Category: On Writing
Poetry, a reflex, a knee-jerk
I began writing very early on. As a child it was all I looked forward to in literacy classes. Evenings I’d spend in my fairylight-lit den, scribbling stories about imaginary places and characters that felt more real than any friends I had at school. It was only when I got to secondary school that I [...]
Kickstarting “Vuto” with AJ Walkley: An Interview
We are pleased to bring you this interview with A.J. Walkley, author and self-proclaimed fighter for social justice, discussing her book Vuto, which is currently on Kickstarter, her experiences in East Africa in the Peace Corps; and her writing journey. Pleased too that this is her second contribution on our site. – The Editors, Rachel and Anora. AJ, [...]
Forty One Strange Years of Writing
It’s almost impossible to sum up and to make sense of over forty-one years of writing, of making up stories, of being rejected and accepted by publishers, of my stories being loved or not loved, of being published over and over, of being a storyteller. Truth is, wanting to tell stories is in the blood. [...]
Let Me Tell You Why I Write …
“Let me tell you one thing about why writers write: had I known the answer to any of these questions I would never have needed to write a novel.” Joan Didion I understand what Joan Didion means – you wouldn’t write a novel, would you, if you could possibly avoid it? Because as all mere [...]
Writing a Gay Private Investigator
How did a hospital secretary and single mom of four end up writing a series about a gay private investigator? My wonderfully intrepid and at times hot-headed character David Lloyd came about through a fusion of my love of crime novels, my undying support for GLBT rights and acceptance, and the brutal attack of a [...]
Duty and Desire – A Tale of Modern India
What can I tell you about my debut novel, Duty and Desire, the first in my Winds of Fire series, that would intrigue you? It was a 9 year journey to finish Duty and Desire. I began writing the original draft in 2002, shortly after we moved from Singapore to New Jersey, USA. My kids [...]
Keyboard Calling
Women writers with a calling to the keyboard, I salute you. For you insist on defining yourself, rather than allowing others to do it for you. There is something about you that says I have to be me – whatever the cost. And you have been willing to pay the price, because for you, there has [...]
The Story Behind the Story
My name is Victoria and I co-authored a book with a taxi cab driver I met at an all night diner. The book, Interrogation Tango, was released at the end of 2012. It was March 7th, 1994 at an all-night Greek diner called The Silver Star at 65th and Second Ave. in NYC around 1 [...]
Nurturing a Writers’ Group
Writers are fragile. When rejection slips pile up one yearns for reassurance. A decade back I would feel delighted if someone from my family or a close friend volunteered to read my work. But, often after reading they would feel obliged to make some positive remarks or critical comments. These casual reactions are just that: [...]
Thanksgiving’s a Holiday Over Here
The American man’s voice sounded woken-up and irritated. “It’s Thanksgiving,” he said down that payphone. “So my roommates are off work and gone home. Like, Thanksgiving’s a holiday over here.” Oh, come on, I wanted to say. I mean, with nobody getting born or killed or risen from the dead, just how big could this ‘holiday’ of yours really [...]
