Published in About Me Stories·PinnedMember-onlyAbout Me — Manali DesaiFoodie, Moodie, Broodie. — The statement, “Tell me something about yourself” always freezes me. Like how do I define myself in a few sentences strung together? It especially makes me nervous too, because it takes me back to my job hunting days and the countless interviews I gave. After three decades of life experience…About Me6 min readAbout Me6 min read
Published in The Haven·PinnedMember-onlyWhen my socials became antisocialAll my online accounts having a conversation about yours truly — Instagram: Manali loves me the most! Why are we even having this conversation? It’s a clear waste of time. Facebook: *rolls eyes* oh, please! I came to her solace when she was mourning over her first love Orkut. She would never love anyone more than me. …Social Media3 min readSocial Media3 min read
PinnedMember-onlyMy NameWho are you? — Making money by following my passion for reading and writing. Always curious to know more, learn and grow. Never shying away from helping someone who asks for it. An admirer of nature and all that it has to offer. Language and literature lover. In this world to try and make…Poetry1 min readPoetry1 min read
Published in Thank You Notes·PinnedMember-onlyThank You Dear ReadersI’m nothing without you all — In a Creative Writing Symposium, where I was a speaker recently, one of the participant students asked me, “How do I get over the hesitation of being judged for my writing?” It’s an age-old question for any creative person and I answered them by saying, “You never get over it…Grateful2 min readGrateful2 min read
Published in Write Like a Girl·PinnedMember-onlyTo the Men Who Fear Feminists and FeminismBecause feminism has become so synonymous with man-hating — Dear men, Yes, I’m a feminist. And the first thought that probably came to your mind was, “Oh! she must hate all men.” So, let me begin by saying, no I don’t. And yes, I do. No, because I was raised by a man, grew up with another, and am…Feminsim2 min readFeminsim2 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION-Curated·2 days agoMember-onlyHear Me Out: The Untold Musings-Compiled and Co-Authored by Nilshree Damani YelulkarA collection of flash fiction stories that teach us to accept our flaws, be kind to ourselves, and embrace our grief. — Book details: Genre: Fiction/Short Stories Pages: 167 Format: Kindle eBook/Paperback Price (as on Amazon): -Kindle eBook: ₹99/ $ 2.99 -Paperback: ₹254/ $ 5.99 My rating: 3.7/5 The 13 stories in this book encompass tales of women and men who are just like us, or those around us. The various authors of this compilation have managed…Books3 min readBooks3 min read
Published in Know Thyself, Heal Thyself·3 days agoMember-onlyTo Be 19 AgainI had forgotten what it felt like — The alarm rang, shattering my dreamworld, I switch it off, grumbling and rubbing my eyes as I sit up in the bed No pain in my lower back? That’s strange and such a welcome change! Putting the thought aside, I get out of my bed Wait, where am I? This isn’t my room? When did I…Poem3 min readPoem3 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION-Curated·Jan 25Member-onlySecrets Gifts from The Perfect Storm by Amritha UpadhyayaA guide on how to navigate through the negative experiences of life — Book details: Genre: Nonfiction/Self-Help/Motivation Pages: 244 Format: Kindle eBook/Paperback Price (as on Amazon): -Kindle eBook: ₹299/ $3.62 -Paperback (available only on Amazon India): ₹499 My rating: 4.3/5 Falling under the non-fiction/self help genre, this book stands out because of two reasons- a. the learnings are conveyed through a protagonist and her experiences, making it a…Books3 min readBooks3 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION·Jan 19Member-onlyBad Girl Gone Good (Bad Girl #1) by Alisha KayRomcom done right — Book details: Genre: Fiction/Romcom Pages: 204 Format: Kindle eBook Price (as on Amazon): ₹ 199/ $ 2.99 My Rating: 4.7/5 Aisha Rajput has worn the badge of ‘bad girl’ proudly all her life. She is a rebel who has always found the rules and restrictions set by her parents and her boarding school, as meant…Books3 min readBooks3 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION-Curated·Jan 16Member-onlyA Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly JacksonAn almost-perfect, well rounded murder mystery. — Book Details: Genre: Fiction/Crime Thriller/Murder Mystery Pages: 433 Format: Kindle eBook/Paperback/Hardcover Price (as on Amazon): -Kindle eBook: ₹379.99/ $ 8.99 -Paperback: ₹ 399/ $ 12.65 My rating: 4.5/5 Pippa Fitz-Amobi, an A-Grade student, picks up a five-year old closed murder case for her final year school project. She is confident that the now dead, Salil…Books3 min readBooks3 min read
