Conversation with novelist Nigel Fernandes
Book ideas are so unpredictable. You never know where they are born. For Nigel Fernandes, it began in personal tragedy. In the death of his 20-month old nephew who was killed by a “reckless motorist”, as Fernandes laments in his dedication.
Consequences, Fernandes’ debut novel has blood dripping on the white book jacket. Inside is a blood-curdling tale of revenge, vengeance, retribution. And, of course, the consequences of ‘dad’ (drink and drive).
Straddling two continents (he divides time between Goa and Auckland), Fernandes doubles up as a freelance media/marketing specialist. A Gemini, Fernandes’ favorite author is John Grisham; his favorite book A Time to Kill. When a writer’s mental block starts killing him, Fernandes puts on his cross-trainers and goes for a run. In this interview, he talks about Consequences and his upcoming book.
‘Consequences’ stems from a personal tragedy. Did the accident in which your nephew was killed push you to write? Or, did you always want to write, the incident gave you the book peg?
I have always wanted to write. My nephew’s accident made me look at motor accidents from the point of view of a victim and the victim’s family. I started to research motor accidents in India and realized that drunk-driving victims and their families didn’t really get justice through the judicial system. The laws are lax, the cases have been dragged through the courts for more than a decade and all the accused are out on bail. I am hoping that my book makes readers question the justice system in India when it comes to drunk-driving and hopefully raise a public debate that will lead to more stringent laws.
How much time did you spend researching and writing the book?
Roughly about 8 months.
The printline defines this book as a ‘work of fiction’. However, the characters are obviously taken from real life. The names are a twist to the easily-recognizable real-life drunk-driving accused. Was it a deliberate ploy?
Yes, it was a deliberate ploy. A couple of the drunk-driving cases have been in the news in India for several years now. I merely added a twist in my book by using a vigilante to close these cases permanently.
‘Consequences’ seems like a spiel against drunk driving. If you had a magic wand, what would you do to ‘stopdad’?
I would definitely implement more stringent laws. On a social level, I would encourage people to dissuade their family and friends from drinking and driving. We can all stop drunk-driving. We just have to be aware of the consequences and take a stand.
5. You straddle two worlds – Goa and New Zealand. You double up as a marketing/media specialist and writer. How seamless/tedious is it to be on two continents and to do two entirely different kinds of things?
This is my first book, so I am still getting used to the idea of doing two different things on two different continents. I must admit that as a writer I experience the best of both worlds. My marketing career has moved from full-time to part-time or contractual. Although, that has eaten into my coffers but I enjoy writing too much to worry about money.
You are working on your second book, what is it about? Is it based in New Zealand?
I have just started the research for my second book which is based in India and once again looks at the Indian legal system and its inability to bring justice to victims of a prevalent social evil.
Preeti Verma Lal
