Since last speaking with the man who has been reading for a Masters in Creative Writing at the University of Oxford while also surging forth with the writing, editing and sealing a publisher for his book, there have been some exciting developments.[break]
At 26, Parajuly, from Gangtok, Sikkim, India, became the youngest writer at the 2010 British Publisher of the Year, Quercus. Indeed, he caught the attention of the literary world in the United Kingdom for snagging a two-book deal based on a collection of short stories.
He will now be published by the same publisher that brought out Stieg Larsson’s Girl with the Dragon Tattoo books.
The snagging of the deal debunks the myth that no publisher in the West picks up a debut writer’s collection of short stories.
The handsome five-figure advance for commonwealth rights, as reported on Bookseller.com, in the present publishing economy is another commendable feat.
On Wednesday September 21, 2011, Editor in Chief of Quercus, Jon Riley, bought UK and Commonwealth rights to two works by Parajuly, one complete and one in the works.
Soon, the news of Prajwal’s feat was out on Bookseller.com, the premier site for book publishing related news. Jon Riley was quoted on the site as saying, “The colour and intensity of Prajwal Parajuly’s language, and the world he peoples his work with, make him an astonishingly accomplished young writer and one we are excited to be publishing.”
The Gurkha’s Daughter: Stories is a collection of short stories that detail the lives of the Nepali Diaspora.
The book is officially scheduled to be published in hardback in December 2012. Parajuly’s second work, a novel, Land Where I Flee, about a family saga spread over Northeastern India, Nepal, the UK and the US will be released in December 2013.
Parajuly credits the signing of his book to his agent, Susan Yearwood at Susan Yearwood Literary Agency. Prajwal met Yearwood at the London Book Fair in 2010 when he was in town to interview for a seat at Oxford.
Parajuly decided to be agented by Yearwood because he felt comfortable with her at once. Yearwood says that in meeting Parajuly at the Fair “I immediately felt that I wanted to read more from this writer.” She adds, “Mainly because his characterisations were so strong and his ideas were close to being fully realised, even in a first draft.”
After having been in talks with several publishing houses in the United Kingdom, Parajuly and Yearwood decided on Quercus.
“I chose Quercus because I have always liked the direction the publishing house took,” says Parajuly. “Jon Riley’s experience in the industry for decades, especially as editor in chief of Faber and Faber, which is another publishing house I’ve great respect for, also helped.”
In having just signed a deal with Quercus, Parajuly’s work has already been speculated to perhaps be of the political merit South Asians are hungry to discuss.
However, despite rumors of the book being Parajuly’s way of bringing the issue of Gorkhaland to an international platform and making his foray into the movement, Parajuly himself is quick to retract from such a position.
“I think Gorkhaland is a great cause, and I believe in it, but it’s too big a cause for me to get involved in,” he says. “I may have written a little about it, yes, but I don’t think I am well equipped to directly deal with a cause that massive at this point. At this point, I am simply a writer who writes about what he knows.”
There is socio-politics in the author’s debut book, no doubt but it will be interesting to anyone who reads.
The writer explores and takes advantage of the opportunity to write about the Nepali-speaking world for an international audience.
He says, “We have a fascinating culture, a beautiful language, great rituals – It must be the time of the year, the Dashain spirit, that’s making me so sappy – Encapsulating all that in fiction was only natural for me.”
Evelyn Carlson was Prajwal’s English professor at college in the United States. She recognized the potential in him long before he even considered writing seriously.
“It would be tempting to say that he has the simplicity of Hemingway, the humor of Faulkner, and the depth of O’Conner,” Dr. Carlson said. “
But, in reality, there is no comparison, because Prajwal’s writing is as unique as Prajwal himself.
I have no doubt that this is only the first we’ll be hearing from this brilliant young man.”
Both of Parajuly’s works will be distributed by Penguin India in South Asia.
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