The rise and fall of the big 'E'

"Wait-a-minute!!" The grimacing smart-alec from a decade old marriage (eleven years to be precise, and still counting) said to me in between chomping through dinner. "Are you sulking?" This was followed by a grin that looked like the Cheshire cat playing the role of Voldemort.

The dignified, mature, well meaning indivdual that I am, I chose the best form of revenge known to womankind  - Silence. But the TV remote seemed to have suddenly, mysteriously disappeared - only to surface AFTER an eventful cricket match. I am sure The better half is still appreciative of the few kilos shed between all manual channel surfing.

You bet I am sulking! It all began with a short story competition that led to a bewildered me (read that as me pinching myself every 5 minutes to see if I was awake!) dreaming night after night of signing books (not unlike the dashing Castle and that wicked smile of his - just imagine the female version.....ummm..... yuck! on second thought, make it more like Beckett!) and finally being hailed as the answer to today's Sheldon ... or maybe even Edgar Allan Poe....

What? A girl can dream, can't she?

Well, lets just say the book got published. And then a co-author and I were just whining that there aren't any reviews for OUR book (among various theories was that the cover did not have a beautiful lady, and that probably was why) when kabam! ... in flow the reviews! And what awesome reviews they were. If the reader remembers (I insist on calling you that - so what if I am not a famous author?), I had, in an earlier post, voiced my fear of being singled out as the worst story teller ever, in that collection. Well, lo and behold! I have discovered another talent in the already too-talented-for-my-own-good self! I now can predict future....

Every review spoke highly of so many stories.... You would think a few of them would feel pity on me too, right? No way - where have all the be-nice-even-if-you-didn't-like-it people? The good news is that Urban Shots Bright Lights seems to be a voice to reckon with. Do read the reviews here to find out for yourself. And ofcourse, my good friend Dr.Roshan (oh yes! the name dropping was on purpose! He most certainly is on his way to being Castle... ! ) does get oppurtunity to hog the limelite here (which, by the way  is well deserved. But not that I intend forgiving him for it.....)

As if this wasn't enough, there were reviews that spoke about some stories (very rare) that were not too impressive in the collection...... you would think I would have made it to THAT list atleast. No. Nada. Zilch! I deserve a little sulk time, don't you think?

I was just my own, sulky self one day, when I recieved a phone call that made me grin like a monkey with a first time shot of tequila. Turns out, one of my stories have been selected by another publishing house for publication... and they want me to read a para at the book launch next month.

Now, let me not give you any wrong messages - I am, in all sense of the word, blowing my own trumpet here! And please do tell me you want to know which publication, and which date and all that... (which, shhhh! is still confidential for another yet week...)

Sigh! Looks like I will be having visions (yet again) of autgraphing my books to a long winding queue of excited fans - till the next review at least!