Manali Manan Desai's Blog, page 59

In Conversation With Ravi Valluri

E.B. White says,

“Books are good company, in sad times and happy times, for books are people – people who have managed to stay alive by hiding between the covers of a book.”

Much of a writer’s personality is reflected through their writing and especially by their books. That’s why I choose books which tell me more about the writer.

Recently, one such read inspired me a lot, not just because the stories were good; but also because the author seemed to be someone with a lot of knowledge and wisdom.

The book’s title and review is shared in the below image:

[image error]

When I reached out to Ravi after reading his book, he said he would love to read my book as well and share his thoughts on it. So, here’s what he thought of my book.

[image error]

Today, I invited him over for a chat on the Author Collaborative segment and we spoke at length about various things related to life, writing, books and so much more!

Here’s a list of questions we asked each other.

[image error]



[image error]

You can listen to our answers on the YouTube video below.

Would you like to check out our books? You can find the buying details of both of our books below:

HeartBreak at Coffee Shop: An Array of Tales on Amazon IndiaHeartBreak at Coffee Shop: An Array of Tales on Amazon.comThe Art of Being Grateful & Other Stories on Amazon IndiaThe Art of Being Grateful & Other Stories on Amazon.com

When You Believe That One Should Never Stop Dreaming ~ A Journalist, Content Creator & Entrepreneur Shares Her Story

Charlotte Brontë said,

“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.”

In this week’s #FridayFeature blog focusing on the #WonderWomen segment we bring to you the story of a woman who is the living embodiment of the above quote. She dons multiple professional hats and follows all her passions, quite effectively so. Meet, Journalist, Content Creator, Blogger, Social Activist, TV Debater and Entrepreneur, Saksshi A Mattoo. She is the founder of The Urban Elephant, a furniture and interior brand and she is also the founder of a blog by the name of Momzila, which shares blogs on various parenting, décor, lifestyle and culinary topics. Saksshi has also been a part of more than 10 anthology books in which her various stories and poems have been published. Besides this she is also a journalist and social activist. So, how does she manage these multiple professional roles and what keeps her motivated to pursue them all with equal passion? Let’s find out in her own words.

[image error]

***

“My father got hooked me to news and it is was only natural that I grew up to be a professional journalist. Enamoured by the art of storytelling, though I continued to switch careers, the passion stayed. To cut a long story short, writing is my oxygen! Although I am a furniture manufacturer and run my own brand- The Urban Elephant but writing is where my heart and soul lies! Besides, I am an activist and Delhi Spokesperson of India4Kashmir (a pan-India movement working to reclaim the lost ground & rehabilitation of India in Kashmir).  

[image error]

My favorite quote I truly resonate with is “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly” by Robert F. Kennedy. It’s always a struggle to strike a chord between your passion & livelihood and life is all about overcoming this challenge overwhelmingly. No matter what the situation, I write to unwind, to break the monotony of the mundane and to escape into the world of my protagonists!

[image error]

I’m not cut out for politics and being politically correct has been my fault line that I’m still trying to fix! That’s when plunging into an entrepreneurial journey began and there has been no looking back since. As a Kashmiri Pandit in exile, it is my duty to serve the community and when the opportunity knocked, I couldn’t resist. Writing is a parallel equivalent to everything else that I do in my life!

[image error]

I believe the Shakti in us is enough to keep us motivated; and that’s what keeps me motivated at least. My mother and my guru (Mrs Jeeja Purohit) are my greatest inspirations as well. Other than this, every audacious woman who has achieved her dreams by confronting obstacles inspire me a great deal! The “yearning to accomplish my dreams” keeps me going. Thus far, my journey has been a roller coaster. At this juncture, I feel more experienced thanks to the lessons through the odyssey. On the entrepreneurial front, there is a lot that I still need to achieve. I intend to switch my operational model from B2B to B2C and venture into retail.

[image error]

As far as the writings are concerned, I’ve been a part of several anthologies and contests wherein my stories have struck a chord with the audience. Right now, I am working towards my cherished dream of penning my first book. So, yeah wish me luck!

[image error]

I have been a part of several TV debates news channels including Zee News, and Sudarshan TV. I have also featured on various YouTube channels including Know The Nation and The Rajdharma. I intend to continue working with more vigour, zeal and integrity and that’s the concrete future plan as of now.

[image error]

After handling and playing the roles of motherhood and entrepreneurship I have come to realise the value family, friends and dreams equally. One should never stop dreaming and striving hard enough to make their dream a reality! I swear by the proverb, “They buried us. They didn’t know we were seeds.” I’ve learnt to be the seed.  

[image error]

I would like to end on the note, bloom, no matter where you are planted!”

[image error]

***

To get in touch with Saksshi, or to follow her works and buy/inquire about her many professional works, follow the links below:

Professional and personal social media handles:

Saksshi’s Instagram handleLinkedInFacebook personal profile

The Urban Elephant:

WebsiteInstagramFacebook

Momzila:

WebsiteInstagramFacebook

Buying details of Anthologies:

A Jar of MemoriesA Jar of StoriesPetrichor: An Anthology of Monsoon TalesIllusioned RealitiesArzooDrenched Thoughts Life in 5 wordsDrenched Thoughts Brother in 5 wordsDrenched Thoughts Sister in 5 wordsDrenched Thoughts Motherhood in 5 wordsDrenched Thoughts Food in 5 wordsDrenched Thoughts Marriage in 5 wordsDrenched Thoughts Hospitals in 5 words

Features and mentions:

MompressoIndia 4 Kashmir– Review of ShikaraIndia 4 Kahsmir – Is Freedom of Speech exclusive to the privileged lot?

When You Believe That Patience is The Key To Success ~ A Mechanical Engineering Professional & An Author Shares His Journey

Jack Kerouac, says,

“One day I will find the right words, and they will be simple.”

In our #WisdomWednesday blog focusing on the #MarvelousMen segment we bring to you a man who believes in telling simple yet gripping stories. Meet, Mechanical Engineering Professional and Author, Neelabh Pratap Singh. Besides doing a regular corporate desk job, Neelabh has managed to author two books, both of which have been very well received. What made him choose these two varied fields of work and how does he manage between the two? Let’s find out in his own words.

[image error]

****

“I am a mechanical engineer by profession and I have work experience with big names like Superbike manufacturers. However, I was always a passionate storyteller and I still cultivate my passion of storytelling. When I was a kid, I used to sketch comic books on my notebook, color them with crayons and offer them to my friends to read. There would be Batman, Superman, Spiderman, Dinosaurs, and all the fantastical things an adolescent mind could imagine. But as I grew up, I left sketching comic books as it seemed childish to me. And most importantly I got myself into, like thousands of other youth of India, the rat race of engineering. I kept my passion of storytelling dormant for many years until I got into my first job and started reading books – as an escape to the mundane and strenuous corporate life. It was that time when my passion of storytelling was reignited, and I decided that writing could be the thing through which I can relive my passion.

[image error]

The struggle was in getting started as a writer and trusting myself to write well. I had never written anything creative in my life; poem, short story, nothing. The passion was there but skills were lacking. So, I started devouring books, analyzed the books of bestselling authors, both the storytelling technique and writing style. Parallelly, I began writing short stories on blog and online portals. I also started working on my first full-fledged novel. It took me two years to finish my first book and I thought I’ve won the battle. But soon I realized that finishing a book is only half the job done. It was after this I realized how brutal the publishing world is. I had sent my manuscript to all the literary agents and publishers but most of them didn’t respond. The very few responses that came, were the rejection emails.

[image error]

The turning point came when the much well-known online short story portal, Storymirror.com, on which I used to write short stories, contacted me and offered a publishing deal for my first book via their new publishing venture.  That gave me my first break in the world of publishing.

[image error]

My biggest motivation is the passion of telling unique and gripping stories that propels me to churn out new books. I read a lot to keep myself motivated, and I try reading a variety of authors. Some authors whose work has inspired me are Steve Berry, George RR Martin, Mary Burton, Lorethe Anne White, among many others.

[image error]

The journey so far has been gratifying. My debut book, The Resurrection of Evil, was launched at Hansraj College, Delhi University by the erstwhile Special Commissioner of Police – Law and Order, Mr SBK Singh.

[image error]

Pi Agency, a novel based on woman private detective has received an encouraging testimonial from real life woman private detective, Ms Taralika Lahiri, who runs a top private detective firm in Delhi.

[image error]

The most important thing I learnt in my journey as an author is that patience is the key.

We spend endless hours and sleepless nights for bringing our ideas to life and as artists we are very excited to show our craft to the world as soon as it gets ready, but the key is to give this craft some time, revisit it, carve it, and chisel it over and over again.”

[image error]

****

To drop in a message to Neelabh, follow his writing work and updates, follow the links below:

Professional handles:

InstagramTwitterYouTubeFacebookFacebook page of Neelabh’s book The Resurrection of EvilFacebook page of Neelabh’s book Pi Agency

Amazon links to Neelabh’s books:

The Resurrection of EvilPi Agency

Features:

Halo of BooksBook Geeks IndiaAll AuthorMy Happy ChanceBooks. Babies. And. More

Other professional and personal social media handles:

LinkedInGoodreadsFacebook personal profile

In Conversation With Preeti Rajput

Jim Rohn, says,

“Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.” 

I have always been a voracious reader and lately I have taken to reading new authors and genres, especially Indian authors.

So when I chanced upon a short stories collection which was getting some great reviews, I decided to go ahead and give it a try even though it was the author’s debut book.

Fortunately, the book turned out to be quite good! In fact I enjoyed the book and thought of reaching out to the author over social media to appreciate the work.

The book in question is titled Clean Slate and the author is Preeti Rajput. So, that’s who my guest was on today’s Author Collaborative Instagram live session.

[image error]

Preeti and I have read each other’s latest books and enjoyed them as well! Here are the reviews we wrote for them!

[image error]



[image error]

We discussed these over the course of our half an hour chat on Instagram live. And below is a short summary of the questions we asked each other.

[image error]



[image error]

You can have a look and listen to our full conversation on the YouTube video below:

Would you like to check out our books? The buying details are provided below:

Clean Slate Amazon IndiaClean Slate Amazon.comThe Art of Being Grateful & Other Stories Amazon IndiaThe Art of Being Grateful & Other Stories Amazon.com

With Love, Forvever by Kavya Janani

Book Blurb:

The vibrant 11th grader Bhavana had never believed that love was a powerful force until it happened to her – for the first time, towards a stranger who was as different from her as could be. A Tamil girl from a privileged background suddenly finds herself head over heels for a Marwari textile shopkeeper, Jairam, a stranger she knew precious little about. In the world that is just at the cusp of the technology boom, Bhavana’s love story takes baby steps, with support from her friends amidst their dubious questions. But before it has a chance to develop into a full-fledged relationship, Jairam disappears without a trace. Her desperate searches on the fledgling social media giving no results, Bhavana has no means to contact him or even assure herself of his well-being. Six years and a few life-altering experiences later, Bhavana embarks on a journey to the Pink City, Jaipur, in search of Jairam. Armed only with five love letters devoid of any personal identification details, she travels 2185 kilometers in search of answers, closure, and a lost love. Will her subsequent heartbreaks have changed her as a person? Was her love towards Jairam going to be tested? Would she know the answers she was seeking, and if she did, would she like them?

Genre: Fiction/Romance

Pages: 402

Price: 49 INR/$2.99

My Ratings: 4.2/5

[image error]

“Forgetting someone you truly love is really impossible.”

Centered around the above quote and theme, ‘With Love, Forever’ is a love story that makes you in believe in the ‘destined to be together’ kind of couples. Bhavana and Jairam’s love begins in teenage and goes through a sweet journey full of unexpected twists and turns, and an almost unbelievable ‘getting back together’. Read this one for its innocence and to restore your faith in romance.

What I liked about the book :

-> The character growth of the protagonists, Bhavana and Jairam (especially Jairam)

-> Equal importance given to the plot lines of side characters

-> The weighing of compatibility and practicality against feelings and emotions

-> Friendship and love are both shown to be important in a person’s life

-> A story one can easily visualise as a movie, or hope to get converted into a movie or mini series

-> The throwback to all the letters at the end of the book (because these letters form the essence of the romance)

-> The innocence and sweetness of teenage romance which is well described and narrated


What I did not like about the book :

-> The flow gets confusing at times between the past and present (which is why the letters at the end are so essential)

-> Initially, Jairam comes across as a stalker (but he grows on the reader gradually)

-> SPOILER: Some parts were predictable for me (maybe because I’m a seasoned reader) for e.g I knew Jairam’s shop would be named ‘Bhavana’


All in all, a recommended read for lovers of romance genre. This one will take you down the memory lane of your first love, especially if that love led to a happy ending. 

Buying details:

Amazon IndiaAmazon.com

When You Learn To Trust Your Instincts & Learn Each Day ~ A Paper Quilling Artist Shares Her Story

 Chantal Larocque says,

“Paper flowers make just about any heart smile…and that- is the best gift of all!”

In our #FridayFeature blog focusing on the #WonderWomen segment we bring to you a woman who makes many hearts smile because of her paper flowers and all sorts of paper art. Meet, Paper Quilling Artist and Founder of Soul of Quilling, Elizabeth Thomas. A Software Engineer by qualification, Elizabeth decided to follow something besides just her desk job. She found that answer through her passion for paper art and started Soul of Quilling, a creative platform via which she takes up and pursues her love for all artsy and creative handmade stuff made out of paper. What made her realize her calling and how did she gather the courage to pursue her passion alongside a fulltime job? Let’s find out in her own words.

[image error]

****

“By heart, I am a Paper quilling artist. This art has been a part of my life since 2017. This is just one part of my identity though, because I believe in using both the left- and right-hand side of the brain. The creative brain goes in pursuing paper art, while the logical brain goes in a job I love equally, if not more. I’m a Software Engineer by qualification and pursue this professionally as well. So, apart from being a quilling artist, I have also been working as a software professional since 2016.

[image error]

What got me into paper art was my mother and her love towards this creative activity. I hardly had any interest towards art back in my teenage days. Amma was a teacher in Maldives from where she was introduced to this art of creating life with papers. Even though I knew what quilling was since 2008, I never took it seriously or attempted to even roll a coil.After completing my graduation, I happened to try my hand on creating a few flowers. Later, I moved to Bangalore for my job where I was put into Business Wait after training. While I was waiting to be onboarded a project, I found myself left with a lot of time to upskill myself. I remembered this little forgotten craft and ordered a quilling kit for myself from Craft Gully. That is where it all began. I made a really small piece with a few flowers and gifted it to someone.

[image error]

Right from the beginning, I always focused on perfection which has always made me very particular about the polished look of each final piece. My friends were my pillars back then and they pushed me to do more and one of them placed their first order with me. That was the beginning!

The hustle between the two professions is the biggest struggle. I had to shuffle between Bangalore and Pune a lot during the first 3 years of my full-time job. I had a lot of trouble in finding the kind of frames I wanted. Since I was a full time software professional I always had tight schedules and struggled to finish my commissioned works. I had to pull many all-nighters just to ensure that the client was delivered his smile package on time!

[image error]

My mom who is herself a pro at quilling always helped me out and motivated me whenever I doubted my skills or there was just too much to handle at once.

The turning point was when I decided to start taking orders and commissioned works for my paper art. This came after I realized that I was doing an amazing job worth being paid for!

[image error]

My biggest motivation comes from my mother, my brothers and my amazing circle of friends! Apart from this, the feedback I receive on my quilling work, whether through a post I have shared on social media or when a client who has received their order says they loved my work, it keeps me fuelled to continue pursuing this passion.

[image error]

The journey so far has been extremely fulfilling. The future plans include more or less of the following:

To be a part of an art exhibitionTo start a YouTube channel for tutorialsTo build a diverse portfolio as an artist



[image error]

My biggest learning has been of self-belief and growth through achievements as well as mistakes. I have realized that,

“You are learning each day so have the courage to experiment.”

[image error]

And one must learn to trust their instincts.

Learning all about social media marketing and promotion has been the best add-on skill through this little artistic venture of mine and I am loving every bit of it.”

[image error]

****

To connect with Elizabeth, check out her gorgeous paper quilling artwork, or to inquire and get a commissioned artwork piece done via her, follow the links below:

Paper Quilling & Artwork handles:

Soul of Quilling Instagram pageLizza Quilled Crafts Facebook page

Features & Mentions:

The Art HubGlobal Quilling

Clients posing with/posting completed artworks by Elizabeth:

Do what you love (quote quilling artwork)Happy Birthday quilling artworkPersonalized name frame quilling artworkKeep Smiling (quote quilling artwork)

Other personal and professional social media handles:

LinkedInInstagram personal handleFacebook personal profile

Postcards from Kandbari by Nachi Keta

Book blurb:

A mountain village in Himachal. A few months of living in heaven, sort of. And a string of verses that comes out of varied emotions. Musings on changing hours and colors. On clouds. Slow verses. Calm verses. Verses that are placidly angry with the ecological disaster. Verses that look back at Delhi, from a mountain village. On rains. On evenings. On Death. On mornings. On the absent beloved in the city. Familiar and not so familiar verses. All on the present. Some yearnings. On infinite walks. On loneliness. On late nights and ghosts. And dogs.
Of a village called Kandbari in the lap of Himalayas.
A mountain village.

Pages: 75

Genre: Poetry/Fiction

Price: 59 INR/$ 1.30

My Ratings: 4.6/5

Read this one for some hard hitting reality check. If you’re a lover of poetry, you will not regret buying or reading this one.

[image error]

What I liked about this book:
–> Deals with a myriad of topics and does justice to all of them.
–> Apart from the poems, the cover of the book is really beautiful and apt.
–> Makes you travel through the beauty of nature (and that’s a much needing blessing in this pandemic for travel lovers like me)
–> The little essay at the end is so thought provoking and a need of the hour. It questions our actions as humans and will resonate with woke people across the world.

What I did not like about the book:
–> The contextual notes at the end of almost all poems.
–> Some poems felt dull.

Quotable quotes:
–> The knife does not understand the way it stabs.
–>The world knows not the silence of the skies, nor fireflies that bloom in the minds of late-night nappers under a roof made of thatch and iron mash and tarpaulin.
–> And it fell;
the tree fell;
the carcass fell;
birds flapped away;
nearby trees groaned;
and pain transmitted across space like undulating time.
–> whenever I see
a jumpy group of young
people smiling into a
camera accompanied by
a gleaming white mountain
range behind them with
a sun, and Himachali caps,
and sunglasses adorned on
their faces, all I can see
are remains
of plastic bottles
near a corner hidden
from the picture-frame.
–> I love the many few
seconds before
the rain.
It is densely quiet
but for the
gurgling
of the clouds.
—> In
the mountains
the sun never sets
It disappears, just. All of a sudden.

Buying links:

Amazon IndiaAmazon.com

The Year That Was, 2020 ~ Learning Through Our Long Distance Relationship

Hola, my virtual family.

Hope you and your loved ones are safe and well during this global health crisis.

Best Literary Magazines and Online Platforms For The Fiction Lovers & Writers in India

W. Terry Whalin says,

“Publishing in magazine is an under-used route for authors to reach readers. As a former magazine editor, I understand the power of reaching the audience…With one article, I have reached millions of people.”

Before being a writer, I was a reader. And if not for my love of reading, my professional title might have been completely different. I have been a voracious reader from the age of 12. How do I find my next best read? Well, besides the conventional route of word-of-mouth, I now also rely on book reviews and recommendations. One of the best sources for reviews are literary magazines or rather webzines/e-magazines.

Besides, reviews these webzines are a great source of catching up on what’s happening in the world of literature and writing. And, if you’re a writer yourself, you could become part of the contributing or editorial team yourself. How awesome would that be, right?

Here are 5 (Indian) such webzines that are most popular and my favorite!!

1. Sharing Stories

From writing contests to author interviews and book listings, the Sharing Stories webzine offers great content for both readers and authors, plus upcoming writers. They put out a free e-magazine every month, which features interviews with authors, shares book recommendations and has theme based stories and poems chosen from the submissions they receive regularly.

[image error]

2. Muse India Magazine

In their own words, “Muse India is a freely accessible non-commercial site, for promotion of Indian literature. It is run on voluntary work of several writers. Established in 2005, it is a bi-monthly magazine”.

They have some of best fiction and poetry pieces and their book reviews have helped me find some of my favorite reads in the past few years.

[image error]

The Bombay Literary Magazine

One of the best sources for curated fiction and poetry, TBLM is a top pick for free access to best stories and poems curated carefully by their keen editors.

Some of their stories and poems have made it to all my time favorite reads in the recent past.

[image error]

eFiction India

This is probably the only literary magazine available in multiple formats viz PDF, Mobi, Epub and print too! Unlike the others on the list (which are free to acess and subscribe), this one has a subscription charge though (which I believe is totally worth it)

[image error]

Helter Skelter

Besides a lot of varied free content (book reviews, interviews, short fiction and features) which is available on their website itself, Helter Skelter India has also put out 6 anthology volumes (paid) with the aim ‘to promote emerging writers; to create a space for original, fresh short-fiction, poetry, and in India’

[image error]

So, go follow/subscribe to these amazing magazines! If you’re reader, you’ll enjoy the varied content they provide. If you’re writer, go ahead and contribute to join their team of content makers!

Here are links to the websites of all magazines listed above:

Sharing StoriesMuse India MagazineThe Bombay Literary MagazineeFiction IndiaHelter Skelter India

In Conversation With Charu Vashishtha

 Winston Churchill said,

“We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.”

On this week’s episode of the Author Collaborative segment, my guest was an author who believes in giving honest tips and advice to those who are in the field in which she now has a strong footing, but once faced many rejections.

Charu Vashishtha is an author of two books. I recently read one of these titled The Lady in The Mirror, which is a collection of 8 short stories, and quite enjoyed them.

I reached out to her for being a part of this segment and she was eager to dish out advice to those, like her, enjoy writing and would like to some day get published.

[image error]

Being a curious reader, I had a long list of questions I wanted to ask her about her book. She too has read by latest book The Art of Being Grateful & Other Stories and wanted to ask me questions about it.

Before we delve into these Q&A, here’s a look at our reviews of each other’s books.

[image error]



[image error]

In our live session, besides chit chatting, we also asked each other some questions. Here’s what each of us asked the other

[image error]

You can check out our full conversation in the YouTube video below.

Interested in checking out our books? Here are the buying details:

The Lady in The Mirror on Amazon IndiaThe Lady in The Mirror on Amazon.comThe Art of Being Grateful & Other Stories on Amazon IndiaThe Art of Being Grateful & Other Stories on Amazon.com