AUTHOR REENITA M. HORA TAKES US BEYOND THE PAGE AND INTO THE HEART

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED | DE MODE OF LITERATURE MAY 2025 V1 GLOBAL(  VOLUME VIII, ISSUE LXV)

Article Published on: 24TH MAY 2025 | www.demodemagazine.com

VERMILION HARVEST: PLAYTIME AT THE BAGHE - BY AUTHOR REENITA M. HORA

Vermilion Harvest: Playtime at the Bagh gifts a dark and poignant love story against the backdrop of India’s tumultuous history; it’s a star-crossed wartime romance that won’t soon be forgotten.

Vermilion Harvest: Playtime at the Bagh is a poignant tale of forbidden love set against the backdrop of 1919 Amritsar. Through the lives of Ayaz, a revolutionary Anglo-Indian schoolteacher, and Aruna, a passionate Muslim law student, the novel explores themes of identity, resistance, and sacrifice. Their love blossoms in secret, but political unrest and personal differences threaten to tear them apart. As the Jallianwala Bagh massacre looms, Aruna races to save Ayaz, revealing a story rich with urgency, betrayal, and unwavering devotion.

More than a historical romance, Vermilion Harvest masterfully blends fact and fiction, grounding its emotional narrative in a pivotal moment of Indian history. Hora’s vivid prose transports readers into a world of simmering rebellion and quiet tenderness. With a haunting tone and immersive storytelling, the novel captures the fragility of hope in the face of violence. This is not just a love story, it’s a reflection on courage, resilience, and the timeless human desire to connect, even when the world threatens to keep us apart.

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JOURNEY OF THE AUTHOR REENITA M. HORA

AUTHOR REENITA M. HORA

Reenita Malhotra Hora began her storytelling journey rooted in ancient wisdom. While working as an Ayurveda clinician at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, she wrote her first book, Inner Beauty, a modern take on holistic well-being through India’s oldest healing tradition. That debut sparked a bestselling nonfiction streak: Ayurveda: The Ancient Medicine of India, Forever Young, and The Ayurvedic Diet. Then came Hong Kong, and reinvention. She swapped the clinic for a mic, producing award-winning shows for RTHK Radio 3, reporting for Bloomberg, and writing for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, and The South China Morning Post. Out of that chapter came Money Smart: The Indian Woman’s Guide to Managing Wealth, blending ancient principles with financial empowerment. But beneath the health and finance, another force stirred fiction. Myth. Magic. The stories that refused to sit quietly.

Her multiple award-winning YA novel Operation Mom is a riotous ride through teenage matchmaking mayhem, and its screenplay is just as decorated. When Arya Fell Through the Fault fused Indian mythology with middle-grade fantasy in fog-swept San Francisco. Vermilion Harvest: Playtime at the Bagh reimagines the Jallianwala Bagh massacre through the eyes of an Anglo-Indian schoolteacher in love with a firebrand Muslim activist. She brings that same cultural spark to her picture books Sundri & Mundri’s Lohri Adventure and the upcoming Festival of Lights (HarperCollins), and to The Keyholders, her forthcoming nine-book fantasy series with Oxford University Press India. Her award-winning animated screenplay Shadow Realm, from The Arka Chronicles universe, blends mythology, fantasy, and rebellion. Her upcoming memoir Ace of Blades (Jaico) honors her father, R.K. Malhotra, a pioneer in India’s razor blade industry. From ancient truths to speculative worlds, Reenita writes with fire, clarity, and zero fluff.

FOLLOW THE AUTHOR ON INSTAGRAM - @reenita_storyteller

INTERVIEW OF AUTHOR REENITA M. HORA WITH DE MODE

Q: Congratulations on winning the 2024 CIBAs Overall Grand Prize! What does this recognition mean to you at this stage in your journey as a storyteller?

A. Thank you! This recognition means the world—especially for Vermilion Harvest, a story that’s been living inside me for over 30 years. I’ve written across genres—fantasy, YA, comedy—but this was my first true work of literary fiction. For it to win the top prize is more than affirming—it’s a launchpad. It tells me I can aim higher. That there are more literary novels in me, waiting to break through. I’m especially drawn to Indian historical and contemporary fiction told through the voice of the woman. That’s where my creative fire burns brightest. This award doesn’t just mark a milestone—it sets the bar for everything I want to achieve next.

Q: Your work beautifully reflects the complexity of the South Asian experience. What inspires you to keep revisiting and redefining that narrative across different mediums?

A. The South Asian experience is layered, messy, and ever-evolving—a beautiful chaos of culture, identity, and migration. Born in Mumbai and shaped by decades abroad, I carry both insider and immigrant perspectives. Through storytelling, I explore this friction and fluidity, reclaiming and redefining what it means to be South Asian—across genres, across forms, always on our own terms.

Q: You've worn many hats—from novelist and podcaster to media executive and entrepreneur. How do you navigate such diverse roles, and what connects them all for you?

A. At first glance, my roles—novelist, podcaster, entrepreneur—seem varied, but they’re all rooted in one thing: storytelling. I shape narratives that push boundaries and amplify underrepresented voices. Each path sharpened a skill—journalism’s precision, fiction’s freedom, podcasting’s empathy, entrepreneurship’s grit. These aren’t separate hats—they’re all ways of wearing the same crown.

Q: You recently launched Chapter by Episode, a platform for immersive chat fiction. What inspired this innovative approach to storytelling, and what makes it different from traditional publishing?

A. Chapter by Episode reimagines storytelling for today’s fast-paced world, offering bite-sized, immersive stories through chat bubbles. It’s designed for readers on the go, making stories feel personal and addictive. Unlike traditional publishing, it’s dynamic, inclusive, and built for diverse creators, especially younger audiences, inviting them to experience stories in a fun, engaging new format.

Q: Having written both fiction and non-fiction, how do you approach each form differently in terms of voice, intent, and impact?

A. Fiction is my playground for voice and imagination. Whether crafting a rebellious teen or a 1919 schoolteacher, I obsess over capturing each narrator’s essence. Voice is impact—it fuels every story I tell. In nonfiction too, like Ace of Blades, channeling R.K. Malhotra’s bold spirit was key. His voice isn’t background—it is the story.

Q: Can you tell us about a turning point in your career—perhaps a moment that pushed you to redefine your creative or professional path?

A. A leap from Ayurveda to public radio in Hong Kong taught me to thrive under pressure, win awards, and tell stories amid chaos. Later, screenwriting became my new path—South Asian stories told across genres. With grit, craft, and countless rewrites, my scripts began winning too. Radio was a peak; screenwriting is the climb. I'm just getting started.

Q: How do your experiences across the U.S. and Asia shape your stories, especially in terms of cross-cultural nuances and identity?

A. Living across the U.S. and Asia, I see the world through a dual lens. Raised in Mumbai, India is home, but living as an immigrant adds layers of displacement and cultural code-switching. This tension between belonging and otherness shapes my stories, where identity is questioned and redefined, making cross-cultural nuance the heart of my voice.

Q: You've contributed to some of the world’s most respected publications. How has journalism informed your work as a novelist and screenwriter?

A. Journalism taught me how to build a story—structure, pacing, clarity. It honed my instincts for getting to the heart of a story quickly and listening for what’s unsaid. These skills translate into fiction and screenwriting, where character and subtext drive the narrative. Journalism also taught me discipline, fast thinking, and ruthless editing—all now applied to my creative work.

Q: What challenges have you faced as a South Asian woman in media and tech, and how have you worked to overcome them—or even use them to your advantage?

A. Being a South Asian woman in media means navigating pressure to fit narrow stereotypes. While journalism allowed for more freedom, publishing and screenwriting have been challenging. Despite demands for diverse stories, the industry often sticks to safe, repackaged formulas. I write from the space of realness—our everyday lives, contradictions, and quiet rebellions—fighting for stories that reflect our true selves.

Q: As a limited partner in How Women Invest, how do you see the intersection of storytelling and investing in women-led innovation?

A. As a storyteller, I believe in the power of voice, and with new creator tools, especially in tech, I can bring it to life in fresh ways. Investing in women-led innovation gives creators, particularly women, more agency and access. These tools let us tell stories on our own terms, enabling smarter, impactful creations—and rewriting the rules.