BENGALURU: If it weren’t for the coronavirus pandemic, Preeti Shenoy’s new book would have hit bookshelves in April this year. But with the publishing industry, like many others, getting adversely affected due to the outbreak, the Bengaluru-based author had no choice but to wait some months before she could publish her latest work, When Love Came Calling.
The wait, however, has not affected the love fans have for the author’s work. “I’m already getting requests for a sequel!,” beams Shenoy, who has previously penned The Rule Breakers, Life Is What You Make It and Wake Up, Life Is Calling. Her latest book was released last month and follows the journeys of two young adults –confused but fiery Puja and studious yet shy Arush – as they volunteer, and fall in love, in rural Kerala. If the characters sound relatable, it is because they are indeed inspired by people Shenoy has come across in her own life.
For instance, Arush’s perfectionism and love for animals are traits Shenoy borrowed from her own daughter and son, respectively. “I think the book is standing out for the right reasons. It isn’t just a lovestory, the focus is on building a relationship with your self and family. So it’s heartening to have my readers tell me they are sharing the book with their parents,” says the 48-year-old.
This, however, was not the only contribution her children made. The book cover as well as some of the illustrations in the chapter titles were made by Shenoy’s daughter, who also proved to be a dedicated reviewer from the beginning.
"She was interning with a media company in Singapore while I was writing the book. Every day, I’d wait for her to call me during her lunch break and we would discuss every new bit I added to the book. Her enthusiasm definitely kept me motivated too,” says Shenoy, who put in a lot of legwork to research for her book, travelling to places in Kerala like Edakkal Caves, Wayanad and Mattancherry. Shenoy spent the lockdown months of March, April and May away from books but continued to write for herself.
A 21-day positivity project she started then will soon translate into a full-fledged book. Besides this, she has been pursuing her other interests too: Growing vegetables, weight training and cycling. “It helps me stay sane so this lockdown was the fittest I have ever been,” says the Whitefield resident.