Every book begins with an idea, but the stories that truly stay with us are those that challenge emotions, question morality, and leave readers reflecting long after the final page. A Happy Father’s Day is one such novel. Combining a thrilling road adventure with the emotional bond between a father and his daughter, the book explores difficult themes such as divorce, false allegations, parental custody, and redemption through an engaging narrative.
We had the opportunity to sit down with author Nishant Kotai, an engineer-turned-author whose passion for storytelling has led him to write across multiple fiction genres. With seven published books to his name, Nishant shares his thoughts on writing, publishing, creative inspiration, and the journey behind A Happy Father’s Day.
Q1. With your seventh book out now, what are your thoughts on the whole publishing process? Does the work end with finishing the final draft, or is there more to it, according to you?
The majority of the work is done with having a final draft in hand. However, there are equally important tasks that remain; like promoting the book pre-release with teasers, releasing it and then continuing the marketing post release. Then there is diversifying the medium of release like having audiobooks, e-books and more.
“It’s refreshing to hear that writing the manuscript is only one part of the journey. Publishing truly is a collaborative and ongoing process that extends far beyond typing “The End.”
Q2. What advice would you give your past self now that you’ve built a foundation in authorship?
As a writer it is very easy to succumb to the juicy prospect of working on multiple stories simultaneously. I fell into that trap in the past. So, the best advice I would give myself would be to focus on one story at a time and guide it to completion. Having a complete story & publishing it gives a creative satisfaction that working on multiple incomplete projects never deliver.
“Completing one story often teaches more than beginning ten different ones.”
Q3. Considering your interest in the fiction genre, what is your all-time favourite book or novelist, and why?
While it is the most difficult task to single out one novelist or writer, I consider H.P. Lovecraft’s The Call of Cthulhu to be one of the best collection of stories. Despite being a collection of short tales, H.P. Lovecraft’s storytelling creates a vivid atmosphere and immerses you in its world building of cosmic horror. Due to it being short stories, I began reading fiction with The Call of Cthulhu. I didn’t expect it to be such imaginative in terms of conveying a morbid world through words alone.
“Lovecraft’s influence on speculative fiction is undeniable, and it’s fascinating to see how those atmospheric elements continue inspiring modern storytellers.”
Q4. Do you have a writing ritual or a process you dedicatedly follow while writing?
I don’t have any particular ritual as such but I make it a point to set aside one hour every day and open a word document. Then I either continue writing the story from where I left off previously or begin typing any random section of the story and fill in the gaps later. This helps me deal with procrastination and also helps me shape the rough concepts in my mind into concrete story beats once it is on a document.
“Sometimes the hardest part is simply showing up and Your approach proves that consistency often matters more than waiting for inspiration.”
Q5. Considering your affinity for cinema, would you say your writing is inspired by the theatre, or do you have another muse?
Cinema has been obviously been the primary source of inspiration but over the years, storytelling in video games have pushed me further to think deeper and craft worlds that I would love to explore myself as a character within them. As for my muse, sci-fi movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Aliens (1986) and video game series like Max Payne, Red Dead Redemption immensely inspired me to create stories and push my imagination further with every book I write.
“It’s clear that your storytelling is shaped not just by books but by immersive worlds across different creative mediums.”
Q6. Without giving any spoilers, will A Happy Father’s Day be tragic, or will our readers leave with a soul-satisfactory conclusion?
Tragedy or a happy ending is totally subjective. From my end I have tried my best to deliver readers with a conclusion that will leave a sweet aftertaste in their memories. My aim was to take readers on a Father-Daughter adventure and also guide them towards an ending that doesn’t disrespect the journey itself if that makes sense.
“That certainly builds anticipation and Sometimes the most memorable endings are the ones that stay emotionally authentic rather than simply happy or sad.”
Q7. Peaking at the blurb, you have made your protagonist a morally grey character. Was it difficult to maintain the boundaries of going too dark with their choices?
This is a very good question and it is comforting to know that you understood the dilemma one can face while creating a morally grey character. Yes, it was a constant challenge to chain the protagonist at every turn to enable him to become a viable person to at least consider rooting for. It was tempting for me to just outright make him evil and not have any remorse for his actions. To tackle this challenge, I relied on the protagonist’s daughter as the chain that keeps a check on his choices.
“Morally grey characters often leave the strongest impression because they constantly challenge our perceptions and It’s interesting to hear how the father-daughter relationship became the story’s emotional anchor.”
Q8. How did your background in IT and interest in video games help you with the compilation of this book?
Honestly speaking, IT background didn’t contribute much in my creative pursuits. Video games however did ignite the spark in me for storytelling. Video games have a unique perspective of immersion that no other medium delivers on. You can actually play as a character, perform actions in the game world like driving, racing, interacting with other characters etc. I wanted to create such an immersion in the form of a book without losing steam in terms of story pacing.
“That desire to create an immersive experience certainly shines through. Readers today appreciate stories that make them feel like active participants rather than passive observers.”
Q9. Does the title play an important role in the theme and overall plot of the novel?
The title encapsulates the protagonist’s feeling or attitude during the unraveling of the story. It is like saying to someone ‘Yesterday was not my day…but today will be my day.’ On the flipside, from the perspective of the readers, it is like witnessing a day of adventure that belonged to a father who is happy due to him being with his daughter thus the title A Happy Father’s Day.
“It’s wonderful when a title carries multiple layers of meaning”
Q10. What type of research did you conduct in the case of dealing with laws and serious societal topics?
An alarming trend of rising cases in misuse of certain marital laws caught my eyes. These have led to a surge in the rate of male suicides due to such misuse. Research-wise all I could do was read news articles, past court judgements and watch a couple of documentaries that existed pertaining to this. The lack of more in-depth data combined with a lack of mainstream discussion regarding this issue led me to explore such themes in my story.
“Tackling socially relevant issues through fiction often encourages readers to engage with conversations they might otherwise overlook.”
Speaking with Nishant Kotai offers a glimpse into the mindset of an author who believes storytelling goes beyond entertainment it is about creating immersive experiences, exploring complex human emotions, and leaving readers with something meaningful to reflect upon. A Happy Father’s Day promises to be much more than a fast-paced adventure; it is a story about relationships, resilience, difficult choices, and hope.
We thank Nishant for taking the time to share his thoughts and creative journey with us. We hope readers enjoy discovering the world of A Happy Father’s Day and look forward to seeing what stories he brings to life next.
Embark on a thrilling road trip where every mile tests the strength of a father’s love. Pick up your copy of A Happy Father’s Day today!
