My Book Place

Tell us about yourself.:
I love language and literature, especially English. Since my girlhood, I have been attracted to libraries which enabled me to know the world literature. Dickens, Thackeray, Maupassant, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Emile Bronte, Jane Austen filled up my bookshelf and soul. I belonged to the '80s generation when we were not exposed to cell phones and the Internet in India.
My diary was my best friend, and I loved nature like Maria of "Sound of Music."I ran away from school to spend my blissful time in the woods and among the hills. I belonged to a green city in India where industry and greenery co-existed side by side. I did not mind when I often got caught for playing the truant and received punishment. The reward of freedom is priceless:)
I felt my existence as a caged bird, and I wanted to sing. I was brought up in a very conservative society which I observed closely. I joined the debate and elocution club, where I could express myself freely. My teachers egged me on to write for the school and college magazines. Later, I wrote for Ezine Articles. Thereafter, I wanted to publish my book when the Pandemic suffocation left me with no other option in my isolation. "Even Caged Birds Sing" was created. Now, while the 2nd wave of Covid stalks our cities and towns in India, and life has turned even more miserable, I am writing my second novel about the triumph of love and humanity over greed for power and money.
I always had a penchant for writing

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?:
I grew up in a hilly Industrial belt. Nevertheless, it was green and expansive with rolling hills that changed colors. The ambiance of flora and fauna nurtured a creative instinct in me.
The colorful festivals and the cosmopolitan upbringing stirred up my imagination. Besides, the sisters in my school, especially my English Teacher encouraged me to write. Besides, the rebellious streak to my nature that always craved freedom and liberal views led me to reach out my voice on the issue of gender apartheid and social evils to the local English papers and small magazines. I do make use of irony and humor in a natural way to entertain my readers. I also wrote romantic lyrics and short stories which won me, readers, both male and female.

Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, I would love to write about international issues in war-ravaged Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel. I read war novels and enjoy watching Hollywood war movies. I loved watching Forest Gump & Life is Beautiful. I wrote a few thrilling real-life stories against the background of Kashmir Valley, yet unpublished.
I enjoy writing at night because India is a noisy country with a teeming population. So I wake up like the nocturnal animals when everyone else is resting. I find it very peaceful to focus and probe within the characters' minds. The inner journey becomes easier. Embrace the darkness around to light up my soul.

What authors have influenced you?
I grew up in a hilly Industrial belt. Nevertheless, it was green and expansive with rolling hills that changed colors. The ambiance of flora and fauna nurtured a creative instinct in me.
The colorful festivals and the cosmopolitan upbringing stirred up my imagination. Besides, the sisters in my school, especially my English Teacher encouraged me to write. Besides, the rebellious streak to my nature that always craved freedom and liberal views led me to reach out my voice on the issue of gender apartheid and social evils to the local English papers and small magazines. I do make use of irony and humor in a natural way to entertain my readers. I also wrote romantic lyrics and short stories which won me, readers, both male and female.

Do you have any advice for new authors?
I have just published my first book, which got genuine reviews. I am yet to publish my second book in June'21. So I am a beginner at a fledgling state.
Yet, I might remind them that we are at a strange crossroads when biological weapons created by some greedy country can change and devastate the entire world so brutally.
So let us write about love and humanity; let us understand our value as the human race. We must write more about healing the world, living peacefully, and the need for Empathy and Global Understanding. So, write from the heart, write from intuition, write the truth that comes from the innards. Be genuine and original in perception. Develop your own signature style.

[Read more…] about Featured Author Interview: Mandira Mazumder