Preeti Shenoy's Blog, page 21

New Covers for my books! Preeti Shenoy

Hi there,

 Today's post is a video post :)








I am so happy about it. It's a proud  and special moment for me, and I want to thank each and every one of you, who has been on this journey with me!

 Please do watch the video, and tell me in comments, which of the new covers you liked the best!
They are available at a bookstore near you.

Love
Preeti
________________________
Buy my book: http://preeti.io/amazon



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

A few books I LOVED reading this year. Post 13

Hello there,

It has been twelve whole days since I started my blog marathon. Time has sped by so fast. In fact, the whole year has sped by so fast. It feels like just yesterday that I was preparing my 'reading wall' which I do a the start of the year. I started this two years ago.
If you want to know what a reading wall is, click HERE.

It's basically a list of books that I read the entire year.

Many of you have been asking me to recommend the 'best books'. I am reluctant to do so, because tastes vary. It is like  person asking me to  recommend what they should eat. The recommendation would  depend on whether they like South-Indian, Chinese, Italian, Mexican, Japanese , Singaporean or any other specific cuisine. It would be meaningless to recommend Idlis to someone  who hates South Indian food.

This is the reason I do not recommend books. My tastes tend to be eclectic. What is outstanding for me might me egregious for you. So, unless I know the person very well, I will never recommend books.

But from the mails I get, I know people want to know what I like. I get asked all the time. Hence I thought I would share with you, the books I really liked that I read this year. I have read more than 30 books this year, and it is very hard to choose  only a few. Yet, here are a few.

Topping my best reads this year is Kristen Hannah's Nightingale.


I also LOVED Ruth Hogan's Keeper of Lost things.


 I LOVED Vaikom Muhamed Basheer's Childhood friends.(but the translation doesn't do justice)  Here's what I tweeted when I finished the book.




I also loved Elif Shafak's Forty Rules of Love

Among the Indian authors I enjoyed reading this year are

Kiran Manral's Missing, Presumed Dead 
Anita Nair's Eating wasps
Kavita Kane's Fisher Queen's dynasty
Chitra Divakaruni's Palace of Illusions 

 This year I had resolved to read a lot of women authors and I did. I discovered some new ones, and also  went back to some old favourites.


What are the best books YOU read this year?
Tell me in comments.




And oh--I will be going live tomorrow (14th December, Friday)  on Facebook at 11.30 am and on Instagram at 12.00 noon.
I will be revealing a surprise. So please do join me! I am very excited about it.

Speak to you tomorrow.Love
Preeti
_________________________________
ps: buy my books: http://preeti.io/amazon


Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash


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

Wordless Wednesday.. Meet the newest member of my family.

This is the newest addition to our family. My entry for Wordless Wednesday.

Can you guess his name?
Tell me in comments :)
______________________
ps: Have written about Hamsters in my book Love a Little Stronger.
Grab It's All In The Planets: http:/preeti.io/3
http://preetishenoy.com/

Little chit-chat that's not so little. Post 11

 Both my children live away from home (both have left home for college and study abroad). Hence any time I get with them is precious.

Actual conversation that took place just now between my daughter and me.

'Mum, do you want to do something fun after you finish your blog post?'
'I would love to..But I have to think of a topic to write first.'
'Just write about how I can become the next president of United States.'
'That's just what I will write about !'
'Mum!!! No! I was kidding. Don't write that.'
'I will write it and show it to you. If you are okay, will hit publish'.
'Okay.'


And that is how this post came to be :)

A pic of my daughter and me clicked two days back__________________________________
Ps: If you want to read more such stuff buy Love a Little Stronger which are all true stories from my life. Click HERE


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

Three quotes from a Rule Breaker. Post 10

 Hello there!
How has your Monday been? Mine was exhausting. I almost forgot to blog.
Almost.
For today's post I thought I would share with you some quotes from my latest book The Rule Breakers.
If you have taken a flight lately, you might have seen it in the bestsellers at the airport stores.
Many people have written to me telling me that they loved  the spunky Vidya.
Hence here are quotes exclusively from Vidya.


  
  
 

Do you agree with the above quotes? Do they make you think?
Let me know your thoughts in comments. I look forward to hearing from you!

More tomorrow!
Till then-- stay serene.

________________________
buy The Rule Breakers: http://preeti.io/trb


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

Favourite authors and other things. Post 9

Hello again!

For today's post, I decided to do something fun.

Here are questions from Sunday Stealing. (Please click on it to know more)

Favorite novel and author?

I have answered this in numerous interviews. I don't have one favourite author or book, I have many!  I love the work of Roald Dahl (his writing for adults), Audrey Niffeneger, Benyamin, Vaikom Muhammed Bhasheer, Kristin Hannah, Murakami, Paul Kalanithi,  Nadiya Hashmi, Neil Gaiman, Ruskin Bond, Liane Moriarty, Celeste Ng, Antoine de saint-exupéry,Katja Millay, GRR Martin, Natalie Babbit, Ruth Hogan, Elif Shafak, Shinie Antony, Sonia Choquette, Esther Perel---to name a few!! :)
I read a LOT.


Favorite perfume/scent?
Eternity, Chanel No 5, Bvlgari Omnia Crystalline
(now you know what to gift me :) )

Coffee or tea?
Black coffee with no sugar.

Are you a cat or dog person?
Though I own a dog, I also LOVE cats. I was recently featured in an International coffee table  book--Writers and their cats published by Chronicle books USA. I was happy to be featured along with some of the authors I have mentioned in the first question.

Which mythical creature would you transform into if you could?
 A dragon for sure :) (Too much of a GOT fan to be anything else!)


Favorite time period?
Probably now--or future.

Name 3 films that have changed your life and have shaped you into the person you are today.
I don't think any movie has shaped me, but a few which are an all time favourite-- Shawshank Redemption, Goodwill Hunting, Pursuit of Happyness (not a typo--that's how they spell it)
If you haven't watched these three movies, I highly recommend them.


Diamonds or pearls?
Diamonds. I HATE pearls. I especially think artificial pearls are cruel.

What’s your biggest dream?
I am so lucky to be LIVING my dream!!

Dream destination?
Sao Paulo. I have a friend there who I have been wanting to visit for many years now.

Favorite fictional character?
Vee  from It Happens For a Reason! :)

Share a quote or passage that means something to you.
My all time favourite poem appears in the start of my novel 'Life is what you make it'.
The poem is Invictus.

What’s your favorite plant/flower?
I don't have one. I love all flowers and plants.

Do you prefer the forest or the ocean? Why?
Definitely the ocean. Because I can swim in it ! :)


What do you value most in people?

Kindness.. Kindness and compassion, above all else.


If you care to share your answers to these questions in my comment box, I would love to read :)

Till tomorrow, stay positive!
love
Preeti

____________________
Buy my books: http://preeti.io/amazon


Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash



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

This is the deepest need in all of us. Post 8

Hi there,

Weekend is here! I pretty much spent my whole day reading!

I get a lot of requests for blurbing books. This means a one line recommendation, which they carry on the cover. I do not accept blurb requests from individual writers and I cannot read the stuff people send me. I have explained why in this post.

I do accept blurb requests from editors of publishing houses if the book seems interesting to me. I am extremely hard to please (and am the worst critic, especially of my own writing).
The book I read today was a historical fiction, and I am liking it.

Apart from that, I walked my dog thrice and spent time with my family.

That's all I did.  I am lucky  to be surrounded by people who just let me be myself .

Like I say in my book Love a Little Stronger (which is a collection of all true stories from my life) there is a deep need in all of us to be loved and accepted for who we truly are. The deep  satisfaction and contentment that comes from that is unmatchable and indescribable. (It is very hard to do, as when we love someone we expect a lot. Any relationship comes with its set of expectations.

If we have people in our lives who do accept us for ourselves,with zero expectations,  we are truly blessed.


Leave me comments about what you did and whether you agree with me on accepting people for who they are.


 More tomorrow!
Till then--rest well, sleep well and smile.
love
Preeti
___________________
ps: Grab my books:  http://preeti.io/amazon







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

How writing a diary helps me as a writer. Post 7.

Hi there,

Are you happy it is Friday? 

You know, I always wondered why people are happy that it is a weekend. It is probably because they don't love their jobs much, and hence need a break which the weekend brings. They also hate Monday mornings because it is the start of another work-week.

For me--I have no weekends. I LOVE my job (writing) and I write every single day. I don't feel good if I do not write. From the start of this year, I have written in my diary DAILY. Earlier, like Gopal Shanker of A Hundred Little Flames , I used to write only when something important happened. But this year, I changed that. The second last thing I do before I sleep is write in my diary.

The last thing I do is, of course read. I read till the lines blur and then I close my eyes.

This year  I have read about 32 books so far. I also have a nice diary, replete with whatever happened on a particular day in my life. It is something I enjoy doing; It gives me direction, a sense of understanding where I am headed and what changes I ought to make. My diary is like my compass.It is also a record of my feelings. It helps me 'get stuff out of my system' and it opens out the creative channels. I enjoy it so much.

I wrote a couple of days ago, that I was happy that Sonali Bendre had come back to India and was recovering. I had  said a prayer for her, and also sent her healing (I practise Reiki).

Those of you who haven't seen the conversation between her and me, can watch it here:




That's all for today!

I have to go now, as I am watching a movie with my daughter. After this I shall write in my diary and read.
More tomorrow!
Tell me about the one habit which you have managed to keep the whole of this year. I love hearing from you.

Love
Preeti
____________________
ps: Buy my books: http://preeti.io/amazon

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

How writing a diary helps me as a writer. Post 8.

Hi there,

Are you happy it is Friday? 

You know, I always wondered why people are happy that it is a weekend. It is probably because they don't love their jobs much, and hence need a break which the weekend brings. They also hate Monday mornings because it is the start of another work-week.

For me--I have no weekends. I LOVE my job (writing) and I write every single day. I don't feel good if I do not write. From the start of this year, I have written in my diary DAILY. Earlier, like Gopal Shanker of A Hundred Little Flames , I used to write only when something important happened. But this year, I changed that. The second last thing I do before I sleep is write in my diary.

The last thing I do is, of course read. I read till the lines blur and then I close my eyes.

This year  I have read about 32 books so far. I also have a nice diary, replete with whatever happened on a particular day in my life. It is something I enjoy doing; It gives me direction, a sense of understanding where I am headed and what changes I ought to make. My diary is like my compass.It is also a record of my feelings. It helps me 'get stuff out of my system' and it opens out the creative channels. I enjoy it so much.

I wrote a couple of days ago, that I was happy that Sonali Bendre had come back to India and was recovering. I had  said a prayer for her, and also sent her healing (I practise Reiki).

Those of you who haven't seen the conversation between her and me, can watch it here:





That's all for today!

I have to go now, as I am watching a movie with my daughter. After this I shall write in my diary and read.
More tomorrow!
Tell me about the one habit which you have managed to keep the whole of this year. I love hearing from you.

Love
Preeti
____________________
ps: Buy my books: http://preeti.io/amazon

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

Never give up. Post 6

 Hey!
How has your day been? Mine was exhausting, but in a good way as I exercised a lot today.
I have been enjoying interacting with you, and reading all your comments.

Today, I am sharing with you two quotes that hang on the wardrobe in my room. These are quotes I find very meaningful. I had picked these scrolls in the course of my travels (I am fortunate to be able to travel a lot) and now they hang in my room where I see them every day. I relate to them a lot, and find them profound.





Which of these quotes do you relate to? Do you relate to them at all? Are there any quotes you live by?
Share with me in my comments.

Till tomorrow, smile!
Love
Preeti

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