Being passionate about writing can make a person go to any length. So is the case with Kulpreet Yadav whose novel, “Catching the Departed”, published recently by Tara India Research Press. Having been part of the armed forces for 20 years, Kulpreet quit to pursue writing full time.
“I wanted to fulfil my desire to write. It was difficult to balance writing and working as the former cannot be done on a casual basis. You need to read, travel and bring your thoughts together for it,” says Kulpreet.
“Catching the Departed”, first in the Andy Karan series, is a crime thriller involving international espionage wherein Andy, an investigative journalist, is tasked to probe the death of a lawyer and lands up unearthing a devious plot hatched by an enemy country. “The story has 70 per cent suspense and remaining is mystery. I want the reader to become inquisitive and eager to know what happens in the future, like it happens in a fast-paced action movie.”
Fond of reading and writing from his student days, Kulpreet wrote a few short stories during 2004-05. Hesitant to publish them, he decided to send them to international magazines after being persuaded by his wife. These came out in a book format in 2013 and included stories written later, too. His first published work is “The Bet” (2006) followed by “A Waiting Wave” in 2011. Explaining as to why he decided to write the present novel, a commercial fiction, the author says, “My second work based on husband-wife relationship with a literary slant did not do well.” After introspection, he decided to change his genre. “I need to sell books to make money and there is nothing wrong with commercial fiction as it too entails storytelling and I consider myself a storyteller.”
The protagonist in “Catching the Departed” is ex-Army personnel. “Having been part of the forces, one of the finest in the world, I could easily relate and imbibe their attributes to Andy by drawing from my experiences.” The character is inspired by Karan of the epic Mahabharat and is mentioned many times in the narrative. “Yes, I based Andy on the legendary warrior. Karan was the only warrior who knew he was going to lose and die but still continued fighting. He was as to who he would represent and despite several entreaties and pleas to switch sides, he backed his friend. Traits of a true soldier,” explains the writer. He adds a poignant remark here, “Andy also suffers many times, right till the end, just like Karan.” The second book of the series, “Drowning the Pirate”, is expected next year and the third, “Eating the Dragon”, is in the idea stage.
The plot of the first of the trilogy kicks off at a nondescript village near the National Capital. “I wanted to show the vulnerability of the major cities which are surrounded by villages which are still underdeveloped whose inhabitants may not be cautious to comprehend terrorism and can be a perfect place to hide and operate for the perpetrators of terror,” comments Kulpreet.
The author is also the founder-editor of Open Road Review started in 2011, a collaborative effort by people from different countries. It is a quarterly literary journal with majority of the contributors and writers based abroad. “It is a platform to promote writing at an international scale.” Though he wants to continue writing commercial fiction to earn a living, he adds, “I will pursue my passion for literary fiction through Open Road and writing short stories in other journals.” He expounds, “Literature is a fuel for my mind, it makes me look at the surroundings minutely and rethinking certain decisions in past. My first love, literary fiction, with its depth and strength makes me view the world from a different perspective.”