Preeti Shenoy's Blog, page 18

The Bangalore celebration of #WakeUpLifeIsCalling

I have just got back from the Bangalore celebration of my book Wake Up Life is Calling.
To say that it went splendidly would be an undestatement.
The official pictures will come soon, meanwhile I am sharing a few pics which I liked :)
 My publisher Arup Bose,  and me :)



 This man surprised his wife by bringing her to my launch! She is a HUGE fan of me and wanted to attend my launch. But she didn't think it would be possible. He made it happen!
There was another reader who recited a BEAUTIFUL poem which was made entirely of my book titles!
Yet another reader gifted me a  BEAUTIFUL hand-knitted mobile pouch which she made herself! (and also bitter chocolate as I had once mentioned that the only kind of chocolate I eat is bitter chocolate)
I love this photo! We were all posing and this little baby was oblivious, playing with a water bottle.


With my publisher Arup Bose, and my editor (and good friend) Shinie Antony.


With the editor of my previous books Deepthi Talwar with whom I share an excellent rapport. I was thrilled that she came!







Many readers had left--but some had hung around--and this is a pic with some of the readers! :)

I can't tell you how LOVED i feel right now.
A big thank you to each one of you who turned up today.

More tomorrow
Love
preeti.


Grab It's All In The Planets: http:/preeti.io/3
http://preetishenoy.com/

Some of my favourite books( a video post) AND an invitation for the folks in Bangalore

This is a question which I am asked so many times! My favourite books.



So I thought I'd do a video post about it.

Also those of you who are in Bangalore, I want to meet you tomorrow(Saturday 4th May)!  Please alter your plans and come and see me at 5.30 pm, at Sapna Book House Residency road, where we are celebrating #WakeUpLifeIsCalling

You can also get your other books---and I shall happily sign them for you. We will click pictures too :) It is going to be a FUN ,interactive session and I am really looking forward to it.

Here's the formal invitation for you:



There's no entry fee, and I will be in conversation with my publisher Arup Bose.
It will be a fun evening for sure.
So I'll see you tomorrow!
love
Preeti
Grab It's All In The Planets: http:/preeti.io/3
http://preetishenoy.com/

Who is the best person to give you advice?

Hi there,

Today is day 2 of my blog marathon. If you don't know what that is, please read my previous post.

When I do a blog marathon, I usually do not plan my posts. I write whatever is on top of my head, that particular day. I feel it is more spontaneous and natural that way. It feels like having a conversation with a friend--not just pushing out content, because one has to!

This morning on my walk (I walk my dog every single day for 45 minutes to an hour), I was thinking and pondering about an exchange I had with one of my readers. Hundreds of readers write to me--and I do try and respond to ALL. 
There was a girl who wrote to me saying her parents want her to get married to someone of their choice, from their caste. She is  financially independent  is just 23. She is in love with  a person whom her parents wouldn't approve of. She asked me what to do.

I thought about it. I remembered my friend and fellow author Kanchana Banerjee's tweet



I completely agreed with Kanchana and also the article on Women's web where five women who got married before 25 shared their experiences.

I advised this reader  to make her parents understand. The way I saw it--there were just three choices: Either she agreed to get married to the guy her parents chose, or  she waited for a couple of years (to see if her love would last) or she opposed her parents and got married straight away.

I sent her the links to the above article. I told her to be strong, whereupon she told me "It is my life." I have no idea what she meant by that. I have no idea if she was telling me not to interfere?! Perhaps she wasn't.  It was she who asked for my advice and I had given it in good faith.

I told her to think about it and do what was best for her in the current circumstances.

I do feel the best person to give you advice is YOU. Very often we ask others for advice---someone who we think is wiser, and more experienced. But the thing is their life choices, their courage, their outlook and how they view things might be completely different to yours. They might offer you advice in good faith (and because you asked). But it is up to YOU to weigh their words and decide what is best for you.

Seek advice by all means.
But I do believe no one can really give you advice. Deep down, we all have an inner compass. It points us in the right direction. But sometimes, in the hustle and bustle of daily living, we forget to listen.

Sit in silence each day. For a brief while. Switch off from everything.
The voice inside you then becomes clear.

And suddenly you know what to do.

Tell me your thoughts on this one in my comment box.
More tomorrow.

Love
Preeti.

 ___________________
ps: #WakeUpLifeIsCalling has been chosen as Amazon's best reads for the month!
Get your copy: http://preeti.io/awake





Grab It's All In The Planets: http:/preeti.io/3
http://preetishenoy.com/

New post every day, whole of May! Start of the blog marathon.

Hello!

A new month always brings joy. There's something about the  number 1, appearing on the Calendar that brings joy and hope.

Regular readers know that every year I do a blog marathon---which means I write a new post every single day, for a whole month. Many of you tell me that look forward to this.  I do too--even though it is very hard. I love challenges. I have done this for the last eight years. It's a tradition I set in my early blogging days, which I continue.

If you want to get the posts in your inbox, do hit the subscribe button which you see on the top right hand side of this blog.



Starting today, I shall post every day. On some days, it may be a photo, sometimes a poem, and at other times, perhaps a page from my illustrated journal, and on other days musings or reflections. But you can be assured, there will be new content every single day.


Since blogging is a medium for interaction, I would highly appreciate if you leave me a comment after reading. I shall try and reply to each and every comment. Somehow it is better than simply reading and leaving, don't you think?

I look forward to hearing from you!
More tomorrow. Till then, enjoy your May day holiday :)


Love
Preeti

_______________________


Get the book: http://preeti.io/awake


Flower Photo by Olia Gozha on Unsplash
Grab It's All In The Planets: http:/preeti.io/3
http://preetishenoy.com/

Why I believe in book marketing and a mini-painting giveaway

Hello!
How have you been doing? How is the summer treating you? :)

I am exhausted most of the time. I am not sure if it is because of the very hectic  promos (Oh, I have been working so so  hard!)  of my new book Wake Up Life is Calling (a sequel to Life is What you make it) or whether it is the heat which is sapping  me.



When it comes to book marketing--there are two schools of thought. Some writers believe that the  marketing is not their job. They believe that their job ends when they send off the manuscript after the final  the edits. They think it is primarily the publisher's responsibility.

Marketing is indeed hard work and most writers (including me) detest it. If you ask me, I would rather sit in my cocoon and start writing my next book. (as that is what I enjoy most)

But here's why I do it.

1. Being on the bestseller charts does matter to me. Now while content is the single most important thing, good content alone won't help. Marketing is essential. My book Life is is What You Make It has consistently been on the top ten highest selling fiction in the country for eight years now! Last Saturday too, it was at number 4.



2. I believe I owe it to the publisher who has placed so much trust in me. (I get seven figure advance royalties for my books).  I cannot betray that trust. Hence, I deliver. Always.  No matter what is going on in my life, I deliver. I put in my 200%.

3. My readers tell me that they LOVE the promos. They connect with me over the promos. They are excited. And I admit , their enthusiasm infects me too :)

If you have been following me on social media, you would know that we tied up with Kindle India, and lucky readers have been winning Kindles for various contests we have been running. (more Kindles will be given away! Follow my social media handles if you are interested)



Today I decided to do something very special for my readers. So I made a mini painting, based on a quote from the book :)


The painting I made is the one you see at the beginning of the post :) It is an original acrylic on canvas. The size is 4'x4'. I have also signed it. It is an exclusive, one of its kind.

I am giving this away painting to one person! What do you have to do to take part? Details are on my instagram post.

View this post on Instagram

10 reasons why you should read Wake Up Life is Calling by Preeti Shenoy

1. It is Ankita! She is back! (It's a sequel to Life is What You Make It)







2. It takes you back to YOUR college days.





3. It shows you the charm of a library! You will want to rush to your nearest one.





4. It shows you how a book can change your life. (Many of you tell me 'Life is What You Make it' changed your life. This one is even better!




5. It gives you a new perspective




6. You  get a free Mumbai tour!




7. It reminds you warmly of your friends





8. It shows you how your mind is your greatest enemy




9. And also your best friend!



10. The early readers have said this
'My eyes misted over'.
'You are a master story teller.'
'This one is a winner'.

_________________________________
The book releases on 17th April 2019. Just 11 days left. It is a sequel to Life is What You Make It.
 ONLY pre-orders will be special printed signed copies. Right now it is available at a FANTASTIC price.
Get it! Now!   preeti.io/awake


To read the first few pages FREE click http://preeti.io/wakeup
Grab It's All In The Planets: http:/preeti.io/3
http://preetishenoy.com/

Latest book from Preeti Shenoy: Wake Up Life is Calling. Watch the trailer HERE

Hi!

How have you been?

There are just 14 days left for the release of my new book Wake Up, Life is Calling. The trailer above tells you in brief about the book. Do watch it!


The story starts where Life is What You Make it ends, when Ankita fights her way out of a mental hospital and emerges successful. I had researched a lot for writing it. It was a very hard book to write and it took a lot out of me. I never thought I would come back to write a sequel. But, the character was not done with me yet! Eight years later, (and nine more books in those eight years!) here I am, coming back to Ankita’s story. Though the first book ends with an epilogue, which tells the reader what happened fifteen years later, there are no details of how Ankita coped. How did she integrate back into daily life? Wake Up, Life is Calling is the sequel, which reveals this. It is about all that Ankita went through when she came out of the mental hospital and went back to college. Would the disorder strike again? What did life have in store for her? How would she handle all of it? It was an intense emotional experience for me to write the sequel too. As a character Ankita is so compelling, it is almost as if she sits inside my head and controls my brain. I felt what she felt, thought as she’d think. I was like a woman possessed, and I remember writing some chapters as if in a trance. Now that her story is finally out, I feel at peace.  
You can read more about the book, and also order the book on Amazon and Flipkart.
All pre-orders are special printed author signed copies with a special message. Flipkart orders also come with a set of exclusive postcards.
Do pre-order it!

Can’t wait for you to read it!
If you have any questions about the book, please leave me a comment and I will be happy to answer it.
Love
Preeti


Grab It's All In The Planets: http:/preeti.io/3
http://preetishenoy.com/

The cover launch of Wake Up, Life is Calling: a novel by Preeti Shenoy, and an FB LIVE

Hey there!

I had told you in my last post about the cover launch of my new book Wake Up Life is Calling.
It's a sequel to  Life is What You Make it.

 Here's a short 40 second video which shows you how the launch went!

I want to thank each one of you who turned up at the bookstore, and listened to me. I also want to thank each of you who read this blog, tune into my LIVE videos and encourage me so much.

Incidentally, I will be doing a LIVE tomorrow at 12.00 noon from my Life is what you Make it Page on facebook.
Here's the link: preeti.io/fblife

So come tomorrow to the above page, and I will talk to you, realtime. :)

See you!
Love
Preeti
Grab It's All In The Planets: http:/preeti.io/3
http://preetishenoy.com/

Wake Up Life is Calling by Preeti Shenoy : Cover launch!

Hello there!

How have you been? I have been immersed in shifting my home and settling down, as you know from my last post.

If you have been following me on social media, you will also know about my NEW BOOK!  It is a sequel to Life is What You Make It.



So, your favourite character Ankita is back! This book takes off where the first one ended. The first book has an epilogue which tells you what happened fifteen years later. But it doesn't give you any details about you what happened immediately afterwards, and in the time period leading up to those 15 years.
Life is what you make it ends with Ankita coming out of the mental hospital, and joining a creative writing course. The new book Wake Up, Life is Calling starts off from there.
This book was a very difficult one to write (It took me 8 years, and I wrote nine more books in the meantime) to go back to narrate Ankita's story. I am really excited about how it has turned out.

Since Ankita starts her life afresh, in the city of dreams, Mumbai, we decided to have a cover launch in that very city! We will be revealing the cover of the book tomorrow, at Women Writers Festival in Mumbai. The event will take place at Title Waves book shop in Bandra at 2.30 pm. Though it is a women writers festival, entry is open to ALL. It is FREE and you can register HERE.


So, if you live in Mumbai, I am expecting to see you tomorrow.  Please consider this a special invitation and I would LOVE to meet you. So please come.

If you are NOT in Mumbai, you can join me LIVE as we will be going live from our facebook page as well as from Instagram.

Here is the formal invitation too.



So, see you tomorrow at 2.30 pm. Either on social media or in person.

I thank you all so very much on being with me, on this journey. It means a lot to me!
love
Preeti



Grab It's All In The Planets: http:/preeti.io/3
http://preetishenoy.com/

What NOT to do to your tenants: A guide for home owners.

 Some time back, on my  instagram I had posted a picture with the following caption :

View this post on Instagram

This year has started on a tumultuous note for me. There have been such unexpected changes in my life and I am reeling under its impact. We don’t have any control over what happens to us. However we do have control over what we *choose* to focus on. I am choosing to focus on all the things going right in my life. I have lost weight (yay!), I am healthy and I have the best readers in the world! ❤️ What are YOU choosing to focus on in your lives ? Tell me in comments. . . . #lifewithpreeti #lifeiswhatyoumakeit #preetishenoyA post shared by Preeti Shenoy (@preeti.shenoy) on Feb 21, 2019 at 12:01am PST

I had  attended the Kerala Lit fest at Calicut , had a magnificent event and and  had just got back.  That evening  the  house owner  dropped a sudden bombshell on us, telling us we had to vacate the place in two months.They said they had decided to sell it. Just like that. There was absolutely no mention of this plan at the time of renewing the rental agreement. There had been a hike in the rent of more than 10 percent each year, at the time of renewal. As soon as we paid the rent for the month of January, we were told to vacate.

We had been on the verge of closing the deal for buying our own place. But it would take about 5-6 months for the registration to be done, for the interiors to be completed, and all the other formalities that buying a house involves. We had  planned to live  in the  current rented house till the end of the lease which was up to July. By then we would have our own place, and we could move. We had planned it as per the lease agreement. So, we requested for a few more months; After all we were paying the rent plus the maintenance charges which together was a small fortune, as we were renting a pent house in one of Bangalore's most premium and posh apartments.

Then came another shocker of a request.  She  wanted me to show the house to the prospective buyers while I was living there. For a person like me it sounded like a death knell. I am an extremely private when it comes to my home. Since I am a public figure, my home is my sanctuary, my sacred space. While I don't mind  sharing photos of a few of my  spaces, I invite very few people home.

But that Sunday, the house owner sat with me in the living room, while my poor husband marched up and down the stairs, showing many prospective buyers our home. They came in all shapes and sizes. Some were downright rude. They walked into each room, looking at everything I own, and when they realised who I was, they stared. Some made small talk, some looked at me very curiously. And the worst part--- they  went through my precious books , opened them, looked through them. They touched the curios and trampled all over my terrace garden too.  I felt very violated and traumatised by the whole thing. I abhorred every minute of it. The owner did comment saying 'Poor Satish. Can I show the apartment?' She did not budge from the living room sofa though. Her showing the space without either me or Satish would be even worse.

Satish and I too own a house, which we have rented out. We're home owners too. Never once have I done this to my tenants. Once we give it on rent, we never step in, till the tenants vacate. Once they pay us the rent, it is their home, and I can't even dream of violating their privacy.

Those of you who follow me on Instagram, might have seen short videos of my home and  of my garden. You must have also seen how particular I am about maintaining a lovely space. Every single person who has visited my home, has commented on how beautifully I have kept the house. I have always looked after any place I have lived in, with great love and care. It is something I am proud of. It is important for me to have a beautiful surrounding, as I work from home. My home is my everything!

Now this sudden request for vacating, threw every single plan of ours,  out of gear. We were forced to look for a new place. We couldn't rent  for a few months (till our own place got ready) for two reasons:
1. Moving homes twice (which would happen if we bought our own place)  is a massive hassle
2.Nobody will give you a house for less than 11 months.

I was in the midst of the edits of my book. To top it, I had made many commitments--all of which I had to keep up. On 16th of March, I would also be travelling to Mumbai to attend the women writers festival.

How would I possibly vacate the house by March 30th?

  I decided I would request the owners one more time; I would explain the situation. I was sure they would give me some more time. So I asked them  again. They agreed we could stay on till April, but it came with a caveat. I had to show the house to prospective buyers twice a week--once on  a week day, and once on a weekend. How convenient this was for the owners! They thought I would agree to this preposterous suggestion; They would get the rent too and also would not have the hassle of showing the house to people. I would be doing all the hard work. It struck me as  extremely ungracious and petty.


 Then I remembered my father's words. He was a man of action, and the one thing he taught me is that nothing is impossible. So we temporarily shelved the plans of buying our own place( I did feel sad as we were on the verge of buying it). I began looking for homes to rent  on war footing. I found  a beautiful, beautiful house, in another part of Bangalore, and I fell in love with it.This was very close to my husband's work place too. It would save him more than two hours of commute every day. Within two days, we finalised it. And guess what---we moved!
I had to miss the Times Literature Festival in Bangalore, because of this. I was  confirmed  as a speaker for more than two sessions.

The  previous home owner had given us a deadline of March 30th initially. But by Feb 26th itself we  moved. I think the home-owners never expected that. Not only would they be losing the rental income, they would now have to pay the hefty maintenance charges, PLUS they would have to come down each time someone wanted to see it, and then show the home themselves.

The story would  have ended here.  But it doesn't.

Today, we went to collect our deposit cheque back.This is the 15th time I am moving homes in 23 years of marriage. And never once has any home owner had any complaints about how we kept the home. Apart from normal wear and tear, we hand it back in a pristine condition. This time too we had done the same. Usually the whole process is over in less than ten minutes.

But this time, the home owner was reluctant to let go. She 'inspected' the house for over 45 minutes, checking every tile in the house. Can you believe it? She  wanted to find something to crib about. She said the wooden flooring in one of the bedrooms had water damage. The truth is it was  my room and I have never ever spilled water on the wooden floor! There is also not a single scratch on any of the wardrobes. I had sincerely  taken care of the house like my own.
Then she went to the marble staircase and said that there is discoluration in the marble. She whipped out her phone and clicked photos, tut-tutting and shaking her head. She was treating us like we were dishonest people and that we had destroyed the house.

By this time my blood was boiling at her attitude. When she wanted us to show the house to prospective buyers, she had been all sugar and honey. I had accommodated ALL her requests even when it was supremely inconvenient to me. Now that the time had come to return the house (earlier than she expected!), her whole demeanour had changed.

'Look, I haven't done anything to the marble. It must be the quality of the stone used,' I retorted.

She insisted that it was not that colour when she had given the house to us. How could it be the same?! I have lived in the house for three years, and it is a staircase ! When you return the house, any home owner gets it machine cleaned and it sparkles like new again. (We have done this multiple times whenever any tenant of ours has vacated our house). She made a face and said she is 'concerned about the damage to the marble'. (There was no damage at all).

At this point I exploded. I took a steel scrubber which was lying around and began scrubbing the steps.
'Look, I will polish the whole thing for you. That will take care of the so-called-discoluration,' I said as I scrubbed hard. Sure enough, the marble began looking 'whiter'.

What really upset me is how this person had changed. I had been very friendly towards her, and had  even met her for coffee, earlier as I was genuinely interested in the work she did. I never expected that she would turn out to be this petty and finicky, even though the house was clean and lovely.

If you are a home owner, please do not ever do this to your tenants. If the house is in a horrible condition, I can understand. But when it  has been looked after well, handed back to you in a clean and lovely condition,  please be gracious.


I have now decided to put it behind me and move on. My mother coincidentally sent me this today:




I felt that this spoke to me. Any kind of negativity should be immediately shut off. It isn't worth it.

This story has another plot twist The old place is now reeling under massive water shortage. They are getting water for less than 2 hours a day and that too in only one of the washrooms.

Like I said in my photo caption at the beginning of this post: We do not have control over what happens to us, but we do have control over what we choose to focus on.

 I choose to focus on my beautiful NEW home! I am totally  in love with it, and I am so thankful I moved.  Here are some pics:







If you wish to see  more pictures of it, follow me on Instagram. I post daily updates.


And oh --the results of #LifeWithPreeti mentioned in my last post were declared too. Go see!


________________________________
Check out my books: http://preeti.io/amazon
Grab It's All In The Planets: http:/preeti.io/3
http://preetishenoy.com/