HarperCollins India has launched a limited series of digital-only short stories, eSingles, by bestselling author Ravinder Singh. These are among a handful of works to be launched during the lockdown that has hit the publishing industry pretty hard. In a statement, the publishing house said these are, “Quick reads that will cheer you up and bring you hope in trying times.” The ‘eSingles’ will be released on Kindle, Google Play and, Juggernaut.in.
“Co-authored by some of the most promising new voices in English fiction in India, each eSingle explores a different facet of modern love and relationships. In My Ex, a man runs into the only woman he has ever loved and gets a chance to find answers to questions he’s spent years asking. In My Mother’s Boyfriend, a marriage falls apart, and a question arises – can you find love again in your twilight years? A Kiss in the Air brings us the thrill of the chase and the excitement of finding a connection with a stranger,” according to the statement.
The series will reportedly have a periodic weekly release over the next couple of months, one fresh eSingle to be released every Friday.
Ravinder Singh said, ‘I’m excited about the e-singles series. The consumption of short-format content is on the rise across all mediums. There is a demand for quick reads, and these e-singles give me an opportunity to bring more stories to my readers, within a shorter timeframe. This, while I continue to write my next novel at the same time. Also, this is a great format for non-readers who want to read, but are intimidated by novels that are 300-odd pages long.’
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Swati Daftuar, Senior Commissioning Editor at HarperCollins said, ‘Now, more than ever, we are turning to the written word, to books and stories that offer hope and solace. And with these e-singles, Ravinder Singh offers us exactly that – a balm for the soul. These are quick reads that are so absolutely satisfying and comforting, so perceptive in the way they portray love and its many faces and forms. These are stories you’ll be able to access, start, and finish in those small pockets of time you get for yourself between daily chores and work meetings. They’ll bring their readers both joy and hope, and what better time than now to publish stories that do that?’
The first eSingle in the series, My Ex, co-authored by Ravinder Singh and Ruchi Kokcha, released on 29th May. The blurb for this story reads thus: “Years ago, Ishita broke Vinay’s heart. Now, fate has brought them together again. For a long time, Vinay has asked himself the same questions over and over again – why did she leave him? What went wrong? Was their love not strong enough? Now, he has a chance to find the answers he’s been searching for. But is he ready to face the truth?” The eSingle is priced at Rs. 49.