Two Months Later

July 14, 2013

By amreekandesi

It has been two months since the book got released. The experience so far has been humbling. I find myself full of gratitude.

Getting published has been one of the most awesome things that have happened to me. I achieved one of my cherished dreams. I have been on the radio. Jittery freshers at my workplace have approached me with, oh you’re the guy who wrote a book. Gul Panag released it and had good things to say about the book. Ashwin Mushran stopped by at the launch event. I made it to a page 3 (HT City, for the record)! And i used to think Page 3s were reserved for pretty people in either bikinis or Lamborghinis.

I have a book against my name. Who would have thought! Every random email or Facebook message i get from some unknown person saying that they loved the book spurs me on. Every comment from you guys saying that the book took you back to your days abroad or in college makes my day.

And this, right here, is the reward. If i was able to make some people smile, or if i was able to present some of the perspectives on Indian and American society, then that’s success already.

Masters of America may not be the most literary work ever, but it is my baby, and i have put my heart and soul into the book. It took a lot out of me in completing it. I am proud of it. I am also aware that some mistakes crept into it and am deeply embarrassed for it, but hey, i am human. After reading and revising the manuscript a hundred times, your eyes become blind to single words here and there. It’s probably proven scientifically by some genius Harvard kid. Will get these sorted out in the reprint.

All i can say is that experience teaches you many things, and i am not too bad at learning from my mistakes. The next one would be better.

I am grateful, and i mean it. Thanks to all of you who’ve read the book. Thanks to all of you who wrote reviews, positive or negative. You could have been spending fruitful time on Twitter RIPping a dead celebrity or sly tweeting NaMo. But you chose to give those few hours to my book, and that means a lot to me.

Once you’re on this side of the table, suddenly you get a new perspective on things. I had never cared to write book reviews till now, regardless of how much i loved the book. Just like that. Probably a bit like how Delhiites drive past accident victims feeling sorry for them, and reassuring themselves that somebody else will come to their rescue.

Now i spend my day refreshing Flipkart and Goodreads to see if there’s a new review. Earlier i never even thought that real writers would bother to read reviews and coverage of their books, but i get so excited whenever i get a Google Alert for a new review. Writers are a desperate and insecure lot looking for recognition, and i now know it.

(Hope you’re getting the hint)

I also now realise why the much-lauded successful new breed of Indian writers are mostly MBAs. Writing a book is a small part of it. Marketing is a much bigger deal. Just being good isn’t enough, apparently. Why do you think Coke and Pepsi spend so much on advertising, when they have an awesome product that only leads to Obesity and Diabetes?

I should have taken that CAT exam when i still had the time.

But seriously, you guys rock. All the love i have got from so many of you is the highlight of the book writing experience for me. Thank you. You’ve earned a lot of karma points. Now earn some more by helping spread the word!

Yet to get a copy?