Happy Father’s Day to all of you!

This year I've been thinking, more than ever before, about what makes a good father. Perhaps this is because my newest novel, Independence, set in 1940s India, at the height of the country's freedom struggle, has 2 strong father characters, Nabakumar and Somnath, who support my three heroines in unique and important ways.

What is it that makes a good father? I'm sure the answers are many. To celebrate Father’s Day, I'd like to showcase a tender & beautifully written poem by Clint Smith, titled "Waiting on a Heartbeat," that gives us one answer. It is addressed to his yet-unborn child. (Scroll down for the full poem.)

Please check out this talented poet's collection, Above Ground, from which this poem is taken.

I would love it if you share your favorite poem on parenthood with me.

WAITING ON A HEARTBEAT

— Clint Smith

the doctor says you are there even though we cannot hear you & you know what they say about the tree falling in the forest & i know i have never heard a tree i could not see but i have seen trees i could not hear little one are you the tree or the forest or the sound we cannot hear perhaps you are all three you are half the size of a fingernail they say & every time i hear that i look down at my cuticles & imagine you sitting there telling me it’s okay there is nothing to worry about there is joy in being a father to a mystery there is grace in watching the lilac & knowing its petals will not expand before your eyes only after you have left & you little one are my daily reminder that you do not go to a botanical garden to watch the flowers grow you go to give thanks for what has already blossomed

Friends,

Many of you have been asking me about upcoming the upcoming Jaipur Literature Festivals, in USA and in India.

First, I want to say that JLF India is an amazing experience, well worth the time, expense and effort. You will meet world-famous authors as well as young talent there, along with music and dance performances, in a magical historic city. Last year, over 450 writers spoke at this event, and over 100,000 people attended it. I was honored to be invited to present my new novel, Independence. Later, I was delighted to learn that it was the #1 Bestselling fiction title of the festival!

DIVAKARUNI DISCUSSES *INDEPENDENCE* WITH WRITER AANCHAL MALHOTRA AT JAIPUR LIT FEST 2023

If you have not read the novel, it is the story of three sisters who navigate the exciting and turbulent 1940s in India, when the country was battling to free itself from the British yoke. My heroines learn about love, heartbreak, and what it takes to follow their dreams. They learn the price that one must pay for independence—both as a nation and as an individual. I wove into this historical novel several family stories told to me by my mother and my grandfather.

For those who would like to get the book, buying links are below.

AMAZON (USA) BOOKSHOP AMAZON (INDIA)

The dates for the upcoming Jaipur Literature Festival in India are February 1-5, 2024. Please note that hotels in the area get booked well in advance. To learn more about the festival, to register to attend, to and watch videos of past events, go to their website.

For those of you in USA who love literature but can’t make it all the way to Jaipur, no worries! JLF will be presenting wonderful programs in 2023 in New York (Sept 11-13), Houston (Sept 15-16) and Boulder, Colorado (Sept 21-23). Yes, they have invited me to present Independence at all three venues, so if you are in the area, please come and say hello.

DIVAKARUNI AFTER HER EVENT AT THE NATIONAL ARTS CLUB, NEW YORK, 2022, WITH HUSBAND MURTHY AND SURAJ DHINGRA, JLF ORGANIZER AND TEAMWORK ARTS VICE PRESIDENT

Please consider supporting JLF, a wonderful nonprofit that continues to bring readers and writers together and promotes literacy, free speech and the love of reading across the world. Donation details are on their website.

Be well. Keep reading. And thanks for your support of my work.

Chitra

Blog: Amazing Things