"Hello! I am Junaid and I work as a doctor in Kashmir. In addition to an MD, I have an MA in English and Philosophy as well. I grew up in a parochial home where the dinner table conversations mostly tended to shy away from arts. However, the burgeoning influx of art in my home could not be stopped, be it songs of freedom or melancholic shards of melody paying homage to human tenacity draped in the unmistakable genius of Bob Dylan, or the enigmatic Leonard Cohen which inspired me or the more visceral medium of films, I was deeply moved by the visual poetry of Terrence Malick and the prophetic genius of Tarkovsky. I always craved intellectually stimulating interactions and whatever lack I experienced, I filled with art. Hence, the writer, poet and singer-songwriter that emerged.

Thank you for having me!"

"For want of a better word, I must say I am awfully erratic when it comes to writing. I suppose my practice of putting pen to paper reflects my own life, the lack of middle ground that is. I either write feverishly for days and nights on end; or I don’t write at all. Of course it would be ideal if I could be more organised in my writing schedule but I have not nailed it down consistently enough (not for the lack of trying). Some of the writing I consider my best has been while away on vacation, travelling, searching."

"What a great time to ask me this! Because the three I have on my shelf currently are my favourites. I am reading ‘Coming Through Slaughter’ by Michael Ondaatje. His magnum opus ‘The English Patient’ remains my most loved novel. I love the intimacy and lyricism in his writing. Then of course I have another one of my favourites, Proust and I am currently in the middle of ‘Swann’s Way (In Search of Lost Time)’. To round it off with some poetry, I also have a collection of poems by Mahmoud Darwish on my shelf called ‘Unfortunately, It Was Paradise.’"

"I am notoriously unreasonable with myself when it comes to clicking that final submit button. There is plenty of rethinking, re-evaluating and questioning both the form and content of what I have written. I tend to read from different perspectives, of a reader, of a writer and also of someone who might be reading anything from that particular genre for the first time. I want to be the primate who soaks in all the senses for the first time whilst reading a particular poem, or a story. After having exhausted all those means, I try to be thorough and especially meticulous with the messaging of the piece, a poem or a story. It so happens on occasion that a poem or a story written with a particular message in mind turns out entirely different or one that is devoid of a message in the beginning springs up its own raison d’etre during the course of writing it. Tantamount to how whether we truly write stories or the stories write us."

"I have often felt deprived of calling a language my own. A home to return to. Yet, in this constant journey of never arriving anywhere in particular I have finally made peace with it. I try to infuse my writing with enquiries about the human soul, certain philosophical musings with the human condition at their core, exploring themes of identity and memory. I want to measure myself up in that long pursuit. I suppose all of that is mildly fulfilling (hehe); would I call it enjoyable? I doubt."

"Start writing early. Do not be afraid of the madness it entails. And lastly, be ruthless with editing, and discarding unnecessary clutter."

"Currently I am working on two novels. The first one is at the stage of the final editing process and proofreading. The other one I have just begun working on, and is more personal to me. I am also working on a collection of poems and songs."

"I have myriad interests. I love reading all sorts of books; prose and poetry, theology and philosophy. In addition to that, I am trying to collaborate on an album as a songwriter that I have envisioned for a long time. I play music, a whole lot of pickle-ball, watch films and go swimming with my little one, Maryam."

"The writing process can be a slog. Scorsese was wrong when he said superhero films are more like theme parks than cinema."