Celebrating 3 beautiful years of Being an Author

The month of August has always been very special to me. My first book Walking in the streets of love and destiny released in August, 2012 and my second book The Hidden Letters released in August, 2014. 

So, as the August of 2015 arrives, I realize that I am a 3 year old author now. My father pointed it out to me and told me that we must celebrate the August of every year as your author birthday month.

As my father said, I am born twice on this Earth. One on June, 1990 as Purba, the daughter of my parents and another on August, 2012 as Purba, the author. This reminds me of the famous Mark Twain quote about the 2 most important days in your life.

I cannot thank the Universe enough for showing me the purpose of my life. This is the greatest gift that the Divine has given me. Even when I am hardest hit, deceived by a dear person or pain tries to drown me in the ocean of melancholy, my art makes me feel that life is a beautiful gift. I have only this life to live as Purba, the author and so, I want to do it in the best way possible.

Looking back on my journey today, it was a tremendous roller coaster ride where there were thorns and pebbles at every turn of the road. After the turn, there were again flowers and glitters. It feels surreal to look back on my journey and realize how I have grown bit by bit, with every passing day, how the universe kept providing ink to my pen and life inspired me through pain and joy alike.

2 novels, 4 anthologies, 1 almost finished manuscript and 1 work in progress.

So, yes! 3 Beautiful Years of Growth and Learning. I wish to write till my last breath. Writing is a kind of meditation or prayer to me. When I write, I feel that I am with God. 

I wish to share in this post the 3 magical and memorable moments of my life after being an author:

1. I was travelling by bus. A co passenger was standing beside me and kept ogling at me for a long time. I started feeling uneasy, although she was a girl. Suddenly, she told me that my face looks familiar and asked me what I do for a living. I told her I am a trainee and I am also an author. That is when she revealed that she has read my 1st book recently and it's among her favorites. I was surprised to find that this reader of mine identified me through that small author photograph in my book.

2. I was delighted to see my first book in the Kolkata Book Fair, 2013. My friends and I kept posing in front of the shelf where my book was kept. Right then, a girl told me with an irksome look to move from the front and bought my book in front of me. She said to her friend that the blurb looks interesting and she is sure that the novel will be great. The girl had no idea that the author was standing right beside her on whom she was annoyed. I managed to capture the moment when she picked my book.

3. When I narrated the story of "The Hidden Letters" to my Dida (granny), I could see tears in her eyes. This was a truly magical moment for me as she loved Anaya and empathized with her, just by listening to the story. Dida requested me to translate the book in Bengali one day so that she can read it. My Dida cannot read English and I plan to get a good translator for my book soon. 

Today, I want to thank my family, friends, book reviewers, publishers and everyone who has been a part of my journey as an author. But mostly, my readers for all the innumerable mails and messages that they sent to me. They really keep me going! After all, an author doesn't have any identity without the reader.