10 writers. 10 stories. One cup full of romance.
Talking about the book, contributor Andaleeb Wajid says, “At seventeen, I was asked to draw something that represented myself. I drew a coiled mess of lines because that was how I felt. All mixed up. No idea if I was coming or going. One tug, and the mess would turn into a knot of nightmares. And everything seemed like it was the end of the world. That’s the feeling I try to convey in my YA books, and adding romance to the mix is the only thing that makes it worth going through again, even if it’s vicariously!”
Co-contributor K Vaishali also shares, “In my story, I wanted to hold a mirror up to the kind of male entitlement that often masquerades as ‘romance’ today. Sometimes, the biggest tease isn’t the girl playing hard-to-get—it’s the reality check waiting for the person who thinks they already have her.
Romance in My Coffee proves that young adult love isn’t just one thing. From track-and-field crushes to non-binary love to a satisfying takedown of tired heteronormative tropes, this collection captures the full, beautiful spectrum of young adult relationships in the modern era.”
Tina Narang, Executive Publisher – HarperCollins Children’s Books India says, “The new In My Coffee anthology series was built on one simple fact—young adults love coffee. So, what if we mixed in something extra to make the coffee frothier and even more special—like romance! This first book in this exciting new series contains 10 brilliant romance-themed stories making it an invigorating brew you can’t ignore!”
Aparna Kapur, the editor of the book, adds, “Dream casting the writers and editing the stories for this anthology was such a pleasure, and I have no doubt that reading it will be equally enjoyable.
I am proud to have put together a book that respects the complex inner lives of young adults. This is a collection of stories as eclectic, honest and distinctive as its supremely talented contributors.”
About the Book
The beginning of a brand-new series of themed anthologies for young adults across the world…
Love can mean more than one thing. And for young adults navigating the world and attempting to understand it, love can be a tricky prospect as well as a minefield with all the connotations it has when it comes to friends, family and school. In My Coffee seeks to remedy this by presenting tales that capture the multifaceted nature of love and romance. Containing stories from bestselling authors Jerry Pinto and Andaleeb Wajid, beloved writers Meera Ganapathi and Nisha Susan, new voices like Gankhu Sumnyan and K Vaishali, award-winning short story writers Riddhi Dastidar and Aravind Jayan, and the poetry of Suniti Namjoshi, and the photography of Anurag Banerjee, this is an unmissable anthology for every young adult.
The In My Coffee anthology series will feature short stories on a variety of themes from romance to science fiction to humour to fantasy and much else. Each one perfect to mix in your coffee!
About the Authors
Jerry Pinto is a Mumbai-based Indian writer of poetry, prose and children’s fiction in English, as well as a journalist.
Nisha Susan is a writer and editor and is a Consulting Editor, Digital Strategy and Partnerships for The Third Eye.
Andaleeb Wajid is the author of more than 35 novels. She writes romance, young adult, horror and speculative fiction.
Meera Ganapathi is an author, a poet and the founder-editor of the independent publication The Soup.
Gankhu Sumnyan teaches English at a government college in Arunachal Pradesh. His story ‘Local’ was selected for The Best Asian Short Stories 2021 anthology by Kitaab, Singapore.
K Vaishali is the author of the book Homeless: Growing Up Lesbian and Dyslexic in India. She’s a speaker, LGBT activist and DEI advocate.
Riddhi Dastidar is a neuroqueer journalist and researcher in Delhi. They work on disability justice, public health, climate and culture.
Aravind Jayan is from Trivandrum, Kerala. His writing has been published in Out of Print, The Bombay Literary Magazine, Helter Skelter’s Anthology IV, and The Hindu, among others.
Suniti Namjoshi FRSL is a poet and a fabulist. She grew up in India, worked in Canada and at present lives in the southwest of England with English writer Gillian Hanscombe.
Anurag Banerjee is an independent photographer from Shillong based out of Bombay.
