About Sachita D Ramdin:
I hold a PhD in Cultural Anthropology and have been writing fiction, nonfiction, research papers, conference papers, speeches, scripts for Television Documentaries, poems, journal articles, to name a few for the past 20+ years of my academic career.
With a good command of the English and French languages, my research interests have been particularly focused on Cultural Studies (Folk Culture, Mythology, Ancient lore, Superstition and Popular Beliefs, Life After Death topics, Wicca and Oral Traditions). My academic career has been mostly dedicated to research work on Oral History, Oral Literature, Folk Religion and Folk Music.
I have headed Tertiary Education Institutions as Head of Department, Officer-in-Charge and Assistant Director.
I am also a freelance TV Screen Writer and Producer, and I continue to write and produce feature documentaries National TV Channel, revealing unexpected facets of the national folk heritage of the country. My TV Program Series are also broadcast on International TV networks such as TV 5 Monde (Afrique), Tempo and CIRTEF).
I am also a vocal artist, having published several musical albums (33LP & CD), and earned an esteemed place in the hearts of traditional music-lovers of my country.
I am also also a naturalist — a staunch and dedicated promoter of green causes and I am presently writing books on traditional medicinal plants. My other passions include animals and Mother Nature. I believe in the dictum which says: “When Mother Nature Takes Her Course,
Man Stands and Stares…”
I was recently awarded the Presidents’ Distinguished Medal for Services in Culture (PDSM) for my relentless contribution in the socio cultural fields of my country.
What inspires you to write?
Nature – Mother Nature! Since childhood I have been very close to Nature. I live on the edge of a forest which almost communicates with me; I can understand the language of the stream there which sometimes gurgles happily, sometimes rushes furiously in torrents; I befriend the birds who come daily to my backyard, almost eating from my hands.
However, I have also listened to the wailing of mighty trees as they fell through the ruthless cuttings and destruction; I have seen daily the rivers carrying heavily and grudgingly man’s waste products; I have seen bats being destroyed in great numbers as they come stealing the orchard fruits at night because their forest have been looted by men… Yes I have been inspired; but Nature – my universe – is no longer happy form the outside! It is sad from the inside! Therefore I write…I write about the creatures who are around; about this world which is fast on its feet.but almost failing to see its ultimate destination!
Tell us about your writing process.
I was a sort of outliner at first, working with card boards, pen and paper.
But since I discovered Scrivener, I am as happy as lark and couldn’t ask for more. Scrivener does all the work for me. I just have to feed it with my thoughts and ideas. My characters, places, descriptions, all stay there in one place until the book is completed. Great gift to authors! It’s a bit tedious to handle in the beginning, but once there, you will stick to it.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
Mmmm… I would say, once I create my character – I mean once I give him or her a body with specific features — I feel they just take wing and start doing things on their own. I have often planned things for a particular character in the book, but once the writing starts, I find myself following their dictates and their movements. I enjoy letting my characters go their own way, for they do become real when they start interacting among themselves and also with me!
What advice would you give other writers?
Writing is using one’s imagination to the maximum. Only imagination leads to creative excellence. But yes, once you have your story, draw an outline, bring in your characters, give them each a role, and then sit and write, for they will do the rest for you. You may even be surprised that the ending is sometimes not what you expected it to be!
How did you decide how to publish your books?
All authors, after completing a book, needs to publish. My need is the same. All artists need an audience to feel their art is acknowledged. In the same way, no author can survive without readers. Therefore the need to publish. Digital printing and publishing are god-sent boons to us authors. I am the kind of person who still need to feel a book (a physical book) in my hand, to smell the fragrance of the crispy pages and to curl in bed with it in my hand. However, I have also come to appreciate the advantages of digital books. Just imagine having 400 books on my Kindle device and at my bedside, ready to be opened! So thinking of both traditional and trendy readers, I decided to self publish in both formats. I advise all authors to go for both digital and paper format. The audio version is also not to be neglected.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
Book publishing is like Mother Nature. Today man stands haughtily against her in the hope of curbing her strength to his. But little does man know that Nature had been there when he wasn’t; and that she will continue to be there when he will be gone forever. Nature is eternal.
So are books and so is book publishing. As long as there is this thirst for knowledge, this desire to know, to share and to shape ideas, to exchange thoughts, books cannot be annihilated. We don’t need crystal balls to know the future of books. In today’s world where eBooks are skyrocketing, printed books (which started some 600 years ago) are still going strong.Of course, more people are reading now, making us a well-read society. But man also needs longevity and tangibility. If we still can read century-old books today, why shouldn’t we be able to do so in the next century? Books will continue as long as the civilized world continues.
What genres do you write?: Metaphysical, Visionary, Paranormal, Philosophical, Romance
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
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All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
