I'll Put 3 Chips on God 
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 I’ll Put 3 Chips On God – just in case there is one

Welcome to my blog Preeti.  Thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions about yourself and your first book.

Q.  Preeti is an unusual name.  What is the origin?

A.  It is of Indian origin and it means “love” or “affection”. 

 

Q. Tell us about your latest work—title, genre, etc.

A.  My newly published book is called I’ll Put 3 Chips On God – just in case there is one.  The book is about Spirituality, analyzed from an agnostic point of view.  I take a look at common spiritual concepts such as the Ego, the Soul, Karma, Detachment, Heaven, God, Meditation, Vegetarianism, and Astrology, and examine them from an objective, “devil’s advocate” point of view.  In other words, I analyze these ideas from all angles, including the possibility that they are valid, and the possibility that they are not.  I do come to some conclusions at the end of the book, but it is less about preaching and more about the use of logic when exploring Spirituality.

Q. What draws you to your genre(s)? Why is this type of story compelling to you?

A. Well, let’s see—I was getting close to my 40s, was in the middle of a divorce, and was realizing that my numerous entrepreneurial attempts were not working and I would have to return to the corporate world.  That was enough for me to dive headfirst into the lap of Spirituality!

When I did, I realized that a lot of existing material is written from a “purist” point of view, i.e. the idea of Karma or Detachment is not questioned, rather the focus is on how to incorporate these concepts into one’s life. I wanted to take a step back because I was not sure whether I even believed in these ideas in the first place. 

So I had to do my own analysis of all that I came across.  I wrote the book because I simply wanted to share whatever knowledge I’ve acquired with those who might think similarly to me. 

Q. What is your writing process like? Do you map the whole thing out or do you just let it unfold?

A. This is my first book, so my writing was pretty juvenile at first.  I had written short articles for local newspapers before, so I wasn’t a complete novice.  However writing a book is much more challenging.  There is more opportunity to ramble on and not be clear and concise when trying to make a point.  I tried writing my first draft almost three years ago, and it was awful.  I made another attempt a year later.  Then one day, I was reading a book that was written very naturally, with a lot of humor, and I realized that the “voice” of the author was similar to the “voice” in my head.  No, I was not a crazy person, what I mean is that the way he wrote was the way I thought.  And I realized that if I simply write whatever I am thinking, without trying to formalize or alter it too much, I can communicate much better.  So that’s what I did, and voila! . . . the words started flowing.

Q. What kind of research was involved?

A. None really.  I write this from an everyday, layman perspective. 

I had been exposed to all of these concepts as I was growing up, so there was a lot of learning that took place indirectly in the past.  But when it came time to write the book, I simply presented whatever thoughts and questions had accumulated over the years.  There was almost no research done for this, except for me referring constantly to the Thesaurus to avoid sounding like a repetitious parrot with a three word vocabulary!

Q.  Is there any part of your Indian heritage that has influenced your writing?

A. As I mentioned, a lot of the discussions that I bring to the book stem from my background.  We weren’t a particularly religious household, but I did attend a fair number of lectures, celebrations, and temples as a child.  As you will see from reading the book, I do make a lot of references to Hindu and Buddhist beliefs because those are what I’ve learned and analyzed over the years. And while I come to the conclusion that many of them seem logical, I also cover those I don’t find to be so, like the ability to wear precious gems or special colors to ward off negative energy.  Or Meditation which seems a great idea in theory (and I know genuinely works for others), but is a practice I’ve never been able to master.

Q. What would be some advice you would give to aspiring authors?

A. Give yourself time to “forget” the manuscript while writing.  It was REALLY tempting to just edit quickly and get the book out.  It’s exciting to see your name in print, after all.  However I made myself resist, and took the time to set aside the book for 2-3 months between edits.  That really made a world of difference as to how I was able to revise and improve the book. 

Q. Could you share some of your marketing strategies?  Which ones are the most effective in your opinion?

A. I’m planning to offer the printed copy to some local bookstores on consignment.  In addition, I’ve done some postings on a few booklover sites, and I’ve also posted a fundraising project on a few crowdfunding sites.  My objective was not to raise money, truthfully, I did it to expose the book to people.  It worked in that I got a few supporters who learned about the book through those campaigns and are now interested in reading it.

However I don’t really plan to do much more in the way of marketing.  I am not even sure I’ll be writing another book, unless this does well and people want me to expand on what I’ve presented.  I always had it in my mind to write this particular book, because I felt I had something to say on the topic.  But it was one of those things I thought I’d do in retirement or “later”.  It wasn’t actively on my agenda.  However the Universe presented a set of circumstances that led me to have the time and desire to write the book now.  So I did.  Where the book goes after this, and how well it does, I will leave to destiny, and to God!

(If there is one.)

Q.  Any closing remarks?

A.  I’d love to offer a complimentary copy of the EBook to your readers, downloadable at:  www.3ChipsOnGod.com/EBook

There are also some excerpts available to read on the site.  I am very interested in hearing everyone’s feedback, so I hope they will take the time to write me, or to post an honest review on Amazon.  It would mean a lot.

Lastly, I want to thank you for taking the time to learn about the book, and for the opportunity to introduce myself.   I’ve enjoyed sharing my experiences.

Thanks Preeti for taking the time to share your knowledge with us. We appreciate you and your work.

Good luck with your current and future publications.

READERS:  Do not forget to leave a comment and be entered in the drawing for a free, signed copy of 3Chips on God.  Preeti is generously offering two copies.  So leave a comment and contact details to enter the drawing.

For more information: 

Email:                preeti@3ChipsOnGod.com                    

Purchase:         Amazon, Barnes and Noble        

Blog/Website:   http://www.3ChipsOnGod.com     

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