3 Aug 2009

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Busy looking after her writers’ colony and hoping for a holiday in Spain with her husband and children, Shruti Narayan is startled to find a rather unwanted email in her inbox one morning. It is an invitation to a reunion at her college in Bangalore. It takes her a second to delete the mail. After all, why would she want to leave her life in Philadelphia to visit the past that she has left so far behind, to go back to Priya, the best friend she deserted, and to Jaggu, the old flame she once rejected? But as luck would have it, her husband finds out about the reunion and

Shruti and her family find themselves at the gates of her college. Desperate to ensure that her family does not learn about her past escapades, yet unable to prevent herself from revisiting old memories, Shruti is caught in a guilty whirlpool of emotions and desires, as she struggles to reconcile past and present loyalties.

A vibrant over-the-shoulder take on student life and young love, Cloud 9 Minus One is as much about nostalgia as it is about moving on.

Sangeeta Mall recently completed her Masters in Creative Writing from the University of Pittsburgh. An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, Sangeeta is an ardent Humanist and edits the International Humanist News.

This is her first novel.

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  • hey Sangs
    this is good, I have to definitely read the book. Sounds like all of us ….
    And we just had our IIMA reunion this year

    Roshini 4.Sep.2009 9:37 am

  • Hmmmmm! Sounds like a blast from the past……which most of us have enjoyed and experienced.

    If only for the sake of curiosity, I think it should be a must read.

    Reminds me of an article in Times yesterday, where there is a mention that earlier there used to be love, now there is only relationship amongst teens and young adults.

    Good luck!

    Meena Khilnani 7.Sep.2009 5:23 pm

  • this seems interesting…i’ll b there at the launch

    aishwarya 3.Oct.2009 2:51 pm

  • Hi Sangeeta,

    Can’t wait to read the book. Would it be too much to ask you to ship us a copy to our US address? Will pay you for all the expenses, of course.

    Lakshman-Rekha.

    Ram Lakshmanan 10.Oct.2009 3:53 pm

  • Just found a post about your book on FB. Sounds an interesting read. Good luck.

    Ankush 23.Oct.2009 6:01 am

  • A very interesting title, look forward to reading it. All the best

    bhuvana 23.Oct.2009 4:12 pm

  • Dear Sangeeta,

    I just finished reading your book Cloud Nine minus one( an intriguing title which made me buy it in spur of the chick-lit kind of cover), which by the way I bought in India on my trip there2 weeks ago.

    The book is really a good one for a first-time writer; especially the economy and the beauty if your language. The plot and characters Re impressive too. I just did not like the rushed- ending with all the ends tied up rather hastily…

    Look forward to your next one! All the best.
    Dee

    Dee 25.Oct.2009 12:48 pm

  • Hi Sangeeta,
    i finished reading the book yesterday and believe me it took me just 5 good days…so u can imagine how glued i was to the book…..The cover image is so catchy!..
    I hope you are planning to come up with another one soon…..
    Am waiting!

    Loads of luck!!!
    Anupa

    Anupa 9.Nov.2009 5:32 am

  • Hi Sangeeta, How can I gift this book to my sister in law in the US ? I live in Australia and I bought this lovely book on my trip to India last month and have been engrossed completely .. I cant find it on Amazon.. is there any other books website which ships to the US ??
    Her birthday is approaching and she’s Ex-IIMA – am sure she will love it ! .. Mayeb even more than me..
    Looking forward..

    Jyoti 17.Dec.2009 11:10 pm

  • Sangeeta,

    Some 6 hours and on 245th page, happy that there is still some 100 pages.

    Can say for sure this book is an awesome write..

    An avid follower of authors like you, i have discerning taste of finding what qualifies to be a novel..

    Kudos…

    Abhishek 28.Dec.2009 8:39 pm

  • Hi Sangeeta,

    Frankly speaking ,I dont like reading and even i dont rememeber why i brought this book.

    But Cloud Nine Minus one is simply fabulous and mind blowing . Keep up your good work .

    I’ve recomended this book to 5 of my good friends
    Let me know when is your next book coming I’m eager to read it too

    Regards
    Manish

    Manish 25.Jan.2010 9:19 am

  • I read the book…simply superb..the story goes just like fatak…tooo gud…will sangeeta be writing any more books ???

    Venkatesh 29.Jan.2010 4:58 pm

  • Thanks Anupa. It is always rewarding for a writer to hear that the reader has appreciated the book. That is, in fact, my biggest reward. I might post your comment in the reprint of my book, and would like to get a brief line about you.

    sangeetamall 12.Feb.2010 2:45 pm

  • Thanks Manish. I do hope all your friends also enjoy CNMO as much as you did. Would love to know where you are from, and your background.

    sangeetamall 12.Feb.2010 2:47 pm

  • Thanks Venkatesh. Can you tell me briefly your background?

    sangeetamall 12.Feb.2010 2:49 pm

  • Hi Sangeeta,

    Started reading CNMO today and finished it in 5 hours straight…was glued to it completely….Loved your descriptions of places and sketching of characters….and a sort of interplay between past and present…Looking forward to more novels from you in the future

    Siddharth G. Majhi
    BE(Electronics and Communication-final year)
    BIT,Mesra,Ranchi

    Siddharth Gaurav Majhi 20.Mar.2010 10:06 am

  • Yes, I sort of like all the characters as well. In fact in the reprint, there’s going to be a contest where you can make the character say what you like. That should be fun!

    sangeetamall 20.Mar.2010 2:04 pm

  • Message:

    Dear Sangeeta,

    I simple loved the book. Made me travel back in time to my own days at my B school, SIBM, twenty years ago and the reunion. :)
    Amazing read this book.

    Regards
    Sonali Brahma
    +

    http://writersonalibrahma.blogspot.com/

    Sonali Brahma 14.May.2010 11:27 am

  • Thanks Sonali.

    Hope you like my blog. Am currently reading your blog. Can you put link my blog to yours? That way more people can get to it.

    sangeeta 25.May.2010 3:37 pm

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