Anurag Garg & Gunjan Narang are the authors of A Half Baked Love Story Firstly, I would like to begin with the most basic question, how did your journey with the pen begin?
Anurag: I would also like to give the most basic answer to that. Everything started with a random thought for me. I witnessed a couple of events happening around, capable of being dragged under a storyline. So, we started penning it down. It didn’t work out in the beginning though, but perseverance kept us going.
Gunjan: For me, it all started with two questions from his side-Do you read novels? Wanna write one?
I nodded and it began!
I nodded and it began!
When did you first consider yourself a writer, far from a blogger?
Anurag: Never! I have only been forced to write stuff in school. I literally lived far away from words as a child. It happened fortuitously that I wrote thousands of words altogether and got an approval from a leading publisher. So, it all occurred by fate.
Gunjan: Unlike him, I have been pretty interested in writing, but never thought of writing a novel. Feels good to have completed the debut one.
Gunjan: Unlike him, I have been pretty interested in writing, but never thought of writing a novel. Feels good to have completed the debut one.
What inspired you to write your first book?
Anurag: Heartbreak and boredom!
Gunjan: It was a provocation rather- his questions.
Gunjan: It was a provocation rather- his questions.
What books have highly influenced your life?
Anurag: Frankly, I am not an avid reader. As I said I was far away from all sorts of reading and writing things. Academic they were, to me at least. Still I’d say kite runner and the white tiger.
Gunjan: I do read a lot of books, Sydney Sheldon and Paulo Coelho being my favorites among foreign authors. Eleven minutes is one of the very influential books I have read recently.
Gunjan: I do read a lot of books, Sydney Sheldon and Paulo Coelho being my favorites among foreign authors. Eleven minutes is one of the very influential books I have read recently.
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
Anurag: Chetan Bhagat, I would say, for revolutionizing the whole Indian publishing industry.
Gunjan: I completely agree.
Gunjan: I completely agree.
How was your experience with Anurag?
Gunjan: He is good to work with. A confused jerk he is, but he has tried his best to keep the beam balanced. I think I have praised him in accordance with the money he paid to me.
Anurag: You were not supposed to disclose that. (Grumps)
Anurag: You were not supposed to disclose that. (Grumps)
Did you had any funny experiences working with Gunjan?
Funny, yes. We fought over issues and realized we both meant the same thing. We argued like mad people and started being so formal. Then pizzas settled everything.
Funny, yes. We fought over issues and realized we both meant the same thing. We argued like mad people and started being so formal. Then pizzas settled everything.
When naming your characters, do you give any thought to the actual meaning?
Yes, we did in the beginning. We came out with funny combinations. Names which meant earth and earth lover! Then, fortuitously we grew up! The male character’s name came out simultaneously from both of us. We readily agreed, no name was given to the female one, so she became Anamika.
Yes, we did in the beginning. We came out with funny combinations. Names which meant earth and earth lover! Then, fortuitously we grew up! The male character’s name came out simultaneously from both of us. We readily agreed, no name was given to the female one, so she became Anamika.
Do you use real-life facts based on true stories? How long did it take you to publish your first book, after you started trying?
I feel that a writer involuntarily pens down one’s own experiences or part of those experiences while writing. It might have happened in our book too. We didn’t use any such facts deliberately.
And about the time period, Umm…around a year from writing to publishing.
I feel that a writer involuntarily pens down one’s own experiences or part of those experiences while writing. It might have happened in our book too. We didn’t use any such facts deliberately.
And about the time period, Umm…around a year from writing to publishing.
How hard was it for you to write a book partnering with another one? How did you find time for meeting each other every day?
It wasn’t very difficult. We had similar writing styles and putting it all together wasn’t very tough. We clubbed together the ideas and edited and reedited them until we were satisfied. And meetings? (laughs) I think we met around ten times during the whole course of writing and publishing! Hail Internet.
It wasn’t very difficult. We had similar writing styles and putting it all together wasn’t very tough. We clubbed together the ideas and edited and reedited them until we were satisfied. And meetings? (laughs) I think we met around ten times during the whole course of writing and publishing! Hail Internet.
If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?
It took us almost half a year to write this book. After that we took a few more months to change a lot of things and editing stuff. So, being a lazy ass, no more changes please. We just wish there are no typos left. (Grimaces)
It took us almost half a year to write this book. After that we took a few more months to change a lot of things and editing stuff. So, being a lazy ass, no more changes please. We just wish there are no typos left. (Grimaces)
Can you share a little of your current work with us?
Yes, we both are working for the second one. It’s not the sequel of the first one. Instead it’s grounded on very sensitive issue which is being constantly neglected in our country. I’d not say much as we still need to work a lot on the same. Hope it goes well. Fingers crossed!
Do you have to travel much concerning your books?
Do you have to travel much concerning your books?
May be once it releases, no such plans till now.
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
What was the hardest part of writing your book?
To keep the momentum on was the toughest part. We dropped the idea around three times in the whole course of writing this book.
Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?
Yes, there are many. They’ve enhanced the depiction of Indian fiction with their own stories. Also, there are a lot of young guns who are firing and many are ready to fire.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
I feel we are not yet the people who can advise anyone. In fact, we seek advises and feedback so that we can improvise on our own work.
Finally, Do you have anything specific that you want to say to our readers (The TeenMag)?
First of all, please buy our book (wink). It’s releasing in mid-August. Stay blessed and read worthy.
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