To be or not to be….

So how does it feel to write a new book?
It starts with scribbling a few words here and there on the white canvas called the paper.
Oops-these days nobody does use a paper-it is on the screens of a computer.
Then the scribbling does get momentum-a picture starts to take a shape.
It’s a picture full of words-trying to tell a story or tell something. Dam it; it is not important what it tries to say but it is important to say something.
It’s like a magician who gets something out of nothing, from his empty hat comes the rabbit, the pigeon and only God knows what.
Then one fine morning (or evening or night or whatever) the picture takes the final shape or the painter (sorry, the author) thinks that it had taken the final shape!
So the end of the toiling days and night-the author thinks.
Now it will only be sunshine at the end of the night-light at the end of the tunnel.
But the author is still a child in fathoming what lies ahead.
It’s only the stat of the beginning of a toiling pilgrimage to the shrines called the publishing houses and the God called the publisher.
Someone will go through your manuscript reluctantly (chances are high the publisher god will read it inverted,( if it is a hard copy)),someone will give you a meaningful smile, someone a mischievous smile –in short in extremely short time the author will be an expert of human emotions.
And then something will happen……………….
Surrogate Author by Santosh Avvannavar and Shilpa Patil will take you to a quest-quest of being an author (or more practically a person who is a slave of writing).
The slave has to write –whatever may come in his way (he is masculine. why that gender discrimination?)
It’s a nine month journey to authordom(even the word is not recognised. what a shame!)-smeared in laughter.
So our hero Authadas has come back home with an engineering degree in his pocket and a burning passion in his heart to be a writer. in his words-“I did everything in London except studying,2.0 CGPA(out of 4) says it all, just pass. I feel out Lucknow is much better than London as one need not take appointments to meet friends and family. I foresee a vision that a book will be written and a movie shall be made on my life titled, Two point Authads.”
From the very beginning there are showers of humour and witty language that will compel to you to tell-my heart is now filled up!
So let us come to the story. The engineer had returned home ( ghar aya mera pardesi) and her mother welcomes her emotionally in a filmy touch and his father-as usual has no time for his son. He is busy for home.
The home for which ’tradition, honour and discipline are the three pillars’
So our hero Authadas passionately approaches his Paro-the dust laden book on which his masterpiece is going to take shape.
The first book is the ‘blessing of God. First book is the crown of declaring an authorship. First book is the dream of every writer. Now do I need to learn from a prostitute about writing and how to be an author!”
He was speaking to his own version of Chandramukhi.
He knows the trouble –the production, begging from door to door of the shrines called publication house, getting chased away by demigods called publishers in person and relentless refusals via e mails and letters, sleepless nights …….
But he will do it anyway.
And newer funny characters will come only to increase your intensity of laughing. Sutradhar babu who always talks in rhymes and introduces other character to our hero, Fantasy Mohon –the cruel critic, Chandramukhi-a poet and writer by passion and a prostitute by passion and the pace of the story will gain momentum as it progresses.
Devdas of older days failed to win her Paro.
Now it is to be or not to be for the modern day Authadas.
But what to be?
What not to be?
Silly reader-he also has his own version of Paro.
If I tell that it is a fluid read then I am telling something less-it is absolutely Helium read.
The only dissatisfaction that will remain in your mind is that it is a very short book-the fun will not last long.
Like all good things on earth.
Oops-I forgot to mention that it contains a chapter that will explain to you how to write a script-explained lucidly and defining technical terms like wipe out, fade in and fade out, dissolved out. This chapter is written from a technical perspective-making it easy to grasp.
Even for a lay man like me.
Read more of the book at
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24030823-surrogate-author?ac=1

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