Bangladeshi author P. Paramita’s ‘Appetite’ sold out on launch day in New York’s Strand
The book launch events for many Nobel, Booker and Pulitzer Prize-winning authors have been held at this bookstore in Manhattan, New York. On 6 August, it hosted the publication event for a young Bangladeshi author's book. The venue is the historic and prestigious Strand Bookstore. Dial Press has published P. Paramita's first book, Appetite. Paramita captivated the audience by reading excerpts from the novel and sharing the story of her aspirations and journey to becoming a writer.
In a room overflowing with American literature enthusiasts, author Haley Jakobson, hailed as a New York Times Editors’ Choice writer, introduced P. Paramita to the stage.
Entry fee for the event were priced at US$20, and the turnout was so overwhelming that the venue quickly reached capacity, turning some hopeful guests away at the door.
An audience of over a hundred sat in rapt attention. Following a live reading from her debut novel, Appetite, Paramita joined artists, publishers and readers for a lively Q&A. Her sharp yet effortless answers, frequent smiles and enthusiasm drew a wave of warm applause from the crowd.
"My mother, Marina, thinks I took the name of the main character, Zarina, from her name, Marina," Paramita shared, drawing a wave of laughter from the room.
"The main character of my novel is a Bangladeshi woman living in America," Paramita explained. "She works in a restaurant but she is a devoted fan of American professional wrestler Sierra Misst. This novel explores the multifaceted complexities of the relationship between a star and a fan through the lens of social media," she said.
The curious audience listened in silence as Paramita spoke about the story. Nearby, an American artist sat quietly, sketching Paramita’s face in pencil.
After the discussion, attendees crowded around Paramita to take photographs. Two people brought cakes with the word written on top “Appetite,” while another brought several custom T-shirts printed with the book cover and Paramita’s photograph.
Those who had preordered the book lined up to get their copies signed. Within a short time, Christina McQueen, event coordinator at Strand Books, made an announcement, “Sold out. Sold out. No more copies.”
Roughly 25 Bangladeshis living in the United States were also there to share in the moment, including the restaurant chefs Paramita had interviewed while gathering material for the book.
While many had arrived hoping to purchase copies at the door, McQueen explained, “We actually brought the books from Penguin based on the preorders.” Another coordinator, Tiko Tjiptarto, added that the team had anticipated strong sales.
“We were getting a good response to the promotion, so we brought in some extra copies beyond the number ordered. Those sold out as well.”
Established in New York in 1927, Strand Bookstore is considered an iconic and prestigious destination for book lovers. Literary events and discussions featuring widely acclaimed works by Nobel laureates Toni Morrison and Kazuo Ishiguro to Booker Prize winner Salman Rushdie and Pulitzer winner Jhumpa Lahiri.
Penguin, the book’s publisher and Strand Bookstore, which hosted the event, promoted the launch through their websites, social media platforms and email campaigns. Paramita has also begun a special US book tour running through August and September.
On 8 August, she spoke with readers at Possible Futures in New Haven alongside Annelise Chen. On 25 August, she will appear at Riffraff Bookstore in Providence.
On 27 August, Paramita will join a discussion with Ursula Villarreal-Moura at Narrative Bookshop in Somerville. On 8 September, she will take part in another discussion with Villarreal-Moura at Lost City Books in Washington, DC.
Penguin has released Appetite in three formats. Paperback, audiobook and e-book. The $18 paperback is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Bookshop.org, Hudson Booksellers, Powell’s, Target and Walmart.
The 8-hour-9-minute audiobook can be listened to or downloaded through Apple Books, Audible, Audiobooks.com, AudiobookStore.com, Barnes & Noble, Chirp, Google Play, Kobo, Libro.fm and Spotify.
The e-book is available through Kindle, Kobo, Google Play Books and Apple Books. Paramita will receive royalties from sales across all formats. In Jackson Heights, the main hub for Bangladeshis in the United States, Appetite will also be available at The World’s Borough Bookshop on 34th Avenue at 73rd Street and Muktadhara on 74th Street at Roosevelt Avenue.
On 20 August, 2023, The Dial Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House, invited writers to submit unsolicited manuscripts for one week. From around 1,000 submissions, the publisher selected the manuscript of Appetite for publication.
Paramita said she began writing the book in June 2023 and finished it in August. In January 2024, she began discussions with editor Katy Nishimoto and formally signed with agent Ashley Lopez of MMQ Agency. The manuscript was edited under Lopez’s guidance from January to April and resubmitted to the editor in May. The final publishing agreement was signed in June 2024.
Paramita began writing while she was in school. She has been writing for The Daily Star in Bangladesh since 2010. After moving to the United States in 2014, her work has appeared in Teen Vogue, Them, Color Bloq, Autostraddle, Southampton Review and Dogwood Journal.
In 2022, Paramita earned a master’s degree in creative writing from Columbia University. The following year, she began teaching creative writing at Southern Connecticut State University.