Ahmed Faiyaz is an author of book Bestseller.
Read: BESTSELLER BY AHMED FAIYAZ- BOOK REVIEW

Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/2GE4n1A

About the author

Ahmed Faiyaz is the bestselling author of Love, Life & All That Jazz…, Another Chance, Scammed and the editor of the Urban Shots anthologies. He was born and raised in Bengaluru. Apart from being a passionate writer, he dabbles with film-making and travels to lesser-known destinations to better understand life and the times we live in. He lives and works in Dubai, with his two boys and their tabby cat named, Bob.

Interview:

What inspired a book like Bestseller?

I was very active in the publishing business over 8 years ago, writing and publishing several popular bestsellers. So the story draws from real life experiences and people I met during my journey. Years ago, I decided to step back and write stories that I am only truly inspired to tell, and to not write anything till such a story emerges in my head.  I needed to live a little more and draw energy and inspiration from new experiences, and thus grow as a person and as a writer, and thus I decided to re-emerge with Bestseller, which I believe will standout among the releases in contemporary fiction.Bestseller is a comic satire on the publishing business in India, and the story is set in Mumbai. It has a love story in the backdrop, as well as a lot of drama, intrigue and behind the scenes politics which is depicted with a dash of humour.The characters in Bestseller are very relatable but which ones do you believe are closer to contemporary writers today? 
Thanks for that observation. To be honest, I can pick atleast ten people I have come across or heard of who are a lot like or imbibe the same attitude and values as Sudhir, the IT geek/ businessman who wants to churn out a #1 bestseller by hook or by crook, and will claim to eradicate poverty or donate their royalties for the development of the poor. Even if people like him help others and donate royalties, its a shameless PR exercise to sell more books, and these are the sort of writers who buy back their books in large numbers and pander to the reading audience with a very different image from who they really are. These characters and others like the desperate and bordering on obsessive, Mihin, the wily old fox, Suryakant Joshi, and the self – absorbed and neurotic, Roshan Khan, all represent the diverse mix of writers who are responsible for and claim to have written recent bestsellers. Having said this, there are also a number of talented writers young and old who are bringing interesting and engaging stories to the readers in India. I’m certain when people read this, they’ll connect the dots and imagine who the characters remind them of.

What is your inspiration to write?
 I’m inspired by travel, experiences and moments that I go through and people that I meet. You never know what sparks that creative idea subconsciously but the focus is to tell interesting, entertaining and inspiring stories that people will love and want more of.

Do you pen down revelations and ideas as you get them, right then and there?

Actually I don’t. I let these I ideas take shape in my head, letting them simmer and boil over time, and if I believe that they are tasty enough, and that this idea will inspire me to spend heaps of time, energy and my attention, then I get down to writing out a two page synopsis and treatment note, along with some character sketches. Based on how I feel about the story, I take it from there.

What other genres do you enjoy reading?
 I read mostly fiction and don’t read non – fiction unless its a very interesting biography or a travelogue. I’m a picky reader and I pick from book recommendations and lists from the likes of New York Times, The Guardian, Book Depository and at times interesting books I find browsing in a bookstore.

Which of your novels has characters that are closer to you as a person?
I feel that in some part the character of Akshay in Bestseller is a lot like me. His thoughts and inner feelings about various aspects of writing, publishing and life, his disdain for glitz, glamour and the celebrity life, and his wry sense of humour is very close to what I am like. When I was writing from his perspective, I often approached it as how would I react and what I would think or feel in that situation.  

Have you ever written a character based on the real you in some part?
Apart from Akshay who is very close to who I am, I would say Aditya, when it comes to approach to life and relationships. And also because Another Chance as a story and the inspiration for it was something very close to me and experiences I went through including lost love and heartbreak.  

What does literary success look like to you?
For me the whole journey is about letting the creative side of me live, and to inspire and entertain readers. I would love for Bestseller and others to become bestsellers, and this has happened in the past, but the fun is living through that journey and getting messages, posts and emails from readers who love the books and / or are inspired and entertained by these stories.

  What are your hobbies and interests other than writing? 
I enjoy spending time with my boys – reading to them, playing a sport or watching something with them. We make up stories where they and their cat are the central characters and go on adventures. I love to read obviously, I like to getaway and travel to a beach or the mountains or a city with great culture and a nice vibe. I love music and I try to play tennis or shoot a few hoops on the basketball court.  

Your tips for aspiring authors?
I’ve said a lot already, but can say that it is a marathon and not a sprint so be inspired and work on your craft, and don’t resort to cheap tricks to sell books. 

Top 5 authors and their books, that you would recommend to everyone?
 Certainly and here goes 5 international writers and three Indian writers -F. Scott Fitzgerald – The Great Gatsby, Tender is the Night, The Beautiful and the Damned and Pat Hobby StoriesHaruki Murakami – Norwegian Wood, Kafka on the Shore, After DarkOscar Wilde – The Importance of being Ernest, The Picture of Dorian GreyPaul Auster – The Brooklyn Follies, The Book of Illusions, The New York TrilogyCharles Dickens – A Christmas Carol, Great Expectations and David Copperfield
Sankar – The Middleman, ChowringheeSaadat Hassan Manto – Bombay Stories, Toba Tek Singh Stories and Selected StoriesRuskin Bond – Delhi is Not Far 

How do you balance work life and writing?
I used to strike that balance in the past and it was crazy, I was switching between the two and was often sleep deprived. Now I don’t balance the two. I write only when I can allocate a chunk of time and work laboriously to get a first draft done with minimal interruptions. I need that space and the ability to disconnect and immerse myself completely in my stories, and I take 15-20 days in a year to do that, as this is all I can manage.

Do you see any of your books being adapted into films?
 I think Bestseller will make a nice and fun film, but might lend itself better to become a Netflix or Amazon 8 part series with the possibility of a season 2. I believe the time is now for interesting and fresh content like Bestseller and my previous books. 
 

Out of all your books, which book has been the easiest and more enjoyable to write?
 Another Chance is closest to my heart, but Bestseller was easily the most fun and easiest to write. Its also special because 85-90% of what I wrote stayed in the final draft, and usually I delete chapters or write new ones, but I didn’t have to do any of that with this one. A lot of the humour you see in the book was spontaneous and I truly cracked up while writing some of the scenes. 

Your favorite memories of three recent books you read and why are they memorable? 
sitting or a couple of sittings. Few books that I read recently and loved a lot are -The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa and translated by Peter Gabriel (who translated a lot of Murakami’s books). I read most of this beautiful tale written from the perspective of a cat, through one day in Prague and most of it in a park with a splendid view of the rooftops and sights from one of my favourite places in the world. The other is A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, and this I finished this spellbinding and poignant novel over three in days in Coorg last year, while it rained pretty much non – stop, and the weather was perfect to tuck in and read with many cups of filter coffee.
You’ve also dabbled as a filmmaker. Name some wonderful book to film adaptations according to you 
Most of the films I’ve loved have been adapted from books but to name a few  – The Great Gatsby, Revolutionary Road, Peter Rabbit, Parineeta, Descendants, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, The Silver Linings Playbook, The Rainmaker, Shawshank Redemption, The Life of Pi and The Book Thief are some of the book to screen adaptations that have done justice to the book. 

Would you choose Hardcover, paperback or Kindle?
Despite my love for trees and the woods, I prefer hardback or paper back novels to Kindle. I’m not fussed and can make do with either of the two. Do you buy second hand books – if yes, from where? 
Yes I do, and usually do it when I travel.. I particularly like Oxfam Bookstore in London and make a trip to one of the Oxfam stores whenever I do go. In Prague, you have the Globe Bookstore and Café and they have some good second hand books, and recently I found three second hand bookshops near the canals in Milan and picked up a number of books. On my recent travels I have ended up buying extra luggage to bring back books in.

About the author

Ahmed Faiyaz is the bestselling author of Love, Life & All That Jazz…, Another Chance, Scammed and the editor of the Urban Shots anthologies. He was born and raised in Bengaluru. Apart from being a passionate writer, he dabbles with film-making and travels to lesser-known destinations to better understand life and the times we live in. He lives and works in Dubai, with his two boys and their tabby cat named, Bob.

Interview:

What inspired a book like Bestseller?

I was very active in the publishing business over 8 years ago, writing and publishing several popular bestsellers. So the story draws from real life experiences and people I met during my journey. Years ago, I decided to step back and write stories that I am only truly inspired to tell, and to not write anything till such a story emerges in my head.  I needed to live a little more and draw energy and inspiration from new experiences, and thus grow as a person and as a writer, and thus I decided to re-emerge with Bestseller, which I believe will standout among the releases in contemporary fiction.Bestseller is a comic satire on the publishing business in India, and the story is set in Mumbai. It has a love story in the backdrop, as well as a lot of drama, intrigue and behind the scenes politics which is depicted with a dash of humour.The characters in Bestseller are very relatable but which ones do you believe are closer to contemporary writers today? 
Thanks for that observation. To be honest, I can pick atleast ten people I have come across or heard of who are a lot like or imbibe the same attitude and values as Sudhir, the IT geek/ businessman who wants to churn out a #1 bestseller by hook or by crook, and will claim to eradicate poverty or donate their royalties for the development of the poor. Even if people like him help others and donate royalties, its a shameless PR exercise to sell more books, and these are the sort of writers who buy back their books in large numbers and pander to the reading audience with a very different image from who they really are. These characters and others like the desperate and bordering on obsessive, Mihin, the wily old fox, Suryakant Joshi, and the self – absorbed and neurotic, Roshan Khan, all represent the diverse mix of writers who are responsible for and claim to have written recent bestsellers. Having said this, there are also a number of talented writers young and old who are bringing interesting and engaging stories to the readers in India. I’m certain when people read this, they’ll connect the dots and imagine who the characters remind them of.

What is your inspiration to write?
 I’m inspired by travel, experiences and moments that I go through and people that I meet. You never know what sparks that creative idea subconsciously but the focus is to tell interesting, entertaining and inspiring stories that people will love and want more of.

Do you pen down revelations and ideas as you get them, right then and there?
Actually I don’t. I let these I ideas take shape in my head, letting them simmer and boil over time, and if I believe that they are tasty enough, and that this idea will inspire me to spend heaps of time, energy and my attention, then I get down to writing out a two page synopsis and treatment note, along with some character sketches. Based on how I feel about the story, I take it from there.

What other genres do you enjoy reading?
 I read mostly fiction and don’t read non – fiction unless its a very interesting biography or a travelogue. I’m a picky reader and I pick from book recommendations and lists from the likes of New York Times, The Guardian, Book Depository and at times interesting books I find browsing in a bookstore.

Which of your novels has characters that are closer to you as a person?
I feel that in some part the character of Akshay in Bestseller is a lot like me. His thoughts and inner feelings about various aspects of writing, publishing and life, his disdain for glitz, glamour and the celebrity life, and his wry sense of humour is very close to what I am like. When I was writing from his perspective, I often approached it as how would I react and what I would think or feel in that situation.  

Have you ever written a character based on the real you in some part?
Apart from Akshay who is very close to who I am, I would say Aditya, when it comes to approach to life and relationships. And also because Another Chance as a story and the inspiration for it was something very close to me and experiences I went through including lost love and heartbreak.  

What does literary success look like to you?
For me the whole journey is about letting the creative side of me live, and to inspire and entertain readers. I would love for Bestseller and others to become bestsellers, and this has happened in the past, but the fun is living through that journey and getting messages, posts and emails from readers who love the books and / or are inspired and entertained by these stories.

  What are your hobbies and interests other than writing? 
I enjoy spending time with my boys – reading to them, playing a sport or watching something with them. We make up stories where they and their cat are the central characters and go on adventures. I love to read obviously, I like to getaway and travel to a beach or the mountains or a city with great culture and a nice vibe. I love music and I try to play tennis or shoot a few hoops on the basketball court.  

Your tips for aspiring authors?
I’ve said a lot already, but can say that it is a marathon and not a sprint so be inspired and work on your craft, and don’t resort to cheap tricks to sell books. 

Top 5 authors and their books, that you would recommend to everyone?
 Certainly and here goes 5 international writers and three Indian writers -F. Scott Fitzgerald – The Great Gatsby, Tender is the Night, The Beautiful and the Damned and Pat Hobby StoriesHaruki Murakami – Norwegian Wood, Kafka on the Shore, After DarkOscar Wilde – The Importance of being Ernest, The Picture of Dorian GreyPaul Auster – The Brooklyn Follies, The Book of Illusions, The New York TrilogyCharles Dickens – A Christmas Carol, Great Expectations and David Copperfield
Sankar – The Middleman, ChowringheeSaadat Hassan Manto – Bombay Stories, Toba Tek Singh Stories and Selected StoriesRuskin Bond – Delhi is Not Far 

How do you balance work life and writing?
I used to strike that balance in the past and it was crazy, I was switching between the two and was often sleep deprived. Now I don’t balance the two. I write only when I can allocate a chunk of time and work laboriously to get a first draft done with minimal interruptions. I need that space and the ability to disconnect and immerse myself completely in my stories, and I take 15-20 days in a year to do that, as this is all I can manage.

Do you see any of your books being adapted into films?
 I think Bestseller will make a nice and fun film, but might lend itself better to become a Netflix or Amazon 8 part series with the possibility of a season 2. I believe the time is now for interesting and fresh content like Bestseller and my previous books. 
 

Out of all your books, which book has been the easiest and more enjoyable to write?
 Another Chance is closest to my heart, but Bestseller was easily the most fun and easiest to write. Its also special because 85-90% of what I wrote stayed in the final draft, and usually I delete chapters or write new ones, but I didn’t have to do any of that with this one. A lot of the humour you see in the book was spontaneous and I truly cracked up while writing some of the scenes. 

Your favorite memories of three recent books you read and why are they memorable? 
sitting or a couple of sittings. Few books that I read recently and loved a lot are -The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa and translated by Peter Gabriel (who translated a lot of Murakami’s books). I read most of this beautiful tale written from the perspective of a cat, through one day in Prague and most of it in a park with a splendid view of the rooftops and sights from one of my favourite places in the world. The other is A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles, and this I finished this spellbinding and poignant novel over three in days in Coorg last year, while it rained pretty much non – stop, and the weather was perfect to tuck in and read with many cups of filter coffee.

You’ve also dabbled as a filmmaker. Name some wonderful book to film adaptations according to you

 
Most of the films I’ve loved have been adapted from books but to name a few  – The Great Gatsby, Revolutionary Road, Peter Rabbit, Parineeta, Descendants, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, The Silver Linings Playbook, The Rainmaker, Shawshank Redemption, The Life of Pi and The Book Thief are some of the book to screen adaptations that have done justice to the book. 

Would you choose Hardcover, paperback or Kindle?
Despite my love for trees and the woods, I prefer hardback or paper back novels to Kindle. I’m not fussed and can make do with either of the two.

 Do you buy second hand books – if yes, from where? 
Yes I do, and usually do it when I travel.. I particularly like Oxfam Bookstore in London and make a trip to one of the Oxfam stores whenever I do go. In Prague, you have the Globe Bookstore and Café and they have some good second hand books, and recently I found three second hand bookshops near the canals in Milan and picked up a number of books. On my recent travels I have ended up buying extra luggage to bring back books in.