Solan, April, 2
Belletristic, the literary society of Shoolini University, organised book launch of Delhi-based Gayatri Gahlaut’s collection of stories titled “On the Window Sill and Other Stories”. This is a debut attempt of a multi-talented army officer’s wife who has been writing off and on but only now decided to publish some of her work.
The panelists participated in the discussion of the positivity and effortless ease of Gayatri’s writing style. The seamless plots of her stories and her ability to evoke pathos and build suspense were applauded too.
The who participated in the discussion included senior professors and noted writers like Prof. Manju Jaidka and Prof. Tejnath Dhar who gave the author invaluable suggestions, feedback, and ample food for thought.
The session ended with a note of thanks offered by Dr. Sakshi Sundaram who expressed the general sentiment and looked forward to many more uplifting books by the author in the future.
The author waxed eloquent on her book which consists of moving and humane tales from everyday life told in an incredibly honest and unassuming voice. The discussion occasioned some very thought-provoking questions and observations related to the art of writing, choice of genre, autobiographical and fantastic elements in narratives, besides specific questions related to Gahlaut’s stories, her literary influences, and her complementary talents such as sketching and illustration. Hemant Kumar Sharma of the Dept of English, Shoolini University, was the moderator of the session and steered the discussion with ease and élan.
