My Fond Farewell to RTG

by Shobhan Bantwal

Last summer, Judith Ashley and Sarah Raplee, the two lovely and brilliant ladies who facilitate this popular blog, invited me to become a regular contributor. Since they showcase a multitude of genres, they thought my ethnic Indian fiction would be a good fit for this particular forum.

I was delighted to accept their invitation to become a genre-ista for one year. Well, my year is up this month, and it is time for me to bid RTG a fond goodbye.

It has been an honor to share the blog with so many multi-talented and dedicated writers and readers. I have had a wonderful time sharing my thoughts, ideas, advice, and most of all my books with every one of you these past few months. My sincere thanks to Judith and Sarah for offering me this rare opportunity.

Oddly, I have not been writing any new books as of late. I had never imagined that I would reach a point in my life when I actually wanted to quit writing. Nonetheless I made that eccentric decision, despite having a top-rated NYC agent and six successful books published through Kensington Publishing. I consciously opted to leave the publishing race while I was still on top of the game.

Here is the question I am asked frequently: Why was I giving it up when my books had done well in the marketplace and my editor wanted me to keep on writing, and offered me more contracts for the foreseeable future?

The answer is simple: My priorities changed. My writing career has been unusual to begin with. I more or less stumbled into creative writing at the ripe age of fifty. It began as merely a hobby, so I had never really planned on becoming a published author. It was sheer serendipity that led me to more success than I had ever dreamt of.

But after juggling two demanding careers for several years, I recently retired from both, so my travel-weary husband and I could finally spend some quality time together. We also wanted to enjoy our two young grandchildren before they got too busy with school and extracurricular activities.

Now I continue to guest blog and write an occasional article or short story, but for all practical purposes I am a happily-retired fiction writer. And enjoying every minute! Yes, there is indeed life after writing—if that is what one chooses for oneself.

Thanks again to all of you who took the time to read my monthly column during this past year.

You can reach me via my website: www.shobhanbantwal.com or my Facebook page.

Book Clubs are Goldmines

by Shobhan Bantwal

As an author, book clubs have always been my most valuable and gratifying resource.  The ones that have read my books are scattered all across the US and Canada. More recently, foreign book clubs have also discovered my novels.

In my humble opinion, book club and library group discussions  are livelier than other types of writer-reader interaction, more stimulating, especially if the members have already read one or more of my books. The questions they pose to me are so insightful that at times I am totally stunned at how deeply they have delved into my some of my stories and the characters' minds.

Best of all, book clubs are free advertising for budget-conscious authors like me. Once they latch on to an author's books, they create a healthy buzz.

I address book clubs in person, by invitation, if they are located within a 50-mile radius of my home. But many others, including from countries as far as South Africa, invite me to address them via Skype, which is a wonderful way to connect with them long-distance.

What kind of books do book clubs typically seek out? They want something unusual, stories they can sink their teeth into. I believe it is the unique ethnic Indian flavor of my books that appeal to them, what I call "Bollywood in a Book." Curious readers love learning about other cultures, their customs, languages, religious practices, cuisine, and clothing. I try to deliver all of the above, interwoven into dramatic, romantic stories.

Happy clubbers frequently recommend my books to friends and other clubs, which has even led to invitations to speak at large women's and non-profit organizations and fundraisers for women's causes. This is mainly because I cover hot-button women's issues in contemporary India, and readers are often deeply interested in controversial events in other cultures.

My advice to aspiring authors: book clubs are a priceless resource, so write something that will be of interest to them. Then go find them through your local libraries and bookstores, and contact them.

Remember, book clubs may not always translate into mega sales, but they are definitely goldmines for author branding and name recognition.

Website: www.shobhanbantwal.com   Facebook page.

Romance in Arranged Marriage - Oxymoron or Possibility?

By Shobhan Bantwal

Despite my 40-year-old arranged marriage and my conservative childhood in small-town India, I’m a hopeless romantic. Surprised? Why else would I write my India-centric stories bubbling with drama, emotion, colorful ethnic characters, rich cultural elements, and most importantly romance?

Contrary to popular belief, most modern Indian arranged marriages are rooted in mutual liking and respect. Most couples have the choice of rejection if they take an instant dislike to each other or have serious doubts about a future together.

While many think a "romantic arranged marriage" is a contradiction, I believe it is possible to have romance in a relationship built on a practical foundation. In fact, when parents of potential brides and grooms research suitable matches for their children, they invariably choose someone with similar family values, and compatible economic, educational, and social backgrounds.

But then again, falling in love and finding one's own soul-mate can be such fun!

Some folks seem to view arranged marriage as a quaint and antiquated custom of two strangers entering blindly into a loveless union forced by their elders. Nonetheless, from personal experience and the examples amongst my family and friends, I can safely say arranged love is the kind that may be slow to ignite, mature, and stabilize, but it is an abiding love that often lasts a lifetime. I call it “arranged love.”

In my humble opinion, romance is not always about roses, champagne, and diamonds, although it does have a special appeal. Sometimes being there for each other in sickness and health, through the ups and downs of life, raising children, and sharing a few laughs is more precious than wine and moonlight.

Besides, isn’t every marriage or long-term relationship a gamble to some degree, no matter which way the partners meet? I have to confess though, that my fiction is vastly different from my personal life. In my stories, the hero and heroine fall in love, experience some wild adventures, and often go against cultural dictates.

My latest book, The Reluctant Matchmaker, is the story of a petite Indian-American woman, Meena, who falls in love with her super-tall boss. Things get complicated when he requests her assistance in finding a suitably tall bride for himself. So is Meena going to help him or find some way to make him fall in love with her?

I would love to hear your thoughts on love and life-long relationships.

You can reach me at my website: www.shobhanbantwal.com or my Facebook page.

Choosing Settings in Fiction

By Shobhan Bantwal

Could your setting make or break your novel?

If the settings in fiction books could talk they would have plenty to say about themselves. They could also speak out in their own defense if an author has not researched them well or has given erroneous information. And yet, despite their inability to literally talk, settings do make a clear statement in each and every book.

Whether your story occurs here on earth or some imaginary place, setting will undoubtedly play a major role in how readers react to your story.

Why choose a unique setting?

Setting is as vital to a story as the characters and the plot. No one lives in a vacuum, not even fictional people. The characters' lives revolve around the rhythm and pulse of the town or city they reside in. In that sense, the backdrop takes on a life of its own and becomes yet another character in the story.

Editors and literary agents alike seem to agree that unusual settings are worth seeking out in the thousands of manuscripts they are inundated with year after year. A book's setting could make the difference between a sale and no-sale for a debut author.

One of the reasons my agent, the late Elaine Koster (Koster Literary Agency) signed me on back in 2005 was because she loved my debut book's (THE DOWRY BRIDE) setting: a small, fictional town in southwestern India, full of political conflict, community spirit, cultural contradictions, and natural beauty. 

Utopia or Dystopia

New authors may want everything in their books to be picture-perfect. Nonetheless, to be realistic, just like characters, a setting needs to have its imperfections exposed along with its assets. It is the author's creativity and expert treatment of the background that makes the difference between ordinary and stunning.

While it is hard to envision a dysfunctional or dismal world as a setting for a good story, many famous writers have made dystopian backgrounds work brilliantly for them. William Golding's Lord of the Flies and Aldous Huxley's Brave New World are highly successful older dystopian novels that have the set the tone for more recent authors like Terry Brooks, who published Armageddon's Children in 2007.

Building your extraordinary world

The age-old adage, "write what you know" is often the best advice in choosing a setting. However, the challenge of picking and researching an unfamiliar place may be exactly what an author needs to get those creative juices flowing.

Nevertheless, research is still the number one rule for success in terms of credibility and authenticity of settings. The characters need to fit into their environment like peas inside a pod.

Research today is so much simpler. Almost every city in the free world seems to have a website, with information on its geography, history, ecology, points of interest, demographics, and economic data.

No matter what kind of setting one chooses, it is necessary to do some homework first. Yes, it requires work, but it can pay rich dividends later.

Location involves culture

Culture is an integral part of a book's setting. The residents, the language, the cuisine, the dress, the traditions—they all come together to form the background for a riveting piece of fiction. To make a story credible, it is vital to stay true to the uniqueness of the community.

Setting is one element in fiction that can stretch as far and as wide as your imagination can take you. The sky is literally the limit, as evidenced by the popularity of sci-fi novels. You can pick almost any corner of the solar system and make it a memorable backdrop for your stories.

Does unusual setting equal success?

Literary success is never a guarantee, even if all the elements in a book are outstanding. Why? Because success is based on multiple and complex factors, only one of them being setting.

Unusual settings do not always lead to greatness either. On the other hand, the success rate in capturing the attention of an editor or agent can be high when it comes to extraordinary backdrops, something worth keeping in mind. Besides, choosing a location and making it work can be one of the most creatively fulfilling aspects of fiction writing.

You can reach me at my website: www.shobhanbantwal.com or my Facebook page.