Sunday Herald chats with Lavanya

A red carpet welcome, alright! - Deccan Herald - Internet Edition: "PRIYANKA HALDIPUR speaks with Lavanya Sankaran, whose debut venture- ‘The Red Carpet,’ a book of short stories, has already gained itself a slot in the list of Indian bestsellers, hardly three days after its release.



A writer’s life... the Herculean task of completing a masterpiece, burning the... midnight oil over endless edits, praying hard for a kind-hearted publisher to adopt the baby, and spending more sleepless nights worrying about whether it will ever see the light of day! But it looks like this writer simply lives differently.

From being an investment banker in Manhattan to debuting with her book of short stories- ‘The Red Carpet,’ 37-year-old Lavanya Sankaran has struck the right chord all the way. Her book that saw a worldwide release on May 3, was selected by Barnes & Noble as part of their ‘Discover Great New Authors Program for Summer 2005’ even before it got published, and borders in their ‘Original Voices’ section. Three days since its release, it already created a niche for itself in the list of best-selling fiction in the nation.


What has the journey been like from investment banking to writing?

Not Very logical! (She laughs). I’m Bangalore born and bred. I left for Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania when I was 18, and studied political science. After investment banking abroad, I turned to business consulting in India in the early ‘90s. And now, this.

I have been writing as a child. Later, I used to contribute to Wall Street Journal and The Atlantic Monthly, and write fiction on the side. On my friends’ insistence, I showed my manuscript to an agent- Lane Zachary of Zachary Shuster Harmsworth, New York. She liked it, but warned me that it would be difficult to sell short stories.

What came later was unprecedented. There were nine publishers auctioning for the book. I finally signed Susan Kamil of Dial Press, which is an imprint of Random House. They have given me a two-book deal, and I’m currently working on a novel now.

What was the winning quality of your book that drew nine leading publishers to it?

They liked the literary quality of writing and the combination of wit and compassion. I frankly think what caught their eye was that it was fresh, and it gave them a world view of contemporary India.

Who was the first reader of your book?

My husband. He was one hundred per cent supportive in the venture. He was the biggest cheerleader in all those moments where I felt that the book was going absolutely nowhere.

Why did you choose a foreign publisher for your book?

It just sort of happened. I had an American agent who decided that a foreign publisher would be more receptive to the idea. The UK rights were then bought by Headline Review, which happens to be distributing it in India now.

How did ‘Bangalore’ come about as a theme for your book?

For two reasons mainly... It is my very own city. Secondly, I believe that the changes in the world are led by Bangalore, in terms of software. It has been making headlines nationally and internationally. It has wonderful energy and shabby infrastructure at the same time. It has the professional impetus of the 21st century along with the co-existence of ancient values. It’s a wonderful city.

Is it true that one of the short stories from ‘The Red Carpet’ is on its way to becoming a film?

It’s in a premature stage. All I can say is that a couple of directors have indicated interested in this regard.

What authors do you read? A few of your favourite books would be....

I’ve read everything there is to read. Classical english literature, Homer, Virgil, Shakespeare. I grew up reading Enid Blyton, Bobsy Twins etcetera. As an adult, I’ve been fascinated by Salman Rushdie’s ‘Midnight’s Children, R K Narayan’s ‘Swami and Friends,’ F Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby’ and so on. I think all of Fitzgerald’s writing is about the change in ancient values and the new wealth created, very similar to the situation we are facing today. I also like Michael Cunningham’s ‘The Hours’ and Ian Mcewan’s ‘Atonement’.

Tell us more about your new novel...

It’s too early to reveal anything except that it has a similar creative landscape to that of ‘The Red Carpet’.

Where do you go from here?

Back to my study, to complete my novel, I guess. (Laughs). I’ve learnt from the pattern of my life, not to make too many plans for the future. There’s no telling what I’ll be doing next. "