Fellow Blogger and Writer Shobhaa De is Sixty

The irresistible Shobhaa De is "sath saal ke" meaning "of sixty years." Says who? Says this blog post. Can't believe it though.

This unique irresistible, irrepressible, irreverent writer, model (I remember Shikakai shampoo and soap cover with her face), mother (of beautiful girls), can't believe she is sixty and loving and living it. I grew up on her writing. In my growing years an uncle would bring Stardust – which he got as a complimentary copy – and I would devour every word she wrote. Then I would read Society magazine she launched. The chatty irreverence I liked. She could be bitchy, maudlin, sympathetic, iconoclastic at the same time, catching you quite unawares.

When I met her – no, not at a book signing event – I was blown away by her charm that oozed like sap from a rubber tree, which is to say, so easily. The abovementioned blog post celebrates her sixty years and here's wishing her all the very best for the future.

When I persistently approached her to promote my novels, she wrote back politely admiring my persistence and told me to keep writing. I guess that was the best advice a writer has given me, so far in my bumbling writing life. Oh, never mind. I will keep following her advice though.

Must say, I am sad as the years are passing by, and was wondering if I would still be healthy and active – if not wholly successful – in my later years. The fifties, which I just entered three years ago does that to people, you see. But reading her I believe all the good days are ahead of me. Feisty lady has shown that to me, I promise.

There's so much to do, so much to write, so much to see, I can't wait. So I will stop here forthwith.