Nestled amidst the lush greenery, overlooking a scenic lake, a group of Kolkatans gathered to discuss their love for books at Victoria Memorial Hall grounds on January 6. ‘A Bookish Picnic’ by Calcutta Nerds and Pageflutterers was the perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon, with author Smita Bhattacharya discussing her books, and enlightening literary enthusiasts about the world of publishing. My Kolkata was there.
The highlight of the evening was a Q&A session with author Smita Bhattacharya on her books, ‘Kiss of Salt’ and ‘Dead to Them’
Brought up in the southern part of the country, Smita is a probashi who has been living in Mumbai for the past 18 years. Her travels have greatly influenced her books, and she recently completed her 50th country, with a trip to Hong Kong. “I started travelling before the era of the internet, with physical maps. The question of ‘Where am I going next?’ is what always excites me. Travel isn’t just pleasure for me, it is an addiction,” she smiled.
Apart from talking about literature, bookworms let themselves loose with a unique word game – Word on the Street
Smita spoke at length about her mystery thrillers, Kiss of Salt and Dead to Them, both of which are being optioned by production houses for on-screen adaptations. “I was battling intense depression while working on them. Depression is something you only understand when you go through it. The process of writing helped me come out of the darkness,” she confessed.
Apart from letting people into her writing process, she also shared insights on consumer trends, and optimising for today’s readers. “Irrespective of how bad you think it is, finish the first draft. Most of the writing will happen after that. If you are writing a mystery novel, you should always know the ending beforehand,” she said.
The event also had giveaways – Niladri Banerjee received a copy of Dead ‘to Them’ while Nazrana Perween got a copy of ‘Kiss of Salt’
“The idea of a ‘bookish picnic’, where people discuss books and play literary games was exhilarating for a bibliophile like me. Smita has a very compelling presence, and it was very enriching to know about her writing and travels,” said Nazrana, a data specialist. Niladri, a screenwriter himself, found Smita’s advice particularly appealing. “Smita provided valuable insights, not just on the craft of writing and publishing, but also about life. I’m only a few pages in, but Dead to Them already seems like a banger. This session left me with a reinvigorated passion for books,” he added.
The evening was conceptualised by Rakhi Chakraborty, the founder of Calcutta Nerds. “I was always looking for interesting events in Kolkata revolving around books and films, but never found anything I liked. So, I decided to set it up myself,” she signed off.