Subhechcha Ganguly 
Harish Rijhwani is the Author of the book 9 to 5 Cubicle Tales. He has twenty years of corporate experience and ten years as a visiting faculty teaching in various management institutions. Let us know more about him in this interview.
Q1) Since when did you start having interest in writing? Tell us something about your writing journey.
Ans: My first writing experience was way back during my engineering days when I co-authored the second edition of an electronics book with one of my professors. Though the book never got published, I understood how publishers work to a large extent. After six to seven years into my corporate Journey, I got interested in writing blogs because that is a way to share knowledge. I began teaching as a visiting faculty, and after a long journey of 17 years in the industry, I thought of writing one book. The first book I wrote was based on my experience and strength around Healthcare IT (Healthcare Decoded) since I have worked in healthcare since the beginning of my career. My second book was focused on explaining Marketing (Technology to Business – The Invisible Gap) in layman’s terms. In my third book, I thought of deciphering Data Science (Master the Mystic Arts – Begin your Data Science Journey) using common and known elements/characters from Harry Potter to Cooking Food. Finally, after much thought and additional learning, I wrote my first Novel in 9 to 5 Cubicle Tales.
Q2) How did the idea of “9 to 5 Cubicle Tales” come to your mind. Tell us more about the plot of the book. Also share the link of the book.
Ans: I wanted to explore writing fiction hence I thought of writing 9 to 5 Cubicle Tales. My debutr Novel explores the Journey of a young software programmer. The protagonist Hridaan Rajdev is on a journey in which life in the office plays a prominent part. As a young boy, Hridaan makes a bold promise to his Mother and wants to achieve the same eventually. However, once Hridaan completes his studies, his Corporate Journey starts, which is an amalgamation of challenges, joy, lessons, politics, and deep bonds of friendship. The Story is based in India and the US but covers various experiences similar to those of many people. The book ends on a cliffhanger, as this is just the first part of the series.
Q3) Tell us something about your hobbies. Have you mastered the art of managing your hobbies and your passion by now or you are still finding ways to do it?
Ans: I like solving puzzles; I learned to solve various forms of Rubik’s Cubes from a 3x3x3 to a 9x9x9 and other shape mods of the Cube. Additionally, I like teaching and love to walk. I wouldn’t say I am an expert at managing hobbies, but I try and divide my time according to my need. So, if I am teaching, my focus will be on that; once the session is over, I will focus on the next task/hobby/ I plan to do.
Q4) From preparing the draft of the book, to selecting the cover page to publishing it , it is a process that requires total scrutiny and involvement . Tell us about your experience and were there any hardships that you faced in the process?
Ans: This is my first time writing a novel that consists of hundered thousand words. Writing this book was not easy because when I started, it still read like non-fiction. I then enrolled in two courses on creative writing from British Council Library. After this, I understood how to detail characters, use dialogues, and write fiction. Then, using my newfound knowledge, I created a plan to write five hundred words daily starting March/April 2022. By mid-July, I had completed my Novel’s first draft. The fun part started now because I read the book four times to edit the same and remove any errors. Also, getting the cover created by Yasha Kothari was a fun process as I had something in my mind that she was able to develop quite nicely.
Q5) There is a large section of the youth who thinks of writing their solo book but lack the courage to do so. What is your advice to them?
Ans: Don’t hesitate to write if you have an idea because it can be a fun process. Start with writing about your area of expertise or what you like the most; it could even be cooking, for that matter. Try writing a small pilot/few articles on a free blog site or LinkedIn, for that matter. By doing so, you will get a certain level of confidence, and then you will be on your way to writing a complete book. Finally, plan and set a writing goal and go after the same. Remember, execution is vital in achieving any goal.
