Author: Tariq Saleim
Title: A Chronicle of Amends
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 9781491253854
Pages: 326, Paperback/Kindle
Genre: Spirituality / Religion
Author Interview with Tariq Saleim
Interview Questions for Tariq Saleim
Title: A Chronicle of Amends
Author: Tariq Saleim
Today we’re talking with Tariq Saleim, author of “A Chronicle of Amends.”
PBR: How long have you been a writer?
I started composing poetry when I was in my teens. It was all romantic back then as one would expect from a teenager. It was mostly in Urdu (my local language) and has not been published. I started writing “A Chronicle of Amends” in 2009.
PBR: What has been your greatest inspiration for writing?
In 2008, I survived an act of terrorism by pure luck. It left me deeply wounded, not physically but emotionally. For months to come, I could not get over the fact that life could have ended so suddenly and I only survived because I was lucky. My intellect, education, experience etc. played no part in my survival and it was all down to just plain luck. It was very hard for me to digest and I never really got over it.
I was thirty six years old when this incident took place. I was married and had two young kids. I was disturbed by the fact that I could have left this world suddenly without ever getting a chance to teach my young kids a thing or two about life. There was so much that I wanted to tell them, teach them and share with them.
I decided to write down everything that I would have shared with them at some stage in their lives. It took me three and a half years to pen down everything I had to say to them. Today, I am very happy that I did that. When the book was published, I presented two copies to my two children with a request to read it at some point in their lives. They are still very young and some of the stuff is way ahead of their age. But I know they will go through it when they can and that makes me very happy.
I may not always be there for them in their future, but my words and experiences will be with them for their entire lives.
PBR: You write poetry of such depth, who is your favorite poet?
I don’t have any favorites but I really like works of Omar Khayyam and Allama Muhammad Iqbal. I believe they were great philosophers and I find their works truly inspiring.
PBR: Do have a favorite genre to read?
I have had different favorites at different points in time. As a young man I read fiction a lot. Later in life I read a lot of books on finance and money matters. For the last seven to ten years I have been reading a lot of religious and spiritual books. My preferences have changed with age.
PBR: Everyone has a favorite author; do you?
Paulo Coelho and Karen Armstrong are the two authors I like a lot.
PBR: What drove you to write and publish A Chronicle of Amends?
I have already explained in point [2] above as to what drove me to write A Chronicle of Amends. When I finished the manuscript and was editing it, I realized that it may be of some use to people other than my children as well. Up until that point I was not sure if I wanted to publish it or not. It was this thought process which drove me to have it published and made available on Amazon and Kindle so that it was in everyone’s reach.
I strongly believe that if my work can help only one person find a direction; a sense of purpose in his / her life then it is worth four years of my efforts.
PBR: With this book being your debut novel, what was the most difficult aspect of putting the book together?
I am a banker by profession and no one in my family or friends have ever taken to writing or publishing a book. I had no contacts in publishing industry and did not know where to start and what to expect. Getting a book published is a difficult task and becomes even more difficult without guidance. Editing, exterior design, interior design, trim size, marketing channels, royalties, digital rights etc. were all new things to me. I was a bit taken aback by the complexity of the process. Honestly I had no idea that after you have written a manuscript there is so much to do before you can get your book out. This to me was the most difficult aspect of putting a book together. I was lucky that I found a trusted partner in Amazon who helped a lot in the process.
PBR: What would be your top three pieces of advice to new authors seeking to publish?
[a] Don’t try to misguide readers for commercial gains. When you write something you should truly believe in it and should have applied it in your own life [b] Don’t worry about critics. It is impossible to keep everyone happy in this world. Some people will like your work and some will not. This is just how it is and you cannot change it. Never stop writing because you think someone will say negative things about your work. Do listen to your critics; at times they can be your best teachers but don’t let them stop your work.[c] Readers are busy people and if you want them to spend time in reading your book then make it interesting, crisp and original.
PBR: What would be your best advice to those seeking spiritual enlightenment?
Be willing to take risks if you seek spiritual enlightenment. Path of spiritual enlightenment is that of trials and errors. You are not the only one seeking this end. Respect those who have found their path; read their works and keep moving until you find your peace.
PBR: Do you currently have any writing projects in the works?
I am working on my second book these days. It is likely to be published in fourth quarter of 2014. It explains money making techniques practiced by rich and affluent of the world. By virtue of my profession I had the fortune of working with several rich families in Asia, Middle East, Europe and United States. This book is a tribute to every self made man or women who I have ever met; who achieved financial success despite daunting odds and were willing to share their stories with me. It is targeted at young people who usually have poor money making skills and struggle in their lives. I am hoping that my book will cause them to change their work and thinking habits which is usually the reason for fin.
To learn more about “A Chronicle of Amends ” please read the review at: Pacific Book Review
