ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN DE MODE APR-MAY-JUN 2021 (Vol IV, Issue XXII)
Article Published on: 20TH JAN 2023 | www.demodemagazine.com
Priyanka Pradhan is a Dubai-based journalist with experience of 13 years in television, print, and electronic media, across India and the UAE.
Specializing in business and lifestyle genres, she reported for CNBC Network 18 (Storyboard) and Economic Times Now (Brand Equity) as a correspondent and assistant producer in Mumbai. After moving to Dubai in 2011, she served as assistant editor for The New York Times Style Magazine(the UAE and Qatar editions) and Bloomberg Businessweek Middle East as well as features editor for Sorbet Magazine (UAE and EU).
She contributed as a travel writer, to various lifestyle magazine titles such as Conde Nast Traveller (UAE and Indian editions). She was also a regular contributor to regional and international magazines such as Harper’s Bazaar Middle East, DestinAsian (Indonesia), Al Nawras (in-flight magazine for Air Arabia), and Villa 88 (UAE).
Priyanka also bagged the Ruskin Bond Promising Writer award for 'Tales from the Himalayas' at the Dehradun Literature Festival 2019, where the manuscript was handpicked and awarded by Mr. Ruskin Bond, from amongst hundreds of entries by Indians across the world.
'TALES FROM THE HIMALAYAS' BY AUTHOR PRIYANKA PRADHAN
"It is runner-up for the Montegrappa Writing Prize 2020 at the Emirates Literature Festival (Dubai), where it was picked among the top 5 manuscripts amongst entries from Middle East countries such as the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt."
Tales from the Himalayas is a collection of seventeen short stories from Uttarakhand, the Himalayan state of northern India, invites young readers to discover the mountains, through its stories. Just like the people of Uttarakhand, their stories are simple and heartfelt. There are tales of snow leopards, ghouls, and monsters, of courage and kindness, but most of all, about having faith in oneself. While the backdrop for these stories is the rustic setting in remote, high-altitude villages and towns of Uttarakhand, possibly far removed from the worlds of the readers, the central themes and characters of the stories aim to be relatable and relevant for children anywhere in the world. The endeavor is to offer children a taste of culture and tradition from the Himalayas and an appreciation for diversity.
Stories such as, ‘The bagpiper’ offers an insight into the musical history and tradition of Uttarakhand, while stories such as ‘Kaafal’ are my adaptations of local children’s folktales, passed down by oral tradition for hundreds of years.
Another highlight of the book is a story called ‘The villain' which touches upon a very deep-rooted issue in Indian society – that of color prejudice, especially amongst young girls. The story aims to help children appreciate their uniqueness and accept the color of their skin and their bodies, with pride. The book also features two real-life characters and their stories – Gaura Devi, who pioneered the ‘Chipko movement’ (tree-hugging) to set an example for forest protection across the world, and Nain Sigh Rawat, who is one of the greatest explorers and surveyors in the continent. Both are real-life heroes from the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand.
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'TALES FROM THE HIMALAYAS' IN INDIA - CLICK HERE
DIRECT LINK TO BUY 'TALES FROM THE HIMALAYAS' IN ALL COUNTRIES - CLICK HERE
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW OF AUTHOR PRIYANKA PRADHAN WITH DE MODE
Q: What was your first thought when you started writing and when?
A: While writing the book, my first thought was that I hope I do justice to the stories because they were inspired by my grandmother’s tales. I did put a lot of pressure on myself to write responsibly and make sure the stories had substance and quality because they’re a tribute to my favorite storyteller.
Q: What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?
A: Well, it wasn’t a literary pilgrimage, per se, but in Paris, I visited the famous Shakespeare and Co bookshop for its incredible history and rich heritage. I also loved the Ernest Hemingway tour of Paris, where I retraced the life of the great writer during his time in Paris.
Q: What is the most unethical practice in the publishing industry?
A: The most unethical practice in this industry is the business of paid reviews! Not many book bloggers and reviewers are interested to review a book without being paid and this is unsettling because it means the integrity and quality of reviews is tremendously compromised. Ultimately, readers and book lovers are misled, and that’s not fair to them or the authors.
Q: Does writing energize or exhaust you?
A: Writing does both- energize and exhaust. It is a very intensive exercise and consumes so much of one’s mental, emotional, and physical resources that it is bound to exhaust the writer. However, the fact that you’re writing and finally seeing that story on paper does lift your spirits.
Q: Does a big ego help or hurt writers?
A: I think a big ego wouldn’t work for anyone, in any profession or industry, even more so in the creative line of work. Our work is so subjective that it comes under a lot of scrutiny and criticism- rejection is a part of everyday life and one has to take critical feedback in the right spirit.
Q: How did publishing your first book change your process of writing?
A: Publishing my first book has actually had zero effect on my writing process. It should’ve ideally made me more disciplined, but it really hasn’t. It’s the same old battle - procrastination v/s productive work, every day.
Q: How do you feel being an author?
A: “Literary success” is a big phrase! I think I’d be happiest if someone who’s bought my book thinks it was worth his/her time and money and that he got value out of reading my book. When I get feedback from children, about how they enjoyed reading ‘Tales from the Himalayas’, that means success to me.
Q: What’s the best way to market your books?
A: Social media, hands down. The way we consume media has changed dramatically and so marketing efforts have to adapt to the changes. I, for one, consume news, features, and entertainment entirely online and mostly on social media-it’s a platform to market everything from books to real estate!
Q: What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
A: Research, to me, is of utmost importance because it lends depth and dimension to your story. A solid story is a well-researched story and this has been ingrained in my system since the beginning of my journalism days. I do thorough on-ground research, in-person and phone interviews, referencing, and lots of reading before I begin.
