Penguin India's Live chat session with Shobha De

A month ago, Penguin India grabbed the attention of many Indian readers by conducting a live chat with its famous, best selling author Shobha De. I have observed similar 'livechat' sessions conducted by Penguin India on Facebook. But I've got to say no one does it like Shobha De. She isn't the typical author in any sense. She won't try to be diplomatic to keep her fans happy. She gives as she gets without mincing words. No hypocrisy, what you get is honesty. These days, with more and more writers marketing themselves on social media as paragons of patience, this originality came as a whiff of fresh air. Her responses are not of a diplomatic author who is playing to the gallery and wanting to promote a book or a brand. I loved the way she got into responding to so many queries with her typical saucy, original thoughts.

For instance, a guy wrote " i dont know why but i hav never been attracted by your books,plz plz tell me why should i read your books?

Shobha De responds instantly, " you know that line? Don't knock it till you have tried it???"

I loved that. Shobha De has spunk and she demonstrates it without a care in the world! That's why readers love and hate her with such passion.

I have to admit that I asked her question that I have always wondered about while reading Shobha De's books.

I asked her in the live chat session "Do you create a structure around your novel by mapping out the outline, plot and characters or do you simply dive into the story that is within you and let it flow naturally without any planning?"

This was her response "Swapna.... a structure is essential to start with. But I generally re-re-re-structure as the book takes shape. "

On writing, Shobha De says, "... writing is like a heartbeat to me. I love it! I live to write. I hope to die with a pen in my hand and countless ideas in my head."

When asked about her favorite book, she said this: "My favourite book is War and Peace. I can dive into it anytime..."

Comments

vinny said…

spunky she is, no doubt on that! nice to know her favourite book is 'war and peace':) I'm wondering which is my favourite book, the one in which i can dive in anytime...BTW which is your one favourite book?

February 3, 2013 at 3:26 PM

Swapna Raghu Sanand said…

Hi Vinaya, Ever since you asked me this question, I've been thinking about it. I have so many books that I love and I find it so hard to say which one is my all-time favorite. I would go with Kamala Subramaniam's volumnious but beautifully written narrative of THE MAHABHARATA. I read this every day and it inspires me deeply - the way she has understood the characters and delved deeply into their thoughts and souls.

Have you decided your favorite book yet? I know it takes a lot of soul stirring contemplation. :)

February 15, 2013 at 12:53 PM

The Ugly Truth about Caste in Kerala

Many years ago, when I wrote this post on Kerala's caste system, I had not considered that people would start sending in abusive comments about one caste over the other. It baffles me that this is how Indians, all of us, continue to judge each other on account of caste differences. [ READ: Guru Kripa: Powerful Lessons at the Lotus Feet ] My question is - why do you ABUSE any caste or community? I suggest that you read about the lives of great Masters and their stories - none of them judged anyone on the basis of caste. You can read the life stories of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagawadpada, Tulsidas, Jnaneshwar, Namadev, Sri Aurobindo, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Paramahansa Yogananda, Shirdi Sai Baba, and many more Gurus in Sanathana Dharma. NONE of them endorse these caste hierarchies in Bhakti Marga. Assuming that Guru Sampradaya does not appeal to your sensibilities, do read this new book 'Ants among Elephants' written by Sujatha Gidla, who writes about herself as being born

How do you light Deepam at home?

How do you light deepam at home? As a child, I loved watching the ritual of my grandmother lighting the deepam or the traditional lamp at home in the evenings. A sense of serenity accompanied her frail figure as she would carefully straighten every wick, dip it into the tiny puddle of oil and light the lamp. As my grandmother would read out the scriptures and chant the prayers, the fragrance of incense sticks and flowers added depth to the experience. In many Hindu homes nowadays, the lighting of the lamp (or the nilavilakku, as Malayalis refer to the traditional lamp in their homes) is not a regular practice. A lot of people have many questions around how to light deepam at home and which oil to use and so on. An important point to keep in mind - Maintain physical cleanliness and hygiene while lighting the lamp. Wear clean clothes while lighting the lamp. Frequently Asked Questions About Lighting Deepam at Home Collating most queries related to how to light the deepam at home, I'v

Tumhari Sulu movie review: Vidya Balan makes you laugh, cry, croon and fall in love with 'Sulu'

I have always looked forward to watching Vidya Balan's films, which is why I watched her latest one, Tumhari Sulu, and decided to share this movie review. I read many reviews which bring in the feminist aspect of the narrative. I want to look at the little details of an ordinary life that are portrayed by Vidya Balan's extraordinary acting. As ''Sulu'', Vidya Balan breathes life into the character of bubbly housewife, whose life revolves around her husband, son and of course, her favorite hobby of participating in all kinds of contests and winning them with a die-hard spirit. [ Image: Vidya Balan's Facebook page ] Vidya Balan's mastery over details comes through in every scene - shooing off birds so that they don't put ''potty'' on her clothes, posing in front of the mirror with the kind of bag that working women use and pretending to be one, and eve

7 Am Arivu (the Seventh Sense) - Why it is spiritually relevant

7 Am Arivu (the Seventh Sense) is a film that I was desperate to watch for two reasons. One, I am a Suriya fan and I had heard so much about his performance in this movie that I didn't want to settle for watching a CD of it and losing the actual cinematic experience. Second, I had read from various bloggers and their reviews that this film revolves around the story of Bodhidharman, a 16th century prince from Tamil Nadu who had mastered knowledge spanning multiple forms of art, and was sent to China to save the people from evil. Once he goes there, the transformation begins for himself and for the people there and he goes on to become Damo, the father of Shaolin and Kung Fu and hypnotism and such other mystical yet spiritually relevant forms of mind mastery. 7 Am Arivu Goes Over the Top with the Dravidian Rhetoric In 7 Am Arivu, there has been a lot of controversy created by the fact that nearly every character eulogizes about the importance of being Tamil and yes, the Dravidi

Vidyarambham: How and why Malayalis celebrate writing the words ''Harisree Ganapathaye Namaha"

For Malayalis, Vidyarambham is an auspicious day on which the elders and children mark the day by writing the sacred words, "Harisree Ganapathayeh Namaha." The observance of this ritual may differ from region to region, community to community and family to family. Whatever I share here is based on how vidyarambham is celebrated in my home. [READ: What is Vidyarambham?] Vidyarambham: How Malayalis observe this sacred day In families where the children are gearing up to enter pre-school or play school and are not yet ready to join the formal schooling system, Vidyarambham marks an important occasion for an elder to introduce them to the world of "vidya" or "knowledge." The words ''Harisree Ganapathayeh Namaha" are written on the child's tongue by the grandparent, an elder or parent. [Image credit: Travel Manorama Online ] Vidyarambham: Why it matters An interesting aspect of Vidyarambha

Petals!

Search This Blog