I have to say this, Journey began an year ago. I was not so sure when it all started. Today I am starting a blog as well. I cannot believe myself, how this is unfolding in front of me. This creativity outlet is giving me the hidden pleasure. I hated books. You may think, why I am saying this over and over. It is true fact. I slept on top of books many times. This is definitely a huge deroute on my life.
I wrote a book. Yes, you all read this correctly. I did write a book. Now it is in allmost all the digital outlet out there. Droplets is the name of the book. The name I chose is to give readers a feel and invite them to come actually travel with me. The life I had in South India and pressures I had from the society and parents developed this kind of fear or hate towards book. After many years, some strange force lead me to pen a book. I still cannot believe it.
10 Droplets, I fondly named my chapters. These are literarly 10 droplets of my life. I call life as a ocean. It is never ending even though one day we die, our life still linger among our relatives. I am genuinely taking this effort to put out some thoughts to motivate people. My aim is to write positive and tell stories which can influence people in a good way. My father always says to me, It is not important what you make or what kind of position you are in. What is important is to become a good citizen….
I believe I am a great citizen. Please join me in this journey of postiveness. Happy world. Follow me on my amazon author page if any one prefer to do so.
Next blog will be about who I am and where I am from….. Thanks for reading.
Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton
I grow up hearing and practicing a lot of superstitions. I have to say I believe in them. Reason is simple, it is engraved in our breath. We followed it religiously. Our parents and grandparents made sure we practiced them. Nowadays many years living outside country, I find these superstitions we believed back then lost its importance. I started to think why our generations from the past practiced them. There are many reasons as to why already out there. But I want to reason myself why this has started at least my interpretation. I could be wrong.
I have seen one of my neighbor who owns a shop always waited by his gate in the morning. He will not walk until unless he see a bike coming from his right side. He also makes sure it is not a milk bike. He believes that if bike passes by his right side when he walks towards his shop, that day he will get great sales. This happened every day until he passed away. This is actually a superstition. Even my grand parents practiced this. They will never walk out of their house if they see a milk selling bike coming. No one had good explanation as to why? I thought about it a lot. I have no convincing reason either. I have walked out when a milk bike came, nothing happened that day. I was just nervous a little, reason being, I was told many times it is not good. Readers, if you know any valid reason, please input your comments below.
If a crow sits on your front fence and cry, then people believed there will be visitors that day. I have seen people prepping extra food on that day as they are convinced there will be un announced visitors. To tell you the truth, I have myself experienced many times this comes true. Now living in a country there is hardly any fence, I really couldn’t try this out here. This one I do have some explanation. My reasoning to this is simple, Usually people says this during the month of wedding season. I have noticed this all the time, people do not say or anticipate visitors, when crow usually cries by sitting on their entrance fence, but they will comment only during wedding season. It is a common practice in India to invite all the relatives, if someone getting married. There are certain months good for getting married as well. People usually expect at least 3 to 4 weddings during that time. So crow crying and visitors coming does not really have any connection. But it did, during my childhood. Any other explanations please do comment and share.
Asking for a prostitute to come from the opposite direction of your path, if you are going for an important matter, such as a land deal or court case. I have seen this happening during my younger days as well. Not sure why they did. But it was a common belief that if they pass a prostitute everything will fall on their favor. This superstition, I have many problems with. Usually the very same people will not let prostitute to come and attend any functions in their house. They consider that as bad. But when they want to go somewhere, then the presence of them will become good. Does this make any sense. Till this day, I couldn’t come up with any reasoning. Readers, if you know why, please do comment and share your thoughts.
Dropping mustard seeds will bring in poverty to your home. I am not sure how many household have done that and nothing happened to them. I can understand, mustard seeds are very small and if this gets dropped. It is hard to collect them. If you do also, dust will be there as well. So my assumption is that, if in any case, mustard bottle fell down, It is almost impossible to get everything back and on top of that cleaning is difficult. So most of the household must have thrown them away. Most likely the older people decides to add some scare to it. And people became more cautious when they handled mustard seeds. At least this superstition of bringing poverty did it. Again this is my own assumption. I could be wrong.
If anyone bring food to your home in a container, then it is a must you return that container with some food in it. People say, if you give container back empty it is not good for family. Not sure why? We practiced this and saw my parents even doing this. Also some family even put a piece of chilly, when they returned the container, if they did not give food. This prevents bad eye falling on them. Again, this particular superstition, I find it hard to come up with any sort of reasoning.
Wake up in the morning to your right side, not on your left side. I still practice this. But I have never instilled this to my kids. I am not sure their days are bad, when they wake up in the morning and roll to their left side to get up. I got that habit because the society I was brought up had all these superstitions and they religiously follow them. I cannot think of a day, when I got up by rolling towards to my left side. You may wonder, why don’t I? No idea. Do I think, my day will be bad if i do? Yes, I do think that way!!! Well, it is hard for me to change.
Droplets- Memoir by Ajay Nair. Available thru Amazon, Barnes and Noble
Superstitions usually sticks with you because of the culture you are brought up in. Regardless how much you got educated and how much you tend to analyze how this all started. I will say, if you are born and you practiced during your childhood, that fear in you will stay. The day you did not practice and some thing bad happened to you, it is very easy to relate to the superstition.
I would love to hear from you readers, if you have a different take on this. Please do comment and share your thoughts. If you like my writing, please support my memoir DROPLETS.
I could be one of the stats from India. Daily one student suicide because of the pressure they go through. Can you believe it?
It is true. I have been in this situation. Hey, I can say this much. I never thought of taking my life. I did want to run away from home. Many times. Today after many years, when I look back. I think I had some one looking up for me. Some people call it as God or some supreme power. I still don’t know what it is. I am lucky…
Why? This much pressure. Society is so blind in India. Never changed, this many years and still the same. I thought, situations have changed. But NO guys. I am furious. Recently I read in the news paper, that parents paid some person to arrange strangers to write their kids entrance test to get admissions to Medical courses. Now what happened, they got caught. Now kids got debarred from colleges. The parents are in Jail. Again- Why? What did they got out of this? Kids lost their education. They lost their parents. Now for their entire life, they will be horrible.
I am sick and tired of this. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji is doing a lot for the country. But it is high time for him to take a look at this situation. Students are our future. He should reform education system. He should find ways to educate society, that other careers are needed for a well balanced community.
Why, they are forcing kids to do only certain courses? Why the parents are forcing the kids to do the courses they don’t like? Also, why this much pressure put on kids when they are at colleges? Why they have to perform so much? Why they cannot just be kids?
All these talent, these parents create by forcing kids to develop. Kids do it just to make their parents happy. Then they leave country. So what does this society of India really get out of this? I am confused here. Every time I think about it. I am sick on my stomach.
We are ruining our future. Our kids will never live in peace and they lose their childhood. My generation, most of my friends went through this pressure. I thought when we grow up, atleast our kids will not go through this kind of pressure. I thought we will let our kids be kids. Trust me, I am doing my best to give my kids the best childhood they can get. I am living with them. I am getting my childhood back with them. I am re living my dreams, what I used to dream about when I was a kid.
Shame on you all guys, I am calling out all my friends back home. I know many of my friends still running after education institutions paying big donations, securing a seat for their kids, SO the kids get tortured in the system. India has not changed. STOP IT.
Still kids suicide every day because of the pressure we put on them to perform. We don’t give them choice and make them believe, if they don’t become doctors or engineers, they will not make it in their lives. Shame on me as well, I am not able to change the society I came from. I am doing what I can by writing this. Please stop. Let kids live, Let them chose their paths. Let them achieve their dreams. Let them pave their own fate. Guide them. But don’t force them to give you happiness.
I wrote my book, DROPLETS thinking one day the words in my book will open some people eyes. Who knows? My parents realized now, what I am saying. They are not forcing their grand kids. They love them who they are. So, guys, you all can change. We will save kids.
My book Droplets is now in the market for just four days. I am glad to see reviews started to come in. I just want to include the one from NetGalley below.
Please visit NetGalley and request copies for reviewing.
Featured Reviews Cristie U, Reviewer This memoir captured the emotions that author felt when moving to a new country perfectly. He had to contend with strict parents, little money, and other issues and captured those moments brilliantly in this fish out of water memoir. The honest writing makes it easy to empathize with him.
I am excited at the same time speechless to get a 5 star review from Cristie.
I want to invite you to join DROPLETS book launch task force! A book’s success depends a lot on word of mouth and grassroots marketing, so the purpose of this force is simple. LET’s be real here. I am not a well known writer or famous. I am asking everyone to help me get the word out about the book before – and immediately after – the August 8 launch. There are four key areas where I think you all could take action which will really help me to launch my 2 years of labor. Scroll down to check out ideas and actions you can take to get involved and help me. You can do as much as you want, but even one action will make a big difference. Highly appreciated.
If you’re interested in joining the task force, please follow my blog and connect to me with your full name and address so I can provide you with a complimentary e book. Please do that via contact page on this blog site.
Network – Do you know any radio or podcast hosts that might be interested in interviewing me about DROPLETS? Please connect them to me or suggest my book for discussion. – Do you belong to a club or organization that would be interested in a guest speaker? I’d love to speak to them if they are close to Vancouver. OR I could do video call with them.
-If you see my book in any stores after August 8 please share that picture to me or post it in Instagram, tag authorajaynair when you do that.
-Do you know any local magazines, where they are looking for new book feature. Please suggest me. I can send them my book release information.
Word of Mouth – Suggest DROPLETS to your libraries and independent bookstores near you (click here to find outlets near you) – Pitch DROPLETS at your next book club meeting – Suggest the book to your friends and acquaintances.
Social media ( Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn,Facebook, Reddit and Youtube) – Link to your reviews on Amazon, GoodReads, etc. – Post about the book and your impressions – Comment, share, and repost updates about DROPLETS on your social media accounts. – Use #DROPLETS, #authorajaynair #memoirs in your posts
Book Reviews (Note: the earliest a review can be posted on any site is August 8) – PLEASE KEEP THAT DATE IN MIND. – Rate and review Droplets on Amazon, GoodReads, Barnes and Noble, Booksamillion and other platforms – Write reviews on August 8 – 22 (if you review in early August, be sure to mention you received an advanced copy so they know you’re legit!) Thank you! I appreciate you all so much. Ajay Nair.
I am compelled to write this today. I am positive that this will inspire many others who are on the way to write a book. Or, even starting their own blog. Whatever they are trying to do. One thing I learned with this process is. Never stop because of others. You stop only if you want to. Always believe in what you want to do. Keep on writing.
Droplets went through many changes. I traveled with it. I have to say, like many travels this one was not easy either. I went through many rejections. I got fooled by the people out there who wants to make a buck out of my hard labor. I got bad reviews. One even said, “the worst book ever read”
These quotes, remarks can easily bring anyone down. But friends, you are not writing for one person. You are writing for the ones, who will appreciate your hard work. Find them. It is not easy. Took me two years in the making. I self publish this book under the name “Come-Travel With Me” with a subtitle “Ten Droplets”.
Once a famous actor from south India told in an interview ” If you polish a brass piece every day, that piece will shine like a star”. He said this about his acting. He is a well know proven actor for a long time. He is none other than Mammooty. Well, this can apply in every ones life. If you have a product and you believe in it. Keep improving it. Keep trying with many people. One day it will come out and some one will see its worth.
I will show you the revisions at least on the cover page. So you will see how much it evolved. What is the final product. Today I can proudly say, Droplets is a fine book for anyone to read. It is polished. It is edited by professionals. I am very happy. I am sure some of you will like this as well. Please read my book and give some reviews anywhere in the social media you use. For authors like us, word of mouth is the oxygen. Thanks for reading my blog. See below the transformation of my book.
This is my own design which I used when I self published the book.
Below is the publisher’s first draft. I felt it was too close to my design. Went back to design table.
Below is the third. It was missing something according to my gut instinct. Friends, you don’t compromise until you are fully satisfied. So I asked them to go back to design table again.
I went with this one below. It is set to release on August 8 2019. I am content. Happy. I am also saying this because this feeling, I am sure many have felt. But only those who stick to it and push harder will get the results. So Friends, See below my book DROPLETS
Today, I am proud to announce my book DROPLETS for pre order. This journey of mine was tough. Many rejections on the way. Many people told me that my writing is not at all good. Many people told me that I am not conveying message correctly. I have to say, today, It is happening. Thank you for every one who supported me on this journey. Please share the link I am sharing here. Those who order now will receive 15 % discount now before August 8 2019
I heard a lot from people who left an organization, bad mouth about the company they just left. I also have come across a few people who worked hard for the company, then got really treated bad by the employer as soon as they give their notice. On other occasions I have come across employers who point about their ex- employees downfalls.
In all the above scenarios, I think we are at wrong. I personally believe that the organization we worked once have provided us a living. At the same time that organization paved the path for us to be where we are right now.
Everyone have the right to move on to better opportunities, when they seems fit. Treating them badly on their last few days will definitely give bad taste on their mouth. As a company they should value employee’s contribution. Employee should feel that the organization will be there for them if they fall down in the near future.
I believe , In this day and age, Organizations should realize that Ex- Employees can be a great asset just as much as the current employee. They could be the ambassadors for the organization. They could speak about the organization, how good they are to them when they worked there. They could be motivating someone looking for work to apply there.
Treat everyone good. This world needs it. Love each other. People leave jobs not because they hate the organization. It could be personal changes in their life. It could be a better opportunity. It could be simply they want to try something new.
Thanks for reading. Love this positive thought. Comment, Share, Like.
Living “Now” is what worked for me. I have tried many times to think about past etc. It doesn’t give any thing fruitful to me at all. Yesterday I was listening to one of the legends from South India- Mohanlal. We call him “The Complete Actor”. People love him so much and consider him as an elder brother they never had. They call him “Etta” means older brother. Everyone with out any age difference calls him Etta. He told in an interview that he consider past as a bucket of ash. Nothing else. I loved that.
What is point in thinking about past all the time? Live now. Be happy. If you think about past you are not living now. If you think about future, again you are not living now. So this is what a lot of people nowadays do. They worry about future. They complain about the past. One thing they are not realizing is today will become past for them tomorrow. If we don’t live now and be happy, you will never create happy past. Or future!!!.
I have not written in a few weeks now. I thought this is a perfect way to get back to my writing. I always want positive thoughts in my messages. I hope you loved it. Thanks for reading.
I am very proud today to announce this to the whole world. My younger son who is six years old gave this character to life. “Cutie Fox”.
One morning on the way to drop my both kids. I asked them to share stories. Reason was simple, I just want them to behave and not fight. They both thought about stories. Both had nice stories that morning. I liked it. I encouraged both to come up with more stories.
Those who have been following my blog knows that I have written another book. Come-Travel with me. I am not writing another novel about a lady who lived in a southern part of India during untouchable era. Story is about how she fought against society to support her family. Very raw life and definitely a motivation for many women these days.
Now, going back to Cutie Fox. I asked one day my younger son. If I will write a book for children. What should I write about? He said right away “Cutie Fox”. He also had a vague narration of story as well. I liked the concept. So myself, my older son Jaye and younger son Dravid had a roundtable discussion. I pitched in the story and they both liked it. That is how this book got its life.
Every one can pre- order this e- book from amazon. Link below
We all make mistakes in our life. Realizing it, is important. I have see many people who never realize that they have made mistakes. I consider them as failures.
It is human nature. There is no one in the world who have never committed a mistake. We write exams. We make mistakes and score less marks. What we do next? We try to study a little harder and try not to make the same mistakes. Same here in life. When we make mistakes. We need to work harder to correct it.
Repeating same mistakes over and over. Then, ignore it. We will not get anywhere in our lives. That is sad. Life is beautiful. We need to enjoy to the fullest. For that we need to realize first we are human. Even Gods make mistakes. There are many stories about mistakes done by gods, especially with Hinduism. It just shows us that we are not supreme.
Today I am happy. I realize my mistakes and I do admit them. When I was not admitting it, there was a lot of commotion in my life. Now I am free. I also come to a sense that I have accomplished everything in my life. There is nothing more to achieve or go for. I am content. This realization made my existence here so light.
My book Come travel with me got some good reviews. At the same time I did get very bad ones as well. I am thankful to both of the reviews. I am writing a novel now. This reviews gives me more enthusiasm to write more. Critics with purpose makes one to improve. I also got some reviews where there is no real purpose to it. Those type of reviews are there just to dis respect the effort we writers take in producing the book.
At the end of the day, We all should realize we are people. We make mistakes. We need to correct it and live a happy life. Thanks every one for reading this. Please share or leave comments if you like. Also check out my book Come travel with me. It is available from amazon sites.
Droplets is a fresh breath when it comes to writing. This is a memoir of persistence and perseverance, derived from the culture shock of moving from Southern part of India to Canada.
One who hated books