A Book Club event, in association with GurgaonMoms and GurgaonMoms Book Club, featured Kanchana Banerjee and two other debut authors. It was a pleasure hearing the gracious Kanchana Banerjee share her thoughts on her journey and on her debut.
Kanchana firmly believes that destiny plays a huge part in whatever happens in life. This book was destined to happen in Gurgaon. And hence her shift happened from Mumbai.
Kanchana suffers from migraine. She doesn't like feminine perfumes and uses her husband's perfume. Fittingly Kanchana has used name, smell etc as strong trigger points for Sagarika, the protagonist of her novel, as recovery tools from her memory loss.
Kanchana feels that all original tales have been already told multiple times. There is nothing new really left, thanks to the bard. What then attracts the reader is the engaging rendering of the tale. Also the authors needn't have an opinion on anything and everything. “Kyunki yeh unhe Shobhaa nahin deta” 😀
Kanchana has been writing for a while, for almost twenty years and has been a part of many workshops and helmed many too. She has taught her only child from a very young age, not to disturb her while at work, as a free lancer needs to be highly disciplined, every single day.
Kanchana loves Gurgaon but her heart beats for Bombay so her second book is a tribute to Bombay eateries and her favorite hangouts.
The protagonist Sagarika has deep friendships. The friendships touched upon in Kanchana’s novel are a tribute to her girlfriends. In her novel, Kanchana Banerjee has shown the difference between the friendships of men(restrained) and women(emotional quotient is high)
Kanchana confessed that she would go a long way for her friends and God forbid if she were to have a memory loss, she would live her life with a completely new set of choices and beliefs.
Kanchana further shared that the first book is a catharsis and the second book is less emotional and more technical and difficult as all the innermost feelings have already been flushed out.
Sagarika's character is based on two of Kanchana’s acquaintances who helped Kanchana surmise that appearances could be very deceptive as most women don't even realize they are emotionally abused.
Kanchana’s advice to budding authors : Be prepared to go into your dark places and do read ‘Far pavilions’ When you get a chance to submit your manuscript to a publisher, submit any random 3 chapters which highlight your writing skills. But take care to not to reveal the entire story. Highlight the basic crux of the story, in concise language. Pitch in an intriguing line which leads to your blurb.
As the event finally wound up, many of us were left feeling, that it ended all too soon.
Thank you, Upasana Mahatani Luthra and Neela Kaushik for organizing such a splendid event where there was coffee, crackling conversations, confessions, camaraderie and candid shots.
My take on Kanchana Banerjee’s ‘A Forgotten Affair’
“Sometimes you need to lose everything to recognize what matters most”
“How far would you go to reclaim your lost love?”
As the blurb promises, “A Forgotten Affair”, a debut by the adorable Kanchana Banerjee, is a gripping story of a woman caught between two worlds.
one – a stifling , life sucking, emotionally abusive marriage
second – a liberating soul stirring love, with promise of a better tomorrow
Which road does Sagarika finally choose? What trials and tribulations await her? Does she rise and cope up with the situations arising out of a memory loss?
These form the core issues of a wholly gripping, roller coaster of a novel. Kanchana wields a deft pen, words simply flow. I finished the novel in a single sitting, start to finish. I was willing to give up on my beauty sleep rather than put the book down. The cover of this debut is very soothing, intriguing and evocative – symbolic of the contrasting choices Sagarika faces and finally chooses.
Kanchana’s style involves descriptive detailing. One is immediately transported to the scene and becomes a part of the breathless happenings. A cherish worthy debut. Kudos!!
Picture Credits : Priyanka's Photography
