Q&A: Avnish Burman Choudhury, Author of 'Dreamtamer and Other Short Stories'

Avnish Burman Choudhury is a financial services professional who thoroughly enjoys writing works of fiction. Born in Kolkata, raised in New Delhi, with a year spent in Hyderabad and another in the United Kingdom – he has had varied, enriching experiences in his life: experiences that he sometimes combines with his imagination to weave his tales. He currently resides in New Delhi, where he has struck a happy balance between the world of financial services, and his life as an author. He has recently come out with the book Dreamtamer and Other Short Stories, which explores multiple genres through a collection of six works of fiction.

I chat with him about his book Dreamtamer and Other Short Stories, his writing process for the book, book recommendations, and much more.

Hello, Avnish! Tell us a bit about yourself!

Well, I’d like to think of myself as being a multifaceted individual. I work in the financial services sector, which I quite enjoy. Writing is something I love, obviously – and I’ve been dabbling in it since I was a teenager. I enjoy reading too, though nowadays I don’t get to do it as much as I’d like. I’m a major motorsports fan, and have been following Formula One for about twenty-three years now. And finally, I adore my pets – three cats right now, and dogs and cats in the past.

If you could only describe your book Dreamtamer and Other Short Stories in five words, what would they be?

Enjoyable short stories for everyone.

Now tell us a little more about the book! What can readers expect?

Readers can expect to be enthralled, engaged and left feeling immensely satisfied at the end of each story. I believe I’ve done a fairly good job of telling tales across various genres with this book, and I think it would be perfect for people looking for a fun, light read. Reading, unfortunately, has become more of a project than a leisurely pastime these days, owing mainly to our busy schedules. I want to change this – and I believe this book will help serve that very purpose. Every story has substance, character development, a strong storyline, twists, and a satisfying conclusion. The stories will feel like individual novels in terms of their plot development, but will also be light owing to their length.

'Dreamtamer and Other Short Stories', published by Notion Press

What was your creative process like behind writing the short stories in this book?

My writing process has always contained multiple creative sub-processes. Sometimes, ideas for a plot just come to me. Other times, I make a conscious decision to write a story of a particular genre, exploring a particular theme, and then begin the plot development in that manner. There have even been times when I have seen a still visual – maybe even something from a dream – and then built a story around it. So, my sources of inspiration and creativity vary, but I feel I have the ability to write stories based on my ideas, wherever they may have come from.

What different themes have you explored in the short stories in this book?

The genres I’ve explored in this book are the supernatural, crime, romance, personal growth, relationships and fantasy. I’ve even given one of the stories a slight sprinkling of horror.

Which short story is a personal favourite. Why?

‘Dreamtamer’ would be my favourite. It’s a story about growth in adversity, and of finding a way to fulfil your dreams. The setting is also beautiful, and a lot of the character conversations in the story revolve around life lessons that I’m sure most people have experienced in their lifetimes.

How have you been coping with the current pandemic and what will be the new normal for you post it?

Writing has helped me cope, for sure. When you write, you’re whisked away to a world where you make the rules – where pandemics don’t exist unless you deliberately put them in your stories. My work in financial services has also helped – by keeping me grounded with interesting work, and giving me a routine to follow. Then, there have been multiple conversations with friends over video calls, to try and replicate the experience of physical meetings.

It was also very important for me to move forward with my book and take it to the publication stage. It’s vital to feel a sense of growth and achievement in some aspect of your life during these trying times. Otherwise, a sickening feeling of stagnation and of being cooped up might kick in, which would be extremely taxing to deal with.

As far as the new normal is concerned, I think I’ll wait to see how things progress over the next year. After all, there’s no point in planning for the new normal until you know what that new normal will be. As they say, the only constant in life is change; and I’m quite prepared to change my plans as frequently as needed, based on the changes in the world.

Lastly, are you currently reading anything and do you have any book recommendations for our readers?

I’m currently on a sci-fi binge and am reading Asimov’s Foundation series of books. Admittedly, I don’t read as much as I’d like nowadays (work and writing keeps me busy), but whenever I have time, I return to my books.

As far as books that I’ve read, loved and would recommend to others are concerned: For Whom the Bell Tolls, A Farewell to Arms, and The Old Man and the Sea (Hemingway); To Kill a Mockingbird (Lee); The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald); and The Grapes of Wrath (Steinbeck). And if you’d like to read science fiction: anything by Arthur Clarke and Isaac Asimov. And for fantasy, nothing beats The Lord of the Rings.

The book ‘Dreamtamer and Other Short Stories’ is available online and at your nearest bookstore.

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