Botched

Radhika Ray has been in discussion again. After hiatus of half a decade. Her comeback novel, “In a Gorge” has been selling well. But it is burnt often, and meagerly read.

           Radhika sighs, “Readership is the prize and price.”

           A book well sold but seldom read, accumulating dust is just another lame peace of furniture or dwelling place fixture. Like a candelabra in a room connected to a power grid fed by nuclear power. She pauses thinking here.

           This very thought, if expressed, would be stigmatized. The thinker would be called insensitive and cruel. After Chernobyl or Fukushima or Three Mile Island, all nuclear power plants have been deemed evil. What about Stalin? Or, any revolutionary leader turned dictator? Some are even worshiped as incarnation of Jesus.

           Besides, the critiques are either shallow or pervert. How come they miss the simile of candelabra and book? How come they stereotype the reference of mighty non-stop generation and supply of nuclear power to all accidents at nuclear power plants? Huh! Comparing apple and oranges…..

           After watching online streaming services, Radhika was forced to stop writing. To gather her act together. The speed and spice of the digital media was so grasping, her fictions had to match up the pace. She practiced depicting situations with intensified graphics. The language of her creations had to change, too. The plots needed to be mythical as well as futuristic. Protagonist or the antagonist needed either to be sorcerer or powerful due to some natural yet exclusive event. Like being bitten by a radioactive rat. Also, the plot needed to add up to an allegory where readers can relate themselves. Theme must be contemporary.

           Radhika knew it could not be a giant piece of historical novel anymore. It needs huge action and breath-taking drama. Hence, she chosen her protagonist to be a woman. Simple, straight, strong, stylish, clever, witty woman. She painted her antagonist of “In a Gorge” as a gay, brown, cosmopolitan, crook.

           In the climactic twist, the antagonist surprisingly appears to be bisexual where he raped and killed the protagonist. Radhika only wanted to follow the trend of darkness reigning in the literary world.

           The social media trolled her calling misogynist. Print media called her homophobic. Television branded her racist. Digital media painted her pacifist.

           Hence, feminist groups and students has bought her books in kilos and burnt them in violent demonstrations. The overt sympathizers of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer groups has bought her book in thousands to correct her offensive texts in red inks. They have sent her letters advising learning Genders in school again. The Brown Movement, a platform that defends brown people’s right globally, has been buying her books in tons and burning them in protest of Radhika’s choice of skin color for her antagonist. They have been pretending as if Radhika, herself has been black or white or yellow or of any other color than brown! The revolutionary groups are vandalizing book shops and kiosks, even those that do not sell her book “In a Gorge”, to criticize alleged pacifism in Radhika’s writing.

           Radhika is swelling in anger. She has been observing the situation for too long. She starts to retaliate.

           Signing on all available social media channels is her first baby step. Then she starts posting, “The morons that burning ‘In a Gorge’ are illiterates.”

           Radhika’s publisher shares her post and sale of “In a Gorge” records new hike. So does its burning.

           Encouraged by her publisher’s attention, Radhika posts further, “All writers are not authors. Most calls them authors aspiring to be another celebrity. But I write from passion. Just for the sake of joy of writing, for the sake of thrill of going through the process of writing.”

           Writers community comes after her. They ban her from all writing circles. Yet she remains invited in upcoming literary festivals, literary seminars, literary award ceremonies, book releases, bookstore openings. Demonstrators creates hullaballoo in some of these events. Some writers boycott some of these events protesting Radhika remaining participant in them.

           Indignant Radhika comments overtly, obviously on social media, “Unlike people posting on social media all along day to show off their sympathy towards oppressive issues in the society, instead of learning and practicing literary art form, I have invested in studying literature and writing fictions for decades. In order to rejuvenate my craft, I have gone through a creative lull of five years.”

           Troll machinery leashes out, “Yours is no craft. Just crap.”

           More she writes posts on social media her agent delivers her to more news discussions on contemporary issues on national television channel in prime-time slots. Sale of ‘In a Gorge’ increases drastically. Events of burning and littering the book increases proportionately.

           Before turn of a quarter from publication of ‘In a Gorge’, Radhika’s publisher and her agent insists on helping her writing another book gorier, filthier, uglier, darker so that they can publish the book during next quarter. Perplexed she enquires, “How can I finish writing so soon?”

           Radhika’s publisher replied, “You needn’t do it all by yourself. I’ll provide you with a team of writers. You just advise them on plots, language …. Guide the team on form and presentation… I mean technicalities. You’ll get a ten percent hike than ‘In a Gorge’ ….”

           Radhika protests, “If its not my writing, then I’m uncomfortable to put my name on it.”

           Her agent argues, “Remember, you cannot decide that on your own. Money is flying around. It’s now your turn to grab them tightly in your grip.”

           Radhika seeks ways to avoid the despicable act of putting her name as sole author on creative work of another writer or group of writers. She says, “Time constraints are there. Juggling media…”

           Her agent makes her silent, “That’s why the team. You just need to supervise their endeavor.”

           Radhika sighs once more, “I think, I no more understand the business of literary art form. Or there is no more place for it. It is now whatever sells for whatever reasons…”