She is author at Grapevine Publishers and has been an Assistant Producer/
Anchor & Special Features at ET Now, Voice over artist at East Coast Radio –
Globe Studios, and Freelance Writer at Yuva,
O, The Oprah Magazine and The Sunday Tribune. These are few of the laurels to
mention of this multifaceted and multitalented personality. Her name is Anjali
Kirpalani and she loves to be called as Anjali Kirpalani only. She might appear
to some as a model or Bollywood actress…
Welcome Anjali on board…
Your real name and pen name?
Anjali Kirpalani- I don't think I'd ever want to use a pen name. I
love seeing my name in print (I'm narcissistic I'll admit but then, who
isn't?)
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About
your education
Bachelor of Business Science (Honours in Marketing) from the
University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa and Masters in English Literature
(University of Mumbai)
What
career did you plan during your education days
Although I studied business, I always knew I'd be associated with
the media- I always wanted to be a TV anchor and writer. I always told my
mother that my biggest goal in life is to make a difference. I didn't want to
die without having made an impact and influenced people. I always wanted to be
'Googleable' and never wanted to die having been a nobody (Yes, I often google
myself- admit it, everyone does it)
What is
your biggest source of inspiration in life
I draw inspiration from various icons- Jane Austen, Steve Jobs,
Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Aamir Khan. There is a lot you can learn from
every successful person. I find quotes by Rumi and Ralph Waldo Emerson, among
others, absolutely inspirational. If you're looking for inspiration, you can
find it all around you. You just have to open your eyes and look closely.
What is
the biggest challenge you have faced? How did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge I have had to overcome is self-doubt. There
were times while writing my first novel when I'd wonder 'what if this never
gets published' but then I'd just force myself to keep writing and stay
positive.
What is
your favorite genre and why?
Chick-lit/Humour/Contemporary fiction/Metro reads. I love how
relatable chick-literature is. This genre is all about allowing your readers to
escape into another world while still being realistic- chick-lit makes you
laugh, cry and most importantly, relate to the characters. Humour is an
essential part of my life; I make light of difficult situations through my
sense of humour. As a young urban woman I relate the most to chick-lit or
contemporary fiction.
When
did you start writing? What is the purpose of your writing?
I started writing poetry when I was about 13. I won an award in
school for one of my poems and that's where my writing journey really began.
Thereafter I wrote articles for magazines, newspapers and websites. One of my
short stories won an award on radio in South Africa. I followed this by writing
3 radio drama scripts in South Africa. I write to inspire, entertain and surprise
my readers.
Which
of your work published so far? Would you like to share a synopsis of your
work?
Never Say Never published by Grapevine India is my first
novel. It is available at bookstores around the country and on Flipkart,
Amazon, Homeshop18 etc. The e book version of the novel is also available on amazon.com.
Aside from this, a short story of mine, titled 'Reality Check' is
part of an anthology of short stories, '25 Strokes of Kindness' published
this year.
Synopsis of Never Say Never:
About the novel:
Never Say Never tells the
story of Nikita Kumar, an unemployed twenty-five year old based in Mumbai who
doesn't know what to do with her life. To make matters worse, Nikita is in love
with her best friend Aziza’s boyfriend, Raghav Shetty, who is a radio jockey on
the popular radio station, Spruce fm. And that’s not all; Nikita doesn't even
like, let alone love Deepak, the man she’s in a relationship with! Tired of her
life going nowhere, Nikita decides to change her life. On the night of her
cousin Natasha’s wedding, she makes a list of things she will never do.
She vows to never marry for money, never doubt her
abilities, never have feelings for a friend’s boyfriend,
never stay in a relationship with someone she doesn't
love, never get completely drunk in public and never wear
velvet!
But life seldom goes according to plan
and Nikita soon learns that you should never say never…
What
are your forthcoming writings?
I'm currently working on my second novel- which will also be a
coming-of-age, fun story of a young woman.
What
are your future plans?
World domination! I intend on writing more books and getting my
books made into movies. At the same time, I will be writing on my blog-
HappydaysIndia.com- a blog focused only on delivering good, happy stories from
India. The media tends to focus on a lot of negative occurrences in India.
There is a lot of good work being done in India which doesn't end up getting
written about. So this blog focuses on positive news from India only.
What
four top most things you take care of while writing a book?
1. Realistic characters
2. The book should be a page-turner
3. Lots of twists and turns
4. I put myself in the reader's shoes and ensure that I would enjoy
reading the book I'm writing
Your
dream destination on Earth?
Paris, France.
Your
origin of birth and other countries you have visited/ stayed. What best things
you liked in these countries around the globe?
Indian. My family moved to Nigeria when I was a year old. We lived
there until I was 6. We then lived in India for 6 years before moving to South
Africa in 2000. I lived in Durban, South Africa for 8 years. Then we moved back
to India in 2008 (I know! Phew!) I was an exchange student in my final year of
University in South Africa and got to complete my last semester in Canada. I've
travelled to 13 countries so far and intend on seeing the entire world before I
die! I loved how friendly the people are in Canada, the food is to die-for in
Singapore, Greece has the most beautiful islands, Mauritius has the best
beaches, Hong Kong has amazing nightlife, South Africa is very scenic-
fantastic vineyards, mountains, the ocean, safaris- you name it! I hardly
remember Nigeria since I was too young when we lived there. I've also travelled
to Thailand, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Dubai and the U.S.
Your
zodiac/ sunsign?
I am a complete Gemini- I love to do many things at once, I get
bored easily, I'm sociable and love meeting new people and I absolutely love
communicating- I guess that's why I was drawn to the professions of Radio
jockeying, TV anchoring and writing.
Your
favorite color and why?
Yellow- it symbolizes happiness
Your
favorite book and why?
I have many favourites! Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen- I love
how this book transports you to another era and how relatable it is till today,
despite being written 200 years ago. I love 'A Suitable boy' by Vikram Seth-
this book has a plethora of colourful characters and depicts post-partition
India beautifully (wow, I guess I like travelling back in time through books!)
Another favourite is 'The Alchemist' by Paulo Coelho- the message of the book
is so powerful yet it is delivered in such a simplistic manner. I also love
'Anybody Out There?' by Marian Keyes- it's funny despite being a sad story.
Some
quickies:
Sun or
Moon- Sun
Laughter
or Smile- Laughter, of course! The heartier, the better!
Morning
or Evening- Evening- it's my favourite time of the day
Coffee or Tea- Chai all the way! I'm a
big Chai addict- I need my morning and evening cuppa without fail
Mountain
or Sea- Sea
Long
Drive or Short Drive- Road trips!
Silence
or Conversation- Conversation
Water
or Fire- Water
Air or
Earth - Air
Mars or
Jupiter- Venus! (Women are from Venus, hello!)
Tulip
or Rose- Carnations!
Red or
Blue- Red
Left or
Right- Right
Glance
or Stare- Stare
State your signature line/ tagline/ best quote:
I'd rather go somewhere slowly than go nowhere fast...
Some of her links are:
Twitter: @Anjalikir
Buy the book on: http://www.flipkart.com/
Or add on Goodreads: https://www.
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