Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep. Musings from someone who sees stories everywhere.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Riddle reviews and press


The amazing adventures of Rishabh the rat and Shashee the spider are making news far and wide. Here are some links:

The Hindu : "A delightful and entertaining peep into the parallel universe of pests, the novel features the old city like you’ve never seen it." Read the complete interview/review in The Hindu

The Hindu says: "Riddle of the Seventh Stone keeps you hooked. You laugh as the kids foil Ajji's attempts to get rid of the pests. You sympathise with Rishab's struggles with geometry. Monideepa Sahu's portrayal of the kids and their interactions rings true and her language flows easily... Pick this one up for a great read." Read the full review here in The Hindu

Ranjana Kaul says in The Book Review: "Riddle of the Seventh Stone is an engaging book with unlikely protagonists drawn from the world of vermin and insects, a world which humans generally tend to ignore or treat with disgust and repulsion. The book straddles these two antithetical yet interdependent worlds with ease ... It is the author's ability to bring each character to life and make him or her an individual which sets this book apart." Read the full review in The Book Review

Reviewed at Saffrontree by Harini Gopalaswamy Srinivasan, talented author of Gind (Puffin) and The Smile of Vanuvati (Tulika)

Ace fantasy author Payal Dhar reviews Riddle in writeside.net

interview/review in Unboxed Writers

Riddle selected as Telegraph paperback pickings

Author Ramendra Kumar in Bolokids.com

Mummy knows best review

review in Deccan Herald

Riddle in Bangalore Mirror

The Hindu, Hyderabad Printpick

Singapore based author and journalist Zafar Anjum on Riddle

Hansda SS reviews Riddle

review in Bookrack

Monday, October 11, 2010

A Rainbow Feast

I just received a lovely new surprise. My short story, Flowers and Paper Boats, in among the 25 stories selected out of over 150 entries from all over Asia for A Rainbow Feast: New Asian Stories.
This collection is selected and edited by Prof Mohammad A. Quayum of International Islamic University Malaysia and authorof 20 books.
This book is a collection of 25 original short stories by writers from Australia, Bangladesh, Guyana, India, japan, Laos, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, UAE, the UK, USA and Vietnam.
PUBLISHER: Marshall Cavendish Editions, Singapore

The Internet is an amazing world. I'm now exchanging warm messages with Prof Quayum, and find myself in the company of writer friends Damyanti Ghosh (Singapore) and Abha Iyengar (New Delhi, India). The net has brought us all together from different corners of the world, facilitated a meeting of minds. So what if we can't meet physically.

Sunday, October 03, 2010

Riddle bangalore launch

Dear readers ,

Please do make it next saturday at 5 pm to reliance timeout, cunningham road for the launch of my new fantasy adventure novel for children.
please pass on the message to any young friends who may be interested.


about the book
Riddle of the Seventh Stone.

publisher:Zubaan books

THE BOOK:

Rishabh the rat and Shashee the spider are quite happy with the way they are: rummaging around in Venkat Thata’s wonderful, musty, dusty, rare herb shop in the heart of Bangalore. Until, that is, they stumble upon a magical powder and find themselves transformed into human children.

It’s not easy being a kid! There’s school and homework and wearing clothes and – yuk! – having to use soap… but even worse, their home is under threat from an evil moneylender known as the Shark.

Can Rishabh solve the cryptic clues that lead to King Kempe Gowda’s fabulous treasure before the Shark can get to it? Will the vermin survive Ajji’s herbal pesticide attack? Will Shashee be able to spin her way out of this tangled web of intrigue?

With the help off other children, friendly cockroaches, cheeky mosquitoes and a very Big Bandicoot, they set out of prove that no problem is too big even for the smallest of creatures.


THE REVIEWS:

“These are exciting times for children, with fiction such as Monideepa Sahu’s Riddle of the Seventh Stone — a unique take on ordinary events and creatures that we take so much for granted, things that get extraordinary in her gifted hands.” —Shreekumar Varma

“The author’s light and airy prose makes this book a delight to read for children and adults alike. She has a fine ear for dialogue and… conversations flow freely and fast….
A cracking good adventure tale.” —Shrabonti Bagchi, DNA

“A delightful tale…The fun and the excitement are enhanced by the spirited participation of an army of children, “friendly cockroaches”, “cheeky mosquitoes”, a Big Bandicoot and a troop of rodents…The illustrations by Pooja Pottenkulam complement Sahu’s limpid prose.” --The Telegraph


details of the book and the launch/reading.

Date: Oct 9th,Saturday

Time: 5 PM

Place: Reliance Timeout, Cunningham Road, Bangalore

Thanks and regards,

Monideepa

check out Zubaan Books