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.

Inspiration from Unexpected Sources

by Shobhan Bantwal

Authors are constantly seeking out story ideas, consciously or unconsciously. Whether we are shopping for groceries, sitting in church on a Sunday morning, showering, or pulling weeds in our yards, our writer minds are always on the prowl for juicy story ideas.

Some of us are disciplined enough to carry a notepad to jot down those ideas that suddenly strike in the most bizarre places like an airport rest room or a crowded restaurant. I am not very diligent about such things, so I have to try harder to recall those thoughts at a later time. And if I can't, I chastise and torture myself for my lack of foresight.

However, we all know that inspiration can come from the most unexpected avenues. A newspaper article, a neighbor's death, a dog's uncanny ability to sense danger, an obscure superstition, or even something as minor as a child's forgotten homework can trigger an epiphany. A writer's mind works in strange ways.

As a sociology major in college, I had always been interested in women's issues in contemporary India. While I had considered them appropriate subjects for serious non-fiction books, I had never thought of them as possible fiction themes.

Years later, when I read an article about dowry deaths, a horrible and contemptible practice that continues to plague modern India, I was inspired to write my debut book, The Dowry Bride. 

Later, when I heard about sonogram technology making it easy for some unscrupulous doctors in India to abort unwanted female fetuses, I decided to use that topic as the basis for my second book, The Forbidden Daughter. Both books were a great way to introduce controversial hot-button social issues via an entertaining and romantic story.

Model in a Sari

The inspiration for The Sari Shop Widow came while shopping at the Little India community in New Jersey, where colorful sari shops abound. The trials and tribulations of my own petite stature led me to write The Reluctant Matchmaker, the story of a tiny woman falling in love with an unusually tall man, and the crazy challenges she faces.

I would love to hear about your book ideas, and who and what inspired you to write them?

Website: www.shobhanbantwal.com   Facebook page