Mid year update - 2023

Update on book#1 - The release date has been pushed from March to May 16th, 2024. Early proofs have been read by two authors* (more on this later) and the cover has moved to the colouring stage.

Update on book#2 - The initial draft is complete and is now with my editor at Gollancz.

*David Wragg and Peter Mclean have given blurbs for KAVITHRI:

‘Kavithri is majestic: a pacy, visceral tale packed with vivid and effortless worldbuilding, compelling characters, ancient mysteries and modern horrors, all powered by a heroine with lashings of charm and grit in equal measure. Captivating, exhilarating, funny and brutal, this book will be massive, and deservedly so’ ― David Wragg, author of The Black Hawks

‘The worldbuilding and character work is absolutely stunning, and it keeps a joyous tone even when it goes to some very dark places. Steampunk Desi fantasy meets Neon Genesis Evangelion’ ― Peter McLean, author of Priest of Bones

A huge thank you to both Peter and David. It really means a lot to a debut author like myself.

And apropos of nothing, a selection of my favourite things I've read and watched this year so far-

Books:

• Bird by Bird by Annie Lamott

• A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again by David Foster Wallace

Manga:

• Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You by Jinushi

• Rookies by Masanori Morita

Films:

• Bullet Train (2022)

• A Silent Voice (2016)

Anime and TV:

• Mob Psycho 100 (season 3)

• Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (season 1 )

No fantasy novels so far because I struggle to read fantasy when I write, and I've been writing for the first half of the year. But now that I'm done with book#2, I plan to take a little break and return to my large SFF to-read list. First up: Ascension by Nicholas Binge