Image: Teaching creative writing at Nottingham Writers Studio for the last decade
Shreya is hosting an online writing clinic next Tuesday 19 November 2024 for anyone anywhere who writes short fiction and might need some encouragement, inspiration, or problem-solving from an author, columnist and teacher of over 30 years of experience. Do check out the details if it’s of interest https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-writers-clinic-short-fiction-edition-tickets-1036167363477
(Pic: Reading ‘Handle With Care’ to Gerald Durrell, a travel literature inspiration of Shreya’s)
After Britain’s leading literacy charity, the National Literacy Trust, selected Shreya Sen-Handley’s 3rd book, ‘Handle With Care’ (HarperCollins 2022), from amongst many ‘reader favourites’ nominated across Britain, and presented it to The Queen last week, at their 30th anniversary celebrations, the British press covered the event extensively and the author and her book featured in each article (please check reel on previous post). BBC Radio caught wind of it and interviewed her soon after.
‘Handle With Care’ has had excellent reviews in the Indian press too, and last year, it was longlisted (in a very short list of 8 books) for Nonfiction Book of the Year by the Times of India’s Auther Awards, a prize eventually won by top Indian journalist, Barkha Dutt, known for her warzone broadcasts. And the Times of India has the widest circulation of any English language newspaper in the world.
So, this book’s been keeping good company for a while, and is now on The Queen’s To-Be-Read pile, alongside Maya Angelou!
Here’s Shreya’s BBC interview this July, from around 1:23:15 to 1:30:20 https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0j641rn
Shreya and her daughter have received an invitation to meet the Queen of England at a celebration in London this summer! Along with other champions of the National Literacy Trust, Britain’s largest literacy charity, they have been invited in recognition of the “brilliant work” they do to “share the joy” of reading and writing, and championing of literacy in Britain.
Author, columnist and playwright Shreya Sen Handley hosts the second Beyond The Spectrum masterclass.
In the pandemic, Shreya discovered she was autistic. She’s written about it at the end of her third book, Times of India Best Nonfiction Book 2023 longlisted ‘Handle with Care’ (HarperCollins 2022), and her newspaper columns. Her play on the subject, ‘Quiet’, premiered at award-winning Tara Theatre in London, alongside new work by Hanif Kureishi, in 2021.
In this writing masterclass, Shreya explores how being Autistic gives her writing unique perspective and shares her best tips for aspiring novelists.
Please click here to watch
Shreya will lead workshops with students, professional development for teachers, with the production of a wonderful anthology of students’ writing, or joyful, creative event, at the end of the project. Please watch this space for updates!
The inaugural Auroville Literature Festival, celebrating Indian freedom-fighter and philosopher Sri Aurobindo’s 150th birth anniversary, organised with the Government of India’s Ministry of Culture, has “some of the best international and Indian writers and poets” participating, including author and librettist Shreya Sen-Handley, who features on their festival poster, alongside Booker Prize winning and other accomplished company.
Her two sessions include conversations about her latest book, bestselling ‘Handle With Care’ (HarperCollins 2022), longlisted for Times of India’s AutHer Awards’ Best Nonfiction Book 2023, and the acclaimed opera she co-wrote for Welsh National National Opera, ‘Migrations’ (2022), listed by both The Times and The Guardian amongst their best shows of 2022, and a talk with award-winning Australian novelist Jennifer Down.
“She’s had two books published by HarperCollins, written for international media and was even the regional head of a television channel at the age of 25. It’s fair to say that there are achievers in this world, and then there’s Shreya Sen-Handley. And if that impressive CV wasn’t enough, she’s now become the first Indian and South Asian woman to write a Western, international opera, called Migrations. We catch up with the multi-talented writer to find out more…”
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Starting with a front page story in India’s top newspaper The Hindu, the story of Shreya’s opera trended online for days before travelling to Asian and Arab news sites, such as these in Vietnam and Iran!
Shreya Sen-Handley, the first South Asian woman to write a libretto for an international opera, celebrates the contribution of Indian doctors in the UK’s National Health Service.
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Shreya Sen-Handley 