I have a guest author today who is also a screenwriter. Please help me welcome Kedar Patankar all the way from India! Let’s take a look at his bio and then find out about his works.
Kedar Patankar is a writer of movie scripts (with one of them in pre-production right now, & another in the dialogue-writing stage), a web series, a novella, short stories & a blog.
Every month, he leads a team of enthusiasts (he calls the group ‘The Trash Talk’) to clean plastic trash from centuries-old forts. Every month, he also visits a remote village to teach ‘spoken English’ to about 40 kids to help them gain confidence & enhance their future prospects.
He has spent twenty years in the USA, obtained two master’s degrees from a top US university, worked in high-tech world of computer chips in Minneapolis and Silicon Valley, and now lives with his family in Pune, India.
Betty: When did you become a writer?
Kedar: I have been playing with it since early 2000s. (movie scripts, story ideas, blog, etc.) but self-published my first novella in 2015.
Betty: How long did you work on your writing skills before you became published?
Kedar: About 15 years.
Betty: What authors or stories do you feel influenced your writing style?
Kedar: Known International Authors like John Grisham, Arthur Conan Doyle, along with a couple of Indian authors like Ranjit Desai and Inamdar.
Betty: What prompted you to start writing?
Kedar: My paternal and maternal grandfathers were great story-tellers. I grew up reading and listening to a lot of stories.
Betty: What type of writing did you start with?
Kedar: Started with light-hearted script about an arranged marriage followed by a script about an immigrant family in London.
Betty: What do you most enjoy writing? Why?
Kedar: I like to write a variety of genres including drama, historical, comedy, etc. I am most interested in creating unique worlds and unique characters which are relatable.
Betty: How did you learn to write? A mentor, classes, conferences, craft books, or something else?
Kedar: Working in partnership with experienced writers helped. Also books like Story by Robert McKee are great sources.
Betty: What do you wish you knew before you started writing/publishing?
Kedar: That it’s very difficult to get noticed since there are so many people out there able to self-publish.
Betty: What inspired you to write the book you’re sharing with us today?
Kedar: My grandfather who was in Indian Army told me these stories about soldiers posted at the border. That is the inspiration behind this novella.
March, 2011 – In the pine forest that marks the No Man’s Land along the volatile India-Pakistan border, leopards roam freely across enemy lines, instigating fear into a pair of rival soldiers who are each guarding an illegal post & trying desperately to follow the strict orders they’ve been given: Don’t shoot.
Lt. Sharma is a 25-year-old Indian rookie, fresh out of military training school & longing to return home; Captain Khan is a war-weary Pakistani veteran whose only desire is to be left alone with his thoughts. When the men are suddenly forced to acknowledge one another’s presence, their nerves begin to fray and their tempers fly high. Sharma & Khan launch into a fierce duel of wits and egos that can only end when one of them dies.
Buy links: AmazonUS * AmazonIN * Apple
McKee’s book is on my keeper shelf and I’m overdue to read it again to refresh my take on what he has to say. Thanks for the reminder, Kedar!
Happy spring and happy reading, everyone!
Betty
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