Back to the Past

I went for a trip down memory lane and needed the help of Google Maps to find my way! From 1973 to 1986 I lived in Naraina Vihar. A residential colony in West Delhi. My wonder years were spent in this quiet, cozy neighbourhood which was for the working middle class. Even today, I can

Watching birds and soaking in the sun

There’s something about soaking in the winter sun that warms the very core. When I moved to Gurgaon from Mumbai, I was excited to enjoy the winters after having lived in the balmy sultry Mumbai for years. And I try to enjoy the cold and sparkling sun as much as I can. The winter sun

Winning over my worst fear

This picture was taken in 2014 at the Bangalore Literature Festival during Lit-Mart. For those of you who don’t know what Lit-Mart is, it’s a contest where aspiring authors submit a 300-word synopsis of their manuscript. 25 candidates are selected, and they are invited to attend the Lit Mart, where they present a 3-minute pitch

School Ties

                                                                                         It was very unusual for Jai to get so angry. His fists clenched, breath coming in sharp and jaws drawn tight, Suhashini had never seen him so angry. He wasn’t the type who screamed or even raised his voice at his wife. But today he was fuming. All because of a

How I dealt with writer’s block

If you’re a writer, you’ll agree with me when I say, that writer’s block is the thing that must not be named! The dreaded thing that sends a cold shiver down our spine. I used to consider myself as a wordsmith; having spent more than 18 years writing for publications and companies, ideating, pitching stories

On the Book shelf with Neil D’Silva

Neil is an author who writes horror stories. An inspiration to aspiring authors, Neil has made the transition from self publishing to now being published by reputed publishers. What many indie authors dream of achieving, Neil has succeeded in doing that. Kudos to him. He started a YouTube channel – On the Bookshelf and interviewed

Interview with Lipika Bhushan

As an author, it’s great to be able to meet other authors, lit agents, book marketeers. During the Pandemic, many people turned to digital platforms as means of interacting with authors. Lipika Bhushan, an ace book marketeer with years of experience with many reputed publishing houses, started her Youtube channel – Between the lines. She

Making miniature gardens

There’s indeed a time for everything in life. I’ve always enjoyed gardening and plants. I had attended a workshop on miniature garden 2-3 years ago. My interest fizzled out soon after the day long workshop. In the past few months, due to COVID, like everyone else I’m at home and when home is all you

HOW TO THINK OF STORY IDEAS?

If how do you write is the oft asked question authors face; then a close second is how do you think of story ideas? Most authors will tell you that the first book literally gushes out of you. (At least that’s what happened with me). You don’t really have to spend much time thinking about

You want to write but don’t know how to begin…

I must begin with an apology. With only 2 published books to my name, I’m no authority to guide aspiring writers but given the limited experience I have, I want to share some of my learnings. Hence, this post. In another life, I used to be a freelance writer , writing for publications & companies.