The Rajwada Poisonings - new crime novel

 

The big day finally arrived and my book was launched at the Pune International Centre (PIC) at 5 pm on the 15th of May. It was launched by Arti Kirloskar, along with Vishal Soni, the publisher of Vishwakarma Publications, Suman Kirloskar, Amita Bambawale, a reading specialist and educator, and noted economist Ajit Ranade.

Now I am officially the author of two crime novels. 

The seating was for about a hundred people, and those who came

A thriller about murder, witchcraft, and royals

The sequel to my first debut novel The Hawa Mahal Murders is now with the publisher...waiting to be published. It's been ready for many months but finally with the publisher.

This took me a long time to finish. Five years. I took time to write the first one too, but was sure I'd write the next one much faster. I thought maybe 2-3 years. Being more experienced and confident, I was sure I could do it. 

Personal events intertwined. Births and deaths in close family and also plenty of travel. This shouldn’t be a reason for the delay, but it is.

There is nothing more I would like than to shut myself off from the outside world and write…write…write. But I chose not to do that.

Why? Writing makes you more conscious of being alive, but writing is not life. 

Is writing my life? I have to grudgingly admit that no, writing is not my life. Maybe if I was alone in this world with nobody I loved deeply, and if I lived on an island with pots of money, then writing could easily become my life. So that's decided. Writing is not my life. I love others and want to be with them too...I am not a typical writer. Neither melancholy and nor do I crave for solitude. In fact I crave company...laughter, noise, food, drink and parties. Does this make me an odd personality in the world of writers? Well, I guess it does make me odd in the world of good writers. Somehow I always believed that the best writers are committed 100% to writing. 

Do I think I am a bad writer or a good writer? Good, very good. Not literary, but very good at writing suspense and mystery. Very good at characterisation. I think I write better novels than many mystery writers who are famous...people will think it's my ego talking. Well, I truely believe it and don't consider myself egoistic in the least.

Writing is my passion, even if it isn't my life. It makes my heart sing, my soul float and it makes time fly. I may fantasize living on an island in an ocean or in the Himalayas, just writing, but I know I won't last more than a week. 

When I was in my teens and till the early twenties, reading was my life. Reading was exclusively my life. Nothing else mattered. I read everything I could get my hands on. I ignored life. I ignored friends. I ignored family. But by the mid-twenties, I was involved in life, involved with earning money, and involved with my children. That is why my novel, a book I always wanted to write came late. Very late. I don't regret it. 

I loved every minute of writing The Hawa Mahal Murders. Just like I loved every minute of writing its sequel. Yes, it's a sequel. What's it about? That will be my next post.

Hopefully it will launch soon. 

My writing will continue. Writing helps me breathe. So does Life.

.

A standalone 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: 

@nitajk.bsky.social

Author Interview in Hindustan Times

I was lucky enough to be interviewed by Hindustan Times, Pune, almost immediately after my book release (1st December 2019) but somehow I had neglected to put this up on my website. I had got so busy with a few book readings and travel that I completely forgot to post this.

Well, here it is:

Here is the text version:

1. The genre of thriller originates from the gothic which has a large rambling castle as its setting. Since Hawa Mahal is a typical Gothic building what importance does it hold to your murder mystery thriller? Answer: There’s a character in my book called Raja who comes from a poor family. He wants to make it big and even fancies himself to be a king. He has grandiose dreams of building a palace just like Hawa Mahal. He does become very rich, and when he does, he has a building made on the lines of the real Hawa Mahal. Of course, it’s an imitation and that is the whole point. It’s actually an ugly building from an architectural point of view. So, in the novel, this building in Mumbai, called Hawa Mahal, becomes a symbol of sorts. Hawa Mahal is known as the Palace of Winds, but it can also be interpreted as castles in the air. The idea that I am trying to convey is that Raja, isn’t a success, not really. There is another meaning to why the building is called Hawa Mahal. The original Hawa Mahal was built with hundreds of windows so that the royal ladies could look outside without being seen, as the purdah system was in place then. I am trying to convey that the main character, Smita, is trapped in the building. She can see the outside but cannot really participate in life.

 2. Thriller has seen quite a resurgence in India especially with the popularity of “Sacred Games”, which is itself an adaptation of the thriller novel of the same name. So, in your opinion why has thriller made such a comeback and why did you choose to write a thriller rather than a work of any other nature. Answer: Today’s generation likes fast-paced novels. We are in the age of cable tv, action movies and WhatsApp. But that is not the reason why I wrote a thriller. I wrote what I love to read. I love reading thrillers, always did, although of late I have been concentrating on writing. But my book is more than a thriller. I like to think that it tackles some underlying issues in this society.

3. Overcoming a bad marriage, as your character Smita does involve laying bare the vulnerability of being a woman. Why was it important for you that your character should have such an arc? Answer: I came from a liberal family, but I am not the norm. A vast majority of Indian women put aside their hopes and dreams and follow society’s dictates. The hold of the parents is very strong. Often, women do not even want to acknowledge that they are sacrificing something, they don’t want to face it, because if they do, then their life would become unbearable. So, I created a character with high self-awareness, someone who faced her fears and tried to make sense of her life.

4. How did you get the idea of the book? Walk us through your writing process. Answer: A part of the answer lies in the answer to question 3. I wanted to write about a middle-class Indian woman going through issues common to our society. I wanted a relatable character and relatable issues, in the Indian context. Even my other main character, Jai, goes through issues that people commonly face, a corrupt system for example. As for the story, it evolved by itself once I put my characters in difficult situations and in a particular setting.

5. How was your experience of publishing with Vishwakarma Publications? Answer: I consider myself very lucky to have got a publisher like Vishwakarma Publications. I found the VP team sincere, helpful and friendly. I am also proud to be associated with PILF.

 6. What is on your current reading list? Answer: I have read one of Margaret Atwood’s novels and plan to read the others too. I like her writing style.

Check out all of my author interviews on this website.

Author Interview at E-Author Resources

The E-Author Resources blog showcases books and authors and also is a goldmine for authors looking for book cover artists, editors, illustrators, publishers, and website designers.

They were kind enough to feature my interview on their website. Here is a small excerpt:

Did you learn anything from the project? 
I had read a lot of detective and mystery novels but when I actually started to write one, I realised how difficult it is to insert clues in the right places so as to keep up the suspense. There was a lot of painstaking detailing work required and constant going back and forth. It was a learning experience for me.

For the rest of the interview you can go here to the actual link: Interview with N.J Kulkarni Author of The Hawa Mahal Murders. 

The Hawa Mahal Murders at the Delhi Book Fair in January 2020

It had been years since I went to a book fair. I had heard that book fairs were packed with jostling crowds but I needed to narrow the gap between seeing and not seeing. After all, my crime thriller The Hawa Mahal Murders, was being exhibited at Vishwakarma Publications bookstall in Hall no.12. I had to be there! And I was, on the 12th of January, 2020. It was a Sunday and the grounds at Pragati Maidan were packed.

It was quite an exciting experience for me. Signing copies of my books, meeting strangers who were going to read my book and of course the general bookish atmosphere which I thrive in.

It was interesting to see so many young people there...students. Unfortunately, students don't have too much money in their pockets but it was good to see the eagerness to read even if most of them were looking for bargain books. There were families with children, lots and lots of them. It was middle-class India at its best and I loved it.

Related Reading: Sakal Times Coverage. and the Book Reading at Quill And Canvas or Meeting students at their MITWPU Book Club Launch

Book Reading at the Quill And Canvas in Gurgaon

Reading excerpts from The Hawa Mahal Murders at the Quill And Canvas in Gurgaon on the 11th of January 2020 was a unique experience. For one thing, I was reading excerpts from my book at a cosy art gallery and book store called the Quill And Canvas in a glitzy mall. It was the third time I was doing a book reading and I found myself slipping into the mode very easily this time.

Book readings are a way to reach readers in different parts of the country, even if huge crowds don't make it on the day itself. The flyers go out and advertise the reading and that counts for a lot. All in all,

Sakal Times Coverage

I was lucky enough to have The Hawa Mahal Murders covered by a prestigious newspaper like Sakal Times.

They announced a Pagdandi book launch in their daily newspaper. This was a second launch of a book, at a book cafe on the 14th of December 2019. The first launch was an official launch at the Pune Lit Fest on 20th of September 2019. This event took place at Yashada, in Baner.

An announcement in Sakal Times.

A great author interview! This appeared on the 13th of December 2019.

And finally, the review! Loved the title

Reviewing Reviews

It's been three months since the launch of my book, The Hawa Mahal Murders, and when I look back I have a lot to be happy about. 40 reviews on Amazon and 44 ratings on goodreads, almost all of them positive.

Pretty good for an unknown author without a famous publisher pushing out free review copies and an author without any pull to get reviews done by famous people and famous publications.

Here is a review scrapbook

Pagdandi Book Launch and Book Reading

An event was organised at Pagdandi, a book cafe in Baner, Pune, on the 14th of December 2019. My crime thriller The Hawa Mahal Murders had a mini-launch at this book cafe, and it was accompanied by a book reading and a quiz. I had a lot of fun! This was the second book launch, the first being the official launch at the Pune Lit Fest, on the 20th of September 2019.

These were several promos made for the mystery quiz!

I had done a book reading at the Pune Lit Fest too, but this was somehow more fun! Maybe it was because I had had the experience earlier, but I wasn't tense. I was

The Hawa Mahal Murders in the Crime Fiction Lover Newsletter

I have a potential audience here in India who I can reach with my book The Hawa Mahal Murders but reaching out to an audience outside India is a challenge. We Indians happily read about Americans solving mysteries and going on adventures but the Americans have enough on their plate and don't go seeking Indian crime stories! If they do read anything Indian it's high brow literary stuff which goes on to win a Booker prize.

But there is another kind of fiction out there. My kind of fiction. Entertaining, racy and of course well-written.

That is why it was gratifying that a popular US site like Crime Fiction Lover mentioned my book

Appreciation is food for the writer's soul

Now that a month has passed since the launch of my book The Hawa Mahal Murders, it is a good feeling to know that people are loving it. There are so far 10 Amazon reviews, all of them 5-star reviews. I had written something about reviews immediately after the launch too.

While the first review has remained a favourite with me, there's another one I would like to show here.

The Hawa Mahal Murders turned into a mini-series? Maybe a movie? Well, things are on the anvil. So it is not a pipe dream. The characters in my novel are well etched, the story is fast-paced and scenes are described vividly. And people have shown interest.

There are 5 GoodReads reviews as well

Author of the Month at Vishwakarma

This month, October, Vishwakarma Publications, my publisher has given me the honour of being their Author of the month for my book The Hawa Mahal Murders which was launched during the inauguration of PILF19 with Javed Akhtar.

These are some of the excerpts from the interview which was taken by Richa Singh:

Nita Kulkarni’s book ‘The Hawa Mahal Murders,’ published by Vishwakarma Publications is a treat to thriller lovers.

The genre of thriller originates from the Gothic which has a large rambling castle as its setting. Since Hawa Mahal is a typical Gothic building what importance does it hold to your murder mystery thriller? 

There’s a character in my book called Raja who comes from a poor family. He wants to make it big and even fancies himself to be a king. He has grandiose

MITWPU Book club launch

On the 19th of October 2019 I was invited to speak at the launch of the MITWPU book club launch on the MIT campus at Kothrud. It was wonderful to interact with a group of enthusiastic and bright students eager to become a part of the book club.

It was a two-hour programme which started with introductions, felicitations and talks by the MIT faculty about the importance of reading.

It was an honour to be felicitated by the Vice-Chancellor and an honour to be invited. Prof. Ajay Nagre initiated

A book launch and reviews!

The days leading up the launch of The Hawa Mahal Murders on the 20th of September were tense as there were public appearances at the Pune lit fest. I am not used to speaking in public or going on stage. Sure, my book was a PILF contest winner but all the more reason to be nervous!

It all went off fairly smoothly, thankfully.

The moment when I actually walked on stage for the book launch felt surreal. It still does.

The aftermath wasn't as relaxed

Book Launch at PILF19 with Javed Akhtar

My thriller "The Hawa Mahal Murders" was launched at PILF19 with Javed Akhtar. Here he is holding my book! An honour I was lucky to receive because The Hawa Mahal Murders was a PILF contest winner!

So, the prize winner (The Hawa Mahal Murders) was launched at the inauguration of PILF. A surreal experience for me. Other eminent people were present on the stage with me including Manjiri Prabhu, a popular mystery writer, Sidharth Jain the ceo of StoryInk, Mr Vishal Soni, ceo of Vishwakarma Publications and Mrs Agarwal, from the founding family of Vishwakarma.

An extra-large poster of my book can be seen below.

Sales of my book at the venue were brisk. Looking forward to some reviews now!

It was an exhilarating moment! More about my experiences at the PILF later!

Why Buy My Book?

There is a session called "Why Buy My Book?" on the 20th of September at PILF19, the first day of the Pune International Literary Festival. I have about 8 minutes to tell people why my book, The Hawa Mahal Murders, is worth a buy.

It's always a challenge to convince people to buy one's book because one has to be absolutely clear about one's target audience. Once I finish the session I will post my talk here. But one thing I must mention, something I feel I should have done before the first edition was published. I should have had a blurb at the back saying that this was a "winner at the PILF18." Why didn't I think of it? In the second edition, I shall say this and more. "Launched at PILF19." Yes, that's being very hopeful, that there will be a second edition. But there will be. I want to think positive.

Here is the schedule for

The Hawa Mahal Murders

It's happening. My book titled The Hawa Mahal Murders, the PILF prize winner will be launched at the inauguration of the Pune International Literary Festival (PILF) on the 20th of September 2019. Now everyone is going to be able to read it. That's madly exciting, yes, but also frightening. Yes, it was a contest winner but finally it's all about the reader!

People ask: Why Hawa Mahal?

One of the characters in my story has grandiose dreams. He wants to build a modern building on the lines of an ancient castle. And when it came to ancient castles, I searched until one day, I came upon the story of Hawa Mahal. At the time I hadn't thought of it becoming the title of the book.

The actual Hawa Mahal is an ancient palace in Jaipur, Rajasthan, and the name literally means

Becoming an author

I always thought of myself as a writer and of course an author too...an author of

countless articles and a few short stories. Becoming an author of a book is different though and that is happening soon.

I signed a contract with Vishwakarma Publications for the publication of my first novel after winning a contest at PILF (Pune International Literary Festival) in September 2018. Being a contest winner was exhilarating and a good start!

The novel is a thriller set in Mumbai. A murder mystery. It will be out in September 2019.

Vishwakarma Publications, a Pune based publisher, was founded in 2013. Vishwakarma is also the official title sponsor of the Pune International Literary Festival which is held every year in Pune. It is a part of the Vishwakarma group which is into education.

I am happy that I have been accepted by a traditional publisher and that too a reputed one. And of course, the fact that they are Pune based is a matter of great joy. And then, the thought of the book being a prize winner is a feather in my cap.

Related Reading:  A Writer's Journey, The time it takes to publish a book, A Writer's Angst.