My dance teacher regularly gives the Salvation Army children food and biscuits, so everyone there, from the workers to the watchman's son, knows her. The little ones have given her a name, too - 'Biskitwali'. The most endearing feature of the epithet is that no offence is intended , and none is taken. Yesterday, I parked my bike outside my teacher's house and a cheeky child came up to me with his bright smile. "Dance class," he proclaimed. I nodded. "Dance class?" inquired another child. "Haan!" The tone said 'naturally, don't you know even that?'. "Tereko nahin malum kya?" Top-speed speech, barely completing each word, heedless of grammar. I took off my helmet and scarf. "But what is that?" the second child asked in Hindi. "What is 'dance class'?" "Arre!" the first one said, as if talking to a dunce. "Wo biskitwali hai, na? Wo actually dance teacher hai. Tereko … [Read more...]
The Macmillan Book Review Contest
Write a review; win a prize! And guess which book is on the list for the Macmillan Book Review Contest? You can write as many reviews as you want from the list. If you're in the 7th, 8th or 9th standard, do write a review of The Story-Catcher! Write a review before the 30th of June and you could win a Macmillan Book Hamper! … [Read more...]
Parents and Kids Choice Awards
Second runner-up for the Parents and Kids Choice Awards among Indian books for the age-group 10-15! I'm thrilled! … [Read more...]
Five Problems with Good Books
1) I forget that I'm a writer. I pick up Harry Potter determined to see how J.K. Rowling weaves the magic she weaves. I decide that I will look at her techniques, the way she gets me involved in the story and how she slides in her humour. Five chapters - that's all it takes to get me so engrossed that I want to know what happens next (even though I know what happens next) and I don't look at anything else. 2) I sometimes (often?) imagine meeting my favourite characters and talking to them - and then become woefully depressed when I realise I cannot. Anne Shirley - I want to meet her, I want her to be my kindred spirit, my bosom friend (even if I come second to Diana Barry). I want to visit Avonlea and walk Birch Path with her. I want to share the joy of the Lake of Shining Waters with her. Why can't I? 3) I postpone everything. I can write later. I can work later. I can sleep later. … [Read more...]
Last Day to Vote
Somehow, seeing my book cover on Rivokids's shortlist for the Parents Kids Choice Awards makes it all the more real. Thank you, those who voted. And thank you, all those who shared the link. Those who didn't, would you do it now please? Voting closes today! … [Read more...]
Anne of Green Gables
Anne, in Anne of Green Gables, wishes she were born in Camelot. A more romantic time and place. I envy L.M. Montgomery for having been alive and writing at a time when a first line like this passed unedited: Mrs. Rachel Lynde lived just where the Avonlea main road dipped down into a little hollow, fringed with alders and ladies’ eardrops and traversed by a brook that had its source away back in the woods of the old Cuthbert place; it was reputed to be an intricate, headlong brook in its earlier course through those woods, with dark secrets of pool and cascade; but by the time it reached Lynde’s Hollow it was a quiet, well-conducted little stream, for not even a brook could run past Mrs. Rachel Lynde’s door without due regard for decency and decorum; it probably was conscious that Mrs. Rachel was sitting at her window, keeping a sharp eye on everything that passed, from brooks … [Read more...]
Read before you vote!
If you have not yet read The Story-Catcher and that is holding you back from voting, click here to read some excerpts. Rivokids says: Votes are streaming in! Make sure you Vote. Every Vote counts. Vote now! … [Read more...]
Parents Kids Choice Awards
I'm thrilled to be shortlisted for the Parents Kids Choice Awards! Those who have already voted, thank you, and please spread the word (before the 6th of May). Those who have not, please do vote! Here is how - 1) Click on this link - http://www.rivokids.com/pkca 2) Go to I want to vote for Age group: 10 to 15 years 3) Click on The Story-Catcher among Indian writers 4) Vote for anything in the other categories. 5) Enter your details (name, email and city) The picture should help you too! … [Read more...]
Goodbye Gurukul
I had decided what I would write about today, but was moved to tears more than once by everything students and colleagues from Vishwashanti Gurukul said to me, wrote to me and gave me. One student said, "I used to hate Shakespeare, but you made me fall in love with Macbeth." Another confessed, "I have never taken English seriously but thanks to you, English is one of the most interesting subjects." Yet another wrote, "You have changed my view towards English as a language." And finally, the cake they ordered with the most charming message ever: … [Read more...]
International Dance Day
It's International Dance Day! The best day, perhaps, to pay tribute to my guru, Guru Mythili Raghavan. Nobody can quite understand why she means so much to us. Why is it that we spend odd hours at her place? Why do so many of the seniors' parents comment that we listen more to her than to our own parents? Why is there still (after 20 years) that fear mingled with respect when we have to tell Miss that we are not coming for class? Maybe it has something to do with the fact that her house has been open to us at odd hours for us to practise and outdo ourselves. In her absence, I have ransacked her cupboard for costumes. In her presence, I have climbed into the loft to pull equipment out. Miss has seen us laugh and cry. She has witnessed and been part of our greatest successes and failures. How can we not love her? She has been deeply involved with our lives, rejoicing in our victories, … [Read more...]
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