I have published 15 or more books and ebooks (some under the pseudonyms Benny Profane and Vijay Prabhu, and two as Avatar Prabhu), but I have never taken a selfie, mooned anyone, or photo-bombed; and never used the f-word as an adjective in casual speech (in literary writing, yes).
I was born in Bangalore, India, but mostly grew up in coastal Mangalore (Kudla in Tulu, Kodial in Konkani), shepherded by conservative Catholic nuns and priests (who would have restarted the Spanish Inquisition, Portuguese edition, if allowed).
To escape which, I wrote my first short “novel” at the age of 10. It made a classmate laugh so much (at the book, and at me for daring to think I could write) that he passed it around and around for more derisive laughter and it was lost forever (however, being a cautious optimist, I offer a reward of $100 for its miraculous safe return).
That first setback did not stop me from dreaming of becoming a writer in America. Working briefly in India's powerful Administrative Service (IAS), where I quelled (ha ha!) two riots, “granted” land to tenants (LOL), and conducted two state elections unchallenged by Rudy Giuliani (yeah!), I soon went to America on a student visa to study literature, and stayed on, beginning my first novel while at Columbia University, while also bearing responsibility for the birth of three bouncing boys (two of whom are now big enough to be bouncers).
That novel, ironically titled The Revised Kama Sutra, received wide critical acclaim, was described as “very funny” by Kurt Vonnegut (a much funnier author), and has been published in ten countries and in seven languages.
My passions include music, comedy, and opposing war, oppression, injustice and greed by means of humor, satire, and argument. Lord Bush of Iraq and What We All Need represent some of these passions, as do other works in progress.
Fatherhood, the difficult and complicated relationship between fathers and sons, and the compelling nature of love, is also the subject of some of my books and books in progress.
I’m delighted to hear from my readers or anyone with an interest in my writings. You can drop me an email by filling in the form below.
I will reply as soon as possible.