History hidden in unusual surfaces.
My first historical novel Etched in Gold
was all about a 17th century Tanjore Kings’ Sanskrit biography recorded on palm leaves and the same king’s trade agreement with the King of Denmark recorded on a gold foil.

My current work-in-progress novel follows the same theme, but now the surface is fabric. I am exploring history captured in fabrics, with threads and dyes, motifs and designs, all woven into a visual story.

My wanderings in Tamil Nadu led me to traditional weavers who have been innovating and discovering new fibres like banana fibres, woven along with silk and cotton into amazing saris and table linen.

There is a move to get back to the slow process of creating hand-knotted tie and dye fabrics, and complex designs meshed into the weaving.