About The Author: Manoj Kumar Sharma is a self-styled author, whom those stories attract much, which fearlessly break the laws to give birth to better laws. Having spent long 31 Years while working with MNCs and Corporates as Civil Engineer, enabled his journey riding through Snakes & Ladders and experiencing various shades of Life. He belongs to Thane, Maharashtra. The Author has a natural taste for Fiction Stories, searching for out-of-the-box solutions for perennial social problems.
Interview: First of all, Big Congratulations on your newly published book, “MiЯЯЯo: at THƎ WƎIЯⱭ WAYWAЯⱭ” Manoj! What responses are you getting from this book of yours? Please share your experience about this book.
Manoj Kumar Sharma: It’s a mix response. Majority are liking the Book – its concept, Title, Cover, Narrations, Illustrations, Characters, Situations, Solutions, and Notions. But, naturally there are a few as well who aren’t agreed to the concept, thought process of this Story.
Interview: Your book “Mirrro” is an introduction to the future and the problems prevalent then. How difficult or easy was it for you to decide what problems should be discussed?
Manoj Kumar Sharma: It was neither difficult nor easy, to identify or decide – what problems to be discussed? All problems are all around us, means, all perennial social problems – which we are concerned, but, often it seems that we are not so serious about them. We all talk about them, share, like, post…but, in virtual worlds…again without disturbing our convenience.
Interview: Please let to know readers. What is the story behind the origin of “Mirrro” the title?
Manoj Kumar Sharma: Actually the Title “Mirrro” born later, the Story concept born first. And after lot of struggle, I succeeded convincing myself that “Mirrro” could be the most appropriate Title. Because, “Mirrro” is different from all of us, anybody from recent past or in current generations. Its thought process is not pseudo, but, need of the hour in longer, larger, wider perspectives. And, if it could be the Title, then it is the closest, synced Title…with the soul of the Story. As well as, it is synced as the deeply hidden wishes in subconscious minds of majority of people in society against the perennial social problems we are facing in every day-in & day-out.
Interview: Your writing style is unique in itself. How did you create it?
Manoj Kumar Sharma: No…no….no….I didn’t create it. Its natural, more than that it seems to me as that’s the way only, I can express my thoughts.
Interview: The idea of putting pictures in the text is very unlikely. How did you come up with it?
Manoj Kumar Sharma: Not any specific reason, the idea just came to my mind.
Interview: Which is your first and/or most precious memory of books?
Manoj Kumar Sharma: The very first Story I read in my childhood was “Ek Gadhe Ki AtmKatha” by Krishan Chander. It’s a timeless, ageless story, still critically relevant in today’s society. Then I loved “Geetanjali” by Rabindranath Tagore. Latest I read “THE HIDDEN LIFE OF TREES” by Peter Wohlleben, the message of the Book is again need of the hour in our modern age world, if mankind loves mankind itself. To me Story or Book, doesn’t mean entertainment only, but, should be like food for soul(s) & for continual inclusive betterment of every living-beings and non-living-beings.
Interview: What makes writing a fantasy different from writing a regular fiction?
Manoj Kumar Sharma: I feel its all about how thoughts come to our mind, and, then how it get shape.
Interview: You’ve raised issues which are socially quite critical. How closely did you observe them to write so vividly about them?
Manoj Kumar Sharma: If we sensibly look around 3600 in-and-around every day-in & day-out, can’t ignore the essence of what are happening in today’s world. Many good, many bad and many worst things are always happening around us. While many issues may not be disturbing someone personally in life or in particular time-frame, but, at the same time it can’t guarantee their immunity against the effects & consequences of those issues, irrespective of the scale of severity. Any social issue, which has a greater toll over the life or quality-of-life of people, becomes critical, and at the same time other issues remains inattentive.
Today’s world is proudly being called as Age of DATA, Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Physics, etc, etc. Data & analysis of everything and every issue is available. So, we shouldn’t wait for any issue to be more critical – anything which is really harming the people, health of people, and health of society – must be handled from absolute cleansing perspective, then only we can transfer better life to the future generations.
So, all such kinds of thoughts hammering me every now & then, actually influenced happening of Mirrro.
Interview: Despite the novel being futuristic, the cover seems to set it in the past. What is the story behind that?
Manoj Kumar Sharma: Of late it been observed that many forgotten/ignored things from the past been revived after a gap of time-leap, in quest of utilizing proven things for the betterment of Life. So, somehow somewhere the answers against the quest for better Life might be hidden in some really good ancient values – which are either considered as backwardness or out of fashion in this age. But, identifying, respecting & practicing those intrinsically good values are need of the hour. In blind race of modernity we are ignoring our proven old rich heritage cultural values at the cost of adopting cosmetic unproven values.
So, as trying to display Uniqueness along with abridgement of Past & Futuristic values – the Cover design took place.
Interview: What are your views regarding futuristic novels keeping in mind the contemporary writings?
Manoj Kumar Sharma: See, any story…..so called in any form, genre, format, could serve the purpose of being written, if it helps the society by any means. Even if it only entertains, makes people happy, makes people laugh – it can be considered as succeeded making people happy, that’s also could be a noble purpose.
If it can make – people respecting others, loving others unconditionally, loving own mother country, spreading positivity all around and zeroing negativity all around….definitely its serving the purpose.
So any futuristic novel or contemporary writings…both sails on the same boat – conveying the common message of Purpose to enhance the quality of future of current generations and generations to come……
Interview: Thank you so much for answering all my questions. All the very best to you for future and your book too!
Manoj Kumar Sharma: Thanks to You and CriticSpace Journal Team