November 2015 Issue
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue 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 – Arti Honrao This e-magazine is a compilation of Poems, Short Stories, Short – Story Series, Non –
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue Fiction, Photographs published on Writer’s Ezine. Image source Google Images, unless mentioned otherwise. (Photography submissions © of mentioned author. 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.
Send us an email admin@writersezine.co m WE on Issuu: http://issuu.com/writ ersezine WE on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1LV3o5a WE E-magazine site: http://mag.writersezin e.com
Visit Writer’s Ezine (www.writersezine.com) for details Find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/wri tersezine Twitter https://twitter.com/W riters_ezine Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue About Administrator: Administrator, Editor, Promotions & Marketing Manager, Web-designer, Strategist & Relationship Advisor. : Arti Honrao: www.artihonrao.in Please note: Namrata (Privy Trifles) is no longer administrator/editor of Writer’s Ezine. Do share your feedback with us. WE would love to hear what you have to say testimonials@writersezi ne.com
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Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue Get a glimpse of the prompt of the month photo before others.
Android App Writer’s Ezine
of
It is highly recommended that the moblie users download and install this app from Google Play, which comes loaded with features including the tab for downloading pdf versions of all the issues of Writer’s Ezine and links to important pages on Writer’s Ezine. In short, if you have this app in your phone it means you have the entire Writer’s Ezine on your palm! The same app would soon be available on AppStore (iOS)
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue
Life Goes On…
First and foremost, Writer's Ezine wishes its readers a Happy Children's Day! Writing this month's Editor's Note is a mixed feeling for me. On one hand, I am happy for Namrata, the editor of Writer's Ezine who now works as Editor for
Bloody Good Books and on the other hand I feel sad to see her go. We all have commitments in our life that we have to keep. We often try to juggle our responsibilities to the
best of our capabilities but then, a time comes when we have to let go of something or the other and move on. Life, I have learned, like many others, does not wait for anyone - it goes on. We have to move along or be left behind. It was a hard decision to make, which was finally sealed by me considering the efforts she had to put in working for BGB and WE and managing her personal life. As I compiled the entries - the part, which Namrata handled so well when she was with Writer's Ezine; I
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue realized it is tedious work but a wonderful experience at the same time; to go through the submissions sent to WE. And, it was a difficult choice to make while selecting winners. Compiling this issue fills my heart with joy and confidence. This issue of Writer's Ezine includes submissions sent for the 'Child Within' contest, prompt of the month submissions and a few others. In Author's Quill, 14 year old Insiya Patanwala tells us about her journey as an author. In reviews, Namrata has reviewed 'The Forbidden Daughter' and 'Pradyumna - Son of Krishna'. Namrata has interviewed 'Shobhan Bantwal' (Author of The
Forbidden Daughter) and 'Usha Narayanan' (Author of Pradyumna Son of Krishna). Read along as the authors share their thoughts and wisdom with Writer's Ezine. Our Literati Columnist Aneesha Myles Shewani has written an article on 'Growing up with Fairy Tales' as a part of our celebration of Children's Day. I hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as I enjoyed compiling it. Do leave feedback for the posts. WE is open to suggestions; if you have anything to say please feel free to write to WE at feedback@writersezine. com At the end of my firstever Editor's Note I
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue would like to thank all those who showed their support to me and continue to wish well for Writer's Ezine. A difficult and arduous task is made worthwhile by encouraging words of the well-wishers. WE is what WE is; not only because of our efforts, it is also because of WE readers and contributors who are an important part of WE. 'Contributors of Writer's Ezine' is the page dedicated to all those who have featured on Writer's Ezine from the very first issue until now.
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue
Do check out our First Print Magazine Pothi: http://bit.ly/1sieaH8 Amazon: http://bit.ly/1AKWxnA Flipkart: http://bit.ly/1x6IRZn
The Kindle version of the magazine (Volume I to VI – April 2014 to September 2014) is available at http://www.amazon.in /dp/B00TWOLKO0
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue
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/B00WAN SPAW
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue Do Check our Anniversary Issue: Please visit our badges page http://www.writersezi ne.com/p/link-towe.html and pick your favourite from the various badges to display on your site/blog and spread the word about Writer's Ezine
Pothi: http://bit.ly/1AG3GfK
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue 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. Read what they have to share with you!
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.
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue Literati
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!
Cook-N-Tell
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!
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue
IN THIS ISSUE
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue
Roots
I have spread them out and put them down in many places, taken sustenance from them. They’ve been part of my growth, fed my main stem and it’s splits and branches. I’ve branched out from them and belonged in them all, all those places.
It’s said that you should remember your roots, remember where you came from, remember where you belong, anchored by your long tap root. But I have fibrous roots too, growing out strongly from the main tap.
And some rootlets have broken free and I’ve left them behind there no longer belonging to me. And I’ve left something of myself behind. Would I find it if I returned? I don’t think so. But others may still.
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue About Lynn White: Lynn White lives in north Wales. Her work is influenced by issues of social justice and events, places and people she has known or imagined. She is especially interested in exploring the boundaries of dream, fantasy and reality. Her poem 'A Rose For Gaza' was shortlisted for the Theatre Cloud 'War Poetry for Today' competition 2014 and has since been published and reprinted in several journals and anthologies. Poems have also recently been included in several anthologies including Harbinger Asylum's 'A Moment To Live By', Stacey Savage's 'We Are Poetry an Anthology of Love poems', ITWOW, 'She Did It Anyway', Community Arts Ink's
'Reclaiming Our Voices' and a number of on line and print journals. Editor's Comment: A beautiful poem on growth and moving on.
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue
Books
Books in stacks look divine vacant they lie like bees out of hive goal afar hard to strike ideas stalled to improvise birds of concealed thoughts keen to fly a push slight hails to kill ignorance the truth is not far anymore to learn!
Etheree: This poetry form consists of 10 lines of 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 syllables. Etheree can also be reversed and written beginning with 10 syllables and ending with one.
About Poet: Sunila Khemchandani Editor's Comment: Simple and beautiful
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue
Life – Not a gift for everyone
I was never a very joyful child, always sombre, with a grim looking face. I do not have much 'happy' memories, but I do have one that rages havoc in my head every now and then. It is a painful shard of my memory, one that I long to forget. Yet I have it, somehow showing me how cruel this world really is and that we are the demons that we wish to eliminate from our society. Some people say that life is the most precious gift a person can get. The greatest boon bestowed upon us by the Gods. I believe a little different from this common myth. I believe that the gift is in vain if
one cannot enjoy it to the fullest. I believe that life is the greatest irony of all; nobody has ever been able to get out it alive. I recently went to a public haunt. While returning, I saw a little kid selling balloons at the gates of the mall. He was urging every passer-by to buy his balloons. But to his dismay, his potential customers were too busy in their life to pay any heed to this little disturbance. Impatience and Restlessness are two childish virtues. Feeling agitated, the boy punctured one of his balloons and sat on the cemented pavement by the gate, a little upset. I was shaken after seeing this irony. The irony that is one ugly truth in our well educated society. That kid was making a livelihood out
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue of a toy, he should be playing with. Malls are considered to be the places of fun and balloons are for enjoyment. Sadly, the little child was devoid of both. He sat there, his face was that of a defeated warrior. He was anguished for not being able to go inside that huge magnificent building, one of the biggest he had seen in his life where people of all sorts with happy and cheerful faces were going and his pain was evident in his limpid eyes. I was watching a childhood being crushed under the burden of life. All his dreams being shattered
and hopes destroyed. And then the realisation dawned upon me, that I could do nothing to save his childhood. A few bucks would not have made a difference. Maybe a trip to McDonalds with him would have sufficed for a small amount of
period. That boy was cast in the crucible of misery and all I could do was watch as he played the puppet in the cruel hands of life. People are so busy with the urgent that they forget about what is important. We
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue are so engrossed in running after what we do not have, that we completely ignore what we have. Attaining that goal, no matter how irrelevant it may be, becomes the sole purpose of our life. Unfortunately, we value it only till it is eluded from us. After that we demean it like every other luxury we own. A little setback befogs our brain. We are depressed that we lost in spite of the struggle we did and the hardships we faced. What we do not understand is that how lucky we are to have the strength to rise again. If you wish to see loss, see a mother who lost her son or a daughter who lost her father. If you wish to see struggle, watch a farmer struggling to keep his soul and body
together. If you want see hardship, observe a person in a wheelchair as the other people of his age walk past by him and if you want to see pain, look deep into the eyes of that poor balloon seller. We never enjoy the things we have; we only suffer the pain of the things we desire for. We do not enjoy the real gift of life, the choice. The choice of getting up and fighting back as opposed to some less fortunate people. We just squander away the one gift that we really have. I wish I could help that child. I wish I could sympathize with people for their losses but sometimes sympathizing brings back the only memory a person longs to forget. I wish could understand that comfort is a bounty
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time‌
November 2015 Issue not enjoyed by everyone. But I am a mere mortal. I lie in truth and I remain fair in cheating. I am human in hell, alive to die and sacrifice to win what I do not deserve to earn by sweat. I stood there as that little incident triggered these lines of thoughts and then I slowly walked away. Many years have rolled by and yet if one asks me what memory I have, I share this one. Not because I am still disturbed by it but because that little kid, the life of that little kid gave me my purpose of life. And if I am able to save even one such childhood from such misery, I will have fulfilled my purpose, purpose of making my society free from that demon that has been residing deep within us
and that has been the root cause of all the evils that we see around us. I will have given my 'childhood me' the happiest memory he had wished for.
About Chetan Dubey: Chetan Dubey is a student by profession doing B.TECH in Electrical Engineering. He pursues his hobby of writing as a story writer and as a blogger. He can be reached at chetandubey1410@gm ail.com and can be followed at lonerchetan.wordpress. com Editor's Comment: The irony of life welldepicted. Amazing article with a message.
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time‌
November 2015 Issue
Portable magic
“To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all the miseries of life”William Somerset Maugham As the saying “Reading is a pleasure, books are a treasure”, reading books forces you to learn new words, to think new thoughts. Reading books is probably one the most beneficial and feasible activities that anyone can do. It is through books that we can discover new ideas, learn concepts, and know about places and people. Books help to relax the mind and soul and once we learn to make it pleasurable, we
are on the right road to read everything! Books have at all times and in all ages been a great source of knowledge, of happiness, of pleasure and even moral courage. In today’s world with so much more to know, learn and the need for a conscious effort to compete, the importance of reading books is now much more than just a hobby. With television, cinema, i-pads taking up a great deal of attention of children, teenagers and even adults for that matter, reading books
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue is slowly dying out. Reading books is something that kindles the child’s imagination. When they watch TV or see a movie, they are actually looking at things happening. On the other hand, reading story books or fiction is something that opens their imagination doors. The simplest way to make sure that we are raising literate children is to teach them to read and to show them that it is a pleasurable activity. That means, we parents should find books that they would enjoy. Giving access to those books (not necessarily through buying but also
through libraries) and telling them to read.
It is our responsibility to get our children climb on to the reading ladder; anything that they enjoy reading will move them up, step by step, in to knowledge, imagination and ultimately better understanding of themselves. As mentioned earlier, reading fairy tales, folk tales, fictions, and adventure stories will take their imagination to a different level. They create a world and people in it and look out through their
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue imaginative eyes! Children get to feel things, visit places and worlds that they would never know otherwise. Books are about freedom – Freedom to read, freedom to imagine, freedom to think and communicate. Books are about education (not a process that finishes once they leave school/university), about entertainment, about access to information and about knowledge. Books are the way we communicate with dead! Yes! The way through which we learn lessons from those who are no longer with us. There are tales that are older than most countries, tales that have outlasted the cultures and generations.
We as parents/ adults have responsibilities to the future. Responsibilities and obligations to our children, to the future adults these children will become, to the world they are going to face. All of us- as book lovers, parents, teachers, bloggers, writers, as citizenshave obligations. • Obligation to read for pleasure. It is our responsibility to show our children; the younger generation that reading is a good habit. Everything a child learns starts at home, with the family. Unless and until there is parental involvement children will not develop reading. And above all reading is contagious! At least in children’s perspective. • Obligation to read aloud to our children.
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue We need to develop patience to read them stories we already are tired of. To read it in a tone and make it interesting to them. This kind of kindles them to listen more and ultimately draws them to read on their own! • Obligation to support and use libraries. Encourage children to use school libraries. Encourage children to develop a mini library at home. • Obligation to use the language. Help our children learn new words, find out what words mean and how to use them. Reading books is something that not only helps to acquire knowledge but also to groom their personality. The value of reading and its imaginative power is beautifully
conveyed by Einstein’s words. Once when he was asked on how we could make our children intelligent. His answer was as simple as this “if you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales: if you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales” I hope we can give our children a world in which they will read books, be read to, imagine and understand.
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue About Jeydevi Venkataraman: Drawing is Jeydevi's passion, cooking is her creativity in Kitchen, blogging is the food for the writer in her, photography is expressing her happiness through the lens and finally being a mom n wonderful wife is her all time favorite. A management graduate by education but a day to day learner with her two children! Editor's Comment: Well-written. The best way to introduce your child to imagination is to hand him/her a book to read.
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue
The Dusk
Untainted
The complaints are fading away The dawn’s untainted The snow is melting away There's a fire actuated. I don’t want to fly away this time Even the birds agreed with chimes With the darkness tucked in the arms The light is beside me with charm.
It has returned what was stolen from me. The complaints are fading away. You are my victory, when I am defeated; I was the bond that connects us, When everything else is terminated. You were my victory, but I was already defeated. Tell me my mistakes, And stars will decide my fate; You turned a drifter into a protector. It was all about fate. This is the story of the earth, This is austerity The story of a soul without prosperity. A story, unheard, untold in death or in birth. The complaints are fading away. Hear the silence, Hear your heart,
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue Embrace the rain. The complaints are fading away The dusk's untainted.
Editor's Comment: A poem that speaks volumes.
About Saswata Maitra: Saswata Maitra is a Ph.D research scholar, a freelance writer and poet and a passionate blogger for past 5 years. He has published numerous articles in science related magazines and is the editor of his departmental newsletter. He also worked for a short period in an online travel magazine. He is an avid blogger and his writings are mostly concentrated on short stories (both fictional and nonfictional), poems and real life inspirations and travel accounts. Emailsaswatamaitra@yahoo. com Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time‌
November 2015 Issue
ME
The day I stopped searching for your face in the moon The moon, soaked in blood with the shades of an artist's mischief, You smiled at me. The deep red lucky seeds of laughter I buried hidden from the world Grew to touch the skies, I felt! A childhood I thought was lost within a halfsmile in a broken mirror,
Wasn't lost after all! And someone whom I thought had died within, Whom I distanced lightyears apart, I found her. In the wordless sigh of the fallen leaves that crumpled beneath the world's feet In the words that rose as smoke from the pages I burnt, craving to burn memories In the life I saw unravelling out there In the dark smoke left behind by the pacing wheel, remnants of an endless wait
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue In the hope the engine's hum filled me with In the beat my heart skipped hearing a smile bloom, miles away In the silence that followed my favourite song In the tales a wrinkled hand wove for me in her rosary In the nights I slept hugging the scent that lingered in an old saree In the belief that the ‘bindis’ Ma left in the mirror hid all the love in the world within its circle In the stories only the pillow, I cried the night and heart out to, knew of In the poetry of waves that whispered to me as I close my eyes In the world of colours of mine I found within bubbles
In the tears shed for a single broken chappal stained with blood In the last breathe of a ghungru that killed itself for missing a beat In the rhythm it taught my soul In the night that lurked beyond the neon lighted streets, in the blackness In the shadow's dance In the reflection of mine I saw in the tears the leaves shed for the rain that slithered through In the wrappers I treasure in memory of those moments someone came by Offering love wrapped in chocolate In those stars, long dead, who waited for me in the sky To sing for me a last song, just for me I found myself.
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue In them lingered a silly girl, her toothless smile. A crazy child, who heard the songs her heart sang From the million things she loved, The million things she gave herself to, A bit late.
About Poet: Parvathy Editor's Comment: Beautifully written poem; creates an imagery with wellchosen words.
A silly, crazy child!
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue
Book Review – I
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue :Intro: A goddess in the temple. A burden in the family. Children are a gift of God, they say. But do they really believe? Isha and Nikhil Tilak are expecting their second child. Hardwired to favour a grandson, Nikhil’s egotistical parents have resented and coldly rejected their first granddaughter. So ever since the day Isha discovered that she’s expecting, this question has obsessed her: ‘Is it a boy? Or . . . God forbid . . . a girl?’ And finally the answer is there on the gynaecologist’s screen—it’s a girl! What will Nikhil and Isha do now? As their decisions add to their nightmare, Nikhil is found murdered in cold blood. And their innocent
unborn daughter is blamed for it. With her five-year-old at her heels, grief-stricken and relentlessly oppressed by her inlaws, who believe the baby to be a bad omen, Isha sets out on her own to build her life around her forbidden daughters. Will she be able to protect them from the grave dangers that lie ahead? A thrilling, captivating, and thought-provoking portrayal of the dark secrets hidden in the Indian culture, this novel is bound to stir your conscience. :Book Review: 1. Cover: The cover is very beautiful with a lady and her daughter with the mother pointing far at a horizon which can be safely
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue assumed to be a better tomorrow. The background is a befitting sky blue with both of them wearing white clothes depicting serenity with a translucent moon in the sky denoting hope very nicely. In recent times, one of the most apt covers noticed on a book that speaks for itself in isolation. 2. Presentation: Presentation of the book is very moving and touching. The author knows that she is dealing with a very sensitive topic and hence has taken care of the same throughout the book. 3. Narration: The narration relies heavily on emotions. Again being from a storyline which is pure family drama there is no element of surprise or
suspense that needs to be expected. And yet with heavy emotions and detailing in scenes about human feelings the author has managed to make the whole book like a surprise package where you are left wondering what next. 4. Characters: The story revolves around Isha and her daughter as the name of the book suggests. What is appreciable is the way Isha’s character has been given all the elements to make her the girl next door or the one you read about in newspapers in our country. It is very touching to read about her to an extent that by the end of the book you start feeling for her as if you had known a friend.
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November 2015 Issue 5. Plot: The plot is simple, cliché and oft used in tele-serials and movies. What makes it unique and enjoyable is the treatment of the author. 6. Storyline: As mentioned above the storyline is pretty straight with no highs and lows in it, but with adequate amount of emotions and right proportion of family drama the author has managed to have an engrossing story line here. 7. Story Flow: The story flow is smooth, one that is enjoyable and can be read with breaks in between but yes it does hang onto your psyche as you keep wondering what would have happened to that poor lady in the story.
8. Language: The language is lucid and connectable. 9. Pros: The pro has to be the handling of the topic. Such topics though existent in our society are not spoken about much openly or discussed positively. The author’s work seems like a ray of hope post which people might be able to see beyond the problem and scout for solutions instead. 10. Cons: Except a few typos here and there, there are no other cons.
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue :Overview: The overall rating for the book would be 4.5 out of 5 to the author’s narrative. WE team would like to thank the publisher for sending across this book for review and would also like to wish the author all the best for all her future endeavours.
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue
Author Interview I
Shobhan Bantwal is the Indian-American author of THE DOWRY BRIDE, her debut novel set in India. It is the first of a two-book contract with Kensington. Since 2002, Shobhan's articles and short stories have appeared
in a variety of publications like India Abroad, Little India, U.S. 1, Desi Journal, India Currents, Overseas Indian, New Woman India, Kanara Saraswat and Sulekha. Her short stories have won honors and awards in fiction contests sponsored by Writer's Digest, New York Stories and New Woman magazines. Her award winning stories are accessible through her web site: www.shobhanbantwal. com The blurb of her book reads: A goddess in the temple. A burden in the family. Children are a gift of God, they say. But do they really believe? Isha and Nikhil Tilak are expecting their second child. Hardwired to favour a grandson,
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue Nikhil’s egotistical parents have resented and coldly rejected their first granddaughter. So ever since the day Isha discovered that she’s expecting, this question has obsessed her: ‘Is it a boy? Or . . . God forbid . . . a girl?’ And finally the answer is there on the gynaecologist’s screen—it’s a girl! What will Nikhil and Isha do now? As their decisions add to their nightmare, Nikhil is found murdered in cold blood. And their innocent unborn daughter is blamed for it. With her five-year-old at her heels, grief-stricken and relentlessly oppressed by her in-laws, who believe the baby to be a bad omen, Isha sets out on her own to build her life around her forbidden daughters. Will she be able to protect them from the
grave dangers that lie ahead? A thrilling, captivating, and thought-provoking portrayal of the dark secrets hidden in the Indian culture, this novel is bound to stir your conscience.
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue Welcome to Writer's Ezine:
exploded into a second career.
1. Tell us something about your journey to becoming a writer, when did this writing bug bite you? Despite being a fairly competent writer since childhood, I had never written anything beyond the required school essays and dissertations for my two master's degrees, until I took it up much later in life. Fiction writing was something I stumbled into at the ripe age of 50, when my husband and I became emptynesters after our only child left home to pursue a career. Since I already had a demanding fulltime job, I took up creative writing purely as a hobby. A few years later, suddenly and unexpectedly, my humble pastime
2. All your books till now have a lot of women issues at the core with very strong and independent woman protagonists at the helm of the affairs. Any particular reason for it? I have always had a deep interest in social issues, especially women's issues in contemporary India. Besides, India's abusive dowry system, the relatively recent trend of female foetus abortions, and the challenges that affect Indian women, needed to be brought to light. When non-fiction writers and scholars produce academic books on such socially significant subjects, the mainstream population hardly ever reads them. However, I firmly believe that when such
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time‌
November 2015 Issue serious topics are woven into interesting Bollywood-style novels, they can reach a wider reading audience. I took a gamble on that very notion and started writing books with female characters whose lives are touched by controversial socialcultural practices. Aamir Khan, through some of his films, has done a remarkable job of bringing awareness to some social evils in Indian society. And for that he has my deep admiration. 3. In The Forbidden Daughter we talk about female foeticide. We would like to know your views on this. With recent surge in female foeticide, honour killing and rape in our country who or rather what in your opinion
is the solution to this all? A female child, despite achieving the same academic and career heights as her male counterparts, is still considered a burden in some Indian communities. The systematic elimination of girls via foeticide and infanticide, notwithstanding its moral implications, also has social consequences, i.e. a shortage of marriageable females in certain areas, which could possibly result in harassment and even rape. In my humble opinion, a viable solution to this is education (both academic and cultural), which could foster tolerance and social awareness, and which in turn might lead to a revolution that ends
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time‌
November 2015 Issue these atrocities against women. 4. What is that one message that you would like a reader to carry back from your book? The message I try to convey to my readers is that women are equal to men, and despite oppressive social beliefs and practices, they can indeed overcome them and earn society's respect. 5. What has been your main inspiration behind writing these stories of hope amidst despair? Ours is a culture of contradictions. No doubt, in many ways, it is a rich and diverse culture worth nurturing and preserving. Nevertheless, despite having had a woman Prime Minister decades before the Western
countries had any, and in spite of remarkable technological and educational advances, somehow women have never been given their rightful place in our society. But occasionally I read about women who fight and prevail, even in the most dire circumstances, and those brave women are the inspiration behind my writing about women who might initially face adversity, but grow and triumph in the end. 6. With the recent surge in anthologies, would like to know your thoughts on them. I am not a huge fan of short stories. Nonetheless I started my fiction career by writing them and winning a few awards and honours in short
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November 2015 Issue fiction competitions. I still write short stories occasionally but my heart is in full-length novels. 7. Do you intend to write only in this genre specifically or do we see you experimenting with genres? I would have loved to experiment with slightly more serious type of fiction, but my American agent and publisher were not in favour of it because a genre change in mid-career brings with it the danger of losing loyal readers. My brand has always been women's fiction with strong romantic elements, playfully labelled "Bollywood in a Book." 8. Would like to know what are you working on next?
Currently I am on a long hiatus from writing, hence there are no new projects in the pipeline. I recently retired from a demanding and long full-time career in public administration. At the moment I am enjoying my two young grandchildren and travelling around the world with my husband. 9. Any advice to aspiring authors. My advice to aspiring authors has always been to write the book of their heart. Literary trends come and go, and market demands can be daunting, but writers still need to be true to themselves. 10. A message for your fans. To my loyal fans: "I enjoy touching each and every one of you through my stories. I
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue will always remain grateful to you, because without your kind and continued support I would not have made it in this tough literary world. Keep on reading, my friends!"
Thank you very much for your time Thank you so much, Writer's Ezine, for a great interview!
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue
A Pouch of Stories on Granny’s Porch
Paper-boats rowed by toying guns, Torn and rusted; crushed in time, A pouch of stories on Granny’s porch; Gallops upon Horse riding pillows, To drowsily ear the last lullaby; Sung in nursery rhymes.
And sour berry tickle counts; Caught number of Dragonflies, Negotiated in juvenile landlord amounts. Each to assemble at 10 AM school bell ring, And all of it still chalks to apprehend; My lazily manly Sunday mornings.
Those stolen mango pickles,
Ooh! When I look back now,
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November 2015 Issue Recollecting broken fragments; Down the memory lane, In castles of hearts and spades. A nascent child in me peels to cry, For he feels to try; In lost sighs, To relive those memories.
About Aakash Sagar Chouhan: Aakash is an Odia nomad; restlessly scribbling since 2003. Being an undergraduate, indeed a college drop-out; yet now he is a contributing Author and Poet. Some of his works are published in “Unleash the Undead”, “Feelings International”, “Wordplay – A collection of diverse Poems”, “I am a Woman”, “Purple Hues” and many more. Editor's Comment: A poem, which would make the readers nostalgic.
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue
Growing up with Fairy Tales
Life itself is the most wonderful fairy tale. Hans Christian Anderson I grew up on fairy tales but when it was time to tell them to my son, I was reluctant. I was of the opinion that fairy tales is not the best literature to introduce to children at an impressionable age. My reservations were because most of the
stories had violence, emotional and physical torture, stereotyping and death. My divergence with fairy tales being meant for children is not unfounded because it is proven that most fairy tales (and nursery rhymes) were allegories for complex social and
political settings in an era when free speech was not encouraged. Most fairy tales depict complex family relationships with bad things happening to
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November 2015 Issue children. This I believe is the scariest part of all such stories – Goldilocks being left alone in the house by her parents, Little Red Riding Hood going into the forest all by herself and facing a wolf in grandma's garb, Rapunzel being imprisoned in a tower, Snow White being poisoned by a red apple, and Hansel and Gretel being left in the forest by their father. The typecasting of the step mother as malevolent, of the ugly as wicked, and of the pretty as the innocent, trampled soul are a few examples that instill improper preconceived notions in the mind of children. When my son heard the story of Hansel and Gretel in school he was reluctant to talk about it because the idea of
being abandoned by the parents and then being kidnapped by a witch was disturbing. He did pick up the bits about survival from the story – marking the way with pebbles or pushing the witch in a boiling cauldron – but what he assimilated and what he wanted to reject, both pointed towards the deep impact that such stories have on tiny people. Such stories also lead to awkward questions from children. Explaining concepts of a step family, of violence and death, is tricky for most parents. When the characters are human, the child is relating the story with his current environment and some of the things might be difficult to for him to comprehend. Fairy tales with all their
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November 2015 Issue magical qualities are horrifying for little minds. Some children may go on an imaginative overdrive and this may make the story even more impactful on the delicate mind; while some children who are less imaginative may take the story on actual face value and that can be equally scarring. I have seen that stories with animals are more acceptable for children – for instance the story of The Three Little Pigs is much-loved by my son. It makes sense to his developing mind – the wolf is the predator and the three little pigs have to protect themselves as is the law of the wild. But the wolf as a predator in Little Red Riding Hood or the old crone as the tormentor of children and young girls is scary
because it is a story of people. Considering this argument, I would choose an Aesop's fable or tales of the Panchatantra, any day over a classic fairy tale. Robert Dawkins of The God Delusion fame has been accredited with the idea that children should not be told fairy tales because it gives them a belief in the supernatural. However, this is not a valid reason for me to not tell fairy tales to children. Imagination is a vital aspect of all stories – whether it is of talking animals or fairies sprinkling stardust. Educational curriculum for preschoolers is centered on the concept of developing imagination and stories are an important part of it. As Tolkien says, "It was in fairy-stories that
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November 2015 Issue I first divined the potency of the words, and the wonder of things, such as stone, and wood, and iron; tree and grass; house and fire; bread and wine." As with most stories for children there is an element of critical thinking, imagination and of course the moral lesson, primarily of the victory of the virtuous over evil. Such themes are relevant to the emotional and mental growth of any child. But we do not necessarily need the classical fairy tales of Grimm or of Hans Anderson to expose children to these concepts. There are many more stories and many more ways of expanding the imaginative horizons and rational thought processes in children. A.S. Byatt of the
Guardian observed, "Fairytales, of course, were not invented for children, and deal ferociously with the grim and the bad and the dangerous. But they promise a kind of resolution ..." So, as a mother and an avid reader, what is my verdict? Fairy tales have to be ageappropriate. Either we need to chop-off the frightening bits and rewrite the story for a younger audience or wait for a child to be 8 or 9 years old before being exposed to these magical and mystical tales with myriad interpretations. For children below 8 years, we have many modern tales and Disneythemed books. Tales from our own books of mythology can be molded for young minds.
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November 2015 Issue The idea is not to protect our children from the evil and the dark but to ensure they are mature enough to take a balanced view of the stories and derive meaningful lessons, instead of being scared out of their wits. As parents, have we ever thought that these tales of witches and wizards might be causing our childrens' nightmares or instilling fears that they may not be able to express?
Neil Gaiman writes in The Ocean at the End of the Lane, "Childhood memories are sometimes covered and obscured beneath the things that come later, like childhood toys forgotten at the bottom of a crammed adult closet but they are never lost for good."
The stories that you tell your children are destined to have deep and long-term impact in their innocent minds. What we read to our children has to be selected with care and we may want to seriously consider moving away from fairy tales if the child is below 8 years of age. As Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time‌
November 2015 Issue About Aneesha Myles Shewani: Aneesha Myles Shewani is a full-time IT professional currently employed as a technical editor. She is a voracious reader with a wide foray of reading interests from historical literature to science fiction. This working mother is also an amateur writer/blogger and her blog – www.felinemusings.co m is a reflection of the various facets of her personality. She aspires to be a published novel writer. She can be reached at aneesha.myles@gmail.c om Editor's Comment: A thought-provoking article; every parent should read and ponder upon.
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November 2015 Issue
Dream Dreamer
on
Forming my characters was a difficult task. Mainly because all characters had to have a different personality and aura. But my main Character, Sophia, was inspired by me. I made her personality just like me so it would be easier
for me to understand how she would react in different situations and with different people. Ethan, the boy protagonist, was just my imagination of how my boy best friend should be if I have had one. I already tried writing a teenfiction book though it didn’t turn out well. I focus more on fantasy and fiction because I don’t have to rely on facts and figures for writing. I can write however I want and create whatever I want through my imagination. On the
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue other hand, according to me, other genres restrict you at some point and thus distort your writing. The meaning of writing has changed for me. Now I write because writing helps me relax. It helps me focus. All the negativity drains out when I write. Also, I write about what I feel at that moment. If I am sad, I write a sad poem and thus I come up with something good by channeling my emotions to the paper. I had a faint idea about the ending of the book but I wasn’t sure I wanted it to end that way. When I started writing, I started it blindly without knowing what I was going to do next. I let my mind do all the work. First, I came up with a distorted story and put it down on
paper. Reading it again and again, I began to get new ideas. At the end of it, I came up with a good story and was satisfied with it. But when I went through the book again, I realized something was missing so I ended up adding new things to it again. As a result, I had made changes in my book at least twenty to thirty times and it took me two whole years to come up with a plot that was satisfying. When my mind is accumulated with things like studies, homework and other things, sometimes, my imagination slows down a little. Recently, I had written a poem and showed it to mom. But mom told me that she wasn’t happy with what I had written since it didn’t have the ‘charm’ in it. Disappointed, I
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue came up with the conclusion that I was slowly losing my writing ability. So I sat in a corner, not talking to anyone for some time and analyzed my situation. At the end of it, I came up with another poem and again presented it to my mother. Mom was impressed with the poem. And I realized, with a little more concentration, I would be able to recover from it. There are many things in my book that I would like to change. Though I was pretty satisfied with how my debut book looked at first, now that I think about it, a few changes would make it better. Also, in my second book, I have made sure I didn’t make the same mistakes as in the first one. I have analyzed
each and everything carefully and tried to be as specific as possible. Also, I think my second book will be more mature than the first one. I have learnt a few things like limiting the amount of conversations and concentrating more on descriptions. Also I have learn different styles of writing poems and different genres and aspects of writing. I have not actually met anyone who didn’t like reading my book but I know people who haven’t read my book at all and they were the ones I expected would read it and give their views on it. At first I felt bad that they didn’t care about it and they weren’t even bothered but then I realized that it wasn’t worth wasting my time for people who weren’t there to support
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November 2015 Issue me when I needed them to. As for not liking my book, no one had ever told me they didn’t like it, though one of my friends pointed out some mistakes and some parts she didn’t think appropriate. I didn’t feel bad actually but I felt good that someone had genuinely read and reviewed my book. I took her views into consideration and decided that I would keep that in mind while writing the second book. I would like to give one advice: Keep dreaming, keep imagining. There are no limitations to dreams or imagination. Also, you don’t really have to come up with an appropriate plot for your book. I assure you, as you go further, you will come up with new ideas. If you channel your emotions into your work, it will
become better.
ten
About Patanwala:
times
Insiya
14-year-old budding writer Insiya Patanwala, is a gifted child with creative imagination who has recently made a debut in the literary world with her fantasy novel series titled "Esoterica". When she is not busy being a grade IX student in one of the leading schools of Mumbai she lets her imagination conjure magic through stories. Her book speaks about the world of angels which fears an invasion by the devils. The story is all about how 9 teenagers battle it out to save the angel world.
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November 2015 Issue
Ode to a Beautiful Girl
She comes in my dreams like an angel and leaves me alone in the loneliest mornings Her voice echoes in my ears like eternal tunes Her face is a deep red rose Blooming inside my heart Her soul is tied to mine with eternal bond and
we are bound to meet soon She casts a luminous path of light over the darkness of my life She is the root of every art an artist inside me pursues These days, she speaks so less often and
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November 2015 Issue her silence speaks to me more than a million words She lives far away among the clouds but I can still feel her warmth like sunny mornings and moonlit nights.
About Civa Bhusal: Civa is a computer engineer by profession and he loves writing poetry and fiction. Editor's Comment: Well-expressed. Portrays poet's emotions beautifully.
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November 2015 Issue
Book Review – II
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue :Intro: ‘I see a dark future that makes me quake,’ Devarishi Narada said. ‘One of these newborns will ravage the world and erase the name of Krishna from the face of the earth.’ As the world trembles on the threshold of Kali Yuga—4,32,000 years of unprecedented evil— it waits for a saviour to rise. Meanwhile, in the dark netherland of the asuras, the meek Vama shudders as he learns that he is actually Pradyumna, the son of Krishna. And that his journey has just begun. From the asura kingdom to Dwaraka and then Kurukshetra, destiny forces him to battle monsters, angry gods and blazing weapons, and overpower his own weaknesses.
Will he be able to rise to the challenge in time to save the world? Or is he the destroyer prophesied by Narada? Pradyumna is the gripping saga of the rise of this mighty, swashbuckling hero whom all of humanity awaits. :Book Review: 1. Cover: The cover is very beautifully designed with an eye catching figure of a bulky man in bright colours. One that makes a reader want to grab the book from a shelf instantaneously. 2. Presentation: We rarely get to hear any tales about characters who are not the central ones in either of our epics Ramayana or Mahabharata. Here the author has chosen a
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November 2015 Issue lesser known hero and made him larger than life in her words. The presentation is euphoric and nothing less than that. 3. Narration: The narration of the book is what one can easily called poetry in prose. It is beautiful and one that immediately warms up your heart with the immense detailing the author has done in various scenes, especially the war scene. It makes you visualise the whole war front very beautifully. 4. Characters: The main character is ofcourse Pradyumna who is shown as someone who is very powerful and is multidimensional at the same time because of which he looks connectable and believable.
5. Plot: The plot is very engrossing. With ample twists and turns it speaks volumes about the author’s research behind this book. 6. Storyline: The storyline does perfect justice to the pivotal character and also makes you want to wait quickly for its sequel. You need to know what is happening next now, it is that engrossing! 7. Story Flow: The story flow with the requisite twists and turns is one edge of the seat read, coming from an author whose debut work was a murder mystery she surely knows how to keep the readers hooked. 8. Language: The language is simple.
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November 2015 Issue 9. Pros: Apart from the unique storyline the strongest point in the book is its narrative. The author’s research backed with such a sound plot makes it a page-turner. 10. Cons: There are no cons in the book!
:Overview: The overall rating for the book would be 4.75 out of 5 purely to the storyline and the authors’ narrative. WE team would like to thank the author for sending across this book for review and would also like to wish her all the best for all their future endeavours.
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November 2015 Issue
Author Interview – II
Starting off with a gold medal in English from the University of Madras, and two Masters degrees – Usha Narayanan took off like a magpie, collecting
more bling. She was creative director in advertising agencies like RK Swamy/BBDO, one of India’s top ten, and in Radio City 91.1 FM. She managed corporate communications and CSR activities in Scope International, Standard Chartered Bank. Usha has lived for the most part in Chennai (Madras), and in Honolulu, Hawaii where she did a writing course. She loves reading, travel and animals and has two opinionated cats. The Madras Mangler, a suspense thriller, received excellent reviews. It is available online at Flipkart, Amazon and Infibeam.
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November 2015 Issue Her second novel, Pradyumna: Son of Krishna, a bestselling fantasy thriller from Penguin, is available in leading bookstores and online at Amazon, Infibeam and Flipkart (also as eBook). Her third novel is Love, Lies and Layoffs, a romcom published by Harlequin– HarperCollins in October 2015.
Madras Mangler has been reviewed on Writer's Ezine and her inteview was published in the same issue. (May 2014 Issue) Giveaway of her second book "Pradyumna - Son of Krishna" was hosted by Writer's Ezine.
The blurb of her book reads: ‘I see a dark future that makes me quake,’ Devarishi Narada said. ‘One of these newborns will ravage the world and erase the name of Krishna from the face of the earth.’ As the world trembles on the threshold of Kali Yuga—4,32,000 years of unprecedented evil— it waits for a saviour to rise. Meanwhile, in the dark netherland of the asuras, the meek Vama shudders as he learns that he is actually Pradyumna, the son of Krishna. And that his journey has just begun. From the asura kingdom to Dwaraka and then Kurukshetra, destiny forces him to battle monsters, angry gods and blazing weapons, and overpower his own weaknesses. Will he be able to rise to the challenge in time to
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue save the world? Or is he the destroyer prophesied by Narada? Pradyumna is the gripping saga of the rise of this mighty, swashbuckling hero whom all of humanity awaits.
1. Welcome to Writer’s Ezine. Congratulations on the success of your second book ‘Pradyumna: Son of Krishna’. So tell us, what made you write this book? To put it simply, I fell in love with Pradyumna! He is Kama reborn; he is the son of Krishna, the ultimate purusha. He is brave, caring, and willing to admit his faults and work at overcoming them. And most importantly, he was almost completely mine as no one else had focused on him before! The more I delved into his life ― or ‘lives,’ for he had many dashing ones ― the more I was fascinated. I then visualized his evolution from being a pampered prince to discovering that he was Krishna’s son, and then equipping
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November 2015 Issue himself to be a worthy warrior, father, husband, son and finally a redeemer ― filling in the many gaps left by the puranas with a vivid imagination. The scope was huge, the canvas of myth and history was spectacular, and the depth of wisdom that lay hidden was breathtaking. Finally, ‘Pradyumna: Son of Krishna’ marched from my computer into the world of Penguin and the homes and hearts of readers! Presently I am working on the thrilling sequel to the book, which will feature Yamaloka and Kailasa, Vishnu’s chakra and Shiva’s trident, as Pradyumna continues to battle his own karma and that of the world.
2. Tell us something about your journey to becoming a writer. When did this writing bug bite you and when did you decide to finally plunge into it full time? Writing has always provided my bread and butter as I have worked many years as creative director in advertising agencies and radio, as well as in corporate communications and epublishing. A short story I wrote on a whim for an anthology started me thinking about writing a novel. Soon I became addicted to being ‘the monarch of all I surveyed’ in the world I had created, and enjoyed my liberation from the tyranny of moody bosses and long commutes. I found myself turning down even freelance work assignments as my novel consumed me.
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November 2015 Issue ‘The Madras Mangler’, a suspense thriller, won excellent reviews from readers and media and I haven’t looked back since. ‘Pradyumna: Son of Krishna’ is now on bestseller lists and has even found a place as suggested reading for students in a US university. ‘Love, Lies and Layoffs’, a rom-com published by HarlequinHarperCollins has just reached the bookstores, and the sequel to ‘Pradyumna’ is being written as I speak. I’m delighted to be a fulltime writer and am enjoying every minute of it! 3. Thriller to mythological to romcom. What next do we see coming from you? Readers still ask me why I have not written a sequel to ‘The Madras
Mangler’ whose hero is a heart-stealer too, and coincidentally named Vir Pradyumna! Krishna’s son, on the other hand, has aroused a passion in me to discover other forgotten heroes and stories, and to bring to light the wisdom of our ancient lore. As for romcoms, they allow me to write about love, relationships and careers, and bring readers a story of happily-ever-after that provides some relief from the pressures of everyday life. As for the future, maybe you could share your preferences on the genre you prefer! Do write and let me know. 4. Why do you keep experimenting with genres? The ones that you have tried are extremely opposite to
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue the previous ones, what made you want to try them? Consider an actor like Amitabh Bachchan who reinvents himself with every film, from ‘Anand’ and ‘Amar Akbar Anthony’ to ‘Paa’ and ‘Piku’. I think a writer too must be versatile and stave off boredom, for herself and for her readers! It is exhilarating to constantly hone your skills so that you can entertain new audiences, master varied formats and create a book that races along, capturing the reader’s heart and imagination. Ultimately each book is a challenge, just as the previous one was and the one before that. And as an author, like an actor, is judged by her latest release, she must put forth her best effort
and all her passion into the mix. And take my word for it ― it’s totally worth it when your reader says that (s)he loves your book! 5. Any particular favourite genre that you enjoyed writing the most till now? I enjoyed journeying with Pradyumna from asura palaces to Dwaraka and Kurukshetra, growing with him, discovering dimensions in myself that I was not aware of before. The physical, intellectual and spiritual planes all meld together in this book and provide readers of diverse ages and backgrounds a thrilling ride. So at the moment, I would say that mythology is my favourite genre as it allows me to indulge my creative instincts to the full. But tomorrow…who
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November 2015 Issue knows? As Scarlett O'Hara puts it in the fabulous novel ‘Gone with the Wind’: ‘Tomorrow is another day!’ 6. One thing that you learnt from your writing till now, which you would like to share with budding authors. Contrary to what you may think, it’s hard work when you have to set your own deadlines and benchmarks and seek your own rewards. But at the end of it all, it is also a labour of love that I will not change for anything in the world! 7. As a writer how easy/difficult it is to keep aside your independent self and not let your opinions ride your characters in the story? Don’t they say that your hero is only as good as
your villain? I’m not speaking here of their moral character, of course, but of the necessity to make all your important players equally convincing, so that your book rings true to life. For this, you need to flesh them out with authentic emotions, motivations and language so that they come to life and keep the reader absorbed till the very end. So if Pradyumna inspires you with his gradual evolution, Lolita in ‘The Madras Mangler’ lies and shoplifts, yet makes you sympathize with her. And Freida in ‘Love, Lies and Layoffs’ captivates you with her sunny nature and her fierce sense of justice. You may or may not agree with their actions, but an author must help the reader understand where they are coming
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue from. And to give the character this space, an author needs to be nonjudgemental, portraying them as they are, without moralizing. Pradyumna and Krishna, true to their age, married many times, and it would be foolish to evaluate them based on today’s societal mores. Some of the college students in ‘The Madras Mangler’ have a secret life, cheat or bully, as is the case in life. A writer’s role is to show them as they are, and perhaps embed a subtle message, but not at the expense of storytelling and reader interest. I think my conviction has paid dividends, as readers often express appreciation of the authenticity of my characters, whether they are college students, heroes from
an ancient time or officegoers living colourful lives in the corridors of power. 8. How does it feel to be called queen of genres after having successfully written so many genres and each a masterpiece in its own way? It is eminently gratifying, of course! Readers who have read both the thriller and ‘Pradyumna’ comment on how smoothly I have moved from present-day college campuses to realms that are not of this earth. If readers of ‘The Madras Mangler’ praise the authentic ring of college lingo, myth lovers applaud the resonance of the language that brings gods and goddesses alive in ‘Pradyumna’. Naturally I feel the thrill of a job well done. And now, in ‘Love, Lies and
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November 2015 Issue Layoffs’, readers will get a peek into the fun and quirky world of a media empire as well as the politicking and power play that can make it hell. I think it is my zest for what I am doing that reaches out to the readers. As one perceptive blogger puts it: ‘I got a feeling that Narayanan really loves the topic she has chosen, for it shines through in the energetic, sometimes almost loving story telling.’ I must thank readers for enjoying my tales and sharing their appreciation so generously! 9. With the selfpublishing option growing in its own way what do you think about the quality of literature
available these days in the market? The success that Indian authors in English have achieved in the last few years has fuelled a virtual explosion of writing. Naturally, when there is exponential growth, quality tends to be uneven. Self publishing provides authors an opportunity that was not available earlier. But it is also a double edged sword as there may not be any quality controller. But finally what endures is quality writing. So, whether self-published or traditionally published, each author must strive to bring out the perfect book that is well written, engrossing and free of errors. “Books are a uniquely portable magic,” says Stephen King. Imagine the joy of having yours
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November 2015 Issue counted among these and work towards your goal. Good luck! Please write to me at author@ushanarayana n.com. Check out the media and reader reviews on www.ushanarayanan.c om. Like my page www.facebook.com/wr iterusha for updates and tweet to me @writerusha. Thank you, Writer’s Ezine for this lovely interview! You can buy ‘Pradyumna: Son of Krishna’ on Amazon.com at: http://amzn.to/1RHt48 X Amazon.in: http://goo.gl/4WSbyG. It’s also available in all leading book stores across India. Thank you very much for your time Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue “So, what was it like when you were little?” asked my 5-year-old daughter while I was driving her to school. “Well, my mum dropped me off at school just as I do now.” “Hmm, she drove you too?” “No. we walked.” “Oh.” That was the end of her curiosity, but I wanted to tell her more. Share with her those fun filled, carefree days. But the moment had passed. Soon it was time for her to get off.
Childhood
I came back with thoughts buzzing in my head. Later I saw the Writer’s Ezine inviting pieces on childhood memories. The timing couldn’t have been better, I thought. I sat down to write a letter to my UK-born
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue daughter about growing up in India. Dear Cheeky, I am glad you asked me about my childhood. I would love to tell you all about it. You see, your childhood and mine are similar yet different. “Walkie-talkie” to school I lived in Matunga, a tiny suburban area in Bombay as it was known then. Unlike the detached house with a garden that you live in, I lived in a flat, one of the many in that building. I had lots of friends who lived nearby and studied at the same school. Every morning, we would all assemble at a place and head together with our parents trailing behind us. Chatting away, the distance hardly mattered. Whether it was pouring buckets or
a sultry morning, the mode of transport never varied. No playdates It was handy living so close to your friends, you see. They would always drop by. Our parents did not to fix “play dates” like I do for you. My friends would turn up unannounced, unaccompanied and we would play at our house or go over to theirs. My parents never worried about how I was spending my holidays; whether I was “gainfully occupied” or “the effect of that activity on my development”. We were just let loose; to do as we wished, with no constant supervision. Most summer holidays, I would be out of the house the whole day, coming in only after repeated summons for meals.
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue Perks of a close knit community I am sorry I don’t let you play outside on your own. Well, Cheeky, times have changed. As a responsible parent, I have to be more careful about mean strangers lurking out there. Luckily, my parents never had to bother about that; whether out of lack of awareness or an illusion of a more secure world back then, I don’t know. It helped that the building we lived in was more like a community. Everyone knew us and we all looked out for one another. Any mischief that I got into
was duly reported to my mother despite my best
efforts. The joys of TV Unlike you, I never had any exposure to iPad, tablets and other devices that you and your younger brother are so comfortable with. Despite having so many toys, gadgets and TV channels, you still complain of occasional boredom. As a child, we only had a black and white TV and that too after a long time. Until then, I would go over to my neighbour’s to
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue watch TV on certain days. Sunday evenings were our favourite when a Hindi movie would come on. Remember, the old bearded guy I call Amitabh Bachchan who was angry with Shahrukh Khan in that movie? Well, he was a young man then and we used to love the way he sang and fought with the bad people. He could keep us glued to our seats for hours, wide eyed, mesmerised by the action packed scenes! My parents were not worried about the harmful effects of such movies on us. There was after all not much choice. We had another favourite TV show called “Mahabharat”. Despite its violent scenes, our adults did not forbid us from watching it. We would
crowd in front on the TV on Sunday mornings with our breakfasts ready. Even my busy mum would finish her cooking quickly and join us in the TV room. That was our family timewatching “Mahabharat” together and discussing it afterwards. Song bonanza I often put on Hindi song videos for you, don’t I? Usually, you pick the songs and tell me the ones you want. Well, back then, there no such choice. Programmes like Chhayageet and Chitrahaar were our only sources for music videos. My sister and I would wait for them to come on each week and enjoyed watching them. Ganpati Bappa Morya! During festive season, it was a great time to be
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue in Matunga, especially when it was Ganesh Chaturthi. Decorated in various themes, the pandals would herald the upcoming festival. We would visit those Pandals in the evenings. I particularly remember lining up for Ganpati Aarti held at a neighbour’s house for 10 days. Not only because it was fun, but they also give out mouth-watering sweets as “Prasad” at the end of it. Remember, the Aarti that I sing at home? Well, I learnt it there. As kids, we loved the festival because it gave us a reason to stay out late during school nights. o you recall, we did “Visarjan” for our Ganesha idol at home? Back then, it was a big day and a family affair. All our local relatives would descend at our place that day. My dad
would also make it a point to be back from work early too - an added bonus. We would put up chairs, tables and settle on our balcony which overlooked the main road. It was fun watching Ganeshas in different shapes and sizes, making their way to Shivaji Park for the immersion. Nine days of bliss Navratri was yet another major festival. Remember, how we dismantled our doll display a few weeks ago? Well, my mum would put it up too when I was little. My sister and I would be despatched to invite our friends’ mums to see our doll display and accept the betel leaves, Kumkum and turmeric offering. It used to be such fun. Many of my friend’s mums would
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November 2015 Issue return the favour by inviting my mum and we would accompany her too, purely because of the Prasad. We never went for Dandiya for it was too late for us to be up on school nights. But we never missed it. We were having too much fun already. Holiday Spirit I often wonder about the number of countries you have visited during your holidays. Perhaps, because I never did as a child. Holidays for us meant visiting relatives or grandparents’ house in Kerala. It would take us two days to get there from Bombay. Typically planned during the sweltering summer holidays, in April/May, the journey would be long and hot in those
sleeper coaches. But we loved it. We would get off at interim stations and bite into hot Bhajjis that dad bought us. We would make friends with other kids travelling on the same train and create such a racket! One of the highlights of the trip used to be the Amar Chitra Katha storybooks that mum would buy and read them out to us during the long train journey. I think that is where my love for books stems from. Yes, now I buy them for you, every time we go to India. A cherished childhood So, thinking about our childhoods, many things about it are similar and yet different. I can’t say which is better; the fact that you have more privileged childhood or that I recall mine as
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue more idyllic. What matters is that you have your own special memories that you can dip into during moments like these! Childhood is a special time and its memories stay with you throughout your life. I only hope you enjoy yours and cherish them as I do!
alive through her blog. A full time mum, she likes to inject cultural doses into her children's lives through festivals and Bollywood songs. When she is not tapping away at the keyboard, you will find her singing "Badtameez Dil" with her 5- year-old daughter and 3-yearold son in the kitchen. You can catch up with her on ashkrishwrites@gmail. com Editor's Comment: A lovely letter from a mother to a daughter, which the daughter would cherish for years to come.
About Asha Krishna: For Asha Krishna, writing is a breath of "me time". A journalist in her previous lifetime, she moved to UK after marriage. Two kids and life of domesticity later, she keeps her writing Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue
Solkadhi
Ingredients: Aamsol or Kokum: 7 to 9 Fresh Coconut: 1 - cut into small pieces 1.5 to 2 cups of water Green Chillies - 1, medium size, cut into 2-3 pieces Cumin seeds - 1 tsp Ginger ½ inch – diced in small parts Garlic - 3-4
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue Sugar – approximately ½ tsp Salt to taste Coriander – finely chopped. Procedure: Soak the kokum in half cup of water for half an hour. Crush and squeeze the kokum for kokum extract. Add 2 cups of water. Add green chillies, cumin seeds, ginger
and garlic to the coconut pieces, add water and grind. Squeeze out the thick milk with a strainer. Add the extracted coconut back to the
grinder and add some more water to get thin milk. Strain again and squeeze the coconut completely. Add both thick and thin coconut milk to kokum extract. Add salt, sugar and finely chopped coriander and stir. Keep aside for few hours. Refrigerate and serve cold later as a drink.
About Mayura Chetan Honrao: It is said; 'The way to a man's heart is through his stomach' Mayura Chetan Honrao loves cooking various
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue 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.
Rings
Story behind the Photograph: There was a time in life, in childhood; when arranging the rings as per their size was the
only immediate tension that plagued the mind.. Now, as a grown up; even when I was clicking the photograph of the rings my nephew used to play with there were numerous thoughts going through my mind. Sometimes, I try to find joy in the little things that life has to offer; smile, laugh, make people laugh - helps me keep the child within me alive.
About Arti Honrao: Author of fiction books titled 'My Life story' and 'Is This Love Autumn The Last Leaf' and novel 'Resemblance - The Journey of a Doppelganger' Arti enjoys writing short stories on Relationships. She has
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue attempted writing different form poems but most enjoy writing Prose poems where she gets to express without the limitations of words or rhyming. Most of her writings depict human feelings and emotions, which she tries to bring onto the page and into the minds of the reader. She believes that essence of writing lies in not only entertaining the reader, but speaking to them through words. She writes at www.artihonrao.net and can be reached at contact@artihonrao.net
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…
November 2015 Issue
Prompt of month December
the for
Details on Prompt of the Month can be read here. Last date for submission: 20th October. Photograph (c) Arti Honrao
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November 2015 Issue
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November 2015 Issue
About Arti Honrao Born and brought up in Mumbai, Arti Honrao is author of fiction books 'My Life-story' and 'Is This Love & Autumn - The Last Leaf' and Novel 'Resemblance - The Journey of a Doppelganger'. She began studying medicine but realized soon that her real calling was writing. Today after some ten years of blogging at Straight from the heart where her entire work is neatly categorized in Poems, Short Stories, Short Story Series, Fiction Letters, Sentimental Posts, Silent Night and more, capturing some breath taking moments with her camera, and sharing different quotes on her My Two Cents Page and having published a few heart touching stories she is glad she listened to her heart.
Tanka, and Cinquain etc. but mostly enjoys writing Acrostics which she continues to write. Most of her writings depict human feelings and emotions, which she tries to bring out onto the page and into the minds of the reader. She believes that essence of writing lies in not only entertaining the reader, but speaking to them through words. Her style of writing makes it easier for the readers to visualize the story unfolding around them. She is of the opinion that being good at writing a story is not about the story being unpredictable, it is about the way you narrate the predictable story and still keep the reader interested.
Fluent in English, Hindi and Marathi, writing came very early to Arti as she was dabbling in it since the age of twelve. She writes different genres of poems like Haiku,
Writer’s Ezine – Writing one word at a time…