A new year, a new plan

Fair warning: This is the mandatory birthday post, so run now if you must.

Of course, no two birthdys are the same, but this year is doubly memorable. For not only do I turn 40, which is sort of bittersweet by itself, but it’s also ten years of being an author, which certainly feels quite good. That includes seven books, plus a few ongoing works—not bad at all, is it?

It was on 22 (or was it 23rd?) January 2006 that A Shadow in Eternity was released (at the Jaipur Literary Festival, no less, at that time a small and modest affair). The very next year, it got a new lease of life when a Turkish translation called Maya: Sonsuzlukta Bir Gölge came about. Later on, the other two books in the series were also translated. And now, just last week, I got to know that the entire Turkish series is going to be reprinted. What a fantastic early birthday gift, right?

I’m not going to make a list this year, because I know what I want, and I’m going to try and do it without worrying about crossing things off a list. I want to stay a little insane this year. Not the tear-off-my-clothes-in-the-middle-the-street kind, but the kind that makes you take a leap of faith. The sort of insane that makes you step out of your comfort zone. Of course, I say this in the context of writing, a promise to myself to try something new and fun. (Also, as a promise to myself, there are no guarantees that it’s going to be fun for readers as well [or even that anything will even get published]).

And also a promise to see at least one of my many works-in-progress to a conclusion. Here’s a glimpse of just some of them (click for bigger image):

Works-in-progress
A few irons in the fire.

So goodbye thirties. You were great to me sometimes and not so great at others, but I survived, so I forgive you. Hello forties—I hear it’s a great place to be! We’ll see.

~PD

6 Replies to “A new year, a new plan”

  1. Harini Gopalswami says: Reply

    Happy everything, Payal — birthday, being 40, the writing decade and the reprinting! The way you have kept the faith, you are an inspiration! I’m so glad to hear about the Shadow series being reprinted — I believe it’s a landmark in Indian children’s/YA literature as the first real SFF series. I’m sure it’s going to be around to delight readers a long time to come.

    1. Thank you, Harini. 🙂

  2. Belated Happy Birthday as usual, Payal! I remembered it on time but I did not remember to greet you in time!
    Wishing you all the best for this year and every year that follows it!

    1. Thanks Gargi, and a belated happy birthday to your daughter as well!

  3. Happy Late Birthday! And congrats about everything else. 🙂

    1. Thank you. 🙂

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