A novel in progress

My son Vishnu, on reading the first few pages of my first novel, asked me: "Accha, have you read Paulo Coelho's 'The Zahir'?"

When I said no, he went to his bookshelf and brought out the book.

I read four or five pages and realised what I had in mind might be the same as what Coelho had. From the way it begins, I understood 'The Zahir' is about a husband finding one fine morning his wife had vanished without leaving a trace. My novel in progress begins with a character finding his lover missing a few days before they are to get married.

I must admit it was bit of a shock. I felt the same way I had felt when an apple fell on my head some time back prompting me to expound the laws of gravity. But the patenting officer looked up the records and said: "Tough luck, buddy. Another chap has done it already."

"Don't lose heart," my son told me, seeing the expression on my face. "The thing to do is to finish what you have begun. Then read 'The Zahir', if you have't already".

He also advised me not to put my novel on the blog. He said it might as well win the Nobel. And Nobel winning books are not usually posted on the blog due to the new Cyber Laws. He is more into current trends; he knows better.

So, I am closing the blog http://www.gopalvedam.blogspot.com/ where I had started posting 'Whirlpool', my novel in progress. The rest of the novel I propose to write in the seclusion of my room here and my son shall not enter this room and touch my computer.

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