozen writers make enough to sustain a family with the money they earn from writing fiction. This means anyone who is thinking of taking the plunge in these uncharted and treacherous waters should have adequate financial cushion. I had catered for this well before I had set sail on this course.
You’re the author of the thriller book entitled Catching the Departed, which is the
first title in the Andy Karan series. Can you please tell us what this book is about?
Andy Karan, an undercover spy who works as an investigative journalist, is sucked into a plot that threatens the safety and security of India in Catching the Departed. An espionage novel, this is the story of a young Indian who has to put his damaged past to rest and takes extraordinary risks. Not just vulnerable, as an incorruptible man, Andy Karan is expendable, and a man who has fallen in love for the first time in his life. I am overwhelmed with the reaction of the readers and I hope they keep reading Andy Karan’s forthcoming adventures with the same gusto.
Are you working on any other book in the Andy Karan series? If so, can you please tell us some more and when we might be able to expect the next instalment?
The next book in the Andy Karan series is called The Girl who loved a Pirate.The novel is slated for an August release. My agent has got me a good deal but I can’t reveal the name of the publisher as yet. The story is set in Goa, Malacca (a port city in Malaysia) and the Arabian Sea and Andy Karan is pitched against a deadly pirate from Malacca who calls himself the Pirate of the World.
Other than writing thriller books, what other things do you write?
I love writing short fiction and nonfiction too.
You’re the founder of the Open Road Review literary magazine. Can you please about this literary magazine? What made you start it?
Open Road Review is something I owe to the larger literary community. Sadly, Indian colleges don’t run professional literary magazines that are sold through bookstores like the countries in the west. Open Road Review is my effort to put India on the global map of literary magazines. This venture is not-for-profit and only publishes the best of writing from the world. In just 3 years we have published over 130 writers from 20 countries.
Can writers submit their work to Open Road Review? If so, what is the general process involved?
Yes, anyone can contribute to Open Road Review. We have editors for each category. While Shanti Perez is the fiction editor and Pooja Garg Singh edits poetry, I take care of nonfiction and the general administration. Amit Bhardwaj is our young and dynamic webmaster. The acceptance rates are really low, so it is important that prospective contributors follow the guidelines listed here carefully.
How can people find out more about you?
I am at www.kulpreetyadav.com and I tweet as @Kulpreetyadav and here’s my Facebook page.
Getting a Copy of Catching the Departed
Many thanks to Kulpreet for joining us for this interview. If you would like to get a copy of his novel Catching the Departed, it is available from major retailers such as Flipkart, Amazon and Infibeam.
[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]https://writingtipsoasis.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/hv1.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Hiten Vyas is the Founder and Managing Editor of eBooks India. He is also a prolific eBook writer with over 25 titles to his name.[/author_info] [/author]