Aw yes, book friends! Here we are. I hope you’re ready for another awesome interview with a kick-ass indie author.
Niranjan is running a campaign for The Elite and the Rogues Series. While she’s reached her initial funding goal, she has stretch goals that could really help her campaign hit great heights! After you read the interview (or even right now), I highly encourage you to back her campaign.
Who are you and what are you doing here? (Tell me a bit about yourself)
Niranjan, and who knows, I think therefore I am?
Spooky: Yes! Exactly that!
Tell us about your project. Genre? Beginning of a series? Etc
It’s my queer, dystopian sci fi series (It has a nice ring to it, right? that’s getting a complete makeover (new covers for all five books, the companion piece AND the omnibus, new title fonts, interior formatting and depending on stretch goals, new edits as well!) This is one of my earlier books, but I adore this series and wish more people would go grab them!
Spooky: That does have a nice ring to it! It’s always good to revisit older project. Sometimes, they just need a little more love, especially after growing as a writer. You just see the things that could really help a project shine.
What inspired you to start this project?
Okay, so back in 2018, I had this vague idea about a sciencey immortal (as opposed to the garden variety magical one) and I usually pants all my books, so I started writing, and three weeks later I had a first draft. It went through many many rounds of revisions, beta feedback and edits to become book 1 of the series. The first draft of Book 2 happened in 9 days, during November 2018, the first time I ever finished Nanowrimo back when it was still something worth doing. Even at that time, I was like, maybe this will be three books? Or four tops. Nope, it became five. Again, beta feedback, edits, boring stuff, but the whole series was out in the wild by 2022. I have been thinking of new covers for a while because while I was starting this series, I had very little idea of what I was doing. So the covers I commissioned were not really suitable for the genre, but I’m always broke and very poor, so I couldn’t afford new covers yet. Last year, I did a crowdfund to bring out an omnibus special edition of a fantasy series I wrote, and ever since, I’ve been thinking perhaps I should crowdfund for the new covers too! Thus this project was born.
Spooky: While it’s usually bad to judge a book by it’s cover, a good cover inline with the theme of the book can do wonders. I think crowdfunding for new covers is a great idea! Also, wow! So cooll how your writing process went. Some ideas just need to come out.
Any fun facts you’d like to share about your project? Any jokes or memes?
Remember you asked for this. Alexander: So what do you do? Lucas: I work in genetic research, and I’m currently trying to eliminate all Cancers. Alexander: Wow, impressive. Lucas: Then I’ll move on to Leos. Niek: I think I’m having a mid-life crisis. Irene: You’re like 15 years old Niek: I MIGHT DIE AT 30! Daniele: I’m going to take you out Alexander: great, it’s a date! Daniele: I meant that as a threat. Alexander: See you at five! Niek: Hey, Alexander? Can I get some dating advice? Alexander: Just because I’m with George doesn’t mean I know how I did it. Lucas: I know you snuck out last night, Niek. Alexander: Play dumb! Niek: Who’s Niek? Alexander: NOT THAT DUMB!!! Lucas: Why is Amir so sad? Zain: They took one of those “Which Character Are You?” quizzes Lucas: And…? Zain: They got Alexander. Alexander: Good responses for being stabbed with a knife? Lucas: Rude. Amir: That’s fair. George: Not again. Daniele: Are you going to want this back? Alexander: Okay okay stop asking me if I’m straight, gay, bi, whatever. I identify as a FUCKING THREAT. Alexander: I’d like to offer you moral support, but I have questionable morals.
Spooky: I love characters who identify as threats above all else. They know what they’re about. And that last line? Ha! Hilarious!
What can we expect from your campaign? Any fun activities? Special items?
Planning to share as many cat pics and memes as I can every time I cross a stretch goal!
Spooky: Excellent. I would like to see the baby.
Is this your first crowdfunding campaign? If so, what do you hope to get out of the experience? What have you learned so far? If not your first, what drew you back in to do another campaign? What are some things that you’ve learned?
Nope, the second. As I said above, when you’re broke af, crowdfunding can get you on your feet and enable you to do the things you need to do for your books. Last one was my first campaign, and I have learned a lot since. Especially about setting up the campaign and the final fulfilment. Hopefully, this one goes smoother!
Spooky: I believe in you! I also learned a lot from my first experience (which we both did at the same time). Crowdfunding really does help a lot when it comes to book things.
What are some of your biggest writing influences? Art influences?
Growing up, I’ve read nearly every book I can get my hands on, no matter if it was age appropriate or not. My favourite writers are Tagore, Thomas Mann, Ursula Le Guin, John Steinbeck and Fyodor Dostoevsky. As an Indian, our classics and literature had a lot of influence on me, and many of my books have eastern inspired settings.
Spooky: Oh wow! Those are some pretty great influences. I actually haven’t read any of those, but Le Guin is high on my list. I was considered a reader as a kid, but all I really read was Garfield. I’m eyeing some of your books for one my next reads, and I’m really looking forward to seeing the eastern inspired settings.
How did you learn about The Book Bazaar?
I follow Aimee on Bluesky which was where I saw the call for sign ups, and I jumped in immediately.
Spooky: Oh! Same! I didn’t think I’d get picked, but now here I am. And so are you! It’s so awesome how Aimee and The Book Bazaar brought so many different people from all over the world together.
Share a fun fact about yourself!
I’m a boring person, nothing funny. Just your average boring writer who’s more content behind a keyboard than around other people.
Spooky: You sound like a cool person to me! No one has to be super out there to be cool and interesting.
Favorite kind of music? Any specific artists and or albums?
There are these three songs, one of which is in my mother tongue, Malayalam, the other in Hindi, and the third in Chinese. I can spend my whole life listening to literally nothing else. There are many many more songs I like, but these three top the charts!
Remaining Years by Xiao Zhan, OST from Joy of Life:
Champaka pushpa suvasitha yamam by K.J. Yesudas, from the film Yavanika:
Kizi nazar ko tera intezar by Asha Bhosle and Bhupinder from the film Aitebaar:
Remaining Years come with sub titles, for the other two, here are the rough translations I made
Champaka pushpa: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/gcyqe2illx5xnlb74lsqx/Chambaka-translation.docx?rlkey=jeb7mgenbgnav5sr4td8us3g9&st=965y39n0&dl=0
They aren’t great because my grasp on Hindi and Urdu are bad, and there are nuances in both Malayalam and Hindi that I’ve no idea how to even translate.
Spooky: These are some beautiful songs! I checked them out. The translations are beautiful! And to be fair, I have no grasp on any of those languages. I do know things can get lost in translation. Thank you for doing that.
What meme lives in your head rent free?
None? Blame my poor memory
Spooky: Fair. Make those memes pay rent!
If you have to have a last meal, what would it be?
Coffee, tiramisu, mutton brain
Spooky: I’ve never had mutton brain, but I am not adverse to try. The other things I’ve certainly had, and yes! yum! Wonderful choices!
Do you have any other art and or writing things you’d like to mention?
Book 2 of my The Echelon Series, Blade Reforged is getting released in July, and Book 1.5, Fragments of Us is releasing on May 24th. Both book 1 and the prequel, Blade Broken, and Blade of Castrial are at $0.99 currently. The Elitist Supremacy, book 1 of the series I’m sourcing new covers for is free currently.
Spooky: Oh awesome! Get the cool books people! Right now!
Do you have anything else to plug? Websites? Social media accounts?
I have a website, with a direct store a bluesky account and I’m active on discord where I have a writing server. I also have a review blog where I review other, mainly indie books, and I’m also an editor. You can find my links at my linktree: https://linktr.ee/geethr75
Spooky: Don’t forget her awesome campaign, The Elite and the Rogues Series.
Any advice for other creators?
Don’t be afraid to try new things, and never stop learning. Take every advice with a pinch of salt. There are no one size fits all solutions, and every person’s brain is wired differently. Every person’s creative process is unique and don’t let anyone make you feel yours is invalid. Community is important, connections are important. Other creatives are not your enemies. They are the community.
Spooky: Oh goodness, I love all the things you just said. Very much all of this! And especially in these dark ties, where they are trying their damnedest to divide us all, we need to all stay strong within our communities. Building community isn’t easy, but it’s worth it.
Last words?
Fuck Generative AI.
Spooky: Hell yeah! Fuck Gen AI.
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