Writer’s Ezine – writing one word at a time…
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About Writer’s Ezine: When Alfred Hitchcock said “Ideas come from everything” little did he know that everything would mean literally everything in this world. Taking inspiration from him, two fellow bloggers and friends – Namrata and Arti debated one day the exact meaning of Freedom of Expression and its rightful usage is today’s times. And so was born Writer’s Ezine, a monthly literary online magazine (E-zine) with the intention of providing platform to emerging as well as established writers from around the world. Born out of a need and a necessity of solely being able to express all that one feels, thinks and understands Writer’s Ezine is one place where writing and creativity come together to ensure a
wonderful experience to the reader. As you read along and turn a page you will find your mind wandering into places you never thought of before, making you sit up and question the biggest mystery of all times – LIFE. This is one place where readers, writers, poets, photographers, idealists, thinkers, atheists, believers and story-tellers all will be in sync with creativity. We accept submissions in poetry, short-stories, non-fiction, author interviews; book reviews etc. (Please read Submission Guidelines for details). Cover Photo Copyright Namrata
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This e-magazine is a compilation of Poems, Short Stories, Short – Story Series, Non – Fiction, Photographs published on Writer’s Ezine. Image source Google Images, unless mentioned otherwise. (Photography submissions © of mentioned author. The photographs in the magazine are printed in grey scale. The coloured and high resolution photographs can be viewed on www.writersezine.com or www.issuu.com/writersez ine The copyright of the work published in this magazine remains with the author of the individual work. Please contact the authors and Writer’s Ezine if you need to use the content. You are free to share the content as long as you retain and respect the copyright.
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You can trust WE, your number would not be shared with anyone and WE would not send you spam.
About Administrators: Administrator, Editor, Promotions & Marketing Manager, Assistant Relationship Advisor: Namrata: www.privytrifles.com Administrator, Webdesigner, Strategist & Relationship Advisor, Coeditor: Arti Honrao: www.artihonrao.in Do share your feedback with us. WE would love to hear what you have to say testimonials@writersezine .com
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Do check out our First Print Magazine Pothi: http://bit.ly/1sieaH8 Amazon: http://bit.ly/1AKWxnA Flipkart: http://bit.ly/1x6IRZn
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Do check out our Second Print Magazine Pothi: http://bit.ly/1GbzB7S
The Kindle version of the magazine (Volume VII to XII –October 2014 to March 2015) is available at http://www.amazon.in/gp /product/B00WANSPAW
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Segments on Writer’s Ezine
Prompt of the Month
Author’s Quill
Books are magical and the ones who create them are magicians. Author's Quill is a segment that will bring all those magicians to recreate some of the magic through their quills, as they know it the best! As we all love to hear what they have to say, WE brings to you some of your favourite authors in this segment. Month on month WE will invite amazing authors to wield the magic of their quill and take you to their magic land which only they can create.
WE believes that at times creativity looks for a muse. So here we attempt to give you a muse month on month that will tickle your creative buds and let your imagination take a flight. The rules remain the same. The prompt remains open till the last date of submission for the next month’s issue. i.e. till 20th of the month to be considered to the next month’s.
Read what they have to share with you!
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Literati
Cook-N-Tell
A bi-monthly column which will bring to you interesting tits-bits about literature starting from authors to their books, everything that you ever wanted to know about it is here now. Join our columnist Aneesha Myles Shewani as she takes you along on a journey where the smell of books is in the air!
Till now Writer's Ezine managed to gather various flavours of romance, suspense, mystery, longing, pain, life, death, thriller... every chapter a new story and every poem a new song. And that is when we realised WE missed out on a very interesting flavour one that adds a zing to it. So here we are, presenting Cook-N-Tell a bimonthly column which will have some amazing, mouth-watering, easy-tomake dishes!
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The Story of the Typewriter
Life, they say always comes a full circle. So here we are at yet another first issue of the year after celebrating our first birthday last month. Every time we flip through the pages of WE’s previous issues more than joy it is with pride that we see the tremendous talent that we have been able to garner and it wouldn’t have been possible with YOU – so here’s a huge thanks to each one of you for being a part of WE – always and all ways!
As always in this month’s issue we bring together some heart-warming stories and life-changing poetries along with the usual segments of book reviews, author interviews and Cook-N-Tell. What makes this issue special is the celebration of love for written word that each one of us is a part of through WE.
On the cover page, gracing us is the very old bestie of every writer since the time eternal – Our beloved typewriter. With the onset
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of computers, laptops and now tablets the typewriter did die an unnatural death but it still continues to charm every writer and is a precious possession for them. The one in the picture is a Remington made in the year 1926 and is fully functional. Clicked in an antique museum by me the owner shared a lovely story behind it. It is through this type writer that he managed to woo his wife. The story is that in the olden days love affairs were a taboo and if someone was caught they could risk losing their lives too. We are talking about almost a time 65-70 years in the history. The owner fell in love with a lovely girl and though he didn’t have courage to write a letter to her for the fear of being caught he was brave enough to express his feelings to her through this
typewriter. And as always, love won in the end. They spent a good amount of time together as husband and wife, created a lovely family together before she left for the heavenly abode recently. The spark in his eyes as he narrated the story to me, said it all. It is truly said, love never dies. Our love for literature ensures that WE team is busy reading some amazing books month on month bringing forth to you some candid interviews with honest reviews on them. This month we have two very unique and trendsetting books adorning that section – The Silent Scream by Siddhartha Garg which is on CSA and Beyond Generation Ever by Aditya Jha which is on today’s youth with reference to the country’s
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future. Both talk about two parallel worlds, one talks about possibilities while the other highlights the pitfalls we have on our way to reach the top. Ironically they represent two different sides of the same coin. WE hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as we enjoy bringing it together for you. Needless to add, if there is anything that we can do to make it better please do feel free to write to us at feedback@writersezine.co m. Till the next issue, Keep reading- Keep writingKeep loving-Keep laughing – Keep living!
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In This Issue: Amourt’es la?
Tejas Limkar
I’ll Rise After Every Fall Dead Rituals
Aishwarya Chitransh Nikita Goel
My Love for You is Not a One Night Stand Silent Scream
Ajay Vyas Siddhartha Garg
Siddhartha Garg
Silent Scream
The Final Insights
Rohan Pillai A
Ishaan’s Rendezous with Goddess Kali
Ajay Pai Anindita Baidya
Nigahebaan Visit to my Village
Avijeet Das
Failures
Rashmi Jain Brunda Rajesh
The Muse Nature’s Beauty An Infant’s Memoir The World Through the Pink Glasses of a Romance Writer Best Generation Ever
Ashwini G Sankaranarayanan L Summerita Rhayne Aditya Jha
Aditya Jha
Best Generation Ever
Kifo Nzuri
Khushboo Singh
Cheesy Chilli
Mayura Chetan Honrao
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Amourt’es la?
"Hola", a chirpy voice startled him. It was the first day of the tenth standard class and he had occupied the first bench, least expecting to be disturbed. It therefore came as a surprise when somebody actually addressed him. When he looked up he saw that it was a girl. She was late and the class was full. The seat adjacent to him was the only one that was
vacant. "Mind if I sit?" she asked and promptly plopped herself on the seat. She was quite friendly and wasted no time in opening up. Within the hour he knew all about her. Her likes, dislikes, her family, her pet. Throughout the course of the lecture the girl didn't stop. Just then the teacher called out sharply "You there!” He was
dumbfounded as he realised the teacher was pointing at him. "Talking non-stop. Out I say!!!"She said. Red in the ears, he quietly walked out of the class. It didn't matter
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much though. He had made a friend that day. It was the start for him. They were inseparable that day onwards. He, shy and quiet, she very ebullient and talkative. Complete contrast. Day and night. The perfect oddity. It was as if the universe conspired for them to be. He wished to say that to her someday but he dithered. "Not now, not yet “, he thought, "Wait for some time." He liked the look she gave him if he fell out of her line of thought. Lips pursed, her smoky fish eyes bore into him as she folded her arms. The bridge of her nose slightly hooked to the end. Slender frame, tapering arms, a little wide at the hips. For him she was the epitome of beauty.
It was her voice that largely attracted him. Dulcet, euphonious and honeyed. Her mellifluous voice was instantly recognisable. Tousled wavy waist length curly hair completed the painting. One fine day he finally gathered the courage. He bought her a gift .A collection of love songs he had compiled. Gift, nicely wrapped, he set out to meet her. Just as he put his hand inside into his pocket her mother came round the corner. "Tut Tut" she said "Time to go home", and spirited her away. He wanted to speak out but he dithered "Not now", he thought, and “Wait for the right moment!". Over the years they developed a deep bond.
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Yin and yang. Contrary forces are actually complementary they say. "How true!” he thought. The bud had given way to a refined blossom. Fine sight it was, the flower in full bloom. Years had only added more refinement to the already fine specimen. He vividly remembered the day they visited the beach. The weather was perfect. Sunny and full of life. They had picked the perfect spot for themselves. They flew kites that day. The breeze only aided the activity. In no time the kite was up and soaring high in the sky. So did his heart. He held the string, she the spool. Fingers brushed, she smiled. "Not now ", he thought, "She knows already. No need to say", he felt.
Life took them different directions. Work called him up to a new location. A distant city beckoned. They would meet albeit a last time. Lunch it would be. Animated as she always was, throughout the course of the lunch he never took his eyes off her. "Not now", he thought. "He would keep the faith", smiling inwardly. The distance took its toll. Late office hours left them little time for the other. The phone rang one fine day."Hola", she said, charming him as she had so many years ago. "I have met someone I am quite excited about! “With a sinking feeling he comprehended the gravity of the situation. His heart sank low. "So cool", he said, "I am so happy for you."
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"Not now", he thought, “Not yet. Wait for some time. Wait for the right moment. She knows already. No need to say. He would keep the faith. Did he wait too long?” he pondered. The darkest hour of the night is just before dawn they say. He had been waiting for his dawn long enough. Amour t'es la? Are you there, love? He broke down and the tears never stopped.
tennis, carom, swimming. He loves traveling and has traveled extensively within India. Being a voracious reader, it comes as no surprise that reading is his hobby. After taking up science in junior college and passing with a decent score it was natural to take up engineering. He is graduate from Mumbai University and an IT professional. Writing is a form of creative expression for him and he mainly draws inspiration from his personal experiences. Tejas can be found at www.almostwiser.com Or at his Email Idtejas.limkar@yahoo.in
About Tejas Limkar: Tejas is a fun loving individual with a streak for adventure. He loves sports and excels in cricket, badminton, table
Editor's Comment: Love in any form seeks reciprocation, otherwise its dies a unnatural death in the hands of time.
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I Will Rise After Every Fall
Hard luck to win despite of gleams Yet I stood to the test of time But life nullified to play the chime I was all irked and clinched to bail out "It’s not a picnic"... My innate voice shouts
Jumped into the bed and invocated God
You're not here to enjoy the 'delight'
Retrieved my day and was blank of laud
If your eyes are dreamy then you've to fight
Dewy-eyed I imbibed my queries
I concluded my purpose and unlocked my eyes
But somewhere in my thoughts I was still perky
I groped after a while that I was disguised
Why this life is glutted with hindrance?
I vowed myself... I'll rise after every fall
Venture and victory holds a distance
I'll rise and stand even taller
Everyday a new chase for dreams
Like the sun which never dies everyday it does rise
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Like the trees from seeds they arise And heights great they rise and rise After falling once twice and thrice Again and again I'll rise and rise...
About Chitransh:
Aishwarya
Aishwarya Chitransh, a 19 years old teenage from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, believes that the best way to pour out your feelings is to pen down your thoughts. She is very passionate about composing poetries. Besides that she is fond of cooking, making crafts, and also a trained kathak dancer. She can be reached at aishwarya198chitransh@g mail.com Editor's Comment: Believe in yourself – that’s the ultimate truth. Poet has managed to make it come alive in her words.
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Dead Rituals
They curse and crib And light a candle In front of idols And claim Their love for god They can't love His creations And they claim To adore the Creator! He wants you To love yourself And thy neighbor
It writhes my soul
How can they preach?
When I look at them
The invisible
Tied and entangled
When what they see
Performing
They do not admire
Dead rituals
He is so misunderstood
Seeking GOD
God is so misunderstood
He lives in you And you are Searching Everywhere else www.writersezine.com | admin@writersezine.com | www.facebook.com/writersezine | www.twitter.com/writers_ezine
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About Nikita Goel: Nikita Goel is a Reader, Writer, Blogger, Teacher and a Counselor. She has been blogging for more than 5 years and has earned some admirers worldwide. She has won many Prizes and Competitions for her creative writing. Her Blog "The Enchantress” is about celebration of Life. Writing is to her what Breathing is to us .It's a way of worshipping God to her. Editor's Comment: Some very valid questions of life which are still unanswered.
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My Love for You is Not a One Night Stand
I wish you could tell me in person every day just how much you love me. And never would we say to go our separate ways. It would just break my heart to have to know that we were apart. A dream can go
There are many thoughts and fantasies
where a wish cannot.
wandering in my head.
A dream can bring true
While I dream about you,
what a wish never thought.
And when I am asleep in my bed,
When I dream about you
I wish many things.
you’re holding my hand.
I wish with no fear
My feelings for you;
that right here beside me
these I had never planned.
you would be here. Gazing at the stars on a dark, cold night, www.writersezine.com | admin@writersezine.com | www.facebook.com/writersezine | www.twitter.com/writers_ezine
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we utter sweet words under the pale moonlight.
Is that asking for too much?
If you were here beside me,
I have been thinking about you all day.
I could look at you.
I do that often it seems.
It would all come together;
But I just can’t help it
that you are my dream come true.
when you’re in all of my dreams.
I am smiling as I realize
Meeting you was fate,
that although we are apart,
it was a choice becoming your friend.
it is only in body; never in heart.
This relationship between us
I hate not having you here,
I hope will never end.
but I know that someday,
But when it comes to falling in love
Fate will bring us together and never push you away. If I could only see your face, if I could only feel your touch, I'd tell you how much I love you.
that was beyond my control. There is no way to stop these feelings I have Deep inside my soul. Will you promise to always be here for me?
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Always be by my side?
About Ajay Vyas:
I couldn't explain how much I love you
Ajay Vyas is poet who is also an engineer and a management student. Basically belonging to Gwalior The heart of India, he is an amateur writer waiting for his first novel to be published.
No matter how long I tried. Even though I have met you just a few weeks before, I have learned so much about you and want to learn more. At night I close my eyes, and in my dreams all I see is you.
Editor's Comment: The innocence and longing of love brought out beautifully by the poet.
My only regret is that these dreams have not yet come true. I want you to be near me, but you're so far away. I hope you feel me in your heart, as you travel your path today.
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Book Review – I
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:Intro: Child abuse, one of the many problems that persist in India today, is arguably the filthiest. Of late, we have heard of instances of children being exploited but the most gruesome abuse is child sex abuse. The Silent Scream takes up this issue which people normally turn a blind eye towards. Through the subtlety quoted instances mentioned in this narrative non-fiction we are exposed to the disturbing lives of child predators and their innocent, young unassuming victims. The Silent Scream is a ready guide to create awareness about this rampantly growing evil with the aim of sensitising the general public on the ways in which sex abusers operate.
A humble effort is also being made to counsel the victims and carry forward the war against this menace so that other innocent souls are saved. :Book Review: 1. Cover: Very eye catchingly made, one that is sure to grab eye balls in any book shelf. 2. Presentation: The book deals with CSA backed with case studies, numbers and statistics along with contact details of emergency helplines and a list of dos and donts for one and all. The presentation of the book is straight from the heart yet gut wrenchingly honest. The author has brought together some very shocking facts making a
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reader gasp at places in disbelief.
many
3. Narration: The narration is tight and gripping with no loose ends leaving a reader with questions. 4. Language: The language of the book is very easy to understand and lucid. The reader has an instant connect as the book is more to be felt than to be read.
as the author manages to take us beneath the sea level to make us the real task that we are faced with. 6. Cons: Only a few typos here and there, which could have been avoided.
5. Pros: The pro of the book is the amount of research that has gone behind the book making it a perfect material for a reader. The statistics, numbers, names and case histories all speak for themselves. What we see is perhaps only the tip of the ice berg in newspaper www.writersezine.com | admin@writersezine.com | www.facebook.com/writersezine | www.twitter.com/writers_ezine
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:Overview: Over all this book gets a 4.5 /5 rating for its unique detail oriented theme, its presentation and most importantly the way the author has managed to bring forth such a sensitive topic so beautifully. The biggest compliment would be, being able to express the pain of a topic like CSA for a man with so much ease surely calls for a huge cheer. WE team would like to thank the author for sending across the book and wish him all the best for all his future endeavours.
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Author Interview – I
For someone who is in love with the written word, reading books is like a blessing. And on top of it to get a book that not only opens a new plethora of information for you but
also sensitizes you towards your own society, making you aware of the drawbacks is surely like a bumper lottery!
When the author of the Silent Scream, Mr. Siddhartha Garg approached us for a review the first thing that reflected from his email was the passion he had for this book and its topic.
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And nevertheless the same passion reflects throughout the book as well. It is a very well researched book backed up with proper numbers and data. The most impressive thing is the way he has brought it all out so nicely without sounding cliché or derogatory at any point of time. To let you know a brief about him, Siddhartha Garg is a techie by profession, a woman and child rights activist by passion and an active blogger. After having published his first book, In Love With Your Friendship, a story of love and friendship and its complications, he now intends to focus on issuebased writing to sensitize the nation on the various problems that plague our
society. He believes his writing would be a very potent weapon in his fight against social ills. In this book, he talks about child sexual abuse, one of the filthiest crimes that persist within our society. The blurb of his book reads:
Child abuse, one of the many problems that persist in India today, is arguably the filthiest. Of late, we have heard of instances of children being exploited but the most gruesome abuse is child sex abuse. The Silent Scream takes up this issue which people normally turn a blind eye towards. Through the subtlety quoted instances mentioned in this narrative non-fiction we are exposed to the disturbing lives of child
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predators and their innocent, young unassuming victims. The Silent Scream is a ready guide to create awareness about this rampantly growing evil with the aim of sensitising the general public on the ways in which sex abusers operate. A humble effort is also being made to counsel the victims and carry forward the war against this menace so that other innocent souls are saved.
Let’s hear him speak about everything that is close to his heart: 1. A warm welcome to Writer’s Ezine and kudos to you for your path breaking book The Silent Scream In today’s times when “women empowerment” and “rape/molestation/ CSA” are going hand in hand what do you think are we doing wrong as a society?
A lot of things actually! But the most important thing that has also been highlighted in “The Silent Scream” time and over again is the “Ignorance”. We tend to ignore such things. Either we are trying to hide away from them or looking for an excuse to make ourselves believe that they don’t actually exist. The fact that has restricted our www.writersezine.com | admin@writersezine.com | www.facebook.com/writersezine | www.twitter.com/writers_ezine
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thoughts in a taboo that talking about such stuff is against our ethics and culture is the root cause of this monstrous act. It’s not children’s innocence or perpetrators’ ingenuity but our ignorance that allows these perpetrators to make their way through. 2. You began as a normal fiction writer with a very chirpy, youthful book on love and friendship. What made you suddenly swing into a topic like this which though widely acknowledged is not widely read?
There are two reasons behind that. The interesting one is that every time I talked about my passion about writing with anyone, be it my friends or the publishers, I was mocked around with
the names like Chetan Bhagat and Ravinder Singh. Coming out with a book on friendship and love added to the cause and their laughter; this probably gave me a reason to be someone different and to give Indian readers a genre out of romance. I was surprised to see the romantic books sell off like hot cakes against the stagnant shelves of other genres. That was a welcome challenge for me. Secondly, I wanted to have my writings a purpose and I got my first story when “Harshita’s mother” stepped forward to share her story with me. Sitting back home and watching thousands protesting for justice for Nirbhaya also urged to me to use my pen for a purpose. I had heard that pen is mightier than a sword and I thought maybe I could try to bring
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around a change through my writings. I am sure, even if no one else changes, I am going to be a much better person after these books. 3. Your book is bound to draw parallel comparisons with Pinki Virani’s Bitter Chocolate though it has been a long while to that book and your book is relatively new on the topic covering much newer and wider aspects. What do you have to say about those comparisons? How does it make you feel – proud or sad?
Being compared to a writer like Pinki Virani shall be like a dream come true, it definitely is a matter of pride. Although there are a few things in Bitter chocolate that I don’t agree upon and I am sure there would be many
in The Silent Scream that she may contradict, but it doesn’t really matter how you wish to prepare your coffee unless it serves the purpose; at the end of the day we both shall be standing at the same end of the rope trying to raise the much unheard and ignorant concern with a hope of better future for children. I love Ms. Virani’s work. I wish to read many more from her. 4. As a country we have a come a long way since the time Pinki Virani wrote that book and today as I hold The Silent Scream in my hands times have definitely changed a lot. We would like to know how much has it all changed according to you, or should we say has it really changed?
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I am sure you are talking about numbers, or probably the advancement in technologies (ha-ha! just kidding) to be honest, that’s the only space I see our country advancing. If you would read Bitter Chocolate and The Silent Scream, you would realize as if you have stood stagnant forever. The only change that may have been in all these years must be in favor of perpetrators because the advancement in technologies and culture have allowed the parents to let their children exposed to many new faces including the babysitters, the maids, the tuition teachers and many more – the more familiar faces – the more trustworthy people – the more possibilities of perpetrators around children. Please don’t
mistake me for being against technology - that was just a way to put my statement forward. May be you should look at the numbers; they are growing every day; every minute. Do you realize that some child, somewhere, is being abused right now as we talk! 5. As the book deals with something very off beat how difficult it was for you to find a publisher and get this book its due by making it reach the right audience?
Haha! Don’t ask me that. It still gives me shivers when I recall my days of finding a publisher. I wish I was a reputed name in the industry and it would have been all so easy to write anything and sell it – but I was new and I didn’t write romance with sensual scenes in it. Why would a
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publisher entertain something that doesn’t have a USP! I don’t blame publishers for not picking it up; it’s probably in our culture that has evolved over the years and has shown interest in a particular genre. The market is derived by customer’s need; you can’t blame a shopkeeper for not selling meat in a vegetarian society. I didn’t leave any stone unturned to reach out to anyone who would recognize my work and look at it with the perspective of change and that is when Rumour Books came to my rescue. They shared my dream of a purposeful writing, something out of glamor and focused on social issues. To my relief, some of the renowned psychologists and avid readers, friends that I had shared my work with,
praised my work and assured me that the society needed a book like this. This certainly kept me going. Although, the book is still a little slow off the shelves but I am glad that it has managed a rating of 4.5 on the biggest literary network “Good Reads” which means that people are acknowledging my work. 6. From what we understand this book is nerve wrecking with real life incidents and statistics that can shake up any normal human being. How difficult was it for you to keep aside your Siddhartha – the human side and ensure only Siddhartha-the author’s voice comes out on those pages? Any particular incident that you would like to share with us?
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It wasn’t. In fact, if I had kept my human side away, I think I wouldn’t have been able to do justice to the manuscript but yes it was indeed very important to keep myself unbiased as I wrote it. There were a number of incidents that drove me crazy; my mood swings were so abnormal and so frequent that some of my friends actually started avoiding me and probably rightly so. I would, at times, yell out at them for no reason; I have skipped numerous meals; I have had sleepless nights and I have cried a number of times during the journey. It was very difficult to convince myself if I was the right person to write this book. One particular incident that’s always at the top of my mind is – I was writing this particular part in the book when Harshita felt
helpless and sat on her wheel chair crying and not being able to say a word – I could almost see the scene happening in front of my eyes and I broke out in tears. To my embarrassment, I was sitting in a CCD with my laptop and I attracted more attention than a film star. This book has definitely been a roller coaster ride. 7. One of the most amazing things of this book was the way you managed to bring out the nuances of the whole issue so subtlety, which speaks volumes about your research. Can you take us through your journey behind this book till here?
Indeed! I met the lady in 2009 when she told me her story and I was intrigued to write this
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book. I had never experienced such gruesomeness about our society and for a boy of 20, it was certainly a shocker. Her story urged me to dig deep for the roots of the issue and that is when it all started. Being in engineering college gave me very little time and money to spare on research and so I kept my research limited to the accessible areas around the town and once I got into a stable job that could earn me enough to travel to different places to explore more about the topic, I tried not to leave a single stone unturned. I was blessed to meet Ms. Sneha Bhatia in my college; she was a child psychologist and taught behavioral science in Amity. She linked me further to more pediatric specialists and
psychiatrists that she knew of who helped me in my extensive research. Contributions of NGOs like Arpan and childcare are indispensable. 8. In one of the online reviews I read that despite being a man you have managed to capture the right tone of the root cause. How much do you think your gender has affected the writing or the presentation of the whole issue?
I think more than me, audience has loved the fact that such a topic came through a pen of a masculine gender. In the midst of the rampantly increasing crimes against women where the authority and respect of men in a country like India is at a huge stake, people have started generalizing
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men as inhumane and impassive creatures. I think they have admired the fact that there still some men who respect women who wish to fight for the dignity of women and her rightful protection against crime. I, on the other hand, feel may be I would have been able to connect and empathize more to the pain and agony that they suffer if I were born a woman. Moreover, I feel my reviewers have been pretty humble in putting their opinions forward and I am overwhelmed with the kind of response I have received. For an author, there is no bigger win than winning your readers’ hearts. 9. Request you to please share any future assignments you are currently working on.
Alright, so following my instincts and my pledge to write for a cause, I have continued to work on two assignments – “Not just a love story” is a murder mystery (fiction) which will fight against rightful justice against rapists and “Maya” is a satirical showcase that talks about the trials and tribulations of a rape victim and Indian society. 10. One last piece of advice to – Your readers. To US as a nation. And to the people associated with CSA ( either as survivors / culprits / families/ friends/ support societies)
I believe I am way too young to advise anyone, but I would still like to put forward the fact that I would be one of the happiest people in the world if you stand against
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the wrong rather than just criticizing it from the comfortable couches at your home. When you have an opinion, use it to make a change. I am thankful to you for picking my book because if you have bought a copy, knowingly or unknowingly you have helped a child in his education. With the enormous time you have and because you are a wonderful person, spare some time for those who need love and care. Try and help someone in need. And about my work, please don’t just read, tell me how you like it, tell me how I can improve. Your feedback matters! Victim is a word that I have deleted from my dictionary, that’s the least that the journey of “The Silent Scream” has taught me; I have replaced it with survivors. So to all those
brave survivors out there who have survived the most difficult time of their lives, I am sure the great times lie ahead of you and I respect you for your courage to fight your way out of the misery. I would also like to apologize if I haven’t been able to do justice to all your emotions through my writing; I promise to improve. Families – Please, please, please stay aware and do not hesitate to speak against CSA. It’s not you who is at shame when you do so, but the one who is planning to hunt many more like your child. Talk to your children more often and teach them about CSA. Friends – keep loving and supporting me. I love you back a lot more. Thank you for inspiring and motivating me so much!
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Writer’s Ezine: You have made me an orator from an author, ha ha I know I am not good at it. You have brought out a lot of emotions dug deep in my heart and helped me convey a lot about The Silent Scream that I wished to. Thank you so much for taking some time out for this wonderful interview. Stay Blessed!
Thank you very much for your time
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The Final Insights
That the answer is here Within me, and now All I wished was the truth Lie here and continue As if it were a neverending drama But I have the biggest gift The gift of never-ending peace.
I no longer feel the urge To move on, to succeed As I lie here on this ground Awaiting my last rites I recollect Those million times I have run around Seeking answers which were never there.
About Rohan Pillay:
The fool I am, not knowing this, Looked here, looked there, To no avail and here I am Like all the rest Ready to become One with the sand And it is only now That I understand
Rohan is a second year Integrated M. A. English Language and Literature student of Amrita University. He enjoys writing verses and is a passionate reader. You can catch him on rohan.pillay21@gmail.com . Your comments are most valuable to him. Editor's Comment: Very deep and poignant lines about what one would be thinking on his/ her death bed.
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Ishaan’s Rendezvous with Goddess Kali
Majestically she stands Carved in Stone, with Vermillion on forehead. Rock hard, heartless, With 8 hands, donning 8 different weapons, To battle and defeat The evil. It seems, her heart is carved with diamond, Never meant to melt. Seated on a lioness, Majestically she watches..
Ishaan, my little one, turned 6 months cuter. It was time to baptize him as per the Hindu rituals. We took him to a Goddess temple, nearby. This is what happened after..
Blood of the demon, Trickles through her tongue, She, The RudraKAli, Prachandika! Glancing the fiery Goddess, Ishaan my Lil son Screams and wails. I wonder, how a mother Can Be so ferocious. As I laid my son At her Holy feet,
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Her eyes, which spew fire, Inclined now, with traces Of Nurture, love and care. I could see her bosoms Ooze out love. Ishaan now smiles At the mother Goddess, As The Rudrakali Now transformed to Mother Yashoda, Yashoda, the Mother of Lord Krishna. Lucky, is My Ishaan, My Krishna, As he is blessed by her. She, the lotus-eyed, Consort of Lord Venkataramana.
About Ajay Pai: Ajay Pai is a banker by profession and blogger at heart. The poem included here is dedicated to his son who is about 7 months now. He can be reached at his email id is : ajaybpai123@gmail.com Editor's Comment: A very endearing poem on a sight that is bound to melt hearts.
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Nigahebaan
Nausheen fed him, cleaned him and Nausheen nursed him.
Apne jazbaat mein nagmaat rachaane ke liye Maine dhadkan kee tarah dil mein basaayaa hai tujhe Main tasavoor bhi judaai ka bhala kaise karoo Maine kismat kee lakiron se churaayaa hai tujhe How could he let Nausheen go! Fighting a terminal illness, Afroz would have already been a dead man, had it not been for Nausheen! Nausheen kept him smiling, Nausheen showed him the blossom of spring, Nausheen saw to it that he never failed to pray.
Saint Anne’s Nursing Home, Gul Marg. Anybody, in the small town, knew, what it meant being admitted to this hospital. It had two implications, one that the patient had to be a very rich person and two, the patient would not live
for long to return home. The Hospital was specialised for treatment and care for most of the dreaded terminal illnesses.
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Afroz was not the only patient in the department. He was not the only one Nausheen nursed, either. But Nausheen was the only one Afroz laid his hope on.
confined to the campus of the Nursing Home since six long months, Afroz took comfort in weaving little and big dreams; painting them with imagination and putting them in words.
Nausheen, a very able and skilled nurse, worked through the hours, tireless and never missing a smile and never missing a schedule. In the chart she held in her hand, she had all the information about all the patients she attended to. She cared for all of them equally, in a very affectionate and a very professional manner, at that.
Nausheen entered his life when the rest of the world walked away. Nausheen received him when others gave him away. It was Nausheen who held his hand tight when the Doctor announced the seriousness of his illness. The time had stopped for Afroz. In utter depression, he confined himself inside his room, leading himself to darkness.
But Afroz was no professional! He was a poet, a SHAYAR with a melting heart. And
One sunny morning, Nausheen, brought in the light! To the dying Afroz, she said, “You are
fortunate enough to know
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how your life will end. Do you know, each one of us, including that doctor, those attendants, often wonder, how our life will end. We do not know what we have for store, but you know. End will come to all of us, that is the reality but today, God has let you wake up; today you are alive, as I am, and as those little flowers and the bees are. Come, we will go out and have a stroll and thank God for the wonderful life and pray for the ones who did not see the light today".
From the little life he was left with, Afroz continued stealing the moments with Nausheen and arranging them neatly in his memory.
But Nausheen had to go. She had to lead a team to the tremor struck towns far away. Hundreds of suffering people needed Nausheen. Afroz had never, in the worst of nightmares, imagined a life without Nausheen. He was so used to her that he had almost missed the passing time. “Go after I die, Nausheen.” Afroz pleaded. Nausheen had no answer for that. Her duty was beckoning her. And so one day Nausheen left. Afroz’s life was not enough for all the love he had for Nausheen, so he bid her goodbye, with a smile and stole another moment for his treasure. “God bless and goodbye, dear”, that is all he said
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and the poet rested quietly in his heart.
Tu mila hai toh yeh ehsaas hua hai mujhko Yeh meri zindagi mohabbat ke liye thodi hai Ek zara sa gham-edauraan ka bhi haq hai jis par Maine woh saaans bhi tere liye rakh chhori hai Nausheen’s departure got delayed by a day. From mid-way, she returned, to offer her flowers, prayers and tears on Afroz’s still body.
About Anindita Baidya: Anindita Baidya is blogger from Gujarat and loves to write fictions as well as travelogues. Since her work involves everyday interacting with people, her writings are deeply related to the common people around. Editor's Comment: Love in any form is so beautiful, just like this small love story.
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Visit to a Village
As it was our treat for the summer vacation holiday I distinctly remember! The bus journey was interesting to begin with So many people traveling together Carrying food and water for the destination Quite far away it was, our grand mom’s village!
My mother took us to her mother's village one day Anxiously waiting to see it were my brother and I We had no idea how a village looked! My brother in the fourth standard and I in the second
As the bus went slowly in the one lane highway The minutes passed slowly and the hours much slower And we boys got restless Started fidgeting and getting irritable by and by!
The journey was by a bus I still remember
She then told us to observe nature
And it was in the summer months of May or June
To look outside the bus window
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To look at the leaves falling from trees
Thatched huts and the village pond greeted us
Each leaf falling with a subtle magic!
Children barefoot and playing football waved at us,
Then she told us to observe the birds flying outside Each movement of theirs telling us a whole new story! The village was finally reached after a long joy ride
My brother and I waved back animatedly Like we were long lost friends and teammembers of the same football team! And everybody in the village was outside their houses to welcome us,
A simple ride on a cyclerickshaw that we took from the bus stop
Greatly excited were they to meet us,
The road was unlike any we had seen before
The members of the extended family-tree!
Mud and stones was what it was made of And the ride was quite a bumpy one but we both loved it! On reaching the village,
After freshening up my brother and I Darted to the village football field, We played with abandon and with so much of greenery around
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And after playing with our new found friends we then visited the village river, River Birupa welcomed us with her cool waters and a magical serenity! Note by the poet: My Grand mom's village is also called Raipur which is in the Jajpur district of Odissa and there is a town named Raipur but that is in the Chattisgarh State.
About Avijeet Das: Avijeet Das is a poet and a short stories writer. He loves performing in plays and supporting streettheater. He is a nature lover and a social activist too. He strongly supports Education for the Girl Child; he passionately supports programs about Women's Empowerment and Conservation of the Environment. In his professional capacity he trains and coaches school and college kids for the English section of IELTS/TOEFL/GRE/GMAT & SAT Examinations. Editor's Comment: If childhood and its memories could be captured in words then perhaps this would how it would look like.
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Failures
Destiny brings new endeavors. Focus, diligence in combination with hard work changes failures to success. Crimes are being committed out of failures, Lives are being ended out of failures, Why this drastic step?
Failures are stepping stone to success
Give one more chance to yourself.
Then why failures bring one to a stand still?
Life is a beautiful gift of God
Failures exemplify imperfection, carelessness and unfocused attitude.
Don’t end it like that. If failures are stepping stones to success,
One needs to learn from failures,
One is on the first step towards success
Failures and success are two sides of a coin
Take few more steps to taste victory.
Just a flip and
Do not hurt yourself and others
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Due to failures. Stand up with your head high, as failure is just a pebble in the Path of flowing river of life, Just a push and the hurdles are crossed. Failures are stepping stone to success Failures are stepping stone to success.
About Rashmi Jain: Rashmi Jain is a D.Phil Research Scholar from the Department of English and Modern European Languages, University of Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. Her collection of poems entitled Kaleidoscopic Visions recently got published. Her poems and research papers are
published in reputed journals and magazines like Innovate e magazine, International Journal of Research, European Academic Research, Lapis Lazuli and others. Rashmi has worked as a Guest Faculty of English in the University of Allahabad and as Lecturer of Professional Communication in Madhu Vachaspati Institute, Kaushambi. Her hobbies are reading novels and poems, writing poems, making handicrafts. She can be contacted at: rashmii.jain23@gmail. com Editor's Comment: Failure should be the stepping stone to success and not the downfall – very well-articulated by the poet.
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The Muse
She is a muse, yet again, To the cool travelling photographer, So instant was his urge to pixelate her wrinkled life, Clicked was her poverty to the generations of the era. National awards adored his walls for capturing her pity plight,
She is the muse, from the very dawn of life, To every painter that crossed paths with her. Paleness personified was her eyes, that the painter was drawn to,
But long forgotten was the lady with pleading eyes for better life. She is a muse, now for whom? To the writer who describes her plight so that the world knows,
Drenched with pity ,he painted her with all his skills.
Sunken are her eyes, dry her body,
Laurels came his way for his marvellous art.
Hunger stricken for days, yet padhmabhushans
But long forgotten was the lady with tears longing for help.
Find their way to the writers crown;
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But long forgotten is the lady in his story who suffers. She is a muse, for the music now, the universal language of music depicts her morbid life. His honey voice trying to relive, her conundrums in her unwanted life. Applaud and trophies make his life, But long forgotten the lady in his songs who prays for her death every day!!
About Brunda Rajesh: Brunda Rajesh is a young bird just out of engineering college aspiring to make a solid career in writing, her passion and interests are multifarious ranging from photography, cooking to Yoga. Email id:brundakamb@gmail.co m Editor's Comment: Touching narrative of a Muse's life
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Nature’s Beauty
by making kids sing a lullaby. I feel like touching you, but your mere presence is mesmerizing too. Emotions are clogging my throat by making me speechless. Nature is a gift of bountifulness.
When I see the clouds over the mountains, My heart does not restrain any emotions, Seeing this slight is a sheer delight , As it make me feel light. When I see mountains covered by clouds, my lips whistle aloud a melody,
Standing on you when clouds pass through my face. My mind is in a maze. Making me feel dazed. It feel amazing to sit on you. I can meditate here as it is quiet serene too. You fill up my heart with peace and happiness. Oh my dear friend be there for me in all my madness.
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As I have made you my latest wallpaper picture on my laptop screen for my nature's fondness. You are my love of life in all my blessedness.
About Ashwini G: Ashwini blogs as Ash Bubby on her blog http://sunsetreader.blogs pot.in Editor's Comment: A very refined and captivating take on the prompt. www.writersezine.com | admin@writersezine.com | www.facebook.com/writersezine | www.twitter.com/writers_ezine
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An Infant’s Memoir
I was a three months old, girl. You know, I always liked telling stories. But then, there was a problem. They never understood my language. They, the people who came all the way from Madhya Pradesh, Kathmandu and Kasaragod, are my relatives. My mom said to me. They brought me ornaments, washing soaps and talcum powder. But I was pretty enough without these things. My mother told me I’m pretty, in my ears, like a secret, before falling asleep every night. And then she would kiss my cheeks. Now, do you want to listen to my story?
They never understood my language. But one guy did. He was my friend. He talked with me very late every night. He called himself Vishnu, the Creator. But my mom did not know this. He asked me not to tell her. And my dad, he lived in the far away land. He came home once in a blue moon. Vishnu amused me whenever He made His presence. He understood my language. I think He had a plethora of relatives who would gift him so often that he wore so many ornaments. He even asked me to wear one. The golden ear rings. But my ear lobes were small, weren’t they? I kindly rejected it. But Vishnu told me that I would be forced to wear one, in the succeeding year, sitting in my uncle’s lap.
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Sooner I began spending my days with Him, I found myself filled with lot of doubts. Vishnu would clear all those doubts in the night and told me how to live
we lived in the first floor. The clever mason provided us steps to climb up to our home. It was of a simple and elegant design. That evening I realised there existed
during the daytime. Vishnu would appear only to my eyes. Not to anyone else, not even to my mom. One fine evening, my mother took me near the main door. My house was a three story building and
something called “outside”. Madhya Pradesh, Kathmandu, Kasaragod and the far away land, I had no idea what they meant. My mom told me new things when she was feeding me. I
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would repeat it whenever anyone questioned. But no one understood my language. Soon after that evening, I died seeing outside. There was surely something mysterious beyond the door. I loved to explore it at any cost. But how would I do that? I could not walk. I could not even crawl, my limbs were light. My mom took me wherever needed, in her shoulders. But she never took me outside, the world that was beyond the main door. When someone opened the door, I would silently admire the rays of light falling into my home. But where did these rays come from? I wondered, wondered and wondered. I asked Vishnu one day to take me out. But He said that He would take me
later. He never said when. Every morning I would call Vishnu to take me to the outside world. But He was so busy that He kept detaining my wishes. So I decided to put all my force to explore the “outside”. I asked Vishnu to at least guide me in my attempts. He blessed me to succeed. So I started planning so that I could achieve my mission at the earliest. Meanwhile, I was so busy planning, people would flow into my house to wish me, to bless me and to kiss me. Chander, my maternal uncle, he would always take me in his hands and pose for photos. My mom would hesitatingly comply his orders. And he left home with the photos. He did nothing else. There was another human being whom I like, Khatija. She lived in the
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neighbourhood. She would come every evening and kiss my forehead. She looked very beautiful. I would get pleased on seeing her; she had the powers to make me happy. I would leave a smile. Sometimes she would bring a black paper wrapped book in her hand and recited verses which I never understood. At the end, she would say “Masha Allah!” But who was Allah? That night I asked Vishnu about Allah. Vishnu disappeared suddenly. But after few moments, I heard someone calling me. “Who is that?” I asked. “Oh well, you wanted to see me. I am Allah” “Allah? But I could not see you.”
“Why did you want to meet me?” “Khatija keeps telling your name” “I know, she is a dedicated
woman. I would protect her from any sin.” “Sin?
What does “sin”
mean?” “Haha! You will learn it as
you grow up. I will make Khatija to evince you the essence of life.” “Oh that is very kind of
you Allah. But your voice resembles much similar to my friend Vishnu!” Suddenly my mom woke up and started feeding me. I realized that the dawn had arrived. My mother, if you believe me, was a very kind woman. She kept telling her difficulties to me before falling asleep. She had a lot of chores every day to do.
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Nevertheless, she missed my dad a lot. She worked from morning to night, with very less resting periods in between. And I would assuage her pain every day, by emptying her breasts. She felt happy when my hunger vanished. Days were passing like this, when my interest to explore the “outside” world prominently increased. I almost reached by the door side, when that afternoon, Khatija sister advanced into my house, took me and left me at my mother’s arms. I explained to Vishnu about my interests and He blessed me to succeed as usual. He said that He had some important job in the overseas, so He could not meet me for a week. So, I was staying alone that week, my thoughts
running about aftermath success. My granny was reading the Ramayana at the living room and mom was playing with me at the door’s vicinity. Suddenly she ran to the kitchen to switch off the kettle when that time, I crawled slowly and almost reached the door. It was open and I peeked out. Oh my God! The view was beautiful. There was a cow; there was a parrot and a jasmine shrub. Without realising the presence of steps, I placed my hands down, due to imbalance in my physical state, I started rolling down and had hurt myself in my hands and legs. The pain was immense, the first time I felt the ‘pain’ and I started crying. I could not take in the imbroglio I faced. All hell broke loose for my
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mom, she came down running and took me to the hospital. I was kept in ICU for two odd hours, later when through the window I could get a view of a man who slapped my mom very hard on her cheeks. The nurse informed them that I woke up; I could clearly get the view of the man. He came near me, took me in his arms, and kissed me all over. I never felt so much cared in my life. It was a heavenly feeling when I was resting in his hands. He had a black moustache and a trimmed beard. He looked handsome like Vishnu. My mother whispered in my ears, that my father had arrived from the far away land. I was so proud when my father was holding me, the affection I could sense in his eyes. And behind him, I
saw someone with a halo. OMG! It was Vishnu. He said that He had come from overseas just because I felt the pain and had hurt myself. He said He would not become visible anymore to my eyes, because I had grown up. He also added that, if I fall prey to difficulties, He had given all his powers to a single person, who would sacrifice everything for my protection. It was no one but my father. I then pronounced the first word in my life, ‘APPA’.
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About L:
Sankaranarayanan
Sankaranarayanan L is from Puducherry,India, pursuing final year in Engineering. He has a lot of interests in writing for it is one great way to showcase one's creativity and talents. He is sociable but not loquacious. Apart from writing, he also enjoys graphic designing and drawing realistic sketches. He strongly believes constructive criticism is essential for one's skill development. Editor's Comment: A touching tale of a daughter and father’s love.
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The World Through the Pink Glasses of a Romance Writer
Being a romance writer my stories are mostly set in India. I don’t remember any time when I tried to write for any other genre,
except the short stories I used to write in school. Many of us Indian and indeed South Asian romance fiction lovers face the same problem the fact that romance is considered a taboo as both reading and writing material or at least is associated with as much acceptability as the proverbial bitter gourd coated with neem juice makes things not so easy for us.
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It was even more a taboo when I was growing up. Once in a while we did hear about this friend's mom who actually read Mills and Boon or that one’s parents who didn't object because they had made a love match themselves. But such wasn't my own good fortune. In fact, when my Mom found a Mills and Boon in my closet, thanks to younger sister squealing, my elder sister and I were treated to three days of awful silence and made to feel like criminals. Despite that, the reading continued. Somehow I began to weave stories. Mills and Boon had a program going then in which they invited readers to submit finished manuscripts. I didn’t finish
one but I tried my hand on many. I remember that by plus-one or high school, I was pretty sure what I wanted to do. Masters in English literature and Philosophy and be a writer. However, I was enrolled in the medical stream, not arts and who had the courage to tell the parents especially Mom, God rest her soul, who had told us since second standard we were to be doctors. In mid-terms, I flunked the physics test despite my sister making me drink water all night to keep me awake the night before the exam. I was recommended for special coaching. Physics and I just didn't gel. We compromised enough, so that I got through the medical entrance exam and got admission in a medical college. Before
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you fall off your seat in surprise, I must add, I was underage and got an extra year to prepare for the entrance test. It was a tough test and writing had to be put on the shelf for the time being. In fact, it assumed a backseat for many years though even after my marriage I kept a diary to scribble down my story ideas. I read them now and laugh. But back then they made several hours pleasant. With kids growing up and more time to myself, the writing germ revived. I notice the pattern is quite similar to many of my contemporary romance authors’ writing history. Quite a lot of us wanted to be writers but got involved in other careers. You can have more than one dream and at some point you
have to compromise on one. Writing was fated for me so I started again but when I did I realized how far I had to go if I was aiming to get published. The world had become flooded with books and aspiring authors. The bar was set quite high. This is where I found internet to be a blessing. I found awesome writing groups and made some wonderful supportive friends and kept trying and finally had the pleasure of seeing my name on the cover of a published book. With being published a whole host of new things began to emerge. Contracts. Terms and conditions. Rights. Royalties.
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I had not thought that far ahead and had no knowledge of these things. I had to get familiar with all those terms. I learned that marketing had fallen to a writer’s list of chores. The building of a platform was necessary for a writer to gain visibility. With more and more people connecting digitally, it was important to maintain an online presence. Changes occurred in my routine also. At home I became too preoccupied with writing and the desire to hone my craft – and the result was, it got into everybody's eye because they were so used to having my focus on them. Kids were getting tired of repeating everything to me thrice! After writing three thousand words and struggling with your
characters’ problems, you don't really feel like being creative in cooking. None withstanding the troubles, I wrote close to nine books in less than three years, so it was great practice. I read as many as ten blogs on writing almost every day. Hectic but a wonderful growing period as far as the craft was concerned. I never hesitated in asking things and in return beta read for many authors. Side by side, I read the latest books in the genre to acquaint myself with the trends going around in romance fiction. I found that with traditional publishing, things weren't going that smoothly. So I began to explore self-publishing. Eventually, I took the
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plunge and now I have three books which are indie published. The major benefit that I see is that now I'm my own master. It is still hard work probably harder work but I can do it at my own pace and without compromising on family time. I can spare the time to be creative in the kitchen – which I love. There’s a lot to learn in self-publishing and things move fast so you have to keep up. But on the whole I found it to be more satisfying. This is not meant to be a recommendation for authors, however. Each person had their own requirements and hangups. Learn to channelize your priorities and then choose accordingly. So to sum up my experiences – Read. Write. Repeat.
About Summerita Rhayne: Summerita Rhayne loves to read fiction in all genres but especially romance. When she’s absorbed in writing and reading romance, she becomes temporarily deaf! She loves to write hot, sensual heroes who are sometimes masterful and have to be tamed by sassy but sweet heroines. She loves characters who learn and grow and carve their way out of their troubles and emotional hang-ups. She also believes that a touch of humor never goes amiss in a book. She divides her time between family, job and writing – and loves music, movies and internet! Know more about her http://summeritarhayne.c om/
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Book Review – II
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:Intro: This book is written with the intention to underline the fact that India - a country that is more commonly referred to as the "country of youth" the challenges that it has in hand and the ways in which we can combat these challenges. Social media has emerged as a platform where young Indians have taken to, express their views on political issues and social issues. It has gradually become a place of many discussions, where views and counterviews are presented and what this makes for – is a much more aware and willing “young India”. The very first step towards solving any problem is, realizing there is one – and the
“young India” has taken that very step. Through this book, I look to bring about some perspective as to where we could possibly be going wrong and subsequently, where we could possibly put our young bright Indian minds into a much effective use. If we can have young minds from India making inroads in the IT and technology sector then why not in the political arena? If Italy can have a prime minister aged just 39, then why can't India have a system similar, where the young Indians could climb up the ladder of success in politics and still be under 40?
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The average age of an Indian politician is 65 years however the average age of an Indian is 24 years, there’s a contradiction between the two and if the perfect mix of experience and youth could merge into one and run the politics of India – the future then definitely beholds a much more ideal India, the very India that our forefathers dreamt of. The young India is seeking a change and a change is a due process which takes time but it’s the initiatives from individuals that matter. The dream of our forefathers to have an India that is "perfect" hasn't as of yet been accomplished. From corruption to cleanliness, we've got array of issues at
hand which must be sought to make the dream of a "perfect" India come true. The young Indians are willing for a change to take place and this book highlights some very such moments from the decade gone by, where the young Indians have come forward and stood for what's right. Further, this book also examines as to how this "young India" has all the potentials to be the "best.generation.ever". :Book Review: 1. Cover: The cover is very brightly done, in vibrant colours aptly describing the theme of youth of the book.
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2. Presentation: As a 17 year old, the author has managed to do an exemplary work in this book. He has an opinion about everything that is happening from politics to religion and you cannot help but applaud his thoughts on all the topics. The presentation is very colourful so to speak as it is from a youth’s perspective which does make it a very interesting read. 3. Narration: The author has backed up his articles with lot of data from newspapers and news channels, hence his narration is very livid with all the action that is happening in real life coming alive once again in the form of his words.
4. Language: The author has a flair for narration with his easy going language and casual attitude that reflects in his writing making it a light enjoyable read. 5. Pros: The pros are firstly the author’s wide range of thoughts on the topics which as a nation we all need to sit up and notice. For his age he has done a commendable job in putting forth his honest views about a lot of things in our country. This is expected out of our youth for that is where the change is going to stem up from. His book leaves up to the quote by the father of the nation, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” 6. Cons: The author’s views on some topics do
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feel a bit cliché which can be discounted given his age. His work also could have had a little more tighter editing in terms of some very avoidable typo.
:Overview: Over all a 4/5 rating for the book purely for the author’s amazing attempt to bring forth such wonderful array of articles with his honest and unbiased opinions. WE team would like to thank the author for sending across the book and wish him all the best for all his future endeavours.
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Author Interview – II
WE inteviews Mr. Aditya Jha; author of Best Generation Ever The author has won several awards for his writing – on the internet and off it too. He is also a passionate speaker who actively takes part in debate competitions and likes to raise his voice on the social issues. The author has a blog at the address –
galaxyofinnovations.blogs pot.in where you can know more about his views on an array of topics. The author aspires to be a journalist and apprehend his views on the topics of significant importance. He has interviewed cricket personalities like Ravi Shastri, Simon Doull and the hosts of the show “highway on my plate” Rocky and Mayur. The author likes to discuss Indian politics and the issues at hand and the ways in which they can be sought. He also is a Rotarian and takes pride in doing social work and has been doing so since the last 4 years. Aditya Jha has offered to give free copies of the ebook to Writer's Ezine readers. Those who are
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interested write to WE at admin@writersezine.com The blurb of his book reads: This book is written with the intention to underline the fact that India - a country that is more commonly referred to as the "country of youth" the challenges that it has in hand and the ways in which we can combat these challenges. Social media has emerged as a platform where young Indians have taken to, express their views on political issues and social issues. It has gradually become a place of many discussions, where views and counterviews are presented and what this makes for – is a much more aware and willing “young India”. The very first step towards solving
any problem is, realizing there is one – and the “young India” has taken that very step. Through this book, I look to bring about some perspective as to where we could possibly be going wrong and subsequently, where we could possibly put our young bright Indian minds into a much effective use. If we can have young minds from India making inroads in the IT and technology sector then why not in the political arena? If Italy can have a prime minister aged just 39, then why can't India have a system similar, where the young Indians could climb up the ladder of success in politics and still be under 40?
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The average age of an Indian politician is 65 years however the average age of an Indian is 24 years, there’s a contradiction between the two and if the perfect mix of experience and youth could merge into one and run the politics of India – the future then definitely beholds a much more ideal India, the very India that our forefathers dreamt of. The young India is seeking a change and a change is a due process which takes time but it’s the initiatives from individuals that matter.
hand which must be sought to make the dream of a "perfect" India come true. The young Indians are willing for a change to take place and this book highlights some very such moments from the decade gone by, where the young Indians have come forward and stood for what's right. Further, this book also examines as to how this "young India" has all the potentials to be the "best.generation.ever".
The dream of our forefathers to have an India that is "perfect" hasn't as of yet been accomplished. From corruption to cleanliness, we've got array of issues at www.writersezine.com | admin@writersezine.com | www.facebook.com/writersezine | www.twitter.com/writers_ezine
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concept for this book was formed in your mind?
Let me begin by expressing my gratitude to the team of Writer’s Ezine for doing this interview with me, I’m glad that I’ve got a chance to attract with your readers and give them an insight behind my ebook “Best.Generation.Ever.”
Without much ado taking you over to the interview, hoping it leaves you with a smile the way it did to us : 1. A warm welcome to Writer’s Ezine. Firstly congratulations! In a country where every second person dreams of being an author and is found penning down love stories, how is that the
Before I answer your question about how did the idea of this eBook came into my mind, let me first explain as to how I got into writing. For someone like me who belongs from a very humble middle class family, the whole idea of spending money into publishing a paperback book was something that became a hindrance in the process of allowing me to pen down a book. But, I searched around the variants of publishing and came
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across self-publishing an eBook i.e. the growing trend in the publishing market and hence, I decided that it’s time to pen down a book and then came the next step i.e. deciding the topic for the eBook. Even though I’m only 17 years old, I’ve been following Indian politics very closely since the last 6 years, getting a better understanding of it particularly in the last 2 years or so. The very first time I was caught about by Indian politics was during the whole corruption-sage, the series of corruption charges on leading political leaders and parties during the 2010-11 period. Yes, the very perior during which scams like Commonwealth games, 2G, Adarsh came in front of public eyes and
even though these scams were now present before the public, there’s very little that I as an individual could do to express my views but I had to start somewhere, so I started writing a blog in which I wrote about Indian politics, it’s issues and my take on it. The blog slowly started to get attention and I as a 1314 year old got the confidence of writing the truth and in the process, getting appreciated for it and hence this is where my love for writing and that too on politics began. In the next few years, I’ve spent my time on researching over the net on various issues of our country and have crossexamined my facts and stats with that of other countries to get a better understanding of where
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India is going wrong or on the positive side, going right. It was around this time last year that I got the idea to combine all this research work and put this altogether in a book, called “best.generation.ever.” the idea behind the ebook is simple – the future beholds greatness for our country IF the future i.e. Indian youth, is given the correct platform, the desired infrastructure and the necessities which are essential to lead life. Hence, the eBook focused on India’s youth – it’s achievements, problems and the way forward. As for the growing number of love stories in the writing section of today, I don’t really mind it because any form of
writing is literature and it depends on reader to reader with regard to what genre of writing they like to read. I personally am fond of love stories too and/or fiction but I wanted to start off my writing in a much broader sense with a strong and difficult topic like India’s youth – and in the much larger sense, India’s problems. That was not the tricky part though. Those who have read the ebook would know that the ebook does not only highlight India’s problems as a country but also suggests remedies with which we can fight these issues and that is something into which I put a great deal of work into. I’m not fond of those people who blame India to be a corruptive nation, an unprogressive economy, a
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country that hasn’t yet risen upto it’s potentials because our duty as citizens is not only to name the issues at hand but in fact deliberate upon the ways with which we can combat these issues and this is the fundamental reason as to why I decided that my first ebook should emphasize on the problems that our country faces and alongside, it should also give suggestions and bring about new and innovative ideas in front of its readers to fight out our problems. In other words, this is the very reason why I feel that the amount of hard work I’ve put into the ebook has gone into a piece of literature that I as a writer would take pride in, while recommending the eBook to be read to someone – be it family, friend or an avid reader.
2. What was the initial reaction of your family and friends when they first read this book? Any special review that you would like to share with us?
The initial reaction was that of utmost and extreme surprise. My family members knew that I write and speak passionately on issues of today but they didn’t knew that I had such serious views on these issues that I’d in fact end up writing a book before I turn even 18. The genuine surprise is more due to my age than anything else. In India, it’s very rare to find young writers publishing an ebook or a book for that matter, it’s not something that we see frequently and this was one of my major concerns too. Is it perhaps a drawback as a young writer to be writing a
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book? Will readers take you seriously! All these questions were obviously answered after I got great praises from several readers of my eBook and all these reviewers praised me for the mature views highlighted in the book from a 17 year old. With the risk of sounding diplomatic, I’d say that every review for me is special. If I did have to name one; it’ll be from my grandmother who was always a great supporter to me and was the motivational factor behind my decision to write a book. I truly dedicate this book to her because she was always the first reader of my work and will always remain as my most cherished reader of this
book. Even a word of praise from her is equivalent for me to pages of praise for this ebook and so; her review of this book is truly the closest to my friend. She passed away last November but she will always be the most precious reader of this ebook and I will always cherish the fact that she knew that her grandson had published an ebook because after all; she was the motivating factor behind me writing this ebook. 3. Your book seems to speak what Gandhiji always said – Be the change you want to see in the world. Your thoughts on this.
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I’d say to an extend it does. What Gandhi said holds very true to every problem we face, be it the smallest of the problems or the biggest. It’s simply the way we perceive it which matters. We can sometimes run away from the truth and blame others for it – for instance, India does has corruption, but are we perhaps knowingly or unknowingly contributing to it? Are we instilling values into our kids and making them aware about the consequences of leading a life that’s unethical or are we becoming wrong examples for them? We talk about our political leaders and let me not paint every political leader with the same brush and say this – some of our political leaders are corrupt and have still got
away from any punishment for their unethical means but are we as citizens not responsible for electing such leaders in the first place? To put things into perspective, are we willing to stand in an election, without being financed in crores and win the elections just on the basis of our honesty and dedication to serve the people or is it too unrealistic a thought to even dream of! We’ve to ask ourselves, does an opportunity represent itself wrapped in a bubble wrap and packed in a gift sheet or do we make the most of the situation and turn it into an opportunity – be THE change that we want to see in the world and bring about the changes in India that we blame others for not bringing. Therefore,
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Gandhi Ji’s words do hold very true to the general idea of the eBook i.e. the problems of India and the ways in which WE can make a difference. 4. More than 60 years to our independence and we are still struggling with some very basic issues. What, where, when and how do you think can we curtail this?
This is a very interesting question and there’s no easy answer to this. It took me 100 pages to answer this and I still don’t feel that I’ve written enough for me to be completely satisfied but let me try and answer this in the most precise way I can and in the limited words for the readers to get an idea of what I feel on this.
See, I’ve always felt that India is one of the most talented countries in the world. We’ve so much of unidentified talent in our country that it bewilders me that we are not able to utilize on this talent. From people drawing the Madhubani paintings to the women in the Indian villages preparing pottery – these are just examples of the kind of art that our nation has the capability to make, there are such examples in every field of life. This is the hidden talent of India that needs a stage to truly seize their potential. It’s absolutely shocking the kind of amount that these artists get for the days of hard work that they put into their art and sadly the reality of our country is such that these very pieces of art go to other countries
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and get sold for a very very reasonable price. Moving from art, another very critical area for improvement is that of the education sector. We’ve just not been able to provide the children’s in villages with proper education system. Broken walls, no toilet facility, less than qualified teachers, inadequate infrastructure have led to the illiteracy in India, the major percentage of which is in our villages. I also believe that women empowerment and educating the girl child go hand in hand – it’s absolutely a basic necessity of life to every girl child to be given proper right to education. The long lived taboo of what purpose is it to
educate a girl child is of no sense to me. Why a girl shouldn’t be made aware in today’s world! Why a girl should be deprived of her right to education just because she’ll get married one day – this whole logic is pathetic and must be put to an end. It’s a reality that educating the girl child will contribute in the long run to India as a progressive nation. The poverty line in India, the issue of abject poverty is something that has made us a nation that has been unsuccessful in bringing people above the poverty line. Be it the lack of jobs which is due to lack of education which is due to lack of financial aid – it’s a vicious circle, for which I’ve tried to name a few ways in my book but of course it’s one of the most
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grave issues country.
in
our
There are many issues on hand and so many ways in which we can tackle them but we just need to elect the right people to turn our ideas into actions and only then can we fight the issues at hand. It’s been 60 years, yes, but I believe the next 60 years for India will be truly that of great success and great highs. 5. You have released this book in an e book format. How has been the response to it from the reader perspective?
As I mentioned earlier, there were hindrances in releasing the book in the paperback format. I couldn’t get in touch with publishers who would agree to publishing a book in paperback format from a young writer like me and
more so; because I couldn’t contribute in the publishing process. The average amount I was told to contribute was around 25,000 which is even though very genuine considering the kind of international exposure the publishers promise but for a 17 year old like me; it was too much to be asking for and hence I went ahead with the eBook. The readers have been very supportive in this regard. They’ve understood the fact that I couldn’t afford parperback and hence went ahead with eBook – in fact, readers in India are changing and going for the means of ebooks to read the book. This way, they can read books even on the go and have the option of sharing the ebook over the mobile phone or email
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which makes it interesting even as a reader to me. Plus there’s no waiting time in downloading ebooks, it hardly takes seconds for it to be downloaded, which is another benefit to the readers and thereby; the response has been very positive. 6. Tremendous research must been put behind this book as most of it has been backed by numbers and real facts, we would like to hear your views on this.
The research work in the book is something which I take pride in; I’ve put several hours into it and the end result is satisfactory because of this very reason. Being able to back an argument with facts and stats is the essence of putting forward your strong views that are
realistic and thus, it was very important for me to check and counter-check my stats to check their veracity. Of course with stats and facts you have to be very careful because there’s so much of data available on the internet and very little knowledge with regard to which one to believe and which one to not – meaning that the stats should first be truthful and not false and secondly, I also had to gather the most recent of the stats to depict the current situation which was another time consuming task but for a man on a mission of writing his first ebook, the process couldn’t be more interesting.
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7. How does it feel to be a published author now? How much has your world changed after this?
I’m a student so I can either be on cloud nine or shout around my friends circle claiming to be a published writer and gain unnecessary attention or I can proceed with my passion for writing in a much quiet manner, focusing on the task of being able to pen down views on topics that I love to write on. In one way you can say that I’m very much reserved and don’t like unnecessary attention, which is also to do with the fact that I’m a very shy person. This is the main reason why I’ve tried to be grounded and proceed with life the same way that I did before writing this
ebook. But of course, my friends know of this and they’ve congratulated me on the same and that does feel good – it’s always nice to be noticed for having achieved or taken the first step towards achieving your passion. 8. Getting a book published – how has been your experience? Any words of wisdom that can be shared with other aspiring authors?
It’s a great experience, something that has taught me a lot. I sure did know about my country and the issues at hand before writing this book but I can say that after doing the research work that I did do in writing this book, I’ve widened my horizons on a wide array of topics which will help me a lot whenever I writer on the
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Writer’s Ezine – writing one word at a time…
problems of my country or in general; I believe it’s important for every citizen to be aware about the situation of the country, the achievements, the issues at hand and the ways to combat these issues. A country with active citizens is a country that’s on the right way of development and if my book can even slightly help the readers in getting an idea about India as a country, the achievements of it’s youth, their problems and the way ahead then I’ll feel that my work has served it’s right meaning. 9. Do we see you writing fiction anytime soon now? If yes which genre would you want to attempt?
In fact, yes. I’ve had an idea for a novel for quite sometime now and I’ve not got around the time to writing it but I will start working on it from June onwards. The genre of the novel will be of inspirational genre, depicting the relationship between a father and son but a story so strong that you’d be easily able to connect with it. Of course I’d want to keep an element of surprise into it but when I do successfully complete it, the readers of Writer’s Ezine will be the first to know. 10. One last piece of advice to – Your readers and to US as a nation.
Let me keep it short and simple “Satyamev Jayate” –
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Writer’s Ezine – writing one word at a time…
for a nation that was founded by great men, by men who didn’t even think twice before dying as martyrs for the freedom of this country, we’ve an obligation to them – to protect this nation from going into the wrong hands, to protect this nation from becoming corrupt, to protect the next generation from the evils of poverty and illiteracy, to protect the women of this nation from discrimination, to protect the farmers and to protect the country of billion people with dreams and with aspirations – which WE MUST PROTECT.
potential of our country and make us a nation that will become a force to be reckoned with. Thank you very much for your time
Honesty is what will lead us to glory in the coming years because as I mentioned earlier during the interview, the next 60 years of India will truly lead us to the unseen www.writersezine.com | admin@writersezine.com | www.facebook.com/writersezine | www.twitter.com/writers_ezine
Writer’s Ezine – writing one word at a time…
“Malhar? what happened?” A question for a question.
Kifo Nzuri
“I love you Swara, will you marry me?” I proposed. Part One Part Two Final Part "It’s written Sir.” answered again.
She
Written? Well, Mr.Murthy will have it from me, I whispered. "Sir, maybe you should call
up Swara and get this unfinished business a closure." I suddenly felt a sense of urgency within myself. I immediately picked up the phone and called Swara. Drrn Drrn... The ring went for long before a sweet voice answered. “Swara, is that you?” I asked with my heart pounding.
There was a pause for 20 seconds and I heard a feeble “Yes” accompanied by silent sound of tears amalgamated with a beautiful smile. “Swara, I am so happy. As
soon as I reach Chennai we will meet up and we will.... we will marry Swara.” I replied before she kissed the phone and hung up. “Cabbie, you are a genius. I love you.” I had never hugged a huge woman but I hugged this amazing woman who I met just a few hours ago. “Well Sir, people usually
hate me and are wary of me.” She giggled again. "Hate you? Why? You are so wonderful and pretty." I
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Writer’s Ezine – writing one word at a time…
complimented wonderful woman.
this
“Nzuri, is it?” She jokingly asked. “Nzuri?” I asked back pondering over this word “Nzuri in Swahili means good....beautiful.” She translated. “Ah! Yes yes, Nzuri.” I laughed again. We shared another cup of hot coffee. This time a serene silence filled the room. Soon the storm subsided and the weather became clear. I started packing my stuff as my cabbie scribbled something on her book. Gratitude - Prayer “Cabbie, the night after the
storm shall always remain in my memory. Usually storms bring destruction,
but for me this storm has uprooted my false beliefs and what has remained grounded inside me is the person who loves life. I shall fondly remember this night and you, till eternity.” I told her. “Sir,
in my company, people usually see their entire lives flashing in front of their eyes.” She mysteriously answered. “Ah! Then you must be a monk.” I nudged her jokingly. “Sir, do you really love your life now?” She curiously asked. “More
than anything, cabbie. I am keen on going back to my loved ones.” I told her excitedly. “Well, Sir in that case I can’t take you to your destination.” she answered and started leaving.
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Writer’s Ezine – writing one word at a time…
“What? But why?” I was stunned at her words.
“Sir, you have to promise me that you will not write
“Sir,
I suggest you must cancel your flight to Jakarta and leave for India today.” She ordered as if calculating something. “Cabbie, what are you saying?” I worriedly asked her. For once her eyes looked shallow. "Sir, life does give a second
chance to people who love it, who realize their mistakes. You have got a second chance. I shall pray to God for you. “ A strangely beautiful expression covered her face.
tragic endings anymore and that you will believe in the goodness of life.” She requested. “I promise, cabbie.” I held her huge palm gently. “And the next book that
you write you must thank me for giving you this chance to write again.” She spoke as if she were doing a favour to me. “But how do I thank you? I
don’t even know your name.” I explained my helplessness.
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Writer’s Ezine – writing one word at a time…
She mysteriously smiled and opened my palm. Then she placed her little book in there. This book shall guide you. I need to go, now. There are other pickups for the flight to Jakarta. She informed me and left in a hurry. I still don't know why I felt compelled to obey her. Obliging her words, I called up the show organizers and cancelled my trip to Jakarta. They hesitated but eventually agreed. I immediately booked an evening flight to India and extended my stay in the hotel for few hours, more. I couldn’t contain my joy. I was excited about surprising Amma and Appa. The thought of meeting Swara made me beam.
I prayed like I never prayed before. I thanked God for sending the cabbie to me. I thanked Him for the last night. I thanked Him for the storm. Had it not been for the storm, cabbie wouldn't have spent so much time with me. Realization -A second chance Just then my phone rang. The name, Yousuf flashed on my screen. Yousuf was the event manager from Jakarta. “Sir, are you alright?” he enquired as soon as I answered my phone. “Yes, I am fine, Yousuf. What happened?” “Malhar Sir, did you not take the flight to Jakarta?” he curiously asked again.
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Writer’s Ezine – writing one word at a time…
“No, Yousuf. Haven’t the
About Khushboo Singh:
organizers informed you? I cancelled my trip to Jakarta.” I informed him.
Khushboo Singh is a confused soul. She works as an HR for a software company however her heart longs to write, read,sing, and dance. She finds joy in pottery and her little plants too. She is a Mumbaikar at heart but lost her heart to a Banglorean. Hence, Bangalore is her second home sweet home where she now lives with her beloved husband. She can be reached at waves.khushboo@gmail.co
“Thank God Sir, because
the flight to Jakarta has crashed and there are no survivors.” He informed me with sadness rolling over his tongue. I couldn’t believe my ears. I immediately hung up and rushed towards my luggage. I anxiously pulled out the little book that cabbie had given me. I felt a shiver run down my spine. I slowly opened the little book and it read....
m Editor's Comment:
Malhar Krishnan Sharda Iyer
A perfect ending with a lesson for a lifetime.
9 July 1980 - 4 January 2014 - 4 January 2054 Kifo Nzuri - Angel of Death.
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Writer’s Ezine – writing one word at a time…
Cheesy Chilli
(Though this recipe has been made using corn, you can try the other versions by simply replacing corn with any other stuffing throughout the recipe.) • Corn • Mozzarella Cheese – grated • Salt ( as per taste) • Oregano • Chilli flakes (If you want a spicy touch)
Ingredients: Chilli Peppers or Picador Chillies
For stuffing: • Different ingredients can be used for stuffing, which include boiled and mashed potato / grated paneer / corn / slightly sauted capsicum / boiled green peas.
For covering: • Bread Crumbs • Corn flour & Maida in equal quantity • Salt • Water Oil for deep frying.
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Writer’s Ezine – writing one word at a time…
Procedure:
Slit the chillies vertically and remove all the seeds, do not remove the stem of the chilli. Take all the stuffing ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Ensure the stuffing is as per your taste. Stuff the chillies with this and keep them aside. Make the batter using corn flour, maida, salt and water (medium consistency – used for making bhajjis) Dip the stuffed chillies in batter; roll these in bread crumbs. Press firmly with hand for stiff covering. (the way you roll laddoos) Deep fry till golden brown.
Serve hot with any chutney/ sauce of your choice as accompaniment.
About Mayura Honrao:
Chetan
It is said; 'The way to a man's heart is through his stomach' Mayura Chetan Honrao loves cooking various cuisines for the family. May it be from a recipe book, television or facebook, she loves trying new recipes sometimes, even making changes herself to add a special touch. She loves decorating her house in her own way. Different Warli paintings made by her adorn the walls of her house and festivals bring out the artist in her, her art shining through the colorful Rangoli she makes.
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Writer’s Ezine – writing one word at a time…
About Writer’s Ezine When Alfred Hitchcock said “Ideas come from everything” little did he know that everything would mean literally everything in this world. Taking inspiration from him, two fellow bloggers and friends – Namrata and Arti debated one day the exact meaning of Freedom of Expression and its rightful usage is today’s times. And so was born Writer’s Ezine, a monthly literary online magazine (E-zine) with the intention of providing platform to emerging as well as established writers from around the world. Born out of a need and a necessity of solely being able to express all that one
feels, thinks and understands Writer’s Ezine is one place where writing and creativity come together to ensure a wonderful experience to the reader. As you read along and turn a page you will find your mind wandering into places you never thought of before, making you sit up and question the biggest mystery of all times – LIFE. This is one place where readers, writers, poets, photographers, idealists, thinkers, atheists, believers and story-tellers all will be in sync with creativity. We accept submissions in poetry, short-stories, non-fiction, author interviews; book reviews etc. (Please read Submission Guidelines for details).
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Writer’s Ezine – writing one word at a time…
So what are you waiting for, unleash the artist within and paint the palette with colours of your choice! About the Administrators We are readers and writers madly in love with the written word. To know more about us please visit us at: About Namrata > http://www.privytrifles.co m About Arti Honrao > http://www.artihonrao.in Submissions for the March issue of Writer's Ezine are open. Please do read Submission Guidelines before submitting your entries using the submission form. The last date for submission for the entries for June issue is 20th May. www.writersezine.com | admin@writersezine.com | www.facebook.com/writersezine | www.twitter.com/writers_ezine