Exit-stance - Publisher's Remarks

Publisher’s Remarks at the book launch event for Exit-stance, April 2, 2011 at Ajanta Indian Restaurant, Dayton, Ohio.


Good afternoon everybody and thank you Dr. Percy,


A few months back I decided to start this venture or adventure the Sharonom Media Group. And I am the owner and CEO.

You were probably expecting some big shot publisher from some big city, didn’t you?

But before I go into the details about what our Media Group is all about, I would like to say that Dr. Tom Percy, the long time Trustee and former President of the India Foundation and a very good friend has kindly agreed to formally launch our first publication. I will soon invite him to formally launch our first publication.

Exit-stance is the first publication of the Sharonom Meida Group and right now, while I am talking with you, the folks at the big time local Media Company is shaking in their pants.

According to my partner in this venture, The Sharonom Media Group will be involved in all sorts of media – films, stage shows, Broadway musicals, television, broadcasting, printing and publishing. We are going to have our presence in the cyber world too.

As our first project I signed up a relatively unknown writer from this town. I had to massage his big ego, entice him and kind of seduce him with all sorts of promises … and I am happy to say, it has worked – the publication of Exit-stance – a play written by Harish Trivedi.

For this special occasion, the Sharonom Media Group is offering a special discount. Regular price less the discount makes this book PRICE LESS.

The buyers of this very limited edition book will be provided with a certificate of ownership duly signed by the author himself.

The certificate would make the buyer the legal owner of the book that the buyer can hold and cherish in perpetuity and maybe read it again and again too …

So without much ado and with great pleasure and personal pride I would like to invite Dr. Tom Percy to launch the publication of Exit-stance.

Why I feel secure…

By Harish Trivedi,
© 2011

Your Editor says -

"For the first time, (as they say 'in my life' ) I feel secure like never before...."

* An insurance company is 'by my side',

* Another insurance company keeps telling me, 'State Farm is there...’ My problem is I do not know where 'there' is?

* A local TV channel keeps saying, 'On Your side', sometimes I get up in the middle of the night and instead of the lovely 'weather girl' (do they still use the term 'Weather Girl') I find my cat trying to get on the better part of my comforter,

* Since I wear the medical alert, I know if I

'fall and cannot get up'

some one will come and help me get up. This is something I am tempted to try... I am, according to some religious leaders already 'a fallen soul’ I wonder if the ‘bracelet people’ would help me get up...

* I know everything, I happen happen to have the entire 'Idiot's guide to....' books,

* My cereal contains 'daily required amount of fiber' so I don't have to chew on rug to alleviate any fiber deficiency.

* My yogurt contains the antioxidants that are good for me,

* My coffee is 'caffeine free’...

* I get more than required amount of BS from the TV talk shows and the talking heads...

* I have learned to live with socio-psychological issues from Dr. Phil,

* I know whom to call if I ever develop any symptoms of Mesothelioma, (even though the TV commercials do not say if one can developed the symptoms by being exposed to such commercials over a number of years...)

* The Ohio law has made it simple, only two individual needs to sign a statement that says, 'He is dangerous to him and needs to be confined....’ I know the 'missej' and my niece are ready to use that legal provision any time they think I am dangerous to myself - that happens to be all the time...so I am waiting for guys with straight-jacket'....

And finally (that is how such things are written), so And finally -

One more time - 'Again, as they say, having so many friends, who needs enemies?'

Exit-stance Ownership Certificate

Exit-stanceBook launch

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Ajanta Indian Restaurant
2 pm to 4. 30 pm


Exit-stance

Certificate of Ownership
I, (.....your name), take thee Exit-stance as my lawfully bought book at a discounted price.

I promise to protect, preserve and keep thee for life. I further promise not to loan my copy of Exit-stance to anyone or let anyone borrow thee from me.

Administrator of oath:

You now kiss your Twelve Dollars good bye and kiss your copy of Exit-stance.

I wish you pleasant reading.



Signed this day, Saturday, April 2, 2011

Exit-stance: Book Release Report

This is a very belated and long overdue 'news' report of the lanuching of Exit-stance (my play)


Exit-stance book launch event news report:

Note that no big time geriatric literary figure from Gujarat was asked to do the book launch, no fanfare (well there was some of it because the big time dramatist had paid for it), but definitely no press coverage with big photos and pompous speeches... Prior to the formal launching of the book, Dr. Raghava Gowda read excerpts from Exit-stance and that was followed by Sharonjee reading three scenes from my one-character play An Evening with Mary Carpenter. Both the readings lasted a little over twenty-minutes each with a very enthusiastic and standing ovation. (The standing part was due to lack of seats in the restaurant)

And here's my totally unobjective, dramatic and very self-serving report: (Some people just have no shame or any concept of modesty)

Dr. Tom Percy launched the book by tearing off the fancy gift-wrap in which the book was ensconced with a dramatic flourish - appropriate to the occasion and made equally generous remarks about the writing skills of the dramatist and his writing skills. Dr. Percy thanked the Publisher too for this very first publication under the Sharon Media Group banner.

The Publisher then invited the dramatist for his lofty and profound remarks that included his dramatic reading of the legal ownership certificate that was to be provided to the very enthusiastic or very reluctant (take your pick) guests. Over fifty very enthusiastic or reluctant guests clamored to buy a copy of Exit-stance, get their photos taken with the dramatist and of course the obligatory autograph and signed certificate of ownership from the dramatist was provided to all...(Some of the guests took more than one copy of the signed certificate and additional copies had to be printed)

During the remarks by the dramatist and at his urging (thinking that it was inevitable) many of the guests chose to rush for the dessert or to refill their wine glasses. Incidentally the cake was covered with a photo of the cover-page of the book. The cake was covered with the said photo that was printed on edible paper. Yes, this small city in the mid-west has very good bakeries run by descendants of German, Polish and Hugarian immigrants. One could actually hear their grunts from the back rooms where they bake such goodies. (The dramatist thought that the process of kneading the dough for bread and pastries was very sensuous and at times erotic and totally irrelevant part of this news report).

Later the niece of the dramatist Alpa Mahuvakar and her family hosted that evening a dinner with assistance from the Publisher where some thirty hand picked guests were present. The dinner menu was meticulously selected or prepared by Alpa and the Publisher. Merlot from Woodridge winery from the Sonoma Valley flowed like water and was consumed by few guests but mostly by the dramatist.

Just about the time when the guest were getting ready to stagger out of the restaurant, Alpa and the Publisher surreptitiously sprang open a big box of birthday cake. Even though the dramatist's birthday is usually in January this was a surprise celebration of the historic birthday. A truly big surprise for the dramatist! Every one sang Happy Birthday, some hummed while some faked singing. The dramatist made the thank you cum after dinner speech wherein he said how he and the misses generally request to be seated in the non-birthday section of a restaurant where they do not have to listen to some guest celebrating some relative, spouse or mistress's birthdays...

The dramatist now overwhelmed by some indescribable emotions, very tipsy and suddenly feeling very OLD, thanked the guests and staggered towards the car...

It is assumed that good time was had by all or at least by one person - the dramatist!

Now if you can correctly tell me how many times the words the dramatist has appeared in this report you may qualify for a prize that is not worth a damn! (Of course void where prohibited by law or spouse)

(Excerpted from Ass - ociated Press, very Random house report, Barns and Stables news and other unheard of news and wired services)

Re: A Rejoinder from Natwar Gandhi

Re: Missing the Point--Harsh Trivedi on Gujarati Diaspora Writing,
A Rejoinder by Natwar Gandhi

(Note: - The ‘rejoinder’ was ‘forwarded’ to me by a kind friend. Later Mr.Natwar Gandhi too sent me a revised version of his rejoinder. My reply to Mr. Gandhi is based on his original 'rejoinder')_

A reply to Natwar Gandhi’s ‘rejoinder’
By Harsh Trivedi
© June 2011.

Art thou troubled milord?
(From a Hymnal)

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks."
(William Shakespeare, Hamlet)

1) Harish Trivedi (his blog--2011) sees irony in publishing activities surrounding the launching of my book Pennsylvania Avenue.
Yes, I did see irony as well as hypocrisy, I must admit.
Next?

2) Further, newspaper interviews, dramatic readings of poems by stage actors at a well-publicized publishing event organized by the publisher—“the whole shindig”—smacks of hypocrisy to him. Quoting words from an article that I had written earlier criticizing such activities, Trivedi writes, “this proves that Natwar Gandhi is no exception to what he strongly abhors in others. Hypocrisy? Chutzpah or just plain audacity of hype—you be the judge.” If Trivedi is keen on proving that I am a hypocrite practicing what I criticize in others, he need not have wasted his considerable energy and several pages. The case could have been made quickly and easily and only in a few words. To the charge of hypocrisy, I plead guilty.

Physician, heal thyself…. The last sentence in 2) above could very well be applied to Natwarbhai’s long and rather self-serving exercise in rationalization. He admits, albeit grudgingly the validity of my criticism but abhors my guts for writing about it…

2) Harsh Trivedi (his blog--2011) sees irony in publishing activities surrounding the launching of my book Pennsylvania Avenue. In particular, favorable news paper columns by Mumbai’s literary lion Suresh Dalal, a well known Gujarati poet and publisher of the book, bothered him.

The fact that this so-called literary lion also happens to be the publisher of Natwarbhai’s book. So any laudatory note, deserved or undeserved constitutes a conflict of interest on the part of this lion. The fact that this particular newspaper continues to publish this lion’s writings as a piece of legit criticism further compounds the folly and makes the newspaper publishers complicit in this shenanigans. This is something worth bothering about, no complaining about and shouting about from the rooftops. Natwarbhai has ignored this important fact when he comes to the defense of this ‘lion’. Natwarbhai seems to follow the dictum don’t let facts come in the way of a good diatribe.

Suresh Dalal’s (the literary lion as Natwarbhai calls him) columns in newspapers and periodicals about works that are published by his own publishing house (well, may be he does not own it, but surely acts as if he does and no body seems to care either) could be described in one word - hagiography. But who are we to complain about this professional promoter, the one who acts like a side -show barker and hides under the moniker of a ‘literary lion’ given to him by one of his own clients?

3) As is often the case in contemporary Gujarati literary criticism, Trivedi’s reading of my article is literal and superficial. Worse yet, his criticism is personal. But he simply misses the point.

I have responded rather at great length and point by point to Natwarbhai’s misconceived and in my opinion ill advised pompous, grand eloquent and presumptuous paean to the NRI Gujarati writers. His view of the criticism of his article simplistic and personal criticism defies logic and undermines Natwarbhai’s own apologia. Readers are welcome to check out my bog on this subject and ascertain the truth at http://harishtrivedi.blogspot.com/2010/08/natwar-gandhi-on-gujarati-diaspora_34.html

5) If NRI writing is to emerge as authentic, the aspiring NRI writer would have to see through all the hoopla—“shindig”— surrounding the publication including favorable reviews and press notices. I wrote, “Most forewords and prefaces offered to NRI writers are misleading at best and disingenuous at worst.” Unfortunately, hypnotized by these false praises, “the writer is under an illusion that the literary doors have been opened to him and he goes back to his writing desk determined to do more writing. Encouraged in such a fashion, we have North American NRI writers who have dozens of books to their credit.


6) Contrary to prevailing NRI publishing practice, none of my book contains any introduction or preface by any of the worthies of Gujarati literature. Nor does it contain on back cover or elsewhere in the book any excerpts from numerous favorable reviews and laudatory comments.

Well, there could be couple of reasons for this absence of excerpts of reviews on the back covers of Natwarbhai’s books. It could be the fact that no one had read his book prior to publication. The absence of ‘preface’ or ‘forward’ in his books may be because of the money that some of our Gujarati ‘preface’ and ‘forward’ writers demand. Of course this absence could simply described as the gentle and very modest authors own choice. Nothing wrong about it.

It seems as if Natwarbhai is alluding to the publication of my play Exit-stance (I am going to shamelessly plug my play that has been recently published and perhaps cause some annoyance in the process…) If so, let me clarify – The reviews and comments, some of which appear in my book and the back cover came from folks who either had seen the play or read a copy of the manuscript of Exit-stance. The use of blurbs, quotes, prefaces, reviews and what have you is a tool for marketing of a publication. Use of such method is a matter of choice and it should not be used as an occasion for needless cheap shots as any one, particularly at one who has written, no matter how unflattering an expose of a recent publicity stunt in Mamba, India.

7) I also know that there is a novelty factor in my attempting to write poetry while still deeply engaged in a day job as Chief Financial Officer of managing the $10 billion budget of Washington, DC. Many commentators both here and at home have wondered how I maintain literary interests and write poetry in arcane Sanskrit meters after nearly fifty years of living in the United States. Or, for that matter, I write at all while maneuvering my ways through the treacherous waters of Washington politics and public finance. All this makes an interesting human story and good copy for newspapers.

What an example of modesty! More power to you Natwarbhai!

It seems as if any other Gujarati diaspora writers do not have to hold a full-time job in order to survive, as if every one of those Gujarati writers hold a high paying government job, as if every one is married to a rich banker and does not have to do any house work except to travel and write… Wouldn’t it be nice if it were so!

Natwarbhai, why don’t you ask some of these Diaspora Gujarati writers whom you are providing some unsolicited advise as to what they have to do to survive. You would be surprised by what you hear from them. Distributing newspapers each morning, starting around 3 am, cleaning up toilets in the high-rise offices, criss-crossing the neighborhoods to count heads for the Census Bureau, unemployed for over twenty years and living on a parsley pension and social security payments…. Their writing is no less useful, important, relevant and at times enlightening than some one who manages a $10 billion budget!

Only Natwarbhai holds a very important job as a Chief Financial Officer and manages s budget of $10 billion dollars, of places in Wahsington D.C. So no wonder the poor scribe in Mumbai finds there in a human-interest story. Sorry, for missing this human-interest angle!

I remember an incident that occurred not too long ago, when a reputed writer’s column had erroneously printed one less zero in the billion figure of Natwarbhai’s budget and Natwarbhai had taken this poor wretch of a writer to task for missing some zeros.

Here is an excerpt from a ‘thank you’ note that I had sent to Natwarbhai at that time –

‘You have thoughtfully pointed out 1) Possibly the obvious lapse in proof reading or 2) your concern that some readers may think that (the columnist’s) literary sense and sensibilities are far better than his monetary understanding... (Natwarbhai’s words) How well you have expressed this in your own discreet, diplomatic and subtle way!’

‘Reading your note I also learned something that I was not aware of - that because of some misprint or error in proofing some zeros were misplace in the billion figure and it may cause - hurt feelings of hundreds of thousands of District (of Columbia) citizens of which Mr. Barack Obama is one - who would read this particular column by ... Again your thoughtfulness and concerns about the feelings of your fellow citizens was evident there...’

‘While I do not know the print circulation of the newspaper that publishes ( ) column or the number of people who read Gujarati in the Washington DC area, I am sure the Divya Bhaskar editors and publishers would be happy and ecstatic to know that hundreds of thousands of Washington DC folks read ( ) column. Not only that but the DC citizens are also vigilant about any inaccuracy in news pertaining to their district. I am really thrilled and illuminated by this discovery!’ - From my note to Natwarbhai, July 14, 2010.


Frankly, I did not know that many people in the D.C area read this newspaper column with such a dedication and an eye for details and misprints – all written in Gujarati. But I digress let us move on….

8) Without trying to make any comparison, I would not be surprised if the notable novelist and playwright K. M. Munshi also aroused similar human interest in his day because in addition to his prolific literary output he also distinguished himself in law, politics and government.
Without trying to make any comparison – But you do so sir, you do…

9) I have no illusion of grandeur about what I write or what I do in Washington. Since I have not applied for sainthood, let me take this opportunity to plead guilty, in addition to hypocrisy, to many other deadly sins as well for the benefit of Trivedi and all others who have their watchful eyes on what I do and write.

Natwarbhai says, I have no illusion of grandeur about what I write or what I do in Washington. That may be so and we take his word for it. I know he is a very modest and unassuming person. No doubt or question about this on my part and I hope every one knows this fact…

My only gripe or complain is this - Natwarbhai could have spared all of us the trouble of reading his ‘rejoinder’, albeit a very late ‘rejoinder’ at that, (since my bog was posted in August of 2010) simply by pleading guilty, in addition to admitting being a hypocrite etc. in the last paragraph of his rather a long ‘rejoinder’.

As far as I know, no one had asked him to write a rejoinder and no one had asked him to plead guilty to any real or imaginary sin.

No one has any right to ask Natwarbhai or for that matter any one else to admit guilt for anything that they may have done. It is none of any one’s business. And as far as I am concerned no one should ask him to admit to anything, let him manage the $10 million budget and keep writing in arcane Sanskrit meters…