Recently longlisted for the Tata Literature Live! First Book Award at the Mumbai LitFest - one of India’s most prominent literary awards - The House Next to the Factory is now published for the first time in the UK. Already a critical and commercial success in India, The House Next to the Factory shows a changing India over three decades through the lens of one family and the house that they live in, over nine interlinked stories set largely in Delhi between 1980 and 2010.
Author Sonal Kohli says, ‘‘It's a great honour for me to be in such accomplished company, as the Tata Literature Live! First Book Award is one of the most prestigious Indian literary awards and has a reputation of recognizing the very best books of the year.’
‘I wrote this, my first book, over the last decade in three continents, five countries and numerous cities. Since I didn’t have a background in literature or writing, I thought it would be easier to write short stories as opposed to a novel, just in terms of length, but the more I wrote them and the more I read them, the more I fell in love with the short story.’
‘All the stories in the book are fictional, but they are inspired from things I’ve seen, observed or come across. I hope, with this recognition, that my book might now reach new territories and find new readers.’
The winner will be announced at the Festival in Mumbai in the next week. The House Next to the Factory is published as a £12.99 hardback by Swift Press www.swiftpress.com
