‘Keep writing and keep knocking on doors’

Karan Verma’s debut novel Jack and Master is a story of two friends and the triumph of human spirit. It has the right mix of romance, mystery and adventure. The author talks about his book:

What inspired you to write this book?
It was one of those crazy days during my engineering when on one same day, I got myself lined up with a placement interview, a national debate, an interview call for MBA and a theatre play where I was the narrator… (laughs) Don’t ask me how the day ended... That’s another story altogether. But that day, I was referred to as a ‘Jack of all’ around a dozen times. That’s where it dawned on me, do I want to be a ‘Jack of all’ or a ‘Master of one’. The story was in my subconscious since childhood. I’ve always been fascinated by cult figures and folk heroes. For me Jack and Master are the manifestations of my childhood heroes which range from Bollywood icons to Steve Jobs to Sachin Tendulkar to Michael Jackson.

Between Jack-of-all-trades and master-of-one, who is more likely to be successful in today’s world?  
Success is pretty relative for both Jack and Master, and I believe both are successful in their own ways. For Jack, it’s all about the moment, about living life to the maximum. For Master, it is all about the legacy you leave behind. Legacy or moments? That’s a tough call. That is pretty much the bigger question asked in the novel.

What would you suggest to young readers?
I would advise them to read the book and decide for themselves. Honestly, it’s a call one gets from within. Both have their place in society. The last line of the book sums it for me — “It takes a Jack to pull off any string in the world. However, it takes a Master to touch the chord of greatness”.

Any tips for aspiring authors?
Never let your passion die down, no matter what anybody tells you. It’s a crazy competitive world out there, all that’s going to carry you through is your unrelenting passion and belief. So just keep writing and keep knocking on the doors!