Interview with author Pankaj Giri

Author Pankaj Giri is here today and we’re talking about his new mainstream inspirational novel, The Fragile Thread of Hope.

Bio:

Pankaj Giri was born and brought up in Gangtok, Sikkim—a picturesque hill station in India. He began his writing career with a book review blog, and now, after several years of honing his writing skills, he has written a novel—The Fragile Thread of Hope, a mainstream literary fiction dealing with love, loss, and family relationships. He is currently working in the government sector in Sikkim. He likes to kill time by listening to progressive metal music and watching cricket.

Welcome, Pankaj. Please tell us about your current release.

The Fragile Thread of Hope is a gripping emotional inspirational fiction about love, loss, and finding hope in the darkest of times.

BLURB:

In the autumn of 2012, destiny wreaks havoc on two unsuspecting people—Soham and Fiona.

Although his devastating past involving his brother still haunted him, Soham had established a promising career for himself in Bangalore.

After a difficult childhood, Fiona's fortunes had finally taken a turn for the better. She had married her beloved, and her life was as perfect as she had ever imagined it to be.

But when tragedy strikes them yet again, their fundamentally fragile lives threaten to fall apart.

Can Fiona and Soham overcome their grief?

Will the overwhelming pain destroy their lives?

Seasoned with the flavours of exotic Nepalese traditions and set in the picturesque Indian hill station, Gangtok, The Fragile Thread of Hope explores the themes of spirituality, faith, alcoholism, love, and guilt while navigating the complex maze of family relationships.

Inspirational and heart-wrenchingly intimate, it urges you to wonder—does hope stand a chance in this travesty called life?

What inspired you to write this book?

After my father’s sudden death, an avalanche of feelings passed through me. I realized how shocking death could be and how life can snatch people from you when you believe that they will always be with you. I realized that you shouldn’t take anyone for granted. Then, as I read other books like The Kite Runner and The Lowland, a plot began forming in my mind. I felt like weaving a story based on love, loss, and family relationships. Gradually, the characters developed in my mind, and scenes began taking shape and haunting me. After a few weeks, the characters began putting pressure on me, as if prodding me to bring them to life on the canvas of my novel. Then, as I finally obliged, The Fragile Thread of Hope was born.

Excerpt from The Fragile Thread of Hope:

In the autumn of 2012, destiny wreaks havoc on two unsuspecting people—Soham and Fiona.

Although his devastating past involving his brother still haunted him, Soham had established a promising career for himself in Bangalore.

After a difficult childhood, Fiona's fortunes had finally taken a turn for the better. She had married her beloved, and her life was as perfect as she had ever imagined it to be.

But when tragedy strikes them yet again, their fundamentally fragile lives threaten to fall apart.

Can Fiona and Soham overcome their grief?

Will the overwhelming pain destroy their lives?

Seasoned with the flavours of exotic Nepalese traditions and set in the picturesque Indian hill station, Gangtok, The Fragile Thread of Hope explores the themes of spirituality, faith, alcoholism, love, and guilt while navigating the complex maze of familial relationships.

Inspirational and heart-wrenchingly intimate, it urges you to wonder—does hope stand a chance in this travesty called life?

What exciting story are you working on next?

I have not thought about it yet as I am busy promoting The Fragile Thread of Hope. Once I settle down, I will reflect on my next book.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

Frankly speaking, I never even dreamt of becoming a writer. In fact, I didn’t even use to read (except for Harry Potter, which I read in my late teens). But after my father passed away four years back, some of my friends suggested me to start reading to divert my mind from the pain. I followed their suggestion, and slowly I fell in love with reading. I also began writing, starting with book reviews. Over the years, having read many books and developed my writing skills by writing several blog posts, I thought of trying my hand at writing a novel. A plot slowly developed in my mind, and soon I started writing. The rest is history.

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

No, I work in a government job at my native place, Gangtok. It is a 10-4 job, but I write whenever I get time, at home or at the office, especially if I am in the process of writing a book. Else, I take a break and enjoy my life. I listen to progressive metal music, watch sitcoms, movies, and select tennis and cricket matches.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Contrary to traditional belief that internet distracts a writer, I need the internet to find perfect synonyms, check if a sentence is grammatically correct, and research facts necessary for my book.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I wanted to grow up and design attractive scorecards for cricket matches.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

I would like to thank my existing readers for their love and support and request prospective readers to try out my next book. I’m sure it will give you some entertainment and inspire you if you are feeling low.

Links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Global Link | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon IN

Thank you for being here today.