Fiza: Today I’ll be interviewing aerospace engineer cum indie-author Kiran Dellimore whom I met on Goodreads. I read, reviewed and loved his book ‘Fresh Ereba: A Collection of Caribbean Bedtime Stories for Children’ and thought of interviewing him for my blog insaneowl.com. He is a talented author, a voracious reader but is very approachable and affable at the same time. He is a wonderful Goodreads friend and an even more wonderful human being which is why it is such a pleasure to have him here on my blog.
Biography
Kiran Dellimore is a Barbadian author and innovator residing in the beautiful, historic Dutch city of Utrecht. Born to a Trinidadian mother and a Vincentian father, he was raised with pride in his ‘mixed-up’ Afro-Indo-Caribbean heritage and a passion for storytelling. He is the author of Squash Diary: The Story of How Squash Saved My Life, Fresh Ereba: A Collection of Caribbean Bedtime Stories for Children and Walking in Footsteps of Promise.
His debut historical fiction novel, Children of the Ocean God, was released on June 1st, 2024.
Kiran attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, from 1997 to 2000. Later he transferred to Columbia University in New York where he completed a dual degree in Chemistry and Mechanical Engineering in 2002. From 2002 to 2010, he attended the University of Maryland at College Park, graduating with M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in aerospace engineering in 2005 and 2010, respectively.
Fiza: Welcome to insaneowl.com Kiran! And a Happy Halloween 2024 to you!
Kiran: Thanks for the honor of being interviewed on your website and having the opportunity to reach your audience in India.
Fiza: We connected on Goodreads, and I immediately was taken up with your erudite choice of literature. Your books choices are eclectic and varied as your lineage. Can you please say a few words about the same for my readers?
Kiran: Interesting that you find my choice of books eclectic. I never really thought about it like that. I just enjoy reading and like to expand my literary horizons. That is why I read a broad range of books from all over the world. From Russia to Japan to Nigeria to India. I love reading a good book!
Fiza: Which was your first published book and what prompted you to pen this book?
Kiran: My first book was ‘Squash Diary: The Story of How Squash Saved My Life.’ I wrote this memoir during my doctoral studies as a reflection on my recovery from a near fatal accident through my passion for the wonderful game of squash. I decided to write this book to document my journey back to full health as well as to thank all of the amazing friends, family and even strangers who supported me during this difficult period in my life.
Fiza: How has squash impacted your personal and professional life? Do you still play squash today or do you find it difficult to make time for it because of your hectic work schedule?
Kiran: Squash is a sport I truly love and enjoy! What I like most about squash is that it is very strategic and also very athletic – it is like chess at high speed. Through squash I have learned to be disciplined and to be gracious in victory as well as defeat. Unfortunately, due to the hustle and bustle of daily life and work I do not get the chance to play squash very often these days. I do miss the sport a lot, and my days of playing are certainly not over.
Fiza: Tell my readers something about the accident that changed your life and how it inspired you to be a better version of yourself.
Kiran: I was run over by a car and left for dead at the side of the road, just off a busy highway in Washington D.C., in the United States. Most people who experience such an accident either die or are paralyzed for the rest of their life. So I feel very fortunate since I (miraculously) made a full recovery – I can walk and run normally – with most people I meet not having an inkling that I have survived such a horrific accident. This experience has taught me humility and to not take the simple things in life (like walking and running) for granted.
Fiza: I really enjoyed your book titled ‘Fresh Ereba: A Collection of Caribbean Bedtime Stories for Children’. I found it to be a refreshing, pleasant and relaxing book, perfect for gifting to younger readers who have a Caribbean Heritage, also perfect for readers of all ages and races. How did you go about writing this book?
Kiran: Growing up my father used to tell me and my brothers stories before we went to bed each night. I wanted to share this tradition with my nieces and nephews, as well as others in the Caribbean diaspora and beyond. So I set about writing stories in the style of Caribbean folk tales, in which we use animals to teach morals and values. This culminated in the book ‘Fresh Ereba: A Collection of Caribbean Bedtime Stories for Children.’
Fiza: Why are Caribbean themes a major part of your body of work?
Kiran: I wrote ‘Fresh Ereba’ because I wanted my nieces and nephews growing up in the United States to learn more about their Caribbean Heritage. So I infused the stories with aspects of our rich Caribbean customs, traditions and cuisine. I am very proud of the region where I come from, since we are mélange of many different cultures – African, Amerindian, Indian and European, among others.
Fiza: Who are the various Caribbean writers or poets that have influenced you over the years and especially now that you are a professional author?
Kiran: I have been influenced by many authors, including several Caribbean writers. Chief among them are C.L.R. James (a Trinidadian author, who wrote the critically acclaimed books ‘Black Jacobins’ and ‘Beyond the Boundaries’), Maryse Condé (a Guadeloupian author, who penned ‘Segu,’ one of my favorite books of all time), Jamaica Kincaid (an Antiguan author, who wrote the lovely novel ‘Annie John’), George Lamming ( a Barbadian scribe, who wrote the classic, ‘In the Castle of My Skin’), and V.S. Naipaul (a renowned Trinidadian writer, who won the Booker Prize, with his novel ‘In a Free State’).
Fiza: Share with my readers a bit more about your book ‘Fresh Ereba: A Collection of Caribbean Bedtime Stories for Children’, because I just cannot get enough of it.
Kiran: I am honored to know that you enjoyed ‘Fresh Ereba’ so much, Fiza! Thanks for your enthusiasm. ‘Fresh Ereba’ is a collection of 10 bedtime stories for children between the ages of 4 and 10 years old, told in the style of traditional Caribbean folk tales. There are several illustrations in the book, which were made by my mother. So this book is special to me, because of the mother-son collaboration that was involved in its creation. My favorite stories in this anthology are: ‘Dawn in Yurumein,’ ‘How Cassava Came to Have a Bitter Taste’ and ‘How Fish Learned to Fly.’
Fiza: How many memoirs have you written? Tell my readers about these books?
Kiran: I have written 2 memoirs: ‘Squash Diary: The Story of How Squash Saved My Life’ and ‘Walking in Footsteps of Promise.’ As I mentioned in my response to a previous question, ‘Squash Diary’ focuses on my recovery from a near-fatal car accident in the middle of my PhD studies. ‘Walking in Footsteps of Promise’ is a memoir about the lessons I have gleaned from my first 31 years of life. It is a bit more philosophical and reflective.
Fiza: Choose one favorite author of yours from the following and give a reason for your choice: Leo Tolstoy, Rumi, Haruki Murakami and Fyodor Dostoevsky.
Kiran: This is such a tough call. I am very torn. Normally I would say I cannot choose between them. However, if I am pinned down I guess I’ll have to go with Fyodor Dostoevsky. He was a prolific author, who has written so many amazing books. I am always in awe of his mastery as a writer. I especially love his novels: “Crime and Punishment,” “The Brothers Karamazov” and “The Gambler.”
Fiza: Who are your favorite authors and books? What impact did these books have on your life and your career?
Kiran: There are too many to name here. I could go on for days! Among them are most certainly Tolstoy (‘War and Peace’ and ‘Hadji Murat’), Rumi (everything he has written), Murakami (‘Norwegian Wood’, ‘Kafka on the Shore’, plus many more) and Dostoevsky (“Crime and Punishment,” “The Brothers Karamazov,” “The Gambler” among others), as well as the books I mentioned earlier from Conde, James, Naipaul, Lamming, etc. I am also a big fan of African writers, in particular Chinua Achebe, Nadine Gordimer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, Abdulrazak Gurnah among many others. They all have in one way or the other influenced my writing for the better.
Fiza: What are the books you are currently reading? Name one of them which captivated your attention completely and which you could hardly put down.
Kiran: Currently I am reading two books:
A Gentle Creature and Other Stories by Fyodor Dostoevsky
And
Reflections (Blood Sisters, #1) by fellow GR author Joe Krakovsky
A book that I read recently which has lingered with me is ‘The Stranger’ by Albert Camus. It was such a gripping story about a murder, written in a raw, unvarnished style.
Fiza: Have you penned your Magnum Opus yet or is it still in the works?
Kiran: I don’t think so! It still remains to be written. One day soon I will write it. Till then I’m learning and honing my craft as a writer.
Fiza: You published a Historical Novel this year 2024 titled ‘Children of the Ocean God’. Tell my readers more about this book of yours and why did you decide to pen it?
Kiran: ‘Children of the Ocean God’ is my debut historical fiction novel, which tells the tragic story of my paternal ancestors, the Garifuna (a.k.a. Black Caribs), who waged a fateful war against the British in the late 18th century on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent. The novel is set in 1795 against the backdrop of the noble ideals of the French Revolution sweeping their way fervently across the Caribbean. Told from the perspective of both sides in the conflict and based on actual historical events, the plot-driven, fictional narrative follows the lives of key historical figures in the Second Carib War over an explosive fortnight. ‘Children of the Ocean God,’ transports readers to a fascinating period in history, capturing the nuances of colonization and slavery in the Caribbean, the revolutionary fervor of the times, and the dauntless, noble fighting spirit of the Garifuna desperately trying to preserve their birthright.
The idea to write ‘Children of the Ocean God’ was born just over five years ago, while I was finishing my memoir, ‘Walking in the Footsteps of Promise.’ It dawned on me that there was a fascinating story to be told about my ‘mysterious’ ancestors on my father’s side, the Garifuna. Although I initially didn’t know what exactly to focus on, I felt compelled to write about them in my next book. This drove me to find out whatever I could about the Garifuna. I scoured the internet, read several books, talked to my father, and even watched YouTube videos, to find a starting point for the novel. It took a few months, however, eventually I settled on writing a novel about the Second Carib War. This was a tragic conflict between the Garifuna and the British which took place on the island of St. Vincent, from 1795 to 1797, during a tumultuous period in the colonial period. It ultimately led to their defeat and subsequent mass deportation to Roatan island, in present-day Honduras. So in a nutshell I wrote ‘Children of the Ocean God’ to honor and pay tribute to my ancestors.
Fiza: Choose the author whom you least like from the following and give a reason for your answer: Sylvia Plath, Franz Kafka, Oscar Wilde and George Orwell.
Kiran: Sorry Fiza, I cannot say that I dislike any of the author’s listed here. Some of their books may have been less enjoyable for one reason or another. However, from each of them I have learned a lot, and can find appreciation in their writing.
Fiza: What are the other things that you do besides reading and writing?
Kiran: When I’m not reading or writing, I like running (long distance), eating good food (I’m a foodie for sure!) and travelling the world (there is so much to see and experience in the world).
Fiza: I as an author over the 12 years since I started my profession, have written my books in my degree college History classroom, coffee shops, restro-bars, libraries and ultimately in my own office cum writing hut and in my own study. I need a sort of bookish atmosphere to work in and can work both in a noisy coffee shop or in the silence of my office cum writing hut. What about you? Where do you write your books and why do you choose or have to choose such places to create your literature?
Kiran: I have written my books in many places all over the world – Madeira, Finland, Belgium, South Africa and the Netherlands – in train stations, airports, hotels, cabins, and cafes. Usually I like places of solitude and quiet for writing. Typically, I get into flow late at night when everyone else is asleep. Sometimes I stay up writing all night until 3 or 4 A.M.
Fiza: I have placed your memoir ‘Walking in Footsteps of Promise’ on my TBR shelf on Goodreads. Tell my readers more about this memoir of yours and why they or I should pick it up ASAP?
Kiran: Thanks for adding ‘Walking in Footsteps of Promise’ to your TBR. I am honored that you would consider reading it in the future. I think it is a book that has something for everyone since it reminds you that you are not alone in experiencing failure and hardship in life; and that the triumph of the human spirit over adversity is an old tale which must be constantly rewritten with each challenge that life brings.
Fiza: What are the projects you are working on at present?
Kiran: I am working on several creative projects at the moment. Unfortunately, I cannot share details about some of them. However, I can highlight two exciting writing projects that are in the works. I am currently working on a sequel to ‘Fresh Ereba,’ called ‘Ning Ning’ (which interestingly in Barbadian dialect means ‘Sleepy’). It will be a collection of 10 more bedtime stories for children told in a traditional Caribbean folk style. I expect that project to be completed in the second half of 2025. In addition, I have recently started writing my sophomore historical fiction novel, entitled ‘Warner’s Bacchanal.’ It is a super fascinating, true story about two half-brothers, on the Caribbean island of Dominica. One brother killed the other and then massacred all of the inhabitants of a village on Dominica, (who were indigenous peoples of the Caribbean, called Caribs). The story covers a day in the life of each brother – the last day in the life of the brother who was murdered, and the day that the brother who committed the murder (and massacre) receives the verdict in the trial for the murder. So needless to say there is a lot ‘cooking’ and I’m blessed to be able to continue my passion for writing.
Fiza: Where can my readers easily reach you to discuss books, writing and everything bookish?
Kiran: The best places to get in touch with me are on Goodreads and my author website (www.kirandellimore.com). I have a weekly blog which covers a wide range of topics related to literature and life in general. So interested readers can feel free to stop by and leave a comment if they find something of interest on my blog. They can also consider joining my mailing list, to receive periodic updates on the progress of my writing projects.
Fiza: How do you spend Halloween?
Kiran: At home sleeping in bed. Just kidding. I will probably go out to a party at a friend’s house.
Fiza: You are currently on Goodreads reading the internationally bestselling novel ‘Days at the Morisaki Bookshop (Days at the Morisaki Bookshop, #1)’. How is the book going and why did you choose to read this title in the first place?
Kiran: I thoroughly enjoyed ‘Days at the Morisaki Bookshop (Days at the Morisaki Bookshop, #1)’. It was quite a captivating story. Interestingly enough, I read it more or less on a whim. I have had it on my TBR for a while and I thought why not give it a try. Till now I have never read any Satoshi Yagisawa’s works, so I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed this one.
Fiza: Kiran you are an amazingly good-looking man so I have to ask this question at this point, are you single or are in a relationship? If you are in a relationship, then has your partner been a great influence in your career as a writer?
Kiran: I am blushing deep red. Thanks for the compliment. I appreciate it. At the moment I am single. In the past my girlfriends have been influential by being very supportive of my writing and sharing honest feedback to help me refine my work. A partner definitely can play a huge role in a writer’s career!
Fiza: Choose one book from the following that you plan on reading pronto and then give a reason for your choice:
1. The House of the Dead by Fyodor Dostoevsky
2. Congo by Michael Crichton
3. Moshi Moshi by Banana Yoshimoto
4. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
Kiran: At the moment I am in the mood for something light, so I would go for ‘Moshi Moshi’ by Banana Yoshimoto. I love her writing, it is so sublime and fluid. And she is masterful in her descriptions of food and eating.
Fiza: Where do you see yourself as a writer 5 years from now.
Kiran: In 5 years I hope to be writing full time, and to have 2 or 3 more books under my belt. God willing, I would like to be able to make a living from writing so that I no longer need a 9-5 job, and can focus more of my time on writing. I have several more historical fiction novels, children’s books and perhaps even screenplays in me. Stay tuned!
Conclusion
Fiza: I really enjoyed interviewing Kiran Dellimore on my blog insaneowl.com today. You can find all of Kiran Dellimore’s books easily on Amazon. Please feel free to reach out to him on Goodreads as well as his website www.kirandellimore.com and do check out his amazing books. I hope to interview Kiran once again soon in the near future on this blog which contains quality bookish content always.
Copyright © 2024, Fiza Pathan
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