Globally educated and widely travelled, Neelam is a Bestselling Author and Life Skills
Coach.Neelam Kumar writes and speaks to inspire.
During the pandemic, her recent release—the TBB backed “I am Invincible-Thirteen True Tales of Courage, Grit and Survival” as well as her 12 episode Talk Show “The Invincible Talks” became a lighthouse of hope, courage and positivity for all.
Among her 10 bestsellers are India’s 1 st humorous book on cancer, followed by its Graphic Novel version, funded by legends Mr Amitabh Bachchan and Mr Ratan Tata. Also among her acclaimed books is the one she co-authored with the legendary Mr. Khushwant Singh and the more recent “Healed” which is actor Manisha Koirala’s biography.
Neelam Kumar
Mumbai
@lifecoachneelam
Corporate.lounge@gmail.com
www.neelamkumar.in
1. Who and what inspired you to write?
My primary school education was in a non-English speaking country. So, coming back to India and getting admission into a fancy Convent school turned out to be a nightmare.
I think it was my determination to overcome my teacher’s prediction that I would never learn the English language became my inspiration to write. I toppled that prediction by writing 10 books in English—most of them bestsellers.
2. What challenges did you face while writing and getting published?
I used to be fascinated by the fluency and ease with which my parents, Mr O N Panchalar and Mrs Urmila Panchalar wrote their books in Hindi and Russian. As a young girl, I dreamt of becoming like them.
So I started writing very early in life. In fact I was convinced that my first book (which came out in 1992) would be an earth-shaking experience for all. Sadly, nothing like that happened.
Those were the Stone Ages for English writing in India. With no Google to help me, I had to make long train journeys to Delhi from Bokaro Steel Plant where I was working then, my manuscripts held tightly in my clasp.
Trust me, it was a nightmarish experience going from one publisher to the other. They behaved like arrogant gods and were very dismissive of an unknown writer. I remember one publisher actually asking me, “How many bedroom scenes are there in your book? I need those to be able to sell. Look at the new writer -S.D. who is emerging. Her books sell. Go learn something about this business before writing anything.”
Humiliation was something dished out in abundance to unknown writers from publishers who knew nothing about the art of writing.
Had it not been for my passion for writing, I would have crumbled and stopped writing. I did not, thankfully.
Later on, Divine Justice played its cards when my Mentor Mr Khushwant Singh called the fellow up to inform him what a great writer I was, after our book, “Our Favorite Indian Stories” by Khushwant Singh and Neelam Kumar became a bestseller.
Cut to present: I felt a wicked sense of satisfaction when the same publisher literally began begging me to publish a book with their publishing house.
So the challenge was of facing humiliation from publishers who treated writing as a “bricks and mortar business” without respecting the sensitivity of a writer or having the foggiest idea about literature.
The door-to-door experience used to be a very humbling one. Besides, they all demanded big sums, which I refused to part with.
3. How did you come to know about the literary agency THE BOOK BAKERS?
And then appeared The Book Bakers on the literary firmament! Actually I got to know Suhail and Sumedha before I came to know about their Lit agency. As Providence would have it, we were all travelling in the same car to the Khandala Lit Fest.
I remember thinking, “What an adorable couple they are! This young man knows so much about the English writing scenario!”
And on coming back after I researched his agency, I slapped myself for having been so ignorant. How I wished I had not remained a nose-dug-in-writing ostrich!
I was both shocked and happy. Shocked, because The Book Bakers had to its credit a glorious history of achievements. Happy, because now my door-to-door travails for manuscript-acceptance would come to an end.
I had someone knowledgeable to “pitch” my book to numerous publishers, all of whom Suhail knew personally.
A huge sigh of relief there!
4. How did THE BOOK BAKERS help you and what would you like to say about them ?
They are the best. And I am super grateful for having them in my life. I have no doubt that they will keep soaring higher and blazing brighter through India’s literary firmament with each passing year.
5. How do you see literary success for yourself?
Well, I think my life mission was pointed out to me after my two cancers. I wrote India’s first joyous books on cancer, followed by its graphic novel version and Manisha Koirala’s biography, “Healed”. It was very satisfying to see how many distressed cancer warriors my cancer books could help.
And then came the Lockdown. My mission expanded to writing meaningful, inspiring books.
Out of this felt need was born “I am Invincible-Thirteen True Tales of Courage, Grit and Survival” which was successfully pitched by Book Bakers to Fingerprint publishers. I was delightfully taken aback by the response it got from readers who found it to be a lighthouse of courage and hope during the Lockdown.
With the Lockdown extending longer than expected and the air becoming heavy with grief and a general feeling of hopelessness, I decided to reach out to readers and viewers digitally.
I thus created the hugely popular 12-series of videos titled “The Invincible Talks”. These 20 minute power shots of courage showcased my interviews with the invincible heroes from my book. They include a gangrape survivor, a domestic abuse survivor and a Heart & Kidney transplant thriver.
Watching these brave adversity fighters, viewers felt that if they can do it, so can I.
My talks are available on my You tube channel- “Inspiring Talks by Neelam Kumar”
So, for me, literary success means writing and creating content that is meaningful and helpful for humanity. That is the reason I switched from writing fiction to writing non-fiction.
I hope to inspire many more people through my books and the spoken word. Literary success for me would mean expanding this sacred space.
6. When can we expect your next book?
Several ideas. Several offers.
But as soon as something excites me enough to grab it, I will. My heart has to feel bowled over.
Until then the factory of my brain is busy brewing cocktails and concoctions.
7. Any message or tips for aspiring authors?
Dear aspiring writers,
Do you know how lucky you are? You have Google and you have The Book Bakers. I am envious!
Having started writing in the 80’s and 90’s, I was one of the Pioneer writers of English language books in India. Along with others, I have worked and struggled hard to dig up a path for you.
I remember people saying, “When you write names like Sarita and Sanjay in an English book, it sounds funny. We are used to Sam and Cindy.”
Yet we ploughed on, getting readers used to this new trend. Changing perceptions and tastes. And we did a lot of physical labour.
Shall I tell you how I wrote “Our Favourite Indian Stories by Khushwant Singh and Neelam Kumar?”
I was learning the art and science of writing a bestseller from the literary giant and hard task master, Mr Khushwant Singh. He had seen a spark of brilliance in the amateurish books I wrote before he made me the offer of co-authoring a book with him.
With no Google to help me, I had to travel to each State of India to collect and translate hitherto unknown, untranslated literary gems in regional languages of India to make them accessible to English-speaking readers. I also did a lot of footwork to physically visit Sahitya Akademis., libraries and unknown regional authors across the country.
And every time I cribbed about the hard work he was putting me through, he would say, “America ke liye kafi kur liya, apne desh ke liye kya kiya? Kaisi writer hai tu?”
That would quieten me down. I always felt I was working towards a bigger cause.
Our book become a bestseller. What did I gain?
The precious secret of writing bestsellers was finally revealed to me. I also received invaluable training from a litterateur of Mr Khushwant Sigh’s stature.
Dear aspiring writers! I have bruised my knees and skinned my elbows to create space for Indian writing in English. The path is carved out for you. Now, it is up to you to pave it with gold.
BOOK NAME : I AM INVINCIBLE
PUBLISHER : FINGERPRINT PUBLISHING
BOOK SYNOPSIS/BLURB :
Have you ever been in the bottom-most pit of despair? And then, through your own efforts, worked yourself up out of the pit onto the cliff in front, kept climbing it despite bruised knees and bleeding elbows until you reached right up to finally experience the ecstasy of the breathtaking view from the top?
That is the feeling I call true happiness. Nothing outside us can compare with this kind of happiness.
Here are inspiring tales of thirteen “Warriors of Life” who have done exactly this! They have fought bravely and not only triumphed, but gone on to build lives more beautiful than the ones they had inherited.
Allow them to inspire you towards new possibilities, towards the enjoyment of each twist and turn down life’s road, towards the realisation and wisdom that difficulties and overcoming them are what make our “passing through this planet” the most amazing part of our human experience.
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