Incorrigible bibliophile, travel enthusiast and art aficionado, Suchandra lives in Bayshore, Singapore. The Shotgun Wedding is her first attempt in essaying a novel, inhabited by characters caught in an outlandish satire in a remote village in West Bengal, India. The bizarre socio-political dynamics unfolding between a newly appointed young lecturer hailing from cosmopolitan Calcutta and the inhabitants of rural Bengal make way for a rather comic narrative, interspersed with romance and mistaken identities. Currently, her debut novel is on the Best Seller List of Aleph Book Company, as well as being shortlisted Women AutHer Awards 2023 by the Times of India Group.
- After the success of The Shotgun Wedding, how do you look forward to the growth of your career as an author?
Since the response to The Shotgun Wedding has been extremely favourable, it has afforded me the courage to delve deeper into creative fiction. I am looking forward to more such successful interactions with my readers and hoping to capture their imagination again with my second novel.
- How important do you think it is for the author to market their book and why?
We live in an age where the world and its preferences are dominated by a proliferation of social media platforms. As such, it becomes imperative for the author to reach out in as many diverse ways as possible; be it on Goodreads, Instagram or Amazon, reviews and publicity can really propel your book forward.
- What changes do you see in the book/publishing industry over the past few years? How do you like the changing dynamics?
Traditional norms of publication are mere echoes from the past; disembodied voices that are becoming weaker with each passing day. The emerging trend is that of audiobooks and kindle versions and I’m sure publication houses are well equipped to deal with these demands. Personally, I think the changing dynamics would be perfectly suitable for the younger generation of readers; it would open up more options.
- Is there anything new that you are working on? A new book or any literary project? How excited are you for that?
Yes, I’m working on a historical novel, set in 19th Century India. I hope to see this published very soon. Besides this, I am also trying to bring together an anthology of short stories, it’s in a very rudimentary stage as of now.
- Share with us what do you love doing generally in your free time ?
I’m an avid reader; most of my free time is dedicated to reading. Besides this, during vacations I travel as far and wide as I can; I love encountering new people, soaking in the tenets of diverse cultures.
- Do you believe it is important to be a reader before being an author? What’s your lookout on this debate? Who is your favourite author or whom do you look up to?
I’ve always been an enthusiastic reader. Of course, this has helped me in my journey as an author. However, it is also important to find your own voice, create your own world and not simply mimic other authors.
My favourite author is Emily Bronte, Wuthering Heights remains eternally fascinating as a tortured landscape of human desires.
You will find The Shotgun Wedding quite easily on: https://bit.ly/37RB5LK
Achievements for the book: The Shotgun Wedding
- Book Launch and talk – Kolkata Literature Festival on March 11, 2022. Organised by writers’ and booksellers guild.
- Featured in the bestseller segment for Fiction by Aleph Book Company.
- Longlisted for The “Auther Awards” by The Times of India
- Featured in the list of Top Emerging Indian Achievers by India Today, March 2023 edition.
- Featured in India Thrive as India’s favourite authors from Singapore.
- Winner of Best Debut Author in Romcom Category by Glorious India Award 2022.
- Featured as gifted literary star by Cherry Book Awards, 2023.
Suchandra Roychowdhury is an amazingly talented writer who captures our imagination and holds our attention to the very end!
She deserves the recognition she’s received so far for her imaginative work and for her authenticity, but we all know that this is just the beginning for her!