This time I was lucky to have little chit chat with Kamila Shamsie, my all time favourite author.
When I asked for her autograph after the session (in KLF) she asked my name and out of politeness what I do…I told her that I don’t do anything…I am a house wife….she smiled and said never say that…housewife is a full time tougher job than any other job in the world…by that time few more people have gathered around us and she narrated one of the funniest thing happened to her…hmm...
She told me that she was invited to a very leading News Agency recently for an interview and when she reached the studio…one of the compares’ helper asked her few question to get the compare know about her and her work… so the dialogue was like that…
She : What is your recent novel?
Shamsie : Its God in Every Stone
She: What you do?
Shamsie : I write.
She: For what News Agency / NewsPaper?
Shamsie: No, I write novels, I am a novelist.
She: (a bit confused now) I wanted to know whom you work for?
Shamsie : Well, I told you I work for myself, I am a full time novelist.
She: (with a big sigh) OKAY…SO YOU ARE A HOUSE WIFE!
No need to say that we had a good laugh on that…however it also gives us a lot to ponder as well…first Novel writing does not consider by the world as a full time work…job...still people thinks that one can not have a decent life (or raise enough income) by just writing a novel…hmm...
Second the perception of a novelist is still unclear….its lot different from being a news person.
Recently, I have seen and read so many authors who first established their identity as a Columnist or Reporter…and suddenly they have come up with a novel …they may be good authors but since their writings are influenced by their political career their novels also have the same flavour one of the example is M Hanif and his novel The Case of Exploding Mangoes revolve around the assassination of General Zia ul Haq.
It is like mixing two different genres to one….in few years may be we will forget to separate a good fiction and political based novel since we are not setting any rules for them.
I wish…as reader I can have the thorough understanding on these matters and can separate these novels on the basis of their plot, stories and moral.
When I asked for her autograph after the session (in KLF) she asked my name and out of politeness what I do…I told her that I don’t do anything…I am a house wife….she smiled and said never say that…housewife is a full time tougher job than any other job in the world…by that time few more people have gathered around us and she narrated one of the funniest thing happened to her…hmm...
She told me that she was invited to a very leading News Agency recently for an interview and when she reached the studio…one of the compares’ helper asked her few question to get the compare know about her and her work… so the dialogue was like that…
She : What is your recent novel?
Shamsie : Its God in Every Stone
She: What you do?
Shamsie : I write.
She: For what News Agency / NewsPaper?
Shamsie: No, I write novels, I am a novelist.
She: (a bit confused now) I wanted to know whom you work for?
Shamsie : Well, I told you I work for myself, I am a full time novelist.
She: (with a big sigh) OKAY…SO YOU ARE A HOUSE WIFE!
No need to say that we had a good laugh on that…however it also gives us a lot to ponder as well…first Novel writing does not consider by the world as a full time work…job...still people thinks that one can not have a decent life (or raise enough income) by just writing a novel…hmm...
Second the perception of a novelist is still unclear….its lot different from being a news person.
Recently, I have seen and read so many authors who first established their identity as a Columnist or Reporter…and suddenly they have come up with a novel …they may be good authors but since their writings are influenced by their political career their novels also have the same flavour one of the example is M Hanif and his novel The Case of Exploding Mangoes revolve around the assassination of General Zia ul Haq.
It is like mixing two different genres to one….in few years may be we will forget to separate a good fiction and political based novel since we are not setting any rules for them.
I wish…as reader I can have the thorough understanding on these matters and can separate these novels on the basis of their plot, stories and moral.
Interesting post. Funny how people percieve housewives and novelists; it is like they think full time work is only outside the house. And I had never thought about what you said about writing; interesting perspective. Nice Post
ReplyDeleteAlso, how lucky indeed that you got to speak to your favourite author :)
ReplyDeleteoh I face this situation everyday the other day I was in bank and was there to open my account. The person asked me what I do I said I am a freelance writer and he smiled n said oh you are a house wife.
ReplyDeletehmm...Demon Lily...thank you so much for reading and giving your comments...and yes that is exactly what we think...we still are not use to freelancer or working from home...:) I am honored to have you...thank you so much.
ReplyDeleteDear Nida, Nice to read your comments...welcome...and do tell me where you write...I would like to read you...please...I am honored.
ReplyDeleteHouse wife.. intresenting
ReplyDeleteindeed its a full time job.