 Pranab Ghosh is a journalist, writer, poet, translator and blogger. He writes a blog “Existential Problems”. His poems and prose pieces have been published and accepted by Tuck Magazine, Transendent Zero Press, Scarlet Leaf Review, Literature Studio Review, Leaves of Ink, Hans India, Dissident Voice etc. He has co-authored a book of poems, titled Air & Age. He has to his credit a translation of a book of Bengali short stories titled Shantiramer Cha, authored by Bitan Chakraborty. The title of the English translation is Bougainvillea and Other Stories. Welcome to Scarlet Leaf Review! Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your background. I did my graduation with honours in English literature from Scottish Church College in Kolkata and then went on to do my masters in Journalism from Calcutta University. While in school I extensively took part in various debate and recitation competitions and had won many prizes. This continued during the university years as well. I eat non-vegetarian dishes. I generally do not take alcoholic drinks. I am a law-abiding, God-fearing person. Q: Do you think that your school years have had an impact in your writing career? If so, what were you like at school? Yes, my school years have had an impact on my writing career. My first poem in English was published in my School magazine. I was in Class Six then, age 11 years. I was considered a good student. According to my teachers my English was above average compared to the peers I had. Q: Were you good at English or like Einstein you excel now in a field that was a nightmare for you as a student? Same as above. Q: What are your future ambitions for your writing career? I want to carry on with my writing. Write better stuff and excel with each publishing work. At the back of my mind I cherish a desire to bag literary awards based on the merit of my writing skills. Q: Which poets have inspired you and how? What was their impact on your work or your literary perspective? The Romantic poets of English literature, especially John Keats, have had an impact on me while I was in College. This apart, Rabindranath Tagore has been an influence. These poets have impacted my inner thoughts and that at times that get reflected in my writings. Q: So, would you mind telling us what you have written so far? I have been a journalist for years and have written several articles till date. While in Hindustan Times, Delhi, I wrote several stories related to education for young adults and that was an enriching experience. At present I write for Business India, a premier business magazine of India. These apart I have co-authored a book of poems – Air and Age and have translated a book of Bengali short stories into English. Apart from the recently published Soul Searching and Other Poems the above mentioned two books had been my published works. I have seriously taken to writing poetry and fiction for the past two years. Q: Where can we buy or see them? Those could be bought online. On Amazon and other sites. Q: What are you working on at the minute? What’s it about? t present I am working on a book of poems. It is more or less complete. I am fine tuning and rewriting. The name of this proposed book of poems is Karma-Cola. Q: What genre are your books and what draws you to this genre? I write poetry and short stories. I have not restricted myself to any genre. You as my publisher would be in a better position to say in which genre my poetry falls. Q: When did you decide to become a poet? What was the decisive factor or you just took a pen and starting writing poems? I was toying with the idea for years. But couple of years ago I met a student of mine who had formed a band by then and was the lead singer in it. He wanted me to write songs for them. The subsequent discussions with him did not take place, but I became a poet in the process. Q: What makes you write? What’s the force behind taking your pen (or your keyboard) and put verses down? My inner being. That I think as I live. That there is a living and responsive world around me that laughs, cries and bleeds. The power of life and everything surrounding it forces me to take up a pen and write. Q: Do you write full-time or part-time? Do you have a special time to write or do you write every day, 5 days a week or as and when? I have been a journalist. That’s my profession. And as a poet, short-story writer – that’s a part-time affair. It is very difficult to sustain as a full-time author, at least for me till now. But things might change. You never know. At times I write on all the days in a week and at times there is a lull for weeks together. I have to earn a living and life has been difficult. Let’s see. Q: Where do your ideas come from? Or is it just the spur of the moment, a special feeling you experience or a specific conjuncture that offers you inspiration? From life around and from my inner self. Q: How do you think you’ve evolved creatively? The process of evolving is continuing. Q: In your opinion, what is the hardest thing about writing? To take the decision that you will seriously take up writing as a profession. Q: Now, what about the easiest thing about writing? The scope that you are giving vent to your deepest thought process; that you are sharing with people most of whom, may be you will never meet. Q: Do you ever get writer’s Block and if so do you have any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block? As of now there has been no writer’s block. But certainly there are times when you scratch your head and do not know what to write about. Of late, existential problems are keeping me away from writing. Life’s difficult as you are required to earn a living. The concept of a professional poet is yet to take root in India. We are all like part-time poets. Q: Do you read much and if so who are your favorite authors? For your own reading, do you prefer eBooks or traditional paper/hard back books? Well the list is long. And at this moment I do not have the mind to go for a short list. I prefer traditional paper. Q: What book/s are you reading at present? An anthology of Indian poets and a book on brand journalism. Q: Do you proofread/edit all your own books or do you get someone to do that for you? I do it myself. Q: Do you let the book stew – leave it for a month and then come back to it to edit? No. I do it as I finish writing it, unless it is a compilation work like the current one. Q: Who edited your last book and how did you select him/her? I edited my last book and it was re-edited by the publisher himself. Q: Tell us about the covers of your books. How did it/they come about? No comments. Q: Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process? Yes I do. Q: What would you say are the main advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing against being published or the other way around? No comments. Q: How do you market your books, if you do the marketing yourself? I do not do marketing myself and I do not have the right knowledge about books marketing. Q: Would you or do you use a PR agency? I have till date not used any PR agency. Given my current financial status I would not be in a position to afford one now. May be in future. Q: Do you have any advice for other authors on how to market their books? No comments. Q: What part of your writing time do you devote to marketing your book? None. Q: What do you do to get book reviews? Till date I have not done anything substantial apart from visiting one local English newspaper office and giving them the copies of my two published books. Q: How successful has your quest for reviews been so far? I have not had much of success. All the reviews and good ones, mind you that I have had till date had been my publisher’s work. Q: Do you have a strategy for finding reviewers? As of now I do not have a strategy. I would like to leave it to my publisher. Q: What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews? It should be taken in the stride. Q: Any amusing story about marketing books that happened to you? None. Q: What are your views on social media for marketing?Which social network worked best for you?Any tips on what to do and what not to do? Social media is very important. But I am not that social media savvy, especially from the point of exploiting it. I would need my publisher’s help. Q: Did you do a press release, Goodreads book launch or anything else to promote your work and did it work? My publisher did the press releases and the book launches. The response was good. Q: Did you get interviewed by local press/radio for your book launch? My Air and Age was launched in the Benaras University. Local press spoke to me and covered the launch as well. Q: Is there any marketing technique you used that had an immediate impact on your sales figures? None. Q: Why do you think that other well written books just don’t sell? Lack of proper marketing and ‘luck’. Q: What do you think of “trailers” for books? Not a bad idea. Q: Do you have a trailer or do you intend to create one for your own book/s? I did not think of this, I mean trailers till date. Your question has put in motion the concept. Q: Do you think that giving books away free works and why? No, it doesn’t work barring for the reviews. Q: How do you relax? I read or just lie down with my eyes closed. At times I watch movies as well. Meditation could be an option too. Q: What is your favorite motivational phrase? What is your favorite positive saying? Never say die. Do or die. Q: What is your favorite book and why? My favourite book is one written in Bengali called Pather Panchali (Song of the Road) written by Bibhutibhusan Bandopadhyay and famous Satyajit Ray movie later on. It was the movie that launched his illustrious career as a film director. Q: What is your favorite quote? To be or not to be that is the question. Q: Where can you see yourself in 5 years-time? You tell me. I would like to touch the stars. Q: What advice would you give to your younger self? Never say die. Quitters are cowards. Q: Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why? Salman Rushdie. His Midnight’s Children made me envious of him. Q: If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why? Midnight’s Children. The subject has been so close to my heart. Q: What advice would you give to aspiring writers? Same as the one I would give to my younger self. Q: Where do you see publishing going in the future? Places. But I think the journey would be digital. Q: Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included? Nothing. It was exhaustive. Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview.  If you enjoy poetry, then you will enjoy these poems that originate from deep meditation upon the world and people making up this world. These poems reveal deep thoughts and desires but they also point to the bleakness of reality. The poet raises his voice against oppression and terrorism and speaks against war, terrorism and violence, with the same easiness he finds in revealing the deepest desires of the heart. Contradictions depicts nuances that people usually don’t want to notice or try to hide. Ghosh’s darker poems touch on the erosion of the human values and point to the greed for power leading to destruction. In the poet’s words: “Man’s craving to stand up against all that is negative, all that is against human values – to stand up against oppression and injustice had been juxtaposed with man’s eternal wish to take refuge in the Eternal, the Divine. Side by side poems of great human values, there are lighter reads on love bordering on mischievous take on the fair sex.” Pranab Ghosh’s Soul Searching and Other Poems is a collection of several verses with varied flavor and source. While Ghosh, as I found him a loner, is engaged in exploring ‘self,’ his other poems are essentially derived from the material world. A must read book, especially whoever appreciates philosophy in verses. Kiriti Sengupta www.kiritisengupta.com 
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 FETHI SASSI was born on the 1st of June 1962 in Nabeul Tunisia. He writes prose poetry and short poems. He participated in several national literary meetings. He is a member of the Tunisian Writers' Union and a member of the Literature Club at the cultural center of Sousse. His first book of poetry entitled "A Seed of Love" was published in the year 2010. The second entitled "I dream .... And I sign on birds the last words " in 2013. The third book of poetry "A sky for a strange bird" was published in Egypt as well as a short poem book entitled "All the universe is only the face of my beloved". Welcome to Scarlet Leaf Review! Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your background. My name is FETHI SASSI. I m a poet from Tunisia in the north of Africa; born in 1962 in Nabeul; very attached to learning and writing. I have four Arabic poetry books; and some others translated … coming soon. Q: Do you think that your school years have had an impact in your writing career? If so, what were you like at school? Really; I was a child with a great interest in studying, always in the first rank with a great interest in books and reading. At the same time, I collected the best expressions to make wonderful texts that’s why I ‘m going with great love to the prose poetry where the pictures are the most important. On the other hand, I was had a scientific reasoning and love for mathematics and this world of writing. They were very organized and fulfilling. Q: Were you good at English or like Einstein you excel now in a field that was a nightmare for you as a student? I like English and German languages … only because English is one of the keys which I can use to open most of the closed doors. Because of my translations I stepped worldwide and I am near readers from everywhere. Q: What are your future ambitions for your writing career? I have a lot of ambition but the most important is to bestow my poetic voice all over the world; I would like to cry for all and whisper: we all are brothers and we need love… and nothing more than love. Another ambition is to translate for the Arabic library the work of many poets and know the poetry all over and the different ways of fulfilment. Q: Which poets have inspired you and how? What was their impact on your work or your literary perspective? Before, I was interested in the poets of the pre-Islamic era, to build and have a strong and a correct writing with the desert meaning first to love and fly. But in the secondary school, my purpose was on the poet full of dreams and desire, Nizar Kabani . His poetry has taught me how to love and how to respect a woman. And this beauty, the woman, can be everything: motherland, life and so on. But it was not lonely. I have been inspired by several creators as Saadi, Darwish, Ounsi, Maghout and many others. Q: So, would you mind telling us what you have written so far When I was twelve years old, I began to write my first poems. I was learning how to walk on the whiteness but I always felt that I was describing to the world how I felt, and how I saw all things. In 2008 I ‘ve decided to present my writing to the club of literary creators of Sousse and decided finally to publish my first book on 2010 (seeds of love) and in 2013 I dream …and I sign on birds my last words. In 2016, I published A sky for a strange bird and in 2017 As a lone rose … on a chair together with my first translated book with Scarlet House in Canada - And you are the entire poem. Q: Where can we buy or see them? I would like to put all my Arabic poem books on Amazon site to begin advertising my poems to the entire world but I do not find the help to do it. (I would like to find a person that can seriously help me to put them in all the sellers sites). Q: What genre are your books and what draws you to this genre? My books are a ticket to the heaven of love. They are a cup of wine with the smell of passion, a little journey on the waves with a breeze of happiness … a wonderful butterfly flying on the edge of every heart. Q: When did you decide to become a poet? What was the decisive factor or you just took a pen and starting writing poems? When I was twelve, I tried writing for the first time. It was a challenge to be different from others. In the darkness of my room, when all the world is asleep, some deep whispers come to my mind as an inspiration for a coming prophet. But surely there is in my heart a sadness never been slept for one day … this pain Is only the ink of my writing that told …where here you are?? What do you do in this empty world lonely as a story never to be told. Too many questions but no answers , and surely the poetry is no more that a question but with no answer . Q: What makes you write? What’s the force behind taking your pen (or your keyboard) and put verses down? Pain is my direction. Happiness never led to creation; only the sadness full of questions takes you far to the philosophic way of being; it is the force and the power made especially for all writers to give the real meaning and explain issues.But surely the method of writing is different from one to another; one take his pen to make this creation and other his brush to draw as Socrates [said] to" Videros" in "The Conversations " Do you know "Videros " What makes the writing marvelous It is that is resembles painting tremendously? and so on; too much method but the main purpose is the search for the absent answers. Q: Do you write full-time or part-time? Do you have a special time to write or do you write every day, 5 days a week or as and when? I am mad of writing; I try to write non stop to take the real breath for Life. When inspiration comes with all devils to dance on whiteness; take it by hand and fly with to the far sky. But I feel the night would be the time more efficient to create a wonderful words. Q: Where do your ideas come from? Or is it just the spur of the moment, a special feeling you experience or a specific conjuncture that offers you inspiration? My feelings offer me usually the prayers of writing Q: How do you think you’ve evolved creatively? Step by step is the long travel of writing. Every book is really a step; is a part of my experience. Q: In your opinion, what is the hardest thing about writing? The first moment of birth .. the moment when one discovers the world after a big silence in The memory. This moment is a cesarean birth that separates life and death’ it is the fugitive moment coming with a full inspiration . Q: Now, what about the easiest thing about writing? In this way, there are no easy things; everything has a special role to play until we finally have the book in our hands . Q: Do you read much and if so who are your favorite authors? For your own reading, do you prefer eBooks or traditional paper/hard back books? I have never stopped reading since my childhood. Reading was and is my passion; And right now I like to Be with some special authors as Sarkon Bolss ; Saadi Youssef; Ouns Hadj Bessem Hajjar and so on … I usually read the excellent magic realist Marquez; and Gualliano … Generally, paper book is the best way to read and to smell the perfect paper perfume. But if the book is only in ebook I can read it as I do now . Q: What book/s are you reading at present? At present, I’m passionate by the short stories of the great Sarcon Bolss . Q: Do you proofread/edit all your own books or do you get someone to do that for you? I work with a group of proofreaders in English and Arabic; they control all my work to keep my texts with no mistakes; I never do a perfect work alone . It must be some professional touches on the final texts. But now I need only someone to help me to put my books on the international great book sellers as Amazon and Create Space and so on. Q: Do you let the book stew – leave it for a month and then come back to it to edit? Yes, indeed ; every work has to take a good period to go back to the publication . I keep all my books on my desk to complete all the details needed to be in the final State to the way of publication. This period is important for the decision of last touches. Surely so many things can be changed; it is in fact the last decision . Q: Who edited your last book and how did you select him/her? My last book is And You Are the Entire Poem. This poetry book is translated. It has been recently published in Canada by Scarlet Leaf House. I was invited by madame Roxana Nastase to work together on a translated short poems book . We have been in fact good friends for a good while . Q: Tell us about the covers of your books. How did it/they come about? In general I select my book covers with the meaning that leads the book ; to be in a direct relation . And about my last book I have a deep friendship with the fresh painter Pascal Chove; he has given me with great love a wonderful image to put it on my cover book ; and I think that I will choose some others only because our common and mutual view on poetry and art . Q: Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process? Yes, of course; with no doubt. The book cover is really an important part of the buying process; due to the fact that the cover is the first picture that meets the reader and generally it can help readers to buy . Q: What would you say are the main advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing against being published or the other way around ? Self-publishing get some advantages and in the same way some disadvantages But it is a method between some others to keep the book in the library for readers . But the writer must see the possible way to the reader and get to work with it . Q: Would you or do you use a PR agency? No ; I do not use public relation ; really what I use to do is only the power of my texts , and the beauty of my poem . Q: What are your views on social media for marketing? Which social network worked best for you? Any tips on what to do and what not to do ? All social media has a huge impact on the marketing. I use Facebook due to the great number of users. But on the other hand I use contacts with hotmail, yahoo; gmail ; and others . Q: Did you get interviewed by local press/radio for your book launch? Yes ; in fact from time to time I was interviewed about my first book and now no more ; because in Tunisia from a long time culture was not for culture but for friends and personal purpose . Q: Is there any marketing technique you used that had an immediate impact on your sales figures? The main problem that has all Arabic writers is an efficient strategy for selling books , we have unfortunately only the first state of the book production and no more especially in Tunisia ; no distribution . That’s why we go to the FACEBOOK and TWITER and so on to find the way to make our books known . Q: What do you think of “trailers” for books? They are very important for the marketing of the book , for a big number of sale To give the writer a great chance to be read from all and everywhere . Q: What is your favorite motivational phrase? What is your favorite positive saying ? I feel really motivated by two words they are only my little boat in this big life sea Love and work ; I cannot live without .It is my travel ticket in this difficult poetry experience . And woman gives me this travel . Q: What is your favorite quote? The great Nietzsche " Without music , life would be a mistake " . Q: Where can you see yourself in 5 years-time? I feel that I will fly all over the world and my poetry will go further than I. Our real wings are our poetry books and no more. Q: Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why ? My father is the great personality in my mind, the only man on this earth who spent his life with one purpose in mind our happiness and success . Q: Where do you see publishing going in the future? The publishing is getting more and more difficult with time. I’m in the way to discover the self-publishing. This is a way quick and efficient to the readers . Q: How can readers discover more about you and your work ? I hope for all readers will contact me on my face book accounts and my blog too , And I will answer all questions and enquiries. Blog : https://sassifathi62.wixsite.com/mysite-2 Facebook : ttps://www.facebook.com/fethi.sassi.54 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005592222927 Twitter : https://twitter.com/lapoesiepourtoi Lnkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sassi-fethi-28b834b4/ Amazon Author Page : https://www.createspace.com/pub/member.dashboard.do https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4570266-fethi-sassi Book Links: (* American, UK, etc.) Goodreads : https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4570266-fethi-sassi Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview.  Who said that romance is dead? Fethi Sassi brings you peerless lyrical verses reminding of another century, singing love, eternal questions, joy and loneliness. They will warm your soul and make you feel as if you were part of an endless time. If you look for that indefinite feeling that only love and reflection could bring, then this is the book for you. ASCENT OF HER DESIRE She was travelling by night in the twilight jubbah; crying behind the cloud ascent of her desire asking....: who took away her harlot night?  Dear Readers and Authors,
We want to thank both the readers of our magazine and the authors who submitted their works for publication in the virtual pages of this review. Between June 15 2017 and July 14 2017, inclusively, there have been 102,041 hits on the magazine! Every month, the number is higher and higher! That shows the talent of the poets and writers who chose to submit to this publication. As we've always said, this magazine wouldn't exist without any of you. You are the heart, blood and brain behind it, and we are grateful to have the chance to read your works. As always, July issue is live at 4 a.m. Eastern Time. This time, there are thirty-four writers, twenty-seven poets and seven non-fiction authors featured in the magazine. You won't be bored. Take our word for it! Don't forget: if you hover with your mouse over JULY 2017, a drop-down menu will appear and you can choose: poems, short-stories or non-fiction. On the right hand of each page, there are categories. If you want to read the work of a specific author, you can find the author's name under categories. Just click on the name and you'll get exactly where you want to be. Have fun! |
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