"Writing today is more of the visual kind"

Part of a group of writers from Britain on a tour coordinated by the British Council Division, Mackay gushed about the films of Satyajit Ray and "the lyrical poets" she met at a seminar at Lucknow. Having authored nine novels and three collections of short stories, the 50-plus petite Mackay could not but recall the pre-computer days of inky manuscripts and the "gentleman’s profession" ofpublishing — icons which have been displaced by large American conglomerates.

Not surprisingly, a young writer expects a fat contract and publicity in the form of readings, promotions and festivals, Mackay said. Answering several queries after an hour-long reading in the first person singular narrative, Mackay admitted that the new generation’s writing was more "visual" and had shorter crisper dialogues — possibly to adapt the story to a film script later on.

The Orchard on Fire is written in the form of a memoir. Constructing a novel of childhood, Mackay shows that stereotypes are sometimes merely insights offered by children. Mackay however does not identify with contemporary writers. Still hoping to do things her own way, the writer wondered aloud about images of mutilation and the proclivity to shock readers that so pervades the writings of the new generation.

"I read some of Roy’s The God of Small Things," she said, replying to queries, "It was lively and humorous but I did not feelcompelled to finish it."

Exaggerated rumours on the death of a novel have been around for some years now, but for the novelist whose A Bowl of Cherries and Dreams of Dead Women’s Handbags received rave reviews, the novel cannot die.

The author was introduced by Dr Prashant Sinha, head of the English department, University of Pune.