For those of us who live across cultures and languages, separated by thousands of miles from places of our origin, home is always fluid and indefinable and yet returning to India for the Jaipur Literature Festival felt like a definite homecoming. It was a pleasure and a privilege to hear so many great minds and to have the opportunity to talk about my novel, Still Lives with Bee Rowlatt and have it ‘launched’ by none other than Amish Tripathi. Jaipur Literature Festival has an energy and a cerebral fizz that is unique. I was quite blown away by the enthusiastic crowds, the spirit of enquiry and the sheer love for books. In an uncertain world where the center seems to be collapsing, these few days in the pink city felt like a golden reprieve. Here are a few pics from my event:

Thursday 2 November 2023
Maggie’s Centre, The Robert Parfett Building The Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, 15 Kinnaird Rd, Manchester M20 4QL
It was a pleasure to be back at Maggie’s to run a creative writing workshop. The theme we chose was Peace. It felt pertinent to what is happening around us today. Set in a peaceful garden, the Centre provides emotional and practical support to those impacted by cancer.

Wednesday 25 October 2023
Waterstones, Piccadilly, 203-206 Piccadilly, St. James’s, London W1J 9HD

Sunday 8 October 2023
Gladstone’s Library, Church Lane, Hawarden, Flintshire CH5 3DF
I was at Gladstone’s Library in North Wales, talking about writing in an interactive afternoon session.

Wednesday 4 October 2023
Author talk at The Women’s Institute Urmston, Manchester.

Wednesday 20 September 2023
Chorlton Central Church, Barlow Moor Rd, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 8BF
7:00 pm
An evening with author Reshma Ruia.

Thursday August 3 2023
7:00 – 8-30 pm
Crossrail Roof Place Gardens, Canary Wharf, E14 5 AB
I read from the anthology, Tongues & Bellies with The Whole Kahani Collective.

Wednesday June 21 2023
3:00 pm online
I read from and discussed Still Lives with the Words of Wisdom Book club which is a part of the global YPO organization.

Sunday June 11 2023
03:00 – 4:00 pm
This edition of JLF London at the British Library was a milestone, marking ten years of the festival in London, and brought together some of the world’s most renowned and relevant voices to speak on themes like the Urgency of Borrowed Time (Climate Change), Science and Technology, Shakespeare and PG Wodehouse, Food and Film, History and Diversity, Business and Art, among others. https://jlflitfest.org/london/speakers
I talked about my writing with Nikesh Shukla.

Thursday May 25 2023
7:00pm
10 The Grove, Ilkley LS29 9EG
I was at the Grove Bookshop in Ilkley reading from Still Lives, answering questions and signing copies.

Monday May 22 2023
7:30 – 10:00pm
The Kings Arms 11 Bloom Street Salford M3 6AN
I was delighted to be back head-lining Verbose Manchester at Kings Arm, Salford. I read excerpts from Still Lives as well as some of my recent poetry.

Thursday February 16 2023
A talked about the art of writing and creativity to Grey’s Inn members in central Manchester.

I was in Portsmouth on Tuesday February 28 2023, talking about Fiction and Social Change.

Wednesday January 25 2023
The Whole Kahani online.
We discussed the benefits and challenges of a writing collective. I read an excerpt from my story, Meg Kowalski’s Birthday Cake.

Tuesday December 6
I was at the iconic Groucho Club in London talking to their book club about Still Lives.

Jacks Thomas, the Guest Director of Bologna BookPlus hosted this very special evening at the legendary Groucho Club in bustling Soho. Fuelled by gin and tonics and twiglets and the odd champagne glass, we had a very spirited conversation about the multi layered themes within Still Lives and PK Malik’s determination to grow a mango tree in Manchester. I was struck by how engaged and invested the members were with the story and of course the dramatic ending of the novel led to much speculation and further questions.