About the Author
Abhaidev is the pen name of Mayank Chandna, an MDI Gurgaon alumnus and the author of the much-loved novel, That Thing About You. After working for a while in an investment bank, he took the plunge and quit that boring job of his to venture into the exciting world of writing, something he always wanted to do.
His penchant for continental philosophy and craze for progressive house and indie music has nettled his simple parents. He is an avid reader and devours classics and science books. Like most people with a DSLR, he loves flaunting his non-existent photography skills on social media platforms.
Abhaidev loves challenging his limits and believes that there is nothing nobler in this world than possessing an intense desire to learn. He seeks transcendence in the practice of art and hopes to pen down stories which are not run-of-the-mill.‘ The Influencer’ is his second novel.
Interview
Q) Tell us about the idea behind the book?
I always wondered why some are so successful, socially, even when they have nothing new to offer, nothing special to say. That’s when the idea of influencing as a power struck me. I thought maybe some people are just born with this ability. At last, the plot took shape in my mind. And what you now see is the finished product, The Influencer.
Q) If you have to write any other genre than this one, what that would be?
Except for romance and mythology, I can write in any genre. In fact, my upcoming books have a mixture of philosophy, fantasy elements, paranormal, science fiction, thriller etc. I am quite open to experimenting and don’t want to get stuck with any one.
Q) How much time did it take in the process of writing?
I had conceived this book in 2017 while I was travelling through Himachal Pradesh for a shoot. I had fiIt usually takes me one to two months to outline and conceive a plot, three to four months to write the first draft, and another three to four months to revise, edit and polish it. So, I think, I can churn out one novel a year. But please note, this doesn’t include the time, my editor would take to edit them.
Q) What did the process of writing this book teach you?
Writing a book is all about discovering yourself. I enjoy the process more than the outcome. There are elements of your personality that would remain undiscovered if you don’t write. To me, it is, therefore, a journey. An ode to this Universe. It makes me better as a person. And the icing on the cake is, unlike a 9 to 5 routine, it is different every time. I am thankful to this Universe for gifting me this ability to conceive plots as well as making me patient enough to pen down my stories. I will never stop writing. Even if it doesn’t contribute to me financially.
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Q) Which is your favourite part from the book?
My favourite part of the book is the process of the duel. We all have played this game when we were young. But I innovated and changed the concept to something interesting. It became a tug of war between two wills. I could have made my protagonist physically stronger as it is in the Bollywood movies. But that would have been so cliche. I realised that my hero must have some limitations. And he could be strong only in a few areas. So, the duel, in the end, was the ultimate expression of his struggle with the whole world. He versus the whole organization, WIS. Nothing physical took place. It was all mental. Yet so powerful. That is why it is my favourite part.
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Q) A book that had an impact on you, which helped you in writing this one?
Multiple books helped me write this one. I usually read science fiction these days. I have read almost all by Philip K. Dick and Clifford Simak. I like their writing style, and would certainly like to emulate them. But the idea was totally ingenious, as I told you in the beginning. I just wondered why some people are so successful, and this book began to take shape. The rest is history.
Q) Tell us about your plans? Planning a new book?
I am simultaneously working on three projects. One is superhero/philosophy fiction, the second is a short paranormal, absurdist fiction and the third is a time-travel crime thriller. As I told, I love experimenting with genres. So I will keep on writing books which are different from one another.
Q) How your life changed after the book was published?
Life didn’t change as such. But surely got to know that my books have the potential to appeal to the western masses too. The proof? I have sold copies even in the countries like Germany, France and Italy. This for me was very satisfying and gave me much-needed confidence.
Q) What is a literary success for you?
Literary success for me is not some quick bucks or fame. It is when a happy reader messages me on my Instagram or emails me, saying that he or she thoroughly enjoyed reading my book and is glad that I wrote it. So, there you have it. My idea of success as a writer.
Q) A message for all the readers
Read as much as you can. Books of all kinds. And do rise above the social proof, at times. There are jewels just lying there, waiting to be discovered. Often a less popular book is much better than these bestsellers we see in the market. Murakami has said – “If you only read books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.” We must take a cue from it and discover books on our own, rather than going with the herd mentality. Trust me, you will be pleasantly surprised, as I have experienced it myself.
