Book launch: Saad Shafqat on his journey from doctor to first-time writer

The only reason to write this book is to entertain the reader, says author.

KARACHI: Saad Shafqat, a neurologist by profession and a reputed cricket critic, recently made a bold entry into the world of fiction with his book, Breath of Death. The medical fiction thriller, set in a private hospital in Karachi, has received wide acclaim from readers - with the first batch of books being reportedly sold out in just 24 hours after their arrival at Liberty Books.

Speaking to a packed room at the official launch of his book in Pakistan, held at the T2F on Saturday, Shafqat explained that the main idea behind the book was to entertain the reader. In order to keep the reader engaged, he chose to keep an ambiguous writing style. “Being an avid fan of Robin Cook’s thrillers, I aspired to adopt a style similar to Cook which would keep the reader’s attention at every page,” he said.



When asked about his busy schedule, Shafqat modestly said that the only reason which kept him from writing before was his shy nature.

He figured it would be a daunting task to get his work published. “But if you feel strongly about something, you automatically find the time to do it.”

Thrilling experience

Shafqat wanted to relate a physician’s life, which according to him, is full of drama through his book. He started writing the book around the year 2004 and he finalised his manuscript in 2009. During that time, Shafqat said he followed his impulse to write whenever he could and often wrote only one page at a time.

Finding a credible publisher was a challenge, he told the audience. Being an amateur writer, he depended on the advice of peers and finally managed to find a suitable publisher in India.

When asked why he didn’t choose to go with a publisher in Pakistan, Shafqat opined that English fiction by a Pakistani author was a relatively new concept. “There have been wonderful thrillers written in Urdu, but this is the first example of a fiction thriller in English by a Pakistani author,” he claimed. He hoped that the coming years would prove to be better for the genre.

“I’ve kept my writing style relatively reader friendly - with most medical terms expressed in such a way that the reader would not have difficulty in understanding their context. Writing neurology in an accessible way is a challenge,” he remarked.

Shafqat has dedicated the book to his wife, who he says, has been a steadfast support through his journey as an author.

He hoped the book will be a success and would like to see it adapted into a TV series some day.

As for projects in the pipeline, Shafqat expressed his desire to write more fictional pieces in a medical setting. He hinted that his next book might be a dark comedy.

He shared that he would also like to write a book on cricket, particularly on the relationship of Javed Miandad and Imran Khan in what was known as the golden era of Pakistani cricket.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1^st, 2013.