Today, I would like to introduce Irving Karchmar, the author of Master of the Jinn: A Sufi Novel.
He has been a writer, editor and poet for many years, and a darvish of the Nimatullahi Sufi Order since 1992. He now lives near New York City, where he is currently at work on the Audiobook of Master of the Jinn.
Listen to a sample of the story here.
Welcome. Can please tell us a
little bit about yourself?
I am the son of Holocaust survivors who came to America in
1948. I was actually born in newly built American Army Hospital of a DP Camp, a
Displaced Persons Camp in Germany just after WWII. In fact, I use that as a
scene in Master of the Jinn. I have also been a writer, editor and magazine
publisher most of my working life, and dabble in poetry :) In 1992, I was
initiated as a darvish of the Nimatullahi Sufi Order, and began writing Master
of the Jinn six months later.
What inspired you to
write Master of the Jinn?
I was participating in majlis, our twice weekly meeting,
saying my zekr in a meditation circle, and the idea came to me without my
thinking about it. Of course, I had read about King Solomon and his ring, which
according to legend controlled the men and Jinn, birds and animals. But it was
at that moment that I thought a modern day story of searching for the original
ring of power, would make a good novel, especially from a Sufi point of view.
Please explain the
term, Sufi?
A Sufi is dervish, or darvish in Persian, who practices a
mysticism that we believe is the heart of Islam, and involves spiritual
poverty, that is, not being attached to anything, loving-kindness, honesty,
generosity, charity, etc, in other words, all the legendary qualities of the
Prophet (SAW). Rumi, Attar, Junayd,
Hallaj and Bayazid were famous Sufis of the past, as were, ibn Arabi and
Al-Ghazzali.
What are the main
themes one will find in Master of the Jinn?
The main theme is taken from the loving kindness of the Sufi
path, and I try to show what life is like in a khaniqah, a Sufi house. Another
theme is the adab, or good manners and courtesy we show to each other and our
guests, and the states and stations of love that are inculcated into the heart
as one progresses on the path. Of course, the quest, and the mystery of the
Jinn are a great part of the overarching theme, but underlying it all is the
infinite mercy of God. Readers find many themes in the book, and upon rereading
it, I have been told, find even more :)
Was it difficult
researching the topic of your novel?
Yes, there is really not much material on the Jinn, though I
researched it for a long time, and tried to incorporate the legends I found in various
sources. There was more information on the archeological aspect of the tale, as
well as Tuareg tribal life in the Sahara, The rest came from my fertile and
overactive imagination :)
While you researched
topics for Master of the Jinn, did you ever get into any type of situations, be
it funny, embarrassing or even a misunderstanding?
Not while I researched topics, but since publishing Master
of the Jinn, I do get inquiries every once in a while that might be considered
a misunderstanding, like asking if I am the Master of the Jinn, or if I have
King Solomon’s ring, or if I can contact the Jinn to help them with their love
life. When I tell them the story came mostly from my imagination, they think I
am just keeping the secret for myself.
Also, some orthodox Muslims consider all fiction just another word for
writing lies, so I have had some comments like that also.
What was your
favorite chapter to write? Why?
I think my favorite chapters were the first and the last,
which I wrote right after getting the idea for the book. I knew immediately how
it would begin and end, I have no idea how, except to say that it came fully
formed into my head, as if sent from above.
Can you share with us
your road to writing and publishing Master of the Jinn?
Writing Master of the Jinn took 12 year in total. The first
five years were devoted to writing the first draft, which is really misleading,
since I wrote it on a word processor and rewrote each sentence about a hundred
times. There were also long periods of time between chapters, when I had no
idea what came next. Finally I had a first draft, then it took another few
years of sending it out, having it rejected, re-editing it, sending it out
again, etc, until technology caught up with my intention and I could publish it
myself inexpensively.
What is something you
wish you had known about the publishing industry before you became a published
author?
I wish I had fully realized the relentless commercialism of
modern publishing. Of course I was sending a manuscript to literary agents and
book publishers about engaging and heroic Muslim character just after 9/11, so
my timing could have been better lol. But the paradigm is changing with
self-publishing so readily available, and E-books growing by leaps and bounds.
It is a new day in publishing, or at least the first light of dawn of a new day
:)
What advice would you
give for those who wish to self-publish?
I would tell anyone who wants to self-publish to try the
difficult path first, that is, send the manuscripts to literary agents that you
have researched and know they handle your kind of book. It is much easier to
find a good agent and let them do the legwork. And if you do self-publish,
build a good website, and use social media and/or a blog to promote your work.
It is a long journey, and you have to believe in your book to take it on.
Thank you so much for taking time out of your schedule and
sharing your journey with us! I look forward to your next book! :D For more
information about his book, check out his website and his blog called Darvish
**
This interview was first published on Of Thoughts and Words
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