About Francesca and Eliza

Seven years ago, my book ‘FRANCESCA AND ELIZA’ had been published. At that time I was super proud and excited about it. I felt that though it wasn’t the best story I had written (because I thought REPEATED LIVES was supreme), it was the longest one I had written. It was about 40,000 words.

Nowadays, of course, I’m writing books that are three times longer than that.

At first, I was going to scrap the story. Midway, while writing it, I had lost my passion for the theme and decided to start on another idea that was slowly developing in my mind (That was, AWAKENED ONE NIGHT). But when my editor contacted me, asking me if I had another book in the works, I was in a pickle. The story I wanted to write, hadn’t been planned out at all. I only had Francesca and Eliza that was somewhat ready. I just needed an ending.

I told my editor, that yes, I had one that I was going to send in. In a matter of few days, Francesca and Eliza had an ending and I sent it, biting my nails as I did so because I wasn’t sure it was written the way I had imagined it.

Later on, during the editing process, I did read the story as a whole, something I hadn’t done before. Yes, it was an amateur move. I read the whole thing in a day and was pleasantly surprised. The ending had written on a whim but it worked! It was my first story that had a plot twist that I felt my readers won’t see coming.

That day I learned that subconsciously, I had written out the whole story in my mind and it was perfect the way it was.

Seven years later, when I was told that a second edition was being planned, the nervousness returned. I like to believe that I have matured as a writer and reading one of my earlier works, filled me with anxiety. What if it isn’t as good as I thought it would be? What if, my foundation as a writer was weak?

I started work on the edits, yet again, and this time I read it as I wanted my readers to read it: with a keen, careful eye. I’ll admit, it isn’t the best story I’ve written. The best one, the one I am damn proud of, is yet to be published. It’s all ready for a suitable publisher.

But, for a young adult/dark fantasy, novella, I was proud to have written something like Francesca and Eliza. I had forgotten what I had done with this story, and how I had ended it, so while reading it, I found myself waiting to find out what happened next.

It had the pace every novella should have and it mystical elements in it, without delving too deep into the dark arts. The characters had different personalities, the leads were unique. As soon as I finished reading it and making minute changes, I could send it back to my editor with confidence and pride.

This is a book that I am proud of. I loved the cover when it first came out and I am happy that the second edition cover came out well, too. All thanks to my editor, of course.

FRANCESCA AND ELIZA is an enjoyable read, that much I can promise. The twist will take you by surprise, as it did me, even after seven years.

See for yourself. Get it at a special price on the CLP website