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
Year 2000, First time I saw snow. I have already lived more than two decades in this beautiful earth. I realize then, universe have many hidden talents. Some you will never discover through out your life time. I was so happy, I still remember vividly, it was in the evening around 7 pm. I walked out. First time I felt snow fall on my face. Happiness at that moment is hard to explain in words.
One may wonder, why I call snow as nature’s talent. The way it is formed, I am always amazed by it. The white color of it. Unaltered. It is most purest form of everything. You want to hold it, but you cannot keep it for ever. It will melt. At the same time what happens to that beautiful white color. It vanishes. As soon as we touch them the purity goes away.
When it falls from sky, even the nature stands still. I always felt the presence of some power at that time. You can see the world is glowing at that time. The color of the sky, the light around the buildings, let it be night. Let it be morning, it has got some sort of presence, like halo. There is peace to it. I love watching the snow fall. Mind you, I hate cleaning it later.
This winter, we had quite a bit of snow fall. We had trouble getting to work. We had a lot of difficulties. But how many of us actually went out for a bit just to enjoy what nature has given to us. For those who did not do that, I am giving you all a few glimpses of it. Hope you enjoy my clicks.
The Long Road – As the name states, it definitely is a long road for those who suffer with mental illness. Not only for the person who is going through it. The people around them, who loves them, also suffers a lot. Hank Galloway main character in this wonderful novel by Daniel Oliver suffers a lot. His agony, frustrations and not wanting to accept that he has mental problems are all well narrated by Daniel. I have admitted many times that I hate books and I am not an avid reader. This book captured my attention and made me read from the beginning till end without much trouble. Definitely a quick read.
Hank’s relationship with his Grandpa Joe is amazing. His words “Only doing what you believe is your calling will bring you peace with God and happiness” I loved that sentence and I believe in it too. Relationship with his father is portrayed nicely by the author. Hank’s relapses with his condition, nervous breakdowns. Going back and forth with his fear and instability. The story has a great pace and will keep the readers interest from beginning till end.
Recently I have taken a first aid course for Mental health. I have seen some ups and down with my colleagues due to mental health. Even a suicide. This story of Hank is a must read. Helps people to understand what it takes to help them. At this day and age, everyone is so busy with their own lives, selfishness. It takes a lot to understand mental health issues. Supporting them is what makes a society grow.
Daniel effectively get the reader’s attention or in other words give a great message to parents how they should not behave in front of their kids. How much kid’s life gets affected? Parents relationship with kids should be nurturing. This book opens up a lot of conversation around that topic. Hank says he can give up his right hand for a different decent father. That sums up everything.
The Long Road is a must read novel. Daniel captures beautifully one’s struggles dealing with mental sickness. Definitely a 5 star rating from me.
We children always want to do special. Same thing happened with Cutie Fox. He wants to do something special for his dad. The adventure he goes through is what makes this book interesting for kids.
Dravid and Jayenth- Age 7 and 14. Their wild imaginations created the idea. That is how this book took life. Dravid gave the character name. He was so convinced when he said the fox name should be “Cutie Fox”
Today the book is on sale and I have to say, I am very proud. This moment of truth will be there forever. My kid’s and their kids will read about cutie fox. The realization of this makes me want to cry. The moments of happiness and smiles on my kids face are priceless. I am already successful. Cutie fox get noticed or not, this moment will live with me till I leave this planet.
Thank you universe and the force out there to motivate me through out this process. I felt many times, that this book will never find light. Some how, somewhere deep in me, made me want to look for help. That is how this happened. I am sure, when my author copies gets to my home. There will be more excitement. I cannot wait to see my kids reading their book. I have only one word… CONTENT.
When I started writing, I was not sure where I was going to go with it. Then it slowly started to grow in me. I wanted to write. Then finding time was not easy. Still not easy. Work, family and other chores always took importance and priority. Definitely not a bad thing. One should not leave all the above for writing. If they do, then they are not responsible to society. There may be many writers who have done that. This day and age, I do believe that we need to focus on our family first.
Many at times, I had great ideas, twists, plots comes to mind. I was told by many other writers, you need to make a note of it. The ideas may never come back. I still have not got that habit yet. I am working on it. I recently heard a movie director saying. He always leaves voice note in his phone. I think, voice note will work for me. I am sure, every writers adapt some unique ways, which works for them.
When my friends and family came to know about my writing. Lot of them asked me, how is it being a writer. That sparks me to write this blog. The first one for the year 2020.
I started this to get my mind off of things. That was the start. I find myself immersed in it and not to think any thing else. Slowly, it started to give me a lot of happiness. I get in to this strange world when i start to write. Right now I am working on a novel which is set in the year 1890 to about 1915. I get this rush when i create characters. I feel like I am living with them. More like seeing a movie. The characters starts to speak. They have their own attitudes which I start to see in front of me. I feel like, I am making them to say certain way OR at some times, I feel like, they are making me to believe that they will respond certain way. This is very unique. I love when that happens.
Some days, I sit and write for few hours. Some months I don’t touch. There are days, I cannot stop writing because the characters I created are in full swing. They are going through many traumatic situations. I feel like I have to rescue them. Then they get killed all of a sudden. You know, I live with them. This is what I feel being a writer. Strange isn’t it!!!
I do not think any thing else during that creative time. I relax myself. I do see myself rejuvenated once I finish about a thousand words. That is a huge reward. Reading back what I wrote so far gives me so much pleasure. Some days, I cannot even believe myself, that I have created such a bad character in my novel. How could I? That is the most funniest part of it all.
At the end, i have to say to all my readers, who wants to write. Just start. You will not be disappointed. Reward is not money, not fame. Pure pleasure of creating stories. I do not regret a bit that I started writing. Last year “DROPLETS” a memoir got published. Every one who follows me knows this.
This year Cutie Fox Went To Town will come out. An illustrated children’s book. I hope I can give you a good news by the end or middle of the year. There is a novel, I am working on it. I cannot reveal much about, But it is a period piece. I am sure, readers will like it.
With that, I encourage every one to read DROPLETS available in all major online sites. Leave notes, messages. connect with me. via Instagram, Facebook or Amazon author page.
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
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