Anju Gattani's Blog, page 7
June 11, 2012
Multicultural fiction
Hi,
I'm 2 weeks away from the author event in CT and I've been thinking a lot about what readers and potential readers would like to hear. The topic is 'What It Means To Write Multicultural Fiction' and there are so many avenues to the discussion.
Would they be interested to know why I write multicultural fiction, what this genre of fictions means to readers and its relevancy or do they want to know how and why I am able to write this genre?
What do you think?
I'm 2 weeks away from the author event in CT and I've been thinking a lot about what readers and potential readers would like to hear. The topic is 'What It Means To Write Multicultural Fiction' and there are so many avenues to the discussion.
Would they be interested to know why I write multicultural fiction, what this genre of fictions means to readers and its relevancy or do they want to know how and why I am able to write this genre?
What do you think?
June 7, 2012
Author events in CT
Hi,
I called several friends and neighbors yesterday evening in CT and shared the news of my upcoming author events with them. The variety of reactions was interesting... from "O.K...", "Wow!" to "I'm so proud of you!"... the reason I called was because I didn't want friends to find out from the local newspaper and think I'm a snob in any way.
I'm the same person now as I was before... only now the book is out - it's no longer just a manuscript - and I'm a 'published' author.
The work however is the same. It continues. The stories are different and the characters I deal with have grown older than the previous book or are different altogether.
Writing books has been a journey. It still is. I called my friends to personally invite them to the events. I hope my readers will understand that I'm still the same person when I talk. Nothing has changed. Except the work. the manuscript is now a book.
I called several friends and neighbors yesterday evening in CT and shared the news of my upcoming author events with them. The variety of reactions was interesting... from "O.K...", "Wow!" to "I'm so proud of you!"... the reason I called was because I didn't want friends to find out from the local newspaper and think I'm a snob in any way.
I'm the same person now as I was before... only now the book is out - it's no longer just a manuscript - and I'm a 'published' author.
The work however is the same. It continues. The stories are different and the characters I deal with have grown older than the previous book or are different altogether.
Writing books has been a journey. It still is. I called my friends to personally invite them to the events. I hope my readers will understand that I'm still the same person when I talk. Nothing has changed. Except the work. the manuscript is now a book.
June 5, 2012
Danbury News Times
Hi,
I'm prepping for 2 author events scheduled in Connecticut and reading 'The World is Flat' by Friedman. It's an interesting read and crosses international borders in an attempt to explain how the world is flattening with technology.
I stop during the read and wonder how quickly news really can travel from one place to another. It's like I'm reading something from another dimension... when all along this is our world. Then imagine my surprise when I find my debut novel, DUTY AND DESIRE, covered by the Danbury News Times! I was blown away by the article and the lead up to both events!
http://www.newstimes.com/news/article...
Is the world flattening, shrinking or just tightening? I wonder. What do you think?
I'm prepping for 2 author events scheduled in Connecticut and reading 'The World is Flat' by Friedman. It's an interesting read and crosses international borders in an attempt to explain how the world is flattening with technology.
I stop during the read and wonder how quickly news really can travel from one place to another. It's like I'm reading something from another dimension... when all along this is our world. Then imagine my surprise when I find my debut novel, DUTY AND DESIRE, covered by the Danbury News Times! I was blown away by the article and the lead up to both events!
http://www.newstimes.com/news/article...
Is the world flattening, shrinking or just tightening? I wonder. What do you think?
June 1, 2012
Fried Brain
Hi,
OK... it's Friday and I was hoping to jump back in Bk III and pick up from where I last left off. Except things aren't quite going as planned.
I read and edited the last chapter, fixed things a little here and there, and can't seem to move on. I've got work to do on Twitter (learn stuff), take Scruffy puppy for his puppy bath and trim at 6pm... and am miserable!
So, I've decided to stick to working out the twitter thing, finalizing the author bio for Decatur Book Festival and trying to jump back in the story on Monday. Unless I'm real lucky and start clicking away today itself!
Any one else ever have scruffy days?
OK... it's Friday and I was hoping to jump back in Bk III and pick up from where I last left off. Except things aren't quite going as planned.
I read and edited the last chapter, fixed things a little here and there, and can't seem to move on. I've got work to do on Twitter (learn stuff), take Scruffy puppy for his puppy bath and trim at 6pm... and am miserable!
So, I've decided to stick to working out the twitter thing, finalizing the author bio for Decatur Book Festival and trying to jump back in the story on Monday. Unless I'm real lucky and start clicking away today itself!
Any one else ever have scruffy days?
May 30, 2012
Edits Over! Surf's UP!
Hi,
The edits on Book II that appeared to be taking forever were finally done last week and tided over into our beach holiday. I was hoping to have them finished before leaving, but life never quite works out the way you want it to.
So there I was, for 3 days in a row, working on the final 50 pages and cursing myself. The beach glistened outside our condo balcony, the waves continued to roll back and forth, licking the sand in its path and there I was editing the manuscript.
I thought it would get easier - and why not? The initial setup of the book, characters, plot, were over! All that remained was the climax and resolution. It took forever to resolve and by the time I was done I couldn't believe that my heart was pounding - the way it originally did - when I did the first write-up.
YAY! They're done! I sent the ms. off and am back at work on Bk III. Starting all over again. Here we go!
The edits on Book II that appeared to be taking forever were finally done last week and tided over into our beach holiday. I was hoping to have them finished before leaving, but life never quite works out the way you want it to.
So there I was, for 3 days in a row, working on the final 50 pages and cursing myself. The beach glistened outside our condo balcony, the waves continued to roll back and forth, licking the sand in its path and there I was editing the manuscript.
I thought it would get easier - and why not? The initial setup of the book, characters, plot, were over! All that remained was the climax and resolution. It took forever to resolve and by the time I was done I couldn't believe that my heart was pounding - the way it originally did - when I did the first write-up.
YAY! They're done! I sent the ms. off and am back at work on Bk III. Starting all over again. Here we go!
May 16, 2012
Metaphors
Hi,
I've been thinking hard about the metaphors I've been using lately. And I've learned that you've got to be very careful with what you use. It's one thing to compare and contrast an emotion or situation to an object. It's another to compare and contrast the depth of characters and their plight with something concrete.
The more depth, the more conflicts embedded in the story, the simpler the metaphor has to be so that the impact is high. This means groundwork. This means establishing the connection at the beginning - way beginning - of the story and building it up gradually.
Then, when the momentum of the character's situation and its relativity to the object collide, you don't need too many words. Just a few. And you'll get the *bang!*
I've been thinking hard about the metaphors I've been using lately. And I've learned that you've got to be very careful with what you use. It's one thing to compare and contrast an emotion or situation to an object. It's another to compare and contrast the depth of characters and their plight with something concrete.
The more depth, the more conflicts embedded in the story, the simpler the metaphor has to be so that the impact is high. This means groundwork. This means establishing the connection at the beginning - way beginning - of the story and building it up gradually.
Then, when the momentum of the character's situation and its relativity to the object collide, you don't need too many words. Just a few. And you'll get the *bang!*
Metaphors
Hi,
I've been thinking hard about the metaphors I've been using lately. And I've learned that you've got to be very careful with what you use. It's one thing to compare and contrast an emotion or situation to an object. It's another to compare and contrast the depth of characters and their plight with something concrete.
The more depth, the more conflicts embedded in the story, the simpler the metaphor has to be so that the impact is high. This means groundwork. This means establishing the connection at the beginning - way beginning - of the story and building it up gradually.
Then, when the momentum of the character's situation and its relativity to the object collide, you don't need too many words. Just a few. And you'll get the *bang!*
I've been thinking hard about the metaphors I've been using lately. And I've learned that you've got to be very careful with what you use. It's one thing to compare and contrast an emotion or situation to an object. It's another to compare and contrast the depth of characters and their plight with something concrete.
The more depth, the more conflicts embedded in the story, the simpler the metaphor has to be so that the impact is high. This means groundwork. This means establishing the connection at the beginning - way beginning - of the story and building it up gradually.
Then, when the momentum of the character's situation and its relativity to the object collide, you don't need too many words. Just a few. And you'll get the *bang!*
May 15, 2012
Green tomatoes - gone!
Hi,
I was wondering what's been going on in our backyard lately. I spent March planting veggies, herbs and April taking care of them . About 1.5 months later - now in May - I noticed all the plants were doing well and baby green tomatoes were hanging off the tomato plants. I was thrilled... the work didn't go to waste! Yay!
Last week I was in the backyard when I noticed the baby green tomatoes were gone. Yep. That's right. Just gone. Not chewed off, wilting, half-eaten or anything of the sort. Just gone. As if someone had walked in with a pair of scissors and clipped them right off - like the 'delete' button.
I am trying to figure out who or what animal is having a paartaay at my expense? And what on earth they'd want with hard, green tomatoes?
Food for thought? Perhaps. But I'm going to investigate this one for sure!
I was wondering what's been going on in our backyard lately. I spent March planting veggies, herbs and April taking care of them . About 1.5 months later - now in May - I noticed all the plants were doing well and baby green tomatoes were hanging off the tomato plants. I was thrilled... the work didn't go to waste! Yay!
Last week I was in the backyard when I noticed the baby green tomatoes were gone. Yep. That's right. Just gone. Not chewed off, wilting, half-eaten or anything of the sort. Just gone. As if someone had walked in with a pair of scissors and clipped them right off - like the 'delete' button.
I am trying to figure out who or what animal is having a paartaay at my expense? And what on earth they'd want with hard, green tomatoes?
Food for thought? Perhaps. But I'm going to investigate this one for sure!
May 11, 2012
Deadlines
Hi,
So, I set myself a deadline... and from the way I'm running with edits... I don't think I'm going to get it done in time. For a while I tried to think of strategies to make it - like working late nights, spend less time on social media, pushing aside things on my to-do list. It bought me a little time... but not that much.
I had to re-think. What if I give up living some of my real-time in life? That sounded right. It was bound to buy me more time. I tried. But I couldn't push anything away. Kids need what they need. Have to cook. Have to exercise. Have to pick up and drop off kiddos from extra-curriculars, orchestra and chorus practices... can't expect them to drive around at their age!! Then, I noticed that as I continued to live my real-life time... I continued to gain perspective of my work and a new pair of eyes with a little distance too.
That made it refreshing to come back. That made the home-coming sweeter and better. And you know what? As long as I don't lose focus... I think I'll do alright.
So, I set myself a deadline... and from the way I'm running with edits... I don't think I'm going to get it done in time. For a while I tried to think of strategies to make it - like working late nights, spend less time on social media, pushing aside things on my to-do list. It bought me a little time... but not that much.
I had to re-think. What if I give up living some of my real-time in life? That sounded right. It was bound to buy me more time. I tried. But I couldn't push anything away. Kids need what they need. Have to cook. Have to exercise. Have to pick up and drop off kiddos from extra-curriculars, orchestra and chorus practices... can't expect them to drive around at their age!! Then, I noticed that as I continued to live my real-life time... I continued to gain perspective of my work and a new pair of eyes with a little distance too.
That made it refreshing to come back. That made the home-coming sweeter and better. And you know what? As long as I don't lose focus... I think I'll do alright.
May 10, 2012
Dark Circles
Hi,
I'm looking at myself in the mirror and wondering where all those dark circles around my eyes came from. Was it from reading? Writing? Or rewriting? I'm not sure because the division between each becomes blurred when you've gone over the same book so many times.
What's worse is when you're reading your own work and wondering "How could I have written that?" or "How did I not see those mistakes in grammar, run-on sentences and more?" My list goes on.
Which explains why the edits are taking longer than I expected. I can see more. Understand more. Which requires more focus and attention... and dark circles - are those the proofs of a good writer?
I don't think so. Because one thing I've learned so far is that easy reading means HARD WRITING. So it's back to the edits and wearing my dark circles again!
I'm looking at myself in the mirror and wondering where all those dark circles around my eyes came from. Was it from reading? Writing? Or rewriting? I'm not sure because the division between each becomes blurred when you've gone over the same book so many times.
What's worse is when you're reading your own work and wondering "How could I have written that?" or "How did I not see those mistakes in grammar, run-on sentences and more?" My list goes on.
Which explains why the edits are taking longer than I expected. I can see more. Understand more. Which requires more focus and attention... and dark circles - are those the proofs of a good writer?
I don't think so. Because one thing I've learned so far is that easy reading means HARD WRITING. So it's back to the edits and wearing my dark circles again!
