One Year of Kathputli

I haven’t written in a while. My freelance writing, family stuff, and treasured goofing-off time has kept me away. However, I had to shell out a few thousand recently to keep my author website up and running for another year, regardless of whether any reader visits this at all, so I thought I should justify it with a post.

NO, sorry, scratch THAT! On the anniversary of the month that I released ‘Kathputli’ in Kindle format last year, I thought I would write a post on the journey so far. First, I cannot mention the kindle format without thanking Lakshmi Ananthamurthy again for doing all the technical stuff it entailed. (There. Much more appropriate.)

Kathputli has 31 reviews on Amazon now, and a “goodly” number on Goodreads as well. It has an approximate average of 4.42 star ratings, which I think is excellent, given that a perfect 5 (from anything over 10 reviewers) smacks of favours exchanged or coercion of some nature. (Gimme 5 stars or I’ll burn your library down, see?) And anything under 4 is depressing.

‘Kathputli’ has been written about in several newspapers, the only one I haven’t mentioned here is the one in Deccan Chronicle. I was interviewed for a talk show and have had two book readings so far. I am not allowed videos on this site until I hack up more cash, so I will just have to direct you to my FB author page which allows me all these things for FREE. Are you listening WordPress? 😀 You can watch the readings there.

I have been discussed on 3 book blogs that I know of, all gorgeously written ones.  Vishy‘s, and Anushree‘s are the new ones to be mentioned, assuming you’ve read my earlier posts about the book’s progress. I am now down to my last unsold 100 books or so, in a print run of 500 copies; an achievement I am proud of since this is over and above the ebooks, and I had initially just thought of printing  80 — until kindly people explained to me (very slowly,  and using basic language; since I was evidently rather slow) that that is not financially viable, and rather defeats the purpose.

This year has been wonderful in some ways…my very own book! And so well received by readers! But it brought its own share of heartbreak…especially during the long, dry patches when readers seem to have moved on for weeks together. Or, when I know someone has my book in his/her possession but can’t seem to work up the energy to read it. I don’t blame them, there are plenty of books in my shelf that have languished for decades! 🙂 There are worse things still…but let’s not dwell and pick at old wounds.

I hope I can finally find the last few copies good homes; and then move on seriously to my next project. Here’s to another good year!! Since I have paid for another whole year of this website, it better be worth it! 🙂