Friday, 28 December 2018

BOOK REVIEW : KNOTTY AFFAIRS

NEWS OF BOOKS 18:45
BOOK NAME : KNOTTY AFFAIRS

AUTHOR : DR. CHIRAG BAGADIA

LITERARY AGENCY : THE BOOK BAKERS

PUBLISHER : BLOOMSBURY INDIA

BLURB:

A land of countless customs, few things in India get bigger than a big fat wedding event. A marriage is a celebration which brings families and friends together. The ceremony ends with the tradition of the bride leaving her parents’ home and moving in with her husband. The groom always has a choice—he can either stay with his parents or stay separately. However, for the bride her ‘home’ is now a strange place.
Meet Aakash, a young dental intern, who falls in love with Kashish. However, what he doesn’t know is that winning her heart was never going to be easy. Kashish is firm—nothing, not even their romance, will come in between her parents and her.Cut to four years later.
Akash has fallen in love with Aneri, the only daughter of her parents. But is he ready to challenge the existing customs for his love? Is he prepared to go to any lengths to see that his love does not shed another tear?
Take this tradition-defying journey with Aakash, Kashish and Aneri as they dare to delve deeper into the web of love and relationships. Warm up to their crazy antics which will leave you wondering— why can’t this be my story?

MY REVIEW :

KNOTTY AFFAIRS by Dr. Chirag Bagadia is a book not only about a love story but it deals with the most important issues and traditions of Indian society. The blurb and the title conveyed what the story was about and the beautiful cover complimented it perfectly.
The book starts with Aakash, a dentist by profession meeting his old friend, Vishakha. The book is divided into three parts with all the parts being interlinked.  It tells the story of how Aakash meets Kashish during his college days and how love blossoms between them. It is a serious affair and even though they try their level best to convince their parents, they fail.
Later, Akaash meets Aneri, a girl whom his parents have chosen for him, but just as they get ready to marry each other, Aneri reveals her dilemma to Aakash; she feels guilty about leaving her old parents alone after her marriage.
After much brainstorming, Aneri and Aakash come up with a solution to this problem but will it be accepted by their parents or by society?
The book talks about the main problems of Indian society and will compel the reader to ponder. The language is lucid, the plot is well constructed, and the narrative is smooth wherein all the characters have been given equal importance. The final suspense is exciting.
Overall, the book is an enjoyable and thought provoking read.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR :

Dr. Chirag Bagadia is a Mumbai-based dentist who runs his own private clinic, Moonsmile Dental Care and Multispecialty. He has completed his BDS from YMT Dental College in 2008 and holds an MA in Yogashashtra from Somaiya College. When he is not busy designing smiles for his patients, he works as a yoga consultant, catering to high profile clients on a personal basis.
His debut novel, Knotty Affairs is a powerful story questioning the roots of Indian marriage. A heart-warming tale about friendship, love, family, and everything in between, this book is a result of his long-standing aspiration and acute interest in creative fiction-writing.

RATING : 5/5



Monday, 24 December 2018

EXCHANGING WORDS WITH USTAD GHULAM MUSTAFA KHAN & NAMRATA GUPTA KHAN

NEWS OF BOOKS 03:37


AUTHOR'S BIO :
Namrata Gupta Khan was born and raised in the city of dreams, Mumbai. She is a commerce graduate from Mumbai University. She started working while still in college and over a period of twelve years, built a career in customer service and sales with one of the largest telecom companies of India. Namrata runs her own event management firm, NR Talent and Event Management Company which organizes events in India and overseas.  She is passionate about health and fitness and believes that one can always work towards changing one's physical and mental well-being and personal growth Writing has always fascinated her, and feels fortunate that she has been able to finally accomplish it. This is her debut.

1. Who and what inspired you to write?

Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan is a renowned Hindustani classical music artiste and his story needed to be penned in an autobiography. When I became a part of this culturally rich family as a daughter in law, I found myself in the unique position of being a member of this family as well as someone who could give a fresh look with words in co-writing this autobiography with him.

2. What challenges did you face while writing and getting published?

Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan is a Hindustani classical music maestro, he is also my beloved father-in-law whom I call Papa. Despite being so talented, he is a man of few words. The biggest challenge was to get him to open up and share his life experiences, his achievements, his moments of pride and glory as well as his disappointments and struggles.
How does one compile the autobiography of a man who is so self-effacing, so modest and so untouched by glitz, glamour or by his formidable accomplishments, that he doesn’t feel the need to tell his story to the world, or sometimes even to his own family? How does one expect a man, who does not consider himself a celebrity, to talk about his achievements and the honours that have been bestowed upon him? In order to do justice to his huge life experiences and to make it fit in a book of limited words that would inspire generations to come, the research and endless attempts for him to open up to me without any inhibitions was challenging and equally rewarding for me.

3.  How did you come to know about the literary agency THE BOOK BAKERS? 

We had other publishers who approached us and wished to do an autobiography of Ustadji with me. My husband Rabbani Ghulam Mustafa Khan, Ustadji’s son, got in touch with Suhail Mathur for some other work and he happened to be from The Book Bakers. And that’s how ‘TBB’ became our literary agent.

4. How did THE BOOK BAKERS help you and what would you like to say about them?

The Book Bakers got us connected to one of the biggest publishers “PENGUIN”, and it has been a wonderful experience to be associated with The Books Bakers.

5. How do you see literary success for yourself?

Success can mean different things for different people. For some, it can be in buying a new house/car. For some it can be feeding your family and providing a roof over their heads, and for some when they have achieved immense fame or power which makes them untouchable. Success for me is making a difference to someone else’s life. At the end of the day, if I see that my work has helped someone get employed, or someone has been able to provide for their family because of my assistance, or if I have inspired someone to lead a better life, I feel that I have achieved success. After all, each day when I wake up, my prime goal is to strive my hardest to do my best in whatever way to enable others in reaching the next level in their lives, irrespective of how big or small that step is. At the end of the day it leads me to sleep peacefully and motivates me enough to wake up and try harder. After all, success also implies that you don’t give up. Right?

6. When can we expect your next book?

Maybe next year.

7. What are Ustad Ji views about the book?

My daughter in law Namrata brought out the candid side of my life.She has written about the man behind the music, the struggle of my life, experiences, and travels which have made me the man I am today. She has beautifully penned the insightful stories of my musical journey, my marriage and my family.
I am extremely humbled by the amount of love and prayers showered upon me and my work by my beloved fans. I hope this book inspires a sense of positivity, perseverance, and love among the readers. It is an uplifting and balancing act of words put together in soothing sentences by Namrata” he added.

8. Any message or tips for aspiring authors?

* Start small. Writing short stories is a great way to do that. Writing a good short story forces you to create and develop a character and take a plot from beginning to the end, in a limited number of pages. Each chapter is basically a short story.
 * Write things down. It’s helpful to jot ideas down for stories, bits of conversation you overhear, observe the people and situations around you, interesting situations you learn of, and character names you create. Keep a little notebook for this purpose and put it on your bedside table at night. Don’t trust your memory. That great idea you thought of just before going to bed will probably be gone by the morning.
* Seek advice from other authors.

BOOK NAME: A DREAM I LIVED ALONE
PUBLISHER: PENGUIN



BOOK SYNOPSIS/BLURB :
Watch Out Music Lovers, a book for music connoisseurs and sangeet sadhaks. In this world of commercialisation comes an Inspirational Ustad, a legend, our very own Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan sahib. "The Artist and Guru par excellence " where he defines and justifies the true meaning of Indian Music, Culture, and Tradition.
The book speaks about his journey towards success with his experiences, and his struggle against politics. Padma Vibhushan awardee Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan narrates his life's story. From practicing music in a graveyard as a young boy, to teaching students, who became stalwarts of the music industry. His journey is as lyrical and spiritually enriching as his evergreen songs. 
The octogenarian has nourished his family with love and care, even in his absence. Guru to A.R Rahman, Hariharan, Shaan, Sonu Nigam, and many others, yet he is humble and modest about his own achievements. Captured in its essence by his daughter-in-law Namrata Gupta Khan.  
A Dream I Lived Alone is a heart-warming story of love, riyaz, dedication and life of the maestro of music, Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan.

ORDER THE COPY FROM :

Monday, 3 December 2018

EXCHANGING WORDS WITH RADHIKA SACHDEV

NEWS OF BOOKS 04:49




AUTHOR'S BIO:

Radhika Sachdev is an independent journalist, who has held senior, editorial positions with leading news banners -Times of India, Hindustan Times, Indian Express, Financial World, The Pioneer etc. She currently runs her own ad agency, Write Solutions (www.writesolutions.co) from Mumbai. My family comprises of a 78-year-old dad, and a 16-year-old daughter, two people, at two ends of the age spectrum.

1. Who and what inspired you to write?
I’ve been an editor and ghostwriter to many celebrity authors. My late mother, Asha Sachdev, never quite liked the description, “Ghostwriter,”for what I did for a living “When are you going to write your own book?” she would ask in exasperation, and my stock answer was, “When I feel it stirring in me.” Little did we both realise then, or we wouldn’t have wished for it, that it would take a liver transplant, and my close brush with death, for this book to take birth, and begin to grow inside me, with a life very much of its own.

2. What challenges did you face while writing and getting published?
The biggest challenge was writing from the discomfort of my hospital bed on the small screen of a Samsung Galaxy phone. Confined to my room for almost two months, post-surgery, where I was not allowed to interact with anyone, except my 24-hour nurse and attendant, I had very little to sustain my sanity with, except to write, and that’s what I did. It started as a daily blog series on LinkedIn, which got re-run on Times Of India blogsite, until I got this book offer.
The core of the book took shape during these two months of confinement in my super sanitized recuperating room, from where I not just wrote, but also negotiated with my clients and carried out my agency business.

3.  How did you come to know about the literary agency THE BOOK BAKERS? 
Through a friend and author, Oswald Pereira.  

4. How did THE BOOK BAKERS help you and what would you like to say about them?
Suhail landed me this deal with Fingerprint, and I am extremely thankful to it.

5. How do you see literary success for yourself?
I am working on my second – Everyday Survival – from my favourite Launchpad, LinkedIn, where I am very active. Let’s see, where this journey takes me.

6. When can we expect your next book?
Hopefully, within six months, as its almost 3/4th done.

7. Any message or tips for aspiring authors?
Feel, feel deep inside you, and something might just pop out. Writing a book is very much like giving birth to a baby.

BOOK NAME: SECOND GO
PUBLISHER:  FINGERPRINT PUBLICATION


BOOK SYNOPSIS/BLURB:

Penned in real time, from the hospital bed while battling for life, on a Samsung Galaxy smartphone's 4x2 inch keypad, the only device allowed to the patient in her super-sanitized recuperating room, this book necessarily follows a hybrid format of medico-psycho thriller, interspersed with SMS chats, transcripts of medical records, and other workings of an addled mind, overcome by sickness, yet determined to pull through.
It’s a first-hand account of a liver transplant recipient’s journey in India, chronicled from the patient’s perspective in vivid detail as a series of dramatic events unfold in her life, completing the cycle from sickness to health, despair to hope.
Finally, it also tells the story of a single mom and a single earner of the family, her strong bonding with her adoptive daughter and her family and friends’ support. The author hopes that this book gives courage and direction to a lot of liver transplant patients who die every year in India, waiting for a cadaveric organ donation. You can find more on the book here – www.radhikasachdev.in.

BOOK REVIEW: 25 ESSENTIALS TO HAPPY LIVING

NEWS OF BOOKS 03:56
BOOK NAME: 25 ESSENTIALS TO HAPPY LIVING

AUTHOR: PREETI PATHAK

LITERARY AGENCY: THE BOOK BAKERS

PUBLISHER:  VISHWAKARMA PUBLICATIONS

BLURB:

Have you ever experienced or explored true happiness? Have you ever felt hesitant to share or express your happiness with others? Have you felt anxious and torn apart within yourself or with others without reason? Are you looking for peace, positivity, and purpose? If yes, “25 Essentials to Happy Living” will enable you to explore true happiness and how to achieve it! It touches upon a basket of emotions and attitudes present in our heart and mind. With Preeti Pathak’s effective guidance and experiences, you will be able to truly comprehend positivity, emotions and a de-stressed life. A check point for you to pause, reflect and even change all that is harmful to you and your loved ones. Read ahead, to let this book shine the light within you for a contended and beatific life.

MY REVIEW:

25 Essentials to Happy Living by Preeti Pathak is a self-help book for everyone. The well-designed cover of the book is serene and the blurb of the book is thought provoking. The author has asked a few questions in the blurb and if the answer to all those questions is a yes, then this book is a must read for you.
The book consists of twenty-five chapters and each one makes you think. The author begins the book by explaining What Is Life and how every human feels a pause in their life and how willingness to learn is the mantra to live. The second chapter on Stress Management deals with stress, a very common phenomenon that affects each human every day, and explains how to deal with it. There is a chapter on dealing with Money Matters and another on Anger. I re-read this chapter because I suffer from anger issues myself and I must admit that it helped me a lot.
There is a chapter named Ego which explains how ego is the veil of delusion. How to Improve Our Communication is another important chapter of this book. The chapter on Divine Friendship explains the basic meaning of life and the chapter on How To Overcome Possessive Nature has a beautiful poem in it and explains why possessiveness arises. The last two chapters, In Search Of A Spiritual Guru, and What Is Spirituality, explain the importance of the Guru and self-realization.
Each chapter of the book ends with Love and Light from the inimitable, Paramhansa Yogananda.
I feel some lines and quotes from this book could be noted down and hung across the wall of one's room as a sort of a philosophical ready reckoner. Reading this book will give many answers and provide the much-needed peace of mind. I highly recommend this book to everyone. You may want to read some chapters again and again and use this delightful book to enhance your quality of life.
Happy Living, everyone!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Author of 25 Essential to Happy Living, Preeti Pathak’s book was launched at Pune International Literary Festival in September, 2017. Writer and Life Enricher, Preeti’s writing encourages and inspires her readers to be happy in all life situation.
Confidence, love, faith, compassion and belief in own self are the fundamentals to understand own attitudes, emotions and their impact on own physical, mental and emotional health. An avid reader with a passion for writing, Preeti’s purpose in life is to seek freedom and help others find theirs through her writings and workshops.
Preeti conducts workshops for youth and adults to facilitate Regrow, Regenerate and Realign life for a happy and anxious free living. Her workshop operates on 4 pillars namely, Awareness, Acceptance, Action-Plan and Amelioration. 
Through experiential workshops she draws light on well-being by practice Meditation, Yoga and Healing.
“Freedom is but a state of mind. All problems originate from us and their solutions also lie within us.” 
To learn more about Preeti’s work and philosophy log-on to www.empyreal.in.

RATING: 5/5



Sunday, 18 November 2018

EXCHANGING WORDS WITH SEEMA PUNWANI

NEWS OF BOOKS 00:24


AUTHOR'S BIO:
Seema Punwani is a marketing professional who learns negotiation skills from her teenage son. She juggles life as a single mum, working adult and now a student of creative writing as she pursues her Masters at LASALLE College of the Arts. She was born in Spain, grew up in Mumbai and now lives in Singapore. When not providing strategic counsel to marketers, writing grade-worthy essays or grappling with issues of raising a teenager, she can be found on the beach in Bali re-reading a Jane Austen classic. Cross Connection is her debut novel.

1. Who and what inspired you to write?

Cross Connection is a story that was originally inspired from my life but then took a life of its own. Some of the crazy dates mentioned in the book have actually happened to me, some are an exaggerated version of the truth and many are completely a figment of my vivid imagination. I wanted to probe on the real-life issues about finding love. Not the Mills and Boon and fairy tale kind, but within the parameters of real life. Not everyone gets it right the first time. And people still find their soulmate after divorce or through dark phases of their lives, like depression. The book aims to explore love in these territories.

2. What challenges did you face while writing and getting published?

Most writers face similar challenges, and writing while maintaining a full time job is a key one. And getting published means getting used to facing rejections and being patient and resilient.
For Cross Connection, I had an additional specific challenge. The book is written from the female and male protagonists point of views. First you hear the story from Sama, the female protagonist. And then you read the 2nd half of the book- The other side of the story- from Zehn, i.e. the male perspective. This part aims to fill the gaps and resolve the issues raised in the first half of the book. It was tough to write the same story from two unique voices and also keep the freshness of the story and avoid redundancies.
I truly believe that the urban life is not as easy for men as we make it out to be. Expectations are high on all fronts. He needs to be the main breadwinner, but also be the perfect husband who plans date nights and must be a hands-on parent who picks up his daughter from ballet after playing cricket with his son. I wanted to give a voice to the insecurities that men face today.
The book is about real people finding love while facing real life issues. The characters are flawed and not picture perfect. The story also talks about still taboo topics like divorce and depression. Sama and Zehn are both looking for that second chance to make things right. Like many of us. Some of you may relate to that eternal search of a soul mate. And I can promise that one or more of these crazy dates would’ve have happened to each one of you. Some of you may have found the love of your life in them. Many of you may be slightly dejected but still looking. Whatever your experience has been, it’s always heartening to know that in this vast universe you are not alone.

3.  How did you come to know about the literary agency THE BOOK BAKERS? 

Through friends in the literary scene.

4. How did THE BOOK BAKERS help you and what would you like to say about them?

Suhail Mathur at The Book Bakers was extremely sincere. And he was relentless in his pursuit to find me a publisher. The process took long, but ultimately, The Book Bakers got me what I needed.

5. How do you see literary success for yourself?

To be widely READ not just bought. And also to find appeal with the male target audience. As I have tried to represent their point of view in the book.

6. When can we expect your next book?

I live in Singapore and my next book is based in an International School in Singapore and follows life of seven friends from puberty to parenthood.

7. Any message or tips for aspiring authors?

Never stop reading. Especially when you are writing. Read genres different from what you are writing about. And one tip that works for me- 500 words before 8 am. Sounds daunting, but it will bring the discipline to your writing. Wish you all the very best! Keep at it!

BOOK NAME: CROSS CONNECTION

PUBLISHER:  VISHWAKARMA PUBLICATIONS


BOOK SYNOPSIS/BLURB:
A woman’s version is seldom the same as a man’s. She looks for the subtexts of emotions (while decoding emoticons) and he is interested in the facts as they stand. Love may exist, but it sometimes cannot bridge these gaps. Written from the point of view of the two protagonists, Sama and Zehn, Cross Connection is a tale about the eternal quest for true love...second time over.
Once married, twice shy, Sama is trying her hand, and her heart, at love and relationships. In her mid-30s, she re-enters the dating world, to find that all the rules have changed. A romantic old soul, she believes that her soul mate Zehn, will find his way back to her. Her pragmatic side makes her try all options- from matrimonial websites to blind dates and online chatting to dating agencies.
Zehn met Sama in college and has never been able to get her off his mind. However, every time their paths cross, the timing is always wrong. Stuck in a loveless marriage, he keeps drawing back to Sama, but fate has other plans for him.
Neither can ignore the chemistry and connection that is so overpowering.  But in today's world where even hope has a shelf life, how long can Sama and Zehn wait for that opportune time?

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