An Author Interview: Conversations with Cookie by Ranga Jagannath
The Literature Times: What sparked the idea of turning conversations with your late dog, Cookie, into a full book of essays?
Ranga Jagannath: We lost Cookie, our Cocker Spaniel of nearly thirteen years, in December 2024, and life has felt noticeably different without him.
Life was beautifully simple for him: a walk, a treat, the same meals every day, endless cuddling and pampering from everyone at home, and a warm bed to sleep on.
I often found myself wondering what Cookie would have done or said in moments when we, as humans, are navigating complex emotions.
Using Cookie as a proxy, I began having imagined conversations with him, sharing some of them through my weekly Substack, where I opened up about my fears, frustrations, and joys.
Over time, these reflections led me to uncover fifty-two distinct conversations I might have had with Cookie. None of these appear on my Substack, and they eventually came together as my book, Conversations with Cookie.
The Literature Times: The book beautifully balances humour and vulnerability. Was it challenging to write something so personal yet so playful?
Ranga Jagannath: Yes, it was challenging but for two very different reasons.
First, I was exposing some of my fears and vulnerabilities to the world, and that is never easy.
Second, the format itself. The book is conversational and dialogue-driven, and I had not come across many works in a similar style. I was not entirely sure if I would be able to pull it off.
The Literature Times: Cookie comes across as wise, sarcastic, and strangely therapeutic. How much of Cookie’s ‘voice’ reflects your own inner dialogue?
Ranga Jagannath: The wise and therapeutic side is something we genuinely experienced with Cookie as a family, so that part is heavily influenced by who he was.
The sarcasm, on the other hand, is all me. I may not come across as very sarcastic externally these days, but that streak definitely exists, and Conversations with Cookie gave me the perfect outlet for it.
So yes, it is really a blend of Cookie’s nature and my own.
The Literature Times: You cover themes like burnout, distraction, fear of starting over, and imposter syndrome. Which of these did you struggle with most while writing the book?
Ranga Jagannath: None of it was really a struggle to write about, since I have experienced all of these, and more, at different stages in my life.
If I had to choose, writing about burnout would probably be the hardest. I have come close to it on several occasions, but my family, the people around me, and the circumstances I found myself in have always rallied around me and lifted me up, preventing me from spiraling downward.
The Literature Times: Your professional journey is incredibly diverse—hotels, tech, sales, running, writing. How do these different worlds shape your storytelling?
Ranga Jagannath: Each of these experiences has been a great teacher.
From hospitality and sales, I have learned empathy. From long-distance running, I have learned what it means to stay invested in something over the long haul.
Writing, in turn, has taught me that there is no single “right” way to tell a story or choose what to write about. It is an ongoing journey of learning and course correction.
The people and situations I have encountered along the way have all been unique, and they have taught me not to take myself, or them, too seriously most of the time.
Being able to connect these people and experiences is something I have been fortunate with. And at the end of the day, that is what storytelling is all about: connecting the dots… and the plots.
The Literature Times: The format—52 illustrated, dialogue-driven essays—is unique. How did you arrive at this structure, and what made it feel right for this project?
Ranga Jagannath: I first started experimenting with the Conversations with Cookie format on my Substack, where I received very positive feedback on both the structure and the content.
That is what led to the idea of shaping it into fifty-two conversations in book form. The thought was simple: even if someone reads just one conversation a week, they would finish the book in a year, if not earlier.
I wanted it to feel accessible and unintimidating. One short chapter a week should not feel like a heavy lift.
Of course, whether that assumption holds true is something only time will tell.
The Literature Times: You write often on Substack and LinkedIn. What shifts for you when you move from short-form reflections to a full-length book?
Ranga Jagannath: Let me answer that a slightly different way.
Since the format of the book is similar to the Conversations with Cookie pieces on my Substack, the shift there has been minimal.
The real contrast is with LinkedIn. On that platform, I have to be far more concise, because attention spans are short, and there is always something else competing for the same screen space.
So, writing for LinkedIn is a constant exercise in brevity and evolution. Substack, and the books, including my first one, Accidentally Wise, are read more deliberately. That allows me to be more expansive and evocative.
I do not have to rush into the topic or compress the content in the same way.
The Literature Times: Many readers say they feel seen by the book. Was that an intentional goal—to make people confront their own habits and insecurities?
Ranga Jagannath: I feel humbled when readers relate to the book, or to what they read on Substack and LinkedIn.
With Conversations with Cookie, my intent was not to make people confront their habits or insecurities, but to help them feel less alone in their struggles. And to remind them that it is okay to live a life of imperfections.
If, along the way, readers are able to confront or even resolve some of their own insecurities or habits, that is a bonus as far as I am concerned.
The Literature Times: Cookie is an unforgettable presence in the narrative. What was the most meaningful lesson he taught you in real life?
Ranga Jagannath: Very simply put, life is too short to be spent worrying about things beyond one’s control.
Find joy in the small things and trust the bigger things to take care of themselves once you have put in your sincere effort.
The Literature Times: If Cookie could give one final piece of advice to today’s rushed, overstimulated human, what do you think he’d say?
Ranga Jagannath: Take a moment to smell the roses… or the grass.
Look up at the sky. Stay curious. And do not let life pass you by without truly living it.
