Interview with Jasveer Singh Dangi
Author of The Hunter Genesis - Revelation
Jasveer Singh Dangi embodies a diverse tapestry of talents—author, podcast host, behavioral trainer, and esteemed health and safety professional hailing from Canada. What began as an unforeseen journey into writing in 2018 with his poignant childhood memoir, Version One and a Half (Version 1 ½), swiftly burgeoned into a prolific career marked by nine published books and two collaborative works.
He recently started his journey in the world of cinema as a Producer of a short film titled ‘Yes Sir’. The film, themed around caste bias, has been exceptionally well-received and featured in over twenty film festivals worldwide. It was third runner-up at the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards (DPIFF), 2024, in the Best Short Film category.
Despite his self-professed label as an accidental author, Jasveer’s literary prowess has garnered widespread acclaim, punctuated by a string of accolades and recognition.
- His magnum opus, The Hunter Genesis – Book 1, found its place among the coveted list of summer must-reads by esteemed platforms like ANI Asia, Jio News, and Zee5.
- He was featured in the list of Top 19 most unique writers of 2023 by INKZOID Foundation.
- He was recognized as the author of the Year in Fiction and Non-Fiction category by Ukiyoto Publishing for his book Ensemble – A collection of short stories and essays.
- Hailed as one of the 10 Indian Authors Redefining Modern Literature by Kathmandu Tribune in January, 2020.
- He was recognized by Ne8X with Sahitya Kosh Samman Award in Literature.
- In 2019, Literature Light recognized him as one of the top 100 debut authors for his debut book, Version One and a Half (Version 1 ½).
- He was named as the ‘Author of the Fest’ at the Writing Wizards Fest 2020 for his book, Double One Zero (110) - Out of the shadows. The Writing Wizards Fest is an initiative by The Twilight of Poem (www. twilightofpoem.in).
Beyond the realms of writing, he’s earned commendations for his contributions to health and safety training, further cementing his multifaceted expertise. In 2018, he was awarded by IISSM for his contributions towards the Health and Safety Training domain.
Jasveer loves the outdoors and is a big movie buff, which is quite evident given the use of quotes and songs from movies at strategic places in all his books. He is an avid observer of his surroundings and uses characters and instances from everyday situations for his stories. His works include:
- The Hunter Genesis - Whatever it is, wherever it is, he will find it (Book 1 of the Hunter series),
- The Essence of Ganga – The Story of Mandakini,
- Ensemble – A collection of short stories and essays,
- The Incredible Mr. Sweets – A coming-of-age story of an ex-con who finds his calling in life through music,
- Shahenshah – The story of Shrenik Shah, the cancer conqueror,
- The Metro-Maniac Chronicles - Through the eyes of an Obsessive-Compulsive Metro-Maniac,
- Double One Zero (110) – Out of the Shadows,
- Diary from Heaven - Confessions of an Eternal Junkie,
- Version One and a Half (Version 1 ½) - A glimpse of India in the ‘80s,
- Concealed Words (Co-Author), and
- Life – A culmination of stories (Co-Author).
He also shares his thoughts on www.storymirror.com, www. medium.com, www.merrative.com, #jasveersinghdangi (Instagram, Linkedin and Facebook). His podcast is available on his website - www.jasveersinghdangi.com, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast and Spotify.
Buy this book
Quick description of the book for a new reader - what should they expect?
- Mankind’s fetish with godly weapons continues in ‘THE HUNTER GENESIS – REVELATION’, Book 2 of the Hunter series. In the heart of the eighteenth century, the gripping tale continues to unfold as THE HUNTER and his team stand on the brink of an unprecedented discovery – the unearthing of legendary godly weapons, shrouded in mystery and coveted by many for centuries.
Book 1, The Hunter Genesis - Whatever it is, wherever it is, he will find it, created a platform for an epic showdown with the godly powers. Book 2 will take the action and adventure to a new level as the legends from the ancient world will collide with the chaos of eighteenth century.
What was your inspiration for this book?
- The Hunter series is a product of my fetish with the action/adventure genre. Since childhood I had been fascinated with action and adventure movies, party because I had grown up listening to stories of bravery and adventure related to Sikh religion from my parents and grandparents. My first attempt at creating an action character was received with great admiration in the form of Double One Zero (110), with the Hunter Genesis I am taking it to the next level by a creating a series. It is every authors dream to create a series and with this book and the next part I have already completed two books in the Hunter series. With an Indian treasure hunter as the protagonist, and Indian mythology as the backdrop, this book has a mass appeal with something for readers of all ages. I have amalgamated Indian mythology, real historical characters and places with fictionalised characters and story thereby creating a potent mix of never ending excitement.
Which authors do you admire? How have they influenced your writing style?
- Chetan Bhagat, Roald Dahn and Jane Mitchell. Before I started writing I had never read any books apart from textbooks. These 3 have been my motivation because I had started reading with their books, One Indian Girl, Matilda and Chalkline, respectively. I learned a great deal about the writing process from their books, but I have created my own niche way of writing. I use everyday experiences and situations to create my stories.
Can you tell us a little about the locations in your book?
- The story of The Hunter Genesis - Revelation takes place in the eighteenth century at various locations across India and some other unknown locations in the Indian ocean which will only be revealed in the book.
What advice would you give to aspiring authors?
- Many authors are scared of publishing their story because they are scared of what the world would think about their story. My suggestion to all aspiring authors is to take the first step and not worry about the bad reviews. Bad reviews are meant as a learning opportunity and improve your writing. Every story deserves to be shared with the world, so share your story now. Technology has blessed us with multiple ways of sharing our story, if not writing then create blog and share your story audio-visually on Youtube or other platforms. Create a script and share your story with people who matter. Collaborate with an artist and create comic book. All you need to do is find a way to tell your story.
Could you talk a little about your writing process?
- My writing process is not streamlined. It starts with an idea & then I keep scribbling whatever comes to my mind. Over the time I keep combining bits & pieces to put together a story.
Which character has had the greatest impact on readers?
- The Hunter no doubt is a very powerful character but his description throughout the story is simple. Along with him, readers will also like the Widow. The Widow is mysterious, and her face is always covered. She manages an establishment which is considered immoral by all counts, yet she commands tremendous respect from everyone including the high and mighty.
If the book were to be adapted for TV or film, who would you see in the lead role? Who did you have in your mind’s eye ?
- I haven't thought about this. As and when such an opportunity presents itself then I would leave it to the director to chose an apt cast. Had it been for me, the main characters the Hunter, Rehan and the Widow would certainly need actors who are physically agile as the story has a lot of action sequences.
How have readers responded ?
- The initial reviews through beta reading have been great and readers have greatly enjoyed the story of Book 1 and they can’t wait to get their hands on Book 2. There have been positive reviews about the cover page and that has created a great deal of curiosity.
Where next? What are you working on now?
- Work of Book 3 will start now that Book 2 is out. I have a rough draft and a folder full of ideas for future Books in the series so hopefully I should be able to deliver one book every year. Happy reading !!!
