Nah, in case the title gave you any ideas, the post isn’t about Travis Tritt’s album. I don’t know the first thing about country music anyway. So now that it’s all finally sinking in, yes! my short is getting featured in Grey Oak’s upcoming anthology Down the Road, I thought it was about time I got down to writing my ‘This Is How I Got Published’ story. Here it goes:

As I have mentioned it practically everywhere I could a bajillion times already, it all began last year in August with the poem Monsoon Triptych. It was written and sent off in 15 minutes flat since I got to know about the contest on the last day itself. Unlike other sane aspiring writers I never had a pile of my writings stashed up for such emergencies. Still don’t, as a matter of fact. Um yeah so, when I got the call and was told that I had won, I really don’t remember how I felt or what I did. It’s all a blur now but it was after this that I thought I may have a teensy-weensy chance of seeing my name in print someday.

Cut to: six months later. I receive the review copies of Another Chance and Urban Shots, I manage to get into a twitcussion with Ahmed Faiyaz and some of the other Grey Oak authors regarding this very book that wasn’t titled back then, I snoop around a bit and find out that they’re accepting submissions for the same. Again but, it’s an SOS situation, there are only 3 days left and I don’t have anything I can call a story. I look around, make up one real quick and once again I get lucky.

If you’ve read the synopsis, you’d know there’s one short about a roommate who self-destructs, well that’s mine. It’s called Bellow Yellow. Also, just for the record, let me make the all persons fictitious disclaimer here. The idea struck me at that point only because Self Injury Awareness Day was pretty close. Also, it’s a sensitive topic and I hope that the story somehow goes on to make the smallest of contributions in its own capacity.

I’d like to thank each and everyone at Grey Oak for all their help and support. Especially, Ahmed, for giving me this opportunity and Rohini, for giving the final shape to Bellow Yellow. I don’t think I can ever thank them enough for letting me be a part of this!

Then of course, I have to thank my mum, my dad, my family and friends, my non-existent dog whom I had named Tuffy back when I was a compulsive Hum Aapke Hain Koun watching five year old and last but certainly not the least, Twitter, the precious that played a major role in getting things done.