Interview with author Suthep Srikureja

About Suthep Srikureja

Suthep Srikureja lives in Bangkok with his wife and three children. An entrepreneur and a writer, he can often be found immersed in various bodies of water. The Traveler is his first book.

You can find out about Suthep and his book at http://www.mettavisions.com

Where are you from?

Let's see, I was born in Bangkok, Thailand. Spent most of my early and teenage years in India, in an Irish Catholic boarding school in the Himalayas and then moved back to Bangkok. So Thailand is home as of now.

When and why did you begin writing?

I wrote as a child in school and then stopped for some reason for about 20 years. When I turned 40, I decided to start again. Why? I guess I simply decided to be more true to myself.

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I'm still coming to terms with that fact.

What inspired you to write your first book?

The Traveler was inspired by my children, two songs and a documentary on oil drilling.

Do you have a specific writing style?

I guess my style is very visual. Good or bad, I feel that I should burn an image of the characters and the story in my readers' minds.

How did you come up with the title?

The Traveler is a character in the book so it was an easy decision.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Love, peace, beauty and oneness with the earth and all beings.

How much of the book is realistic?

The book is a children's fable.

Are experiences based on someone you know, or events in your own life?

No... but the feelings are. My children were small at the time I wrote The Traveler. I watched on TV how oil was drilled and to me it looked like we were actually drilling the blood from the earth to power our machines to make us move faster and poisoning the air in the process. I wondered where we are headed as humans and what kind of problems we are leaving behind for our children.

What books have most influenced your life most?

The Power of Myth' by Joseph Campbell, 'The Prophet' by Kahlil Gibran and 'The Tao of Pooh' by Benjamin Hoff.

And many more.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

Neil Gaiman.

What book are you reading now?

Steven Erikson's 'Dust of Dreams'. What an absolutely amazing writer.

Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

By new, can we include the ones whose books came out this millennium? I am really impressed by Jonathan Safran Foer and Dave Eggers. Supremely talented, both of them.

What are your current projects?

I am working on a book of short stories for adults and a book of short stories for children.

Name one entity that you feel supported you outside of family members.

Outside my family it is Tew Bunnag, himself a prolific writer, whose constant encouragement means a lot to me.

Do you see writing as a career?

Honestly, some days I do and some days I don't.

What do you think makes a good story?

Sincerity, honesty and not trying to second guess the reader.

Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

There's more to writing than writing. There is this entire cast of characters that you hope will help you in your journey from that first draft to final success in getting your work out into the hands of readers.

About The Traveler

Written by Suthep Srikureja while listening to the music of the waves and stunningly illustrated by Denys Blacker, The Traveler is about Dreams and Wishes…it´s about Expressions and Wonder and about Hope and Trust.

It is a Story of the Stars and it seeks to inspire awe in our everyday existence and optimism about the future.