Summary Of The Book: Lima never imagined he’d step further than wading distance into the sea. However, a twist of fate took him so deep that the salt and spray washed away his conditioned notions and fears of the sea and replaced them with its untold secrets and deeper truths, terrors beyond ordinary imagination, along with awe, admiration, and reverence for its spiritual nature. “Accidental Sailor” traces Lima’s voyages across two-thirds of the planet, which affect inner evolution through a harsh and rugged sea life. This book, being the first of a series, is itself your friendly Seafarer that reveals to you the Secrets of the Sea, firsthand.
1. Can you tell us a little about your
It offers readers a deeper glimpse into life at sea in the merchant marine, offering insights into the daily grind as well as the adventurous side with dangers originating naturally and from machinery and the ship itself. The reader would appreciate what a thin line it is that divides life and death at sea; how incredibly lonely life out there is and yet so much fun; that it is more a matter of individual perspective which creates life out at sea to their liking, or dislike.
2. Is there a specific event that inspired this story or was this an out of the blue idea?
I wrote my first book and self-published when I was in Nursery. Expressing in words comes easy to me. An event on ship years ago prompted me to write about sea life for the benefit of cadets aspiring to join shipping as well as for people with love for the sea. I was the Captain and my Second Officer motivated me to write; he followed up over the next two years till I finished the manuscript. It was lost later, then found after some years, which is when I took to the publishers.
3. What got you writing in the first place?
Writing is my way of expressing and it’s always been a part of me: a journal entry, a poem, a story or just musing. Someone saw a book in my musings; I self published it as a non-fiction. My Second Officer insisted I write a book and Accidental Sailor saw life.
4. What was your impression of your first draft when you read it?
It was raw content, yet was promising enough for further effort.
5. Which part of your story connects the most with you? Why?
It is the more mundane events in a seafarer’s life that make them homesick and no one ashore understands how they feel at such times. Such parts of the book do connect with me.
6. What makes your book the one to read?
It reads on multiple levels depending on the mood of the reader: superficial for fun and entertainment, scratch below the skin for worldly wisdom, and delve deep for spiritual truths. One can also pick up from any page anytime.
7. What was the best advice you got while writing?
It was during a writers’ workshop we were taught to not judge our writing; instead, simply write.
8. Who’s your all-time favourite author? Which book of his/hers made you fall in love with them?
Ken Follet: World without end. The characters and their evolution over decades- a masterpiece.
9. What is your evergreen tip to the writers out there?
A motorcycling guru says- “The only way to learn riding is to ride.” I’d say the same for writing: write everyday.
10. What was your hardest scene to write?
The death of close shipmate.
11. Do you have another plot brewing?
Yes, in fact, I do.
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.in/dp/935776156X?ref=myi_title_dp
