Interview with Arran Bhansal

Published 2014-03-06.
What are you working on next?
I'm currently working on the sequel to my first novel Infertility, Infidelity, and Insanity. The book will be based in central London and follows the events in the life of Arran Bhansal. Traumatised because of his past, he seeks to find himself again. Along the way he meets Amber, and she reminds him what it feels to be alive again. The second book has been tentatively titled 'The Importance of Letting Go'.
Who are your favorite authors?
There are so many!! My ultimate favourite has to be an Indian author called Ashok Banker. I love how he managed to bring mythical tales to life. He's also brave in tackling characters that most authors wouldn't dare to.

Also a massive fan of JK Rowling, George RR Martin, Raymond Feist, Terry Brooks, Monica Ali and others.
What inspires you to get out of bed each day?
Just knowing that the day is full of opportunities for something great to happen. I believe in being positive at all times as the world has so much to offer.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
I do the usual things such as reading, cooking, and (dare I say it) playing on games consoles. I like my downtime when I'm not harassing my brain to conjure up characters.
How do you discover the ebooks you read?
Mainly through searches. I find that often the best books are the ones you have to search for and really put in an effort to find. It reminds me of the old days visiting my local library. I loved that something worth discovering was just around the corner.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
Yes I do, and I must admit it was an erotic tale. I used to write short erotic stories at university. They helped pass the time!
What is your writing process?
There are a number of stages in any writer's creative process. The first stage involves simplifying things. I find that I almost need to mentally dump everything that's in my head, onto a page. It looks awful when it's done, yet between the rubbish are golden nuggets.

Editing happened next. I actually quite enjoy editing, unlike most authors. Thankfully my editor can always be honest in his opinion by telling me whether what I've written is any good.

The secret to any book is write, re-write, and then re-write again!!
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
I remember reading a lot of Enid Blyton when I was young. I loved how I could escape into those books. I still escape everyday.
How do you approach cover design?
I rely on a professional. As much as I respect authors who prefer a more hands on approach, my gut feeling is that something as important as cover design should be left to people who do it on a daily basis.
What do you read for pleasure?
All sorts of books!! At the moment I'm reading and catching up with the 'Game of Thrones' series.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
It's a Kindle, but only because I was given one as a gift. I also use my iPad to read ebooks often.
Smashwords Interviews are created by the profiled author or publisher.

Books by This Author

Infertility, Infidelity, and Insanity
Price: $2.99 USD. Words: 157,970. Language: British English. Published: March 21, 2014 . Categories: Fiction » Themes & motifs » Family sagas
Arran, thirty-four, married, British Indian, father, and depressed. He arranges to meet Judith; a counsellor he hopes will help him make sense of things. He describes his disastrous marriage to Becky and the IVF cycles they had to endure. He reveals how he met Lauren, and began a passionate affair. His obsession with Lauren threatens to destroy his life and those closest to him.