: please tell me something about your parents. Anil Sharma : My parents are from Himachal Pradesh and there was a great deal of differences in their interests. While one was interested in books, the other was fond of travelling. Interviewer : Who introduced you to books?
Anil Sharma : During my early childhood, we were in Delhi. My father was very attached to me and spent a lot of time with me. He introduced me to books and films. I was only ten years old when he died.
It was a traumatic experience and for two or three years I became a recluse and books were my only companions. Interviewer : How did you do in your studies? Anil Sharma : I loved to study English and History but hated Maths. I used to read a lot of books in the school library.
You could say I was self-taught. Interviewer : Did it take long for your first novel, “The Flying Frog” to get published? Anil Sharma : Yes ! A couple of years.
On my mother’s suggestion I went to England when I was and took up various jobs there. I would write when I came home in the evenings. Interviewer : What made you return to India? Anil Sharma : I missed my friends.
I came back purely for emotional reasons. Interviewer : Did it affect your writing career? Anil Sharma : I would write four or five short stories and articles every month and send them to magazines and newspapers in the country. Interviewer : You were making a modest living out of freelancing, weren’t you?
Anil Sharma : Well, I did briefly take up jobs. But I wanted to concentrate on my writing. Interviewer : Why did you settle down in Ooty? Anil Sharma : I needed peace so that I could write without interruption.
I have written many of my best stories there. 12th Communicative English Book.indb Page Improve Your Connectivity Interviewer : You have written a lot for children. What fascinates you about childhood? Anil Sharma : I had a