Debeshi Gooptu's Blog, page 6

Enter the Dragon!

 

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Where did you get the idea for the character of Dragon Aunty or Dolly?

Is Dragon Aunty someone you know in real life?

Are you friends with Dragon Aunty or someone like her in real life?

Are you Mrinalini in the book?

Ever since my book, Dragon Aunty Returns, was published by Juggernaut Books early this year, I’ve been living out the horrors of the Spanish Inquisition. It hasn’t been very pleasant, let me tell you. A barrage of questions are invariably thrown at me. At lunches, dinners and get-togethers. Some of my close friends have been acting rather strangely around me, sniffing loudly and looking upset when any mention of the book comes up.

The other day, one of them (we will call her X) couldn’t contain herself any longer and accosted me when I was out for a walk. “Hey!” she whispered furtively from behind the bushes of a park in the block of flats adjoining mine. “I wanted to ask you a question.” I strolled over casually to where she was standing, wondering why she was hiding behind the bushes looking so secretive, all of a sudden.

“I wanted to ask you about that Dragon lady in your book,” X blurted out. “You aren’t writing about me, are you?” While there were many similarities between Dolly and X, I hadn’t thought of the latter when I was writing the book at all. But I didn’t know what to say so I burst out laughing. “Good god no,” I said, in between giggles. “What on earth made you think that?”

“Who is it then?” she persisted, with a petulant twist of her lips. “Is it someone I know?”

I met her stare without blinking. I wasn’t about to tell her anything. A writer never gives away her secrets. Or is it a magician?

“No, it’s not someone you know. So don’t worry,” I added hurriedly.

As I returned home that evening, I couldn’t help smiling to myself. Perhaps, the book should have come with a disclaimer: Any Resemblance to Actual Persons, Living or Dead, is Purely Coincidental. I’d better remember that when I’m writing the sequel!

This strange turn of events also got me thinking. When had Dragon Aunty made an entrance in my life? It would have to be during Durga Puja in 2013. I remember marvelling at the mind-boggling array of tattoos I had witnessed at the different puja pandals across Gurgaon. It had become a fashion fad to get inked and most women I knew were sporting tattoos in various shapes, sizes and colours. I remember writing a post about it in my blog, Gurgaon Diaries. The Aunty with the Dragon Tattoo. Soon Aunty had leaped out of the virtual universe, becoming a figure larger than life. There was just no escaping her. She was everywhere.

As for me being Mrinalini, there’s very little resemblance between Mrinalini and myself, other than the fact that both of us are Bengalis. Mrinalini is stuffy and a prude. I’m neither. In fact, I probably resemble Dolly more than Mrinalini. So it’s safe to say, some days I am Dolly, while I am Mrinalini on others. They are both my alter-egos. As for Panks and Guruji and the others, go figure! I’m not telling.

You must read the book to see if you recognize anyone else. Available on the Juggernaut Books app. You can download it here:

http://www.juggernaut.in/books/56d2433f9f924ad19654f05238d5d4cc

Let the Music Play On!

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Music is the soundtrack of our lives

(Dick Clark)

 I believe this is true. Music certainly is the soundtrack of my life. I don’t think I’ve spent a single day without listening to music. It’s the perfect aide to my writing, a companion if you will. It helps me get into the “zone” every single time. It inspires me in a way that nothing ever can or will. In fact, I would go so far as to say that music is my muse. If I hadn’t become a writer, I would certainly have pursued music.

Writing won (for the moment) but music is biding time, waiting patiently in the wings. Like many other writers, I have my favourite playlist that I tune into when I sit down to write. Songs with lyrics don’t work when I’m writing. I find myself singing along, writing forgotten somewhere along the way. These powerful soundtracks provide the right mood. These are just a few of the tunes I like, there are many, many more – too many to list down. From light to noir, happy to maudlin, check them out if you need a muse. You won’t be disappointed! You will notice I have a few favourites, John Williams being a permanent fixture in the list. But I’m very taken with Olafur Arnalds and Shigeru Umebayashi.

Atonement 

2. Broadchurch

3. Inception

4. Harry Potter (Lily’s Theme)

 5. Harry Potter (Courtyard Apocalyse)

6. Dr Zhivago

7. Memoirs of a Geisha

8. Pride and Prejudice

9. Forrest Gump 

    10. In the mood for Love

The Year of the Writer

People say good things come in pairs. Lately, I’ve started believing in this.

Last year, I signed a book deal and started taking baby steps towards becoming a full-time author, something I’ve always wanted to be, ever since I was a little girl.

2017 started with a bang. Not to mention, endless cups of Darjeeling tea. My second book, Dragon Aunty Returns, was published by Juggernaut Books in January and the manuscript for the third book is finally complete. Hopefully, I will have some good news to share with you soon, fingers crossed. Those of you who have been asking where my blog – The Gurgaon Diaries! – disappeared, do watch this space as there’s some interesting news on that front as well.

I may have taken a tiny break from blogging but I haven’t stopped writing. In fact, I’ve recently started work on Book # 4, an idea that I abandoned in 2012 after a medical malfunction and I promise to start blogging again soon. A big shoutout for encouraging me and pushing me (gently) to keep to the straight and narrow.

I hope you like the new website. It’s been quite a challenge setting it up, all by myself from scratch, learning to navigate WordPress. There’s always room for improvement though. Do write to me if you have any ideas. I would love to hear from you.

That’s all for now. Stay well, keep smiling and follow your dreams. And don’t forget to buy my books!