Interview with Ranjit Singh

Published 2016-10-11.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
I grew up in India, a vast, ridiculously diverse country that visitors find staggering. My personal, social, and political outlooks were all shaped by that experience. India today is very different from what it was when I was growing up. It was not the economic powerhouse that it is today. There was tremendous corruption, poverty, and evil there; however, all those negative things were buried under a huge mountain of humanity, charitableness, love, and compassion. My writing is influenced by what I saw growing up, starkly contrasted against what I see in the prosperous first-world country that I live in now.
When did you first start writing?
Indian parents generally encourage their children to get into no-nonsense careers. There is no such thing as, "you can be whatever you want to be." I never even knew I had writing skills in me until I was well-established in my career, and started dabbling in writing as a hobby.
What's the story behind your latest book?
My latest book (also my first book) is titled "Each One, Teach One: Preserving and protecting the Second Amendment in the 21st century and beyond". My motivation to write it is in the very first chapter. I knew nothing about guns and didn't care to learn about them. The Mumbai terror attacks of 2008 changed that.
What motivated you to become an indie author?
A desire for anonymity, a lack of interest in working with a publishing behemoth, and the ability to be my own boss for a change.
How has Smashwords contributed to your success?
The rumors of my success are greatly exaggerated. ;-)

My first and only book is 2 days old as of this writing. I will revisit this question if the book takes off.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
The ability to voice what I have in mind, and to experiment with ideas as I see fit.
What do your fans mean to you?
I have no fans as of this writing. I just hope I don't get a fan like Syndrome from The Incredibles.
What are you working on next?
A short story.
Who are your favorite authors?
Jules Verne and Alexandre Dumas.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
My annoying alarm clock.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
I read a lot of non-fiction.
What is your writing process?
Drink lots of coffee, confine myself in a way I can't get up and walk around, and pound away at the keyboard.
Describe your desk
Messier than thine.
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