She's got the Nobel. He sits next to her. Outfit colour matching-matching & body language also thoda same-same, nai? Yaaaay! 3 months to the memoir today. Flanked by Rushdie & Desai in a Bahrisons window & not staged at 9am. A portent when Bhagat & Tripathi are placed below.🕶️

Hum bhi agar bacche hotey. Children's Day special review of Nautch Boy in The Telegraph by Chittajit | চিত্তজিৎ | चित्तजीत Short, crisp, and with a word-limit suited even for adult attention span. Matlab review padho toh book bhi padhne ki koshish karna please. 💃🏼🪭 Link: telegraphindia.com/books/look-bac…

Yesterday, when I posted a pic of Malala & Nautch Boy, someone got jealous. Amazon worked its algorithm to show this. This is like Malala, Courtesan & Ms Roy walk into a bar. We don't serve feminists, says the bartender. That's alright, the women sing, we do a better mocktale.

6 months ago, publishing people wrote emails to me as Dear Manish. 3 months later, it became Hi Manish. Now they address me as Hi. Hi on AI? They're trying so hard to invisibilise me in the Delhi AQI. Shouldn't be that arduous if their vision ends where their thought begins. 🕶️

Recently, 2 women told me they didn't enjoy my memoir. It's not gripping like the previous one, they said. That's full masala, I say. Yes, I want to know what's happening next. I can't stop, they say. I, bien sûr, nod along. Great they think of memoir as a murder mystery genre.

Literary agent doesn't read your manuscript, pitches book proposal to commissioning editor, who cc's manu-vivad to copy-editor, who edits without reading, forwards to publicist, who can't read, sends free author copy you're too afraid to read for typos. Tis how publishing churns.

"Why are you not in my city's lit fest?" Friend asks. "Because am not invited," I say. "But your book..." Before they shallow praise it, I cut. "These events promote books that need a push." I sound condescending. Truth is, publisher decides. And, I've not been a good boy lately.

Book Alert: Calcutta launch of my memoir Nautch Boy on Dec 1 in the gorgeous, heritage building cafe The Bhawanipur House. Entry is free, and so is the adda chai. Please come. I promise to behave myself, coy as a new bride. Won't rant about publisher also. Pinky promise. 🕶️

Small reminder if you're in Calcutta & would like to attend. Free entry, free tea, free snacks & free to doze off if this book launch is the perfect setting for your boredom. Event details in pic. Bahut ho gaya Nautch Boy, chalo ab nautch ke dikhao. Show me your jalwa 💃🏼🪭