Author spotlight interview: Ankit Kumar with Monika Singh

Monika: Please tell a little bit about your author’s journey to our readers.

Ankit: To be very honest, it has been an enlightening journey. I published my first book, “On A Drive With Life!!" nearly ten years ago.

I learned that going slow, giving time to the book, and learning through mistakes is the best approach an author can take. Do not worry about getting it famous.

Just focus so that you make a loyal readership. Believe me, it is a slow process but an effective one.

Throughout the course of publishing Illume, I learned that getting validated at every point polishes the book to its perfect shape. Have patience and grow together with your book!

Monika: How does the title Illume, Ashes and the Wind: The Lost Legends of Illume Trilogy" reflect the core message of your book?

Ankit: I have always believed that Earth is the greatest creation of the Almighty. Keeping that as the essence of my book, I named Illume as the ancient name of Earth.

But this world was falling apart. There is anarchy, hatred, slavery, lust, greed, and treachery. This is not the world the Gods had envisaged.

So as the name suggests, Illume is an ashes, and the wind of change through Aryan, Avik, Ashvik, and many other heroes has just started to begin.

The legends that turned into whispers then into myths survive through our core beliefs. These lost legends would be covered through the book in three parts.

Monika: What challenges did you face while writing about such a complex trilogy that often makes everyone out their curious?

Ankit: The major challenge for every author is self-doubt, a doubt that will make my book easy to understand and still connect with the audience.

I felt this to be the most challenging part of my book. I ensured that at every juncture, I had my book validated through a voracious reader. I believe that this helped me a lot in perfecting the book.

Thought it indeed made the book completion slower than expected. I am confident that the readers would love to connect with characters and get a hold of each of their stories.

Monika: Can you shed some light on the protagonists and their journey in the book?

Ankit: In the first installment of the book, the readers might find Aryan and Avik as the major characters. Both would have gone through a tormenting childhood without parents.

Both would have suffered under the rule of a tyrant ruler, and both would have an illustrious ancestry.

But while Aryan would have to understand his legacy, learn to survive through treachery, and find unexpected friends before finding recognition.

Avik would lead a revolution, which would blind his discretion in due course of time. I would not prefer to divulge more secrets and would leave it up to the readers to ponder more!

Monika: Can you discuss a specific twist in the story of Aryan that affects lifestyle choices, as the character Aryan does?

Ankit: You don’t have to be always brilliant to be successful. One just needs to understand the circumstances and have the will to act at the right time.

Many of us find it easy to be tied to our daily lives and chores. The same is with Aryan. He was an average person, and at the start of the book, he doesn’t even know who his parents were.

But he always had the desire to do something new. If we have a burning desire, no matter how we have been sent by God on to Earth, we will never be at peace until we achieve what we aimed for.

Aryan’s will to find himself made him the first Pragyam Commander. More of which readers could find in the book.

Monika: What do you hope readers will take away from the book and the journey of Aryan and his transformation?

Ankit: The hero is someone who might not be perfect, but he or she must have the courage to defy the odds presented by destiny. Aryan is one such character.

He was an orphan. His foster family was murdered. He was sent to a war camp and treated like vermin. He survived numerous wars, and still he was able to find friends who became his family.

The Four Friends, the first chapter, defines most of his journey. He failed his friends even though his intentions were good. He was despised for his ancestry.

I mean, Aryan was not perfect, but he always found unexpected friends, and his intention to do something good never wavered his heart.

He transformed from a boy to a man in the first installment. And I hope that the readers will take this journey as a part of their own experiences.

Because somewhere we all have an Aryan lurking to prove oneself.

Monika: How did you develop the character of the wise Ved Vidhyesh?

Ankit: I was always fascinated by the stories of Emperor Chandragupta and Chanakya.

For me, Chanakya was the wisest individual, who through Chandragupta removed the mighty Nanda King from the throne of Magadha. I wished Ved Vidhyesh to be not very different.

But obviously, the circumstance in Illume is quite different. Ved is also a fierce warrior, and though he is very learned, he might not always be right.

But the duo of Aryan and Ved would lead the world of Illume towards light, as was originally expected by the Gods.

Monika: Please tell about some secondary characters from this book who played an important role in the main character’s lifestyle transformation.

Ankit: Abhaya was the first mentor of Aryan. He followed him wherever Aryan went.

He always had his back, but he always ensured that Aryan’s tendency to get in trouble was always kept in check.

It was Abhaya’s guidance that entangled Aryan’s desire to act with discretion.

Aryan realized that using your brain and having patience saves most of your troubles.

Be in Touch!

Monika