There are many ways to tell when an author is successful: They find mention in bestseller lists and they’re invited to countless literature festivals. They have legions of fans on social media; some old-fashioned ones may even write letters and emails to them. They win awards, and the term “critically acclaimed” foreshadows them.

But perhaps no marker of success compares to this particular one earned by HN ‘Atom’ Golibar, a prolific author of horror and crime thrillers in Gujarati: (Urban) legend has it that his collections at a Junagadh library were in tatters. Readers would tear away his iconic book covers to use as decor, or take out pages from the middle, ensuring the plot’s mystery only deepened.