Author spotlight and Interview: Shama Patel

By the number of smiles in the interview, you can tell how positive a person the author is. True to her personality, she has written her debut work, "21 ways of being happy" which has been published by Grapevine Publishers. It received a 5* rating from our blog  here.

Today, she joins us for an insightful, cheerful and lovely chat!

Kritika: What triggered the writing bug in your case? Was there some moment of epiphany?

Shama: The writing bug was triggered in 2009 when I was all geared up to write a fiction script. I did complete the script, co-authored by a close friend (Asif Sayani). We managed to circulate the script to 12-15 publishers and got a ‘No’ from most of them. The rest never got back. Though I did enjoy working on that script, I was not drawn to writing as passionately as I am today. While I continued to work as an editor and take up various writing projects, the real breakthrough happened when I developed a sincere urge to write about my thoughts, feelings and experiences (sometime around 2012). I started maintaining a blog where I began writing about everyday human struggle and ending each post with something positive to take home. I maintained that while continuing my work as a Psychologist. It all started then and the passion was patiently transformed into '21 Ways of Being Happy' when Grapevine India identified my strength as a writer and a Counselor:-)

On her journey with the book:
This book has been a cathartic journey for me. There were time where I found my creative genius leading the entire process while I felt like a mere channel through which the words were spoken. There were moments when I was so involved into writing a part that I would begin writing at 1 am and be in the literary trance till 5-6 in the morning. So this whole journey has been mystically creative for me.

Kritika: How was writing the book a different experience than the sessions you have with your clients?
Shama: Haha. I like this question:) Well, when I take sessions, it is the client who does the talking and I play the role of a listener. In therapy, the clients speak out their dilemmas, unanswered questions, doubts, confusions etc. and it is during these conversations that they begin to see their life in a better and much healthier perspective.

However, in writing, it was left for me to do the talking and I had the entire Universe as my imaginary readers! So, I began to play dual role of both client and a Psychologist and began this beautiful journey towards happiness. Since I have gone through (and I still go through) day-to-day human challenges, I started sharing my own challenges (from a client perspective) so that the readers can relate to the feelings, behavior and emotions that we all experience. Then I would role reverse and see things from a Counselor's perspective and add ways that I personally practiced in my life. While in therapy, the clients bring in a problem situation, I had to come up with my own list of challenges that I would simplify through this book. The common thread that runs in both therapy and my book is my desire to touch lives. So, even though the process differ, my purpose of healing remains same in both the situations:-)

Kritika: How do you think does the genre of self-help ease the pain of those in distress?

Shama: I believe that each of us has a special gift. Some are gifted techies, some are gifted artists, some gifted dancers and similarly, there are people who are gifted with the ability to ease out the stress in people's lives. Psychologists and Counselors are some of those gifted individuals who, by nature, posses the art of healing which is further enhanced through studying the subject matter and learning various tools to overcome stress. In my opinion, any human being who has gone through problems in life and have managed to overcome them becomes compelled to share this learning with fellow human beings. This is how we have people write volumes of books on self-help. Since we all are human beings and most of us receive the same conditioning throughout our lives, we tend to have (almost) similar problem pattern and when we hear a person (aka self-help guru) talk about a problem and solution, we begin to relate to it with all our heart and mind. Since the self-help writers are human beings, their (hopefully) tried and tested ways do help in easing out the stress that a common human being experiences in his/her life. It works because when in distress, we refuse to see another perspective or fail to cross the fence and get on the other side of life. In that helplessness and hesitation, a self-help expert becomes the one who stands in front of you to say "Dude! life is difficult. It is painful. But you know what, I am here to be by your side. I am here if you need a hand or a light to assist you get on the other side of this fence. I know you can cross it because I have. If I as a human being can, then you as a human being definitely can". So, while you get comfortable relishing the role of a victim (the poor me), a self-help book/speaker can kick your butt and get you connected to the lost strength that lies within you.

What I do wish to highlight here is, self-help books are to be read with an intention of beginning your journey towards easing the stress in life and not used as a bible to refer to, each time you are in distress. While you continue to treat a particular book/author as a self-help guru, do not limit your search. Make your own self your own self-help guru (No one else but you). When you do that, you automatically begin to see how one book or one video or one self-help talk begins to transform your being in a positive manner, opening several healing channels within and around you. Get in touch with that self-help Guru within you, while you continue to explore this genre to broaden your knowledge and wisdom about human life:)

Kritika: What are the future plans? Can your readers expect more in the same genre, or is there a surprise?
Shama: Well I have signed a contract of seven books so, I have six more to go! For now, I hope the readers enjoy the journey into '21 Ways of Being Happy' :-) I am determined to write a book on Relationships so hopefully that would be my second writing venture:)
Future plans! To continue spreading happiness and healing through my work, be it writing, art, counseling or by simply being a human being! :)

Kritika: Any comments/experiences you'd like to share pertaining to getting published?

Shama: Now that I have a book published, I realize that it is easier to get a book published than to promote and market it in the literary world. Since first time authors are still looked at as wearing an 'L' board around their neck, not many people/bookstores are open to giving them bhav and promoting their work. Especially with the self-help tag, people develop a presumed notion that 'yeh toh badi boring and pakaau book hogi'. So, it is a real challenge for me to break that myth and pass this message of happiness to as many people as I can. Even though it is a challenge, I have been fortunate enough to come across blessed and wonderful souls like you who have been generous to join me on this journey of spreading happiness. I keep talking about the book/concept to whoever I meet and in that determination of promoting my work, I do encounter people who are willing to help me spread the word. What keeps me going on this journey is my faith on my work and the belief that it will touch numerous lives, sooner or later:)

This was such a great interview.
I am so happy to know that there are more books in the pipeline, I can't wait! And this author certainly endears herself to her readers! I adore the optimism and candour! It is at times like these that I find myself immensely lucky to be a book blogger.
Thanks for hopping on to my blog!
Find her book here:

Author Spotlight and Interview: Saurabh Garg

Saurabh Garg has authored a murder-mystery with a twist. It has Bollywood, it has pets, it has police at work, it has an investigative journalist, it has life, it has strife. This is how we review it:

A lot of thought, research and plotting has gone into scripting this masterpiece. Honestly, coming from a debut author, this is an expert writing.

(Read full review here)

Interview

Congratulations on getting published. So, tell our readers about that moment of epiphany when you realized that you are going to write this book?

Thank you!

There was no epiphany per se. But, there was this inkling that I had for almost ten years that I want to write a book. And rather than just one blinding flash of lightening striking my head from up above, a lot of things came together to make this book possible.

One was my hectic job. Even though it was as exciting as they come, it was sapping. Two was this short story that I had written that I thought I could extend into a book. Three was this friend who told me that he's starting a business and needs my help. Four was my then-girlfriend who was in Mumbai and wanted me to move to Mumbai. Five was the eternal question, "if not now, then when!"

So these things came together, conspired (as Coelho would say) and made me work on the book!


It has been an observation that everything in the book was quite thoroughly researched: the descriptions of Mumbai, the details about legal system so on and so forth. How tedious was this part?

Very!

But most it was done using two tools - Google and Wikipedia. And it took a lot of time and effort to do so. Plus a lot of bandwidth and coffee. Good to see that people are appreciating it.

Even though it was tedious, I enjoyed it. Probably because I am very curious as an individual. The research for book helped me feed my curiosity.

For my next book, I am currently reading about Navrasa - the nine emotions. And I am reading the Geeta. And about the Bombay of the 70s! Let's see what comes out of this concoction.


How difficult was the writing process? And what was the most exciting part- etching the plot, sketching the characters or proofreading it?

Proofreading. Definitely.

Because while I was sketching the characters, I was, sort of, playing God. I could give all sorts of shades and hues to the characters. I could create good, evil, interesting, boring, funny, drab and all other sort of people. I know there are a lot of things that I can't do in real life. But I could get my characters to do those.

Talking of the plot, t I don't really work on a plot per se. I start with a theme. I work on characters. I think about locations. And then I throw them all together in a blender. And then I let fate decide the outcome. I could get lucky with things and get a pot boiler that everyone wants to read. Or may be get something that even I would be ashamed to put my name to. I work hard and then hope like hell that I get lucky.

Proofreading is boring because you know the story. You can't make changes. You can't add things. You can't twist the story again. You can't play God. All you can do is find your mistakes and cringe over those. You can spot inconsistencies and whine about those. And the mistakes, the typos, the inconsistencies don't seem to end ever. Even after 8943 revisions!


Was there any instance in the novel where you made the story an outlet for your repressed feelings: good or bad?

Haha :) Tough question. You expect me to be honest with this one?

Few things did come from my real experiences. Most characters are inspired by real people - just that I don't really know more of them. For example, Nishant Kapoor is loosely inspired on one of the leading actors of the yesteryears. Rujuta is inspired by a friend's girlfriend. Prakash's bald head is inspired by mine. So on and so forth.

The story, the plot however is original. As they say, correlation to any person dead or alive is purely coincidental.


This one is an off-beat question: Rujuta and Prakash both had a personal story of their own, but the stories were left incomplete. Why the cliffhanger? We get it that the end of the story doesn't mean the end of their lives, but leaving your readers pondering about these facts, you seem to have acquired the status of John Green already!
Jokes apart, will characters from the book ever make a comeback and reprise their role for a sequel of sorts?

Thanks for mentioning John Green and me in the same line. You made my day!

And yeah, a sequel, a reprise may happen. But the characters have to get a case worthy of their time and attention.

I am toying with the idea because a lot of people who've read the book have told me that they want to read more about the characters. So, along with Navrasa, Mumbai in the 70s, I may throw in characters from #tnks back in the blender. Let's see how the story writes itself.


 How does it feel in the post-published phase? where do plan to go from here: probably experimenting with genres or churning more racy reads?

Despite the cliché, trust me, life is still the same. No one has sent me love letters. Or hate mails for that matter. I dont get stopped to ask for autographs. That million-dollar movie deal is still a distant dream. I haven't been invited to give motivational talks. My mother can't remember the name of my first book. #sgMS hasn't responded to my rather public proposal. I haven't been sued by anyone for throwing mud at their legacy.

So, life is still the same.

However a lot of good things have happened. People seem to have liked the book. Lot more than what I had expected. Most readers have been tolerant of typos and grammatical errors. Some have sent letters and I have made few new friends. So, life has been good.

In terms of writing, I am trying to convert the book in to a screenplay. A friend recommended that I write a love story - only because it sells! I may give it a shot. You think I must?

Apart from that I am working on my next. Hope to release it in Nov of 2015. But then, I cant really predict the future. Lets see what's in store in 2015. I am really looking forward to it.

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Book Review: The Nidhi Kapoor Story by Saurabh Garg

About the Book:

Two dogs and a cat are butchered at the home of Nidhi Kapoor, a leading Bollywood actress. Left behind is a mysterious letter threatening Nidhi and her family.

Nishant Kapoor, Nidhi’s father and a superstar of the yesteryears is confined to a retirement facility in the hills. Tormenting him are his recurring dreams of someone trying to hurt him and his family.

A film set where Nidhi Kapoor is shooting for her much anticipated film goes up in flames. Trapped inside are Nidhi and her sister, Payal.

ACP Prakash Mohile is forced to take up the investigation. Rujuta Singh, a photojournalist chronicling the lives of policemen in Mumbai and shadowing Prakash, gets embroiled in the case.

Unwarranted incidents continue to happen and in absence of any real clues or motive, Prakash and Rujuta are forced to dig deeper in the past of the Kapoors. They unknowingly stumble onto a violent tale of lies, betrayal, treachery, infidelity and murder.

Time is running out fast and the unknown assailant is adamant on taking away from Nidhi everything that she holds dear - her career, her home, her reputation, her family and her life. With each move, he seems to be getting close. The answers however continue to elude Prakash and Rujuta.
What is it in their past that Kapoors are hiding from the world?
What grudge does the assailant hold against the Kapoors?
And, can they save Nidhi?

About the Author:

Curious marketeer by the day, Saurabh Garg is a storyteller by the night. The Nidhi Kapoor story is his first full-length story.

Apart from writing, Saurabh is passionate about startups, travel and poker. When he is not working on creating characters and plots for his upcoming stories, he likes to meet and talk to other interesting people and ask them stupid questions that often don't have answers.

Saurabh maintains a very elaborate bucket list. The item on top of his list is to visit every country in the world. So far, he's been to 15.

Originally from Delhi and based out of Mumbai, he went to Delhi university and MDI Gurgaon for his undergrad and postgrad respectively.

My Review:

Without any circumlocution, let me tell the prospective readers: this is the most well-crafted story of the contemporary times. The mystery is huge, yet palatable, the thrill is unvarying and consistent, the plot line is well thought-out. There have been so many points to admire about this book, I am compelled to enumerate them, so not to leave out any.

A lot of thought, research and plotting has gone into scripting this masterpiece. Honestly, coming from a debut author, this is an expert writing.
The characters have been etched with a precision such that their idiosyncrasies and behaviours are believable. Every character has a story. Right from the photojournalist Rujuta to the startlet Nidhi Kapoor.

The descriptions- of the city Mumbai, of the police and journalism profession- have been thoroughly entertaining and so apt. Add to it a cherry on top in the form of spicy bites of Bollywood, and you have the perfect entertaining read.
And then, there's more to it: the pace is so correct, it is a page turner. What else makes it a page-turner? The manner in which it unfolds. It is not a typical chronological sequence that the events follow, rather it unravels pivotal pints at the crucial time. Timing again is apparently a forte of the author. This works to intensify and amplify the thrill with which the reader reads, and then remains glued.
I don't know if it is just me, but I really could not find anything in the book that made it seem like the first book of an author: it could give John Grisham a run for his readers. No, seriously. This novel, only re-instates that the thrillers scene has finally arrived in India.

My Judgement:

It is a page-turner, an entertainer, and a well-crafted plot: all packed in one. Revel in its completeness, go grab your copy now, because you definitely don't want to miss the next bestseller on the block.

I thank the author for providing me with a review copy!
you can also like the facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/TheNidhiKapoorStory 

Book Review: 9 Don'ts to Success by Abhinav Pandey

About the book:

Be Focused, don’t get Distracted.

Be Accurate, don’t make Mistakes.

Be Real, don’t be Fake.

Be Honest, don’t Lie.

Be Polite, don’t be Arrogant.

Play Safe, don’t take Risks.

Think Positive, don’t Think Negative.

Be Humble, don’t be a Show-Off.

Be Fair, don’t Manipulate.

Is this the sure shot map to success? Think again.

This book is about doing what you’re asked not to.

About the Author:

Abhinav Pandey is an alumnus of St. Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai. He believes in chasing dreams, making mistakes and living life.
His writings aren’t limited to books as he professionally writes songs for films, commercials and rock bands. Apart from writing, he has a keen interest in travelling, motivating people and watching movies.
Currently, he owns an event firm in Pune.

My Review:

The book presents to you 9 don'ts to success, because, it claims, the do's don't work. And no matter how skeptic you might feel about the content and philosophy of the book, you cannot help but admire the dexterity with which it is written. This book here is a pioneer of a new era in the genre of self-help. The book is about doing what you are asked not to do, and dear prospective reader, let me dispel your doubts and suspicion, it is not a collection of rants of some unsuccessful person who considers himself a victim of the ideal self-help and takes revenge by penning down a book that defies all the wisdom that they offer, rather this is a sensible take on the gargantuan volumes of self-help we have been reading till now. The last words you utter after reading this book are, “This is revolutionary stuff, man”.

The reason you should read it is because it is a repository of some really catchy witty phrases. Wit also emanates from the examples, comparisons and the metaphors that the author uses. They are so well thought out and presented. You know, when something is written with a lot of effort, it can be read effortlessly. The oxymorons couldn't get any better

so, the author prevents us from becoming the fastest car in town not reaching its destination in time due to a wrong route map and tells us that 'a person cannot decide on the total number of gears to shift during a lifetime, but he atleast has the option of not driving on the same gears ever again.'

What makes the author worthy of extraordinary commendation and appreciation is the extraordinarily remarkable effort that has gone into each chapter. Since this is altogether different from the ordinarily self-help stuff, the author has included, at the end of each chapter some tips and suggestions about applying these don'ts with caution, because he is cognizant of the fact that these don't are prone to misuse, or misinterpretation. It is so refreshing to see a first time author fully aware of what he is writing and what its repercussions are likely to be

Considering the radical perspective from which the author views the don'ts, it seems that these were things we were waiting to be told. 

Best lines: there are quite a few actually, the book is replete with memorable lines.

the limits are no more a challenge but an excuse to underperform.

Learn to distinguish between opportunities and temptations used as baits.

Judgement: No ifs, No buts, go get your copy now!

Book Review: My Happily Forever by Shifalika Kanwar, Kaysa

About the book:

My Happily Forever is a romantic fiction, portraying the life of the beautiful and talented Pia Sharma who has only two things on her to do list before turning thirty. One - manage her own team at JB Standards, a private banking firm in New York City. Two - find, fall in love and marry her own Mr Darcy, her knight in shining armour who would think that her crazy family is adorable. Alas! She is stuck with a boss from hell who has it in for her. Working donkey hours makes it impossible for her to have social life. And Mr Darcy never attends the scary weekend svayamvars her meddlesome relatives set up.

In despair, Pia undertakes a secret mission. With a bartender as her Fairy Godmother and her eccentric, gossip loving BFFs for guides, she arms herself with the top ten dating books in an effort to master the law of attraction. But when her efforts to find her Prince Charming yield some unexpected results, her entire life is thrown upside down.

To what lengths will she go to find her Mr Right? Does Pia have what it takes to fight for her happily ever after?



Paperback 240 pages
Published 2013 by Grapevine



My Review:
Grapevine India has been publishing some real heart-rendering chick=lit stuff. This one is an exception in that it is an episodic novel, dealing with a girl's life. First and foremost I commend the authors, like quite, for their portrayal of the protagonist Pia and her family: an unorthodox father, a concerned-about-daughter mother, the dire matrimonial attempts, relatives who would stuff you before they slaughter you, a string of prospective grooms who somehow always manage to let you down. this is such a humorous account of the ordeal (no exaggeration intended) that Pia's facing.
The opening sentence itself lends hilarity to the whole task of reading. the humour and puns, which the novel is so replete with, are so addictive that you almost succumb to it and find yourself in the place of Pia, feeling a surge of the same emotions as her, and with the same intensity. So, while the girls reading this book can relate to her in entirety, they might as well start laughing at their own status quo.
This book is a must read for all Indian girls especially, living here and abroad, whether from orthodox or unorthodox families, united by a common problem: the societal (read:baseless) pressure to "settle down".
At another level, the novel is a critical account of the status of single hood in our society: it is still deprecated and despised as if a curse. Girls like Pia are compelled to find their "happily forever" and then this already fantastical notion of Happily-ever-after is peppered with the yearning for a Mr. Right, prince Charming, and other abhorrent names you might give straight out of some Bollywood movie.
And then, more than anything else, it is a contemporary story, so it also depicts the professional roadblocks faced by the girl. There are relatives more desperate than herself. People just don't seem to understand that it is a decision of a lifetime, that it is not undone casually, that it remains forever,....you get the drift.
If I had to choose the best part of the whole story, it is undoubtedly going to be the character etching. The authors have had some real skill in creating hilarious, eccentric, despicable, endearing characters, all at once.
BFFs who laugh hysterically while watching movies, who keep pulling your leg when you equip yourselves with books on dating, but nevertheless rescuing you from the abyss of the singlehood-syndrome!
The relatives, who butcher you every weekend in the guise of your well-wisher.
the parents, who've been pestered enough by relatives to believe that their daughter has to get married, no alternatives, no questions asked!
A string of foolish boys: some desperate to live-in, some to conceal their sexuality. A boss who could not have been more hateful, whose absence ironically augments work productivity.
So, if you are in for a light read, which you can relate to, go treat yourself NOW!
In fact, this is a must-read book for every girl out there....