Vibhuti Bhandarkar started her career in 2004 as a professionally qualified Commercial Artist and freelance English Copywriter for top brands and Ad‘ agencies in Pune.
Ever since, she has constantly experimented with different areas of her expertise and explored her creative genius.She has contributed features for many publications like the TOI supplements, Femina, etc.
She has also been a serial entrepreneur in the field of Fine Art; right from running her own Art Gallery to designing interiors of Pubs, from winning recognition for her hand-painted fashion accessories to illustrating book cover designs- she’s dabbled in it all!
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Vibhuti’s restless creative genes have never allowed her to put her feet up and relax, ever! In 2009 she received accolade as an avid creative blogger, which eventually helped her strike off one goal on her bucket list- becoming a published writer before turning 30. Her maiden collection of short stories, ’Not Totally Unbelievable’ was published in 2011, and till date many of her short stories have been published in anthologies like the Chicken Soup for the Soul, and in E-magazines.
Presently, Vibhuti is working on a Romantic Suspense novella and a Historical Fiction Novel, aspiring to be a novelist some day!
Apart from winning the position for her short story in Wafting Earthy, she also won the Create-a-Cover contest associated with PenFluenza to create and design the book cover for Wafting Earthy!
We asked Vibhuti a few questions to get to know her better. Here’s what she had to say:
I have been writing since…
2004, when I graduated as a professionally qualified Commercial Artist ( Advertising) specializing in Copywriting
My favorite author(s) and book(s)?
R. K. Narayan, Amitav Ghosh, Dan Brown are some of my favorite authors
My journey as a writer:
I have grown as a writer over these years; from being one of the earliest creative bloggers to a debutante published author in 2011, I have come a long way with regards to the quality and style of my writing. Short story writing will always be my passion though I now aspire to become a novelist too. Presently I’m working on a historical fiction novel and a contemporary romantic suspense novella.
Why should we read you?
My stories have always been inspired by true-to- life experiences which a reader will be able to easily relate to and thus enjoy it more.
My favorite genre to read / write
Historical Fiction and Supernatural Romance
What advise would you give young and aspiring writers?
Read a lot of good established authors from around the globe and write a lot too. Please do not be in a hurry to publish before the stories are thoroughly edited and proofread. Try and always put your best foot forward!
Here’s an except from Vibhuti’s winning story Fragrances fade, Memories don’t that’s now published in Wafting Earthy:
One warm afternoon of my summer holidays, Nanma and I were at the sun-bathed front porch of our brightly painted farmhouse in the sleepy Karmirem countryside. Sitting there at my grandmother’s feet always had a calming effect on me. I was ready to dose off as Nanma’s fingers massaged my head in a soothing rhythm. The coconut oil liberally poured on the top of my head, trickled down behind my ears and I loved the tickling sensation. Its sweet fragrance, a treat for my senses.
I could feel my eye-lids grow heavy, and I’m sure they looked like the shutters on Uncle Patrick’s liquor shop threatening to come down any minute. The intermittent shrill cries of the sea-gulls in the distance was the only sound that broke through the quiet and kept me from drifting off for some time. Eventually, I had dozed off with my head in the hammock of Nanma’s lap. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration if I’d told you that everybody around- young and old, would come visiting my grandmother for one reason or another. Our septuagenarian sitting in her rocking chair was like the grandmother to the entire fishing hamlet. They had begun calling her ‘Nanma’ long before I had come into existence. While I was snoozing Celina must have brought Nanma a plate of freshly prepared Jackfruit chips.
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