The package lay on the floor, tossed carelessly by a child who found it on the front porch. It lay there unclaimed until I took a break from work to get some water. I picked it off the floor, noticed the absence of any Amazon branding and wondered who might have sent me something. As […]
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The Author Life
“So, how does it feel like to be an Author?” I have been asked this question by various friends over the past few days. I laugh and answer that I am living the dream. It is true. This all feels like a dream, a lovely one. The truth though is that the day of the […]
Read moreFirst Review Is Here!
So, Women’s Web published their review of my book “Why is my Hair Curly?” on their website. Hop on over to read and let me know what you thought.
Read moreCOVID-19 Diaries: Changing Ways of Life
Today, I pulled the plug on our landline. A number we have had since 2001. A number that has followed us through three moves, seen three babies and been a constant across multiple job changes and career changes. The landline has been like a recalcitrant child, acting up, refusing to work and often causing me […]
Read moreMeet The Narrator: Shruti Bhola
A few months before the book release date was fixed, I woke up around 2:30 am in the morning to a message that Audible had agreed to create the Audio version of the book. I remember feeling excited, like someone had found worth in the story to give it voice. I say this as someone […]
Read moreMeet The Illustrator: Niloufer Wadia
Early on during the book writing process, I was told the book would have illustrations. Me, being me, assumed that it would be picture book like with glossy pictures and text that flowed around the pictures. Clearly, I had no idea about the MG book market. I found later that that the illustrations would be […]
Read moreMy Cup Floweth Over
I end the day, my heart full, my eyes teary, and overcome with emotion. All through the day, I watched as friends and family shared posts on their social media. They accompanied links to my books with lengthy write-ups, an ode to the time we have known each other. Each of these posts were heartfelt, […]
Read moreHow Can YOU Help A Debut Author?
(The Obvious) BUY THEIR BOOK(S). Buy a second copy of their book(s) to gift to a friend. Buy a copy to donate to a school library. Review their book(s) on Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, BookDepository – anywhere you can think of. Reviews get books seen. Books that are seen are books that are […]
Read moreBook Birthday: Why is my hair curly?
The day is finally here. Year-long labor of love, my children’s book “Why is my hair curly?” by Red Panda (an imprint of Westland Books – An Amazon company) is out in Kindle and Audible formats today. The paperback version will be out on July 20th, 2020. Get your book at: getbook.at/WhyIsMyHairCurly Join me for […]
Read moreCOVID-19 Diaries: It Takes A Village
I woke up at 2:45 am to news that Amma will be discharged Friday. By the time I brushed and checked messages again, I learned she would be going home today. The following hour was manic. Phone lines buzzed between continents. Friends and family worked in tandem to make sure she could go home without […]
Read moreCOVID-19 Diaries: A Lull
I woke today to news that Amma may be discharged in a day or two. Panic set in. Was she really okay? What if she got sent home and her condition worsened? How will we manage to clean the home and make it ready in a day? What preparation do we need to do in […]
Read moreCOVID-19 Diaries: Bone Tired
It has been five days since Amma has been admitted. The communication gaps when trying to coordinate care in a country 8000 miles away is staggering. Basic questions like what medications is she on? Why is she being given the medicines she is being administered? What is the prognosis? Will they check her lungs again? […]
Read moreCOVID-19 Diaries: Glimmers of Hope
I am on a work call. I am distracted by incoming messages. At some point, I request the rest of the day off and focus on the messages on my phone instead. There are different sets. One with Amma. One with my siblings. One for my medically competent friends. I share details and worries. I […]
Read moreCOVID-19 Diaries: Doom
My right eye twitches. I press my finger on the jumping nerve to still it. Tears poke behind my eyelids. My eyes burn. I am feeling feverish from a lack of sleep and running on adrenaline for two weeks now. My phone lights up with a notification. An extended family member reaches out hearing of […]
Read moreCOVID-19 Diaries: Direct Hit
Over the weeks, I have mused countless times about how much the pandemic occupies my thoughts. I have imagined in vivid detail what the virus does and can do to our bodies. I have feared that someone dear to me might be affected. Amma spiked a fever ten days ago. A mild fever she said. […]
Read moreCOVID-19 Diaries: Longing
It is past bedtime but the five of us are crowded around my laptop peering into the screen. My siblings and their families are in small rectangles on the display. It is chaotic. It is loud. We sing off key as my niece cuts her birthday cake. The whole meeting is less than thirty minutes. […]
Read moreNalak By Abanindranath Tagore – Translated by Urbi Bhaduri
Towards the end of 2019, I received an email from Urbi asking if I would like to read a book she had translated. She sent me a blurb and I was definitely interested. I forgot all about it until the book turned up in my mailbox in February of this year. It is a slim […]
Read moreCOVID-19 Diaries: Reminiscences
Jackfruit. The item remained on our shared grocery list for weeks. Each grocery trip, my finger would hover over it, tempted to strike it off knowing how rare it is to find it locally. Yet, it would stay, a reminder of how random cravings for things from my past can take hold and not let […]
Read moreCOVID-19 Diaries: Anniversary
Nineteen years is a long time. It is even when you factor in the first few years when you are getting to know the person, the next few years when you are struggling to build a family, the years after that are consumed by nurturing this hard-built family. We have both grown. We have both […]
Read moreCOVID-19 Diaries: Politics, Race, Children
There is a pain between my shoulder blades that is nagging. It has been a week. I lower myself to the ground so my upper back can find something firm to rest upon. My kaapi is by the side. I snack on cheese curls as I scroll through my feed. Hasan Minhaj’s video has been […]
Read moreThe Race Conversation
“What is the meaning of race?” My elbows are flat against the kitchen island, my face level with my girls. “Run?” “Bring children up?” The twins come up with every possible meaning but the one I was curious to know what they knew. We drank our kaapi, set Laddu up so she could Facetime her […]
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