We found ourselves at the launch of debutante novelist Komal Mehta’s Nick of Time a couple of months ago (exact date of event?). The feisty 29 year-old author, who works in a film marketing agency, seemed like she had everything going forher.

She had snagged one of the biggest publishers, she had drawn in quite an audience and the price of the book was just right to make even a college kid pick it up without hesitation. More importantly, she had drawn in considerable media attention, with newspaper photographers verbally brawling with news channels’ cameramen to get event pictures, as is often the scene.