Book Review : ‘No Time For Goodbyes' by Andaleeb Wajid

Sixteen years old and bored, on a summer holiday in 2012 seemed to be the crux of Tamanna’s life when she goes up to the attic for a little time alone from her mother and sister. As Harry Potter’s magic takes over, she discovers a diary and an old polaroid photograph, in which she spots her own mother, and a couple of aunts, along with a strange boy in the background. All of them are in their teens at the time the photograph is taken.

She stares at the photograph, before being magically transported to her grandmother’s house. She discovers that it is 1982, and her teenage mother and aunts do not know her. Neither does her grandmother.

Her mother and her aunts also have summer holidays and are waiting for the mysterious boy, from the picture. They think that Tamanna is a pen pal from Australia of the boy’s, whose name is Manoj. But Tamanna is forced to stay with the girls, because Manoj lives with his grandfather. Her aunts, all have a crush on Manoj, she finds that her mother’s crush is the strongest, though it is not reciprocated. 

Tamanna is shocked when she finds out that Manoj knows that she is not his friend, but is nice to her, because he knows all about the magical properties of the time travel polaroid. He takes her to his grandfather and together they tell him of how she came to be here. Eccentric and brilliant is the grandfather who wants to find a way to send her back.

Tamanna soon discovers that Bangalore is prettier in 1982. It is smoke free, vehicles are lesser and the buses and movies are so much cheaper. She soon falls for Manoj, who is in college. The two of them spend a lot of time together, but they both know that she will have to go back. 

What would happen when Tamanna goes back to the present? Where is Manoj today? Why was he never mentioned? Would their love story survive the time travel? This they discover through the time, which she spends here and there. How it happens is something, you have to discover… 

I was pleased to hear that Andaleeb Wajid has a full trilogy planned. She wrote a simple love story, with a dash of romance, mystery and drama. 'No Time For Goodbyes' has simple and plain grammar, and absolutely no errors, as far as I could see.

Its description of Bangalore is wonderful and for me it is a nostalgic piece, probably because I studied there, and lived close to the surroundings. I finished this book in a day, probably because I have something in common with the book. But, it was a fast moving piece of work, which has created enough mystery, which I want to discover.

Author: Andaleeb Wajid

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Bloomsbury
ISBN: 9789382951568
Price: INR 250

Writing and Paintings... Many thoughts. Many Ideas.

Earlier, when I could not write, (I mean stories) I found that I was looking for inspiration everywhere. I did not know what to look at, and where, and one day I was simply staring at the wall. My walls are thankfully not at all bare. 

In fact, I have prints of ‘A Café in Yalta’ by Konstantin Korovin, ‘Village on the Seine’ by Sisley Alfred and ‘Thatched Cottages at Cordeville’ by Vincent Van Gogh. Along with these, I have a simple picture of a red flowered plant, by someone I do not know, which had caught my eye.

Immediately, I was taken by these beautiful paintings, from which I realised I could achieve inspiration. I discovered that it was so much easier to build stories around these pictures by asking simple questions of them.

Let us consider the first one. Korovin’s art. To the eye, it is just a café in the open under a few trees. There are tables and chairs, and a few customers.

The customer: who could he be, how is he feeling, why is he here, what are his emotions like, when could he be there?

The waiter: Ask him similar questions. More customers. Similar questions. The café owner might have a story to tell. Their emotions could be important. A lone customer, the surroundings, the weather, the friends, their stories, the trees, the flowers, perhaps a sad looking leaf, which falls on the table, or perhaps cheerful, colourful flowers around him.

A board, what kind is it, how big, what does it have? The menu, or local activities, what could they be, would you do them, how do you feel about them?

Or perhaps we could write about the artists, for example the red flowered plant. What could the emotions be like when he/she is painting this picture, could he be sad or cheerful or a mix of both, could he be like the plant, growing to reach the skies, or perhaps his feet, like the plant’s roots, firmly holding on to the ground, or perhaps like a weak plant, with dry soil.

These were simply off the top of my head, and a few of which I just thought of. Quite simply, we could come up with two to three different stories, just by asking these questions. You could try local art gelleries, and get a few ideas there, as well. Or perhaps check the local paper, or even the internet for ideas. Wherever you are, just look...

If you do that, you then use your imagination, your own feelings, and your own thoughts to put it all together. It will probably end up as a simple essay, or write up. 

And tomorrow, you might have a short story, or even a novel, with these tiny ideas. So, let us begin…

Editor Interview : Michelle Gent, Editor, Author, Movie Producer

Author, Editor and Movie Producer, this lady has done them all! Though she claims that it was all about being in the right place at the right time, she sure has a way with words. And editing them too! 

She says that one must 'NEVER give up – on writing to please yourself, on reading what you enjoy, on listening to advice' but taking it all down with a pinch of salt. She also has advice for the editor, wherein an editor must not alter storylines, characters, plots etc without speaking to the writer, first. I have only one thing to say to her, 'Yes Ma'am'. Let's read on...

What are you looking for in a book, when it first comes to you?

Storyline, characters that can be believed and empathised with, and most of all, a

connection between the storyteller and reader.

What, according to you are the qualities of an ideal writer?

A storyteller/writer has to be able to create a world and/or a situation that draws the reader in to the extent that they feel the characters’ experiences.

Could you explain the process in detail from writing, to editing, and finally, printing and marketing?

Not in one page, I’d need a book to do that. Personally, I write my stories and then leave them for a while before going back to edit. I see the story with fresh eyes and it’s easier to be critical once the first flush of passion has had time to mellow.

Once I’ve finished, I send my stories out to my editor because, no matter how good you are at editing, I believe the brain sees what it’s written and thinks ‘I did that, it’s perfect!’ for most of the time.

Only when I’m 100% happy with the end result will it go to print.

As for marketing - Facebook, Twitter, my blog etc. I haven’t got it right yet, so I’m not really the person to ask about marketing.

What are the most necessary things that you would you tell an aspiring writer? (Feel free to include as many tips as you would like)

NEVER give up – on writing to please yourself, on reading what you enjoy, on listening to advice (I said listening, there’s no need to take it ALL on board, weed out the advice that doesn’t suit you, but keep it at the back of your mind, it may ‘suit you’ one day).

Don’t take ‘No’ as the definitive answer. Seek out the ‘Yes!’ and go for it.
Ignore those who say you’ll never make it.

Write for you – no one else matters when you’re writing and if you write to please you, there will be one person happy. If you write to please others, you’ll probably not make them happy and you’ll not make yourself happy.

What do you think an editor could add to the writer’s work?

It depends what’s ‘lacking’. I think an editor shouldn’t be altering storylines, characters, plots etc without speaking to the writer. If there’s something that doesn’t quite work, I give advice and allow the writer to change things. It’s not for me as an editor to do that, that’s down to the writer.

What are you working on now?

I’m just doing the final read-throughs on two books; Brides of Clemmants (F. E. Wharmby) and Redemption (3^rd in the Books of Devastation by Daniel D Longdon).

I’m also typing up and editing The Healer (Ken Mathers) and have just finished Memoirs of Insanity (Jay Green). Then I’ll be going back to my own novels and getting them ready to be submitted to publishers by my agent. Cruel… and Unusual will be first as it’s a stand-alone in the series.

Then I have to split Deadlier… than the Male and edit both parts. When I’ve finished with those, I’ll re-visit Blood… on the Moon.

Did you always know want to be a book editor? 

No, I’ve never known what I’ve ‘always wanted to be’ – I do know that I want to be a writer and make my living from that one day.

What sorts of project(s) are most likely to get an okay from you?

Well so far, I’ve edited dystopian apocalyptic Sci-fi, Historical Fiction, Historical Fantasy, Psychological Horror, a set of short stories (all genres), Sci-fi, and a semi-autobiographical piece (amongst other things) so I would say I’m open to anything and everything.

Could you tell us about some of your upcoming titles? 

My own titles have been mentioned but I also have #4 in the Wolf series,

Ancients and Gods, then there’s a brand new novel I’m working on about a paranormal detective – Diamonds and Deviants. I have also been talking with a good friend of mine about a collaboration – title not set yet. I have numerous other titles half finished, but the ones I’m editing right now will all be out soon.
Brides of Clemmants is a ghost story with a difference. Set in the late 18^th century for the most part, the beginning is a tragic wedding day back in Elizabethan times.

Redemption Follows Jason de Silva through the third book in the series as he fights in the civil war his home world has been embroiled in.

The Healer is a Sci-fi about a man with extraordinary powers.

Memoirs of Insanity is a tale of a young man’s tragic descent into a tale of coping with death and dysfunctional family.

What are your top three favourite books?

I don’t read books more than once as a rule, there are far too many to read, so going back to them means I’m neglecting one I haven’t read yet. My favourites therefore are those that compel me to pick them up again and again – Narnia Chronicles does that for me.

My other favourite is On Writing by Stephen King. It’s a great insight to how he learned his craft and has helped me improve my own.

Then I suppose the one I’m reading at the moment is my favourite for now – Odd Apocalypse by Dean Koontz – who knows what it’ll be next week.
 

What is your favourite thing about being an editor? And your least favourite thing?

I get to read these books first!

Typos, grammar, plot holes, purple prose and anything that sets my OCD off – repetitive phrases is a pet hate.

What are the main skills, an editor would need to do their job well?

Attention to detail, fearlessness in correcting things that you just know are going to be questioned, concentration and a love of reading are all essential tools.

What is the most challenging aspect of your work?

Sometimes it’s difficult to not read the story. If I find that I’m reading rather than editing it’s great for the writer because that means I’ve been drawn in. It’s not so good for me because I have to go back and figure out where I stopped working and started reading.

Being a writer, does it help that you can edit your own books?

Yes, absolutely, but as I said before, I don’t rest on my laurels and assume I’ve finished there. I send it out to someone that I trust so she can point out all my mistakes.

My ethos on my writing can be summed up in this:
 

Point out a mistake to someone and see how they react. A fool with be angry with you, a wise man will thank you.

Book Review : ‘Path of the Swan; The Maitreya Chronicles' by Charu Singh

There is so much mythology to read of nowadays, and most recently I got to read about Shambala, a hidden monastery and its mysteries in ‘The Avatari’. But more recently, I was reintroduced to it in ‘Path of the Swan’ by Charu Singh. Singh introduces it differently from Srinivasan’s ‘The Avatari’.

Her book, ‘Path of the Swan’ is the first part of what she terms as ‘The Maitreya Chronicles’. This book is the start of a journey, wherein two monks from a monastery answer the call from Shambala, to visit and learn from it. The Lama Ozer receives a message, when he is in a trance and he sets off with his acolyte, Tashi to answer it. Battling the cold in Sikkim and Tibet, the two fight through evil forces with the help of the mythical bird Garuda’s feather before they reach the Silver Fortress in western Tibet. 

At Shambala, they shed their worldly forms before being led towards the divine beings, including a wisdom goddess, Yeshe Nam Lha, the daughter of the Goddess Tara, Prince A-KarO, heir to the Lha Empire, and Prince Narasimha, heir to the Rigdens and the Shambala legacy and various other Bodhisattvas; the higher gods of light, Lha, and also various Taras.

Here the two of them are put under training; the Lama is given texts to study while Tashi is trained as a warrior under A-KarO. They are to leave with Yeshe, princes A-KarO and Narasimha when the training period is complete. Yeshe is prophesised to be the mother of Maitreya, who was to be the enlightened or the perfect one on earth with one of the princes as her consort.

Just as they are about to leave, at one of their gatherings, Yeshe is abducted by the Asur Prince, Arden. How she manages to live those few days in the Asur kingdom, what the princes would do to lead her to safety and what eventually happens form the rest of the story.

The story began very well, as we are led through the adventures of the Lama and his acolyte, though of course one does feel bad for Tashi at the start, considering his misadventures and the repercussions of them, and as we reach Shambala, one does have a feeling of peace (guess if must be the Tibetan symbols of peace), this was very well described but, that is also when the story loses its grip. One is lost, due to the various gods and goddess, who are described in the book, it becomes a little much, as are the ways of Shambala.

However, one is driven back into the main story once the Asurs arrive on the scene. Definitely, worth a read if one is a little too much into mythology (like me). Also, for its action oriented scenes in the first half and the last quarter and its portrayal of peace make this Tibetan-Buddhism fantasy, definitely worth its while.

Author: Charu Singh

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Hachette India

ISBN: 9789350096734

Price: Rs 499/-