When books step off the page

CHENNAI: Once upon a time, a new book would quietly arrive on a shelf, waiting for readers to stumble upon it. Not anymore. Today’s authors are part-writer, part-storyteller, and part-marketer - dreaming up everything from Instagram teasers and podcast trailers to pop-up events and interactive installations. The aim isn’t just to sell a story but to make readers curious, excited, and already invested before they’ve even turned the first page. In an age overflowing with content, the real challenge is this: how do you make your book impossible to ignore?

Recently, author Krupa GE organised an unconventional promotion for her book Burns Boy. “I have been working on this book since 2021. Two months ago, I published it. Instead of a traditional book launch, I wanted to introduce my work in a unique way because fiction is often difficult to talk about,” says Krupa.

That’s when the idea of an art installation struck her. Burns Boy, set in the 1990s, is a tender story about family, love, happiness, and the lies we tell ourselves to sustain them. “Stereotypes and clichés are the first things that come to mind when we think of nostalgia. But what I wanted was to create a lived experience of that peaceful era,” she adds. The author collaborated with Kannadi Cupboard to set up a live installation of the living room and kitchen described in the book. “The core idea was to let people walk in, experience the characters, and interact with the atmosphere. Through this, they could gain a deeper understanding of the story,” explains the 39-year-old.

Other authors have also taken the creative route. Varsha and Thirupurasundari, for instance, promoted their bilingual book Peeping Through The Blue Wall (Sunnambu Suvar in Tamil) in innovative ways. The story, originally a booklet for two years, is now being expanded into a full-length book. “It’s based on my childhood imagination while exploring the serene lanes of Bhavani and Komarapalayam. But the real focus is the traditional craft of jamakalam, which is slowly dying,” says Varsha, crediting her co-author Thirupurasundari for refining the narrative.

Instead of lamenting the decline of jamakalam, Varsha believes in celebrating its 100-year-old legacy. “The future of jamakalam lies in the hands of children. That’s why we wanted to introduce the art to them through our book,” she explains.

Promotion styles varied. Krupa created an immersive experience with a scavenger hunt. “All the elements in Burns Boy connect to the 90s era: Casio watches, scented erasers, matchboxes, glitter pens, and more. Visitors played a hunting game with clues to find these objects,” she says, adding that many people reminisced about the morning chaos of searching for lost pens and books before school. “I wanted a promotion that reached a newer audience,” she notes.

Meanwhile, Varsha and Thirupurasundari connected directly with schools in and around Komarapalayam and Bhavani. “This story is for the kids of those towns, so they were the first audience. We also reached students in Chennai and other places. Apart from storytelling sessions, we asked children to creatively reimagine jamakalam patterns and sketch them on canvas,” shares the 25-year-old.

On how book promotions have evolved, Krupa observes, “These innovative launches help readers step into a space of curiosity. Unlike a discussion about the book, this approach is an amalgamation of different art forms, creative, fun, interactive, and inclusive.”

Varsha agrees, noting that the focus has shifted towards the process rather than the product. “The journey is valued more now. Readers are open to unique experiences, and this change in behaviour is expanding the scope of books. Promotions like these help readers gain a deeper understanding of characters and themes,” she concludes, hoping to see more such innovations in the future.