Author A.X. AHMAD on His Craft
A.X. AHMAD was raised in India, educated at Vassar College and M.I.T., and has worked as an international architect. He is the author of THE CARETAKER (2013), the first in a trilogy from St. Martin’s Press featuring ex-Indian Army Captain Ranjit Sin Mgh. His second book, THE LAST TAXI RIDE, about the murder of a Bollywood actress, was published in June 2014. He splits his time between Washington, D.C. and Brooklyn. More about him at: axahmad.com
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Interview by Rasna Kaur
Your latest novel, The Last Taxi Ride was JUST published this past month. What can you tell us readers about the newest addition to the series?
THE LAST TAXI RIDE is about Ranjit Singh, an Indian cab driver in New York City. He gives a ride to a famous Bollywood actress who is visiting. The next day, the actress is found dead, and Ranjit is accused of the murder. He then has 10 days to clear his name.
The main story of the book is Ranjit’s search through the underbelly of New York to find the murderer. There is also the story of the Bollywood actress’s life, and how she was involved with the Mumbai mafia.
You’ve worked internationally as an architect. What about writing and being an author appeals to you?
Even when I was an architect, I’d wake up early in the morning and write fiction before going to work. Over the years, I wrote two novels that remained ‘in the drawer’ and were never published, because I didn’t have the time or the skill to really shape them. Architecture is a very demanding profession, and by the time I hit 40, I realized that I could not do both. It was time to pursue my dream of writing, so I began to write full time.
I come from a family of storytellers, and I grew up in India hearing stories from my grandmothers, aunts and uncles. Then I went to boarding school, and we had no television, so we told stories to each other. I count myself lucky that I grew up in this world, because I learned how to tell a good story!
What I love about being an author is starting out with just a vague idea about the story- and then, as I am writing, it comes to life, with characters and dialogue, and begins to go off in directions I had not anticipated.
For example, in THE LAST TAXI RIDE, I write about the world of taxi drivers in New York, about the human hair trade, about the Indo-Guyanese community, and about the life of a Bollywood actress.
Which authors inspire you? Do you have a favorite Indian American author or novel you suggest we read?
Growing up in the 70s, there were few Indian writers being published in English. Then, in the 80s, the explosion started in Indian fiction. There are so many books that have fed my imagination and inspired me to take a risk with my writing: these were brave books, books that blazed new pathways: Rohinton Mistry’s ‘Swimming Lessons’, Michael Ondaatje’s ‘The English Patient’, Bharati Mukherjee’s ‘The Middleman and Other Stories’, Romesh Gunasekara’s ‘Monkfish Moon’.
I am particularly indebted to Vikram Chandra, whose epic novel ‘Sacred Games’ created a whole world for me: the book is about a policeman in Mumbai investigating a Mafia Don. It was the first time I had seen crime fiction by an Indian author, and it made me want to write in that genre. Of course, good crime fiction is always more than just plot: and Chandra’s work is a mix of amazing writing and a gripping narrative.
Unlike many South Asian authors, your characters and stories play out in America rather than in India. Why tell Indian-American stories instead of Indian stories?
I grew up in India, but I’ve lived in America for 30 years. This is my home now. So it seems natural that my books are set in America, but are told from an Indian American’s point of view.
I think that I am part of a new generation of Indian American writers. We do not want to be restricted to writing about the immigrant experience, nostalgia, arranged marriages, mango trees, spices etc. These are old tropes, and have already been written about extensively. And ultimately, sticking to such stories limits Indian American writers, and puts us inside a box.
That is why I wanted to write crime novels set in America- but told from the point of view of an Indian Army Captain who is now an immigrant. It was a very liberating decision for me, because now I was not restricted in my subject matter, and I could really explore what it feels like to be an Indian American in post 9/11 America.
Your trilogy – including The Caretaker (2013) and recently published The Last Taxi Ride (2014) – is centered on a Sikh protagonist, Ranjit Singh. What has been your experience with the Sikh community?
I chose to write a Sikh protagonist because I wanted a main character who is tough, and who has a lot of martial skills. Sikhs have been in the Indian Army for generations, and there are many Sikh officers. Another reason was that in post 9/11 America, Sikhs, with their turbans and beards, have become lightning rods for xenophobia and all sorts of misconceptions. I wanted to explore that situation in my writing.
My character, Ranjit Singh, is an honorable man, who is struggling to find a home in America, struggling to keep his faith, and to re-build his life here. He is complex man, both traditional and modern, both Indian and American. I think he represents a lot of the struggles that we, as Indian Americans, go through in our daily lives.
You’ve stated that the trilogy is about Ranjit Singh, the main character, “trying to find his place in America.” As an immigrant yourself, are there any parts of the book that are, perhaps, autobiographical?
Like all writers, I draw on my own emotional experiences to create my characters. All my characters- whether they are a cab driver, or a Bollywood actress–are my creations, and I have used my emotional experiences and my observations to bring them to life.
That being said, none of the characters are me! I’m a pretty boring, solitary guy. I spend my days sitting in a coffee shop, writing and making up stories. My characters are much more interesting, and lead exciting lives!
Finally, what tips can you share with the aspiring fiction writers out there?
As Indian Americans, we are trained to value engineers, doctors, and computer programmers, but the arts seem too risky for us. Because of this mindset, it took me many years to take my writing seriously, and to devote time to it.
My main piece of advice to aspiring writers is that you need to practice your craft. Don’t wait around for the perfect situation, or for inspiration to strike. Give yourself time to learn how to write. Take classes, and most importantly, share your work with other writers you trust.
I could not have written two books if it wasn’t for my writer friends, who have encouraged me and given me great feedback. Yes, writing is a solitary business, but you also need a supportive community of writers.
I just co-judged a writing contest for India Currents magazine, and the stories I read by Indian Americans were fantastic. So there is definitely a lot of talent out there, and many interesting voices. Keep writing, and persevere!
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