WHAT'S INSIDE
GATED REPUBLIC
Public Policy Failures and Private Solutions by SHANKKAR AIYAR
Who Never Came Back By ChanderSuta Dogra
Law of Success
STORIZEN CONTRIBUTE
WHAT'S INSIDE
Love Left Us: Blessing Then, Memory Now!
- Abhrekha Jain Sahlot
STORIZEN CONTRIBUTE
Old Man Next Door
- Swapna Peri
STORIZEN INTERVIEW
Rohit Sharma, Author - Our Love Story
- Swapna Peri
STORIZEN INTERVIEW
Novoneel Chakraborty,
Author - Roses are Blood Red
- Saurabh Chawla
- Swapna Peri 62
STORIZEN INTERVIEW
Shreyas Bhave, AuthorAsoka Book III: Nemesis of Kalinga by Shreyas Bhave
- Swapna Peri 68
STORIZEN REVIEW
Fear of God by Vadhan
- Swapna Peri 72
STORIZEN REVIEW
Asoka Book III: Nemesis of Kalinga by Shreyas Bhave
STORIZEN REVIEW
Our Love Story by Rohit Sharma
- Swapna Peri
STORIZEN POETRY
Moonlight Sonata
- Vidya Shankar
STORIZEN POETRY
My Heart Sinks
- Aparna Mukherjee 82
STORIZEN POETRY
Of Love and many Loves
- Sumana Bhattacharya
calling all writers!
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You can also be a contributor Mail us your entries at talktous@storizen.com Your smart ideas and inputs help us create our informative issues. from the editor
As the season of love blooms with the month of February, we decided why not to dance to the same rhythm? Let's celebrate the season of love with your favorite magazine this month!
Who could not love the first female superstar of Bollywood, Sridevi? We decided to dedicate this month to the Eternal screen Goddess.
It's our please to feature the BLOCKBUSTER BIOGRAPHER, Satyarth Nayak who has recently written the biography of the veteran actor Sridevi.
Book nerds, we have got you covered. This issue features ten hot new releases in association with HarperCollins India, Hachette India, and Penguin India viz ROSES ARE BLOOD RED BY NOVONEEL CHAKRABORTY, THE WORLD BETWEEN US by Sara Naveed, MASTERING MEGATRENDS: Understanding and Leveraging the Evolving New World by Doris and John Naisbitt, The Other Side of The Divide by Sameer Arshad Khatlani, The Classic Konkan Cookbook by Jyotsna Shahane, MADE IN INDIA by Milind Soman and Roopa Pai, THE GATED REPUBLIC India’s Public Policy Failures and Private Solutions by SHANKKAR AIYAR and more! Grab your copies now!
We got a chance to interview three authors who recently released their books this Valentine. Rohit Sharma who just released Our Love Story, Novoneel Chakraborty whose latest Roses are Blood Red is a romantic thriller, and not to forget, Shreyas Bhave, Author, Asoka Book III: Nemesis of Kalinga.
Don't forget to check out our Book Reviews section and the poetry by our valued contributors.
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Happy Reading!
editor@storizen com
Saurabh Chawla, Editor in Chief
BLOCKBUSTER BIOGRAPHER Satyarth Nayak
A Storizen Exclusive Feature
After writing thrillers, Satyarth Nayak is back with his latest book, Biography of the Bollywood's first Female Superstar, Sridevi. What inspired him to write the biography of the Eternal Screen Goddess, the author tells Pria.
by Pria
We love and have always loved the first Bollywood female superstar Sridevi. Who would not love her? " It has been a blissful experience to write a book about my screen idol. I had always been appalled by the fact that there was no good text detailing the five-decade long cinematic journey of Sridevi," says the author Satyarth Nayak. Deepika Padukone launched the book in Delhi and in Mumbai, Karan Johar did the honor.
The story of the eternal Screen Goddess is well told by Satyarth in his latest book. He shares his journey while writing the book and how the idea germinated into his mind
The admiration for the actor is undoubtedly of prime importance. Seeking her approval, Satyarth approached Boney Kapoor and discussed the book proposal. In the meanwhile, Janhvi had the movie Dhadak in
Hailed as a superstar in an era ruled by macho men and one that literally offered actresses crumbs, Sridevi tamed Bollywood like no other. Beginning her affair with the camera when she was four, this doe-eyed beauty conquered Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada industries with performances etched in gold. Taking Hindi cinema by storm with Himmatwala in 1983, Sridevi emerged as one of the most iconic screen goddesses of India, playing characters that became cultural touchstones.
Besides reigning as Queen Bee for the longest spell among Bollywood heroines, she also remains the only actress who was, at the same time, No.1 in Tamil and Telugu cinema too. Such was Sridevi's pan-India stardom that in a patriarchal industry, she emerged as the 'hero' at the box-office, towering above her male coactors.After a hiatus of fifteen years, she shattered the rules again by becoming the only Bollywood diva to make a glorious comeback in 2012 with English Vinglish.
the pipeline which led to a slight delay as Sridevi was focusing all her energies on the debut launch of her daughter.
"I owed it to her to share her legendary journey with the world. Both Penguin and Boney sir encouraged me and I began work on the book."
THE RESEARCH...
The research work was taken well care of. Most of the research came first handedly to the author as he visited Sridevi's Coworkers, family members, friends et al. Besides this the author also shared that he had a stack of Magazines from the 80s and the 90s as his personal collection which also contributed to the research. It
helped him a lot in putting the book together and covering every aspect of Sridevi's career in the film industry.
"It took me one and a half years. I started the book in mid-2018 and it finally released in December 2019." Satyarth told me that a career spanning 5 languages, 50 years and 300 films held by Sridevi, the time is worth the effort!
"What was the most difficult aspect while writing this book?"
I asked Satyarth to which he gave a thought and then answering simply he said that the only difficult thing which he felt was to cover such a prolific career journey of the iconic actor in a book was something which was really daunting. He also revealed that the people
I owed it to her to share her legendary journey with the world.
Both Penguin and Boney sir encouraged me and I began work on
the book.
he interviewed not only helped him confirm his already known facts but also to clear some of the wrong notions about the actor. One of the fact cited by the author is that the actual birth place of Sridevi is Chennai and not Sivakasi as it is largely believed.
WRITING IN THE GENES
"My grandfather was a man of literature and he really opened the world of stories for me. My mother nurtured my reading habit and even now we discuss story ideas and book proposals," says Satyarth when I asked about how did he started writing and my next question which I snapped to him was his favorite genre. "I was born on Halloween Day so maybe that explains my love for thrills and chills," Satyarth said jokingly. It takes you inside unexplored dimensions and that absolutely fascinates me." The first book you wrote, Emperor Riddles was also a thriller, tell me something
about it," I asked yet another question sipping the not so hot coffee. "My debut thriller The Emperor’s Riddles is a history meets mystery. It takes the readers on a trail of nine riddles scattered across nine places in India while the backdrop is the lesser known legend of one of our most legendary Indian emperors and his two thousand year old secret project," Satyarth snapped back. Originally motivated by Dan Brown's Angels and Demons, Satyarth became curious about the existence of any such esoteric secrets in our own Indian history and culture. A random search was a revelation about an emperor and what he had done about two thousand years ago which led to be theseppind stone for the book.
"How did it feel grabbing that first award you got for literature?" He knew the next question was coing his way. "There was those obvious feelings of joy and pride but it also brought a sense of
responsibility that I needed to keep up the good work. Once cannot rest on a laurel and must keep moving ahead and try to better oneself with each book.
That has always been my endeavor and even now I am striving to think how my next book can be a notch above my earlier ones. An author must have the hunger to keep writing better."
I was getting curious that who all did Satyarth meet while writing this book. His answer was the
names of some of the legends who have directly or indirectly worked with Sridevi during her career. Some of the names as quoted by the author include Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, Nagarjuna and Venkatesh. The list didn't end here. He notifid that he also interviewed Bharathiraja and Raghavendra Rao who shaped her career in Tamil and Telugu cinema. In Bollywood, he interviewed her coactors like Jeetendra, Anil Kapoor, Sunny Deol and Rishi Kapoor and directors like Subhash Ghai, Mahesh Bhatt, Pankaj
Parashar, Gauri Shinde and R. Balki. Besides veterans like Lata Mangeshkar, Waheeda Rehman and Javed Akhtar, the younger generation like Karan Johar, Kajol, Vidya Balan, Manish Malhotra and Neeta Lulla etc have all shared their inputs and memories of Sri.
Upon asking the question that has he covered each and every aspect of her life in his book, the= author said, "That has definitely been the attempt. Given that she was India’s First Female Superstar and many facts about her are widely known, I wanted the book to reveal unknown facts about her. Very few people are aware of her iconic body of work down south and the first few chapters of the book are solely devoted to that. Besides this information, the author also shard that the extremely rare anecdotes shared by the film personalities have made the narrative both entertaining and enlightening.
After finishing two thirds of my coffee, I asked him, "What all works of her you like?" It didn't take him long to quote few of her
works which he like since his childhood days. "Films like Poompatta, Vidhi Vilasam, Yashoda Krishna, Babu and Bala Bharatam. The Tamil films I love are Moondru Mudichu, 16 Vayathinile, Johnny and Moondram Pirai while Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari, Kartika Deepam, Akhari Poratam and Kshana Kshanam are my Telugu favorites. In Hindi Lamhe, Mr. India, Chandni, Chaalbaaz, Khuda Gawah and English Vinglish are her best work," said the author.
My questions were not over yet. I gave a thought and asked him about his advice to the readers out there. He was very glad that I asked this question He said that the readers are the ones who actually finish the book started by the authors. He also personally requested me to spread the word about how the reading is slowly being eliminated and why everyone should inculcate reading in their daily routines. He quoted,
Reading is becoming an endangered habit around the world and we need to keep it alive. Let’s be intolerant of people who do not read.
"Reading is becoming an endangered habit around the world and we need to keep it alive. Let’s be intolerant of people who do not read."
DISTRACTIONS THAT ARE VITAL
Writing the book alone is not sufficient. Marketing and promotions are equally important aspects of making a book stand out. The author says that the activities do distract him a lot but it plays a vital role as for the author, the reading community must know about the book you have written. He also emphasized that he uses social media as a tool to promote his book(s). Besides this, he also makes sure that he gets as many book reviews as possible and also he loves interacting with the book clubs and bookstores. The media coverage also plays a key role according to him.
ON FUTURE PROJECTS...
Coming back to writing, I wanted to know about his next project. He was generous to share about his second book which is also a thriller. "My second thriller is ready and will be out shortly. This is another Om Patnaik adventure who was my protagonist in The Emperor’s Riddles. It has elements of myth and fantasy and I hope readers will enjoy it as much as my debut thriller. My first book on Hindu mythology is also nearing completion and will hopefully release this year. I am also planning a book on Mahabharata and exploring my next book on cinema," he informed.
ON SCRIPTWRITING...
I wanted to know about any motion picture or web series he had in his pipeline to which he shared about his various projects. "After doing the screenplay for Porus on Sony, I am presently scripting a webseries for Amazon. It’s a megabudget series with fascinating elements of fantasy. I am also
exploring film scripts for both the big screen and the web. I do hope to take The Emperor’s Riddles to the screen one day. Let’s see if that dream comes true," I could see his eyes twinkle with excitement
ON EBOOKS VS PRINT BOOKS...
The technological advancements will not kill the printed book according to the author. He said that those who are loyal to the printed books will continue showering their love for the paper. I agreed as I also love holding the book in my hands to read. He also warned that the new authors must be careful as many self-publishing sites may be spurious and take them for a ride.
I take his word of caution and will definitely share this with my author friends.
ON FAVORITE AUTHORS...
The coffee was about to be finished with only a few sips left and I also did not want to take much of his valuable time so I decided to ask him about who all
were his favorite authors. He quoted that out of the many books he have read, Edgar Allan Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie are the ones who have highly influenced him.
WRAPPING UP...
The interview went smoothly and I was about to ask him his opinion on what should people know about Sridevi and her struggle at that point of time in a male dominated industry. "The most important thing people need to know about Sridevi is how she battled patriarchy in the eighties. Today we talk about misogyny, sexism, wage parity and toxic masculinity and Sridevi combated all those in her days and emerged victorious. She became the ‘hero’ of her films and became more powerful than her male coactors. She was getting paid more than them and her stardom was bigger than all of them. She had the courage to refuse films opposite Amitabh if her role was not equally solid. When Sridevi was in a film, no one asked who the hero was. She raised the status of the Indian film heroine to a whole new level altogether. That I feel is
the most inspiring part of her journey which is even more relevant today." "It was wonderful talking to you and I wish you all the best for your book(s) and scripts. I am sure this will make the best Cover!"I gestured with a smile.
I thank you for your time and giving me an opportunity to spread the word about the journey of the first female superstar of Bollywood," he smiled back.
The coffee was finished and as the interview was done, we both shook hands and left for the day.
(As told to Pria)
(pria@storizen.com)
(Visit www.storizen.com for the full coverage!)
About Pria - Young mesmerizing freelance blogger, social enthusiast, an economics graduate from Jharkhand University with Master in Child Psychology. She is hardworking yet crazy, a passionate reader, an ardent music fanatic, an avid caffeine lover, and a maniacal animal lover too.
She has been a part of numerous anthologies, articles, and write-ups for newspapers and magazines which are multi-linguistic. She has also written screenplays for YouTube series.
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‘Who said it could not be done?’ –Napoleon Hill
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by Abhrekha Jain Sahlot
“Love
never dies a natural death. It dies because we don't know how to replenish its source. It dies of blindness and errors and betrayals. It dies of illness and wounds; it dies of weariness, of witherings, of tarnishings.”
— Anais Nin
There used to be a beautiful paradise where stayed Nafisa and Iqbal. They had never met before but met through an alliance and got married.
They were not childhood sweethearts, but love blossomed and they literally painted town in red with their love.
They had to face couple of challenges, but they stood together and fought all the odds. Their love and faith were their biggest strength, people used to give examples and quote them when talking about couple goals.
They were together, united with unbreakable bond of love. Years passed; seasons changed but their love remained unchanged. More than love, their relationship was about sacrifices, adjustments and deeply rooted care for each other.
Until one day, when everything suddenly changed for this “perfect couple”. They were
unable to understand distance which had grown between them, was It because of their busy work schedules? Ego was the culprit? Unnecessary arguments and endless heated discussions, home which was once “paradise of love” got converted into “boxing ring”. At least fight in boxing ring ends, but here the war had just begun and did not seem to end anytime soon.
The couple who were inseparable then, could not stand each other now. Nafisa who was a non-stop chatter box and had to vomit her day long activities as soon as Iqbal used to return from work, had become quiet and kept crying They continued to stay physically in the house, they did not leave each other but love had surely left them.
Each day which used to be a blessing for them had now turned into a curse. Both started finding issues to how to pull each other down,
while Iqbal used to boast about his high profile job and money, Nafisa also started giving back, deep inside she knew and could feel Iqbal’s love, but her brain started dominating and there was a continuous conflict between her mind and heart.
Nafisa who used to remember Iqbal in her each breath, now used to feel choke with his presence in his life. She spoke to few of her close friends, surprisingly in majority of the cases she found her friends too struggling similarly. Some were ready for separation or had already separated and some accepted bitterness of the life and chose to remain unchanged.
This seemed extremely difficult as in spite staying in same house, distances in thoughts and prayers were miles apart. Difficult to measure, the distance kept growing as much as their arguments, conflicts and dissatisfaction.
Nafisa was born different, she could not accept what was happening to her and in her life. A woman full of life, energy and contentment suddenly started hating her life, she knew her blessings and wanted to be happy all over again. She wanted to change her sad, painful and gloomy state back to being happy and cheerful. She wanted to find herself again, she wanted to feel loved and get back the lost love.
She then took steering of her life in her hand, she realized that with her sadness no one is affected but her own self, her body, mind and soul. Nafisa started enjoying her solitude, she stopped feeling lonely. She accepted what life was offering her Like before, she had no complaints. Deep inside she was pained. But acceptance and distraction were the key. She could not change Iqbal or his temperament. But accepted and stayed quiet. She was her friend herself, she started enjoying her own company. and whenever, she used to feel Iqbal’s emotional absence, she either used to start praying, meditate or start doing her hobbies like painting/singing.
It was a very tough choice for her, but life is not about choices, its about doing the best in what life offers and even if it is waste, one should learn the art to make best out of waste.
Meet Abhrekha Jain Sahlot, the name is derivative of her parent’s name ( Abhay & Rekha) She is full of life, energy and enthusiasm. A gold medalist computer engineer she has been working with top MNC for over 13 years now.
Blessed with an incredible supportive family, Husband Tushar Sahlot stands behind her as the strongest pillar of strength, shouldering equal responsibilities at home. A doting mother of 2 boys ( Nabhanyu & Daksh Sahlot), life has given her various opportunities to explore and she seems to have taken best of everything. From singing, painting to acting, swimming and basketball, she has been into various co-curricular activities from artistic ones to the sports ones
However, currently, she enjoys sharing her blessings with fellow women by addressing women and parenting forums and helping women in her capacity and spread message & the importance of being happy & content
@abhrekha
Old Man Next Door
by Keerthana Christopher
We could have not become close if he hadn’t asked me that question one fine morning! He looked too young for the eighties and too aged for sixties. He must be somewhere in between, I thought. With fairer complexion, fragile physique and face carrying a smile always he resembled my own dada(grandfather). I had seen him quite a few times in the park taking a walk with his fellow pretend youngsters. Jogging in the park every morning from 6-7 is my daily routine since I joined college.
Just after a few days, I started jogging, I saw the old man in my apartment to which we moved a month ago. While climbing the stairs, I saw him entering his house on the first floor. I gave a smile and he smiled back gently. Since the first meet, we often met in the park and in the apartment premises Every time we met, a smile was exchanged.
One morning, when I was returning from college, I saw the old man with my professor Rupa. Rupa was trying
hard to move the vehicle which was wrongly parked before her vehicle.
As the security was not around, the old man was trying to help her out. I pitched in and we moved the vehicle from the path so that Rupa could take her vehicle out from the parking lot Rupa introduced me to the old man saying he is her father-in-law. We exchanged a “yeah-we-knowbefore” kind of a smile. As Rupa started leaving the premises in her vehicle, the old man turned towards me.
“I saw you jogging in the park. Do you study in Rupa’s college? What's your name, Beta(child/kid)?” He inquired affectionately in fluent English.
“I am Asma, dada. Yes, I study literature in Rupa mam’s college ” “Literature? Good very good He exclaimed and continued. I love literature too. I wanted to study literature but my father’s wish was different. I had to go with my father as he was the one who paid the college fees. Nowadays, kids like
you are lucky, isn’t it?” “At least, in my case, I believe.” “Which floor do you live in?” “Third-floor dada,” I answered and wondered as to why this man lives in the first floor whereas Rupa lives in seventh. After the tit-bit conversation, we exchanged broad smiles, greetings, good mornings and good evenings every time we happened to see It was one fine day he approached me when I was waiting for my college bus. “Beta, I want to tell you something.” I found his face gloomy as he spoke. I nodded and waited for him to speak.
“Every time whenever you see me, you would ask me Dada, Kaise hun? (How are you, grandpa?). I used to wonder why this girl is asking this question every time though we see each other almost every day. Yesterday, we saw in the parking lot right? You smiled but did not ask me the question as you went in a hurry At that time, I understood the importance of that question. It means a lot beta, it really means a lot at least to people like us.”
Before I could reply to anything, he turned and started walking towards the apartment. I felt very sorry for him and his words kept ringing inside
my head for the rest of the day. My next encounter with the old man was in the garden area in my apartment. He was sitting on one of the benches in the garden. He was reading a book. It seemed to be an English book. Being a literature student, a little curiosity peeped out of me I went near the old man with my usual smile and greeting “Dada, you read books?” I asked politely. “Oh, literature student! He exclaimed.”
“Come come by(Sit). Let us discuss books”, he moves aside making some space and tapped on the stone bench indicating me to sit down. “This is ‘Discovery of India’ by Jawaharlal Nehru”, he flipped the pages of the fat book. “I am rereading this book for the fourth time”, he said. “Wow, do you love books so much?” my eyes widened as I asked him. “Hmm..generally in our life career stops at a certain age but our passion never stops, we keep following our passion till we die and luckiest are those for whom both the passion and career are the same. I am one of the vast unlucky population. So I am using my last days to follow my passion.”
“That is very true, Dada. I agree with you. Actually, I have started my reading journey. Will you suggest me good books to read?” “Oh yes, sure”, he gave a welcoming smile. ” Hmm Dada, If you don’t mind, can I ask you a personal question? I asked in a low voice.” “Go ahead, beta!” “Hmm…When Rupa mam and Prasad uncle lives on the seventh floor, why are you living on the first floor?” “Haha”... He laughed out loud and paused. “If you want the answer you should answer my question first”. He puzzled me and I nodded instantly. “Why do you ask me “Kaise hun” every time you see me? and How did you learn this habit?” “Dada, My mom would say that when you meet an elder greet them and ask their well being and it doesn’t matter how often you see them She also told that it will make a lot of difference in their lives. I still do not understand what big difference this can do but I have a self-satisfaction while asking people about their well beings.”
“Good, your mom taught it to you? Then the elders of your family must be lucky.” I laughed out loud on his comment ” I can’t say yes, dada. According to my mom, this is applicable only to elders of other
houses. My dada and dadi are not living with us. While my mom teaches me all good values, I can see an altogether different mother when her in-laws arrive Actually dada, she is biased! When her parents arrive she would ask how was the travel, how is everyone at home etc, etc. but when her inlaws arrive, the only question shot at my dad would be when are they returning!” He remained calm. It seemed like I said something that he is accustomed and he could relate himself to the situation.
“You know beta, as kids we love our parents and we never want them to leave. I have not heard a single story of parents abandoning their kids. but when kids grow up they don’t what their parents anymore Perhaps, because they got new members in their life or they got bored with the same faces those were parenting them for so long. Whatever, it is always better to keep our limits for a peaceful life, isn’t it?”
I let out a sigh knowing the answer to my question. Later that evening, I was sipping my tea reflecting the words of the old man. What is my passion? what will be my career? I asked questions to myself. My eyes fell on something on the corner of my cupboard. It was sent by my
grandfather as a birthday present a month ago. A book named “Alchemist” by Paulo Cohelo. I took the book in my hands and a strange feel encapsulated. Without any second thought, I started reading it, the first book of my life.
When I shared my reading experience with the old man he had only two things to say. One, he was very happy that I gave in to reading and second, he had read Alchemist twice and had a lot to share about it. I pursued my reading journey with recommendations from him. I enjoyed each and every book I happened to read and spent most of my time in the library. After reading every book, I would be excited to discuss it with the old man. His understanding of books was different. Every time I try to match his perspective, I fail His articulation was way beyond my imagination I had read the stories whereas he had his own stories that he could relate to those stories. Whenever I strike a conversation with the man, I felt like I grow mentally. Each discussion with him revealed a new thing. I concluded age is not just a number. It was when I saw him with pride and prejudice, a classic fiction which is a part of my syllabus, I approached him.
“Dada, you must be intelligent to read classics. This book is a part of my syllabus. I really find it hard to understand.” “Trust me, Beta, keep reading and you will understand someday. During the early stages of my reading journey, I had to read every sentence twice to understand the meaning ”
I sat down for small talk as I always do. “So Beta, do you miss your dada and dadi(grandmother)?” Hmm..sometimes. Do you miss your grandchildren? “I don’t”, his reply was quick. I don’t miss them because I don’t remember them. No matter how much I try, I am not able to recall their faces. Piyush and Kiara is their name. They settled down in the US long back. But I miss Mariam very much.” Who is Mariam? Is that also your granddaughter? ” Oh, did I never tell you?. Mariam is my wife She went to heaven leaving me in hell But only as she is not alive now, I am able to eat as much sweet as I want. If she were here she would have made me eat only healthy food and fall sick.” He laughed hysterically. “Can I borrow this book from you?”, I tried to change the topic as I wanted to give another try on the classic. “A strict no! You can come home and take as
many books as you want but not this one. Because this was a gift from Mariam on one of our anniversaries. Don’t ask me which one because I do not remember”, his hysteric laugh thundered once again
Few months later,
It was an evening like every other evening until I climbed the stairs of my apartment and stopped on the first floor. It was crowded in front of 303, the old man’s house. People kept coming in and going out with socalled sad faces. When did this happen? someone hushed as low as they could be This afternoon, someone hushed back. How? the next question came up promptly. Heart attack it seems was the reply My heart skipped a beat as I overheard I entered the house Prasad's uncle was sobbing uncontrollably and hitting his head against the coffin. Rupa mam was sitting next to him patting his back and trying to pour out as many tears as possible. There were no other known faces except the one that was in the coffin. The old man lay there inside the coffin. His face paled out and body covered with garlands. Unlike as every other day the house was packed with people, sobbing and chattering and yelling. Out of blue, the old man was surrounded by a lot of people.
It has been a week since the old man passed away and no matter how hard I try, I wasn’t able to overcome the grief. I missed the small talks, his laughter, his intellectual comments on everything he knew about and our arguments over the protagonists and characters we read. Should I have spent some more time with him? Should I have been a little more sweet to him? What if his father allowed him to study literature rather than engineering? Could he have studied a lot more books as he had always wished? What if he had stayed with Rupa mam and Prasad Uncle and they treated him well? Perhaps, could he have had a better and satisfactory life? What if his grandchildren met him at least once when he was alive? He could have left with peace? A bunch of questions hit like waves hitting the shore in the ocean. The only answer my mind could come up with is ” He is gone”. My train of thought was interrupted by a knock at the door. Rupa mam was standing in front of my door. She was carrying a little package in her hands.
“Hi Asma, I saw this package in my father-in-law's house and it has your name on it I thought, maybe this belongs to you?”, asking inquisitively she handed over the package to me. I opened the package effortlessly. It was a copy of pride and prejudice, the one which he was reading in our last meet, the one which he got as a gift from his wife, the one he treasured. The pages turned yellow but it still smelt as fresh as new. The first page had his signature by which I could not comprehend his name. Tears rolled down and trickled on the book slightly smudging the ink. I dabbed on the teardrop not allowing it to spoil the signature and held the book close to my heart
A satisfactory thought strike my mind. I could not think of anything more than this. This is the least and best I could do right then and right at that moment. I booked a train ticket to my native where my dada and dadi live during my next recent holiday. I dialed in them informing my arrival and let out a sigh.
People are not complicated. Sometimes a little more of love would do!
Keer her, the Author of this story is a Lifescience graduate, an avid reader and a mother of a two year old whom she believes the reason for unleashing the writer in her. Before her journey as an author, she worked in various publishing firms as a project manager Once she realised that writing is her cup of tea, she resinged her job and continued to write short stories and flash fictions in her personal blog. She loves to read, listen and write stories.She strongly belives that a good story can bring changes in lives. The author lives with her husband and daughter in Mumbai.
Rohit Sharma
Author, Our Love Story
Congratulations on your new book, 'Our Lovestory'. Why is the romance genre your favorite?
Thank you so much for your wishes. ‘Romance’ is one of the most loved genres in our country. But, unfortunately, it is somewhat misinterpreted too. When someone talks about ‘Romance’ genre, most of us think about only college chicklits For me, Romance is much more than that. With my first book ‘Te Amo… I Love You’, I tried to show that true love is sacrifice and is beyond language barriers. With my second solo book ‘Love of My Life’, I tried to highlight the dark and bright shades of love and relationships. And with my latest book, ‘Our Love Story’, I have tried to write a non-thriller, inspirational, feel-good story about love, hope and positivity.
Romance is a broad genre, and with every book I try to touch its different essence. And, this is why,it is one of my favorite genres.
AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
Compared to your previous works, I found this story different from your usual romantic-thriller genre. Is there any particular reason in choosing a non-thriller plot line?
I am glad you find it different. As you have rightly pointed out, this is the first time I have tried a nonthriller genre. My last book ‘Love of My Life’ was a dark, romantic thriller, with elements of social issues and patriotism.
It was a draining experience for me. After that book, I asked myself, ‘What next?’. That’s when I tried to challenge myself by walking out of my comfort zone and write a non-thriller book. And that’s how ‘Our Love Story’ happened.
Is there any story or an article that inspired you to etch the character of Veronica?
AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
Veronica’s character is not inspired from any story or any article. Her character is very real. You can find shades of her character in almost all of us. She is strong, yet vulnerable. She is not afraid of shedding her tears, but she is determined enough to fight her fears. She is hopeful, brave, selfless, and mentally very tough.
Till date what has been your most cherished achievement.
A reader (a married Doctor) from Chandigarh, after reading one of my books, messaged me that her faith in true love has been restored. She said that after reading my book, she asked her husband to read the same book. And after they both were done reading the book, they both decided to give their marriage a second chance. For me, it is my most cherished moment (if not achievement) as a writer that my writing was able to save someone’s marriage.
What are your other interests apart from writing?
Dancing was and still is one of my biggest passions. I participated in a lot of dancing competitions during my teens and twenties. Though, now I don’t get much time to explore it. But whenever there is a new song, with a catchy hook step, I try to learn it. Apart from dancing, I love to explore places, different cultures and food. In my free time, I read, watch movies, cook, and spend time with my family.
Any other book or writing project that you are currently working on?
No, I work on one project at a time, and that’s why I have only 4 fiction books to my name in the last 8 years. My latest book ‘Our Love Story’ has just released, and I need to focus on its marketing and promotion. Once I am done with that, I will start thinking about ‘What next?’
What other genre of books do you generally like?Which is that one genre you want to explore?
I like thrillers the most. That’s why I chose Romantic-Thriller as the genre of my first two solo books. If I have a support from a publisher, I will definitely write a crime thriller. I also love mythological fiction and matured love stories.
Who are your favorite authors?
Sidney Sheldon and Nicholas Sparks are my idols Their writings have influenced me a lot. And that’s how I mixed their genres and created a Romantic-Thriller genre for my own books. I also love to read books by Ashwin Sanghi. His research work and in-depth knowledge of his genre is truly exceptional and inspirational.
Few words to the readers.
First of all, thank you for always accepting my work, and for patiently waiting for my books. I try to write something different every time, and I am thankful to my readers for their incessant motivation and belief in me.
AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
Secondly, I urge every reader to inspire someone to pick up the habit of reading books. We are somehow getting more inclined towards mobile phones, and somewhere, I feel, the habit of reading books is not growing in our country. It is concerning for everyone associated with books. Hence, it is my sincere request to everyone, who reads, to inspire someone to start reading. Books make us a better and more knowledgeable person.
Which genres you enjoy reading the most? Which you don’t enjoy at all?
I love thrillers. The genre which I don’t like is college-based, chicklit romances.
What is the biggest surprise that you experienced after becoming a writer?
Veronica is done. Done trying to make it as a model. Done with getting sexually harassed by casting directors. And done seeing her mother struggle to provide for her family. Tonight, everything ends. She teeters over the edge of the parapet, imagining how the Cold water of the Arabian sea will take her breath away when she drowns. And then, she is stopped. By a man with an endearing smile and a guitar strapped to his back.
A book can change someone’s life, or his or her attitude towards something. A book can inspire or motivate someone too. After becoming a writer, from the reviews I received, I felt good to know that my books have somehow spread positive messages among my readers. I never thought, before becoming a writer myself, that my own work can bring a change in someone’s life, or can inspire someone in some way. So, it was quite surprising for me. But, in a positive way.
What are some ways in which you promote your work? Do you find that these add to or detract from your writing time?
Marketing and promotion are important aspects of every business, and it includes publishing industry too. Hundreds of books are releasing every month, and to stand out you need to reach out to readers and promote yourself. I believe in both online and offline marketing. Social media platforms are a great way to stay connected with readers. I also attend book fairs, where I meet a lot of genuine readers.
AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
Though I don’t get much time because of my job, I try to promote my work as much as I can.
Yes, honestly, sometimes I feel it is a distraction too. Promotions involves money and time. There are many good writers who are not financially strong, and they can’t invest too much in promotions, and thus readers don’t know about them. But those days are gone when books used to sell without any promotion and marketing. Even if you don’t like it or can’t afford it, you have to do something to promote your book. It has become a necessity.
What projects are you working on at the present? When can we expect a new fiction/non- fiction book from you?
I work on one project at a time. I have to do a lot of research work before starting any book, and it takes a lot of time. Right now, I have some concepts in my mind, but I have not finalized anything. I am a bit slow in finalizing a
AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
concept. I don’t plan to release a book every year. I take my own time. So, you can expect my next book to release probably in 2022.
What do your plans for future projects include? Any plans for a motion picture/web series based on your book(s).
I always imagine my stories in the form a movie or a webseries, and it helps my readers to visualize them. It is my dream to write for a web series or a movie. I did get an offer to shift to Mumbai, to work for a leading production house. But due to some personal reasons, I could not accept their offer. A few production houses have shown interest in a couple of my books, but nothing has been finalized till yet. Let’s hope for the best.
How do you feel about eBooks vs. print books and alternative vs. conventional publishing?
I personally love paperbacks. I love the smell of the pages, and I love to hold the physical book in my hands. But, I feel, eBooks are important too. It helps us to connect with global audience. Hence, both formats of books are equally important for me.
Similarly, both alternative and conventional publishing give authors a chance to publish their books. It is impossible for publishers to publish every manuscript. I have been lucky that all my books were traditionally published. But there are a lot of talented writers, who, for some reason, choose to go alternative way. Alternative publishing is quick, as you don’t need to prepare manuscript proposals and you don’t need to wait endlessly for publishers’ replies. Moreover, alternative publishing gives everyone an opportunity to become a writer. But I always suggest budding writers to stay patient and try for conventional publishing first.
Who are some of your favorite authors that you feel were influential in your work? What impact have they had on your writing?
Sidney Sheldon and Nicholas Sparks have inspired me a lot, and I have mixed their genres to write Romantic-Thrillers. I love the way they write each scene in detail. I have learned the art of detailing from them, and I am still learning. Readers often say to me that they can visualize my books like a movie. Credit goes to Sidney Sheldon and Nicholas Sparks.
What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?
My goal was to write a completely different book from my last one. Fingerprint Publishing House approached me in 2018 and they asked me to work on a non-thriller genre. I was nervous as it was, and probably still is, not my comfort zone. But I took it is a challenge.
AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
The intention behind ‘Our Love Story’ was to write a matured, feelgood, positive story about life and relationships. I wanted to add elements of inspiration and motivation, while keeping the essence of romance alive. Before the release of the book, I was dead with nervousness. But after the initial reviews, I am feeling a lot better.
What did you find most useful in learning to write? What was least useful or most destructive?
Writing is cathartic for me. It relaxes my mind, and it sometimes helps me to vent out my own feelings. I think books have the power to change the mindset of people, in a good way. And I am trying to spread some positive messages from my work. I don’t think there is anything destructive about writing books.
(Reviewed by Swapna Peri)
Novoneel Chakraborty
Author, Roses are Blood Red
Congratulations on your new book, 'Roses are Blood Red'. You write on romantic Thriller genre. Is this your favorite genre by chance or by choice?
Thank you so much. I would say it happened by chance as when I started writing I found out that I love to tell my stories with a certain level of mystery and thrill in it even though essentially, they are relationship stories. I’ve always maintained that an author doesn’t choose the genre. The genre chooses him/her.
Tell us something about your latest release 'Roses are Blood Red'.
The book is a heartland love story which deals with what the ‘absence’ of a person can do to a man and how much it can twist his outlook. It also tries to answer the eternal question of whether one should ‘move on’ from a heart break or not.
AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
The book is the haunting story of passion and eternal love. Do you believe that there are second chances when it comes to love? Do you really feel that love can heal the wounds (your opinion please)?
Whether there can be second chances or not depends on the individual really. And whether love will heal or further damage us totally depends on how we are letting love affect us and what’s our take away from our experience being in love.
The book tells the story of a girl named Aarisha Shergill. Is the story somewhat relatable to true life events or completely fictional?
Like my all stories, this one too is a mix of real and fiction. Some of the incidents has happened for real, some of the feelings I have penned have been experienced by me personally while some are fictionally-tuned version of reality.
AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
How does it feel after writing so many books? Did you dream of becoming a writer or it happened by chance?
Sharing my stories with so many people is an unparalleled high for me I never thought I would ever become a writer. It happened totally by chance but now when I think back I think I was destined to become one.
2019 marks your debut on Wattpad under the pen name Elizabeth Eli. Why didn't you chose your own name and decide to write under a pen name that too of female?
The book was an experiment from my end and thus wanted to use a pen name for it.
Few words to the readers.
Read. Read. And read. What other genre of books do you generally like? Which is that one genre you want to explore?
I read all kinds of books. Don’t have any genre related preference. If the blurb excites me, I’m in.
Who are your favorite authors?
Tagore, Ira Levin, Ayn Rand, Keigo Higashino to name a few.
What is the biggest surprise that you experienced after becoming a writer?
That my work can bring some changes in someone’s life. Or so I’m told.
What are some ways in which you promote your work? Do you find that these add to or detract from your writing time?
Like all I do so mostly via social media and public appearances/book launches whenever any new book releases. I think it’s all about time management. If done well, all things can be done properly.
What projects are you working on at the present? When can we expect a new fiction/non- fiction book from you?
I’m working on my next novel along with few web shows.
What do your plans for future projects include? Any plans for a motion picture/web series based on your book(s)
Yes, few projects are in the line pipe line but it’s too early to talk/mention about it.
AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
How do you feel about eBooks vs. print books and alternative vs. conventional publishing?
E book are the future, no doubt, but I don’t think anything can replace a printed book or printed reading material. I believe both alternative and conventional mode of publishing should co-exist without cutting each other out but in coalition adding onto more and more overall readership.
Who are some of your favorite authors that you feel were influential in your work? What impact have they had on your writing?
Ayn Rand, Ira Levin, Tagore and so many others have influenced me subconsciously as a storyteller.
Novoneel Chakraborty is the bestselling author of fourteen bestselling thriller novels and one short story collection titled Cheaters. His novel, Forget Me Not, Stranger, debuted as the No. 1 bestseller across India. While All Yours, Stranger ranked in the top five thriller novels on Amazon, Indiathe only one to feature amid other international bestsellers.
In your opinion, what is the most important thing that people DON'T know about your subject/genre, which they need to know?
The fact that no two stories are same. So, to compare books and stories is something I find totally pointless. Love or hate a story for what it is and not for what it isn’t.
What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?
I wanted to simply tell a story which excited me hoping it engages the one reading it.Seeing the reader’s reactions till now, I think I achieved my goal.
What did you find most useful in learning to write? What was least useful or most destructive?
AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
Writing has been a self-realizing process which itself has been a constructive and destructive in its experience.
(Interviewed by Saurabh Chawla)
Shreyas Bhave
Author, Asoka Book III: Nemesis of Kalinga
Many congratulations on your triology of ' Ashoka ' . Can you share your experience with us how is the reception of the book?
Thank you. The reception was great. There is actually a funny incident about the reception. I was always reading and seeing in interviews given by famous authors of how they used to get one star reviews in the initial days after the launch and still became bestsellers. They used to tell this as motivation for new authors who would have got a bad review. Now, when my books came out, I never got a rating below 3 stars out of five. So I was always worried that as I have never got a one star rating, my books would never become bestsellers.
After reading your the triology it is almost apparent that your interest in myth fiction is more. Why did you choose this genre?
AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
Actually, my genre is historical fiction. In mythology, mythological thing happen, whereas in my book, everything is grounded as if it is happening in the past of our own world. I chose this genre because I have always been a fan of history from my childhood and always wonder in alternative histories and how creating drama In actual histories.
Apart from the main plot of the story i.e.about Ashoka, Pataliputra, Bimbisara and other famous characters in Mauryan empire, there are subplots also. Which part of the story and in which book is your favorite?
My favorite part is the tale when Hardeo, the Guild master goes to buy salt Pans at Jungarah. However, he ends up not buying them and his single decision and the events that follow it end up in Sushem losing the war. It was just as simple as that. Had Hardeo bought the salt pans, Sushem would have won and the trilogy would have been called as the Sushem trilogy.
AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
Veronica’s character is not inspired from any story or any article. Her character is very real. You can find shades of her character in almost all of us. She is strong, yet vulnerable. She is not afraid of shedding her tears, but she is determined enough to fight her fears. She is hopeful, brave, selfless, and mentally very tough.
Till date what has been your most cherished achievement.
A reader (a married Doctor) from Chandigarh, after reading one of my books, messaged me that her faith in true love has been restored. She said that after reading my book, she asked her husband to read the same book. And after they both were done reading the book, they both decided to give their marriage a second chance. For me, it is my most cherished moment (if not achievement) as a writer that my writing was able to save someone’s marriage.
What are your other interests apart from writing?
Dancing was and still is one of my biggest passions. I participated in a lot of dancing competitions during my teens and twenties. Though, now I don’t get much time to explore it. But whenever there is a new song, with a catchy hook step, I try to learn it. Apart from dancing, I love to explore places, different cultures and food. In my free time, I read, watch movies, cook, and spend time with my family.
Any other book or writing project that you are currently working on?
No, I work on one project at a time, and that’s why I have only 4 fiction books to my name in the last 8 years. My latest book ‘Our Love Story’ has just released, and I need to focus on its marketing and promotion. Once I am done with that, I will start thinking about ‘What next?’
Did you find any difficulty in mixing and matching various characters and their own back stories with the available subplots?
No never. Instead, I consider this one of my strong point. I may be lacking in vocabulary or finesse which I make up with excellent characterizations. The largest part of my books are the dialogues which these characters speak, bringing the words to life. One of my readers once said to me that they read just the dialogues in my book and skipped all the exposition but still ended up understanding the whole book anyway just from the dialogues.
Did you use any story boarding or mapping processes to develop your plots and interactions, was it all just by following the instincts?
I guess I must have used some vague format of all these tools in my head. But everything happened in my head and the secret sauce it contains.
AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
The climax of the third book seems to be almost towards the end of the warrior and king role of Ashoka and towards his path to Buddhism. Can you give the readers an insight of this?
Asoka was a lifelong warrior so it made no sense to me that the sight of a bloody battlefield would make him give up violence He must have seen hundreds of such bloody battlefields in his life. So obviously, some kind of personal loss had to do with this momentous decision of Asoka. What loss it was and how it happens is what I have shown in my own style in the book which you will have to read to know about it.
The mention facts and unsaid things in the book are very interesting. How confident were you that the readers will embrace these topics?
Five years have passed since the end of the Mauryan Civil War. Samrat Asoka rules the Indian sub-continent from his capital, Patliputra. His brutal wars of conquest have earned him the name Chandasoka (Evil One). His enemies fear him, as do his own people. But the maritime republic of Kalinga stands free in the south-east, the last Mahajanpada, inspired by the values of democracy, equality and peace. In Book III of the epic Asoka Trilogy lies the answer to the great question: Who will be remembered as the greatest Samrat of the land of the Aryas?
Every writes creates his own interpretations of the story. They will read the words which my characters speak and the work that they do and form their own opinions about them. To each different person, different persons in my stories shall appear as heroes and villains.
How did you plan to create the characters Ashoka and others and what primary details did you look in for the contrast?
I created he characters as I felt they would be from all the data I gathered about them strictly from primary sources. I applied this same rule which I applied to characters to all the historical events in the book.
What is the best book you have read recent days and why?
These days, I have read ‘The Google’ story which was a great example of investigative biography.
AUTHOR INTERVIEWS
Few words to your readers?
My next book is coming in 2020 which is about one of the coolest spies in Indian history.
Fear of God
by Vadhan
by Swapna Peri
As years passed and my thirst for reading aggravated, my interest in exploring various genres of books has become invariably interesting. I have always been a fan of love stories and drama. But somehow for a few years, my interest is drawn towards mysteries and thrillers. Since that point, my search has become very exclusive. I have read some very good thrillers, murder mysteries and psychological thrillers in 2019 and was a little skeptical as the new year approached.
After reading a few international titles like The Silent Patient and The Better Sister in the month of
January, I have been craving to read an action-packed adventure thriller that also has a shade of political mystery. It is such a magical coincidence that the book ' Fear by God ' came to me sooner than I expected. In simple words, I can say this is one of the many best books I have received from Team Storizen to review.
With a very nicely written story and especially the climax which will stay in mind for long, this thriller from Author Vadhan is a must-read. It starts with the killing of an M.P. and becomes a sensation when the killing video is exposed to the public. The book having some 350 pages is not just a story but also at certain points questions the reader's conscience in the worldly matters that reign the human life. The present scenario of the Indian Political system, the injustice that is going on in every department, the stiffness that a citizen faces due to social pressure and the adverse
effects of wrongdoings on common people who take drastic and dangerous steps to balance the imbalance in the society are illustrated fantastically.
I would be very first persons to feel very happy if this story is turned into a web series or a full-fledged movie. The story is such strongly written that it has all the elements to fit into the big screen.
What I like:
1.
The extremely gripping storyline
2. The subplots that create a great nigger story
3. The strong characterizations of certain characters in the story are worth mentioning.
4. The targets that the killer chooses is very thrilling
5. The complete setup of Police, Judiciary and Politics are very interestingly intertwined in the story.
6. The very concept of God being used to create a sense of fear is very well used.
What I didn't like:
This racy thriller never gave a chance to point out any flaws.
Book Cover: The cover image of the book is of a man with a hood and a rifle in hand. There is also a superimposed image of a window hit by a bullet. The whole setup gives a thrilling feeling.
Book Title: The title of the book 'Fear of God' is mystical and intriguing.
Characters:
Jagan Jigyasi is a character who is easily heroic and extremely likable. Especially this character need not woo the readers. He being the CBI officer itself creates a magic in the story and eloquently wins the hearts This character is calm, severe, and strong and would create more magic if this book turns into a movie. All the other characters are quite captivating and built well.
Narration:
Fear of God is racy, stunning and fast-paced. At an interval of some pages, there is something new that is in waiting for the readers. To
maintain this amount of interest in a book with 300+ pages is absolutely a Herculean task. Author Vadhan has immensely captured the reader's attention in this aspect.
My Final Verdict:
Extremely captivating and a ' must to be adopted into a movie ' type story.
Rating
Book Title: 3/5
Book Cover: 3/5
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Narration: 4/5
Language & Grammar: 4/5
Final Rating: 4/5
Swapna worked as SAP Consultant for 10 years in Major IT companies. Reading has always been her passion and occasional painting her hobby. She decided to quit her job, look after the family and pursue her hobby of reading and painting in a larger way. Thus, her big leap into book reviewing has paved a way and has been successful to date. Reading challenges interest her a lot and visiting book fairs is her favorite thing. She believes that there is no good back or bad book, but only books. Writing unbiased reviews is her strength and she is appreciated by fellow reviewers and readers for the same. An anthology of musings with her paintings is her pending dream!
@swapna.peri
@sappy_dreamz_unlimited
@swapna508
Aby Swapna Peri
Asoka Book III: Nemesis of Kalinga
by Shreyas Bhave
s this is the third book in the Ashoka Trilogy, this book's story is all about Ashoka, his kingdom.
In this book, Nemesis of Kalinga, since the book is in continuation this is a perfect continuation book. The book with great details gives so much information about the Mauryan leaders, the Mauryan empire and the then situations. This book almost is the renaissance book for Ashoka who was known as an evil one due to the ruthless wars he fought. His penance and movement towards Buddhism take birth in this book.
has presented before his readers a good tale of so many unknown facts and things. Some information discussed in the book seems to be relevant even to this day.
Though a known story, the author
What I like:
1. The story continues in sequence with the previous books and hence it will be easy to get along if the previous books are also read.
2. Uncomplicated language with historical myths and facts makes the book an interesting one.
3. The detailing of the characters is appreciated.
4. There are some unsaid details described in the book about Ashoka and other characters that are absent in other books.
What I didn't like:
There is nothing to be disliked but there are some typo errors that may have been avoided.
Book Cover: The cover image of the book is an abstract painting of a warrior\king with worn off face expressing guilt and sadness. The color tone of the cover image also sets the mood.
Book Title: The title of the book 'Asoka Book III: Nemesis of Kalinga' is clear and apparent that it is the third book in the Ashoka series.
Characters:
The story has few characters but every character is written with intrinsic detailing that added more beauty.
Narration:
Engaging narration is found in the story.
Language & Grammar:
Simple and clear language is used in the story. It made the book more interesting.
My Final Verdict: Recommended historical fiction.
Rating
Book Title: 3/5
Book Cover: 3/5
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Narration: 3/5
Language & Grammar: 3/5
Final Rating: 3/5
Swapna worked as SAP Consultant for 10 years in Major IT companies. Reading has always been her passion and occasional painting her hobby. She decided to quit her job, look after the family and pursue her hobby of reading and painting in a larger way. Thus, her big leap into book reviewing has paved a way and has been successful to date. Reading challenges interest her a lot and visiting book fairs is her favorite thing. She believes that there is no good back or bad book, but only books. Writing unbiased reviews is her strength and she is appreciated by fellow reviewers and readers for the same. An anthology of musings with her paintings is her pending dream!
@swapna.peri
@sappy_dreamz_unlimited
@swapna508
Tby Swapna Peri
Our Love Story
by Rohit Sharma
his is the story of Aditya, a gentleman with great virtues. Being a son of the richest man in the radius Aditya is a man with a heart made of gold. He always craves for love hiding so much behind his persona. On the other hand, there is Veronica, a beautiful young woman and a model by profession on a sad day with many evils perpetuating into her life decide to end her life.
As said many times if the stars conspire everything will be random but unplanned and thus good things happen. Both the souls meet and thus the magic wand of love
showers its blessing. With unsaid feelings, unwanted events and unexplainable events the author has weaved a good love story. What happens inside their story can only be unveiled when the book is read. I recommend this book for every romance genre lover.
What I like:
1. The uniqueness in the plot-line.
2.A woman and her feelings either happy or unhappy are described nicely.
3. Unconditional love is explained well.
4. Difference between materialistic life and selfless life is expressed beautifully.
What I didn't like:
The story is very engaging and it was hard for me to find any flaws.
Characters:
The characters of Veronica, Aditya and others in the story are very coherently written. The strength and sturdiness each character portrays is absolutely overwhelming.
Narration:
Sometimes terse and abstract narratives in a story make the reader in me very happy. Sometimes, a detailed explanation with good emotional quotient allures me too. Such is the case here With very nice storytelling the author has narrated the story in a rhythmic style.
Book Cover: The cover image of the book is of a couple in love standing with each other in passion. In the background, another couple in passionate embrace with beautiful scenery around. The title and the cover image create a magic spell and love is celebrated..
Book Title: The title of the book 'Our Love Story' is charming and warming.
Language & Grammar:
Simple language with effective vocabulary is used in the book.
About the Author:
Rohit Sharma is a fiction/non-fiction writer, motivational speaker and the best-selling author of ‘TeAmo… I Love You’, ’12 HOURS’, 'Love of My Life', and the recently released romance fiction 'Our Love Story'. ‘Love of My Life’ is his third fiction book, which is a dark RomanticCrime-Thriller. After working on two romantic-thrillers, Rohit has come up with an inspirational tale, in which he has touched yet another aspect of romance. Titled 'Our Love Story', the book has just released and is available on various online and book stores.
My Final Verdict:
A beautifully crafted love story with values.
Rating
Book Title: 3/5
Book Cover: 3/5
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 3/5
Narration: 4/5
Language & Grammar: 3/5
Final Rating: 3.5/5
Swapna worked as SAP Consultant for 10 years in Major IT companies. Reading has always been her passion and occasional painting her hobby. She decided to quit her job, look after the family and pursue her hobby of reading and painting in a larger way. Thus, her big leap into book reviewing has paved a way and has been successful to date. Reading challenges interest her a lot and visiting book fairs is her favorite thing. She believes that there is no good back or bad book, but only books. Writing unbiased reviews is her strength and she is appreciated by fellow reviewers and readers for the same. An anthology of musings with her paintings is her pending dream!
@swapna.peri
@swapna508 @sappy_dreamz_unlimited
Moonlight Sonata
by Vidya Shankar
A stride their motorbike, the lovebirds jaunted
Along the promenade by the beach
Her hero holding the handlebars of his vehicle
And she him, her arms around his slender waist
They rode through the perturbed traffic
Blissfully unaffected by the rush.
His eyes were on the road ahead
And his mind very conscious of safe driving
But his heart was upon his sleeve, his left one
For it was upon his left shoulder
She had placed her chin, and notwithstanding the solid helmet
She was whispering love cajoles into his waiting ears
Moon, he spotted them from up afar
Through the branches of the trees that lined the pavement
His heart skipping a beat, he raced up, and ahead too
So he may see her better, and be seen...by her
Alas! she didn’t...so enveloped was she
With the man she shared conjugal moments
Not just on the motorbike but all her life with
He, the celestial orb, was up there for all to see
Glowing against a cerulean satin
Of a balmy night of lunar fullness
A luminous alluring seductive giant pearl
That poets languished their versified thoughts upon.
Oh! But to her, he came not at all within her ken
Her entire attention orbiting her married love only
As they wheeled through the traffic, a romantic earthen ride.
Yet once she did turn her eyes toward him
Ever so briefly, but ever so disinterestedly
A faint glance that meant, well, nothing at all
Dark desolation clouded his radiant full visage
Darkened, he hid his bright self behind curtains grey
Peeping yet not so, hoping against hope
That she would reciprocate his lucent love for her
Till he saw them turn into the road that led
To the abode they called their heaven
Out came he, beaming, from behind the clouds
Presented himself in full view of her sight
Putting on his best bright face with all his might
Not in vain were his efforts, for, as she got off the motorbike
She looked ahead...and saw him, placed as he was At vantage.
It was just a minute, yet seemingly an eternity
When eyes met eyes…
A moment in which all the sounds of the moving world
Around her came to a mute
Her iris held only the iridescence
Of the heavenly light shining brighter now
And her breath, a zephyr, calm and composed
She knew there was a blessing to come
So, with eyes locked still, she drew her husband to her
Hand in hand they stood, in gratitude, receiving
The luminous divine Love that embosomed them
Hand in hand they stood, in prayerful solace
Aroused by the Grace bestowed upon them
Hand in hand they stood, not twain anymore, but as one
Neither man nor woman, but as light
An illumination meant to brighten
Many a darkened souls to smile
Hand in hand they stood, a conspiracy of eternity
So the world may know that what makes it go around Are not its laws of motion and fixed notion
Hand in hand they stood, a reflection, a celebration
An eternal ethereal story of Love!
Vidya S r, blogger, motivational speaker, English language teacher, instructional designer, content developer, and yoga enthusiast. An active member of poetry circles, her work has appeared in national and international literary magazines, literary platforms and anthologies. Her first book of poems 'The Flautist of Brindaranyam', a collaborative effort with her photographer husband, Shankar Ramakrishnan. Herself a ‘book’ at the Human Library, Vidya Shankar lives a life of purpose by using the power of words, both written and spoken, to create awareness about environmental issues, mental health and the need to break the shackles of an outdated society.
@shanvidwinsalways
@vidya shankar author
My Heart Sinks
by Aparna Mukherjee
A morning on the beach I have been A bewitching view I have seen. The cold breeze
The rising Sun Gives a pleasing sense Of ecstasy and fun.
Profound in thoughts When I be The sound of crashing waves Would startle me.
Standing on the shore Far in the sea
Many tiny boats Sailing far I see.
My heart beats
Along with the rise and fall of waves I feel ecstatic when The enchanting orange glue of sun Shimmers on the ocean.
My heart falls for The magical silence of the beach As I sweetly behold The sight of the dancing waves That dash on the hard rocks
Brings along the silvery foam
Something tingling I feel
On my cold feet
When I firmly stand
On the wet golden sand.
The only mesmerizing sight Catches my eye
The joyous passersby
The never-ending sea And the vast blue sky.
In a few words, Aparna defines a woman who beholds high aspirations and firmly believes in expanding her horizon. She holds a Master degree in English from Mumbai University. By profession, she is an online content writer and blogger who writes informative articles for various UK and US blogs and websites.
Her poems got published in the digital Reflection Magazine and in the Indian literature website named Facestory's.com. She is a budding author too. Her first story on romantic theme got published in a book named "Memoirs Of Love".
As a person, she is open-minded, downto-earth and amiable in nature. Her world revolves around creativity. She wishes to make her mark in the literary world, hoping to leave an indelible imprint on her readers' minds.
Of Love and many Loves
by Sumana Bhattacharya
The selfish love of a baby hungrily sucking on to his mother's breast
The selfless love of a mother nurturing her child with all her being
The shy love of a young girl casting furtive glances at the boy who passes by her window every evening. She has never spoken to him, knows not his name, but has silently given him her heart away
The blushing love that flourishes under starlit skies The shy hands seeking each other, the first kiss that's so magical
The happy heart dancing and fluttering, dreamily stringing beautiful tales of love. The wounded love that shatters it all, breaking the heart into million pieces
Love that we cherish, love that we nurture, love that gives us wings, love that fills us with woe and breaks us with no mercy
Yet, with love we pick up the million pieces of our broken heart, join them, mend them to create a beautiful mosaic shimmering with many hues of love
Sumana Bhattacharya is a PR practitioner by profession and a writer by passion. Her style is simple, she likes to write about things she feels deeply about.In her writings she sometimes draws from her experiences of having grown up in a small town, Agartala. She has recently started a blog The Retro Feeling, that stems from nostalgia - longing or twinge of guilt for days gone by or left behind. She is an ardent reader of poetry, fiction and mythology. Sumana is a post graduate in English from Hyderabad Central University. She works for a PR agency and lives in Gurgaon.
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