Author Q&A with Tanweer Dar
Author Q&A with Tanweer Dar
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Tanweer Dar was born in Birmingham, in the United Kingdom, in 1984. He read Ancient & Medieval History at the University of Birmingham and worked as a qualified teacher in the city for fourteen years.
Tanweer enjoys science fiction, fantasy and horror, both in books and on screen, as well as collecting and painting miniatures and table top war gaming. He is a car enthusiast and lover of music and film.
Tanweer has loved cyberpunk-themed films, games and music for many, many years. This, in part, inspired his cyberpunk book, the novella: The Man With No Name, the cyberpunk horror collection: Neon Nightmares and his latest novel, The Demon.
Tanweer Dar’s works are available both in paperback and Kindle eBook format from Amazon.
This book was fast-paced and filled with action that left me wanting to keep turning the pages. Set in a dystopian future filled with artificial intelligence, this novella explores what can happen when AI goes too far. The combination of human storylines and technological advances leads to a thrilling read.
Would definitely recommend.
1. Tells us about your writing/ published book(s)
I have three Cyberpunk books out, one book of poetry and one children’s book. The Man With No Name is fast-paced action novella which deals with overdependence and slavery to technology, as well as the relationship between a mother and son. Neon Nightmares is a collection of short horror stories which all take place in a Sci-Fi/Cyberpunk setting. They explore the consequences of what might happen if our development of technology, and in some cases biology, go too far. The Demon is a novel, and is the most ambitious project of the three. It centres around a mysterious vigilante with a dark past and a brave young journalist who ends up falling for him. Together, they face the power of a shady corporation and crime syndicate. 99 Breaths of a Borderline is a book of poetry I wrote many years ago which deal express my thoughts and feelings as someone who has Borderline Personality Disorder.
And my children’s book, The Elephant and The Ballerina, is a heart-warming story about friendship, confidence and teamwork.
2. What’s your favourite genre to read?
I actually will, and do, read anything! My favourite is either my own genre, Cyberpunk, or Horror. But I quite happily read, and enjoy, a wide variety of genres. I also like books that blend genres and stand out a bit quirky and different.
3. What advice would you give to someone wanting to write their first book?
I think the most important thing when wanting to write your first book is to truly understand the kind of investment involved in doing so. The amount of time, effort, thought and emotion that goes into writing a book is considerable. As long as a writer is aware of that, prepared for that, and willing to make that investment, then they have a great shot at completing that first book.
4. Do you do research for your books? If so, what kind of research?
So, for my Cyberpunk books, a lot of the research I have to do is centred around technology (especially emerging technology and how it might develop in the near future). This can range from communications through to transport through to medical advances.
5. How do you handle criticism
I think this is a difficult, but important, question to answer. As mentioned above, authors invest a lot into their writing – emotionally and mentally. Because of this, any criticism can feel like quite a heavy blow. It can often feel very personal. I try hard to look at criticism objectively. I ask myself questions such as is it justified and how can I learn from this? I am fortunate and grateful that my work has generally been received very positively, but there are always criticisms and suggestions. I have actually taken them on board and tried to improve my writing. That way, the energy from that criticism becomes positive rather than negative.
6. Would you want your book made into a film?
A lot of people get very excited by this prospect, and it is often a topic of discussion in the Writing Community (Who would you want to play such and such? Who would you want to direct a film of your book?). Although several of my readers have commented that a book of mine would make a really good film, I’d personally be wary and reluctant of going down that path. One of my favourite things about being a fully independent, self-publishing author is having total control over my work. To lose that, and to have a film studio change things about my characters and stories would be hard for me to deal with, I think. On the other hand, it would be very exciting to be able to reach new audiences that way.
