New York based writer Falguni Kothari’s first novel “It’s Your Move, Wordfreak” has just been released in India by Rupa Publications. The novel crafts a story out of two of the author’s favourite likes – romance and Scrabble – and is described as “a Scrabulous romance”.

It centres around Wordfreak (Aryan ‘Save-the-Planet’ Chawla) and Worddiva (Alisha Menon, successful divorce lawyer) whose relationship is cultivated through playing regular games of Scrabble online, which are interspersed with fun and flirty chats.  This ‘perfect virtual relationship’ is shaken when the duo meet on a blind date, and the story develops as the two realize that some words cannot be taken lightly.

The February issue of Vogue India has featured the novelist and her work. It quotes Kothari as saying, “As with Scrabble letters, you never know what life is going to dish out. Winning and losing is how you use them.”

The magazine says that Kothari loves romances (“I read them by the bucketful”) and Scrabble (“I’ve played 30 games a day”), and that the author promises that her novel has “well-orchestrated make-out sessions and a happy ending.” Falguni is the wife of Ajay P. Kothari and daughter of Saroj and Narendra K. Mehta.

The book costs Rs. 250, is available online and at bookstores across India. 

Click here to read Vogue write up.