Category: All things Bookish

In case you can’t tell by now, I love to read and write. Yes. I am being facetious. In light of my interests (and maybe yours!), today’s blog post speaks to the joy of reading. 

For me there is nothing quite like curling up with a good book and traveling to another place from the comfort of my living room couch while wearing PJs. I mean, if I can go to Italy five minutes after putting my kids to bed, why not right? Jokes aside (because I want to go to Europe and not just read about it in books), I love feeling connected to the characters, excited by the action, and caring about what happens to the protagonist. And my favorite part of every book is the carefully woven in messages—the ones that teach you a lesson about life. 

The hardest part of any good book for me, is when it ends. Paul Sweeney expressed that feeling perfectly when he said, “You know you’ve read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend.” Yep, that sums up how I feel.

In literary works, I live for reading novels that use language to paint a picture. My favorite novels master that quality effortlessly, though I am sure the authors’ efforts are carefully crafted. While looking at black and white words on a piece of paper (or screen), these works create a vision of a young woman weaving through the busy streets of India, or a couple enjoying dinner in a bustling restaurant. Does anyone feel me on that? No? Jeez, you are a tough bunch.

I still remember the book that turned me into a reader. I was in seventh grade and I walked into my middle school library and scooped up a book called The Power Kid. Since then, I have lost count of my reads. Was there a certain book that turned you into a lifelong reader?

Recently, I read an interesting article in The New Yorker which asks the question: Can Reading Make You Happier? The article discussed the science of bibliotherapy—the practice of encouraging reading for therapeutic effect. Yes, studies have confirmed that reading can make you happier, and reading is being ‘prescribed’. This article cited the therapeutic effects of fiction books (not self-help, surprise!) because they offer a transformational experience. The studies conducted found that when people read about an experience, they exhibited stimulation within the same neurological regions as if they went through that experience themselves. Most readers know that the themes, messages, and feelings of reading a good book provide enhanced relationships and empathy, but now there is science to prove it! So, keep reading folks, you are growing from it.

How does reading bring you joy? What other activities or hobbies bring you joy? Any good fiction books you recommend so I can add them to my list? Do tell, I would love to know.

Thanks for stopping by my blogspot. See you soon friends, same time, same place, new “bookish” topic. Have a wonderful weekend!

Good morning fam! If you are taking the time to read this blog post, that warms my heart up, just like my family does. So, today I wanted to talk about my writing scenario—as a minority writer. I am an American born South Asian female who writes South Asian fiction.

I wanted to start off by talking about my audience. Though my first novel is still in the works, and certainly anyone could enjoy the contents, depending on interests, chances are my audience would primarily consist of South Asians. Right away that tailors my audience, and the business of books is still just that—a business. A strong premise, near-perfect writing, and a relevant topic to today’s climate would be necessary for me to traditionally publish. Pressure? Just a little. Still, I believe strongly in the topic, and the messages brought about within the novel, so I continue my relentless pursuit. And the wonderful news is that there are many literary agents and publishers seeking diverse books and voices. Hooray! 

Secondly, as a minority writer of minority topics, I’d like to talk about, the footnote. How do you ensure your readers understand a non-English word? When South Asian fiction first became ‘a thing’ in the states many years ago, I remember seeing a Bengali word footnoted for it’s translation. Now you rarely see them, with most authors including a semi-translation in the sentence. Other authors write under the assumption their readerships could easily google and/or understand simple enough words—see sari. My (awesome) beta reader, suggested I drop the footnotes, and though my draft currently contains a few, I will likely remove. Do you think footnotes should be included for non-English words not translated within the sentence?

Now, I’d like to share my thoughts on my authority to write South Asian novels, particularly those set in India. I have struggled with this, because though I feel connected to my cultural roots, I grew up in America. How can I write novels set in India when I have never lived there? 

I came to this conclusion on that question which lingers in my mind: I can write about my heritage, even if set in a country I have never lived in. I visited India several times, and experienced its colorful presence coupled with the warmth of my Indian family surrounding me. My parents grew up there, so our life in America consisted of the food, the language, the religious background, and the cultural traditions. Most importantly though, I hold the unique ability to enliven and share the message with American readerships, in a way that only a first generation child of Indian immigrant parents could. Score.

I cannot tell you how proud it makes me feel to write a novel including minority characters, and settings. That is the beauty of authoring a book—as the author it is your message, however you choose to relay it. And whatever your message, and however you choose to relay it, may you OWN it, and may you SHINE with it.

I follow @MinoritiesinPub on twitter, and listen to their podcast ‘Minorities in Publishing’ in case you are interested.

Are you a minority in any field? Are you a minority writer? How has your journey been impacted by your status? Please share. I would love to know.

Thanks for stopping by my internet-corner. See you soon. Same bat time. Same bat place. 

Hello, and happy Friday.  Thanks for coming back to my little corner of the webosphere.  Today, I wanted to share my thoughts about audiobooks. I just read…errm, listened to my first one. It is with mixed emotions (feeling unreasonably melodramatic today) that I share my thoughts with you.  Book review on the audio book in question will be coming soon…so stay tuned!

To keep things simple, I am segregating my thoughts into a pros and cons evaluation.  

Pros:

1. My audiobook was free!  I mean it doesn’t get any better than that.  If you download the audible application, an amazon company, to your phone, your first book is free. Score! I have noticed too that on amazon audiobooks are frequently less expensive than the other formats.
2. For time constrained people (aren’t we all?!) they are convenient.  You can listen to them in the car while driving to work or any other destination.  You can turn one on while cooking, folding laundry, or any other everyday task.
3. Audiobooks are eco-friendly.  I hear this is all the rage.
4. They will bring you, and Marie Kondo ‘joy’, as they take up no space.
5. They are a welcome break for your eyes, especially if you sit in front of a computer all day.
6. If you have vision problems and love to read, your problem is solved.

Cons:

1. For a book reading snob like me, who really has no reason to be one except that I feel like I am, reading a tangible book makes you all warm and fuzzy inside.  There is nothing quite like cozying up on the couch with a soft blanket, a cup of honey-sweetened chamomile tea, and a good book at night. The audiobook did not have that effect on me. Maybe I will adjust. When I was first gifted a kindle, I didn’t want to use a tablet for a book. I wanted to turn actual pages, and look at a drawing on an actual piece of paper.  Weird, I know.
2. When I read something in a book that has an impact on me, I stop for a moment.  You don’t get to do that with an audiobook. It just keeps right on going.
3. Usually you cannot share audiobooks, and I love sharing a favorite read with a friend or family member.
4. I don’t know if all audiobooks sound alike as I have only read…there it is again, LISTENED to one, but the narrator on mine had a robotic undertone.  If you are into non-fiction, it probably wouldn’t bother you, as you are a fact seeker. The audiobook I am listening to now is non-fiction, but that is a rare read for me. I love fiction because of the way the novels transport me to another place, and I need emotion and feeling in that, not a robot.
5. In audiobooks it is a little tough to refer back to a place you want to find, though this is not a dealbreaker for me.

So, I know inquiring minds are dying to know if I will listen to an audiobook again (J/K I know you are in fact completely indifferent).  The answer is YES, of course I will. They fit into my perfect, crazy busy, life and I find them irreplaceable. Make no mistake though, a good ‘ole paperback will always have my heart.

What are your thoughts on audio books?  Have they made you into a reader when you were a non-reader?  Share your thoughts, even if it is to disagree with anything I have said.  

Have a wonderful weekend. See ya’ll soon.  Same bat time, same bat place.

Hello friends, hope you are having a wonderful and shiny day!

Today I wanted to talk to you about something still along the bookish lines.  In case you cannot tell by now, I am all about books and writing. It turns out, that as a writer of books in the age of social media, you can no longer just write books (surprise!).  With the prominence of social media and all sorts of other ‘techie vessels’, if you are not in the know, and not involved, you may struggle to become the successful author you wish to be.

So let’s delve into this a little bit.  When I first started writing my novel, I learned through the writing community I am enrolled in, that you should really have a blog if you would like to get published.  This blog becomes even more relevant if you are not a published author. Also, you would need to have several, or at least one (like me), social media platforms. A good follower count on the platform and social media accounts is a plus, and you use the blog/social media profile to promote your work as a writer or author.

It took me several weeks to become comfortable with the idea of blogging since my writing is so personal to me.  Then it took several more weeks to be comfortable with promoting it on social media. The thought of saying, “Hey look at me! Come read my blog.” mortified me.  I write stories about other people. Not myself. Still, I decided that my writing meant more, and getting it out to the world, to make the world a better place, meant the most. (Does that read as cheesy as it felt to write it?). All of this said, it was time to be a writer, and aspiring author, in today’s world.  The world of technology and social media.

In addition to blogging, and marketing yourself on social media platforms, a writer can create a youtube presence or a podcast.  Some authors have sworn that their podcasts are the sole inspiration for the work they write. How amazing is that? Also, the youtubers and podcasters obtain a following, and those people read/buy their books. But, what do you do when you do not consider yourself a speaker, or in the case of a youtube platform, a vlogger?  (I really feel about ten years too old to even use the term vlogger, but here I am, usin’ it.)

I cannot tell you how many days, I sit and wish, that I could just focus on my novels versus the necessary accouterments to it. Any other writers feel me on that?  Anyone feel that way about any of the work they are passionate about? Still, I found that I have really liked having this blog to connect with the folks who enjoy my posts. It also helps me remember why I started writing. So in that sense, the blog was a win-win for me (business casual terminology seemed to fit best here).

For those of you with the same ‘writer’s personality’ as mine, ie. introverted, I feel you. It is tough to ‘put yourself out there’. And no, not every writer is an introvert, contrary to stereotypical belief that they are.  Still, introverts, it is important to get your message or your story out to the world. So break down the walls, and be bold with those aspirations. We all want to hear you!!

What have been your experiences in writing, or in any creative fields, that seem to take away from your primary interest?  Have you found that over time you have developed an appreciation for any of those things? What other techie vessels can you think of that play a role in becoming a traditionally published author?  Please share your thoughts, I would love to know.

Happy almost weekend!  In staying true to my bookish blog posts as of late, I wanted to share something for the reading parents of children.  We often wonder how we can encourage our young ones to be eager young readers. As Dr. Seuss famously said, ‘The more you read the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.’

Many of us read with, to, and listen to our young readers. I like to cuddle up with my kids at night and read.  We all pick out a book, and take turns being the storyteller. We keep a dictionary close by so that we can look up words we don’t know the meaning of. I do it too, shhh, don’t tell anyone!

I like to ask questions before during, and after the story.  Recently, a friend put me onto a fun learning resource that makes reading comprehension fun. They are called Learning resources reading comprehension cubes. At the time of this blog, post they are on sale for $11.73 on amazon, and of course shipping is free with amazon prime. I do love a deal.

The cubes are wonderful, because you play a game with your child while reading. So, there is bonding and learning happening all at once. The description says that they are for six years old and older. If you have a younger than six reader, there are certain questions they can answer as well.

So let’s break it down.

There are six dice: two red, two blue, and two green. First, before you start reading you roll the red cubes.  A question such as ‘What does the cover of the book tell you about the story?’ will present itself. Then the party starts. I have found that as time has past, and when I ask my kids this question, their attention to detail has really flourished.

Next, find a good stopping point in the middle of the story, and ask your reader to roll the blue dice.  For an older reader, I really liked the blue dice question: ‘How would you attempt to solve a problem in the story?’  If you know a resolution to a problem in a storybook is about to be revealed, that might be a good stopping point to get your little reader’s thoughts first.

Finally, when the story is done, have the reader roll the green dice.  One question on the green dice helped me understand how much my young reader was focused, how much they remember, and how well they can summarize.  The question was, ‘Retell a main event within the story.’

These questions are of course all possible to ask without using the dice, and hopefully the question suggestions posted here will help you and your family.

Was this blog post was helpful to you in finding new and creative ways to encourage your young reader?  What do you do to foster eager young readers at home? How do you like to encourage your kids to learn? Please share, I would love to know.