On the eve of the release of her debutante novel: ‘Coffee Days Champagne Nights and other Secrets’: Bandra girl, Kainaz Jussawalla gives Bandra Buzz a first peek into her fictitious world, resting on an unusual theme and an intriguing cover.
Congratulations on your foray into the elite and glamorous world of authorship. How does it feel now that you have a book coming on the shelf?
Thank you so much for your wishes Cyrus and Bandra Buzz, of course. It feels completely amazing. Like a milestone of sorts. Combination of Euphoria and a breath of relief, that my first book will be finally out there very soon.
Our readers would be most interested to know what this book is all about. Could you please share a brief synopsis or outline with them to whet their appetite?
If I have to sum it in one word it would be, ‘Secrets.’ We all have them, we all keep them and we all must live with them. My seven short stories centre around just that. My work explores the multidimensional, complex minds of everyday people and the pages unravel the mystery and excitement around their lives. Every story is different from the next, some are light on the reader palate, while others are quite edgy and dark. It is purely fictional and high on imagination and drama! And for the over 18’s!
My book is published by Crossword Book Stores and will be available at all Crossword Stores, franchises, outlets, Amazon.in and Flipkart. Hopefully, by this May end, it will hit the stands and major online sites.
You have always been a wordsmith. You have excelled in journalism and now you have progressed to authorhood. How did the transition take place? When did it strike you that you had a book in you, yearning to break free to be shared with an appreciative audience?
Journalism was my first profession and you could say that it set the foundation, to bigger and bolder things. The real transition took place when I lost my grandmom Bapus in 2015. I have been penning stories ever since I can remember but her death made me realise my promise to her remained unfulfilled.
Seeing me as an established author was what she lived for. She waited till an unheard, 103 years of age just for that! Her demise was my wake up call. And from then on, there was no looking back on the dreams we had once shared.
As for the next part of your interesting question, I don’t think I worked with any specifics in mind as to the genre or the kind of the first book I wanted to publish. As a person, I am emotional and highly discreet about my life’s going-ons, so writing on human sensibilities and secrets, seemed to come naturally to me and that flows in my debut novel.
Both journalisms also authorship share some commonalities as well as differ in some ways. Would it be possible, now that you have been on both sides of the fence, to let our readers know a bit about these commonalities and differences?
Yes, that’s bang on! Journalism and Authorship are extremely fulfilling in their ways but they could not be more different when it comes to the publishing part of it. Being a journalist, I may write a current story, do a great interview or even make up a fun quiz for a magazine and I am certain it will reach the right audience and bring the message across.
As authors, we deal with challenges every day. First the discipline of putting pen to paper at the required hours, then maintaining a certain momentum, then the rewriting, the editing, the uncertainty of its acceptance and of course finding a good publisher, who will believe in our manuscript.
Not to forget, promoting oneself on various forums and keeping social media’s vast and enormous scope in mind, understanding it’s intricacies if one chooses to go on that path. All these dynamics put together can be a daunting experience for first-time authors as well as present itself as a major learning curve.
What challenges, if any, did you face while authoring your first book?
Being a flight attendant in my so-called ‘other’ life and creating that ‘peaceful’ space, physically and mentally, to write impact-fully was an unusual kind of balance I had to strive for. I have removed the words ‘Jet lag’ and ‘fatigue’ from my dictionary now!
When one parents a book, it’s not just words pouring here and there but a merger of sorts between the mind and soul. My only focus was sincerely completing the whole process. Social outings, friendships and even basic evening walk took a back seat. That was the only way I could get things done on time. Also Editing! I can look at my work a hundred times even today and still feel I could have framed my plots better, twisted lines more efficiently and used more apt words. But that’s the case for most authors, creativity has no limit!
Some words of wisdom for those of our readers who would like to follow your footsteps as an author? What would you advise them? How would you encourage them?
Nurture that spark if you have it in you. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t find an agent or publisher. If you can’t, then self-publish! There are plenty of reasonable options out there to do so. Cut out the excuses, say no to distractions, set yourself deadlines and begin. And initially try to write around topics that resonate with you, that way the honesty will reflect in your final product. Email me anytime on [email protected] or connect with me on Facebook and am happy to guide new authors towards realising their writing goals.
What other hobbies or pursuits helped you on this journey?
I fly as cabin crew for an international airline, so travelling and meeting all sorts keeps my outlook of life very fresh, open and rather sensational if I may add. This you will realise in my style and prose, once you go through the pages of my book.
I have also worked with the visually challenged whom I feel strongly for. So I made a pact with my higher self, whatever book I publish henceforth, will be printed in Braille as well. NAB (National Association for the Blind) and me, have brought out fifty copies of my first book (three out of the seven stories) and we will be distributing them to Victoria Memorial, Helen Keller, Happy Home and School for the Blind and other English speaking institutes.
And finally, I’m sure you’re already working on your next book. When could we hope to see that and what is it going to be about, if that isn’t asking too much?
Yes of course. Next and the next. My second one is almost ready. Hopefully, by the end of this year, it will see the light of day. It shines on the theme of grandparents and older people in general. Shorter in volume than the first and a mix of fiction and reality. I’m excited about the same as the storylines are quite close to my heart.
