After receiving an overwhelming response for Write India, the second season of the largest crowd-sourced writing contest in India kick-started on 7 July, 2017. Following a Twitter chat last month with Write India author Anand Neelakantan, our first author for the season, TOI Books had its second Twitter chat session of Write India Season 2 with ‘Author of the Month’ (August) Ruskin Bond. The revered fabulist from the hills, Mr Bond, answered the top 5 questions sent to him on August 29, 2017.
With an enthusiastic audience and other Write India authors participating, the chat received an overwhelming response. Write India participants, budding authors and bibliophiles across the country wanted to ask several questions to their favourite Rusty, among which five best were chosen to be awarded. Mr Bond resolved each question with great patience and together, they made the chat a huge success. Each winner was awarded a copy of Ruskin Bond’s latest book, Confessions of a Book Lover from Penguin Random House India.
The chat started with Write India author Ruskin Bond sharing his special thoughts on the venture:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Author Ruskin Bond shares his thoughts about <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TOIWriteIndia?src=hash">#TOIWriteIndia</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TOIAskRuskin?src=hash">#TOIAskRuskin</a> <a href="https://t.co/oJtoeZJceu">pic.twitter.com/oJtoeZJceu</a></p>— TOIbooks (@TOI_Books) <a href="https://twitter.com/TOI_Books/status/902475168391413762">August 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Then, one by one, the winning questions with Rusty's answers were announced.
Sahas Mehra @sahasmehra
If you had one story left to write, what would it be about?Ruskin Bond: It would be about the natural world coming into its own again.
Mahesh Sowani @maheshsowani
What changes do you see in the literary world? What do you like\dislike about them?Ruskin Bond: The tendency to pander to the readers’ worst instincts, such as sadism and a love for violence.
Gavi Dhariwal @GaviDhariwal64
How do you maintain your state of mind while writing? If a situation disturbs you and your flow of writing, how do you get back on track?Ruskin Bond: This can be a problem. Usually I take a short nap before starting again.
Rajesh Konsam @RajeshKonsam
If you could time travel and meet 23-year-old Ruskin, what writing advice would you give?Ruskin Bond: I would advise him to take a great interest in the world around him and perhaps travel more adventurously.
Sanjana Keerthi @sanjana9220
Which fictional character would you turn into if you had the chance to live his/her life for a day?Ruskin Bond: Tom Sawyer.
The winners of the #TOIAskRuskin contest are: Sanjana Keerthi, Rajesh Konsam, Gavi Dhariwal, Mahesh Sowami, and Sahas Mehra. Congratulations to all the winners!
Keep writing for TOI Write India author of the month Ruskin Bond and hurry! Send in your entries by August 30th midnight here:
http://www.thetimesofindia.online/life-style/books/writeindia/season2.cms