Took me a while to realise that ‘The Map of Bihar’ had been given a mention by Nicholas Royle in ‘Best British Short Stories 2020’ and, in particular, the story ‘Washing Machine Wars’. Thanks to Selma Cavalho for pointing this out, and thanks again to Circaidy Gregory Press for publishing me.
‘Foxtrot in Fulham’
Massive thanks to ‘The Hyderabad Review’ for daring to run with this story about struggle, love and racism in the UK. Good to reach another part of the Indian reading public.
Here’s what the Editor-in-Chief had to say about the story: ‘When I started reading, the very first thought of a foreigner writing on Indian subjects interested me. As the story went on it really intrigued me to know whats coming. I could visualize everything in front of my eyes and I was able to connect with the character, “Prem” and imagine the western world in the 60s and the racial discrimination. A great story!’
I’m hoping ‘Foxtrot in Fulham’ will be the centre-piece in my next collection, but meantime, you can read it here for free!
‘A Bird on the Wing’ Takes Flight
‘In the Kitchen’, a diverse anthology of stories with a diversity of authors launches today. Edited by culinary genius and author, Susmita Bhattacharya, and Farhana Shaikh of Dahlia Publishing, you can expect it to whet your appetite for all kinds of delicacies. Except for my story, ‘A Bird on the Wing’, set in a dismal Glasgow of the sixties. Betrayal, grief, vengeance – now they’re the things I’m more comfortable with. See ‘Short stories’ page on how to buy.
‘A Bird on the Wing’ is ‘In the Kitchen’
Here’s an engaging diversity of stories in a new anthology from Dahlia publishing, edited by Susmita Bhattacharya and Farhana Sheikh. Guaranteed to get you feeling nostalgic and hankering after all kinds of culinary delicacy. Except, perhaps, for my story, ‘A Bird on the Wing’, in which a young, Scottish-Asian woman is trapped at home looking after her ailing mother and lamenting the Bengali father who deserted them.