Author Interview: Janaki Anand

1. What authors did you dislike at first, but grew into?

There were not many in this category as I am normally a good judge of the books which would appeal to me. Also, I am an eclectic reader and enjoy everything from Philosophy, Science and the Classics to comic books like ‘Peanuts’…books without unnecessary and grahic sex and violence.

Perhaps, Charles Dickens when I was a teenager and Doris Lessing…more recently.

2. What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?

I was always a bit of an introvert and books were my best friends. It was when I started reading Dostoevsky, in my early twenties that the power of language might have first hit me…then I started delving into poetry- Tagore, Keats, Dylan Thomas and the mystical Sufi philosopher-poet, Khali Gibran, and the fascination just grew…

3. What's your favorite underappreciated novel?

‘The Medusa and the Snail’ by Lewis Thomas.

4. As a writer, what would you choose as your mascot/avatar/spirit animal?

A tree.

5. How many unpublished and half-finished books do you have?

I have some unpublished poetry but no prose.

6. What's the best way to market your books?

I can’t say I am an expert on this topic but one thing is for sure, it’s easy writing a book but getting someone to read it…that’s tough. One needs to put in more work after the book is out…mainly getting reviews for the book.

7. Do you view writing as a kind of spiritual practice?

I don’t think writing should be singled out as a form of spiritual practice…it’s as much a spiritual practice as much any other constructive activity like farming or cleaning…

8. How do you select the names of your characters?

I have not had to do much of this as ‘Clovers’ does not have many strong characters besides our planet Earth.

9. Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with good or bad ones?

I am an avid reader and I know that ‘Clovers’ is a very unusual book and violates norms considered essential in a good book. But ‘Cloves’ was born of inspiration so it had to be just so. Which is one of the reasons I decided to self-publish the book - not many publishers would have accepted it the way it was.

Most reviews of my book are extremely heartening. But all caution that ‘Clovers’ is not for everyone. And I concur with this view.

10. What was your hardest scene to write?

The whole book just happened and I don’t think I ever had to struggle at any point.

11. What one thing would you give up to become a better writer?

This is difficult to say as I never set out to write the book. It was more like writing poetry or painting…just putting down whatever is running in your head…then, cleaning it up, merging and giving the final touches.

12. What is your favorite childhood book?

‘The little prince’ by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

13. Does your family support your career as a writer?

My family is very supportive in all my endeavors. Since, my book is self-published and I am not too computer savvy, it was my wonderful husband and two ditto daughters who handled all the pre-publishing and post publishing entails.

14. How long on average does it take you to write a book?

This book took me three years. But that was because I only wrote when I was inspired…like one does with poetry.

15. Share one little known fact about yourself.

On a philosophical note, what do I know about myself which I could share? However, on a more superficial level, when I published my book it really surprised a lot of people. Not that I published a book but that it was ‘Clovers’. Most of my acquaintances would expect a novel on the social ethos from me…maybe a children’s book…nothing as unconventional as ‘Clovers’.

This is a story of Androxen, the sea, a nice bunch of aliens of the Andromeda galaxy, Samira, and some serious citizens of earth. It begins with Androxen of the seas, who can only breed males and so ever on the lookout for siren-mates in a waterful life together. But the old sage androx and the equally mature sea-salt androx are Androxen of another sort. Appalled by the state of seas and land around, they badger aliens for blueprints for an all right world. And as the old salt plots across galaxies with his infallible plotter, unbanded frequency waves tingle with vibes of alien tracks. The rest is history, or rather, geography, as final outcome is an earth with extended platforms. In its past, this planet had been exploited, explored, and exalted in song, word, and deed, but now it could breathe again. Spacelings, normally visualized vandalizing the environs, reverse roles here, getting humans out of the hole and giving the planet an earthly chance. Good, clean humour. But underlying the light tone, there is an anxiety over the crisis confronting earthlings and an earnest hope that it ends in a happy beginning

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