From a quora blogger to an author

Rohan Jain found it difficult to take out time to write a novel with a full-time job as a management consultant. “But, I utilised my weekends, took a one-and-a-half month sabbatical from work, and finished the novel in three-four months. At times, I wrote during train rides across Europe, and while having hot chocolate in the cafés of Europe,” says Delhi-based Jain, whose debut novel The Promises We Made released recently. Published by Srishti Publishers & Distributers, the story is set in India and Switzerland and shows how love can happen anytime, anywhere.

“The novel explores love across geographical boundaries and cultures. You will get transported to Europe, living the life of Raj and Sofia, among the other characters with their different cultures and outlook. The book will take the readers through a roller coaster ride of emotions, from anticipation to fear, to love, and finally to despair,” says Jain, an avid traveller, who has visited over 32 countries.

 This book is inspired by Jain’s visit to Switzerland for his summer internship at EPFL during his BTech days at IIT Kanpur, and time spent in Germany as an exchange student during his MBA days at IIM Ahmedabad. “The idea for this book originated while backpacking across Europe, but I decided to pen it down after I had started my job in India. Some of the characters and incidents in the book have been inspired by my experiences in Europe,” he adds.

 Jain grew up surrounded by novels, and reading is still an important part of his life. He is also an active writer on Quora, where he shares his life experiences and travel stories. His content on Quora has garnered over 1 lakh followers and 32 million views. 

“The love showered by so many readers gave me the courage to write my own novel. I have put my heart and soul into the novel, and I am glad to hear such positive reviews from everyone who has read the novel,” adds the 27-year-old, who loves to read Chetan Bhagat and Ravinder Singh, apart from thriller novels by David Baldacci and James Patterson.

He is also a fan of the Harry Potter series, as it was a Harry Potter book that introduced him to the world of books. The book gives a message to the readers to follow their heart’s deepest desires. Jain says, “Many are afraid to confess their feelings, for the fear of rejection. If you truly love someone, you should not be afraid to mention your feelings to the other person.

The regret of not speaking your heart out is the worst feeling in the world.”  For now, he plans to stay in the field of Management Consulting and write novels during free time. “I am not working on any novel at the moment, but I plan to write a second one in the next few months. I am just going with the flow,” he concludes.

Availability: On Amazon, Flipkart, and all major retail stores Pages: 208, Price: Rs 225