It
all started in the final lap of 2010 as a mere hobby. I was idle for two weeks
between jobs and had nothing better to do. So I started writing. I would wake
up in the morning, sit comfortably on a cushioned chair with a steaming cup of
coffee and write.
I only had a broad outline of what I wanted to write. I wasn’t any blog post or any sort of writing exercises old at that time, so in one word I was an amateur. I wrote whatever flowed through my fingertips to my laptop’s keyboard. I was surprised at the amount of fun I was having while writing. I wrote and wrote, never stopped. Within two weeks I had already written one third of the book. But then once I joined my new job, it stopped abruptly. The pressure of settling down to a new work atmosphere claimed most of my energy. By the time I settled down, my wedding was three months way. So my story remained neglected for the major part of 2011 as I struggled with so many new roles in my life. Finally when I picked it up again it was the last lap of 2011. I had to re-read and re-write many pages before I could start writing again because by that time the story had changed significantly in my mind. But this time I wasn’t distracted. I would write during the night after getting back from office. It felt tough at that time. But I enjoyed it thoroughly. I would just sit in front of my laptop and start typing till I dozed off and fell down right on the keyboard. It was exhausting but strangely invigorating. But till now I had no intention of submitting it to any publisher. I was writing because it was making me strangely happy and fulfilled. The more I wrote, the more I wanted to write. It was as if I had finally found the call of my life. Then one day after I’d completed the story, my husband wanted to read it. I was skeptic to show him what I wrote because innately I am an introvert and didn’t feel comfortable about sharing it with him. It was that guarded, it was that personal. It was not until he forced me, that I started submitting my manuscript to publishers. I didn’t even know how to write a proper query letter. It was during the same time that I understood writing was the easiest part of the whole business. I was a new author with no back story. So nobody really gave a damn to read my queries. I could tell because I never received any reply from any of the publishers. Not even rejections. Months passed. I grew irritated and frustrated. It was a bit humiliating too. Forget about acceptance, I hadn’t even received any rejection. Agents asked money upfront just to read through the manuscript without any promise of representation. It was a depressing world. Then one day Frog Books replied. They wanted to read the whole manuscript. I was elated.
Things changed pretty much after that. I received replies from two other publications, albeit less famous ones, but enough to make me happy. I sent my full MS to all three of them, hoping to be accepted by at least one of them. Another long wait followed. Then just when I had almost given up hope, the golden email came. Yes. I was going to be a published author after all. I cried when at last I held the first copy of the book in my hand. If writing the novel was my achievement, holding it in my hand, bound as a book, was the reward. A reward I’d never dreamed of. So here it is. I present to you my dear reader, my debut novel, The Crazy Algorithm of Love. Do read and let me know how I fared as a debut author. Love,
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Riot of Random
