On whether my stories are TRUE stories and my favourite Indian writers.





A question which I am often asked is 'Are your stories true stories? They seem so real?'
People then ask me who the 'real person is'. They beg me to reveal the names of the real people on whom these stories are based etc.

I understand that to the reader my characters and my stories seem VERY REAL. But honestly I don't even know what to say when people beg me to let them meet the 'real people' behind my stories. They even assure me that they will keep it confidential and never tell anyone!

In order for me to oblige them, I will have to give them an entrance into my head. And that is impossible.

Also, I think if you look at the bestseller  fiction lists in India, the authors declare that it is based on their own lives. I think sadly, the Indian reader is used to that kind of stuff! I also read a LOT. This year, I have already read 26 books. You can see my entire reading list (and what i thought of them) on my Instagram profile under the highlights "books".
When I read some of the books by Indian authors, I feel sad at the deterioration in quality writing. A lot of writing is lazy writing with no depth or substance. A lot of it is 'Hinglish' (sadly). You can write deep, yet simple. You can write complicated yet gripping. You can write simple yet powerful.  You can write a 'page turner' which teaches you a LOT.

I admire many Indian writers like Shinie Antony, Kiran Nagarkar, Manu Joseph, Anita Nair and Benyamin. I also love Chitra Divakaruni Banerjee and Ruskin Bond. I think these authors should be read a lot more than they are currently.
Do tell me in comments who YOUR favourite Indian authors are--I'd love to know.


I had  also read somewhere that as a writer , there's TRUTH in our lies, and LIES in our truth.
I think that is so true!
_______________________________
ps: Get my books: preeti.io/amazon

Comments

  1. Wow 😍 What a concluding line!♥️
    "As a writer , there's TRUTH in our lies, and LIES in our truth."
    My Fav Indian Authors
    1.Preeti Shenoy
    2.Arundhati Roy
    3.R.K. Narayan
    4. Ruskin Bond
    5. Amish Tripathi
    6. Sudha Murthy
    7. Ravi Subramanian
    8. Harinder Sikka
    9. Nikita Singh
    10. Yashodhara Lal

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    1. From this list, I liked Arudhati Roy's God of small things. Had read it a long long time back, and I am not sure if I read it again now, whether I will like it.
      Ruskin Bond and RK Narayan are all time GREATS.
      Nikita is a good friend and I think her book 'The Reason is You' is very well written. :) Amish is a friend too.
      Sudha Murthy didn't work for me--I tried to read: Hated it!
      Yahsodhara Lal too didn't work for me at all. (sorry!)
      Harinder Sikka...I am not sure if I will try.

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  2. Even I get the same question and honestly I don't know what to say as the story was inside my head and so did the characters. Although, it feels great that the stories we pen turn out quite realistic. I am yet to read your latest one.

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    1. Alright :) Good luck with your writing.

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  3. Well said I totally agree with you that writers just to write and for becoming a writer which fascinates them they just write anything.A reader always appreciate simple writing but as you said with deepness in it.One thing among the list of things I like in your writing is that you potray your characters so well and deeply that we can so easily with the characters.Even I read Life is what you make it two years ago but I still remember the pain I felt for Ankita as if her problems are mine.Hats off to you for that.
    P.S. Have you read palace of illusions by Chitra Bannerjee Divakaruni I am currently reading the book and I am loving it.

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    1. Oh yes--I have read it and it is brilliant!
      Thank you so much :)

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  4. My favourite Indian author is Preeti Shenoy, Nikita Singh. I have read some books of Durjoy Dutta and Sudeep nagarkar as well. However the only Indian author whose all books I have read so far is you Mam..

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    1. Thanks Shally! Please read 'Goat Days' by Benyamin, 'The Girl who couldn't love' by Shinie Antony and 'Alphabet Soup' by Anita Nair.
      All are *brilliant* writing.

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  5. Hi Preeti,
    It's good to let others know how you feel about being asked certain questions. Still some don't want to understand how not to encroach upon someone's private zone. Writing is a very personal process something like meditation where all your focus is inward detached from anything external even your own body for that matter. My friends who read my compositions ask me the same stuff and I too feel helpless having no concrete reply for them. I haven't read much Indian writing to be frank. Only a few reads from authors like Anita Desai, Khushwant Singh, Jhumpa Lahiri...all not very new. In contemporary age, I have just tried yours and Amish's work...and I like both. Need to explore more gems in the sea of Indian writing in English.
    Love, Alka.

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    1. Exactly Alka, exactly!! And what is this begging me to 'reveal the names' and telling me 'they very very badly want to meet the real person' !! People also assume it is my story. I have stopped bothering about that and take it as a compliment now. Do read the work i recommend in the comment to Shally.

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    2. That's what you should do...take all these in your stride gracefully. I shall sure read them especially 'Goat Days' and others too. Thanks for raising awareness and recommending good reads for all.

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  6. Hi Preeti,

    Based on all your books thatI have read so far, I too feel your characters are so lifelike especially Diksha from Secret Wish list. But I know that its fiction which is again based out of your vast personal experience observing and understanding the people around you with the writer's innate curiosity. I haven't read much of Indian author's either since many have become popular in the last decade or so. But your "Life is what you make it" is one of my all time favorite reads and the same goes for the author too :) which is the reason I am taking time to respond to every single blog of you. Also Jumpa Lahiri is another another favorite English Indian Author and her short story collection "Interpretor of Maladies" is a book I cherish so much to an extent that her very famous character "Bibi Haldar" has a special place in my heart. I like Anita Nair too and her "Ladies Coupe" is another book I enjoyed reading a lot. Need to dig more into the Indian Writer's arena as many of them evoke a nice nostalgic feeling while reading ~ Indu.

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    1. Thank you so very much Indu. Yes, people have told me that.
      I really really appreciate you responding to each blog post and I eagerly await your comments :)
      Also I reply to your every comment :) :)
      Lots of love to you.

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  7. I must say when I read Life is what you make it, Ankita seemed so real to me. But as they say imagination is powerful then knowledge and that's why people seem real in your craft.

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  9. Hi Mam, I am a new author. It will be great education for me, if would read my book and give me your feedback..My book is Life in the Sunshine by T.Sathish..I love your works as well

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  10. My favourite writers are..
    Savi Sharma
    Preeti shenoy
    Sudeep Nagarkar
    Durjoy Dutt
    Khaled Hosseini
    Nikita Singh
    Ravinder Singh
    Ashis Begrecha

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  11. Ruskin Bond is amazing. I also liked Amish's Shiva Trilogy but the Rama series was disappointing. And I absolutely love Anuja Chauhan. Her books are hilarious. And I feel ' A Hundred Little Flames' is your best work so far. I loved it.

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