Creating your own universe

Rohini Singh author of The Time Manipulator's Son.
Rohini Singh author of The Time Manipulator's Son.

“Powerful aliens hide on an asteroid floating above the planet Chyspah. Fearing for her child's life, a widow breaks the laws of her people and makes contact with the leader of the planet. Her actions kick off a long series of strange occurrences and unexpected discoveries that lead three boys to solve their parents' mysteries as they're caught in the midst of the royal family's fall from power. Daniel experiences bizarre episodes of time travel, while Anomar learns he was adopted–and that his real parents belong to a species of aliens with supernatural powers. With the reluctant help of their timid friend Benardo, the boys dig deeper to find the truths hidden in their own lives. What they learn will change everything they thought they knew about themselves-and each other.”

Sounds like the plot from the hottest new sci-fi movie? Well, it isn’t but rather the plot of local sci-fi author Rohini Singh’s The Time Manipulator’s Son. The first of the four-part series was published in 2014 and Singh is currently working on the second part of the series.

But the story is gaining momentum. Singh was, last year, one of the finalists in the Global Book Excellence Awards, in the pre-teen fiction category. While Singh works in the IT department of the Ministry of Planning and Development, she has always loved writing.

In an interview with Newsday, she said, “Fiction writing has always been something that came naturally to me and sci-fi, I just had a love of sci-fi from ever since a child. There were so many novels and shows that inspired me. Sci-fi allows you to go beyond the realm of reality. It allows you to make up such outrageous characters, create your own world, your own universe. The universe is the limit.”

Although she has always been writing, Singh’s first serious attempt at getting something published was at 16. She then did a script and sent it to Paramount Studios but it was returned, unopened, because she needed a literary agent.

The book’s idea, she said, came from her sister teaching at Fatima College on Mucurapo Road and attending events held by the school. “I was always impressed by the way children from different walks of life mixed together, come together and played in such harmony. That inspired me to write the book,” she said.

Despite feeling pride at having completed the book, Singh feels proud of its “mystery ending.”

Cover of The Time Manipulator's Son. This is the first in a four-part series.

She has also managed to incorporate aspects of TT life in the series.

The story, she said, revolves around two families, one of them Trini. “I was able to incorporate a lot of our culture, food and slangs into the novel. My publishers were quite impressed how I placed my world into this futuristic world,” she said.

Singh began writing the book 12 years ago. But it was also at the height of Harry Potter’s book/film successes so she stopped because she did not want it to be similar to that.

For a while, Singh left the book there. But one day while sick and at home, she decided to get active again but found it hard to go to the computer. That day, when her seven-year-old niece came to her and asked, ‘You wrote a book. Can I go to the book store and get one?’ That inspired her to begin writing again.

“When she said that, that was my inspiration for me to finish it. I had finished six chapters and in about three months, I finished the other 14 chapters. There are 20 chapters in the book,” she said.

She sent the manuscript to many publishers but only after entering the I Heart Soup contest did she win a publishing contract with Something or Other Publishers in Wisconsin, US. Singh was second in that contest. The book is currently being marketed to an international and local audience.

She hopes one day to see her work on big screens across the world but she knows that being a first-time author, sometimes does not really give one much exposure. “I am hoping by the time the series is out it will be noticed,” she said.

The book is not only for pre-teens but rather a story for all ages, addressing issues such as self-acceptance, self-appreciation and anti-bullying.

Singh believes that cli-fi [climate change fiction] and sci-fi should be something that more people in TT should pay attention to. “There is a growing population of interest in sci-fi...but the problem with TT is that they don’t appreciate local culture...it is only when something becomes popular internationally then we get recognition. It is just like calypsonians, they struggle to sell their music. People love their music at Carnival time.”

Singh is currently halfway through the second book and hopes to be finished by year’s end.

The book is available in paperback through Amazon and, digitally on Kindle and is available through local bookstores.

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