Author, printer, publisher and distributor
K. KUNHIKRISHNAN
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Parappanad Gopalakrishnan is a writer with a difference
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Most of his stories deal wtih contemporary living, with its dilemmas, agonies, hopes and dreams.
Photo: S. Ramesh Kurup
Writer by vocation: Parappanad Gopalakrishnan.
Parappanad Gopalakrishnan is a unique writer. And what makes this author of a novel and 67 short stories one-of-a-kind is that not only does he write the stories, but he also prints and publishes them himself and sells them too. He travels all over northern Kerala with his load of books.
Over a period of two decades, Parappanad Gopalakrishnan's short stories have been compiled into nine books.
The lay reader can empathise with the the themes that pertain to aspects of everyday life and the characters drawn from locales with which he is familiar.
He deals with the trials and tribulations of existence and most of them present a profile of contemporary living with its dilemmas, agonies, hopes and dreams.
If he is does not sell even a single copy of his books he feels uneasy, and when he does sell one, he remembers the face of the person who buys his books.
Neither are his books expensive. Except one book, which costs Rs. 20, seven of his books cost only Rs. 10 and the rest Rs. 7.50. To pursue his passion for writing, publishing and selling, Gopalakrishnan gave up the security of a government job, and plunged into full time writing career. Initial losses that he suffered did not deter him as his wife Kaliani, a teacher backed him. Despite the risks involved, he avails himself of bank loans to publish his books.
Well read and up-to-date with trends in Malayalam and world literature, he says that he began his tryst with literary activities as a poet. Gopalakrishnan's novel is `Irathullikal', and some of his short stories are `Jeevanulla Prathimakal,' `Atimakal, Urangatha Swapnangal,' `Nizhal Roopangal, Kaaval Maadam' `Chumadanweshikkunna Atthanikal' and `Bhoomiyile Kaarmeghangal.'
His stories have appeared in periodicals as well. He has also published stories in various periodicals.
In 1985 Gopalakrishnan ventured into publishing with his first short story collection of 12 stories, `Vedanayude Mukhangal' (The faces of Pain). Pre-publication notices were distributed in Parappanangadi and Kadalundi and the first edition was sold out.
His print order is a uniform 1,000 copies and his market consists of schools, Government offices, police stations, auto and taxi stands. His favourite writers are M.T. Vasudevan Nair and T. Padmanabhan and the works of S.K. Pottekkatt have inspired him.
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