Hats, Hoods and Humiliation- Book Review Title: Hats, Hoods and Humiliation Author: Hiranya Verma Format: Kindle Edition File Size: 3500 KB Language: English Genre- Self-help Price: Rs. 49/- and free on Kindle Unlimited Introduction Hats, Hoods and Humiliation– a title like that makes you curious. When a ten-year-old authors that book, you are humbled and you stop looking for reasons to read it and just download it. I am glad I did and here’s what I think. About the Author Hiranya Verma is a ten years old girl, studying in Standard VI, in Navy Children School, Kochi. Born ..read more

A #BlogHop that made me look back at the #Decade when I stepped out of my #ComfortZone. Here’s how I took the leap from from being uncomfortably comfortable to comfortably uncomfortable. “So, when are you getting settled?” This may have vexed generations of clueless youngsters but has been a source of joy for their overenthusiastic ‘well-wishers’. Trouble is that these self-proclaimed well-wishers set a benchmark for success and the moment we are tantalisingly close; they conveniently change its coordinates. Blue faced, we huff and puff and yet keep running. Try stopping for a moment ..read more

He gave us unrealistic goals An entire generation of girls can blame it on Shahrukh Khan as they went weak in the knees at the sight of the dimpled hero outstretching his arms bang in the middle of a sarson ka khet with the song, tujhe dekha to ye jaana sanam, playing in the background. All those girls, including an eighteen-year-old me, wanted to be in Simran’s tille wali juttis. We fell for those roguish boys hoping and waiting for them to transform into the ‘Rajs’ of our lives. Quite a few fell flat on our faces along with our lofty romantic ideas realising that the Raj of our dreams ..read more

Pic Courtsey: Blogchatter Book Title: Sugar & Ice & All That’s Nice Genre: Non-Fiction; Recipes Author: Harjeet Kaur  Number of Pages: 59 Available: Blog Chatter Library I’ll begin with a confession; I ain’t a great cook. I cook for survival. I never learnt how to cook formally so never ask me a recipe. You will end up with a pinch of this and a pinch of that. Besides I can never make the effort of getting all the ingredients in one place. I make do with what is available so that puts me in a spot when it comes to cook books. So, what do I do? I never read them ..read more

Book Title: My A to Z of Chennai: The City Viewed Through An Outsider’s Eye Genre: Non-Fiction; Travelogue Author: Mayuri Nidigallu  Number of Pages: 36 Available: Blog Chatter Library This is another e-book that I came across as part of the E book carnival hosted by Blogchatter. Written by Mayuri Nidigallu, whose blogs I find very refreshing. The author Mayuri Nidigallu is a seasoned blogger at Sirimiri- The Lifestyle Blogazine. She’s a Tarot Card Reader (wait whaa…tt?!) and calls herself a reluctant Agony Aunt. Chennai, in her words is her City-in-law that s ..read more

Book Title: Bhumi Author: Tina Sequeira Genre: Anthology Price on Kindle: Rs 49 (Also available on Kindle Unlimited) Pic Courtsey: Amazon.in I have been reading Tina Sequeira’s writings on her blog, ‘The Tina Edit’, so naturally when she comes with an anthology, my interest is piqued. Titled ‘Bhumi’, which literally means ‘Earth’ is a collection of 21 short stories. The common thread that binds them together is their protagonist, a woman. What is refreshing here is, that this woman is as real as you and I… not the ‘holier than thou ones’ or the ‘Nirupa Roys’ or ‘Mother India ..read more

Pic Courtsey: Pixabay Remember those sanitary pads’ ads where the girl is tossing and turning in the bed at night for fear of staining. Don’t know about others but that’s most definitely me. I have spent sleepless nights, slept on a side, tried those XXXXXXXLs and still made multiple nocturnal visits to the washroom. And no, it ain’t that the stain embarrasses me but doing the laundry isn’t my idea of fun! And then after almost three decades of period(ic) suffering I discover the menstrual cup, almost by serendipity. There’s a small back story to this which I have to share. Some of my ..read more

When I enrolled with the Blogchatter’s Credibility Program through Blog Imprints – Creative Writing e-course, I had been dabbling with blogging for almost a year and a half. Also, in mid-February of this year I launched my own website www.shivaniwrites.in. I had started realising the need for a structured course to fine tune my skills as a writer. I had started off with non-fiction but when I experimented in fiction, I found it enjoyable and when it was appreciated as well, I felt that I should pay more attention there. That is when I felt that I need some guidance. The reason I zeroed in ..read more

Book Title: My Land across the Border Picture Credit: BlogChatter Genre: Fiction Author: Sayan Bhattacharya Number of Pages: 126 Available: PDF, Blog Chatter Library I discovered this gem as part of the E book carnival hosted by Blogchatter. Born in Kolkata, Sayan Bhattacharya is a Post-graduate in English Literature who’s worked in the banking and financial services and is presently in the FinTech industry. My own obsession with the 1947 partition was the reason I picked this one up and I must say I didn’t regret it at all. The book is about the protagonist Siraj w ..read more

Book Title: Travel My Way Genre: Non Fiction; Travelogue Author: Vartika Mehrotra Gakhar Number of Pages: 88 Available: PDF, Blog Chatter Library Vartika wears many hats being an ex-HR professional, a painter, a blogger and a self-proclaimed travel enthusiast. She makes her debut with this e book which is a part of the e book carnival hosted by Blogchatter. Though the genre that its slotted in, is ‘Travelogue’, I feel it goes beyond that. As the title suggests, she invites you to visit the places through her eyes. The tone of the entire book seems conversational. It feel ..read more