Amid the chaos, the narrator of The Scent of Fallen Stars finds himself caught in the peculiar energy of the city, an India both bewildering and intoxicating. This unsettling start to the journey foreshadows the complex web of identity and secrets that Aishwarya Jha, debut novelist and winner of this year's Ramnath Goenka Sahithya Samman (Best Debut Fiction) by The New Indian Express Group, so skillfully weaves in her first novel.
"Writing has always been my greatest dream," she says, recalling childhood visits to bookstores, inhaling the intoxicating scent of paper and wood. But much like her characters, the path wasn't straightforward. After countless rejections from literary magazines, she persisted, honing her craft through plays and short stories. "Writing plays taught me to craft dialogue and get to the heart of a scene quickly. You only have ten minutes in a one-act play, so every word has to count. It taught me to edit ruthlessly - if it doesn't serve the story, it goes," she says.
This story is from the November 21, 2024 edition of The New Indian Express.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 21, 2024 edition of The New Indian Express.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
'I was inspired by Amitabh Bachchan while dubbing for Pushpa'
Shreyas Talpade talks about the delayed release of Emergency, taking inspiration from Amitabh Bachchan to dub for Allu Arjun's Pushpa films and more
What Dice Means in Mahabharata
One of the most common assumptions people make while discussing traditional games is that the game of Chaupad or Pachisi or Dayakattam, played on a symmetrical cross, was the game played in the Mahabharata.
Vaibhav's Next Titled Perusu
Actors Vaibhav and Sunil have joined hands for a new comedy entertainer titled Perusu. The upcoming film's first look was released by Lokesh Kanagaraj on Monday.
Vetri Maaran-Dhanush to team up for a fifth time
Following their successful collaborations in Polladhavan, Aadukalam, Vada Chennai, and Asuran, Vetri Maaran and Dhanush are set to join hands once again for a new project.
A GAMING TRADITION
The intricate, towering gopurams, the cooling granite stone, the smell of chandanam, flowers, and the sound of chants – temples are often sacred spaces associated with devotion.
HUES OF A SKY PARADE
The three-day balloon festival held in ECR was a vibrant display of various balloons sprawling up the sky.
ROOTING FOR A GREEN FUTURE
FOREST fires, gas leaks, heatwaves, and landslides—news of climate-related issues inundate the news as garbage dumps grow and plastic continues to clog the oceans.
OLYMPIC SCHEMES NEED PRUNING FOR EFFICIENCY
THE year 2024 was not the best for Olympic sports in the country.
TRUMP'S DISCHARGE IN FELONY CASES BODES ILL FOR DEMOCRACY
WHEN Donald Trump takes the oath of office for his second term as US president next week, a convicted felon will enter the White House for the first time.
POTS OF TRADITION, LOADS OF LABOUR
As we beam in the fervour of the harvest festival, in many households women have assumed the role of the manager and maker of the festivities. On Pongal, CE takes a look at the unequal distribution of work during festivals
