Anjali Banerjee's blog

Monroe Young Authors Conference

2008-05-30T09:20:00.000-07:00

Duct tape doesn't like sticking to everything. Pencils wish they could do something other than write all the time. Sheets of paper dream of flying, and bumblebees hate to be stepped on.

Who knew?

The young writers at the Monroe Young Authors' Conference, that's who.

When I gave the students an assignment to write from another point of view, they came up with brilliant, imaginative stories. They became bears, eagles, trees, bumblebees, pencils, paper, and yes, duct tape.

I didn't expect to have so much fun at the conference, which was held at an elementary school in Monroe, Washington May 10th. I thought that after giving four workshops to four groups of lively children in the third through sixth grades, I would collapse from exhaustion. But instead, I left the conference energized and amazed by the students' enthusiasm and creativity. I must extend a huge thank you to the conference organizers and to my intrepid volunteer assistant, Betty Roop!

I hope they invite me back next year.

Pictures of Spring

2008-04-24T11:55:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from our garden. Spring has sprung!

An Amazing Young Artist

2008-03-31T20:37:00.000-07:00

A friend's immensely talented 15-year-old daughter, Nicole, drew this lovely picture of Ganesh, the Hindu elephant-headed god who grants wishes and removes obstacles.

For a class project, Nicole read my novel, MAYA RUNNING, in which a small golden statue of Ganesh comes to life and grants a young Indian-Canadian girl's wishes. Ganesh loves sweets, and in the book, he is particularly fond of Jelly Belly jelly beans. So, when Nicole presents her book report, she will hand out Jelly Bellies to the class. I think she's brilliant.

Yay, Nicole!

Playing Catch-Up

2008-03-14T08:30:00.000-07:00

At long last, I return to the blog. In January, I gave two weekend writing workshops for the Whidbey Writers Association MFA program. Joseph and I stayed at the historic Captain Whidbey Inn, surrounded by forest along the shore of Whidbey Island's Penn Cove. Isn't it cool?

If you're interested in registering for a low-residency, rigorous MFA program, check out the Whidbey Writers Association web site.

In February, we returned to Whidbey Island, my home away from home! This time we stayed in Meadow House at Hedgebrook, a retreat for women writers. I gave a Hedgebrook reading for the Anacortes, WA chapter of the American Association of University Women. Joseph, an expert pruner and Master Gardener, pruned all the fruit trees on the Hedgebrook property. We could not have asked for a more beautiful weekend. If you can manage, take a trip to Whidbey Island.

And what about the Monterey Bay Aquarium? My mother took these pictures during our recent trip to the San Francisco Bay Area. I also recommend visiting Ano Nuevo, the State Reserve, the largest mainland breeding colony in the world for the northern elephant seal.

In addition to speaking and traveling, I finished the first draft of my next book for children, and now I'm waiting for a revision letter from my editor.

I posted a guest entry on New York Times bestselling author Gregg Olsen's blog, Crime Rant this morning. Check it out if you can! Until next time.

THE LIAR'S DIARY by Patry Francis

2008-01-29T08:14:00.000-08:00

Today is THE LIAR'S DIARY blog day. Susan Henderson of Litpark has given permission to copy her blog entry for today. I hope you'll read it. Patry Francis is an amazing woman with an amazing story:

"Today, over 300 bloggers, including bestsellers, Emmy winners, movie makers, and publishing houses have come together to talk about THE LIAR'S DIARY by Patry Francis. Why? To give the book the attention it deserves on its release day while Patry takes the time she needs to heal from cancer.

Before I talk about this book, I'd like to tell you a story about how this extraordinary day happened.

First, you need to know something about Patry Francis.

What if you worked for years as a waitress and then went home at the end of the day to your husband and four kids, and in those rare minutes of free time, you dared to dream that one day you might write a book? This is the story of my friend, Patry - a story that leaves out years of false starts, revisions, and rejection slips. It's a story that writers know intimately, though the details are different. Every one of us is well acquainted with the struggle of getting a story on paper, of honing it and believing in it enough to send it out, only to receive rejection, or worse, silence for our efforts.

Imagine, after many years, you beat the odds. You finish that book. You find that agent who sells your manuscript. Your dream is about to become a reality. But just as your book is due to be released, you discover you have an aggressive form of cancer.

Patry's story struck such a deep chord with many of us, not just because she is our friend, but because those of us who know her or read her blog have relied on her company through the ups and mostly downs of trying to write and sell a book. She is our buoy. She has shown us time and again her great gift for shedding light in the dark. Even her blog post about her cancer showed this - in her greatest time of need, she was still somehow comforting all of us and showing us glimpses of joy.

Patry is part one of this amazing story.

THE LIAR'S DIARY in paperback.

Now you need to know something about Laura Benedict:
On New Year's Day, or thereabouts, Laura wrote to me, calling my attention to Patry's publication date. "Perhaps we could do a 'Patry Francis/Liar's Diary' blog-o-rama or carnival or something to promote the book?" she wrote. "I'm such an amateur at this stuff that I don't know what's possible."
I didn't give a moment's thought to what we might try to pull off, or how; I simply said, "Yes! Let's do it!"

It's very important to me that Laura is recognized for her initial gesture - not just because she's a great and generous woman, but because it says something about the strength of the heart over the kinds of power most of us are without. When you see the amazing outpouring of support and the high-profile people who joined this effort, remember it started with one small voice.
Laura is part 2 of this amazing story.

THE LIAR'S DIARY in hardcover.

Now let's talk about you:
In less than one month, over 300 bloggers, writers, readers, and just big-hearted people signed on to take part in this day. I am overwhelmed and grateful for every single person who said yes or helped spread the word, but let me reserve some enormous thanks for the people who traded hundreds of emails with me to put this together: Karen Dionne of Backspace, Jessica Keener of Agni and The Boston Globe, Dan Conaway of Writers House, and Alice Tasman of the Jean Naggar Literary Agency.

What began as a personal gesture of caring for a friend became an astonishing show of community - writers helping writers; strangers helping strangers; and most surprising of all, editors, agents and publishers, who have no stake in this book, crossing "party lines" to blog, to make phone calls, and to send out press releases.

This effort has made visible a community that is, and has been, alive and kicking - a community that understands the struggle artists go through and rejoices in each other's successes. It's a community made up of many small voices, but - guess what? - those many small voices can create some noise. So while today is for Patry, it's also a symbolic gesture for all of you who work so very hard for little or no recognition, for all of you who keep going despite the rejections, and for all of you who have had illness or other outside factors force your art or your dreams aside. We are in this together.
*
Time to talk about THE LIAR'S DIARY.

Whether you like text, audio, or video, I have a taste of the book for you. Let's start with an audio clip of THE LIAR'S DIARY. This audio clip comes courtesy of Eileen Hutton at Brilliance Audio.

This video for THE LIAR'S DIARY was created by Sheila Clover English, C.E.O. of Circle of Seven Productions, who was moved by Patry's story and volunteered her lightning-speed creativity!

Here are the publisher's words:

Answering the question of what is more powerful—family or friendship? this debut novel unforgettably shows how far one woman would go to protect either.
They couldn’t be more different, but they form a friendship that will alter both their fates. When Ali Mather blows into town, breaking all the rules and breaking hearts (despite the fact that she is pushing forty), she also makes a mark on an unlikely family. Almost against her will, Jeanne Cross feels drawn to this strangely vibrant woman, a fascination that begins to infect Jeanne’s “perfect” husband as well as their teenaged son.

At the heart of the friendship between Ali and Jeanne are deep-seated emotional needs, vulnerabilities they have each been recording in their diaries. Ali also senses another kind of vulnerability; she believes someone has been entering her house when she is not at home—and not with the usual intentions. What this burglar wants is nothing less than a piece of Ali’s soul.
When a murderer strikes and Jeanne’s son is arrested, we learn that the key to the crime lies in the diaries of two very different women . . . but only one of them is telling the truth. A chilling tour of troubled minds, The Liar’s Diary signals the launch of an immensely talented new novelist who knows just how to keep her readers guessing.

And now, here are Patry's words, which I lifted off her blog: "Though my novel deals with murder, betrayal, and the even more lethal crimes of the heart, the real subjects of THE LIAR'S DIARY are music, love, friendship, self-sacrifice and courage. The darkness is only there for contrast; it's only there to make us realize how bright the light can be. I'm sure that most writers whose work does not flinch from the exploration of evil feel the same."

Ready to buy the book? Why not buy one for yourself and one for a friend? And if you like it, tell people!

Here are links to THE LIAR'S DIARY at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Powell's. You can also buy directly from Penguin to save 15% (after you add the book to your cart, just enter the word PATRY in the coupon code field and click ‘update cart’ to activate the discount)."

-Susan Henderson
*

Happy New Year!

2007-12-31T12:33:00.001-08:00

I know, I know. I haven't posted in weeks. I have a good excuse. I was finishing the first draft of my next book. The working title is STAR STRUCK. What do you think of that? My editor may change the title, of course, and I'm sure the manuscript will need lots of revision. But hey, I'm on the way! I've also been working on proposals for other exciting projects.

And, I got sick. Yup, the yucky, full-blown flu virus. I'm just now returning to the world of the living, long enough to wish you a FABULOUS NEW YEAR! May your wishes come true in 2008!

More to come.

Women Authoring Change - Literary Landscapes

2007-10-28T13:57:00.001-07:00

I have to admit, I wasn't ready to go away for the weekend. I was tired, fighting a flu bug. The first draft of my next children's book manuscript is due soon, quarterly reports are due for my telecommuting job, the yard and house need work, my marketing "to do" list grows every day, and on and on. I'm sure you can relate.

But the moment Joseph and I reached Whidbey Island, I began to relax. The second largest saltwater island in the continental United States, Whidbey Island lies in Puget Sound between the Olympic and Cascade Mountain ranges.

My worries sloughed away in Langley - a bucolic, waterfront village facing north and east on the 60-mile long finger of the island. Time slows in Langley, population 1063. Shop owners sometimes close up during the day, leaving cryptic notes in their windows: "LEFT," "BACK SOON," "GONE" or "WHALES." "WHALES" means everyone is down at the beach, watching the migrating gray whales.

The town empties in the evening, and there's no grocery store open after 8:00pm. The Clyde Theater, which shows a new movie every three days or so, features one evening screening per day. A reliable, local source tells me that island residents have been known to pass around wine and trays of Brie cheese and crackers in the theater.

We spent Saturday with our good friends, Wayne Ude and Marian Blue, who are both wonderful writers, editors and teachers. They run Blue & Ude Writer's Services on the Island. We hiked, chatted, visited their lovely house in the woods, and met their family of rescued animals.

In the evening, I participated in an amazing reading event at Hedgebrook, an esteemed retreat for Women Writers. The other readers, Wendy Call, Susan Rich, and Lana Hechtman Ayers, inspired me beyond words.

Wendy Call is currently writer in residence at Richard Hugo House, Seattle's literary center. Wendy co-edited TELLING TRUE STORIES: A Nonfiction Writers' Guide from the Neiman Foundation at Harvard University. She read a moving, personal piece about a beloved family member who has passed way. By the end, we were all crying.

Susan Rich read a lovely series of poems from her books, Cures Include Travel and The Cartographer's Tongue. Winner of the PEN USA Literary Award for Poetry, Susan has been a Peace Corps volunteer in Niger, West Africa, an electoral supervisor in Bosnia, and a human rights trainer in Gaza.

Lana Hechtman Ayers read from her wonderful new poetry collection, Dance From Inside My Bones, which has been nominated for the National Book Award. An award-winning poet and Pushcart-prize nominee, Lana has an MA in Counseling Psychology and hopes to return to school to study astrophysics!

Gitana Garofalo, the highly competent Director of Alumnae Relations for Hedgebrook, hosted the reading, making the evening a success for all of us.

I feel honored to have met such talented, accomplished women. I returned home feeling energized and inspired. And I don't think I'm catching the flu, after all.

Butt in Chair

2007-08-14T14:26:00.000-07:00

I keep meaning to post a new blog entry, but then life gets in the way, and hey, it's summer. The chickadees, towhees, pine siskins and goldfinches are chatting away in the garden, the sun is shining, and I'm outside watering the plants every five minutes. I should be inside writing my next book. Okay, I have been writing at least five pages a day. The writer's motto is "butt in chair." Don't think. Don't worry, don't fret. Just sit in front of your computer, butt in chair, and write. The story will emerge. It always does.

How is your writing going?

Mugoddai, the Lost Black Cat

2007-06-28T10:02:00.000-07:00

On June 6, 2007, The Washington Post ran a story, Lost Cat, Lost Heart, about a black cat, Mugoddai, who has been missing since 2003. Mugoddai's human guardian, Maxine Hillary, has never given up hope of finding him. She has even built him a web site, where you can see more pictures and learn more about him. The story touched me, as I know that if any of our kitties went missing, I would never stop looking for them. Please do what you can to help find Muggodai.

West Sound Wildlife Shelter

2007-06-27T19:06:00.000-07:00

West Sound Wildlife Shelter: A Center for Rehabilitation and Education.

The West Sound Wildlife Shelter is a wonderful wild animal medical facility on Bainbridge Island, Washington. The Shelter's compassionate, tireless team of professionals rescues, diagnoses, treats, and releases injured and orphaned wildlife. Here are some pictures of the facility's current patients. The photographer is Robin Purcell:

Summer Getaways

2007-06-19T16:53:00.001-07:00

Hello, hello! I've been meaning to post another blog entry, but days whizzed by.

Ten reasons I procrastinate:

Well, actually, I have a good excuse. We've been taking advantage of the beautiful Pacific Northwest summer. First, we drove up to the Okanagan Valley (view from our friends' property in the picture above), one of Canada's four most endangered ecosystems. While our friends live on the U.S. side of the border near Oroville, Washington, we stayed in nearby Osoyoos, British Columbia, a friendly town in Canada's only desert environment.

We visited the Nk'Mip Desert C ultur a l C en tre, which celebrates "thousands of years of Okanagan First Nations habitation on desert lands." The Centre includes indoor exhibits and cultural collections, as well as an outdoor, reconstructed Okanagan traditional village and self-guided interpretive nature trails through 50 acres of sage grasslands and Ponderosa pine forest.

Ask me about our Close Encounters with the Border Patrol. Hmmm... I'd better not go there.

But the best part was visiting friends (from left to right -- my friend Kate, moi, and my friend Janine):

Kate and Janine are both wonderful writers, and I couldn't live without their critiques of my work.

Then we escaped to San Juan Island for a family getaway. We stayed at the Lakedale Resort (see our rented log house to the left), watched for passing Orcas (also known as killer whales) at Lime Kiln Point State Park, and enjoyed the quaint shops in the picturesque town of Friday Harbor. (Click on the links, and you'll find some fascinating information and a few spectacular photos.)

Also, I've been writing up a storm. I'm working on my next middle grade novel. Anyone want to guess what it might be about?

Just now, I received a text message from my sister, Nita:

"Anya has a tooth."

Anya is my eight-month-old niece, who smiles at everyone all the time. She is the best baby in the history of the universe, but then, I'm biased. I'm her auntie.

Mojo and Angela

2007-05-21T17:11:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I haven't posted a note in three weeks! Time flies when you're busy.

Here's a photo of beautiful Mojo, a seven-year-old African Grey, with Angela, the lovely daughter of one of my loyal readers.

Tip of the day: Write your way to less stress. Researchers have discovered that writing about difficult experiences can promote better sleep and better health. Read the full article here.

A Poem by my friend, Ellen Elizabeth

2007-05-06T15:55:00.000-07:00

Heart Murmur

The news about her heart drops,
a small beat missed next to her kidneys,
the bigger news, the immediate crisis,
as they begin to falter, her first step toward
crossing over, leaving behind bone-spring,
ear-twitch, tail-flick, fur and purr.
A goblet of time stands on the counter
half empty, half full, muscatel wine.
On the white mantel, pink tulips drink water
in a crystal vase, splay petals in daylight,
their black stars an echo of night.

Curled on her pillow, she snores
into her tail, paws with claws tucked in.
A smear of medicine has dried
on her white fur bib and the hour inches
up to the next dose. I tick with dread.
One for the bladder, one for the stools
and for the kidneys, a needle under skin
twice weekly. Nothing prescribed for her heart,
nor mine, time to measure hope in milligrams.

When a heart murmurs, what complaint
is muttered under breath? What rumor?
What voiceless vowel needs telling?
My son in Afghanistan does not respond
lately to on-line notes. Can he hear
fear, that abnormal sound in my heart,
the faint whoosh that prays, “Come back,
come back, alive,” does he own that sort
of stethoscope? Or does he think
I have one probing about, listening?
The tin cup of time sits half empty, half full
in a mess hall tent packed with reservists.

Last night, just home from the vet,
she tried to run up the street away from me.
I won’t let her out now; she might leave home,
might die without me. Today the quiet house
has calmed her. She purrs under my hand, rolls
over, opens her belly for stroke, palpitate,
massage. A water bowl of time, half empty,
half full, sits solid on the mat next to kibble
and tuna. My son travels in a convoy
to inspect food in another camp.

Pillowed here in my life, I read news
of roadside bombers in Kabul. My chest
is an elk-hide drum, the beater striking too hard.
A mug of ginger tea, half empty, half full,
cools on the desk where I keyboard
hello to my son, “How’s the weather?”
She stretches awake, pads downstairs
to nibble, to gaze through the glass door,
returns to stare at me until her eyes narrow
and mine glance at the clock’s late hour.
Hope is twelve disks fixed between
the heaviest furniture and a pale oak floor
already scraped, dented here and there.

Ellen Elizabeth
May 3, 2007
draft

Ellen Elizabeth says, “Love of nature, spirit and human story—these three are the plaited path calling forth and informing my life and poetry.” Ellen’s poems have appeared in various publications, readings and public art projects. In the fall of 2004, Writer’s Haven Press published her first book of poetry, On Sandstone Singing. Two poems will appear in Cuiver River Anthology 2007 published by the Missouri Writers’ Guild, Saturday Writers Chapter. Three poems will also appear in the 2007 anthology of twenty-two Northwest poets published by Seattle’s Rose Alley Press: Limbs of the Pine, Peaks of the Range. The Poulsbohemian is Ellen’s favorite coffee house on Kitsap Peninsula and she will be a featured poet in the monthly reading series on Saturday, September 8, 2007 at 7:00 pm.

Emma's walk to cure diabetes

2007-05-05T19:25:00.000-07:00

This morning, my husband and I joined our friend, Emma, and her family and friends for JDRF's 11th Annual South Sound Walk to Cure Diabetes. We were there to support Emma, who has type 1 diabetes, a disease which strikes in childhood, adolescence, or adulthood, lasts a lifetime and can't be prevented. Our team was called the Emma Eliminators, "eliminating diabetes one step at a time."

We hiked the whole Five Mile Drive through Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, Washington. Actually, my husband and I walked about seven miles, as we had to jog a mile each way from our car to the starting point at Owens Beach.

Here's my loving husband with his new buddy, whom he met on the trail:

The weather was cool and clear, perfect for a walk. Hundreds of people showed up. Check out this photograph below, which I took from the trail leading down to the starting point:

For more information about JDRF, visit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation web site. If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribution in any amount, you can make a check out to "JDRF." The Foundation will accept pledges of support for today's Diabetes Walk for only another two weeks. Contact me at anjali@anjalibanerjee.com, and I will tell you where to send your check.

IF YOU WANT TO MAKE AN ON-LINE DONATION:

Go to http://www.jdrf.org

In the middle column you will see “Walk to Cure.” Under this, click on “Donate”
“Support a Walker” will appear at the bottom right.
Enter Emma’s name: Emma Harris
Enter the state: WA
Click “Find a Walker”
Her name will appear with the team name: Emma’s Eliminators.
Click on her name
Then click on “Donate to this Walker”
Enter your personal info--name, address, e-mail and credit or debit card
Click "continue" at the bottom of the page to finish.

Thank you!

Guest review of THE BRIDEGROOM by Ha Jin

2007-05-04T10:48:00.000-07:00

My dear friend, Skip Morris, raves about Ha Jin's book of short stories, THE BRIDEGROOM: STORIES. Famous fly fisherman, jazz musician, and author, Skip has penned 11 books on fly fishing. He's also a discerning reviewer of fiction and nonfiction. Here's Skip's take on THE BRIDEGROOM: STORIES:

"A great collection of shorts, all set in China apparently in the late 1970s or early 1980s. Life there was remarkably different from current American life--a quaint country hotel called the Anti-Imperialism Inn? And one expects to share a hotel without unfamiliar room-mates.

I've been on a Ha Jin kick lately. He writes very plainly and simply, yet conveys a wealth of information and packs a punch. Hemingwayesquelike, one might say (though one probably shouldn't)."
-Skip Morris

Fusion Global Radio

2007-05-01T17:31:00.000-07:00

Okay, this has nothing to do with writing and reading, but I just have to share. Are you tired of the same old music you hear on the radio every day? I sound like a commercial! Well, I've grown tired of repetitive playlists. I want to expand my horizons. I found a refreshing mix of international music on a local radio station that airs Fusion, a weekly radio program hosted by Dean Carlson, "featuring cutting edge international music from artists and bands who fuse their traditional cultural influences with modern sounds, textures and techniques." Yowza!! You can learn more and listen to the show here. Dance, sing, tap your feet. Go global. Happy traveling!

Maid Marian by Elsa Watson

2007-05-01T17:18:00.000-07:00

Here's another gorgeous book, Maid Marian, by a wonderful literary author, Elsa Watson. From Booklist: "Watson provides an intriguing new twist on an old legend in this reworking of the classic Robin Hood tale. Narrated by a refreshingly bold and independent Maid Marian, the familiar story is retold from a woman's point of view." I enjoyed the independent, charming heroine, rich prose, and inventive plot.

Watch for Elsa's next book. She's got some intriguing stories in the works.

Sunday in Seattle

2007-04-25T14:57:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like spending a sunny afternoon with good friends.

Last Sunday, my husband, two friends and I spent a wonderful afternoon exploring Seattle. We took the Foster Island trail from the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI) toward the Washington Park Arboretum. The trail is a haven for urban wildlife. We saw a duck sheltering six fuzzy ducklings, right on the trail! And the last time we walked the same route, we saw a muskrat chomping on a lilypad. But beware -- in the spring, the trail can be muddy. We also discovered Fireworks, a fabulous store full of unusual gifts, including garden art and clocks made of salvaged tools, purses made of old license plates, toy snakes made of old bicycle chains, genuine miniature crank music boxes, fragrant soaps and candles, chocolate, cards, and more. Fireworks has five stores in the Puget Sound area.

Books that I'm currently reading and enjoying: BETTER, by Atul Gawande, THE CITY OF GOLD AND LEAD (re-reading), the second volume in John Christopher's Tripods Trilogy, HOW DOCTORS THINK, by Jerome Groopman, M.D., and THE WEATHER MAKERS, by Tim Flannery.

Kahani magazine wins Parents' Choice Award

2007-04-21T18:45:00.000-07:00

Kahani--a wonderful literary magazine dedicated to empowering, educating, and entertaining children of South Asian descent living in North America--has won a coveted Parents' Choice Award for 2007.

My short story, Princess Priya, appeared in the February 2005 issue of Kahani. You can download this sample issue by clicking here.

Mr. Pusskins: A Love Story

2007-04-21T18:16:00.000-07:00

I loved this funny, moving story of Mr. Pusskins, a sourpuss who takes Emily, his human guardian, for granted. "The girl's constant babbling, 'Blah-de-blah, blah, blah,' bored his whiskers off. He wanted more than this dull life."

But when Mr. Pusskins runs away, joining a cat gang and living on the cold, damp streets, he soon begins to miss Emily. I can't tell you what happens next, or I'll give away the ending (try not to read the reviews on Amazon), but Sam Lloyd has created a poignant, funny story. The illustrations are a hoot, too. Just look at the cover! And even better, you can hear Daniel Pinkwater and Scott Simon read the book aloud on NPR here (click "Listen"). Mr. Pusskins is a picture book for ages 4-adult.

Grand & Humble

2007-04-20T08:49:00.001-07:00

I recently finished reading Brent Hartinger’s young adult novel, Grand & Humble, a suspenseful story with an unusual ending. From the book description: “Harlan’s a popular kid and Manny’s a geek But something strange is happening to both of them. Harlan is slowly losing his grip because he’s plagued by panic attacks he can’t control. And Manny has started having nerve-racking nightmares that leave him exhausted and terrified. In this complex and original novel, popular author Brent Hartinger takes us on an intense psychological journey as Harlan and Manny struggle with a fear they can’t name. It’s a journey that eventually leads downtown, where a secret lies at the intersection of Grand and Humble.” Brent writes in an unpretentious, accessible style, and I found myself anticipating free moments when I could return to reading this book. Brent takes certain risks with the plot, and I think this novel shows his versatility as a writer. And, I’m honored to know Brent personally. He’s a wonderful, warm person. Read his books (and read mine, too, while you’re at it!).

To Catch a Mermaid

2007-04-20T08:39:00.000-07:00

Watch for my friend, Suzanne Selfors’ debut middle grade fantasy novel, To Catch a Mermaid, due out in September 2007. It’s a wonderful, imaginative story about a boy named Boom Broom who finds a foul-tempered merbaby.

Welcome to my Blog!

2007-04-20T08:31:00.000-07:00

So much to say, so little time!

Here’s where I’ll post thoughts about writing and life in general, interviews with authors, reviews of my favorite books, and an eclectic mix of other fun stuff. I’d love to hear from you, too.

I’m coming down from Cloud Nine – my feet have just touched the ground after my two presentations in the Microsoft Auditorium at the Seattle Public Library. My talk, “A Writer’s Journey from India to the Pacific Northwest,” was part of a series of lead-in events related to Seattle Reads, in which the whole city reads Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel, The Namesake. I discussed my family/cultural background and my journey from unpublished to published writer. The first presentation to 150 students, was fabulous. One astute little boy asked, “In Maya Running , why did you choose Ganesh (the elephant-headed Hindu god) instead of one of the other gods, such as Shiva?” The question took me aback. I concentrated on answering it, when I should’ve said to this boy, who stood about three feet tall, “So, which university will you attend next year?”

I met some wonderful Indian immigrants and their bright youngsters, including a lovely girl named Priya who has read my books and wants to know whether I’m writing a sequel to Maya Running. I’m sad that my talks are all over – I was growing to love the Microsoft Auditorium, the Children’s Library and my new friends at the Central Branch of the Seattle Public Library.

My novels Maya Running and Looking for Bapu are on the list of recommended reads for children in the Reading Group Toolbox for Seattle Reads.
More to come soon!