Celebrating a local author

It always amazes me how much talent lives right on our doorstep. Nestled in our Quick Choice books collection in the new relaxation corner of the Library, you can find many fantastic reads; today I’d like to highlight one written by the mother of one of our students who published the novel Cry of the hornbill with one of India’s most reputable traditional publishers. Not only has Mrs Iqubal kindly donated a copy of her new book to the Library, but she agreed to tell us more about the writing process and becoming a published author.

Here, she answers our questions…

Where the book is set and what it is about?

The novel is set in the beautiful hill town of Kohima in Nagaland, a lush north eastern state in India famous for its topography as much as its rich tribal tradition and culture. Cry of the Hornbill is a fiction crime thriller based in Nagaland, India with the Rohingya crisis as its pivotal backdrop.

In the remote hills of Nagaland where ancient traditions meet modern life, the decapitation of a young photo journalist Tanya Singh during the Hornbill Festival, shakes the quiet town of Kohima. Inspector John Angami, a seasoned but disillusioned officer, sets out on a dangerous chase to solve the crime.

The investigation takes him into the tumultuous lives of the victim and five potential suspects. It forces the inspector to delve into his own subconscious and confront his demons and the possible existence of the supernatural warriors of justice, the Khanabadosh, as the boundaries of reality and the occult get blurred until he unearths a vital clue. The narrative explores the often maleficent political air that is prevalent in post-independent India and deconstructs its origins and the tragedy and reality of the Rohingya crisis. The people of Rakhine are caught between a brutal Myanmar regime and a disinterested, often indifferent neighbouring border nations, where they face different kinds of existential struggles each day. 

With both national and international pressure mounting, Tanya’s murder investigation blows open the lid of political maleficence, personal tragedies and a humanitarian crisis that trigger a chain of events. Inspector Angami must navigate a treacherous terrain to catch the killer who knows the land as well as its deepest, darkest secrets. In a place where loyalty runs deeper than blood, trust can be fatal.

What inspired the story?

I had visited Nagaland during the Hornbill Festival in 2017 and was in awe of the diverse culture and tradition of the region, the head hunting tradition of the Naga Konyak tribe in particular caught my attention. The inception of the idea for the novel happened there.

What was writing it like – was it a whirlwind of activity and done very quickly or something picked up and put down over several years?

When I work on a novel, of course there will be a point of deep inspiration. Everything else evolves around that. So I will create a broad storyline on what the novel is about, and the story progresses as I write. When I sit to write a novel, I try to do it diligently everyday based on word count. Cry of the Hornbill took me 8 months to write.

Were there any qualms or hesitation about seeking to publish the story?

Not really. Rupa Publications was kind enough to consider the story worth publishing.

Do you have any particularly fond, funny or sentimental memories of the University Library that encouraged you to donate a copy of the book here?

My son is a regular visitor to the library and he suggested that I donate a copy there.

Anything else you would like to add!

My heartfelt gratitude to the University  Library for giving  space to Cry of the Hornbill. I hope students love reading it as much as I loved writing it. Thank you.

Read Cry of the hornbill and other books for pleasure

You can find Cry of the hornbill in the Quick Choice book collection in the Library relaxation corner. Like all our other Quick Choice books, you are welcome to borrow it using the self-service kiosks in the Atrium to take away and read or simply relax in the Library and enjoy a well-deserved break.