admin
This user hasn't shared any biographical information
Homepage: http://www.twins.guptara.net
Posts by admin
USA Book Tour
Sep 10th
Suresh and Jyoti started with meetings and interviews in New York before going on to San Jose, Monterey, San Francisco and Los Angeles. They were presented with Scrolls of Honour by the County of Los Angeles for donating 1,000 copies of Calaspia and promoting literacy and education with young people. The Twins gave a variety of public appearances including live TV (e.g. Fox and KTLA The Morning Show).
Guptara Twins Promoted the Calaspia Storytelling Competition, 23 Aug – 10 Sep 2007
It’s our first time in the USA. Yes, that’s right.
Whenever you tell this to an American in America, they think they haven’t heard aright. “What? Seriously? You’ve never been to the States?” We reply that that’s the gist of it. Having seen East and West Coasts now (but, unfortunately, not much in between), we can appreciate their point of view. Nevertheless, one can’t help but think of the millions of Americans who have never been to another country, let alone crossed the pond to another continent; and that no one would say to the rest, upon hearing that they have set foot for the first time in, say, Switzerland: “Are you sure? You have never been in the Alps? Never tasted real – real – Swiss Fondue?”
NEW YORK, 23rd – 29th August 2007
First stop was New York, where we had an interview with ImaginAsian TV, the first channel in the US dedicated More >
WIN 10-Day Tour of England!
Aug 13th
Calaspia International Literary Competition
Gentle Reader,
We are very excited to announce our partnership with Sought After Media USA, Starbloom Ireland, and Nivedit Good Books India, along with support from The C. S. Lewis Foundation, in launching the Calaspia International Literary Competition!
Readers below the age of 26 can write a 1000 word essay (that’s short!) and Win a 10-Day Tour of England’s Literary Sites!
Who knows, perhaps Suresh and Jyoti themselves will even join in!
The essays will be judged by a panel of 5 eminent people from the world of literature and education – watch the media for news.
For more info on the Calaspia Competition see: http://www.calaspia-competition.com.
With best regards,
on behalf of the Guptara Twins
Suresh Finishes School
Jul 29th
After four wonderful years at Bradfield College, Suresh has now finished his A-levels, scoring four As and a B (English Literature, French, German, Coinstar money transfer Maths, Physics). He joins twin Jyoti in Switzerland as a full-time writer.
German Calaspia Rights Sold for 6-figure advance
Apr 11th
After a bidding war among several German publishers, the venerable literary publisher Rowohlt has purchased rights to the first three books in the Insanity Saga for a six-figure advance. Book One to be released by Rotfuchs in 2008, Rowohlt’s 100 anniversary year.
Calaspia a Bestseller in India
Mar 20th
After debuting at #8, Conspiracy of Calaspia has risen steadily to #2 on the Indian Fiction Bestseller list, one slot behind Booker Prize Winner The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai, an Indian herself.
Jyoti at Kitab Festival, Mumbai, India
Feb 26th
Jyoti attended the flamboyant Kitabfest, the International Literature and Media Festival, in Mumbai, India, where he talked along with leading writers, publishers, agents and film directors from Britain and the Indian subcontinent.
21st and 22nd February 2007
I arrive at Delhi Int. airport. Someone is supposed to be waiting for me, but my fears materialise: I see no plaque reading “Jyoti Guptara” or, if they are more security-conscious, something like “Samarth’s Wedding”. My Swiss phone is out of juice and my Indian phone has expired, and would not work anyway because it was purchased in Goa. But a payphone call with my “Chacha” puts things back on course, and I discover that beyond the two Exits there are yet further reception areas. Fortunately, on the horizon of new plaques one of them reads my name. The driver wheels my luggage to the car park before I realise I’ve left my papers with contact details, an absolute essential, in the pay phone booth. Run back and retrieve them from the operator, whom I leave looking like he wants a reward.
Beep. Beep. Beep. It’s good to be back.
Whereas other countries endure chaotic organisation, India happily boasts organised chaos. More >
Italian Calaspia Rights Sold
Jan 25th
Mondadori, Italy’s largest publisher, has purchased rights to the first three books in the Insanity Saga for a substantial advance. Book One to be published in 2008 in prestigious i grandi range.
India Book Tour, Dec06-Jan07
Jan 7th
Delhi Book Launch: 200 guests mingled in the picturesque surroundings of Lodi Garden Restaurant as Guests of Honour, Tarun Tejpal and Chief Minister Sheila Dixit, officially launched Calaspia in India. Press journalists, photographers and camera crews crowded around the twins to interview them for all the major national papers and television stations.
Goa Book Launch: Held at the Cidade de Goa Hotel, the line up on the press conference panel included the Governor of Goa, His Excellency S. optimizer.co.nl C. Jamir, renowned poet Sudeep Sen and social reformer Dr Vishal Mangalwadi. Following an interview and speeches by the Guests of Honour, the twins read an extract each from Calaspia.
Two days later, another reading. In the unique surroundings of the cosy Literati book café, 30 people gathered for a ‘come and share’ evening of poetry reciting, songs, music and book readings. Sudeep Sen and Ivan Kostka shared their poems, Jyoti Guptara read an extract from Calaspia, and Talvin Singh shared his tabla skills – improvising impressively on earthenware pots to the delight of the audience! A magical evening.
After Goa, Jyoti went on to Bangalore and Chennai (Madras) to promote Calaspia with Indian book chain Odyssey.
Switzerland Book Launches, Nov 06
Nov 15th
Over 100 people filled the respective rooms to congratulate the Guptara Twins on the publication of Calaspia. The Book Launch in Zurich on 14 November was hosted at Orell Fussli English Bookshop, on Zurich’s prestigious Bahnhofstrasse, where the Guests of Honour, author Theodore Beale (Eternal Warriors) and Culture Minister Marc Wehrlin, spoke before Suresh and Jyoti gave a reading each. In Weinfelden the book was launched on 15 November in the local language Schwyzerdütsch by Mayor Max Vögeli, who interviewed the boys. At both events, the crowds then mingled over King’s Kurry snacks while the Guptara Twins autographed copies and answered questions. Friends of the twins stayed on after the event to celebrate the boys’ 18th birthday a week early, before Suresh returned to school in England the next morning.
Journalist vs. Author: teenage Writer at Frankfurt Book Fair 06
Oct 11th
3 – 8 October 2006: Jyoti Guptara attended the world’s largest Book Fair at Frankfurt as an author with Indian publisher Tara Press and as a journalist with The International Indian magazine.
Despite over 7,000 exhibitors at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2006 and my lack of a map, my feet lead me directly to the collective stand of my Indian publisher and its relevant imprint. The same instinct that directed me here tells me that these four Indians are my publishers and agents even before I catch sight of the lettering: India Research Press / Tara Press – and Red Ink, the first, and to my knowledge only, Indian literary agency.
We meet for the first time after months of electronic correspondence. I immediately feel at home with them; it’s as if we already know each other, and just happen not to know much about one another. It’s always been business.
“All Delhi’s turned up,” they laugh. Indeed, a glance at the area between Halls 5.0 and 6.0 yields more brown faces than white. It is the 3rd of October and publishers are setting up their stands, arranging their products, books and promotionals. India is the Guest of Honour this year. I hear more Hindi than German.
After weeks of being chained to a computer and editing, it is refreshing to be meeting people and talking. After six years of working on a book you know may never be published, which was the case until recently, receiving overwhelmingly positive responses from international publishers, literary agents and scouts is like having your batteries recharged. More >