So when I got the below email, I asked my publicist, Jackie if I should respond.  She said that they were “interesting prompts” and that I should.
Well, the first one is up at the Campaign for the American Reader with the fantastic mission statement: THE OFFICIAL BLOG OF THE CAMPAIGN FOR THE AMERICAN READER, AN INDEPENDENT INITIATIVE TO ENCOURAGE MORE READERS TO READ MORE BOOKS.  Click here.
At at My Book, The Movie, here.
Thank you Marshal
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Marshal Zeringue <>
Date: Mon, Feb 19, 2018 at 12:52 AM
Subject: blog entries for “The Milk Lady of Bangalore”?
To:
Dear Shoba Narayan,

Congratulations on the release of “The Milk Lady of Bangalore”. I’ve posted word of it at New Books.

If you have the time & inclination, I’d be delighted to publish entries about the new book for any or all of the following blogs: My Book, The MovieThe Page 99 Test, and Writers Read. (All entries are introduced at Campaign for the American Reader.)
About The Page 99 Test:
The “test” is simple: Is Ford Madox Ford’s statement “Open the book to page ninety-nine and read, and the quality of the whole will be revealed to you,” accurate for your book?
Of course, your answer requires you to say something (1) about the page and (2) about the book.
The fact is, p 99 may well not be representative of the book, but the answer gives you an opportunity to say something about what your book really is about and how that page fits in or … whatever you like.
If you are interested, please allow yourself no more than 400 words (and 300 would probably be better); that limit does not include however much of pg 99 you’d like to quote–you may quote all of it, or little or none of it.
My Book, The Movie:
The thesis is straightforward: If they make my book into a film, here’s who I’d like to play the lead role(s).
(The majority of entries at My Book, The Movie are for works of fiction.  But I’ve also run some excellent posts for non-fiction and memoirs.
You may do with it what you like.  You might say you had this or that actor in mind when you wrote the book.  (I usually do that with a screenplay–it helps me think about what would be natural for the character.)  Or you might speculate on what, say, Cary Grant or Grace Kelly could have done with the role.  You may also talk about who you’d like to see direct the movie.
The only real guideline: I ask that you not exceed 600 words (and you could of course be briefer, if you like).
Writers Read:
I’m looking for a paragraph or two on: “What is Shoba Narayan reading?”
Please note: I strongly prefer you not contribute simply a list of your recent reading.
It would be better if you wrote at least a few lines about the book(s) among your current/recent reading, some idea of the story/thesis or why you picked up the book, and/or the impression it made on you, etc. I really like the varied contributions I’ve received, so please don’t feel constrained by any particular rules or guidelines. Your entry may be as brief as Stewart O’Nan‘s or as long as Ezekiel Emanuel’s.

Any interest?

Marshal Zeringue

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