I've completed my second novel. Called "Revenge of the Naked Princess," the book captures the dark age of forced conversions in India in the 16th century. Log on to http://revengeofthenakedprincess.wordpress.com for details. My debut novel 'Beyond the Newsroom' was well received. IN THE PRESS: 'This book is a film crying to be made (DNA).' 'Fast-paced, it explains the intertwined fellowship between the system and the ‘unsystematic’ underworld ('Times').' 'Brings out the bitter truth of what goes behind the news (Deccan Herald).' Apart from bookshops in India, "Beyond the Newsroom" is available online on www.amazon.com overseas and in India on www.autsun.com as also at www.rediff.com. Please visit my blog: http://beyondthenewsroom.wordpress.com.
My romance with books began in my early teens. But the first books I read were surprisingly not mushy romances or silly detective novels, but the great literary classics and 'heavy' books on philosophy, psychology and self-improvement. I began reading thrillers and paperbacks much later in life. I always wanted to be a writer, but since publishing works of fiction was so difficult in a country like India, I chose what I thought was the second best option -- becoming a journalist.I have more than 25 years’ experience in journalism and communications.
Below are some excerpts on what the Press and customers say about my novel "Beyond the Newsroom":
Daily News & Analysis (DNA):
This book is a film crying to be made. A racy read, it is also a roman à clef of sorts that lifts the lid on the murky goings-on in the world of newspapers, the police, the underworld and politics … a scathing indictment of corruption in newspapers … details the way articles are planned and stymied and even planted. If you want to know about life in Mumbai before the invasion of television and long before Dawood Ibrahim took over, this book is a wonderful ride.
Times of India:
A very good read. To use a journalists’ cliché, this book is a ’scoop’; the ‘real’ deal about the unholy nexus between the underworld, the government and the Fourth Estate. A fast-paced, no nonsense novel, it explains in surprising detail, the intertwined fellowship between the system and the ‘unsystematic’ underworld … it beautifully explores the various minutiae of Mumbai’s dreaded underbelly … enunciates the multifaceted working of a news house and the typical rapport shared between the scribes and the police as also the scribes and the mafia.
Deccan Herald:
The unholy nexus between politicians and journalists has been written about but very little is known about the underworld clout with the fourth estate. Beyond the Newsroom fills this void. Through this work of fiction, journalist Oswald Pereira manages to bring out the bitter truth of what goes behind the news … It is more like investigative journalism at its best but won’t find a place in any newspaper. The harsh truths tumbling out are severe indictments of a noble profession debauched by unscrupulous scribes. Pereira’s expose on the dirty deeds of some black sheep is a timely reminder when the Indian media scene is witnessing a churning process.
Amazon Customer Review:
"Beyond the Newsroom" is a gripping story on the stark realities of journalism in India. The plot is spun well around the characters, showing effectively and lucidly how a nexus has developed between the press and the underworld. And completing this sinister circle is the link between the underworld and the police as well as the government. Written by a journalist who has presumably witnessed these alliances, the novel is a must-read for all those who want to know what goes on behind-the-scenes in a newspaper office. Well-written and in a simple style, without any frills, the novel avoids sensationalism, which is all the more reason why the story and characters seem so credible.
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