I'd like to welcome Preetham Grandhi as today's Guest Author.
A couple weeks ago Preetham was great enough to send me a copy of "A Circle of Souls" for review. The review will be up later tonight — and I can't wait for everyone to read it! But without further ado, please welcome Preetham Grandhi!
Mr. Preetham Grandhi, tell us about you.
Preetham: I was born and raised in Bangalore, in south India. I went
to Baldwin Boys high School, one of the old British schools in
Bangalore. Soon after high school I went to into medical school
followed by residency in America. After my graduation from the Child
Study Center at Yale, I have been the chief of service for House 5 at
Bronx Children’s Psychiatric Center. I am devoted to helping young
children gain insight into their emotional and behavioral needs and
empower them to maximize their inner potential. I also have a private
practice and reside in Westchester County, New York, with my family.
My wife has also just published her first cookbook titled "Spice up
your life: The flexitarian way," and our seven year old son presented
his first story at school titled, "Hal the howling monkey."
What was it like writing "A Circle of Souls"?
It was one of the most challenging things I have ever done and I
thought going to medical school was hard. Writing the book and more so
promoting the book is harder.
How long did it take you to write "A Circle of Souls"?
It took me four and a half years to write. I actually wrote the first
draft in 1 and half years, it took me the rest of the time to revise
over 15 times.
Where did the idea for this book come from?
It was a few months post 9/11, and I was looking at the biographies of
the people who had lost their lives. I began to wonder if there was a
larger meaning to their lives. All of a sudden, a story flashed into
my mind, and I quickly wrote it on a piece of paper. I knew then that
I needed to write a story that was larger than life. It needed to
communicate the essence that there is a bigger purpose and meaning to
our passage on earth.
I knew that in order to capture and convey such a message, the book
needed to be captivating, interesting, and thrilling. I realized that
a story based on the work I do would be the right place to begin. I am
a child psychiatrist and had just started a new job. During my
fellowship, I worked with children with numerous psychosocial issues
and had many life stories to tell. It was at that moment that I
decided I could write a book that would capture all these thoughts.
That was how A Circle of Souls was born.
Any advice for aspiring authors?
Never give up, anything is possible but you will never know it if you
don't do your half.
What are the most challenging and the most rewarding aspects of writing?
The hardest thing is writers block, especially if it lingers for weeks
on end. The most rewarding thing is when people read it and say they
like it.
If you could be any literary character, who would you be and why?
Tintin from the comic series, for all the adventures he has.
What is in your CD player/iPOD right now?
I like Paul Van Dyke, the rhythmic beats are very soothing and gets me
to the pace where I can begin to write.
Again, I'd like to thank Preetham Grandhi for stopping by and sending me "A Cirlce Of Souls" for review! Check out his website here. I'd like to pass on this book — but I don't know if I can part with it. But I still highly recommend you purchase it or look for it at your library.