The process was harder than I had imagined. Ever since high school, I've nursed this dream of becoming a published book author one day. It's so much easier to keep dreaming. As Trudy wrote in one of her A to Z blog posts this April, 'opportunity comes wearing overalls.' Yes, the reality of all success is hard work--pure and simple.
In my mind, I had thought that with over eight years of blog posts to my credit, cobbling an e-book together would be quite easy if I just sat down and did it. Ha!
Suffice to say, I had to climb a very sharp learning curve very quickly and keep at it. My family and lovely friends helped me and cheered me on. All that hard work was worth it.
Drum roll please....Here it is--my first book :
And it's FREE. FREE. FREE to download here: And all the Seasons in between
All you have to do is sign up with Blogchatter using your FB or Google account. It's straightforward and very quick.
Aditya Vikram, a talented poet friend who read the final draft of the book told me what he thought of the book. I've picked the best to share here:
"But there's so much more than just nostalgia. It's
packed with a way of life. A closeness to nature that all of us wish we could
have. Characterizing natural elements like animals and plants, and especially,
conversing with them is a trait many writers have explored. I was glad to find
it done very well in an Indian context in your work. There is a sense of
innocence in the narrator of the book that makes it endearing and easy to read. "
Thank you Aditya:)
The book should take you an hour to read. The covers have been designed by my daughter, Arshia using Canva. She also added her own watercolours to the pages of the book. You'll love her art.
A big THANK YOU to the team at @Blogchatter for this platform. Their hard work made my transition from dreamer to doer possible.
After the excitement of the book launch, I went to bed on a high last night. This morning, another rejection (from a literary magazine) was waiting for me in my in box! I saw it. Felt a twinge of deep disappointment. But then decided to write this post and continue celebrating.
Life is an up an down game.
It's up to us how we play it. It's a choice we have and we should choose wisely. After all, this day, this moment is one of its kind. It will never, ever come back.
So choose to download my book this weekend. Read it. And please give me your honest feedback. Your comments will help me to whittle a better book next time. You can ask me questions about the book here or on Blogchatter.
Before I go, one last thing...the blurb.
Stay safe and healthy.
Till we meet again.
