While you have read my books and theater reviews previously, Kite is my first published work of fiction. It appears in Issue 14 of Gold Man Review.
The years pass, and memory starts to fade. Even so, despite the changing world, some images from long ago can seize hold of one’s mind, coming up front and center when we least expect it. A man, almost 100 years old, recalls flashes of incidents from when he was a boy, and struggles to understand what happened decades ago.
I won’t tell you much more about the story itself, but I would like you know that Kite contains the opening stanza of Ramanan, a 1936 pastoral elegy by beloved Kerala poet Changampuzha Krishna Pillai (1911-1948). The stanza was translated from Malayalam into English at my request by Gita Krishnankutty, known for her award-winning translations from Malayalam of notable works by MT Vasudevan Nair, among others. I can’t express how honored I am at her generosity in doing the translation.
Here are some of Gita's translations that I have acquired over the years, many at DC Books in Kochi.
I had the great pleasure of meeting Gita in 2023 when she had come from Chennai (where she lives) to the Bay Area to visit her sons. Our conversation -- about life, family, books, Malayalam literature, translations -- filled my heart.
Some of Gita's copies are in the picture below--I have yet to find a couple of them.
I will write more about her translations that I have been reading -- stay tuned! Her work has opened those worlds to me. I am so grateful for the lovely translation of the Ramanan stanza she provided to include in Kite.
Kite is in the latest collection of stories and poems in Issue No. 14 of Gold Man Review, which came out on November 1st 2024. I love the cover! The shark fin rising from the waves hints at all that lurks beneath the surface, roiling in the depths.
You can find this issue on Amazon, and also Barnes and Noble. See below for the links for the US and a few other countries.
United States: (Paperback and Kindle)
Gold Man Review Issue 14: Review, Gold Man, Cuthbertson, Heather, Halpenny, Eric, Price, Kaitlynn, Rich, Ashley: 9798987025338: Amazon.com: Books
Australia: (Paperback and Kindle)
Gold Man Review Issue 14 : Review, Gold Man, Cuthbertson, Heather, Halpenny, Eric, Price, Kaitlynn, Rich, Ashley: Amazon.com.au: Books
India: (Paperback and Kindle)
Gold Man Review Issue 14 eBook : Review, Gold Man, Cuthbertson, Heather, Halpenny, Eric, Price, Kaitlynn, Rich, Ashley: Amazon.in: Kindle Store
United Kingdom: (Paperback and Kindle)
Gold Man Review Issue 14: Amazon.co.uk: Review, Gold Man, Cuthbertson, Heather, Halpenny, Eric, Price, Kaitlynn, Rich, Ashley: 9798987025338: Books
Singapore: (Paperback)
You can search Amazon in your geography to find it....
If you prefer Barnes and Noble, the issue is here:
Happy reading!
Raji, I'm so sorry that I haven't got to reading this yet. I'll have to get my hands on the review! Many congratulations on KITE being published in Gold Man Review. I love the cover too. Thank you for introducing me to the translations by Gita Krishnankutty. I'd love to read them for my Substack newsletter.