Sriman Narayanan Interview – Breath, Go Away and Other Stories Book

Sriman has completed MBA in Finance. He is currently working as a Vice President, Credit Portfolio Risk Management at Synchrony Finance (Formerly GE Capital). Let us know more about his writing in detail.

What inspired you to start writing?

When I was going through a very low phase in life several years ago, I started to blog and discovered the joy of writing, and I found it to be very calming, and therapeutic. And the attractive aspect of blogging was that I could express myself openly and write about anything, without the fear of being judged (of-course took up a masked identity!). And the best part of blogging is that it is interactive. I could validate my perspective or have it challenged from the readers who offered me a refreshing view on certain episodes of my life that I had seen them only in one certain way!

So Writing has been my constant companion since then, in moments of distress, solitude and cheer.

What did you like to read when you were a boy?

I have not been a voracious reader, but grew up reading the books of Jeffrey Archer, Irving Wallace, Sidney Sheldon. Kane and Abel was the very first book that I read. As a Kid, like many others, I was an avid reader of Amar Chitra Katha, and was greatly fascinated by their series of books on the Mahabharata epic that was published.

What is the greatest challenge in writing a book?

I only write when I feel very passionate about something, or anything that affects me at the heart and the soul level. So it is easy to write in those moments, words just flow! At-least in my first book, I didn’t have to sit down and write in short order. About fifty percent of the book is based from what I had written over the last many years!

How much research do you do before writing the book?

It is a very different kind of feeling, a great feeling that is, to write based of your own life experiences. I’m in that space, and even my second book that I’m half way complete is in the same space. So I’m not having to do any major research as yet ! 🙂

What motivated you to write the book “Breath, Go Away and Other Stories”?

The idea of publishing a collection of short stories never even occurred to me, for I was working on a novel that as I said is half-complete. It was my cousin who suggested the thought into me, and I fell for that idea. So it had to come from my cousin, unknown are the ways of God! I have to regard this as one of the many in the bundle of miracles that carried me through to get this book published.

Can you tell us more about your latest book “Breath, Go Away and Other Stories”?

The Title story, ‘Breath Go away’ and the final story in the collection, ‘Heights of Heights’ are true stories based on what happened to me. I wrote them both after many years of having “moved on” from the incidents I describe. And I wrote them because I was truly awed at the magic that ‘Time’ can weave into one’s heart and mind. Those incidents that made my life seem useless then, but with time, became of no consequence!

So I felt inspired to share it with all those who have loved and lost, that it truly is not the end of the world, and very likely grander plans are in store for them by the higher cosmic force. The other purpose was to tell, that such stories may be much more common, and thereby instill strength into them that they may not be the only ones to go through heartbreaks, it has happened to many others, and these are much more common than what we think or hear of. What is really important is the strength of the mind and the heart to rise up after such life experiences, and take great pride in that. It’s like earning a badge of honor !

How did you come up with the idea of writing anthology genre book?

As described above, this was not my idea! as I was actually going on the path of completing a novel, (it’s a love story, and a story of marriage) and knew it would take me several months to complete.

Privately, I have shared some of these short stories with many over the years, and I have observed most time, they have left a lasting impression in their minds and hearts, falling hook, line and sinker to my narrative style, finding the twist where there is, to be completely unexpected, or finding them to be very refreshing, off-beat and an entertaining read. So I believed there was an opportunity in publishing a collection of stories, that would appeal to a wider cross section with its varied genres.

Who are your favorite authors?

I would talk about my favorite books. I’m a big fan of Pride and Prejudice.

I recently completed reading ‘Gone with the Wind’. I was amazed at the ending, my kind of ending – not a fairy tale one! No dramatization.

Aside being a Classic, it provides a peek into the depths of a woman’s mind, emotions and thinking. A protagonist, who is the heroine. But Self serving, Self centered, Stubborn, full of herself. But strong in spirit, determined, fierce and confident.

No Black and White. We are all shades of grey. Mix of Good and Bad. Greatly depicted in Scarlett O’Hara!

Love Story, Man, Woman and Child by Erich Segal & Alchemist by Paulo Coelho are my all-time favorite books. Steve Jobs by Walter Issacson, The Big Short by Mike Lewis are the other books I enjoyed reading much.

How much time do you dedicate to writing on a daily basis?

I used to write once in two weeks when I was blogging actively, but now, I don’t write often. When I resume my second book, I will find a purpose and certainly will be writing frequently.