This month, I have Nod Ghosh, one of New Zealand’s best writers of short form fiction, on the blog. Nod’s stories have won prizes and many pieces have been published in New Zealand and overseas, including in Landfall, London Grip, Connotation Press, Blue Fifth Review, The Citron Review, Spelk Fiction and Mindfood.
K: What is an early book / author that inspired you to write? What are you reading now?
As a pre-teen, I was part of a coven of kids who corresponded using stamps and paper and envelopes. Two of my pen friends were avid readers and regularly recommended books. I can’t remember most of what we read now. One member of the group began writing plays and short stories based on what we were reading, which ranged from classics such as “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll through to 1970s comic strips featuring teen idols. The rest of us followed suit. The “novels” we wrote became more surreal and complex through the years. The group fizzed out when we were in our late teens and became more interested in sex and alcohol.
I’m currently reading “Mazarine” by Charlotte Grimshaw.
K: What is your daily writing schedule like?
There is a bedside notepad for writing morning words, though it’s not used regularly. Unless it’s a weekend or day off, this annoyance called “work” gets in the way, though I do sometimes take my laptop with me if I’m in the middle of writing something, so I can continue in my lunch break. In the evening, I may start off by doing a critique for someone, then stretch out like a cat on a beanbag in front of the fire and write or edit. Sometimes the actual cat gets there first. It’s the warmest place in the house. A battle ensues. Our old cat Bailey used to run across the laptop keys. He died six months ago, but not without leaving some amazing prompts. He knew the difference between a claws and a phrase.
K: What are you most proud of?
Finishing things. Teaching stuff. Encouraging other writers. Learning to read and write cat language.
K: What do you hope people get out of your work?
If my writing makes someone feel that little tug in their chest that radiates outwards and can sometimes make you cry, I will be happy. I don’t know if I’ve ever managed to achieve that yet, but I suspect I may have been responsible for a few bad cases of wind.
K: If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
Read. Don’t wait to be discovered. Read. Get your work out there. Read. Enrol on a writing course. Read. Learn to write properly. Read. Oh, and read.
Thank you for the opportunity, Kim.
K: You’re most welcome.
The Book
You can buy ‘The Crazed Wind’ eBook at these sites:
• Amazon Kindle – http://bit.ly/WindKin
• and Kobobooks – http://bit.ly/WindKob
Find ‘The Crazed Wind’ in other formats here:
https://truthserumpress.net/catalo…/fiction/the-crazed-wind/
The Bio
Nod Ghosh lives in Christchurch, New Zealand. Publications include a novella-in-flash ‘The Crazed Wind’ (Truth Serum Press July 2018), inclusion in anthologies Sleep is A Beautiful Colour (U.K. 2017 NFFD), Landmarks (U.K. 2015 NFFD), Love on the Road 2015 (Liberties Press) and various online or print journals. Further details: http://www.nodghosh.com/about/