Invitation to Danger

Have I mentioned earlier that I have written 17novels? Yeah, I may have mentioned. I am an awful repeater, you see!

Variety is the spice of life – a well-known phrase. I have been in sales for quite a long time in my professional life except for 5 years in design department.

Everyday some new challenge and some new boredom too!

This way, 30 years of my professional life is spent.

Somewhere in 1994 my first novel came out. It was an idea given by my friend Saravana Kumar. He told in a few sentences. I developed into a novel.

It was called Aapatthige Aahvaana. In simple English, it is Invitation to Danger!

A science theme little ahead of1995. A scientist Sajeev, his wife Mona and daughter Soni are travelling to Delhi from Bangalore. Dr. Sajeev has got a national award, the highest one for an Indian Scientist, Vijnaansree award.

The wife and daughter are in train waiting for the husband.  The doctor has been called by his boss to meet him in the office on an urgent matter.

When the doctor goes there, he finds that the call was a hoax one.

Someone comes and takes away the daughter.

A rowdy will sit next to the wife in the train.

An American who was working with Sajeev in the U S of A would demand for all the research carried out by Sajeev. If he fails to handover, then the daughter will die in Bangalore. The wife would be killed on the way to Delhi.

If he hands over the research papers, then wife would be safely reaching Delhi. Himself and his daughter would be sent by flight to Delhi just in time to attend the award receiving function.

This is the plot.

The story runs in 5 tracks. One of the wife, one of the husband and the third one of the daughter. One each for the villains and the police.

The whole story runs for 36 hours!

Each hour is a chapter.

Finally, during climax the novel has every minute as a chapter. Because the whole story runs on precision timing.

The story was serialised with a week’s publicity in the famous Kannada daily of Karnataka, Kannada Prabha.

The assistant editor the late Mr. Ramakanth was keen on developing new writers and I was groomed by him. In fact, he took another bold stand about which I shall definitely let you know in the next few days. 

Come to think of it, I can even make a series called ‘people who are influential in my life’ can be written. Many people have lent their hands and heart to shape me up to this level.

Wow, this is a great idea.

So, you readers will have another ‘invitation to danger’!