Sequel to the HM Murders is ready

Writing here after a long time. 

I was busy finishing the sequel to The Hawa Mahal Murders. The title will be revealed later, and I promise that the sequel is as exciting, if not better than the HM Murders. One of the criticisms I faced about the HM Murders was that there were too many characters. I loved them and felt they were important, my intention being to make it as real as possible. But I get the reader point of view. In the sequel there are fewer characters. Sub-plots are present and they add depth to the story. Like the HM Murders, it's not a run-of-the-mill mystery. There is a deep exploration of the characters' minds, including that of the villain/s.

The story is about a female detective, a single parent, trying to earn a living. Risking her livelihood and her life, she disappears into a small town to investigate a murder/s. The story is not plot-driven. Nor was The HM Murders. I let the characters take me where they wanted to go. There was suspense and dread in it for me as well. 

The novel has been a long time to write, because of three things. One, I write slowly. Two, ageing parents, and three, travel. 

But it’s done and I am satisfied. I am satisfied with the story and the premise, and also because there is closure at the end, not just for me, but for the characters, Smita and Jai. I enjoyed being with my favourite characters on their onward journey. Saying goodbye to them was hard. 

Work has started on a third book. It's non-fiction. At the same time, my mind is swirling with ideas for a third novel. I want to create new characters for this one. 

Another thing I want to do is to get on social media because have I been an abject failure in that area. I am starting anew with Bluesky. I like the hope it symbolises. This is my handle there: 

@njkulkarni.bsky.social

Cancer: Big C in the city -

Cancer: Big C in the city

Nita Jatar Kulkarni

Published in the Sunday Express, New Delhi, on the 13th of May 2012.

She has ridden sleighs in the North Pole. She loves elk refuges. She has lost money in casinos but doesn’t complain. She is happy cheering the Chennai Super Kings at IPL matches. She is an engineer who runs a multinational startup in India. She is also a two-time cancer survivor. Her motto is, “Play the best hand

A Writing Mind

Writing is a lonely job. In fact, loneliness is a prerequisite of sorts, isn’t it? At least for me, it is. Unless I am alone in my own quiet space, I find it difficult to write. Actually, loneliness is not the right word because it has a negative slant to it. The word “emptiness” describes it better…a kind of vacant feeling which takes away the clutter and noise of the outside world. The mind is opened up to all sorts of possibilities. It’s vacant. It’s as if one is in an alternate universe where anything is possible and nothing is impossible. 

Physically, one can describe it as being in a vast desert with nothing in sight. Or being in a little boat in an endless ocean. 

Those who can get into their writing mind-space in a noisy, busy environment are lucky or I should say that they are super motivated. These are people who write anywhere and at anytime. They are super-productive and write novel after novel after novel…makes me feel so useless. 

I’ve written a lot – and I mean a LOT – in my life but just one novel, that too after struggling with it for a few years. And now I am in the midst of my second one but it hasn't gone as fast as it should have. The only satisfaction I have is that I wrote a damn good novel. I am proud of The Hawa Mahal Murders. There's nothing I want to change in it. In fact, if anything, I fear I may not be able to write a novel as good as my first one. 

I always believed that I was pretty self-motivated…after all, going at a novel for years without knowing whether a publisher will pick it up…that requires at least a little self-motivation. But perhaps I am not sufficiently motivated. I wasn’t able to get into the right frame of mind in these covid times. I don’t want to get into the mundane details of it…but suffice to say that the time has now passed and I’m getting back on track.

I always thought not writing = not working and time wasted. I don’t put that kind of pressure on myself anymore. I write because I love it and I because I know I want to write another damn good novel!

(Image by LEEROY Agency from Pixabay)

Know what you eat – Decoding food labels

Read between the Lines

Nita Jatar Kulkarni.

Published in the Sunday Express on 1st April 2012.

You consume a packet of instant noodles secure in the belief that it contains no monosodium glutamate. After all, the food label claims that it has “No added msg.”

You help yourself to an extra serving of “Diet Chivda,” sure that it’s a low calorie snack.

You pick a brand of biscuits because it says “Zero transfats” and “Zero Cholesterol.”

What if you found out that the instant noodles contain msg, the diet chivda is as calorific and as fat-laden as another, and the biscuits aren’t what you believed them to be? The chances are that

Urban Living can affect health

When Wealth isn’t Health

Published in the Sunday Express on 18th March 2012.

Nita Jatar Kulkarni

(Some names have been changed in the text of this article although the original article has the actual names. The names of medical professionals have not been changed.)

A peek into the life of Mohan Gandhi, a single urban professional working in the events and entertainment industry in Mumbai, takes us to the heart of what’s wrong with modern Indian lifestyles. Rohan works 12 hours a day going up to 16-20 while outstation, eats at least one meal at an odd time, often works on weekends, regularly eats leftovers, eats at least a dozen meals at restaurants in a month and snacks at restaurants every single day. If that’s not enough, his four favourite foods are

A Stretch in Time - why brands bomb

Why Brands Bomb 

Peggy und Marco
 Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay

By Nita Jatar Kulkarni

(This article appeared in The Economic Times in the year 2000. The people quoted may have moved and their designations may have changed.)

Why does a brand bomb?

And when it doesn’t, what are the secrets that make it a household name? Sometimes brands are so successful that marketers piggyback on it and launch a slew of new products. And these products are hits as well...and it makes us wonder: How did the marketers get it right? What had they done right the first time? A Sony for example has got everything. Play-stations to Walkmans and digital phones to DVD players. Or take Mitsubishi. It extends to just about everything you can imagine. More examples. Dannon today is selling Dannon water. Brand Virgin is being sold across categories, from airlines to music to even condoms. 

Cut to India. Imagine drinking a Colgate Cola or brushing your