Salis AfaqueJaykay Heart: My hypothesis about time is that everything is in the moment
About The Author
Jayakrishnan Mohan, known by his pseudo-name Jaykay Heart is an Indian Author based in Dubai. 'A Butterfly Riddle' is his debut novel.
He is a daytime banking professional and nighttime writer, whose interests are books, finance, psychology, mysticism, and travel.
Exclusive Author Interview
Q. Can you tell us a bit about your book "A Butterfly Riddle"?
'A Butterfly Riddle' is a psychological thriller fiction, with a subtle mystery thrown in. There are elements of friendship, romance, and a little bit of fantasy!
I have adopted a first-person narration style and have made a strong attempt to portray what goes on in the mind of the protagonist, and narrow down the line between the character's thought process and the reader's imagination. By far, I feel, readers have been glad about their experience.
Q. What inspired this particular book?
Well, honestly this was an experimental project. 'A Butterfly Riddle' has been a plot lying on in my head for a couple of years now. Part of this fiction, especially where the central character receives a parcel with a dead blue butterfly was partly inspired by a random dream I had a long while ago, and it stayed with me for some reason. I just capitalized the idea, through this book.
Q. Any specific reason for naming your book "A Butterfly Riddle"?
No reason as such, I just knew it.
Q. What does a day in the life of Jaykay Heart look like when you are writing?
I run on a tight schedule on weekdays with my profession. I tend to work on the plot at night, usually for an hour or so daily. Somedays I wake up around 3-3:30 AM. I have noticed my mind tends to work with clarity around that time.
Q. Do you have a favorite part of the writing process?
The challenging part is the initial phase of building an outline even before one starts writing, it consumes days in my case. My favorite part is blending in with your imagination and penning it down. There have been occasions where the storyline has been altered numerous times, as and when you indulge with the characters and form an affinity towards them.
Q. If you could time travel anywhere in the world at any time in history and stay there for a week when/where would you go? Or would you prefer to visit in the future?
Very interesting question. I have thought about how practical that is, however, my hypothesis about time is that everything is in the moment. As and when you make conscious change or action to your present, the illusion of the past and imagination of the future is altered, in an existential sense.
Perhaps, we experience time in the first place, based on our awareness of the time-space realm.
Q. What are your earliest memories of reading and writing?
To be very honest with you I haven't been reading at all, in the last couple of years. Although, I engross myself in watching documentaries, and fiction and admiring their narration style.
However, there has been a phase of my childhood, when I constantly used to get hooked on to reading books and imparting my imagination to work. I found it to be more thrilling than watching a movie. It was then I guess, I realized the power of words and their impact on the human mind. Over time I forgot about it, until now, when I picked it up again.
Q. Who are your favorite authors and why?
I haven't thought about it. I have read a whole lot of the famous five series by Enid Blyton in my childhood. Few books by Agatha Christie. One or two of Stephen King. All financial books by Robert Kiyosaki. I love the writing style adopted by RK Narayan, famously known for Malgudi Days. His style portrays simplicity, clarity, and subtle humor and is thought-provoking too.
He is a genius when it comes to varied narrative perspectives, the shifting back and forth of first-person narration style and third-person narration in the same plot requires some serious wisdom and skill set. So yes, I guess that answers your question.
Q. Future of SALISMANIA.com through your eyes?
I like Salismania for their top-notch recommendations on lifestyle and books.
I have realized that the Salismania Awards have been making quite a buzz in the book world lately. I'm really glad to be nominated for their fifth edition of the Awards. I wish Salismania all the very best and continue the outstanding work they do.
About The Book
Siddh is a painfully shy man obsessed with a woman he can’t have. An interior architect living in Dubai, Siddh’s life takes a drastic turn the day he and his two best friends are accused of a petty crime and a mysterious package shows up on his doorstep.
A brown box, inside lays a diary, a mysterious note, and a gorgeous blue 'dead' butterfly that leads Siddh and his devoted friends on a journey into his past to find answers. A book filled with love, lust, travel, and friendship. Alongside momentary upbeat humor, a mystery, and triumph, A Butterfly Riddle is one riveting tale you won’t be able to put down.
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