A Devil's Triangle - my entry to the GetPublished contest


Love is a concept that has fascinated every artist: painters, sculptors, musicians, poets, dramatists and story tellers. Its definition varies from person to person. There is this universal all-embracing love for humanity or beyond at one end of the spectrum. Then there is the deep urge for sexual union with a member of the opposite gender at the other end of the spectrum. Millions of shades can be defined in the vast area between the two. CS Lewis the author of the famous Narnia series defines 4 types of love: love for family, friendship, romance and unconditional selfless love. But often the distinction is not clear and one can easily morph into the other. Unconditional selfless love that makes one sacrifice himself or herself for another can emerge out of each of the other three. I have read articles that claim friendship between members of opposite gender usually turns into romance. Even between members of same gender, too close a friendship is often viewed as homosexuality. Freud seems to suggest even love within family has its basis in underlying sexual tendencies. So the overall the distinction is blurred.

The usual subject that generates maximum interest is often the romantic love between members of different genders; though it often goes on to embrace the other forms of love as well. And this love has usually been the theme of most Indian films. I have tended to dismiss the love as portrayed on films as just hype for film directors to make money. Till one day I for personally got to experience this emotion in its burning intensity. It was at this time I came in contact with a few other afflicted souls. And what fascinating stories we had to share while trying to raise our sagging spirits using bottled spirit supplements!

It is one of these stories that I would like to narrate. A real story stranger than fiction! Not one but two love stories intertwined with each other. Love opposed not by society or by parental authority but by another equal if not greater love! Love triangles are of course a common theme in films. The story I would like to narrate is one from real life. The story of a young man who lost his heart not once but twice! To two different women! But then he had just one heart and only one of them could take possession of it unless they chose to rend his heart into two. It was a tough choice which was going to leave somebody hurt whichever way it went. As someone closely involved with these events, I seek to lay out the series of events that lead to such a situation and how it was eventually resolved.

The story also has some other interesting themes explored in films as well: childhood sweet hearts, love at first sight, souls seemingly linked together by fate. It is a story that begins way back at school and culminates at a software company. As some of us may be aware, software companies are the breeding den for romance these days. When freshers join for training, it is like a college batch, full of young men and women with hormones running wild. So much so that IT companies have had to formulate strict rules on public display of affection within company premises.  I hope to give a glimpse of the social life of young software engineers as well in this story.

This is my entry for the HarperCollins–IndiBlogger Get Published contest, which is run with inputs from Yashodhara Lal and HarperCollins India.

29 comments:

Deepa from FictionPies said...

Interesting, now I look forward to the rest! BTW, did it ever get clarified whether you need to pen the story further or if you need to wait for them to confirm? Per the HC rules - they mentioned that if the idea is shortlisted, then the contestant would receive a private link where they can pen their story but there seems to be a lot of confusion. Even I had posted the idea but then I am not sure if/not/when to proceed.

T F Carthick said...

Thanks, Deepa. From what they have said it is not looking like they will short list based on ideas but will give everyone a chance and short list only based on full story. Don't know. I will anyways start writing. Can give it somewhere else if HC does not take it. We writers only want a reason to write, no?

Anonymous said...

:-|

me too was up with a story dealing with two stories, and the childhood love and and all the time i thought i'll be the only one with that idea.

well i'll convince myself saying "great men thinks alike "

(ahh !! sometimes i get too far while bragging !! but yeah luck to you, i still have to complete the post declaring the idea, it's taking longer than my usual posts :-|)

indu chhibber said...

I hope your winning streak continues,good luck.

T F Carthick said...

@Yatin - After all there are so many similarities in real life. I just know 3-4 real life love stories that my friends shared from the depth of their hearts during drinks sessions. One I sent for Penguin. This for Harper Collins.

T F Carthick said...

Thanks, Indu. This is better than all the other contest. Others contest were just some kindles and small things like that. This is an opportunity to get published.

Shiromi * said...

Thanks to your post, I'll be giving it a shot too. I'm writing just to write though, not even thinking about winning.

All the best to you though, Your story sounds intriguing already :)

Diwakar Narayan said...

Nice idea TF. IT companies are really proving to be a hub for romance more than IT stuff itself! And again, love triangles are always tricky in some or the other way. Hope to see the story making its way to the anthology.

T F Carthick said...

Thanks, Shiromi. Even I am writing just for the love of writing. Contests just give just that little extra push.

T F Carthick said...

Thanks Diwakar. I don't know if you have seen triangles in real life. But it really intrigued me.

umashankar said...

And that is a fine treatise on love and a finer promise to deliver a story that nearly cleft a heart in two! To tell you the truth, I had been waiting for a sign from you and here it is! Godspeed your tale in print, sir!

T F Carthick said...

Thanks umashankar. Glad for the continued support. Home my story lives up to the expectation. Hoping to eventually see something in print.

Shesha Chaturvedi said...

Sounds interesting... All the best TF :)

sharmila said...

As they say in the filmy lingo'more than the idea,it is the treatment that makes all the difference' Will wait for two such story ideas...Umashankar and you can treat the storyline like few others can.All the best!

T F Carthick said...

Thanks Shesha.

T F Carthick said...

Thanks Sharmila. Umashankar is indeed an amazing writer. Hope I can do justice to your words though. Nice to see you becoming more regular at my blog.

Khoty Mathur said...

Hi, Your idea just got a "like" from me. Always liked your writing. Wish you'd put in an extract from your story though.

T F Carthick said...

Returned the story, KayEm. I have not yet written it. So no extract. And usually I give title only after completing the story. So can't give title.

Nirvana said...

This one gets a vote from me, TF. Because I can connect to it instantly!!

C Suresh said...

Promises to be a very interesting tale TF! Waiting to read the full story.

Rinzu said...

Love happens twice! :P Maybe!

Please read mine and vote if you think it should make its way into the anthology

http://www.indiblogger.in/getpublished/idea/248/

T F Carthick said...

Thanks. I voted for you too.

T F Carthick said...

Thanks , Suresh. Yes, if at all I write it.

T F Carthick said...

Thanks Rinzu. Voted for yours.

debajyoti said...

searched indivine contest page and somehow found your story. sounds like an interesting one. would love to read the entire story. voted. please submit this post on indivine or somewhere else where it's visible and also paste the link to vote for your entry on this page. all the best!!

T F Carthick said...

Well, deb. Not sure if I will write it though. I don't like the way it is going. Initially I was interested. But after the way things have been moving on, I have lost interest. I just love writing. I am not excited about all the promotions and networking. Anyways thanks for the votes.

Bhavana said...

Oh dear...oh dear....
From where did you get this idea? It is definitely out of the box in an uncomfortable way. I have often pondered how two folks can be loved deeply by the same person, and the one a little more without sacrificing or forgetting the first! Human heart is so complicated and so confusing...
I wonder how you will unpack this piece...

T F Carthick said...

Thanks, Bhavana. It is based on a real life story as I have mentioned and I have seen him agonizing over having to hurt one of them.

provoqd said...

Hi TF,

Well, if you really go to see, most of the youth nowadays have multiple flings and affairs. They get into relationships as if they were window shopping in a mall. But this story seems interesting, it holds good promise. Coming from you, one can expect the complete version to be a great story. :) :) :)

My vote goes to you, wish you luck :):):)

P.S. Do check out & vote for my entry for Get Published.

Regards

Jay
My Blog | My Entry to Indiblogger Get Published

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