Word Attack!!

Mr. Andaleeb Wajid???

Ever since my articles on computers, and keyboard shortcuts started getting published in Open Sesame, I have been getting emails from people who have read the articles, and liked them very much. Every single email reads, Dear Mr.Andaleeb Wajid.

I always forward the emails to Daksha who gets very excited because it shows that there are people out there who are reading what we’ve written. And we always rue that apparently not many kids are reading the articles, because I get mails from people who are well into their forties and once there was an email from a man who was 82! There could be a couple of reasons as to why kids are not responding. One - they may not have internet access….two - even if they have, their parents probably don’t let them create email IDs(yes…that is a possibility!), or three - they read the articles, but they’re just too lazy to respond. The worst possibility is that they aren’t reading the articles…Saboor never reads Open Sesame, even when I thrust it right under his nose! Whatever it is, I’m glad that someone is reading the articles, and people are responding. Now to just tell them that its not Mr. Andaleeb Wajid.

Sheesh! Just imagine what they’re probably thinking. Some bespectacled man, sitting at a computer, fervently typing out articles on keyboard shortcuts….and what is actually the scenario? Me, sitting with my laptop on my bed, with clothes strewn around me, baby powder lying here and towels lying there…and of course, Azhaan sleeping, because that is when I write!!

Was it love????? Uh no….

What is it with magazine editors? They changed the name of my story, naming it something I wouldn’t have named it in a thousand years. It kind of deflated my happiness when I saw the name of the story, had been changed from The Phone Call to Was it love?

Anyway, that’s beside the point. I am thrilled to have finally got my story in a magazine! I have to scan the story yet and send it to everyone. Until then, here’s a dekko…

Nothing yet

I’m a little disheartened right now. But I shouldn’t be. Anyway, here’s the update on my novel, Kite Strings. Osians Literary Agency showed a lot of interest in my novel and today they replied. They can’t represent me, but they are very interested in representing me if I make some (a lot actually) revisions.

And even though the actual writing work is out of my way, this revising and editing is not something that I look forward to. However, it may be for the best of the novel. The only good thing is that they haven’t rejected it outright. They are waiting for me to send the revised novel.

So, until then, nothing yet…

My short story in Good Housekeeping Magazine!

Yes!!

I had emailed a short story to Good Housekeeping some time back. More like two or three months earlier. And they called up on Monday. Apparently they liked my short story very much and they have used it in April’s issue. The lady who spoke to me wanted to know if I have more stories, and please can I try and send them happy stories?

I told her I’ll have to write more stories, but I didnt tell her that I feel I am quite incapable of writing happy stories. Are there any really happy stories out there? Stories that are low on the mush factor but can still bring a smile on your face? I’d like to read a couple of such stories myself.

The story that is appearing in Good Housekeeping is called The Phone Call and you can read it on my website. Gosh! At last a magazine has chosen my story. Yes. I say at last, because I have been trying to get my stories in magazines from the past twelve years! While I’ve faced success with Open Sesame and other writing avenues, this one had eluded me for a long time!!