I woke up early this Sunday morning, and I was well rewarded by a review for Ginger Soda Lemon Pop in the Deccan Herald that warmed my heart.
You could have a look at it here…
http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/May112008/books2008051067311.asp
As any writer will tell you, a good review does so completely make your Sunday morning 🙂
Am I woman achiever? I am not sure. I guess a lot of it has to do with the fact that I resist tags like ‘woman achiever’. I would prefer to just be an ‘achiever’.
I also find that I resist the ‘making a difference to the world’ tag. I prefer to make a difference to the world, without the tag.
Yet, this year I find myself with the tag twice. First, as a Radio Indigo nominee for Woman of the Year. Then, my own organization chose to honour their women achievers for Women’s Day, and my name was on the list. Once more all thanks to that wonderful journey that is my first book and goes by the name of Ginger Soda Lemon Pop.
I am grateful for both the honours and I am definitely not complaining. Yet, I don’t feel completely comfortable with it 🙂
I am uncomfortable with the attention. Yet, I am happy for every opportunity to spread the message of Ginger Soda Lemon Pop.
Aah…contradictions, contradictions…
I’m not completely convinced that I deserve this honour, but here it is…
http://www.radioindigo.fm/indigowoman.htm
More also here…
http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/29/stories/2008022950290200.htm
Yes, I know it’s not the Booker. But, I still feel more than slightly overwhelmed.
This one is from The Bengaluru Pages. I hope it makes an auspicious beginning to the new year.
(For a more readable version of the review, click here).
When you are a first time published writer, there is so much joy in the simple things…
The first time a person you don’t know enjoys the book. The first time your book is ‘sold out’ in a shop. The first time you see your book in a shop window. The first time a bookseller in another city calls up and asks for 15 copies. The first time it appears in a list with other writers that you admire,
Ah…small, simple joys.
I don’t whether joy will ever be so simple again. The first time round, you ask for nothing. You expect nothing. You just act in faith. Then, every gift from life is a bonus.
It’s been a week since the book launch and the pace of life is finally settling down.
I’m not so sure about how the launch went. It’s always hard to tell when you are in the middle of event. But, even while I did not agree with everything the panel said, I did feel that some very interesting observations were made.
It was also the only time after my wedding that I was going to have so many friends across time in the same room. That was special.
By the next day, most of my friends (who can also be my critics if the situation demands it) told me that the launch had gone well. The event also got good reviews from The Times of India, Deccan Herald and The Hindu.
I thought that the write up in The Hindu, done by Anindita was the best of the lot. You could read it here.
Of course, if any of you know Peter, you will have to overlook the reference to his sons (yes, he does not have any. The reference at the beginning of the article should have been to his friend’s sons)
I’ve also had my first book reviews from Indian Express and Midday. The review from Indian Express was not bad at all. But, Midday decided that I was a children’s writer 😦
It would be true to say that I am quickly learning that while it is important for your book to be written about, it is also important for you not to take the press too seriously.
It’s a lot more rewarding to hear the feedback that’s coming in from the people who have actually read the book. I love the fact that different types of people from diverse backgrounds and age groups seem to be enjoying the book. I am especially happy when people tell me that portions of the book made them laugh. As any writers know, it’s a difficult task to make your readers laugh. So, there’s deep contentment about words that are bang on target.
I’ve also got to admit to this desire that has suddenly arisen to walk into a bookshop and just see my book on display. After all, it is my first novel.
While my publisher Dronequill does not have a distribution network that can match huge names like Penguin or Harper Collins, it does have a respected name in the market (especially in Bangalore). So, it will not be distributing in Crossword or Landmark. But, it will be distributing in Strand, Premiere, Higgin Bothoms, Gangarams and Sapna.
So, while this may not be reminiscent of Arundhati Roy’s debut, it still remains a good launch for a first time writer.
But if anyone thought that the work of a writer ends with the publishing of a book, think again. This is infact only the beginning of a new journey. Let’s see about what tomorrow has in store for me.
Well, almost. That’s actually the cover of my book, which goes into print today. And finally, I am excited.
Till I saw the cover, I had this deep rooted suspicion that something was going to go wrong. But now, even me the eternal pessimist has an inkling that this is going to happen. Two years after I penned the last page and 10 years after I first conceived the idea, this book is going to be a reality. It would be an understatement to say that I am happy.
I think it’s official now. My search for a publisher seems to have ended with Dronequill. I’ve not been given a date as of yet. But, I have a contract, and I can expect my novel to be in bookstores by the end of this year.
It’s been a long journey. In the course of the accompanying evolution, the book moved from being Gundumani, Gundumani to being Ginger, Soda, Lemon, Pop. The conclusion grew to be more defined. But, the book lost none of its original freshness (I hope!).
So, after a preliminary meeting at my publisher’s house last week, we met to ink the contract over the weekend.
It was perhaps fitting that the venue was my favourite table at Koshy’s. We spent a long time chatting over curd rice (one of the closely guarded secrets that Koshy’s also sells) and ham fried rice. Finally, two strangers who were waiting for a table were roped in as the witnesses for the deal.
And so begins another journey.
Dronequill is a small publishing house in Bangalore, and it does not have the reach of Penguin. But, I am not Arundhati Roy and I’m grateful to life for an opportunity.
Who knows?! Let’s hope that Ginger, Soda, Lemon, Pop brings good things for my publisher and me.
101dreams 