South Asian Heritage Month

To celebrate South Asian Heritage month, I will be reading from my newest novel Kalyana at Toronto Public Library at 2 pm on May 13 (Friday). So please come on down! It is an open invitation to all Torontoians!
http://members.openbooktoronto.com/news/entitled_interview_with_rajni_malal_khelawan

Kalyana Book Launch (Photo Credits: Kevin Greenhough)

The Entitled Interview with Open Book Toronto

http://members.openbooktoronto.com/news/entitled_interview_with_rajni_malal_khelawanI was so pleased to discuss how I came up with the title for Kalyana with Open Book Toronto. Follow link to read full interview.

Highlights of the Book Launch

The evening lasted beyond the scheduled 2 hours, glad to see. People engaged in lively discussion afterwards, while enjoying jalebi, barfi, tea, coffee, and mango juice.

A few key items from my speech:

I expressed my most sincere gratitude to my publisher, Margie Wolfe, for giving me such a wonderful opportunity to showcase my work, and the team of Second Story Press, mainly Carolyn Jackson for overseeing the production of the novel, and Melissa Katta for such a gorgeous cover. I thanked my editors, Patricia Kennedy and Christina Frey. And Carmen Wittmeier for helping me develop as a writer over the last 10 years. I said thank you to Will, Owner of Shelf Life Books for giving such a great location to launch Kalyana, and Kevin, the events organizer for overseeing everything. And thank you to Allie and Emma for doing such a great job promoting Kalyana.

I talked about what inspired me to write Kalyana and read a bit of Chapter 1 and Chapter 26 of the novel.

All in all, it was such a great night!

Kalyana - Book Launch April 15 at 7 pm Shelf Life Books

All Calgarians: Come and celebrate the launch of my second novel Kalyana at Shelf Life Books  downtown Calgary on April 15 at 7 pm. Afterwards, we can continue the party at a nearby pub. For more info email me at rmalabooks@gmail.com Can't wait to see you all there.

First Printed Copies of my Second Novel -- Kalyana

I just absolutely over the moon love the cover!!! So pleased with the staff of Second Story Feminist Press. Release Date: March 15, 2016. 320 Pages.

Frangipani, My Favorite Flower in Fiji

Fiji Islands August 2014

Writer In Residence (May 2014 to August 2014)

I held the position of writer in residence at Fiji National University during the months of May through August, 2014. For that invaluable experience, I wanted to express my sincere gratitude to the staff of the university and Ganesh Chand, the Vice Chancellor. And a very very very special thank you to Ganesh, the Caretaker, who has now become a very dear friend. Thank you Ganesh for keeping me company and leaving fresh coconuts at my doorstep; it was delicious. The residency was an amazing learning experience! It was indeed fun to work on my third novel in Fiji, under the moonlight, and on the beaches, while sipping cappuccino from the coffee bar by the docks, and watching the ships sail in!