Occupation Writer | Nationality Indian Books Dreams of Déjà Vu | |
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Genre Fiction, poetry, short story Notable works Four Degrees of SeparationThe Arithmetic of Breasts & Other Stories | ||
Rochelle Potkar (born 9 March 1979) is an Indian fiction writer and poet based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Her first book, 'The Arithmetic of breasts and other stories' was shortlisted for The Digital Book of the Year Award 2014, by Publishing Next. 'Four Degrees of Separation' (Paperwall, 2016) is her first book of poetry. She has represented India at the University of Iowa's International Writing Program and was a writer-in-residence at the UNESCO city of literature – Iowa's International Writing Program (IWP), Fall Residency 2015.
Contents
- On the map 2015 rochelle potkar india
- Early life and education
- As writer
- As a poet
- As actor
- Poetry
- Short stories
- References
On the map 2015 rochelle potkar india
Early life and education
Born in Kalyan to Goan parents. She moved to Mumbai in 1998. Rochelle graduated in commerce and post graduated from Wigan and Leigh college, Mahalaxmi. She completed an MBA from La Trobe University, Australia. She began writing at 27, after giving up her corporate job.
As writer
The Arithmetic of Breasts and other stories is her first book of short fiction, shortlisted for The Digital Book of the year award 2014, by Publishing Next, Goa. Her short stories have appeared in several journals including Far Enough East, Sein und Werden, The Medulla Review, The Nassau Review, Women Writers, Writer's Hub, Bewildering Stories, Cantaraville, Muse India, Marijuana Diaries, The Bangalore Review, Revenge Ink, Nivasini, Unisun, Triangulation, Lame Goat Publications, Annapurna magazine, and Rollick Magazine. Her themes are usually around relationships. She writes realism and paranormal fiction.
She won a gold place for her story, 'The point of Irish coffee' (Revenge Ink), and an editor's choice award for, 'Ramayan redux' (Triangulation: Parch, US). She narrated two true-life tales at Tall Tales Storytelling. She completed an Advanced Fiction Seminar offered by University of Iowa's International Writing Program via distance learning, 2013. She was also invited to participate as a writer-in-residence in the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa in 2015, representing India.
As a poet
Four Degrees of Separation is her first book of poems published by Paperwall, March 2016. Her poems have appeared in The Brown Boat, The Finger Magazine, Haibun Today, The Bamboo Hut, A Hundred Gourds, Poems for the Road podcast (UK), Zo 2014, Poetry exposé, Bigbridge, Poetry India, bottle rocket, The Dhauli Review, The Freshwater Review, caesurae, 40 under 40 – an anthology of post-globalization poetry. Her poem, 'Knotted inside me' was shortlisted for the RL Poetry Award 2013. She won a second place for 'Swing' at the Wordweavers contest 2014. Some of the recurring themes in her poems are motherhood, love and socio-anthropology.
She has read her poetry at several interfaces in Mumbai at Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, 100 Thousand Poets for Change, Godrej India Culture Lab, American Library, PEN@Prithvi, 'Words tell stories', The Hive, and The Poetry Club (TPC); in Hyderabad at Ten Thousand Waves, Our Sacred Space, Hyderabad Literary Festival (HLF); in Goa at Goa Arts and Literary Festival (GALF); in Chennai at Prakriti Festival, American Library; in Hong Kong at Out Loud, Fringe club, and with the Peel Street poets; and in Iowa city at Prairie Lights bookstore. Her works were dramatically read and interpreted by veteran actors and dancers on stages in Iowa and Portland, Maine. Rochelle practices and promotes the Japanese short poetry form – Haibun, through workshops. Rochelle is the co-editor of Neesah magazine and poetry editor of The Bombay Review.
As actor
Rochelle debuted in a character role in the Tamil feature-length film, Taramani, directed by award-winning director Ram.
Poetry
Short stories
