The book is targeted at a niche market (international fiction) within a niche market (short stories), so finding a traditional publisher—especially for a debut book—was going to be pretty much impossible.

Ken Doyle – 6 March 2014

The Back Flap

Like the ubiquitous snack food, bhel puri, Bombay Bhel blends a variety of ingredients to serve up glimpses of life among the Goan and Anglo-Indian communities–minorities in one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities. The interlinked stories are set in the late twentieth century, before a wave of anticolonialism crested across India and resulted in Bombay’s rechristening.

The stories feature everyday characters who face challenges unique to Bombay life, from the schoolboy who forms an unlikely friendship with a street vendor to the retired serviceman whose livelihood is threatened by the city’s notorious bureaucracy. Readers familiar with Bombay will reawaken their memories, while those new to the city will experience a taste of its varied flavors.

About the book

What is the book about?

Bombay Bhel is a collection of interlinked stories named after the city’s ubiquitous snack food, bhelpuri. Like the food, the book blends a variety of ingredients to serve up glimpses of life among the Goan and Anglo-Indian communities–minorities in one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities. The stories are set in the late twentieth century, before a wave of anti-colonialism crested across India and resulted in the city’s rechristening to Mumbai, the name by which it’s known today.

When did you start writing the book?

I started working on the book as a NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) project in November 2011. It started out as an episodic novel, but along the way I decided that it worked better as a collection of short stories.

How long did it take you to write it?

About 18 months from first draft to final publication. For much of that time, I was dealing with major life changes (including a return to self-employment, selling a house, moving, and buying another house halfway across the country). My writing time was pretty limited.

Where did you get the idea from?

Some of the stories have been rattling around in my head for years, waiting for a chance to get out. Most of the stories are based on memories and experiences during my time living in Bombay.  A couple are based on actual events, although they’re highly fictionalized and I’ve taken considerable liberties with the timeline.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

Some of the first drafts were a struggle. I have a couple of stories that I started but didn’t include in the collection, because I felt that they either didn’t fit or weren’t of acceptable quality.

What came easily?

Surprisingly, I found it easy to capture the setting, even though I haven’t lived in Bombay for over 25 years now. I worked mostly from memory, supplemented with online research. I always thought that writing description was one of my weak points, but readers have complimented me on how real the settings felt, so I seem to have addressed that particular problem!

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

They’re all fictitious, but there are certainly character traits and quirks that have been inspired by real-world people that I know. Sometimes, these features slip in without my even realizing that it’s happened.

We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?

I think most authors that I read have influenced me in some way. One of my favorites, because I write character-driven stories, is Charles Dickens. I’ve yet to see contemporary authors who can develop characters like Dickens did. For this book, however, I’d say that my biggest influence has been Jhumpa Lahiri. Her Pulitzer-winning collection of stories, Interpreter of Maladies, made me realize the beauty of the short story as an art form. Her sparse but exquisitely evocative style of writing is something that meshes well with my own approach to writing fiction.

Do you have a target reader?

The primary audience who will appreciate the book is people of Indian origin, especially those with ties to the city of Bombay (now Mumbai). However, in a broader sense, the book will appeal to anyone who enjoys reading short stories with a multicultural flavor.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

I fall somewhere between plotter and pantser on the writing spectrum. I don’t have detailed outlines, but I don’t just sit down and write without any idea of where the story is heading, either. Other than that, the process is to write the first draft without looking back—not even to fix typos or fill in gaps. Then I go back and work through numerous rounds of revision—eleven in all, for Bombay Bhel. I try to polish the book as much as I can before a final review by a copy editor.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

Not very much for short stories (see previous answer). I do outline for the couple of novels that I’m working on, but it’s basically a summary of key plot points. I don’t always stick to the outline, as sometimes the stories tend to have a mind of their own.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

I don’t interrupt the first draft with editing—my goal is to get the entire story down without looking back. After that, however, I go through numerous rounds of structural revision and editing.

Did you hire a professional editor?

I hired a professional copy editor/proofreader for Bombay Bhel. Although I’m a professional editor myself, it always helps to have another set of eyes review the book.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

Yes, most of the time. I have pretty eclectic tastes, and most everything helps me write, from opera to heavy metal.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

I didn’t, because trying to find one for a collection of short fiction would have wasted many years of my life that I’d rather spend writing and marketing my work.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

It was a gradual process. I’d considered it even before starting on the book, because I’d submitted a few stories to literary magazines in the past and it took many, many months (over a year, for one) to get any response. I also couldn’t find a magazine that was the perfect fit for the kind of stories I was writing. As I researched self-publishing, I became more and more convinced that it was the right option for Bombay Bhel. The book is targeted at a niche market (international fiction) within a niche market (short stories), so finding a traditional publisher—especially for a debut book—was going to be pretty much impossible.

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

I did it myself using Adobe Photoshop, but I used a photo from a skilled photographer who kindly donated the rights for my book. I also did the interior layout for the print version using Adobe InDesign. I have many years of desktop publishing experience, though, so I probably wouldn’t advise everyone to do their own covers. I recently released a new short story and had a friend who generously donated her professional design services for that cover, just to have a different approach.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

I have a marketing plan, but unfortunately life keeps getting in the way of carrying out everything in the plan!

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

Research all the options before making a decision. Unfortunately, I’ve seen quite a few new authors fall into the trap of vanity presses that charge outrageous amounts to “help” writers “get self-published.” When you’re the publisher as well as the writer, you have to do far more work than you would in the traditional publishing process. There are definitely advantages to signing a contract with a traditional publisher—namely, marketing, exposure, and international distribution—but that’s true mostly for the Big Five publishers. I think you have to consider whether a contract with an indie press really offers you anything that you couldn’t do yourself.

About You

Where did you grow up?

Bombay, India

Where do you live now?

Last year, we moved to a small town in Delaware, after living for around 20 years in Madison, Wisconsin.

What would you like readers to know about you?

Read my book–it will tell you everything you need to know about me J
(also see links at end for more information)

What are you working on now?

I haven’t had much writing time lately, but I’m planning another collection of short stories. I also have very rough and incomplete drafts for two young adult novels—science fiction and urban fantasy.

End of Interview:

For more, visit Ken’s website, check out his author page on Goodreads, like his Facebook page, or follow him on twitter.

Get your copy of Bombay Bhel from Amazon US (paper or ebook) or Amazon UK (paper or ebook).