Contemporary Fiction
Date Published: 9/26/24
The Underdogs was inspired by my time building a tech startup during the
golden era of San Francisco, when Uber and Lyft were just getting started
and battling it out. It’s a coming-of-age, immigrant story following a
set of characters who are all trying to create a better future for
themselves, for society, and escape their pasts.
Readers have shared that this story reminds them of The Prestige. Two
geniuses, who came from nothing, competing against each other in a market
that preys upon those who also come from nothing. Others have reflected on
the story as a cautionary tale that stands the test of time — How
“the few, the chosen” may end up taking advantage of the very
same people who they grew up with.
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INTERVIEW
Introduce yourself and tell me about what you do.
Salmaun Ahmad, I go by Sal, and am publishing this book under the pen name Isaac Kan. I work in the tech industry leading strategic partnerships for a software company. From 2012 - 2014, I was an entrepreneur and this novel was inspired by experiences during that time. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area with my wife and kids.
Tell me more about your journey as an author, including the writing processes.
I’ve been writing off and on throughout my life. I won creative writing contests throughout school, wrote short stories in college, and wrote my first novel in 2015 (which I ended up stuffing in a shelf). My writing is sparked by stories that stir within me, they eventually get so strong that I can’t move forward until I’ve put them on paper. You could say my writing is inspired by real-life experiences and observations. I write iteratively — meaning a story starts with a germ of an idea or theme that I try to tease out with words, then as the story and characters reveal themselves more to me, I do a bit of outlining, then more writing, and more outlining etc. until I have a first draft. I aim to write 500+ words a day.
Tell me about your Book
The Underdogs was inspired by my time building a tech startup during the golden era of San Francisco, when Uber and Lyft were just getting started and battling it out. It’s a coming-of-age, immigrant story following a set of characters who are all trying to create a better future for themselves, for society, and escape their pasts.
Readers have shared that this story reminds them of The Prestige. Two geniuses, who came from nothing, competing against each other in a market that preys upon those who also come from nothing. Others have reflected on the story as a cautionary tale that stands the test of time — How “the few, the chosen” may end up taking advantage of the very same people who they grew up with.
About the Author
Purchase Link
Amazon
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