The week began with another reading workshop! It’s a new place for me, with new children and new activities. One thing remains the same, though. It’s still all about books and a library is the perfect place! It’s not too late to join in – come, Let’s Read, at JustBooks, Wanawadi, Pune!
The Court Painter’s Apprentice
I love novels that read like short stories. I don’t like it when the plot is so complex that my excitement reaches its peak too early. When I read a book like that, I’m just waiting to find out what happens in the end, not enjoying the journey. The book I read before this, The Boy Who Fell Down […]
Author Interview!
The Story-Catcher was the second runner-up for the “Parents and Kids Choice Awards 2014” for Books (Indian authors) in the age-group 10-15. TeamRivo interviewed me – read the interview on rivoblog!
Day Five: Reading Workshop at Friends Library
Another wonderful reading workshop came to an end today. “Five minutes more.” “Please, last day!” “Can we stay till 1?” “Please …” Despite everything, we did not finish at 11:30 as planned, but at 12:30! It’s hard to refuse when children want more time with you!
Days Three and Four: Reading Workshop at Friends Library
“How can it already be 11:30?” “Time is already up?” “I could sit here for five hours daily!” “Why is tomorrow the last day?” Today, Day Four of Exploring the World of Stories, my reading workshop at Friends Library, I ended up extending my one and a half hour […]
Let’s Read! – Reading Workshop
Look what’s coming next! Register now! Call (020)30116811 or +91-7385022202 for more details.
Day Two: Exploring the World of Stories
Two more children joined the reading workshop at Friends Library today! With seven children in the cosy children’s section of Friends Library, Day Two of the reading workshop was a day of learning. We spoke about the publishing process and copyright. We designed book covers. We shared myths from around the world. And we had […]
Day One: Exploring the World of Stories
As of yesterday, I had no registrations for my reading workshop. I decided to go to Friends Library anyway. Three children came. And then one more. And one more. And one more promises to come tomorrow – all in all, it was delightful. Among other things, we played Pass the Story – a cross between Pictionary […]
Skellig
Skellig by David Almond is a human story, and like so many human stories, contains a little miracle. A scientific miracle, perhaps. Or maybe a spiritual miracle. Sometimes the two go together, along with angelic intervention, scientific study and William Blake. Skellig is not a story that wants to be believed. Yet it is not fantasy. It is not […]
Three Days to Go for my Workshop at Friends Library!
Are you ready? Have you passed the word? Will you please? Any queries? Write to me!
My Favourite Male Characters in Fiction
I wonder why most of the fictitious characters I love and admire are female! Is it because I want to identify with my characters and it is easier for me to identify with female ones? When I think about remarkable male characters, though, I don’t really run out of favourites. 1) Little Lord Fauntleroy: Just […]
My Favourite Female Characters in Fiction
A question that always bothers me when I’m writing is whether I should concentrate on plot or character. Plot has the power to transport me, make me gasp and thrill me. But characters… Ah, they’re the people who become lifelong friends. 1) Pollyanna: Too good to be loved, but how I love her! She should be a […]
Exploring the World of Stories: A Reading Workshop for Children
Summer holidays! Time for yet another reading workshop! I’m moving to another library now – Friends Library, Salunke Vihar Road Mark the dates: 19th May – 23rd May 2014 Age-group: 8-12 years Time: 10 am – 11:30 am Registration fee: Rs. 750 Join the fun! Let’s explore the world of stories!
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 […]
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!
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 […]
Fun 4 Kids
It’s workshop season! The Cultural Centre, Pune, is a new space in Mundhwa for different activities and programmes. “Fun 4 Kids” is a venture into a range of activities for children. I will be facilitating the ‘Literature’ activities with reading and writing workshops once a month. The poster says it all!
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
“How about watching The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe?” a friend’s mother suggested when I was about eleven. I giggled. “What a funny name! What is that?” “You mean you haven’t read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe?” Eyes wide open in amazement. And that is how I came to watch the old BBC movie […]
The Red Dress
As a child, I did not like anything about anything awkward. I did not like dirt (even though I asked my father where the Famous Five went to the loo and how they had baths when they went camping). I did not find ‘dirty’ humour funny, even humour aimed at children. I liked politeness and […]
Hello? Is Anybody There?
If you go to the moon, you would go up. But when you reach the moon, you land. You go down. And if you are on the moon and you look up, you will see the earth. That means that somewhere between here and the moon, up becomes down and down becomes up. I started […]