Born in Pune and raised in Mumbai, he is a graduate
in Electrical Engineering from Mumbai University. Currently, he resides in
Mumbai and works as a full-time social media professional and part-time author.
He can also be found reading or watching football/movies in his leisure time.
Welcome Uday Mane!
What career did you plan during
your education days?
I planned to
become an Engineer but life is very unpredictable. It had some other plans
which I never even considered in my wildest dreams.
When did you start writing? What
is your biggest source of inspiration for writing?
I had not discovered writing
until after graduation. I started off with short-stories which received
favorable reviews from readers, both friends and strangers (online readers). My
initial reaction was to write as a hobby but over the years, the passion turned
into a life-long goal. Every writer has an inspiration that pushes him or her
towards the first book. In my case, it was the readers mostly. Their
constructive criticism and honest appreciation has helped me grow as a writer.
What is the purpose of your
writing?
The purpose of writing
anything is to get a message across. It is a one on one discussion between the
writer and the reader. If you have read the short-stories, you will see there
is a moral in each one of them. I always want to write stories that leave behind
a message. What is a story if not for its moral, right?
What is your favorite genre and
why?
Thriller has
always been my favorite genre. It is simply the art of writing a thriller that
fascinates me. When you are reading one, you are constantly trying to predict
what is going to happen next. In actuality, the writer is playing games with
the reader and trying to thrown him/her off-track. There is surprise waiting in
store for the reader. This genre is more of a mind game between the writer and
the reader. The reader has to lose at any cost in order for the book to win.
What are your forthcoming
writings?
My next book
is a collection of 20 short-stories written over the period of last 5 years. I
am expecting the book to be out early next year. Simultaneously, I am also
working on a science-fiction. More on that soon.
How much real life goes into
fiction writing?
Only as much
as the writer makes you believe. I think it is more of observation than
real-life that goes into fiction writing.
Is high level of imagination
important to have for an Author?
If you think
of masterpieces like Lord of the Ring, Harry Potter series, Sherlock Holmes or
Game of Thrones, yes, high level of imagination helps. There are also books
like Tuesdays with Morrie, The Kite Runner that are not high on imagination and
yet brilliant.
Your favorite time of the day?
Night
Your zodiac/ sunsign?
Cancer
What is the last book you
finished reading? What is the current book you are reading?
The Old Man
and the Sea
The Cuckoo’s calling
Some quickies:
Sun or Moon?
Moon
Laughter or Smile?
Smile
Coffee or Tea
Tea
Mountain or Sea
Sea
Silence or Conversation
Conversation
What comes to your mind for each
– Technology, Life, God, Humanity, Terrorism, Racism, Love, Old age
Technology – Phones
get smarter, people get dumber
Life – Experiences
and emotions summed in one
God – Most
misused word
Humanity – Lost,
confused and dazed
Terrorism – An
unnecessary evil
Racism – Form
of a mental illness
Love – The
only common language everyone understands
Old Age –
Always catches up
What hurts you most in this
world?
The sight of
children in local trains or streets selling books that they should actually be
reading makes me feel helpless at times. These children are the future of our country
and they look nothing more than lost in the crowd. They deserve better.
State your signature line/
tagline/ best quote
The only
thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing – Edmund
Burke
The last line of your autobiography
would be…
Underneath
the mask of emotions, we are all the same.
On "The Helpline"
How much reality has gone in the
book in terms of characters of the book and people around you in real life?
The plot and
the scenes in the book are purely fictional. However, some characters have
shades from the people I have met in real life. Which characters? I am not
saying.
How did the idea of this story come about?
It happened in the summer of 2008. I was seated in crosswords with
my copy of novel and reading away peacefully. That was the day I met this
beautiful stranger. We talked about books and other things in life until I
inquired about the two long scars on her either wrist. With all honesty, she confessed
to having tried committing suicide twice and being saved by her friends, twice.
There is no such thing as thrice lucky. Thankfully, she conceded to having been
over it. Our paths never crossed after that but what was left behind was an
idea that grew over the next few years. Six years later, there was a book
called The Helpline. So, thank you, stranger.
What is the message you are trying to deliver through The Helpline?
Suicide is not a solution to any problem in life. Whether you fail
in relationships, career or life for that matter, have the courage to fight
back. For every struggle you face and every failure in life, remember that you
are one step closer to success. Live your dreams everyday and they will come
true. Finally, never give in to any problem in life. There is always strength
for one more fight.
The novel is associated with a charity. Tell us about it
As mentioned on the back cover, Rs. 5 per book will be donated for
child welfare through The Rotary Foundation. The proceedings will go
towards Project Bhavishya-yaan, an
initiative run by Rotary for the education and better future of children. I
have also volunteered to conduct sessions for the students enrolled in this
project at Ghatla BMC School in Chembur, Mumbai. It gives me immense
satisfaction that the book is associated with and contributes towards a greater
cause.
Any plan for "The Helpline 2"
The Helpline
is a standalone novel. It will not have a sequel. Samir is on his own now.
Links:
Twitter Handle:
@The_Allegorist
Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/TheAllegorist
Goodreads Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21841359-the-helpline
Flipkart
Link: http://bit.ly/1kTJVcW
Amazon Link: http://bit.ly/1q3K8X6
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