January 19, 2007

Jai Arjun Singh writes in Man’s World (January 2007 )

Is "lad lit" a genre? Does writing for the mass market mean that you are not fit to be considered for winning a literary award? If someone sells one book and is happy does that make such a writer a better to be? In short... many gut wrenching questions on Indians Writing in English (would that make it the I -WE league?)

January 1, 2007

Extracts from Mediocre But Arrogant from the NDTV Site

It was a cold November morning in 1981. Delhi University was just coming to life as U-Specials were doing their rounds dumping sleepy students in front of the College gates. Most of them, like me, got off the bus and headed straight for the canteen, except of course for the Scephanians. They didn't have a plebian canteen, they called theirs a Cafe.I am not a morning person. I find it tough to get my engines started in the morning. When the alarm rang, I would break out in cold sweat thinking I had become blind overnight until would I realize that I had not yet opened my eyes! It was the same every morning — stress, relief and then disgust- Stress at having to get out of bed, relief that I was not blind and disgust at the thought of going to college. I was not what one may call a motivated student. Rather, a lawyer representing me would say that I WAS indeed motivated to go to college but not the classroom

November 19, 2006

A Novel Pastime – Rashmi Bansal in Business World

I discovered this piece that came out in Business World in July 2005. Rashmi Bansal - the author is an IIM-A graduate and founder-editor of youth magazine JAM. She can be reached at rashmi@jammag.com-----------------------------------------------------
November 14, 2006

Abhishek Kumar from Radio Mirchi writes

Read yr book, thoroughly enjoyed it !!! It took me through a range of emotions. Infact, the other day I was telling one of friends that this book is so relatble that even if someone called "Abhishekatoo sitting in Timbaktoo" reads this book he will be able to relate to it. I guess that`s wat is so beautiful about your book. It transcends all geographical, cultural, social & economic barriers.

October 15, 2006

What Men Want? Vandana Kalra of Indian Express has the insight

Move over Bridget Jones, Mark Darcy is here. After the hyped arrival of chick lit as a genre, men have decided to keep pace, coming up with their own version of a literary strand called—no surprises here—lad lit. So even as debate rages over the limitations and frivolity of the genre, the works are raking up sales and rising in popularity, inspiring a new breed of lad lit writers.

October 9, 2006

Display at Universal Books, Lucknow, India

It is always fascinating to see which books my book is keeping company of. Whether in someone's bookshelf at home or at a major bookshop. It must be some kind of analysis that says that people who buy a particular book TEND to buy some other books from a predictable list. Is that something you can predict? What do you think?

September 29, 2006

Englishiana, Anyone? asks Pramita Bose of Asian Age

With simplicity and flexibility defining the current-day writing style, young writers are increasingly resorting to the more elastic and contemporary expressions. Some even play around with words to induce colloquialism, thus enabling the target readers identify with the plot as well as the characters.