Mommy Adventures With Ravina Kurian: Author Interview

Tell us a bit about your family.

= I’m married to my beautiful childhood sweetheart. We have a five year old son, and my wife is pregnant with our second (a girl) due March, 2014.

What makes you happiest?

= Writing the words, “The End”

What books did you love growing up?

= Horror (Stephen King, Dean Koontz), Boys Adventure (Jack London, Hardy Boys), Literary Classics (Mark Twain, John Steinbeck), anthologies or collections of short stories (Thomas Monteleone, Stephen King ((again)), O. Henry), and lots and lots of comics (Marvel, D.C., and Dark Horse universes)

Who are your favorite authors?

= Cormac McCarthy, George Orwell, Stephen King, John Steinbeck, Joe R. Lansdale, Clive Barker, Hunter S. Thompson, Jack Kerouac, Ernest Hemmingway, Robert McCammon, Mark Bowden, O. Henry, and James Ellroy

What book should everybody read at least once?

= “Boys Life” by Robert McCammon, “Big Fish” by Daniel Wallace, “The Divine Comedy” by Dante, “Burmese Days” by James Orwell, or any volume of “The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror.”

Location and life experiences can really influence writing, tell us where you grew up and where you now live?

= I was born and raised in the suburbs of Los Angeles. I’ve travelled extensively through the United States and the world, but southern California has always been home.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

= Dreams (both night and day), news, conversations with people, personal observations of the world, and playing the “What If?” game.

Do you plan to publish more books?

= Absolutely. I have a stack ideas I want to put to paper.

What else do you do to make money, other than write? It is rare today for writers to be full time…

= I used to work in business and outside sales. I then tried to start my own custom furniture design and manufacturing business which flopped. Now I contract write and edit, including working in the financial industry as a technical writer.

What other jobs have you had in your life?

= Geez, just about everything! Retail, Waiter, Security, Roofing, Manufacturing, Professional Sales (Inside and Outside), Loan Officer, Graphic Designer, Freight Loader at U.P.S., Furniture Designer, Project Manager, and more. I’ve kept a running log of dates for every single job I’ve ever worked. I’ve been employed for 19 years (since 1994) and have worked 28 jobs. Many of those overlapped, including part-time, weekend, or temporary work. The expression, “Jack of all trades, master of none,” definitely comes to mind; I’ve jumped around a lot.

How do you write – lap top, pen, paper, in bed, at a desk?

= I used to write with pen in spiral notebooks and then type it up later on a word processor. Now, I write exclusively on my desktop computer. Actually, to be honest, I write in my head first, word by word, then run to my computer and try to type it all out as I imagined it.

Where do you get support from? Do you have friends in the industry?

= I’ve made friends in the industry recently, but starting out (only two and a half years ago), I knew nobody or nothing about the world of publishing fiction. But I threw myself into it, studied the craft, networked, and learned through experiences. Of course, still being a “newbie,” I realize I have a great deal more to learn.

How much sleep do you need to be your best?

= Solid eight hours, though with family and work, that’s a rarity.

Is there anyone you’d like to acknowledge and thank for their support?

= My family, of course!

Every writer has their own idea of what a successful career in writing is, what does success in writing look like to you?

= Either finding personal satisfaction or achieving financial goals. The greatest success is accomplishing both!

Tell us about your new book? What’s it about and why did you write it?

= This current book is an anthology I edited of short stories written by different authors, entitled “AFTER DEATH…” The subject matter considers what happens to us after we die. These fiction stories range from horror to science fiction to humor to inspirational. The book includes 34 tales, each illustrated, and explores perspectives from various cultures, philosophies, hopes, or fears. Within these pages, follow the ghost of an Australian cowboy. Discover what the “white light” really means to the recently departed. Consider the impact of modern, or future, technology on the dead. Follow the karmic path of reincarnation. Visit the realms of Greek Hades, Viking Valhalla, or Chinese Fengdu, and travel from the cruelest levels of Hell’s torments to the celestial realms of eternal paradise. For more information on this anthology, visit: http://ericjguignard.com/after_death.html

When you are not writing, how do you like to relax?

= I hike and study entomology (insects); spend time with my family; woodwork in my garage; and read, read, read.