Profile of Suresh and Jyoti Guptara

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This profile moderated by Suresh and Jyoti Guptara.

Bio

At the age of eleven, Suresh and Jyoti Guptara completed the first draft of Conspiracy of Calaspia, Book One of the acclaimed Insanity Saga. After many rewrites and revisions the novel was published while they were 17 and they have gone on to secure book deals with major publishers internationally.  It rose to #2 on the Indian bestseller list in Fiction, behind only Kiran Desai's Booker Prize Winner. Calaspia was also an India Today book club choice.

The twin authors were born on 22.11.88 to an Indian father and British mother in England, where they stayed until the age of seven, when they moved to Switzerland. Jyoti probably became the youngest full-time writer in the world when he left school at the age of fifteen, while Suresh completed his A-levels at Bradfield College before joining him.

Their German publisher has made Calaspia the lead YA title in its centenary year (2008) with a first print-run of 100,000 copies.

Now 19, the twins continue to write the Insanity Saga, occasionally leaving their desks to give presentations on related subjects and to sign books at schools, literary organisations and festivals.

Bibliography

The "Insanity" Saga:

  • "Conspiracy of Calaspia" (Book One), novel, 2006, published in South Asia by Tara Press

- "Calaspia, Die Verschwörung", German translation, 2008, published by Rowohlt
- "La cospirazione. Il regno di Calaspia", Italian translation, 2008, published by Mondadori

  • "Warrior Code / Codex Culmus" (Book Two), novel, 2008

- German edition to be published 2009 by Rowohlt
- Italian edition to be published 2009 by Mondadori

Reviews

Richard Adams
author of Watership Down on "Calaspia"

most enjoyable ... as soon as I finished, I started reading it again.

Patrick Dixon
author and one of the "twenty most influential business thinkers alive today" on "Calaspia"

the extraordinary epic fantasy novel, in the genre of Lord of the Rings, by 17-year old twin brothers who have been plotting together since early childhood. A large-scale drama, following classic themes of good and evil... and this first book is only a foretaste of what is to come!

The Asian Age
on "Calaspia"

Extraordinary ... Rife with intrigue, deception, ancient magic and adventure ... plots, sub-plots and counter-plots, with a strong undertone of satire

Express India
on "Calaspia"

If you liked Harry Potter and yearn to live in the Shire, youre sure to love ... Conspiracy of Calaspia. Suresh and Jyoti Guptaras debut ... a magical yarn of heroism, cowardice, treachery and deception

Sudeep Sen
in ATLAS, Editor's Choice, on "Calaspia"

They write in an assured and confident manner, full of intelligence and imagination that one requires to weave magic and mystery in fantasy fiction. One thing that stood out is their fine use of dialogue-writing and their sense of timing. The novel is cleverly-paced and well written and the authors conduct their art with a sense of passion, one that is evident in musicians when they perform highly practised jugalbandis or duets. I look forward to 'Book Two' of the series - they have made a very bright and confident start to their innings, as they both currently continue batting with unbeaten centuries under their belt.

Wolfgang Hohlbein
Germany's best known Fantasy author on "Calaspia"

The debut of the young authors Suresh and Jyoti Guptara leaves you hungry for more. "Calaspia" bribes the reader with its fresh style and the unusually told story.

News Today
on "Calaspia"

A tale of grit and courage ... an epic novel ... deals with a potpourri of plots involving life, betrayal, murder, deception, suspicion, friendship, enmity and mystery ... the beginning of an epic tale

Books Today
on "Calaspia"

The fantasy novel of the year