Calling Mumbai: Chalo, Kemp’s Corner, Armies of Hanuman launch on June 16! (Updated June 16 morning)
Okay, so here we are, L-Day. I’l look forward to seeing you at Crossword Kemp’s Corner this evening. If you’re a reader of my Ramayana novels and have been in touch with me before, remember, I’ll be there early, around 6 p.m., so please do come early and meet me personally. Once the maddening crowd arrives – and the mad mad media – I don’t know how much time we’ll get to chat.
UPDATE: Those of you who watched Mumbai Live on NDTV 24/7 (the English channel, not the Hindi one) last night may want to check out the channel today – they’re scheduled to show a small feature on Ashok talking about his film project Beautiful Ugly, the news feature is supposed to run at various times of the day so just check from time to time.
Also: Today’s Indian Express has Ashok on the last page of the Mumbai section (and a picture link on the front page) but don’t expect too much from that, as the reporter Sulakshana Gupta hadn’t even heard of his Ramayana books before let alone read them. And these people are supposed to tell us the news?! Please spare us from illiterate journalists.
And today’s Mid-day is supposed to be carrying a major news story on Ashok and Beautiful Ugly, with some shocking revelations.
Okay, here’s something I don’t usually do.
A book launch.
My Indian publishers, Penguin Books, are launching Armies of Hanuman: Book 4 of The Ramayana on June 16, 2005, at Crossword, Kemp’s Corner, Mumbai.
The launch is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. and if you want to meet me personally, I suggest you come early. I’m going to be there at around 6 to talk to readers, and will stay back after the event till 9 to talk to readers as well as the media.
Everyone’s invited of course, and the event is completely free to attend.
But if you’re a reader of my Ramayana books and live in Mumbai, I really need your help.
The last time I attended one of these so-called book launches – my own book, Prince of Ayodhya, was being launched – there were people in the audience who had absolutely no interest in me, the Ramayana, or even in books in general.
There was a gentleman, if I can even call him that, who came up to me at the end, and offered me a visiting card.
Turned out he was a jeweller from a neighbourhood store who attends such events to hand out his card and promote his store.
Of course, there were a fair number of genuinely interested readers and book lovers too.
But that was *before* my Ramayana was published (it was the launch of the first book, remember) so nobody present had actually read any of the books (naturally).
The launches of Prince of Ayodhya in Chennai and Delhi, while somewhat better (more genuine book lovers, fewer timepassers, no jewellery store managers) was still not truly satisfying to me as an author.
After all, what I really wanted, was to meet people who had actually read my book/s, and had something to say about them.
Since then, I haven’t had any more launches, and haven’t done any press interviews, because I felt it was more important to give people time to actually read the books and form their own opinions of them.
I’m happy to say that that has certainly happened – the sheer volume and quality of my emails from Ramayana readers proves that.
So this time, I’m hoping it will be different.
I’m attending this event solely for the purpose of meeting those people who have read and liked my Ramayana books and intend to keep reading them to the end of the series.
Because you have made it possible for this series to be published in the first place.
And only your support can ensure that it will stay as successful as it is now.
So my earnest request to you is, please, come to Crossword, Kemp’s Corner, on the evening of June 16, 2005, and spend an hour or two with me talking about the Ramayana books, or anything else under the sun.And help save me from self-promoting jewellers, retired couples looking for a cheap (free) way to spend the evening, and the exotic riffraff that attends such events in the hope of meeting celebs and page 3 people.
Please be there.
I’m only going in the hope that you’ll be coming.
It won’t be any good without you.
This entry was posted on Thursday, June 16th, 2005 at 11:47 am. It is filed under Ashok.
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