Author Prashant Pinge’s new YA Fantasy novel hits the Amazon Kindle bookshelves globally today, November 10, 2014! As part of a promotional book tour, Prashant is visiting us here today and answered some very interesting questions about his new book. He is also giving away THREE e-copies (either PDF, ePub or Mobi format) to three random winners who would be selected at the end of the giveaway.
So please give a huge, warm welcome to Prashant Pinge and take a look at what he had to say about his newest release.
MBR: Welcome to MBR’s Realm of Romance Mr. Prashant. So nice to have you here with us today. So what inspired you to write Sceadu?
Prashant: I have always been fascinated by shadows. But it was a simple question that inspired me to write Sceadu. What if our shadow held a land replete with dangerous creatures waiting to find a way into our world?
MBR: Why did you choose the young adult fantasy genre? Is there a particular reason as to why you were driven to write Sceadu in this particular genre?
Prashant: I have always been a huge fan of the YA fantasy genre. The concept of a land inside the human shadow could have been done justice only by this genre.
MBR: How did you come up with the title Sceadu? Is it closely tied to what takes place in your story or is there a deeper meaning behind the title selection?
Prashant: Sceadu is the old English word for shadow. The story takes place inside the human shadow. So yes, the title is closely tied to the place. At the same time, there is a deeper meaning attached to the title since the shadow has been interpreted from a psychological perspective.
MBR: What would you say was the hardest part in writing your novel Sceadu?
Prashant: The hardest part of writing Sceadu was creating a fantasy that could be explained logically. It involved a lot of research in the domains of psychology and mythology.
MBR: What were the challenges you faced, if any, in bringing your story to life?
Prashant: It was quite a challenge to create a completely new world, but one that I thoroughly enjoyed. This story has a lot of intricate elements and bringing them all together was also quite a task. Ultimately, I wanted the reader to be completely immersed in the fantasy.
MBR: Which other genres might we see you writing later on?
Prashant: I am very interested in writing historical fiction.
MBR: Are you currently working on another story? If so would you like to tell us a little bit more on what you’re working on?
Prashant: I am currently working on a romantic comedy. It has some really funny twists and turns, but I also aim to bring out the humour through the language.
MBR: How much of the story Sceadu would you say is realistic? Is it 100% pure fantasy or are there elements of truth if you dig deep enough?
Prashant: I can assure you that by the time you are done reading Sceadu, you will be wondering whether your shadow actually holds a land. I would say that Sceadu has a very strong realistic component when it comes to the protagonists, their relationships with each other, and the personal victories they register along the way. Ultimately, it is a story about the triumph of the human spirit in the face of adversity.
MBR: What would you say is the message that you want to convey to your readers through your novel?
Prashant: If there was one message I would want to convey, it would be the importance of balance and harmony in life.
MBR: And finally, who is your favorite author, why, and what are some of the books by this author that you’d recommend?
Prashant: It would be very difficult to list one favourite author. The name that would immediately jump to my mind though would be Phil Pullman. He writes beautifully. My recommendation would be His Dark Materials Trilogy.
MBR: Thank you so much for spending some time with us. It was a pleasure having you on MBR’s Realm of Romance.
Book Blurb:
All this while, Matilda’s shadow had been growing larger and larger. Suddenly, it lunged out of the ground and swallowed her, like a python does its unsuspecting prey.
Nine year old Matilda ends up with a century old book through a series of strange coincidences. And disappears. Her brother and cousins are forced to suspend their hostilities and pursue her to Sceadu, a land inside the human shadow. Once there, the reluctant visitors find themselves chased by the vicious Hefigans, creatures of Sceadu. However, everything changes with the revelation of an ancient prophecy that foretells the doom of the world they left behind.
With the stakes suddenly raised, the children must now navigate the dangerous terrain, overcome grave challenges, and unlock the secrets of the shadow. But can they do it in time to thwart the plans of the treacherous Hefigans? Or will they succumb to the guile of a ruthless enemy who is equally determined to destroy mankind?
Sceadu is a fast-paced adventure which blurs the boundary between the physical and the psychological, the real and the mythical.
Find out more: Website | FB | Amazon
Excerpt:
Matilda sat at her old wooden desk, staring into the thick yellowed pages of a book under a dull moth ridden beam cast by the night lamp. But every time she blinked, it seemed as if the words had played a round of musical chairs. And the moths, fluttering through the words at times and hovering over them at others, did not make things any easier.
Matilda was about to turn the page when there was a tug at her feet. It was a very gentle one, almost imperceptible. Surprised, she glanced down, but there was nothing. Perhaps it’s just my imagination, she thought. She was about to shake her thick dark brown curls out of her face when she felt it again.
Matilda pushed her head down and looked into the dark void with furrowed brow. Her skinny legs stared back. But before she could decide on whether she had actually felt anything, there was another tug, an unmistakable one this time. And another one. The truth suddenly dawned upon Matilda. It was her shadow, trying to drag her into itself.
Matilda jerked back the chair, kicking hard at her shadow. But it snapped back, pulling at her even more viciously. She stomped upon it repeatedly. But the dark grey shape began jabbing at her feet and ankles. Matilda pushed herself up and made a frantic attempt to run. But her legs refused to move, and she almost toppled forward.
All this while, Matilda’s shadow had been growing larger and larger. Suddenly, it lunged out of the ground and swallowed her, like a python does its unsuspecting prey.
About Prashant Pinge:
Prashant Pinge was born and brought up in the picturesque neighbourhood of Shivaji Park in the bustling city of Mumbai in India.
A quiet and diligent student throughout his schooling and college years, Prashant proceeded to pursue electrical engineering at Purdue University in the United States. Over the next decade, he accumulated three more degrees, a master of science in management from Lancaster University, a post graduate program in management from Indian School of Business, and a post MBA master in international management from Thunderbird School of Global Management.
Apart from enjoying the company of books, Prashant had always had an imaginative bent of mind. But writing only happened in the fall of 2003, when a remarkably intriguing dream interrupted an uncharacteristically deep spell of slumber, compelling him to stagger to his desk and pen down the idea. That book is still a few years away from being written. Prashant, however, continues to work from his cauldron of creativity and churn out critically acclaimed works of fiction.
In addition to his literary pursuits, Prashant is Managing Partner in his marketing and branding firm, Media Panther. In his spare time, Prashant enjoys collecting old coins, reading fiction, travelling to exotic destinations, watching movies, and listening to music. He recently wrote and produced a short film titled Freedom of Expression. Prashant is also keenly interested in the subjects of psychology, mythology and ancient history.
Prashant lives with his wife and son in Mumbai.
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