Into Another Year with Grace, Kindness and Patience
Writers, our fears, joys, surviving and some personal news
Hi, hi!
Happy end of year! I hope you’re staying safe, not listening to the news as much, spending time with people who matter and in general, surviving. I say that, because that’s what I’m trying to do.
I will spare you omicron details—you’re already saturated with that information. And you do you, whatever makes you feel okay with yourself and the world. Instead, I wanted to talk more about writers, their books and my fun east coast trip earlier this month that let me meet so many folks I admire.
Books and Authors
First up, if you haven’t read Midnight’s Borders, from Melville House by the amazing Suchitra Vijayan, you should and you should NOW. Traveling 9000 miles over seven years, Suchitra brings to us a contemporary India that continues to live with colonial violence legacy, hand in hand with state brutality and government corruption. This is a journalistic take with empathy, love for an India that’s struggling and offers us the question of what a man-drawn border does to a country’s people. Amazing work that everyone needs to read.
I was also fortunate enough to head to the Center for Fiction’s awards gala in New York, right before the new variant took over. Amazing amazing authors, publishers, writerly beings—and for the first time in two years, I felt the love that only writerly people feel for each other. Met a few mentors, other writers and friends some for the first time, and yes, it was unbelievably amazing. It made me realize how deprived we’ve all been of human connection, of joy, of camaraderie, of feeling safe. It was one evening of vaccinated people being together, but even then, we were cautious, slightly nervous and maintaining our distance.
The New Normal
Is this the new normal we keep saying we are living in? COVID is here to stay—will it be the common cold variety in a few years, but till then, we have to bend, and mold ourselves to stay alive and healthy? I don’t know, I’m trying to stay positive, trying to stay safe, but I wonder, and I am sure you do too—is this what we need to do? Are we losing compassion for others when we don’t see their perspective? It’s more than a disease of the body right now. It’s one of will, and of mind—when does one break? When does one say, enough already, I want to be as free as I was in 2019?
Some of us have reached that stage already. Some are hesitant, dipping our toe in and then stepping back in fear, and some are still not there. It’s a strange time, and I for one, just want to acknowledge that none of us—including our public health officials and government—know what the ‘right’ thing is, besides vaccinations/boosters, free test kits, free masks and vaccines-for-all.
…COVID is here to stay….we have to bend, and mold ourselves to stay alive and healthy? I don’t know…
Other than that, I hope the public health folks can anticipate the next move of the next variant, and act as soon as it appears in some other part of the world, besides wanting to shut down borders—i.e. prepare the hospitals, test the drugs, get the vaccines in bodies, continue testing.
If not, we repeat our mistakes mid January—post new year’s, end February—post-Valentine’s, mid-June—post-Memorial Day, mid-July—post 4th of July….you know the drill, we are living it, have been and now going on Year 3.
My 2c.
…You know the drill, we are living it, have been and now going on Year 3.
On Kindness
I’ve been following the spectacular author Sumana Roy’s journey and this essay has stayed with me —it was a beautiful Christmas gift to all of us, and I hope it stays with you to. It’s about kindness and here is a line that’s so apt:
“…the word “kind” also provides a suffix to humankind, to look beyond oneself to see one’s relation with the other, with the rest of the world.”
I hope to practice kindness, and in turn, patience more—I lack that, I used to take pride in that, but patience needs practice, and engagement. Kindness is part of that. Maybe next year, more of this? For all of us. Read the essay if you can please. Also, Sumana’s book, How I Became A Tree, from Yale Books is a splendid exploration of how to be human in a natural world. I learn so much from her words.
Personal Writing News
I’ve been talking about my book, Khabaar: An Immigrant Journey of Food, Memory and Family for so long—and you have been so patient about listening to me say the same thing. It’s been a two-decade journey, AND it’s been a six month journey—it’s all perspective. But a lot of this work wouldn’t have happened if my friends didn’t support me, if my writer groups didn’t encourage me, if I didn’t persevere, if University of Iowa Press didn’t take a chance on me, if my agent didn’t represent me, if the acquisitions editor didn’t think it worth it, if my mentors didn’t believe in me. To write a book, and then to get a publishing offer is nothing short of a miracle imho. I say that for anyone who gets such a deal. And for that, I am grateful. And I am grateful for the journey and excited to share the cover with you. It’ll be out April 4, 2022—and preorders are available. If you’re able to, please preorder. If you’re not, it’s quite alright too. I’m just glad you’re tagging along with me on this fantastic journey.
Here’s the cover—I took this picture in March of this year, using my trusty iPhone, a Suta sari fabric, a Dansk tea cup, and masala chai from scratch (using Assam chai).
So, for those writers who are currently working on their manuscripts and wondering if they have to hire a photographer to get their images, know that your trusty iPhone is enough. You are enough.
You are enough.
Thank you for humoring me, listening to me rant, rave and everything in between. Thank you for giving me space and grace in this weird little world we are in. I hope we continue to learn, love, live.
Stay safe, my dear.
Hugs,
M