The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Savita Kalhan - Revision history

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Sue at 14:20, 12 January 2011

2011-01-12T14:20:21Z

Keith at 11:59, 12 January 2011

2011-01-12T11:59:38Z

Keith at 11:59, 12 January 2011

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{{infoboxinterviews
|title=The Interview: Bookbag talks to Savita Kalhan
|reviewer=Sue Magee
|summary=Savita Kalhan's [[The Long Weekend by Savita Kalhan]] is an incredibly tense thriller with a really important message about 'stranger danger'. We leapt at the opportunity to interview her.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1842708465</amazonuk>
|amazonus=<amazonus>1842708465</amazonus>
|date=12 January 2011
}}

Savita Kalhan's [[The Long Weekend by Savita Kalhan]] is an incredibly tense thriller with a really important message about 'stranger danger'. We leapt at the opportunity to interview her.

* '''Bookbag: When you close your eyes and imagine your readers, what do you see?'''

Savita Kalhan: I see lots of hands with their heads buried within the covers of my book! I didn't mean that to sound corny – or macabre! What I love is that such a diverse group of people have enjoyed my book. I've had emails from kids, teens and adults, parents and a few grandparents who have all read and loved ''The Long Weekend''.

* '''BB: Which book would you recommend to people who enjoyed ''The Long Weekend'' while they're eagerly waiting for your next novel?'''

SK: One book that has really stood out for me is {{amazonurl|isbn=184195442X|title=I'm Not Scared by Niccolo Ammaniti}}. It's just been released as a YA title, and I would really recommend it. I've just read [[Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick]] and loved it, so I've bought [[White Crow by Marcus Sedgwick|White Crow]] to read next. I also really enjoyed {{amazonurl|isbn=1906427135|title=Stolen}} by [[:Category:Lucy Christopher|Lucy Christopher]]. {{amazonurl|isbn=0385604793|title=Boys Don't Cry}} by [[:Category:Malorie Blackman|Malorie Blackman]] is also on my bedside table, waiting to be read. I enjoy [[:Category:Anne Cassidy|Anne Cassidy}} – she has a new book coming out soon, which I'm eagerly awaiting. {{amazonurl|isbn=1849163944|title=Cat Clarke's Entangled}} has just arrived...

* '''BB: That sounds an awful lot like our tottering book pile! Which books inspired you when you were a teenager?'''

SK: When I was a teenager, I read avidly – everything I could lay my hands on, which was basically the entire contents of Wycombe Library! I wasn't selective. I read the whole crime section, but I also read all the fantasy epics, contemporary novels, and world classics. Coming from a very traditional Indian background turned me into a complete a book junkie – it was one of the few activities that was actively encouraged! [[Lord of the Rings]] was a big favourite, but I also loved the classics – [[:Category:Thomas Hardy|Thomas Hardy]], [[:Category:Jane Austen|Jane Austen]], Maupassant, Zola, Flaubert...

* '''BB: I know you've got a really active web presence with [http://www.savitakalhan.com/ a great website] and [http://twitter.com/#!/savitakalhan frequent Twitter updates] - how important do you think it is in this day and age for YA authors to communicate with their fans over the internet?'''

SK: I hadn't realised until last year how important it is! The best advice someone gave me was to have a good website and maintain a presence on social networking sites such as Twitter and [http://www.facebook.com/SavitaKalhan Facebook]. I've followed it and it's been brilliant! It's a great way to keep in touch with your readers. As a writer you must remember that if you don't let people know about your book, then no one will hear of it!

* '''BB: What advice would you give to authors just starting out?'''

SK: To read as much as they can – novels, but also about the publishing industry and how it works. To talk to other published authors because their advice is invaluable. To find a good agent who will fight your corner. To have their work critiqued by people who are able to be perfectly honest about their work. I could go on for hours, but the final thing I would add here is never stop writing.

* '''BB: I recommended ''The Long Weekend'' on The Bookbag partly because of the importance of the message about 'stranger danger', and also suggested parents/guardians should read it - while it's a compelling thriller in its own right, do you feel the book has a role to play in getting children and adults discussing the topic?'''

SK: Oh yes, definitely. Kids are aware of stranger danger, but often they don't fully understand what it might mean. ''The Long Weekend'' is written with a style and pace that reaches even the reluctant reader; it's absorbing and engrossing, and I think its impact in imparting a message to teens is far greater than a school talk on stranger danger. Parents who have read the book have immediately wanted their kids to read it. It may raise awkward questions, but I feel they are questions that should be addressed and discussed.

* '''BB: What do you enjoy most about writing? What would you rather not do at all?'''

SK: I love writing! I love being inside someone else's head, speaking with their voice, following them wherever the story takes them. I don't mind going back through a story and rewriting scenes if it's needed. The part I really dislike is the copy-editing and proof-reading because it forces you to look at words rather than read the story. It's boring, but entirely necessary. My problem is that I find I get caught up in reading the book and end up missing typos!

* '''BB: Do you listen to music when you're writing? If so, what was your soundtrack when writing The Long Weekend?'''

SK: I tend not to really listen to music when I'm writing – I find the story is making enough noise in my head! With ''The Long Weekend'', the jingle-jangle of keys was something I heard too much of! I sometimes put Classic FM on in the background because it's not too intrusive.

* '''BB: What are you reading now?'''

SK: At the moment I'm reading [[Solace of the Road by Siobhan Dowd|Siobhan Dowd's Solace of the Road]]. I'm way behind and I'm trying to catch up, but the piles of to-be-read-books just keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger... And as I try not to read YA when I'm writing, I'm frequently falling behind. I need a good long holiday with a large suitcase of books and no excess baggage charges!

* '''BB: Don't we all! What's next for Savita Kalhan?'''

SK: Hopefully, fingers crossed, there will be another book or two. I've just finished writing a great thriller about a boy who wakes up in hospital with no recollection of how he got there, or who he is! So watch this space...

* '''BB: Ooh, we can't wait! Good luck with the new book. Thanks a lot for the interview, Savita!'''

{{commentfeature}}

[[Category:Interviews|Kalhan, Savita]] [[Category:Savita Kalhan]]

@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 * '''BB: That sounds an awful lot like our tottering book pile! Which books inspired you when you were a teenager?'''
-SK: When I was a teenager, I read avidly – everything I could lay my hands on, which was basically the entire contents of Wycombe Library! I wasn't selective. I read the whole crime section, but I also read all the fantasy epics, contemporary novels, and world classics. Coming from a very traditional Indian background turned me into a complete a book junkie – it was one of the few activities that was actively encouraged! [[Lord of the Rings]] was a big favourite, but I also loved the classics – [[:Category:Thomas Hardy|Thomas Hardy]], [[:Category:Jane Austen|Jane Austen]], Maupassant, Zola, Flaubert...
+SK: When I was a teenager, I read avidly – everything I could lay my hands on, which was basically the entire contents of Wycombe Library! I wasn't selective. I read the whole crime section, but I also read all the fantasy epics, contemporary novels, and world classics. Coming from a very traditional Indian background turned me into a complete a book junkie – it was one of the few activities that was actively encouraged! ''Lord of the Rings'' was a big favourite, but I also loved the classics – [[:Category:Thomas Hardy|Thomas Hardy]], [[:Category:Jane Austen|Jane Austen]], Maupassant, Zola, Flaubert...
 * '''BB: I know you've got a really active web presence with [http://www.savitakalhan.com/ a great website] and [http://twitter.com/#!/savitakalhan frequent Twitter updates] - how important do you think it is in this day and age for YA authors to communicate with their fans over the internet?'''

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{infoboxinterviews
 |title=The Interview: Bookbag talks to Savita Kalhan
-|reviewer=Sue Magee
+|reviewer=Robert James
 |summary=Savita Kalhan's [[The Long Weekend by Savita Kalhan|The Long Weekend]] is an incredibly tense thriller with a really important message about 'stranger danger'. We leapt at the opportunity to interview her.
 |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1842708465</amazonuk>

@@ Line 17: / Line 17: @@
 * '''BB: Which book would you recommend to people who enjoyed ''The Long Weekend'' while they're eagerly waiting for your next novel?'''
-SK: One book that has really stood out for me is {{amazonurl|isbn=184195442X|title=I'm Not Scared by Niccolo Ammaniti}}. It's just been released as a YA title, and I would really recommend it. I've just read [[Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick]] and loved it, so I've bought [[White Crow by Marcus Sedgwick|White Crow]] to read next. I also really enjoyed {{amazonurl|isbn=1906427135|title=Stolen}} by [[:Category:Lucy Christopher|Lucy Christopher]]. {{amazonurl|isbn=0385604793|title=Boys Don't Cry}} by [[:Category:Malorie Blackman|Malorie Blackman]] is also on my bedside table, waiting to be read. I enjoy [[:Category:Anne Cassidy|Anne Cassidy}} – she has a new book coming out soon, which I'm eagerly awaiting. {{amazonurl|isbn=1849163944|title=Cat Clarke's Entangled}} has just arrived...
+SK: One book that has really stood out for me is {{amazonurl|isbn=184195442X|title=I'm Not Scared by Niccolo Ammaniti}}. It's just been released as a YA title, and I would really recommend it. I've just read [[Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick]] and loved it, so I've bought [[White Crow by Marcus Sedgwick|White Crow]] to read next. I also really enjoyed {{amazonurl|isbn=1906427135|title=Stolen}} by [[:Category:Lucy Christopher|Lucy Christopher]]. {{amazonurl|isbn=0385604793|title=Boys Don't Cry}} by [[:Category:Malorie Blackman|Malorie Blackman]] is also on my bedside table, waiting to be read. I enjoy [[:Category:Anne Cassidy|Anne Cassidy]] – she has a new book coming out soon, which I'm eagerly awaiting. {{amazonurl|isbn=1849163944|title=Cat Clarke's Entangled}} has just arrived...
 * '''BB: That sounds an awful lot like our tottering book pile! Which books inspired you when you were a teenager?'''