Never look at a reference book while doing a first draft. (A suggestion, if you'd question.)

You want to write a story? Fine. Put away your dictionary, your encyclopaedias, your World Almanac, and your thesaurus. Better yet, throw your thesaurus into the wastebasket.

Crime?

It's just like escaping from within the boundaries of moral restraints. The deviation from this moral factor doesn't necessarily denote aggressiveness or some dark manifestation; crime can always be innocent—especially if there is a psycho out there who doesn't hear the whispers of composure. We ourselves hear these whispers—all of us, except we are like them, the criminals, the psyschopaths, the bloody highlifes who can't bear to pull a briddle. 

Yet we are like them. We may try to deny it. We may try to argue that we can never kill, never manipulate, never rob and burgle and cause wreckage; we may argue that we can never rape, that we hate the sounds of torture, that even if the world be swarmed by beasts we will remain humans. Where is the lie? 

But you know, every 'human' is an animal with a sense of morality. Take away the morality and you'll be unleashing a full-blown psychopath. Remorse is gone. And responsibility? To hell with it. Since this rot is a part of us (merely restrained), it is ever thrilling to explore what lies hidden in us yet exposed in a fraction of subhumans. It is ever thrilling to read and write CRIME and the many shades of it. And that is why I write crime.

The nature of the psychopath, though dark and evil, is rather intriguing and a bit of some 'nice' feeling. Why do we feel a murder isn't intriguing enough? Why do we feel a serial killer needs a crazier fetish to make them compelling and different from the others? It's in us. That powerful wisp of evil. Imagination's only doing its part; MORE of US appears when we think wild. We think deep into ourselves and see our dark sides and write them as though they are reflections or paintings of some evil stranger far away. I write crime to let out these darkness that I wouldn't dare bring to real life. And you're happy to read, ain't you? 

For me, it's not to correct any societal ill. Literary fiction can take care of that. And it's not to emphasise morality or the poor clichè that good wins in the end. I rather find it easier and more precise painting evil the way it is. Many evils go unrewarded. That is reality. I write crime to show reality. To show the darkness shrouded in pretense, in unconsciousness, in the intentional ignorance we've given ourselves away to. 

Jenny is the central character of my short crime, 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙖𝙯𝙚. And I've made her a grpping representation of this darkness. You'll find Fire in the Maze in the 𝙋𝙍𝙊𝙁𝙒𝙄𝘾 𝘾𝙧𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙁𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝘼𝙣𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙮, 𝙉𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙙𝙚, featuring five (5) other crazy crimes. When you meet her, take your time to study her. Get lost in her world. And savour the thrill of darkness. 

The Anthology will be out on the 6th of May, 2022.

You can pre-order now. Details are in the comments section. Let's be happy!

For the love of CRIME FICTION!!!

IMPERFECTION REMAINS AN INHERENT trait of man, and it reflects in diverse areas of his interest. Sometimes it's realised through a personal perspective, sometimes through some outsider's assessment. In many cases, what a certain outsider tag perfect is condemned by another. And one is left questioning the real nature of their results.

    You stumble on a story idea and begin to piece things together. You spend hours or days or weeks or months or even years trying to make it appeal as perfect.

    Now all of that's done. Completed. Your chin up, shoulder high, you present it to the world hoping to get some thumbs up, but then the reviews begin to stream in. 

    They aren't what you anticipated, rather they are torrents of bladed, spiky remarks, tearing at your efforts, goring your view of self.

    You sink into your chair, bed, whatever. Deep creases jab at your face. "I'm no good after all," you say, looking so pained. "My efforts, my time, my experiences, everything . . . they're all to no good!" Then you sob and beat yourself and . . . maybe consider pleasing your demons or . . . maybe decide to wave it off and press on.

    If you decide on the latter, you sure are in for good. 

    The fact is, the world—this damn world—expects too much from you. But can you give more than you've got? 

    There are times you come up with awesome contents and the world's like kissing your feet: you see the thumbs-ups almost poking your face; the hailing and applause have got no measure either.

    But also there are times—blue, gloomy times—when your content is as redundant as a cliche. As for that, you know what follows.

    Now that should never announce your resignation.

  Even exceptional leaders rack up bad ratings at some point in time, at some naturally unfavourable season.

    World best sportspersons, though universally accoladed, are bound to exhibit flaws at some point.

    It doesn't play down their positive significance. It doesn't erode their abilities. 

    You see, that moment of weakness is just a passing wind. And it shakes the feeble-minded. And it's capable of hurling one against the rocks.

    It all depends on your attitude—your immediate response.

    SHAKE IT OFF! 

    Even if the reviews are stabbing, they don't play down your ability. 

    YOU'RE STRONG!

    YOU'RE BRAVE!

    YOU'RE A WRITING GOD!

    When your best seems ugly, get her some cosmetics. And you're good to go!