But publishers lament that 24/7 news channels are killing off the quickies. When Rupa's R.K. Mehra published his first quickie in 1964, he managed to sell over 2,40,000 copies. It was a book of children's poems paying tribute to Chacha Nehru, released within a week of his death. He was tempted to repeat the formula when Lal Bahadur Shastri died. This too was a collection of poetry, and sold over 1,00,000 copies. The thumb rule for quickies has always been high drama events, sudden deaths and mega events. Which is why at least three books followed in the wake of the hijacking drama aboard IC-814. Penguin won the prize—the pilot's account— but lost out by hitting the stands six months after the other two books were out.
One author who's made a name in the quickie business is AP reporter Neelesh Mishra. He began with a book on the hijacking—173 Hours in Captivity—delivered within a fortnight of the event. This was followed by End of the Line, on the royal massacre in Nepal, again delivered within weeks. But he's sworn to never again write a quickie in his life. "It's gruelling work." Instead, he's working on his first "commercial" novel, giving himself a respectable year to complete it.
