Hi Gita,
Thanks for volunteering for this Q & A. So far the participation from authors has been great! So let's get to the questions.
1. What have you written? (genre, titles, topics). Anything you want us to know about your book (s).
2. Why children's books?
3. “Obscurity is a far greater threat to authors than piracy.” - Thoughts?
4. "You must write for children in the same way as you do for adults, only better." Maxim Gorky - Has this been your experience?
5. What is the one thing you think you should never do when writing for children??
6. What is the best and worst thing about writing?
7. Your books are set in a particular cultural perspective - do you think this limits them or do you think it makes them more appealing to a wider audience?
8. If you didn't write your stories what do you think would happen to them?
9. Do you get emotionally attached to your characters?
10. If some one had to read your book on audio tape who would you like to read it?
Thank you, Meadow
1. What have you written? (genre, titles, topics). Anything you want us to know about your book (s).
I write for adults and for children, ages 8-12.
The Vigil and Other Stories, published by Leadstart Publishing, India, is for mature readers, age no bar. The book has fifteen stories, all set in India, with very distinct themes. Sometimes I think not having a single theme was a mistake
because I'm not able to put a label on the book. But where is the fun in reading a collection of short stories if each of them doesn't surprise with its unexpectedness.
So while I have a strong psychological story in 'The Square', I have humour in 'Mr.Krishnan', unrequited love in ‘The Gift’, honor killing in ‘a Lifetime’, and a sweet love story between a husband and wife in 'Delusions', and so on.
The book is available as a paperback and as an ebook on amazon.
http://www.bookandreader.com/threads/the-vigil-and-other-stories.25415/
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Take 2: A Collection of Short Stories is co-authored with L.Meadow ( Meadow 337 of BAR).
It started as a fun exercise. We each wrote stories using ten photographs as prompts and came up with interesting. very diverse stories. Naturally, the photographs inspired us differently. We are different people, coming from different cultures, from two ends of the globe. What the stories had in common was the universality of human emotions.
http://www.bookandreader.com/threads/out-of-the-writers-room-comes-a-book.25810/
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I have written many books for children and have not limited myself to any single sub-genre. The books fall under action & adventure, mystery, science fiction, fantasy, animal story, family & friends, and facing challenging situations.
I do not enjoy reading horror, violence or dark literature so my books do not contain any such elements. They are squeaky clean
.
I have published two novels, seven short chapter books and three short story collections.
http://www.amazon.com/Hunt-Horseman-Gita-V-Reddy-ebook/dp/B00GKEMQ5C
http://www.amazon.com/King-Neptunes-Delite-ebook/dp/B00D3EJZLU
http://www.amazon.com/Dearie-the-Deer-ebook/dp/B00D9T44SI
http://www.amazon.com/Krishta-Daughter-of-Martev-ebook/dp/B00DB7V47C
http://www.amazon.com/The-Forbidden-Forest-ebook/dp/B00DHF8DK4
http://www.amazon.com/Another-Midsummer-Nights-Dream-ebook/dp/B00DJ3PLB8
http://www.amazon.com/THE-MISSING-GIRL-ebook/dp/B00DSNXBSY
http://www.amazon.com/Theft-Other-Stories-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00DW2PZSA
http://www.amazon.com/Dinosaur-Puzzle-Other-Stories-ebook/dp/B00EBQ9MW6
http://www.amazon.com/Unicycle-Other-Stories-ebook/dp/B00EKLT0G0
http://www.amazon.com/Magicians-Turban-Gita-V-Reddy-ebook/dp/B00F4O4LMU/ref=la_B00D3YMQ0M
http://www.amazon.com/CINDERELLAS-ESCAPE-Gita-V-Reddy-ebook/dp/B00I805O7I/
2. Why children's books?
I write for adults and for children; more for children, less for adults.
I started with stories for children. Many of them grew from story- telling sessions with kids (my son and other kids). I enjoyed spinning yarns for them, and these were usually on demand, like tell us a fairy tale or something with adventure, or school or whatever. I could see where I was going with them. Children do not fake responses. You can tell whether they are enjoying the story, whether it is believable. A fantasy too should be believable. I would mould the story depending upon the response I was getting.
I hardly get to do that now. The kids I know are all grown up.
I don’t know whether I am answering your question. I have always enjoyed telling stories to children so writing them was the natural progression.
3. “Obscurity is a far greater threat to authors than piracy.” - Thoughts?
Very true in present times.
Firstly, there is online shopping. The buyer’s selection is not limited to a bookstore. This works both ways. He may view new books (hopefully yours) or he may buy those books he has been hearing about forever but hasn’t found them in his neighbourhood bookstore. Chances are he will do the latter. Factored into this is the fact that fewer books are being read and more books than ever are being written.
So yes, obscurity is by far the greater and more real threat.
4. "You must write for children in the same way as you do for adults, only better." Maxim Gorky - Has this been your experience?
I agree. The craft is the same.
I have found it easier writing for adults. You have greater freedom with form. The story can move at different levels. You are free to express your ideas or concerns. Your reader can share or understand your burden, your angst.
When I write for children, I know I have to grab their attention right at the beginning. Children have greater imagination so writing for them is more challenging.
5. What is the one thing you think you should never do when writing for children?
I think one should not dumb down or oversimplify things just because it is a children’s book. One should also not view your characters from the perspective of an adult.
6. What is the best and worst thing about writing?
The best, the most exciting thing about writing is the act itself. Getting the idea and seeing where it will take you. I enjoy the way a story reveals itself. I don’t know which tiny information stored somewhere in my memory will come alive and become a part of the story. I may think up an ending but the characters may want it to happen in a different way because they have acquired a life of their own and will not listen.
The worst thing about writing, for me, is the amount of editing one needs to do. I find it tedious and boring.
7. Your books are set in a particular cultural perspective - do you think this limits them or do you think it makes them more appealing to a wider audience?
Both, but marginally. I write fiction. The culture aspect is incidental. What is important is the story and stories are universal.
For incidence, when I read Maupassant or Victor Hugo, I do so for the story. I learn a little about French society, naturally, but that is not why I am reading the book.
When I read Victorian authors like Thomas Hardy, I respond to the story by understanding it in relation to those times.
I do not turn away from a book, set in, say, the middle east, or in America, because those are alien cultures.
This is how it is with readers everywhere, I am sure.
8. If you didn't write your stories what do you think would happen to them?
I believe in reincarnation, so I am sure they would still be there for me to reclaim in my next birth!
9. Do you get emotionally attached to your characters?
Sometimes. I have favourites too. Dearie, from Dearie the Deer, heads the list.
10. If some one had to read your book on audio tape who would you like to read it?
Amitabh Bachan, of the magical baritone.
