AUTHOR’S BIO :
Dr Ashok Patwari is a Paediatrician & Public Health Researcher by profession, and a creative writer by pastime. A former Professor of Paediatrics at Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, and Research Professor in International Health at Boston University School of Public Health, he had also served the World Health Organization, which gave him a unique opportunity of traversing the world and an exposure to a wide spectrum of social issues and events which often jiggle a creative mind.
A trilingual writer in English, Hindi and Urdu, Ashok Patwari regularly contributes to online and print journals like Muse India, Contemporary Literature Review of India and Phenomenal Literature. He has been writing in Urdu since 1968. His Urdu short story collection – Kuch lamhey kuch saayey – received the Delhi Urdu Academy award in 2005.
LITERARY OUTPUT – BOOKS
(a) English: Turquoise Tulips (Authors Press, 2015), Down flows the stream (Kindle, 2016), Retreat (Austin Macauley Publishers, New York, 2019)
(b) Hindi: Behta paani (Modern Publishing House, 2009), Ehsaas (Kindle, 2017), Waapsi (Kindle, 2017), Masiha nazar nahi aata (Kindle, 2017), Talaash (CreateSpace Self- Publishing, 2018)
(c) Urdu: Kuch lamhey kuch saayey (Modern Publishing House, 2005), Dastak (CreateSpace Self-Publishing, 2017)
LITERARY OUTPUT – MEDIA
Used to regularly write Urdu plays for All India Radio, Jammu. Two of the radio plays were aired from All India Radio Urdu Service.
1. Who and what inspired you to write?
My father Late Pandit Prem Nath Patwari ‘Masroor’ was a scholar in Urdu and Persian. He used to write short stories and poetry in Urdu in the 1940s. My elder brother Pandit Veerinder Patwari is a distinguished Urdu short story and a scriptwriter. Both of them inspired me to write when I was in school. I published my first Urdu short story when I was a third-year medical student.
2. What challenges did you face while writing and getting published?
Since my professional commitment as a doctor always kept me busy, I used to find it extremely difficult to balance my creative writing and professional responsibilities. And getting published itself was quite a challenge for years before some of the editors of prestigious journals started liking my work.
3. How did you come to know about the literary agency THE BOOK BAKERS?
My experience of getting three of my books published without a literary agent prompted me to look for a literary agency for my latest collection of short stories. While going through the websites of different literary agencies, I was quite impressed by the work facilitated by The Book Bakers over the years.
4. How did THE BOOK BAKERS help you and what would you like to say about them ?
It was reassuring as well as encouraging when Mr. Suhail Mathur from The Book Baker team responded to my email and expressed his positive feedback about my writing. He and his team helped me to develop a proper proposal for the publishers and polished my manuscript before submission.
5. How supportive is your publisher of your work?
Very supportive. I sincerely appreciate Locksley Hall Publishing team’s efficiency and determination to ensure that my book was published within 4 months of signing the contract.
6. How do you see literary success for yourself?
I am quite optimistic that my readers will like my writing and I hope TBB team will carry me closer to the readers.
7. When can we expect your next book?
I have completed a novel on Kashmir, ready for publication.
8. How has your experience being working with Locksley Hall Publishing ?
Excellent. LHP team is an efficient and highly professional group.
9. Any message or tips for aspiring authors?
Apart from good writing, it is equally important to work on how to reach your target audience.
BOOK NAME : POSTER BOY & OTHER STORIES
PUBLISHER : LOCKSLEY HALL PUBLISHING
BOOK SYNOPSIS/BLURB :
‘Poster Boy and Other Stories’, a collection of 19 short stories depict a rainbow of life spread over a broad canvass of geographic locations, characters, and situations from tribal Jharkhand and rural Orissa to Montego Bay and New York with characters so real and the situations so familiar!
The narration is full of human emotions, drama, and suspense…….Abdul Quyum okays the execution of a ‘fidayeen’ attack by a mercenary in Kashmir……What happens when he knows who is the ‘fidayeen…?......Peter’s fear becomes stronger when Joe confirms his suspicion…! What happens after he plans to kill his wife in Montego Bay…..? Raghu is forced to leave school and resort to mugging. What happens when his target turns out to be his own school teacher…..? Padma, the tigress, wants to save her cub when a new powerful tiger takes over the jungle? Can she save him…?? Shanti Devi, an inmate in an old age home, receives a surprise on her birthday! A bouquet of her favorite flowers …? Who is the sender of the bouquet …? Philip leaves New York and his luxurious life for the Himalayas in pursuit of divine truth. Will he be able to attain salvation….?
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