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Each day start with a powerful quote or Bible verse- Author Rebecca Author of 100 days to Self-Love Interview by Sharon Swathi Gaddala Rebecca is married and has a daughter and a son. She has been a Pediatric nurse practitioner for 8 years. Prior to becoming a nurse practitioner, she was a nurse in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit for 7 years. She has 2 big dogs, loves to do puzzles, sew, read, and play the piano. Sharon – Who or what inspired you to write this book?Author Rebecca – For the past 2 years, I’ve been on a big journey of learning to accept myself and love my body. I have acquired so many skills in the past few years and I have had a significant amount of personal growth. I thought that if writing about my journey could help even just one person to love themselves more, the effort would be worth it. Rebecca Glenski Coppage Sharon – What can you tell us about your book?Author Rebecca – 100 Days to Self-Love is a daily devotional that takes you on a journey to learning how to let go of your past mistakes, accept where you are right now, and embrace all the things that make you uniquely you. Each day starts with a powerful quote or Bible verse. Sharon – What Genre is your book and why did you make that choice?Author Rebecca – I had a difficult time deciding what genre to make my book. I feel like it falls within the self-help category, but I also think there is a spiritual/inspirational component as well. Sharon – How long did it take for you to complete this book?Author Rebecca – I wrote this book over the course of about 2 months. Once I sat down and started writing, I had a very hard time stopping. The words just poured out of me. It took another month or so to edit my book and get it ready to publish. Sharon – What was the hardest part while writing this book?Author Rebecca – In 100 Days to Self-Love, I share a lot of personal experiences that I have gone through during my life. Writing about some of these hard experiences made me feel extremely vulnerable at times. It can be very hard to open up about your own personal struggles and issues, knowing that you are about to let the whole world read your book. Sharon – How did you come up with the Title of this book?Author Rebecca – My favourite devotional book is called 100 Days to Brave. I absolutely LOVED the idea of taking 100 days of your life and committing it to an important purpose. I also wanted people to know exactly what my book was about, just by reading the title: Self-Love. Sharon – Did you design your book cover or hire a professional?Author Rebecca – I hired a professional to design my book cover. I am in love with it! It turned out even better than I had imagined it! Emily Watson did a beautiful job of taking my ideas and making them into an eye-catching, colorful cover. Sharon – Did you self-Publish or use a publisher? Who was the publisher and how much time did they take to publish your book.Author Rebecca – I self-published 100 Days to Self-Love. It was very important to me that if I was going to share parts of my story, that it not be altered in any way. I worried that if I tried to get a publisher, they might want to change it a bit. I really just wanted to publish my book exactly the way I wrote it. So, I chose to self-publish using Amazon. Sharon – How did you celebrate after you completed your book?Author Rebecca – My husband and I popped a bottle of champagne and toasted! It was a small celebration, but it felt like a very big step in my writing career. Sharon – How do you deal with negative reviews on your book review?Author Rebecca – There are always going to be people who disagree with you or dislike the work you are putting out into the world. They also won’t be afraid to voice it. I remind myself constantly that the most important opinion of my work is my own. When I see negative comments or reviews, I try to take it as constructive criticism. Sometimes though, you just have to let these negative opinions role off your back. Sharon – When did you start writing?Author Rebecca – I have been writing ever since I can remember. Even as a very young girl, I would write little things in my diary. I would also write short stories and make small books. As I got older, my writing became more focused. I never stopped journaling though! Sharon – How many books have you written?Author Rebecca – I have written 2 books. My first, called My Perfect Little Secret, is a young adult novel that I released in 2012. 100 Days to Self-Love was released a little over 2 weeks ago. Sharon – Who is your favourite Author and why?Author Rebecca – I really love reading books written by Annie Downs. They are so easy to relate to, down to earth, and you feel like you are reading something written by a close friend. Sharon – What advice would you give to a writer, for their first book?Author Rebecca – Take it one chapter at a time. Writing a book is a big process and if you get bogged down in all that needs to be done, it can be really daunting. Just focus on expressing your idea and getting it on paper. Buy the Book at To Follow the Author on Social Platforms Facebook Wordpress We wish Rebecca Glenski Coppage all the success for her book.

Everyone has uniqueness – Author Neelam Lashari Author or Book – Comfort of Hardship Interview by Sharon Swathi Gaddala Neelam Lashari is an International Published Writer & a Bilingual Poet. She is a co-author of many international anthologies. She had writing experience in many magazines and on digital platforms. She likes to play with words that can portray a common man and their issues. Moreover, she throws the ink on canvas to portray the feelings and emotions of the masses through touchy words. In her other life, she is a writer and a social media manager in an advertising agency named BechDay Advertising (www.bechday.com). Founder & President of The Writing Club Pakistan (www.thewritingclubpakistan.com), also working as a freelancer. She has been writing for the last eight years. Currently she is working with various publishers and magazines. She has experience working in media and software houses. She is a family-oriented person and an introvert although, she had a huge social circle. Sharon – Who or what inspired you to write this book?Author Neelam – No one inspired me to write a book. Writing is my passion and profession. I always love to do wonders. I just randomly thought to write a book as a general perception is that poetry is my genre only. Many people are unaware that I am writing articles, blogs, content, etc. for many years. Therefore, I thought to wash away that label and write something different. Sharon – What can you tell us about your book? Author Neelam – “The Comfort of Hardship” is a book that will highlight the foremost matter that one faces while chasing his/her dreams. Nevertheless, each & every person is different from another person in numerous terms. Everyone has uniqueness, and sometimes it turns out to be so hard to convince people to respect their personality. On the other hand, even in this modern era, people ask their children to emphasise on schoolings only, they never allow them to learn skills. This book will highlight the significance of learning the skills. Sharon – What Genre is your book and why did you make that choice?Author Neelam – The genre of my book is fiction. I always like to write things related to this genre. I believe and think that stories based on fiction always grab the attention of the masses. They are very near to reality, and sometimes they are based on real stories. Many people can relate their stories to fiction based stories, and, sometimes they find the solutions to their issues. So, it’s always my favourite genre to read, write and think. Sharon – How long did it take for you to complete this book? Author Neelam – Honestly speaking, it took me just five months to write the book. Writing is not an issue for me. If I start writing, I can write thousands and thousands of words without any pause. Sharon – What was the hardest part while writing this book?Author Neelam – The hardest part was its editing and formatting. Although it’s not an issue, but I really face countless hurdles while editing, formatting, and even uploading it on Amazon. Those were the small issues, but grab my all attention and time. Sometimes those issues left me irritated like anything. It was fun and problematic side by side. Sharon – How did you come up with the Title of this book?Author Neelam – Well, I had many ideas for the title of the book. Although, I was confused and want it to be something catchy and superb. I had different titles for my book, but my sister suggested this one. So, I went for her suggestion and named it “The Comfort of Hardship” People are loving the title and, that’s good. Sharon – Did you design your book cover or hire a professional?Author Neelam – I designed the cover of the book by myself. I do not favour taking the help of anyone. I guess one must at least try to handle things by themselves. Rest is Luck! Sharon – Did you self-Publish or use a publisher? Who was the publisher and how much time did they take to publish your book.Author Neelam – It’s a Self-Publication through Amazon. Sharon – How did you celebrate after you completed your book? Author Neelam – I treated myself by making a dessert. Haha. Well, I just celebrated at home with my parents and sister. It was just a good dinner, nothing else. Sharon – How do you deal with negative reviews on your book review?Author Neelam – Well, I believe that negative reviews always give you a chance to improve yourself. Negative reviews, always come up with some lessons and tips. One must listen to them carefully to improve him or herself. I am standing here only because of those reviews because I love to play with challenges and turn the table. So, it’s just fun. Sharon – When did you start writing?Author Neelam – It’s been 7 to 8 years since I started writing. Sharon – How many books have you written?Author Neelam – “The Comfort of Hardship” is my first book. But I have written many books as a Co-author on both National & International platforms. On the other hand, many books are in the pipeline. Alhumdulilah Sharon – Who is your favourite Author and why?Author Neelam – Najwa Zebian is my favourite author. Her words always touch my heart and sometimes gives a soothing feeling to my soul. I, always love to read her thoughts. Sharon – What advice would you give to a writer, for their first book?Author Neelam – I will advise them to start writing. Don’t hesitate as nothing is impossible. Just start writing and let your feelings and emotions disembogue in a flow. A beautiful destination is waiting for you. Just do it because you can do it. Buy the Book at To Follow the Author on Social Platforms Facebook Wordpress Wordpress Wordpress We wish Neelam Lashari all the very best

Mystery with some unique characters, changing directions on what happened throughout the way Author S.A. Gensch Interview by Sharon Swathi Gaddala S.A. GENSCH was born in Minnesota United States of America and moved to Colorado when she was entering high school. She met her husband in Colorado and have three kids. These days she spends her days being a stay-at-home mom and work on my writing whenever she can. Sharon – Who or what inspired you to write this book?Author S.A. Gensch – When I read The Outsiders in seventh grade, that’s what started this very long writing journey. Ever since I read that book, I wanted to tell my own stories. Sharon – What can you tell us, about your book?Author S.A. Gensch – It’s a mystery with some unique characters, and it’ll make you change directions on what happened throughout the way. Sharon – What Genre is your book and did why did you make that choice?Author S.A. Gensch – Mystery. I’ve just always loved reading mysteries. I was the kid who read lots of Nancy Drew books and played the Nancy Drew computer games. I also love watching mystery/thriller movies. It’s not the only genre I’m going to write, but it made sense for my first novel. Sharon – How long did it take for you to complete this book?Author S.A. Gensch – Well, that depends when you consider me actually starting. I’ve had the plotline and the characters in my head for years, about a decade. I’ve tried typing different directions with it multiple times, but never got far in it. It just never felt right. When I pushed myself to finally write this book, it only took me a few months. I worked on it constantly everyday. I was very determined to finally get something going for myself. Sharon – What was the hardest part while you were writing this book?Author S.A. Gensch – Oddly enough, because it was a mystery, the hardest part was wondering if readers would keep up with the timeline. I’d write things and wonder if readers would recall something related to it from earlier or if they’d make the connections. Essentially, I was worried if I was writing things in an order for it all to make sense. It seems silly now, but when you’re writing the story, you do worry about those little things. Sharon – How did you select or come up with the Title of this book?Author S.A. Gensch – I used the thesaurus. I wrote down the keywords for the book, I guess a “dumbed down” title, and threw the words around the thesaurus until I found something a little more unique. It didn’t really take me long. As soon as I wrote it down, I could feel that was it. My next book wasn’t as simple. I probably went through fifty title ideas before finally landing on one. Sharon – Did you design your book cover or hire a professional?Author S.A. Gensch – The self-publishing company I went through designed it for me. I had no idea what I wanted the cover to look like until I went through their picture library and found tons of ideas, then finally landed on one. Sharon – Did you self-Publish or use a publisher? Who was the publisher and how much time did they charge to publish your book.Author S.A. Gensch – Self-published at Outskirts Press, and it only took maybe a month. It wasn’t long at all. Honestly, I don’t plan to use them again, because I found a different route that will make more sense for my future books. Nothing against Outskirts, I really have no complaints with them, but there’s something else in the future for me. Sharon – How did you celebrate after you completed your book? Author S.A. Gensch – Well, considering it was during a pandemic, we didn’t get to celebrate the way I would have loved to. An in-person book sale of some sort would have been amazing. Instead, we ran an online pre-sale where some profits went towards a small business that needed help from loss to the pandemic. Sharon – How do you deal with negative reviews on your book review?Author S.A. Gensch – I haven’t gotten any yet, but you know, you can’t please everyone. Everyone has their own pleasures in books, and there are going to be some who don’t find that in mine. There’s nothing wrong with that. I can’t let that affect my future with writing. Sharon – When did you start writing?Author S.A. Gensch – When I was a teenager. I actually had a mystery trilogy someone was helping me get published, but I backed out just unsure if it was what I wanted to do in my life or if that’s what I wanted to be known for as my first published work. It was worth it to wait all these years. Sharon – How many books have you written?Author S.A. Gensch – I’ve published one, and one is coming this summer. Sharon – What advice would you give to a writing for their first book?Author S.A. Gensch – There’s no time frame to finish a book. There’s no audience to please. Don’t write it how anyone else would want it written. Just write it for you. Sharon – Who is your favourite Author and why? Author S.A. Gensch – Well S.E. Hinton’s books are what inspired me to write. I think if there was an author whose books I couldn’t ever put down, it would be Scott Westerfeld. I read his entire Uglies series within days. Buy the Book at To Follow the Author on Social Platforms Facebook Wordpress Wordpress Our best wishes to Haribakth for his book.

A book exclusively written for the those seeking to interpret scriptures – Author Haribakth Author of Book – Aksara Bhagavad Gita Interview by Sharon Swathi Gaddala Mr. Ravindra Rao writing under the pen name of Haribakth. A family of senior citizens, He is 63, lives with his spouse and parents. Holds a Masters degree In commerce and a graduate in Law. Was working in a Nationalised Bank for 34 years as IT Officer and took VRS in 2015 to pursue self actualisation via the Gita. Reading, studying and analysing Bhagavad GIta is his passion. His daughter worked on the illustrations. Sharon – Who or what inspired you to write this book? Author Haribakth – Divine selfishness, motivated to endear myself to God as per His promise in BG: 18.69 is what inspired me. Sharon – What can you tell us, about your book?Author Haribakth – Sharing esoteric revelations unexplored till date. A book exclusively written for the those seeking to interpret scriptures, Theists, Agnostics, Students of Religious and inter religious philosophy, Hindu Philosophy, Logicians, Students of theosophy and hermeneutics, seers who see universal singularity of God of all religions irrespective of the faith they profess. Those seeking to expand cosmic consciousness, Krishna Devotees and Gita Lovers. Sharon – What Genre is your book and did why did you make that choice? Author Haribakth – This question is addressed in the very first chapter. Genre is creative non-fiction or Fictionalised presentation of factive elements. About the reason for choice, I had no choice. His utterances are Non-fiction. It is fictionalised so as to make it more intelligible and interesting.  Sharon – How long did it take for you to complete this book?Author Haribakth – It has taken three years. Sharon – What was the hardest part while you were writing this book?Author Haribakth – Collating and correlating the writings spread over a span of three years to make it continuous and cohesive was the hardest part. Sharon – How did you select or come up with the Title of this book?Author Haribakth – The Title selected itself. Imperishable is the quality of Gita,hence the suffix of Imperishable was added to the Book. Sharon – Did you design your book cover or hire a professional?Author Haribakth – My daughter, Vaishnavi designed the cover and all illustrations contained therein Sharon – Did you self publish or use a publisher?Author Haribakth – Self published through Mark My book through their Imprint Book Mitra. Sharon – How was working with the published and is it free or paid service?Author Haribakth – The Publisher is thorough professional. This can be seen in the selection of fonts, Page size and book size so as to accommodate 150K words within 600 pages. It accommodates itself in book shelf and easy to hold and read. Sharon – How did you celebrate after you completed your book?Author Haribakth – It is the readers who celebrate after reading, because there is a value addition and a mental shift in consciousness towards the infinite and cosmopolitan after reading my book. Sharon – How do you deal with negative reviews on your book review?Author Haribakth – They have a perspective and a role to complete the social milieu. Their views are weighed so as to improve my future self and where there is no constructive criticism, I just ignore it.  Sharon – When did you start writing?Author Haribakth – November 2017 Sharon – How many books have you written?Author Haribakth – Two with the third on the anvil. Sharon – What advice would you give to a writing for their first book?Author Haribakth – Be persistent. Be disciplined. Don’t be put off by time, persons, circumstances etc, which are but temporary set backs. A best seller isn’t necessarily a good book but a book nicely marketed. Here, success depends on the buyers, which again depends on marketing . Write your heart out to convey what you have to say. Success follows, may not be today, but definitely tomorrow. Sharon – Who is your favourite Author and why?Author Haribakth – I have many favourites. Ayn Rand for her concise and crisp Philosophy, Arthur Hailey for his elaborate treatment of the chosen subject, Jeffrey Archer for making the reading gripping, R K Narayan because, I can relate to his subjects socially and culturally, me hailing from the same place. Thank You Sharon for giving me a platform for airing my views and providing me an opportunity to bring out the best in me. Buy the Book at To Follow the Author on Social Platforms Facebook Wordpress Wordpress Wordpress Wordpress Our best wishes to Haribakth for his book.

Fate, Destiny, and Karma are things are nothing but unexplained science – Sai Phani Author of Book – Powers of the Universe Interview by Sharon Swathi Gaddala His father is a government employee and mother a home maker. He has a supportive brother. A happy small family. Sharon – Who or what inspired you to wirte this book?Author Sai Phani – Big bang theory Sharon – Can you tell us more about this book?Author Sai Phani – It is a science fantasy. A fantasy world will be explained in a scientific way so you love realistic fiction then you will love the book. In reviewers terms “It is told in a very unique way. Sci fi adventurous trilling story told in very dramatic style” Sharon – What Genre is your book and did why did you make that choice?Author Sai Phani – I always believe everything has a reason. People say fate, destiny, and karma kind of things. If you read my book you will understand all these things are nothing but unexplained science. In this book, You will see all that unexplained things unwrapping. I want to explain the creation of the universe in a fictional way. That is why this is science fantasy. Sharon – How long did it take for you to complete this book?Author Sai Phani -The initial idea started a year and a half back but started writing it 9 months back. Sharon – What was the hardest part while you were writing this book?Author Sai Phani – Explain science in a fictional way is fun but at the same time it is difficult to make things entertaining especially when you are trying to explain complex things in simple terms. Sharon – How did you select or come up with the Title of this book?Author Sai Phani – If I say it, I will be spoiling the book for the readers. Which I would like to avoid. Sharon – Did you design your book cover or hire a professional?Author Sai Phani – Abigail, A professional designer designed the cover. Sharon – Did you self publish or use a publisher?Author Sai Phani – I self-published my book. Sharon – How was working with the published and is it free or paid service?Author Sai Phani – I update myself with the latest technology all the time so I managed all the publishing-related things. But editing and marking related things I hired professionals. Sharon – How did you celebrate after you completed your book?Author Sai Phani – I loved the feeling I got this wonderful opportunity to tell a creative story I have in my mind. Whenever a person buys my book I feel good that another person in the world knows I am creative. Sharon – How do you deal with negative reviews on your book review?Author Sai Phani – First thing first, I will try to figure out if that is accurate or not. If it is accurate then I will read it again and analyse the issue. I will work on how to fix the problem. But if it is not true then I will completely ignore it. Sharon – When did you start writing?Author Sai Phani – Nine months back Sharon – How many books have you written?Author Sai Phani – One Sharon – Who is your favourite Author and why?Author Sai Phani – George R. R. Martin. He tells a story that people can enjoy even after the book is completed. Sharon – What advice would you give to a writing for their first book?Author Sai Phani – Give your best Wordpress Wordpress Our best wishes for your book Sai Phani

Fictional stories are the best way to communicate the right message to the readers – Disha Sharma Author of Book – 5 Days Author Disha Sharma Interview by Sharon Swathi Gaddala A freelance journalist, she writes academic, lifestyle, relationship related articles. Has over 3 years of digital journalist experience after working in Newzstreet Media Pt Ltd, NewsX and ANI. Not just that, she is a blogger, columnist. A self-published author of short stories on self-help topics. Conducted celebrity interviews during her internship and covered general stories related to community and pets. A family person, a balanced foodie. Sharon – Who or what inspired you to write this book?Author Disha Sharma – Not a specified person inspired me. Daily lives of people who suffer problems like financial crisis and made me to write in a fictional manner. Interestingly, initially I had no specific idea but gradually when I kept on writing, suddenly, a story got its accurate words. Sharon – What can you tell us, about your book?Author Disha Sharma – My book is about a 5 Days is mental health, relationship fictional story that traces the life of low-key Mumbai-based sales manager Ayaan Senger fighting his financial crisis after marrying his love Payal Ahuja. Problems seem to be never-ending and his mental health starts deteriorating. From experiencing hallucinations to mood swings, Ayaan Senger is on a verge to lose his Identity. Though Payal makes her best effort in motivating Ayaan to not feel demotivated however nothing seems to be fruitful until one day he meets a ghost on his way to Khandala. What happens after it is an interesting read. Sharon – What Genre is your book and did why did you make that choice? Author Disha Sharma – My genre is a self-help fictional psycho thriller. I made this choice because I think fictional stories are the best way to communicate the right message to the readers. Sharon – How long did it take for you to complete this book? Author Disha Sharma – Almost 9-10 months Sharon – What was the hardest part while you were writing this book? Author Disha Sharma – The hardest part while writing a book was that sometimes, I used to forget the continuity in the manuscript that used to stop my cursor while writing. So to repetitively putting all words together was the toughest and cumbersome work to do. Sharon – How did you select or come up with the Title of this book?Author Disha Sharma – After completing the book, two titles came in my mind two hour journey and five days. I thought That Two hour journey will be an apt title to illustrate about the journey of the character Ayaan Senger from Mumbai to Khnaldal when he meets a girl, but suddenly I realised that the book title should be a compilation of the character’s life so I chose Five Days which combined all the experiences of the character. Sharon – Did you design your book cover or hire a professional?Author Disha Sharma – Hired a publisher Sharon – Did you self publish or use a publisher?Author Disha Sharma – Used a publisher Sharon – How was working with the published and is it free or paid service?Author Disha Sharma – Paid publishing Sharon – How did you celebrate after you completed your book?Author Disha Sharma – I celebrated with my family members by throwing a party. I shared copies with relatives, informed my friend son Facebook, Twitter and all the people who helped me while writing this book. Sharon – How do you deal with negative reviews on your book review?Author Disha Sharma – So far, I haven’t received any negative review for my book. Almost everyone is liking the book. But dealing with negative reviews is a kind of a motivation for me to go for improvement. I don’t get affected by the negative reviews because I think it’s only telling me the truth that I haven’t written good enough to impress the people. So, I think negative reviews are the best way to do something good, better and best. Sharon – When did you start writing?Author Disha Sharma – I started writing in the year 2018. Sharon – What advice would you give to a writing for their first book?Author Disha Sharma – I will advice them to stay calm and composed while writing their first book. One should have a clear idea about their writing, do not hesitate while writing your imagination, make lots of notes and jolt it down on books, imagine from the outer world. Be it parks, a hilly station or a peaceful place, words will a naturally flow into your mind and will give you a kickstart to your perfect writing journey. Sharon – Who is your favourite Author and why?Author Disha Sharma – It’s John Grisham. He is the best. I like the writing style not because he knows the accurate words but because whenever he writes a thriller, he really puts everyone on the edge of your seat with a mix of some real harsh truths of daily life. Wordpress Wordpress We wish Disha Sharma all the very best for her book.

Past demons do have a way to come into one’s present with life changing consequences Book – The Chronicler of the Hooghly and other stories (Fiction) Author Shakti Ghosal Interview by Sharon Swathi Gaddala He is a Mechanical Engineer of the Indian Railway Services and a Management post graduate from IIM Bangalore. He worked in the corporate sector, both in India and abroad, close to four decades. Currently he is visiting faculty at a few of the Indian Institutes of Management as a Coach and a Leadership Incubator with Empathinko Worldwide. He is blessed with a lovely family which consists of his charming wife, two lovely daughters, son-in-law and a one and a half year old grand daughter. Sharon – Who or what inspired you to write this book? Author Shakti Ghosal – In our lives, we at times get confronted with intense and traumatic events which force us to question who we are, what really matters to us and what we believe in. In some ways these events alter our sense of reality. Each of the four stories in this book draw inspiration from such crucible events that I have had to face. The protagonists in that sense carry a bit of my own ‘experience and thought’ genes. As I see them now within the larger fabric of the stories, I do notice shades of myself and others who have been part of my life. Writing the stories has been a personal journey in that sense. At times the stories seemed to write themselves. Sharon – What can you tell us, about your book?Author Shakti Ghosal The book is a work of fiction and consists of four independent stories. The Chronicler of the Hooghly :As Samir embarks on a sunset cruise on the Hooghly, he meets the enigmatic Chronicler who takes him on a two and a half centuries journey surrounding the curse of a fabled pearl necklace, as mentioned by his dying mother. The Chronicler asks,“What could be behind you taking this trip today and me telling you this tale?” Pandemic : Spanning a century between the pandemics of 1919 and 2020, Dipen and Indranil are confronted by tragedies under vastly different societal conditioning and development. What is their link spanning four generations which arises from an old and dilapidated palace and its massive Shiva linga? Ashtami : As the capital of the British Raj shifts to Delhi in 1912, Junior Clerk Sujit with wife Bina is forced to migrate from Calcutta to distant and dusty Civil Lines in Delhi. Shanti, born of a forcep delivery gone horribly wrong, comes into their lives. A tale of evolving relationships against the backdrop of momentous events in the nation’s history. Faultlines :Suffering severe injuries from a gas explosion, Anjan meets Savio who brings him face to face with the private demons from his past. But past demons do have a way to come into one’s present with life changing consequences. Who is Savio? Sharon – What Genre is your book and did why did you make that choice? Author Shakti Ghosal – The Genre is Fiction with three of the stories falling in the realm of Historical Fiction. Sharon – How long did it take for you to complete this book?Author Shakti Ghosal – I took the opportunity of forcible stay inside my home during the lockdown period to write the book. Though I had a rough structure of the plots in my mind, I could put pen to paper only in March 2020 after which it took about four months to complete. Sharon – What was the hardest part while you were writing this book? Author Shakti Ghosal I suppose this comes true for all individuals who sit down to write a book. Once I had structured and written a story, my mind kind of got into a ‘single track’ and I lost the ability of making significant change in either the narration or the plot. So even when the initial draft was read by close family members and they had some worthwhile suggestions, I tended to defend what I had written. To me, this ability to accept constructive criticism and be willing to make changes in what one has written is a hard part of the whole experience. Sharon – How did you select or come up with the Title of this book?Author Shakti Ghosal – The Book title flows from one of the stories, ‘The Chronicler of the Hooghly’ Sharon – Did you design your book cover or hire a professional? Author Shakti Ghosal – The book cover was designed by the publisher on the basis of a perspective I had offered. The publisher offered a few cover options to choose from. Sharon – Did you self publish or use a publisher? Author Shakti Ghosal – I have used a traditional publisher. Sharon – How was working with the published and is it free or paid service?Author Shakti Ghosal – I loved interacting with the publisher regarding finalisation of the cover, section layouts as well as the final proofreading. The publisher offered free service for all this For me the least favourite part of publishing is the long gestation period of six months between submission of manuscript and the scheduled release. But I suppose that is how it is in the publishing world. Sharon – How did you celebrate after you completed your book?Author Shakti Ghosal – That is a good question. I do not recall what I did but I suppose I went to the coffee bar with my wife. Sharon – How do you deal with negative reviews on your book review?Author Shakti Ghosal – As I have said in my response to an earlier question, we tend to get so ‘attached’ to what we have written that we have a problem to deal with negative reviews. I always tell my own self that every review and criticism is really a wake-up call and a nudge to make me improve myself. I have tried

STRESS – What? When? How To Manage? – Sharon Gaddala Do you cry without any reason? Do you feel low? Do you feel tired most of the time ? Do you pick up fights easily? Do you always have disagreements? Do you like to be isolated from your loved ones? Do you think you have anxiety? Do you worry a lot? Do you overthink most of the times? Did you answer “YES” to at least 1 of the questions listed above? You may be stressed! Read or watch the video for more details. 1 in 8 eight people has some kind of mental disorder, STRESS is one of them. Everyone experiences stress to some degree, stress is a normal reaction to everyday pressures however it may become unhealthy if it is left untreated or is bothering your day-to-day functioning. Stress means feeling threatened by life there’s something worrying there’s something which is causing you to feel upset. Stress contributes directly to your mental and physical health however it is important that you know good coping mechanisms to deal with the stress and the way you respond to stress makes a big difference in the overall well-being of you. What’s the best thing you can do? Eliminate the cause of stress. Mental disorders involve significant disturbances to the way we think, the way we behave and regulate emotions, according to a recent survey:- 26 percent of Indians are stressed due to their current working conditions, 17 percent are stressed because of their financial instability, 14 are stressed due to relationships. So, what does stress do to the body? Does stress have any effect on the body or is it something just outside? Stress affects the anatomy of the body. The ways stress affects us:- Headaches and migraine Respiratory system (conditions like heart attacks stroke hypertension) Endocrine Digestion Anxiety and depression My hi-five’s in my recommendations on how you can deal with are detailed in the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBkHjiAmJ0M&t=2s Everyone experiences stress to some degree, stress is a normal reaction to everyday pressures however it may become unhealthy if it is left untreated or is bothering your day-to-day functioning. Not everyone requires treatment for stress because most people recover on their own however if you see that the stress is disturbing your daily routine and not allowing you to focus, it is significantly disturbing your day-to-day functioning, then, please seek for professional help. Consult either a psychologist or a psychiatrist depending on your mental health condition.

YOUNG MIND TRANSFORMING OLD SYSTEM witten by Swathi gaddala From God’s own country, a scholarly and proficient young man, barely in 20`s, has a mind to flush an age-old practice in the education system. A system, more comfortable, collaborative, and beneficial for both lecturer-student, a win-win outcome. If you are not well travelled in south India, I will help you, land where Malayalam is the native language, a state on the Malabar coast of India, Kerala. By the way, did you know Kerela means *The Land of Coconuts*? South of India, one of the many temple towns of Tamil Nadu is Chidambaram, very famous for Nataraja Temple, the interrelation between this temple town and the God’s own country, a part time lecturer, pursuing his Ph.D. is Abhijit Sir, from Kerala, studying at Chidambaram. As he entered the classroom for one of the Psychology lectures, my immediate thoughts were, what a young and energetic man. He introduced himself to the class. I was in awe as he seemed a breath of fresh air, full of excitement and aura in the otherwise dull and boring town. I think, this place I perceived as dull is not because of anything particular but living in cities the noise, hustle and bustle is inevitable, it’s just that. After many years, I was experiencing this type of quite, serene and lush green surroundings and so loved it. Home or away from home, Tea is a must. From cultural capital of Tamil Nadu, Madurai, I had a World record holder in longest Karaoke Music and Dance Marathon, 2022 to share it with, Rajashree, a.k.a Raji, a Youtuber just like me. We were destined to meet, instantly mix in, like milk in tea. I loved chatting with her, share sandwiches, laugh hard and even harder. Abhijit sir gave his introduction and that very moment I could sense he was different, he lives with a sense of honesty and enlightenment, very open about truth and reality of life, one of those people who believe in normalising what they believed in, than merely accepting how things ought to be a.k.a the ODD ONE OUT. Making a difference to himself, to the society, the community and beyond. His ideas, thoughts, and the momentum he exudes will sum up his opulent personality. The focal point of what triggered me to write this blog about him was when we all had umpteen questions and started hollering Sir, Sir, Sir, he waved his hands to all students and said you can call me Abhi and not Sir. Voot voot, he is the first one. This to me was not normal, Abhijit sir a lecturer for Abnormal Psychology. I was dumbstruck and still processing, a whirlwind of thoughts clouded and fogged the traffic in my brain. I am used to calling people by their names at my corporate job, this culture is accepted in corporate offices. No one addresses, a senior in designation and age as Sir or Madam (I will not deny there are some exceptions). People can address others by their name, no one can compel you to call them Sir/Madam. For me, calling my lecturer by his name was not NORMAL. Do you agree? I looked at Raji and asked, is it normal for you? Something was unsettling and the marinated curious maniac in me, I said Abhijit Sir, but why would you want to your students to call you by your name and not as Sir, isn’t this a threat to an age-old practice of the teacher-student relationship? Will this not blur or erase the boundary of the sacred bond and hierarchy? From kindergarten to school and colleges, we are accustomed to calling our teachers and lecturers as Sir or Madam, it is a matter of prestige and sign of honour out of the enormous respect we have for them. Isn’t it? But here with Abhijit Sir all the prestige, honour was from the connection he has with his students than being called Sir, Holy Moly! I was literality interrogating him out of my intriguing curiosity, Why Sir? I still can’t come to terms with calling you by your name sitting at a student bench. I am still processing your approval to call you Abhi and not Sir, I will take some time.     Sir`s response was, what was important for him as a teacher, lecturer was that he wants a collaboration, two-way learning and discussing than just one way cascade from lecturer to students. I like it that way, I am like that. I want my students to be inclusive in my classes and ask me questions, I will answer to the best of my knowledge. Also, one of the points he mentioned was that the students, these days, mostly are older than him, especially regular mode is not the only mode of education now (how can we not thank Covid), students in their 40`s, 50`s and majority of them, almost, older than him, much older. Sir continued, that he feels comfortable that way, he feels connected with students and it is easy to communicate making it a two-way learning process, than the superior feeling with boundaries, he want students to feel at ease. I was passively settling, somewhat convinced because I am alike him, I believe and encourage people around me to do what they are comfortable with, what brings them happiness and satisfaction, than merely following the old traditional practices (respect for them though). One person may or may not change the entire community but can be that catalyst we need, a thought to convince, a thought to make you feel you are one like them. It is okay if these thoughts are about challenging beliefs and age old practices, may be this will seem normal someday. May be not and that’s fine, we can and should give our best shot, whenever there is a possibility. I was gigantically inspired by him. I also told him with an uncertain voice that Sir I would write a

EVOLVE , BECOME YOUR NEXT VERSION, 10 TIPS – Sharon Gaddala Instead of tips from self-help books, google articles or any other sources, here are my 10 tips on what worked for me. I hope these will ring a bell with you, to not give up on your dreams and get better every day. Let’s roll.. 1. Rewire Your Brain It all starts from your mindset. You need to alter the way your brain functions and the good news is, rewiring is possible. Science, “Neuroplasticity” refers to the brain’s ability to restructure or rewire itself when it recognizes the need for adaptation. In other words, it can continue developing and changing throughout life therefore avoid having a fixed mindset, limited belief system and rigid boundaries, a person with these, avoids growth, challenges and drowns in stress living a stressful life. Have a purpose, have goals, move out of your comfort zone and take risks, of course calculated ones, this will challenge your brain. Do something you have never done before and see how enlightening it will be, it opens you up, don’t set limitations, limitations only inhibit you in getting to know your potential and capability. Train your brain of mindfulness, have positive thoughts. I know it’s easy to say but I also know it is not hard to practice. Think of what best you can do in present situation, how should you respond to the situation and how to process your thoughts. When you practise this, over a period of time, your brain gets adapted and inadvertently you transform into a positive and a mindful person. 2. What You Practise, Grows Stronger Where your energy goes, that will grow, stronger and stronger. So, practise gratitude, confidence, mindfulness. Start with small things, in a small way and later scale, take one step at a time. Practise what can get you closer to your goals and align with the purpose of your life. Practice to believe in yourself. Nothing is more powerful than listening to your intuition. Pay attention to your inner voice try and understand why you have those voices inside you, there must be a reason. Accept that negativity will be a part of life, practise and have a strategy to cope with negativity. You can do this by asking, how can I not stress about it? what will be the consequences of this? what can I learn from this experience? instead of asking why this happened to me? Have affirmations, say to yourself that whatever happens it is for my good, i will do my best, I will take things positively no matter what the outcome of a situation is. Practise on how to ignore things which are trivial, ignore what’s not impacting your life in a major way. This will not only save your energy, it will also help you focus on things which are important for you. Prioritize what matters to you and ignore what does not. Practise having a goal oriented life. If your goals are complex, break it down into smaller goals, set timelines and measure them from time to time. Practise forgiveness, forgive people who hurt you, forgive yourself for not prioritising your needs, forgiveness sets you FREE, from resentment, anger, frustration and agony. Set yourself FREE 3. Make Some Me time We all have 24 hours within this time from your busy life make room for yourself, just you, thats ME time. Remove and refresh by sorting things around you. One thing at a time, one after the other. Write down a list of to do things, it could be as simple as going to a salon, getting that trendy haircut, those boots , that car, hiking, scuba diving, anything which will make you happy and this only you will know. Write down how much time it will take for you to learn a new skill, put a list of what you use to like as a child or an adult which you probably stopped. Pursue a hobby, if you are not sure which hobby, then try whatever you can grab on and see if it holds your interest and keep trying until you halt at something. Once you write them down, plan to tweak this in your 24 hours. How many of you hold onto things and people who only cause stress and add agony to your well-being? Remove and refresh, remove things and people who no longer add value to your well-being. Decluttering is freeing space, in your mind and around you, free yourself from things which no longer you feel for or does not add value to your life, allow new things, they teach you that you are capable of more, more than till now, more than you anticipated. New experiences help us have a different perspective towards life. Move forward. 4. Improve Your EQ (Emotional Quotient) When it comes to happiness and success in life, EQ outweighs IQ though both are imperative. Our emotions impact our mood, behaviour, performance, actions and reactions. With the ever increasing stress, how do we cope? Know your values and beliefs, challenge what you don’t agree with and follow the ones you agree with.  When someone puts their opinion do not outrightly reject or ridicule their opinion rather if you disagree, you can ask them questions by probing on how`s and why`s to understand. Its ok if you like something which is against your belief system, that’s the beauty of every individual. Each life is so unique, I bet there are no 2 individuals who had exactly same experiences throughout, not possible. Be honest to yourself with what you like, dislike, tolerate, accept and compromise etc. Introspect, self-examine and write them so you have clarity. Clarity always wins over confusion. Plan on how you react to a stressful situation at work or in personal life. Do you freak out when you hear a disappointing news? Self-awareness of your emotions make you confident in managing them effectively. At work, receiving honest feedback from