Growing pains

Khosla is a shy teenager who spent the larger part of her days at her boarding school, Lawrence School, Sanawar. Her experiences there form the inspiration for her book which really started out as a diary when she was 16. 8220;I had a lot of time after my board exams. What began as a diary finally turned into a book.8221;

Khosla writes in a lucid, straightforward style about the ups and downs of being young. Through Tiana, the central character, Khosla recounts her own experiences at school8212;the constant need to fit in and finding your own individuality. 8220;I wrote this book for other teenagers who go through the same dilemmas,8221; she says importantly.

Khosla proclaims she was always passionate about writing. To hone her interest, she joined An Actor Prepares, an acting school run by Anupam Kher in Mumbai. There she trained in scriptwriting among other things. Khosla also intends to pursue a career in Film writing and has already gained admission into the New York Film Academy.

Khosla was only 15 when she declared to her parents that she wanted to write a book. They were always supportive about her ambitions, she says. Pink or Black was done by the time she was 17. What followed was the hunt for a publisher and the re-writing of the first chapter, until finally Rupa 038; Co showed interest.

8220;Tishaa8217;s book is fantastic for its simple writing style and the way it connects immediately to the reader. It takes you back to your own school days,8221; says Kapish Mehra of Rupa who has also published books by the likes of Chetan Bhagat and L K Advani. The market for chick-lit is certainly growing in India, he says, slotting Khosla8217;s book in the same category. But for the girl, the book is an earnest attempt at making sense of the 8216;Wonder Years8217; for herself and for others her age.

Khosla8217;s book was launched in Mumbai on Thursday by her mentor Kher. Her next book, she says, will also be about youngsters. 8220;But this time it will be a romantic one,8221; she discloses coyly.