SUDHAM | Author Interview

This passionate marketeer bid adieu to a very glorious and promising career to follow his dreams of becoming an author. Meet Sudham, the ex-National Marketing Head of India’s largest FM Radio Network and find out what he has to say about his love for books and writing.Sudham

bookGeeks: Tell us something about yourself
Sudham: I am your regular guy next door! For the most part of life, I followed and did what is or rather was considered “normal” for folks belonging to my generation. Completed school, managed an Engineering Degree and went on to do a PG in Business Administration. Continued on the “normal” path with a regular job, marriage and kids till one fine day in 2013 when I decided that “normal” was getting boring. I left my job and decided to write a book! I had no idea at that time how long it would take for me to write or how I would get a foothold in a space that was a total unknown. Cut to 2015, I am wiser just by virtue of learning to swim at the deep end!
bookGeeks: Who or what was the biggest inspiration behind Eighteen The End of Innocence?
Sudham: Different people and events have been an inspiration at different junctures. From the perspective of the story or the plot of the book “life” has been an inspiration – I am a strong believer in the adage “Choices define us”. How we journey through life making choices and the varying dilemmas we face as we mature is what forms the basis of what I am writing. As far as people are concerned, my father getting his articles published in a magazine at the age of seventy-eight was a motivating factor. Only thing, I didn’t want to wait that long!
bookGeeks: Tell us something about your experience as a marketing professional. Has it helped you anyway in your writing?
Sudham: Being a practising marketer is an irreplaceable part of my being. I believe that marketing is about observing, understanding, analysing and implementing. Whether it’s a product to be consumed or a service to be experienced the moment of truth is when the consumer interacts with your product or service. A brand is created when a consumer need is met in a memorable way.  I keep that as the guiding principle for my writing.
bookGeeks: Any new projects you are currently working on?
Sudham: As mentioned “life” is where I find my stories. I am working a series that shall romance the various phases of life bringing to fore the different dilemmas in life, the choices and the consequences of our actions, the good, the bad and celebrate the vast expanse of greys that lie in between.
bookGeeks: We learn that your bookshelf is a mixed bag of many famous authors. Who is your favourite among them?
Sudham: Indeed. The books on my shelf are all there because I believe that each one of them tells a great story – one that I would want to go back to, a chapter at times or even a page; just to be in the same place as those characters. Though there are authors whose works I have read more than some others; the real answer to your question would be “none” or better still “all”!
bookGeeks: You have lived in four metros. Which has been the city closest to your heart?
Sudham: This one is simple. It’s Delhi. It’s where I grew up. The sights and smells have an air of familiarity and there’s a memory waiting to come alive on every street I walk upon. It is changing though, I feel it’s losing it’s laid back charm. The growing number of cars and pollution aren’t helping either.  I love the seaside and that is one thing that would place Mumbai and Chennai at a distant but intensely fought second place!
bookGeeks: You run two blogs – www.keyedinthoughts.blogspot.com and www.abrandviewstory.com. Which one are you more passionate about?
Sudham: I am passionate about writing- period. I don’t see them as two different blogs. For me, they are just broad buckets under which I choose to put my writing. Keyed In Thoughts is about poetry, stories and anecdotes whilst A Brand View Story is an attempt to look at the world from a marketer’s lens.
bookGeeks: A few words for your fans
Sudham: I guess there is some while to go before I can really talk of a fan following; maybe the day when people start waiting for my next book to come out! My message to my readers is to keep reading and buy all kinds of books, try different authors and genres- you never know in which one of those books lies a great story!
bookGeeks: A few words for bookGeeks.in
Sudham: As an author and as a marketer I believe a good product always gets recommended and it counts! So I would like to congratulate BookGeeks.in for spending time and energy in creating this repository of reviews and helping readers find their next read!

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