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| At The Oxford Book store, Leela Palace - with my wife Vidhya |
Born
and bred in idyllic Bangalore, he currently lives in scenic Seattle. He holds
an MBA from The Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore. He has donned several
professional hats over the last twenty years – Corporate Trainer, Management
Consultant, Technology Manager and Faculty at Business schools. Colours
in the Spectrum published
by Leadstart Publishing (India) in 2013 is his debut novel. He has two
non-fiction publications to his credit. An inveterate film fan, he has written
the script for a full-length feature film and is optimistic of finding serious
takers. He is currently working on his second novel, tentatively titled Family
Secrets. he volunteers with several professional organizations and is
a member of the Board of Directors of IIM Americas – an alumni association of
premier B-schools. His wife Vidhya is a Human resources professional and a
dilettante marathon runner.
Welcome
on board Jayant!
Your real name and
pen name?
Jayant Swamy and Jayant Swamy
Please share some
of the best memories of your childhood
I read my first novel, an Enid Blyton book, when I was barely
6 or 7 years old. During my elementary school years, I remember being a member
of three libraries and diligently devouring the entire collection of Enid
Blyton! When I was in the sixth grade – my grandfather who had just retired,
used to narrate an episode of the epic Mahabharata every day for an hour after
school – which I found enthralling! That may have been the genesis for my
fascination with the character of Karna (a.k.a Karan – my protagonist’s name in Colours in the Spectrum)
About
your education
An MBA from The Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore
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| Book launch Sep 13 2013 with actor Anant Nag and my nephew |
What career did
you plan during your education days
Management Consulting
What languages you
can speak and write?
English, Kannada, Hindi and smattering of French
What is your
biggest source of inspiration in life
The Gurus who entered my life and bestowed me with their Grace!
What hurts you
most in this world
Injustice. Any form of disrespect to basic human dignity.
What is the
biggest challenge you have faced? How did you overcome it?
My tendency to procrastinate. Self-awareness and a constant effort
to put at least some of my thoughts into action.
If you had to live
a day of your life as one of the living or dead personality, who would it be
and why?
Gautama Buddha. So I can experience Nirvana.
What is your
favorite genre and why?
Fiction – Drama, Action and Thriller
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| IIM Alum Authors |
When did you start
writing? What is the purpose of your writing?
An avid reader since childhood, I was always enamoured by the power
of the written word and the intricacies of the English language. While I had
several stories going on in my head and had even penned some of them partially
on paper, the real impetus to heed my calling and practice my passion came in
the form of Vikram Seth’s A
Suitable Boy, which I happened to read while immigrating to the US. That is
how Colours in the Spectrum was born. Thereafter, I completed the
Certificate Program in Literary Fiction at the University of Washington and
went on to complete and publish my novel.
I write to express and share my ideas. I love the complex craft of
fictionalizing fact and factualizing fantasy, making it appear seamless. I
enjoy the limelight and adulation it brings as well.
Which of your work
has been published so far? Would
you like to share a synopsis of your work?
Colours in the
Spectrum – my
debut novel published in July 2013. Synopsis given below. A PDF with sample
chapters is attached – feel free to share or post as you deem fit.
Aristocratic parents, academic brilliance, smouldering romance
with the prettiest girl on campus, a God-given gift that enables him to
perceive people with an aura of colour — growing up in the garden city of
Bangalore in the sedate seventies, teenager Karan has everything going for him.
At thirty-five, swept away by the unforgiving culture of Los
Angeles, Karan’s life is in shambles. The women he loved have deceived him;
Dolly, the child he parented is taken away; his God-given gift is gone. Karan
is penitent he once humiliated Danny, a friend who wanted to be much more.
Seeking atonement, Karan returns to Bangalore, the burgeoning
silicon megalopolis of the post-liberalization nineties. Living in the
ancestral house, haunted by memories of the debacled death of his parents, he
faces a new fear — of being afflicted by promiscuous Lila’s unfulfilled
wanderlust.
Karan reconnects with Arjun, Aarti, and Indu, rekindling the
flames of friendship and love, trust and betrayal, and hope and despair. When
tracing the whereabouts of Danny leads to a startling discovery, Karan must
confront the truth through a complex interplay of agony, forgiveness and grief.
Can Karan redeem himself? Does the love he always chased find him?
What are your
forthcoming writings?
My second novel, tentatively titled Family
Secrets, narrates
the tale of two sparring half-brothers, who have to be reborn, to set right the
injustice meted out to one and find an honorable way of redemption for the
other. The third novel is a mere concept at this point in time –all I know is
it will be a drama set against the backdrop of the corporate world.
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| Landmark store - With my brother Arun |
What are your
future plans?
Publish my second novel within the year. Scout for a buyer for the
movie script I have written. Become a bestselling author. I am a confirmed
wanderer (metaphorically speaking) and am always open to what life throws my
way.
What four top most
things you take care of while writing a book?
I write only what I believe in. I maintain respect for the reader at all times. I love creating
complex multi-dimensional characters that are gray, rather than black or white.
I believe fiction is all about Why-Not and What-If.
Your dream
destination on Earth?
Europe!
Your origin of
birth and other countries you have visited/ stayed. What best things you liked
in these countries around the globe?
Bangalore, India & Seattle, USA.
Your favorite time
of the day?
Sunny afternoon!
Your zodiac/
sunsign?
Leo
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| Those times gone by -With my parents in the 1990's |
Your favorite
color and why?
Every conceivable shade of Blue. Source of energy and calmness at
the same time! I do like most colours with the exception of brown and certain
shades of yellow.
Your favorite book
and why?
Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy. Reading the book
gave me the impetus to convert my dream of being a writer into reality.
Your favorite
celebrity and why?
George Clooney. He was born in the same year as me. He exudes the
perfect mix of strength and sensitiveness.
Your favorite
food?
Not particularly a foodie. I prefer a simple, home-cooked Indian
meal.
Some quickies [Highlights
in yellow]:
Sun or Moon, Laughter or Smile [Laughter
AND Smile], Morning or Evening, Coffee or
Tea
Mountain or Sea [Mountain AND Sea], Silence or Conversation [Silence
AND Conversation],Water or Fire [No
preference], Air or Earth [No preference],
Moon or Sun [Both],
Red or Blue, Left or
Right
What three words
come to your mind for each –
Technology [Internet, Mobile, Laptop],
Life [Present,
Journey, Ephemeral]
God [Faith, Super power, Divine]
Humanity [Compassion, Empathy,
Justice]
Terrorism [Eliminate, Death, Hatred]
Racism [Unfair, Unnecessary,
Inevitable]
Childhood [Innocent,
Spontaneous, Books]
Abuse [Cigarettes,
Bullying, Eradicate]
Love [Unconditional, Acceptance,
Tenderness]
Parenting [Nurturing, Responsibility,
Role model]
Old age [Childhood, Freedom, Serenity]
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| Vidhya & I with actor Shabana Azmi when she visited Seattle |
State your
signature line/ tagline/ best quote The more things change the more they
remain the same.
The last line of
your autobiography would be… “Among the ashes of
despair glimmer embers of hope”
Links:
Website: http://www.jayantswamy.com/
Twitter handle:https://twitter.com/
Goodreads author
page: https://www.goodreads.com/
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