The countdown to the festival has begun. We have such a great line up of authors. A few stories about these authors, one by one...
I met Shashi Warrier when I ran a bookstore in Bangalore. Many many moons ago. Shashi used to come to the bookstore all the time and decided to do his writing at the bookstore-cafe. He mentioned, over coffee, that he had written his first novel and was looking to get it published. Coincidentally, I was meeting David Davidar ( the head of Penguin India at that time) for a drink and asked Shashi to meet us there, to pitch his book. And there begun our respective journeys. His as a Penguin author and mine as a Literary Agent. The rest, as they say, is history.
Shashi is perhaps the first Indian Thriller writer whose work I read. He is the writer equivalent of a method actor. He spends a great deal of time on research, so evident in his masterful writing. We recommend Hangman's Journal and The Homecoming.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
The ScRipt schedule
ALL EVENTS AT THE ARTS HOUSE, OLD PARLIAMENT STREET, SINGAPORE
All events free of charge
Day 1, Thursday, 29 October 2009
3-5 pm at Earshot
FINDING YOUR INNER VOICE
Writing is natural to your own language and expression. This workshop
instructs you on how to convert the story in your head to one on
paper, while being true to your own unique style.
Elmo Jayawardena
Captain Jayawardena is a writer, social worker and pilot, and has
written prize winning books. He was recently short listed for the
Singapore Literature Prize. He is currently working on a book tracing
the history of Sri Lanka.
5.30-7.30 pm at Screening Room
WRITING HISTORICAL FICTION
In this workshop, you will learn how to use factual historical
backdrops to create fiction. This workshop focuses on how to write
historical fiction: researching historical facts while preserving the
integrity of the subject.
Manreet Sodhi Someshwar
Manreet Sodhi Someshwar trained as an engineer, and armed with an MBA,
has worked in marketing, advertising and consulting. An award-winning
writer (Commonwealth Broadcasting Association), she is a book critic
for the South China Morning Post, Hong Kong. Her debut novel, Earning
the Laundry Stripes, was released in 2006 to critical acclaim. She was
featured at the Man Hong Kong International Literary Festival 2008.
Manreet’s Literary Novel A Long Walk Home has just been launched.
8-9pm at Earshot
READINGS FROM BLAFT
A dramatised performance reading by Blaft.
Blaft Publications is a new independent publishing house based in
Chennai, India. Their releases so far include translations of Indian
language pulp fiction, folktales, and experimental literature, as well
as Indian English writing and contemporary art.
Featuring
1. Rakesh Khanna
2. Kaveri Lalchand
Rakesh Khanna
Rakesh Khanna was born in California, where he studied mathematics and
percussion music .He taught at a primary school before moving to India
in 1998. He is one of the founders of the independent Chennai-based
publishing house Blaft, and the editor of the 2008 Indian
English-language bestseller The Blaft Anthology of Tamil Pulp Fiction;
he and translator Pritham K. Chakravarthy are currently working on a
sequel anthology.
Kaveri Lalchand
Kaveri is an apparel manufacturer and exporter and a fashion designer,
a theatre artist with a passion and fascination for dance, the
culinary arts, travel, meditation, fashion, old buildings, people and
books. She runs The Madras Terrace House – a space for artistic
performance & expression, an art gallery, a meeting ground for NGOs, a
store & a café.
Day 2, Friday 30 October 2009
2-4 pm at Earshot
CRAFTING ANTHOLOGIES
An anthology is simply a collection of short pieces. The way that they
are arranged, the pieces picked, will make the anthology what it is.
Learn how to put together a strong collection: by creating a theme for
an anthology; finding a hook and finding the voices that weave harmony
in an anthology.
Ahmede Hussain
His ancestors hail from the former Portuguese enclave of Patherghata,
Chittagong of Bangladesh. His novella 'Blues for Allah' was published
in 2006 to critical acclaim in 'Colloquy', Monash University,
Australia's journal. He has edited ' The New Anthem', an anthology of
fiction from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh which is being published
by Tranquebar Press this summer. Hussain works with The Daily Star,
Bangladesh's largest circulating English newspaper. Presently he is
working on his first novel. He lives and works in Dhaka.
4.30-6.30pm at Earshot
CREATING CHARACTERS FOR LONG FICTION
Learn how to infuse life into characters and create characters that matter.
Kiran Khalap
Author of three books, travel writer and columnist, Kiran Khalap, has
three passions: writing, rock climbing and spiritual evolution. None
of the three pay his bills, so he also plays the role of a brand
consultant.
4.30-6.30pm at The Screening Room
TRAVEL WRITING
Fiona has made travelling her career. Be it writing for magazines or
writing city guides, Fiona is super-successful. If travel is your
thing, this workshop is what you need.
Fiona Caulfield
Fiona is a citizen of the world. Born in Australia, she has lived in
the UK, Canada, and the USA, and is now resident in India. Her
transformational story from high-powered business executive in New
York to travel writer in India is both stimulating and inspirational.
Caulfield continues to consult and is also becoming a well known
travel writer, contributing to Vogue, Conde Nast Traveller, Travel &
Leisure, Club 21, Black Ink and Departures Magazine and various
in-flight magazines including Jet Wings and Gulf Life.
DAY 3 Saturday, 31 October, 2009
9.30-11.30 am at The Hall
WRITING A PLOT FOR LONG FICTION
A plot is the spine of a story. Shashi Warrier pays great attention to
this. He researches them deeply and spends a great deal of time
creating a strong plot before writing the rest of the novel. Learn the
first step of storytelling.
Shashi Warrier
Shahsi started his career as an economist and a software specialist in
the early 1980’s. Mr. Warrier's writing career began in 1994 with a
juvenile fiction work The Hidden Continent (Penguin/Puffin), and he
moved on to thrillers including Night of the Krait and The Orphan.
Sniper was published by Harper Collins in 1999. He has also published
numerous short stories on an Internet site, "Rediff on the Net." He
provides regular reviews for various Indian journals. His latest work
is "The Homecoming" (August 2008), Penguin. Rights for Homecoming have
just been sold to Indonesia. He now lives in Mangalore, India.
12-2 pm at The Hall
FILM AND WRITING
Writing impacts everything that we do. A good film begins with a good
story. Two greats from Indian cinema - an actress and a director -
come together to take you through the beginning of a Bollywood film.
Featuring Sarika, Sudhir Mishra
Sarika
Child actress to Award winning adult actress, Sarika has graced the
Indian screen for over three decades. Her award- winning performance
in Parzania has brought focus to her fine skill and diversity in
acting.
Sudhir Mishra
An Indian filmmaker and screenwriter.
2.30-3.30 pm at The Hall
INTERACTIVE SESSION WITH SARIKA AND SUDHIR MISHRA
From Book to Film - The nuance of film adaptation.
Speakers: Sunil Doshi, Sidhartha M. Jain
5.30-6.30 pm at Living Room
PANEL DISCUSSION
Featuring Mohammed Hanif, Ahmede Hussain, Elmo Jayawardena and Shashi Warrier
All events free of charge
Day 1, Thursday, 29 October 2009
3-5 pm at Earshot
FINDING YOUR INNER VOICE
Writing is natural to your own language and expression. This workshop
instructs you on how to convert the story in your head to one on
paper, while being true to your own unique style.
Elmo Jayawardena
Captain Jayawardena is a writer, social worker and pilot, and has
written prize winning books. He was recently short listed for the
Singapore Literature Prize. He is currently working on a book tracing
the history of Sri Lanka.
5.30-7.30 pm at Screening Room
WRITING HISTORICAL FICTION
In this workshop, you will learn how to use factual historical
backdrops to create fiction. This workshop focuses on how to write
historical fiction: researching historical facts while preserving the
integrity of the subject.
Manreet Sodhi Someshwar
Manreet Sodhi Someshwar trained as an engineer, and armed with an MBA,
has worked in marketing, advertising and consulting. An award-winning
writer (Commonwealth Broadcasting Association), she is a book critic
for the South China Morning Post, Hong Kong. Her debut novel, Earning
the Laundry Stripes, was released in 2006 to critical acclaim. She was
featured at the Man Hong Kong International Literary Festival 2008.
Manreet’s Literary Novel A Long Walk Home has just been launched.
8-9pm at Earshot
READINGS FROM BLAFT
A dramatised performance reading by Blaft.
Blaft Publications is a new independent publishing house based in
Chennai, India. Their releases so far include translations of Indian
language pulp fiction, folktales, and experimental literature, as well
as Indian English writing and contemporary art.
Featuring
1. Rakesh Khanna
2. Kaveri Lalchand
Rakesh Khanna
Rakesh Khanna was born in California, where he studied mathematics and
percussion music .He taught at a primary school before moving to India
in 1998. He is one of the founders of the independent Chennai-based
publishing house Blaft, and the editor of the 2008 Indian
English-language bestseller The Blaft Anthology of Tamil Pulp Fiction;
he and translator Pritham K. Chakravarthy are currently working on a
sequel anthology.
Kaveri Lalchand
Kaveri is an apparel manufacturer and exporter and a fashion designer,
a theatre artist with a passion and fascination for dance, the
culinary arts, travel, meditation, fashion, old buildings, people and
books. She runs The Madras Terrace House – a space for artistic
performance & expression, an art gallery, a meeting ground for NGOs, a
store & a café.
Day 2, Friday 30 October 2009
2-4 pm at Earshot
CRAFTING ANTHOLOGIES
An anthology is simply a collection of short pieces. The way that they
are arranged, the pieces picked, will make the anthology what it is.
Learn how to put together a strong collection: by creating a theme for
an anthology; finding a hook and finding the voices that weave harmony
in an anthology.
Ahmede Hussain
His ancestors hail from the former Portuguese enclave of Patherghata,
Chittagong of Bangladesh. His novella 'Blues for Allah' was published
in 2006 to critical acclaim in 'Colloquy', Monash University,
Australia's journal. He has edited ' The New Anthem', an anthology of
fiction from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh which is being published
by Tranquebar Press this summer. Hussain works with The Daily Star,
Bangladesh's largest circulating English newspaper. Presently he is
working on his first novel. He lives and works in Dhaka.
4.30-6.30pm at Earshot
CREATING CHARACTERS FOR LONG FICTION
Learn how to infuse life into characters and create characters that matter.
Kiran Khalap
Author of three books, travel writer and columnist, Kiran Khalap, has
three passions: writing, rock climbing and spiritual evolution. None
of the three pay his bills, so he also plays the role of a brand
consultant.
4.30-6.30pm at The Screening Room
TRAVEL WRITING
Fiona has made travelling her career. Be it writing for magazines or
writing city guides, Fiona is super-successful. If travel is your
thing, this workshop is what you need.
Fiona Caulfield
Fiona is a citizen of the world. Born in Australia, she has lived in
the UK, Canada, and the USA, and is now resident in India. Her
transformational story from high-powered business executive in New
York to travel writer in India is both stimulating and inspirational.
Caulfield continues to consult and is also becoming a well known
travel writer, contributing to Vogue, Conde Nast Traveller, Travel &
Leisure, Club 21, Black Ink and Departures Magazine and various
in-flight magazines including Jet Wings and Gulf Life.
DAY 3 Saturday, 31 October, 2009
9.30-11.30 am at The Hall
WRITING A PLOT FOR LONG FICTION
A plot is the spine of a story. Shashi Warrier pays great attention to
this. He researches them deeply and spends a great deal of time
creating a strong plot before writing the rest of the novel. Learn the
first step of storytelling.
Shashi Warrier
Shahsi started his career as an economist and a software specialist in
the early 1980’s. Mr. Warrier's writing career began in 1994 with a
juvenile fiction work The Hidden Continent (Penguin/Puffin), and he
moved on to thrillers including Night of the Krait and The Orphan.
Sniper was published by Harper Collins in 1999. He has also published
numerous short stories on an Internet site, "Rediff on the Net." He
provides regular reviews for various Indian journals. His latest work
is "The Homecoming" (August 2008), Penguin. Rights for Homecoming have
just been sold to Indonesia. He now lives in Mangalore, India.
12-2 pm at The Hall
FILM AND WRITING
Writing impacts everything that we do. A good film begins with a good
story. Two greats from Indian cinema - an actress and a director -
come together to take you through the beginning of a Bollywood film.
Featuring Sarika, Sudhir Mishra
Sarika
Child actress to Award winning adult actress, Sarika has graced the
Indian screen for over three decades. Her award- winning performance
in Parzania has brought focus to her fine skill and diversity in
acting.
Sudhir Mishra
An Indian filmmaker and screenwriter.
2.30-3.30 pm at The Hall
INTERACTIVE SESSION WITH SARIKA AND SUDHIR MISHRA
From Book to Film - The nuance of film adaptation.
Speakers: Sunil Doshi, Sidhartha M. Jain
5.30-6.30 pm at Living Room
PANEL DISCUSSION
Featuring Mohammed Hanif, Ahmede Hussain, Elmo Jayawardena and Shashi Warrier
Hello, world!
This is Jacaranda's first post, our first foray into the blogosphere.
Watch this space for updates of our most current event, the very exciting ScRipt: the festival of writing from the Indian subcontinent.
Watch this space for updates of our most current event, the very exciting ScRipt: the festival of writing from the Indian subcontinent.
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