Book Review: The Bestseller She Wrote by Ravi Subramanian

 


Title: The Bestseller She Wrote
Author: Ravi Subramanian
Paperback: 391 pages
Publisher: Westland (October 28th 2015)
Genre: Romance
Read: Paperback
Stars: ***/5
Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US | Flipkart

 

Summary:

(Goodreads)

He was a bestseller She wanted him to make her one.

Paperback king, Aditya Kapoor life is straight out of a modern man's fantasy. His literary stardom is perfectly balanced by a loving wife and a spectacular career. With everything he touches turning to gold, Aditya is on a winning streak.

Shreya Kaushik is a student with a heart full of ambition. Young, beautiful and reckless, Shreya speaks her mind and obsessively chases after what she wants. And what she wants is to be a bestselling author.

What happens when their worlds collide? Is it possible to love two people at the same time? Can real ambition come in the way of blind passion? Can trust once broken, be regained?

Master storyteller Ravi Subramanian, delves into the glitzy world of bestsellers and uncovers a risky dalliance between a superstar novelist and his alluring protege.

The Bestseller She Wrote is a combustible cocktail of love, betrayal and redemption.

 

My Review:

Note: Thanks BlogAdda and Ravi Subramanian for offering me this book to read and review :)

Cover: Bright and Conspicuous

Paper and font: Easy on the eyes!

Readability, language: Easy on the mind!

Why did I choose this book: I was offered this book by Blogadda. Since this was a deviation from Subramanian’s standard writing fare, it caught my fancy.

Shreya wants to be a bestselling author and she will do anything it takes to get that, even destroy a marriage as she comes between Maya and Aditya. But will Bestselling Author Aditya Kapoor be used and abused or can he save his marriage. Shreya can get all she wants without this destruction so why is she doing this? The answers the climax. ;)

The end justifies the title; it’s appropriate and it caught my interest. The cover is bright and conspicuous, it’s one you can’t ignore. As for the blurb, it’s succinct and simple.

I haven’t come across a plot quite like this one before, a story of blind ambition and it’s repercussions, while also dealing with betrayal. At a lot of points I found myself thinking I knew what would come next but Subramanian surprised me repeatedly.

Set in present day Mumbai, the author has woven the city well in his story and the city is always present in the shadows. He has also woven in a lot of pot-shots and truths about the publishing industry. There were a lot of places where I found myself laughing when I made the connection to real life and many a place I was shaking my head at the sad publishing truths.

The book has a large character set, but they all play important roles in the story and take it forward. Aditya, Maya and Shreya are sketched well. I found myself doing exactly what the author wanted, feeling for Maya, hating Shreya while admiring her guts and feeling both love and hate for Aditya. The only character who left me disturbed was Sanjay, his involvement has me still confused; I can’t find them but there seem to be loose-ends there.

The story is well laid out, though the pace slows down a bit and gets draggy toward the end. Almost as if the author was implementing his advice from the book on words per book. The story builds up well toward the climax and takes you by surprise. All loops are tied up though the Sanjay threads are a little twisted and knotted up for me, his plot didn’t sit too well in the jigsaw for me.

I enjoyed Subramanian’s style of writing, his snide remarks and tongue-in-cheek sense of humour. His Hinglish (which I particularly loved) is simple and easy to read and I didn’t once have to reach out for a dictionary, which was refreshingly nice!

Not just a story of blind ambition and betrayal, The Bestseller She Wrote is also the current state of India’s publishing industry - from author antics to emotional blackmail, Facebook fiascos to newspaper scandals, anything goes and it’s all in the book. For YA and above. Recommended if you are looking for a fast mindless read!

Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US | Flipkart

About the Author:

Ravi Subramanian is an alumnus of IIM Bangalore and author of seven previous commercial novels. Having been a banker himself, he has a unique insight into the industry he writes about.
Ravi lives in Mumbai with his wife, Dharini and daughter Anusha.

Author Links:
Website │ Goodreads │ Twitter │ Facebook

:P Compulsory Text: I am reviewing ‘The Bestseller She Wrote’ by Ravi Subramanian as a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

 

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So Long Buddha, Run Free My Child

Buddha - The Wise One
11 Sept. 2004 - 22 Dec. 2015

Che and I decided early in our relationship not to have babies but like a lot of other parents we landed up with an unplanned baby. Unplanned she may have been but she was never unwanted, and we enjoyed her so much, we had 5 more in 5 years. Yep, we're really bad at family planning. ;)

Two nights ago I lost my first born, my oldest son. Words seem inadequate to describe what I am feeling. There is a blankness, a numbness, an emptiness that is yet to set-in that I know will leave behind a void never to be filled.

Buddha came into our lives late in his and our lives, he was 6 then. I still remember that day when Che looked at me with puppy-eyes and asked if we could bring home another dog. I remember telling him that I'd first like to see the dog.

So, Che whisked me off to Windward Kennels to get me to meet the dog he was already in love with; to convince me to take him home. I still remember my first impression of Buddha - a timid dog who took time to warm up to strangers, a guy who rather be left alone than be in the thick of things and yet so beautiful both inside and out.



I thought he would be easy, a cake walk for me that would also be an excellent calming influence on the two young nut-cracks we had. I was proven so wrong!

As the months rolled by Buddha transformed, he still retained his quiet introspective self but he also started to display a boisterous self who joined in the games, the play, the charges to the door and the barking howling matches.

He came into his own and stopped backing off, he started to take dogs head-on. Clear about what he wanted, what he liked and disliked, he now didn't hesitate to put the dogs in their place. And as the months rolled by I fell in love with him, more and then some more.

Buddha was a dog no one who met him would forget. He made an impression, an impression all his own, an imprint unique to just him. But he had his quirks - he was terrified of crackers and loud noises, had a dislike for too much excitement, pee'd slow and long, and had a mouth so foul-smelling that you'd never forget a kiss from him, that is if you hadn't died of the aroma. :D

A couple of years ago when he had been diagnosed with an enlarged heart and arthritis, I started to worry but Buddha's love for life made the problems look like they didn't exist. He fought his way through it all with help from various people who loved him and stayed active right up to the end.



When his heart started to act up a couple of weeks ago, he valiantly held on while I fretted. He loved his walks and demanded them, and I, had to give in and take him in spite of my misgivings. On his last day, he walked well, ate heartily, showered me with time and attention and refused to leave my side.

And when he went, he went just as quietly as he had come in 5 years ago. A gentle presence by my side that slipped away before I knew it. He gave us 5 glorious years that we will relive forever. He was Buddha, through and though, aptly named for he had learned all the secrets of the universe and he held them all in himself.

I lost a son two nights ago, my oldest, the first born and I will never be whole again. I'm not a mother of human babies and I don't know the pain of losing a child but what I do know is that words aren't enough to describe my grief, no balm is soothing enough for this chasm I have in my heart, no amount of tears can wash away this pain I am feeling.

Buddha the wise one with floppy ears... #LifeAsFreya #InstaDog #BuddhaTheWise #weinerdog #dachshundsofinstagram #dachshund #dogsofinstagram #whd

A video posted by @freya3377 on Feb 7, 2015 at 7:52pm PST

You will be missed Buddha and yet I know you will always be with me, as that little hole in my heart that will be filled again only when we are reunited. Run free my child, I hope you get your very own hammock up there. xxx

 

That should have been the end of this monologue but there are people I must thank for him and his life before I close. Preeti - a big thank you for sharing Buddha with us, Devisri - for kicking me into getting his diet right, Dr. Pavan, Dr. Ramesh, Dr. Ajitesh & Dr. Girish at Cessna Lifeline and Dr. Shiv Prasad his homeopathy doctor with the magic sugar pills - for keeping him medically healthy, and the brat pack for keeping him happy. Special thanks to Anithra, Chaitanya and Mom & Nanisaheb for being there always, even at the end and for his first toast.

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Book Review: The Starriest Summer by Adelle Yeung

 


Title: The Starriest Summer
Author: Adelle Yeung
Paperback: 377 pages
Publisher: Indigo Platinum Press (December 1st 2015)
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Contemporary
Read: eBook
Stars: ***/5
Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US

 

Summary:

(Goodreads)

Fifteen-year-old Michelle saves the world on a daily basis…with her trusty video game controller, of course! Naturally, she jumps at the chance to play an experimental virtual reality game.

The beautiful fantasy world of Starrs? Check. The power to mold matter? Check. No reset button? Wait, she didn’t sign up for this!

Turns out Starrs is really real, and to make matters worse, Michelle’s interference awakens the Cycle of the Six Moons, a series of devastating trials that will devour the universe.

Fighting the apocalypse was way easier when danger stayed on the other side of the screen, but Michelle finds a secret weapon in her new-found powers. She uses them to rescue the crown prince of a powerful magic kingdom from their sworn enemies, a technologically-advanced cult that strives to eradicate magical blood.

Michelle starts to fall for Prince Jayse, the only one who believes Michelle to be a savior rather than a curse. But not even video games could prepare her for what the cult has in store for them…

 

My Review:

Note: Thanks Adelle Yeung and YA Bound Book Tours for offering me this book to read and review :)

Cover: Eye-catchy!

Paper and font: Easy on the eyes!

Readability, language: Simple on the mind.

Why did I choose this book: I love watching Che play story based video games, so a book based on getting sucked into a game just had to be read!

Michelle gets pulled into a different world when she starts to play a virtual reality game. Only this isn’t a game but is real and Michelle’s arriving in this world has set of a chain of events that could end the world. She has to team up and save the world.

The title The Starriest Summer is appropriate considering the book is predominantly set in the Starrs world. The cover is attractive and caught my eye. I couldn’t make much sense of the characters on the cover initially but looking at the cover after completing the book makes it all clear. The blurb is enticing and got me interested.

I’ve never come across a plot like this before so it was a refreshing find. I really like the idea of falling into a video game and becoming an actual part of the game. The plot is clear, as in Michelle has to save the Starrs World but the whole thing about the Cycle of the Six Moons was complicated and I’m still confused about it.

The world of Starrs has been created well and I found it very believable. Yeung’s descriptions of the terrain made it easy to visualise the world as I read the book. It almost felt like watching someone play a story-based video game.

The main character is Michelle but she is supported by a bunch of primary, secondary and tertiary characters. The characters are well fleshed out and described rather in detail too but somehow some things just felt odd for me in my head. Some characteristics and even clothes just didn’t suit the characters I had drawn up in my head. That said, I must add that Michelle felt real with her fears and hang-ups. Getting pulled into the game doesn’t make her a superhero and I liked that.

The story follows a three act structure and is split into 3 parts, with the conflict clear in the first few pages. The flow of the story is good and so is the pace, I found myself wanting to read constantly to know what would happen next. But the pace is also constant and there is no build up to climax, it doesn’t feel like a climax, but that might be because it is to be a series?

The language used is simple and easy to read but I think the book could have done with one more proofread. I found quite a few grammatical errors and missing letters. At some points it just felt very childish too, the dialogues were just too cheesy, even if said by teenagers.

Overall I enjoyed the book and definitely recommend it if you are a Young Adult and into video games and that kind of fantasy.

Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US

About the Author:

Adelle Yeung is the author of The Cycle of the Six Moons trilogy, a young adult fantasy adventure. She is also a voice-over artist who can’t go a day without a cup of tea. When she’s not writing or recording, she enjoys sewing costumes, baking sweets, and escaping on video game adventures.
She lives in California with a cat that dreams of eating the pet bird.

Author Links:
Website │ Goodreads │ Twitter │ Facebook

 

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Indian Reads... #1: My First Ever Author Interview with Nina Sengupta

Indian Reads… #1: Talking with Nina Sengupta about her book 'Edible Weeds and Naturally Growing Plants in Auroville'

This is a whole bunch of firsts, my first author interview, my first colouring book, the first colouring book from India,.. to name a few.

I set out with a lot of nervousness, I’d never interviewed someone before and this was to be over a telephone call. And what after the interview, I’ve not ever used editing software, how was I going to finish this. But baby steps I told myself and the result was so much fun.

I’ve enjoyed this so much I think I’m going to this again. Putting together questions, talking to Nina about her book and publishing experience, learning iMovie and actually using it, was an adventure and here’s the result.

Please do give it a listen and tell me what you think in comments? :)



In this interview Nina talks about -

- her life in Auroville
- why she choose the theme of weeds
- creating a colouring book
- her journey from an idea to publication
- themes and next books in the series

You can buy Nina's book at www.Auroville.com

My Review of Edible Weeds and Naturally Growing Plants in Auroville

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Book Review: Edible Weeds and Naturally Growing Plants in Auroville by Nina Sengupta

Title: Edible Weeds and Naturally Growing Plants in Auroville
Author: Nina Sengupta
Paperback: 44 pages
Publisher: SAIIER (2015)
Stars: ****/5
Buy On: Auroville.com

Note: Thanks Nina Sengupta and SAIIER for offering me this book to read and review :)

With all the talk going on about colouring books and their benefits for adults, I just had to get one for myself, so when I came across Nina’s book I jumped at it. It also helped that it’s topic was of interest to me.

Published by SAIIER or Sri Aurobindo International Institute of Educational Research the 'Edible Weeds and Naturally Growing Plants in Auroville' by Nina Sengupta is my first taste of an adult colouring book. (The book though states on the cover that it’s a collection of botanical drawings both for adults and young.)

The cover is made of rich red textured paper that feels good and holds well when handing the book. The front cover has a simple illustration that stands out for its ease on the eye and yet it’s whiteness immediately invites you to colour in. The back cover lists some of the benefits of colouring books and gives an introduction to why Sengupta put together this book. It also states that this is likely to be the first colouring book from India.

The size of a large note book 'Edible Weeds and Naturally Growing Plants in Auroville' has 22 pages that include 40 drawings to colour in. The drawing pages are smooth and a pristine white that helps in showing off colours as they are. The book is hand-bound neatly and that adds a certain character to the book. It also helps the book open and spread well for colouring.



The theme of this book which is part one in a tri-series is edible weeds and plants around around Auroville. The illustrations are botanical drawings drawn to scale with the scales included in the images. The botanical name and various other common names are listed at the bottom of each page. Sengupta says she has been slightly partial to lesser known plants in her choosing for this book; I agree for there were just a couple that I knew but that leaves a lot of new ones to learn about. :)

Instructions for use listed at the beginning of the book talks about the plants, their details, scales, uses, etc. There is some colouring help given but I’d have liked to know more about painting mediums that could have been used. The paper seems thick though and the kind you could use water colours on but I’ve only used colour pencils until now. No idea what would happen with alcohol based markers. The coloured insert included with the book at the end gives visual cues if you want to see what the actual colours are, it also gives more details about the plant and it’s uses.



The drawings are well laid out one on each page with a lot of white space around. There is also a mix of the easy and the intricate in each drawing that makes for some challenge but isn’t daunting. As a collection of edible weeds this isn’t just a colouring book but also resource to be kept handy for garden enthusiasts.

Since this book is at it’s core a colouring book and it’s my first colouring book, I was very interested to see how the relaxation bit would pan out. As a study and to make the book a collectible for me, I decided to ask friends to colour a page each. I talked with them as they coloured about their choices of colour, method and how they felt.



I’ve gotten three friends until now to sit down and colour a page each. Interestingly all three choose to ignore the colour insert and used colours of their own choice. Two out of three were parents with some recent experience of colouring but even the single one who hadn’t coloured in ages tried out colour combinations and shading. And each one of them attested to the fun they had and the relaxation they felt after they were done. I coloured in one page myself and can now vouch for all those feelings too. :)

In summary, 'Edible Weeds and Naturally Growing Plants in Auroville' by Nina Sengupta is a worthy buy, not only for the hours of fun and relaxation you’ll get while colouring but also for the knowledge and resources given in the book for future reference. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

Click here to buy a copy of Nina Sengupta's Edible Weeds and Naturally Growing Plants in Auroville.

Note: Since this was the first time ever that I was reviewing a colouring book, I sought inspiration and guidance through Google and found Lucy's blog which was so helpful. If you like colouring books please do check out Colouring In The Midst of Madness for more reviews and insight into how Lucy uses colouring books and craft to help her cope with her severe anxiety disorder.

 

My Interview with Nina Sengupta

 



In the interview Nina talks about her book, her journey from an idea to being published, her love for weeds, and more.

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Book review: The Girl and The Clockwork Conspiracy by Nikki McCormack

 

 
Title: The Girl and the Clockwork Conspiracy
Author: Nikki McCormack
Paperback: 213 pages
Publisher: Elysium Books (September 14th 2015)
Genre: Young Adult, Steampunk, Fantasy
Read: eBook
Stars: ****/5
Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US

 

Summary:

(Goodreads)

Maeko hasn't been long away from the gritty London streets and she's already learning that her new "civilized" life comes with its own challenges. She has to dress proper, eat proper and be a proper lady. She can't even talk to a boy without a chaperone. She's got proper coming out of her ears. If not for her feline companion Macak, she might go mad.

Her one hope for some freedom and excitement comes when the moody detective, Em, asks her to be an apprentice. But that apprenticeship comes with a price. She must agree to spy on Macak's owner, Lucian, the wealthy businessman and inventor whose life she saved.

Everything changes when Lucian's brother dies in an explosion while visiting Lucian's home in the heart of London. The Literati--a powerful group vying for political control of London--say it was murder and Maeko is on their suspect list. With Macak at her side, she must turn once more to her allies, Chaff and Ash. They will have to brave city streets torn by rebellion and conspiracy to find the truth.

 

My Review:

Note: Thanks Nikki McCormack and YA Bound Book Tours for offering me this book to read and review :)

Cover: Provokes Curiosity...

Paper and font: Easy on the eyes!

Readability, language: Easy on the Mind.

Why did I choose this book: I’ve been coming across the term steam-punk a lot these days but had not read a book in that genre. I jumped at the chance when this book came up.

This is book 2 of the Clockwork Enterprises series and continues from where book 1 left-off. This isn’t a stand alone. The story continues as Maeko tries to extricate herself (but only manages to get involved deeper) from the events unfolding as various factions fight for power and balance in the city of London.

The title 'The Girl and The Clockwork Conspiracy’ is appropriate and explains itself as the story unfolds. It is also a good follow-up to the first book’s title and connected well to the series title. The cover is well made and is what first got me curious about the book. The blurb also captured my interest.

I felt the plot was new and unique but then this is the first ever steampunk book I’ve read. The plot seems well laid out, with various levels explored in the book, politics, personal, societal,… the conflicts in each of these clear and distinct in the book. McCormack has built in many twists and sub-plots but each of them adds to the story.

The story is set in Victorian London in the 1800’s and as I read the book in my head I relived the urchins of Dickens and the prettily dressed ladies of Heyer as they walked down the streets of London along-side coaches and hansoms. McCormack has done a good job of describing the places, lifestyle and people of the era.

The main character of the book is Maeko, a street rat with oriental ancestry and a penchant for trouble. I found myself associating with Maeko so much that mid-book onwards I found myself rooting for her. She comes across as the endearing smart-ass. Then there is Chaff who I can’t help but have the hots for and the scenes between Maeko and Chaff, well let’s just say... Steamy! To add to this triangle is Ash, the cute boy next door. There are also a bunch of other characters who help the story along.

In book one somehow I didn’t connect much with the story or the characters, for that matter I had trouble finishing the book but in book two the characters grew on me and I started to enjoy the story. McCormack’s writing seems to get better as the books roll along and at the end of this book I found myself wishing I could read part 3 right away.

The story gets tighter in book 2, the characters more defined and the pace and build-up stronger. That said I did feel the climax came out of the blue, almost as if McCormack wanted to end the book and just jumped into the climax scene. I also felt the story didn’t close neatly, there was too much left out for book 3.

Over all I enjoyed The Girl and The Clockwork Conspiracy and would definitely recommend it if you are into Steampunk and Romance. The books 1 & 2 don’t have any explicit scenes but there is enough I think to classify it Upper YA and above. There is also promise of more steamy scenes in future books.

I for one, I’m definitely looking forward to book 3. ;)

Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US

About the Author:

 
 
Nikki started writing her first novel at the age of 12. She lives in the magnificent Pacific Northwest tending to her husband and three cats suffering varying stages of neurosis. She feeds her imagination by sitting on the ocean in her kayak gazing out across the never-ending water or hanging from a rope in a cave, embraced by darkness and the sound of dripping water. Nikki finds peace through practicing iaido or shooting her longbow.
 

Author Links:
Website │ Goodreads │ Twitter │ Facebook

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If You Could Be Any Age, What Would Your Age Be?

 

“How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?” - Satchel Paige

 

That’s a quote that been on my mind, even days after I first saw it. It keeps coming back to the fore and setting me off down memory lane.

When I first saw the quote I quickly travelled down the years and found I couldn’t freeze on an age. But the fact that I couldn’t was somewhat perplexing. Most people when asked this question would have a time and age when they were most happy, a time and age they would like to live in forever.

So why then could I not find an age. It’s not like I’ve lived a fairy tale life with no troubles and trauma. Actually looking back, there had been a lot of that.

Toddlerhood had seen me abused, school life had been lonely, college was when I lost my father, work life had been boring, married life is challenging… Every decade has something sorrowful that stands out like sore thumb but that isn’t why I can’t choose an age.

For each of those sorrowful incidents there have been many happy moments. I’m not making a list here for it is lengthy, I’m going to let my saying there are tons suffice. In every decade I had fun, I enjoyed life (though it didn’t always seem so at that time). I’ve had my fair share of not so fine moments but I can’t remember a time when there were only fine moments.

So if I had to choose an age it would be ‘now’. The current me, my life right now.

But that isn’t entirely what that quote is about, is it. Another interpretation would reference the number-game for me. Of thinking beyond the binds of civilisation and invention. Of seeing the world beyond how it's been defined for our boxed-in vision, the world as we know it.

Age after all is just a number, an invention of the guys who developed numerals, the ones who decided how many seconds made a minute, how many days made a month, how many years made a decade,...

Numbers are just that - an invention - a figment of some guys imagination. And he could have imagined it all different, you know. What if in all their inventing, they had made 5=35? Then, I’d be 5 years old today. And maybe that's my true age. :D

It doesn’t end there though, coz there’s one more thought I have about the quote and this one involves memory loss. If I lost my memory with no one who knows me around, how old would I think I was. A look at my hair would place me closer to 50 and my skin and body would maybe be early thirties. But my heart, my heart would belong in the twenties, that time when I was all about self-discovery. [Not that I’m not now :D ]

So, how old are you? What's your true age? And what’s your interpretation of the quote? ;)

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Indiblogger's #BNLF is finally here, and I'm Going...

 


This weekend I’m off to Mumbai to attend the Indiblogger, BNLF event. BNLF which stands for Blog Now and Live Forever is a one of a kind event being organised for the first time in India and I’m all excited to attend.

Years from now when we look back at blogging and it’s history in India, it'll be cool to boast about the fact that I was there at the first big blogging event. Hey, I do like boasting a bit. But aside from that I’m also looking forward to meeting a lot of old friends and making some new ones.



I’ve got to start packing once I’m done here, yep I know it’s early considering I leave early morning on Saturday and I still have one more day tomorrow but don’t even talk or think of tomorrow, it’s going to be a crazy day with me running around getting things done and organising & instructing for when I’m gone [the control freak me, doesn’t give up easily :D ].

So while I printout my passes and make notes on the agenda, here’s some of what is expected at BNLF.

There’s going to be two packed days of talks and discussions with some very interesting speakers. The line up includes Blog Coach - Jeff Bullas, Video Blogger - Kanan Gill, Author - Preeti Shenoy, Blogger - Purba Ray, Blogger - Arnab Ray, Marketer - Christoph Trappe, Blogger - Anshul Tiwari and last the icing on the cake, Bruce Dickinson - Lead singer Iron Maiden.

I’m looking forward to some of the sessions as they sound very promising and I’m hoping to learn some new tips and tricks.

Day 1 covers public relations for a blogger, life changing capabilities of blogging, telling authentic stories, public opinion and bloggers, creating videos, tips for global blogging success, blogging to book and turning readers into fans. Phew! thats a lot!

But there’s more on day 2 - an entire session on authentic stories, creating them and moving away from traditional marketing with Christoph Trappe, followed by 7 steps to master blogging by Jeff Bullas. Day two doesn’t have a lot of speakers but it looks packed!

In-between this there is also be a backstage party on 31st after the day is done and it's invite only but I get to go coz all IndiCrew members get access. (IndiCrew is a volunteer bunch who help with the back-end stuff).



Apart from all that, the Indiblogger guys say there will also be "an authentic Mexican restaurant on wheels, a Master Class on Italian cuisine, a wall to climb, some smoking hot rides and a whole lot more".

This weekend is going to be fun. I’ll tell you all about it once it’s done but you can also follow updates from me on Twitter - @Freya3377.

That’s it from me this week… I’m off to wrap-up and pack… :)

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Book Review: Palm’s foster home for peculiar stories by C G Salamander

 


Title: Palm’s foster home for peculiar stories
Author: C G Salamander
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Jellyfish Publications (April 2nd 2015)
Genre: Fiction, Short-stories
Read: Paperback
Stars: ****/5
Buy On: Amazon India | FlipKart

 

Summary:

(Goodreads)

NIGEL THE LAST BRIT IN INDIA

There is chaos and pandemonium in the streets of Madras, and it is up to Nigel (an officer of the Imperial Police) to restore order to the city... only he hasn't quite learned about India's Independence. Yet.

GAYATRI AND THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY VEGETABLES

When the newest and most successful religion (Cabbagism) threatens to bring about the destruction of the world, it is up to a melancholic zombie and a collection of rowdy farm animals to save the earth.

ALIENS, DINOSAURS, PORCUPINES

A porcupine, after setting out on a journey away from home, falls in love with an armadillo.

 

My Review:

Note: Thanks C G Salamander for offering me this book to read and review :)

Cover: Fascinatingly Peculiar

Paper and font: Ebony on Ivory with a lovely smell!

Readability, language: Relatively easy but with definite presence of big words

Why did I choose this book: After reading the blurb, I just couldn’t say no, my curiosity got the better of me!

A collection of short stories in three parts with some stories tying in with others to make a grander plot. These are stories about Nigel, the Brit who has forgotten that the British left, a chicken who teams up with zombies to fight Cabbagism and the love story of a porcupine and an armadillo. Any more would give the stories away.:)

The title 'Palm’s foster home for peculiar stories’ I realised as I read the book was bang on, for these are peculiar stories indeed! The cover immediately caught my eye (it played a big role in my saying yes), I like the colours used and texture of the cover adds to the experience. The blurb is short but captivating.

Do you see the texture?

The book is split into three parts with part 1 and 2 having a plot to the collection of stories. Part 3 felt like just a collection of stories with no common thread. The plots are unique and mind-boggling, and I was left mind-fucked (for want of a better word) at the end of each part. Salamander’s imagination is something else.



Part 1 is set in Madras, a little after Independence and Part 2 culminates at Eden Garden’s Kolkata. Salamander uses his backdrops well and they help the story along and add to it. The end of part 2 felt like I was there at Eden Garden’s.

The collection has a plethora of characters, all fantastical and fascinating. Sometimes the characters appeared in such quick succession that I’d get a bit confused and but by the end of each collection I kind figured them out. Salamander does’t forget or lose any or his characters, they all get accounted for.



The story structure in part 1 and 2 are complex, like a little jigsaw, only this one is in 3D and it is only at the end that it all comes into focus. I took really long to read this book, one reason was life but the other was the complexity. I had to go back quite a few times to pick up threads I lost. Maybe reading the book in one sitting would have helped, maybe.



Salamander through the book moves between persons in speech. The author has a good hold over english language and makes you have to reach out for a dictionary quite a few times. I missed my Kindle Dictionary feature so much as I read this book. But that said he also spins words and puns well to create images you see as you read. I enjoyed his writing style, more so because there was a definite Terry Pratchett feel to his writing.



A good book if you are looking for 'mindful reading', this isn’t a 'leave your brains at home' book. A enjoyed the first two parts, (my favourite being Nigel the Last Brit) and recommend you give this book a read!

Buy On: Amazon India | FlipKart

About the Author:

 
C. G. Salamander is a fiction writer and a story teller, his short stories and comics have been published in various short story anthologies and journals. Palms Foster Home for Peculiar Stories is his first book.

Author Links:
Website │ Goodreads │ Twitter │ Facebook

 

Q & A with C. G. Salamander

After reading your book I understand the peculiar stories bit of your title and your love for puns. But why did you choose ‘Palm’s' foster home? I missed that. :D

C. G. S: The meaning behind 'Palm's Foster Home' is double fold: when I was small I used to scribble down stories on my hand during class, and I ended up loosing a lot of my characters this way (the ink would disappear by the time I got home). So I guess I imagined my palm as a sort of asylum where all my stories continue to live. The second reason is because of this show called 'Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends' that used to play on Cartoon Network -- this was a show that really resonated with me, and naming my book 'Palm's Foster Home for Peculiar Stories' just felt right. But you're right though, there's nothing in then book to hint this out.

In part 1 and 2 there is a thread running through the stories. They all connect. I couldn’t find any connect in part 3. Did I miss something?

C. G. S: You're right once again, Part 1 and 2 have an overall arc, while part 3 is actually a collection of standalone stories. You didn't miss anything.

What inspired these stories? How long have you been creating this collection? Which authors inspired you?

C. G. S: To be completely frank, I'm not entirely sure what inspired these stories. It took me about 4 to 6 months to write all the stories in this collection, and about 2 mounts to tweak and fiddle with them. As for the authors that inspired me, well the list is endless, but the ones that deserve special mentions are Margaret Atwood who taught me how to wrap things up neatly; Salman Rushdie for introducing me to colloquialisms and Indainspeak, and of course Terry Pratchett who taught me everything else.

Which is your favourite story/character in the book? Which story did you enjoy writing the most?

C. G. S: My favourite story is 'The Fertile Octogenarian' (which incidentally most people aren't too fond of.)
My favourite characters are Gayatri, Mary Beth, and the Disciple Bob -- if I had to pick one, I'd say Mary Beth (Gayatri being a close second).
And the story that I enjoyed writing the most is definitely 'Nigel the Last Brit in India'. I enjoyed myself far too much with that story.

Would you tell us a little about your last name - Salamander? What does C G stand for? Why did you choose it? Maybe a little something no one yet knows about you?

C. G. S: The reason I chose C G Salamander as my pen name is because the Latin or scientific name for a Chinese Giant Salamander (that's what the C G Stands for) is Andrias Davidianus, which is extremely close to my real name (50 points if you guess it; hint: it's not Rumpelstiltskin).

Something that no one knows about me? Hmmm... I'm actually super into writing bad poetry.

My neighbour's curtains are brownish yellow
He really is a gruesome fellow,
He uses them to wipe his mouth
His neck, his stomach, and parts down south.

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Pakistan: From Nabia's Point of View - (Part 3)

This series started out with my thoughts on Pakistan and it’s image propagated by media and Govt. I’ve been unhappy about how the country is depicted and the actual 'true' state.

Continuing on the question trail, of getting to know Pakistan and it’s people, this time I have Nabia joining me. Nabia fits the mould and yet she doesn’t, she a package of surprises. I’ve met Nabia just once in Chiang Mai but thanks to Facebook, I keep getting news of her. And things to do with her are fun, I tell you, every picture with her in it is packed with energy and joy.

Nabia Amin Lakhani

 

Nabia with her father in 2010

The only sister to three brothers, Nabia is the youngest in the family. She was born and brought up in Karachi but has lived in Islamabad for a couple of months and visits quite often too. She has also been to Balochistan, Murree, Lahore, and Quetta.
A graduate from Karachi university in arts, she has done the montessori course and has been working as a teacher for the last ten years. She is currently taking a break from teaching to concentrate on her upcoming wedding.

 

What do you think of Pakistan?

I love Pakistan Fatema. Yes there are issues here, but then these same issues are everywhere in the world. Only difference is that since everyone calls Pakistan a terrorist state and Muslims in Pakistan or anywhere else are known as terrorist, it gives the world a completely different look of this place.

I have lived here all my life, yes we are dealing with terrorism etc. but then who isn't? I have family members living abroad and they only watch news about Pakistan, so for them to even come down to Pakistan and experience it themselves is not an option because media exaggerates everything. Yes, we have been mugged, robbed, harassed, but then so many others have gone through the same Thing in their country as well!

It breaks my heart that Pakistan is seen as a place that one would never want to go to because they are afraid that they would get killed! I mean, come on!!! I'm glad with the article that Humans Of NY shared because he actually highlighted the good parts of this place I call home. When I was younger, I wanted to go away from Here, but now that I'm older and have seen some places myself, with my own eyes, I realize that every place is alike. Pakistan is no different.
 

 
What is your life like?

My life here is amazing, I'm independent, I can go anywhere I like, I can do what I like.

 

Would you label the country as backward, extremist, terrorist?

Backward, extremist ... No. I won't ever label Pakistan that way, because Pakistan has not pushed me to sit at home behind closed doors because I am a woman.

There are some maulvis who want women in burqas but then that's their view, and these people are usually the ones who give Islam a bad name.

I wish you would come down here once and experience it for yourself.

We wear what we want to, we do what we want to, we go and work wherever and however we want to. So how is this place backwards ?

An Old photo of Nabia's Parents.

When my brother went to India around 2 years ago , he had to go to the police station every morning and inform them about his plans for the day otherwise they would follow him and his friends everywhere .. Only because he was a Muslim from Pakistan. It's unfortunate that all this happens now, but believe me, I live here and I can tell you... Pakistan is not what the goras or anyone else portrays it to be.

Everyone should not be labelled the same just because of some lunatic who goes around killing people in the name of Islam. These people have given my country a bad name and I pray everyday for the betterment of this country.

It's the best! Believe me.
Been to America and when I came back, I was the happiest person.

 

How do you define normal? What do you think is a normal life? Do you lead a normal life?

Normal for me is what I've seen growing up ... Family, friends, home, work. And that's exactly the kind of life we have here. My life's very normal Shukar Alhumdolillah. We have the same kind of life here like anyone else has anywhere else in the world.
 

Badshahi Masjid in Lahore

 
Anything you’d like to add or say?

All I want to add is that everyone should come to Pakistan and see it with their own eyes and then make a judgement about this country.

And people should not restrict their visits to Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi only, they should go up north & any other places that that can visit and see how beautiful Pakistan really is. If you think Switzerland is beautiful :) then you really haven't seen Pakistan. It's gorgeous!

 

What is your image of India? What do you think of it and it’s people?

My image of India, hmm, the only thing that pops up in my head after reading your question is: " my brother from another mother" :) :) :) :)

I honestly feel that India and Pakistan are the same and I pray that we can be civil to each other, make friends with people in India and vice versa and invite them here. I feel we have SO much in common that it's not even funny.
When we watch Indian movies, we get an idea of what Indians are like or how things are in India, and it's all the same as Pakistan.
 
You can also read - Pakistan: As Shajee Sees It

Photo Credits: All photos have been taken and belong to Nabia Amin Lakhani.

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Book Review: 10 Love Stories - An Indiblogger Selection

 


Title: 10 Love Stories - An Indiblogger Selection
Author: Various
Paperback: 184 pages
Publisher: Harper Vantage (28 July 2015)
Genre: Romance, Short Stories
Read: eBook
Stars: ***/5
Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US

 

Summary:

(Goodreads)

A brief fling between ex-flames ends up all in a jumble. A Chinese dentist who swears by his crocs strikes up a rare friendship with a quiet photographer. On a cold winter's day, amidst the romantic grandeur of old Delhi, something is brewing between two strangers brought together by their parents. This IndiBlogger-HarperCollins collaboration is a collection of the ten best love stories selected by some of contemporary India's finest writers and editors from a list of over 500 entries. These stories are a window to how a new generation of young men and women negotiate matters of love and life in the age of Whatsapp and Facebook. The peppy-dynamic prose within these pages radiates a youthful vitality that perfectly captures its unabashedly urban and modish characters.

 

My Review:

Cover: Simple and Pleasing

Paper and font: Ebony & Ivory

Readability, language: Easy on the eye and mind

Why did I choose this book: Somewhere deep down all blogger hope to someday write a book, so when a few get a chance to do that I'd like to show my support.

This is a collection of short love stories as diverse as it gets, from WhatsApp to dental clinics, this is a coming together of a variety of writing styles, storytellers and stories.

The title is bang on in terms of description as a collection of 10 Love stories created by Indiblogger. The cover is simple and pleasing with limited colours and basic illustrations. The blurb doesn't say much about the stories, rather it talks more about the Indiblogger-HarperCollins collaboration.

The book is edited and formatted well, and the reading experience is good with a comfortable font and feel-good paper. The layout of the stories and their order also make of pleasant reading.

A collection of short stories this book doesn't have a specific plot, setting or characters but rather a wide selection as the stories move from arranged marriages to love on WhatsApp, from Mumbai to Kolkata and from dentists to air force pilots.

All the stories were engaging and enjoyable but three stories stood out for me as my favourites. Crystal Cacophony by Jenny Sarto, At The End of The Parade by Nilanjana Bose and Speechlessly In Love by Varsha Dutta.

Crystal Cacophony is the story of Ahaana and the innocence of love, it's purity and naiveté. It is also about the little joys and big heartbreaks of love. My favourite part of the story was the good-natured banter between Ahaana and her brother Pavan.

At The End of The Parade is about a mature love, one that transcends age and time. A love that bypasses tradition and logic, it's weird and yet it makes you smile. I was drawn to the heroine Pallavi as I watched her stand up for what she was wanted and fight with a resilience that made me want to pat her back with an atta girl.

Speechlessly in Love is the story of Ananya and Aakash, their diverse motivations for marriage and the finding of love. A quite simple love that lies in the small little things. I enjoyed the writing of Dutta; she kept me hooked as the story looped to start and end with insipid tea.

I enjoyed the book and would recommend you read it. It's suitable for all ages. And of course in reading, buying and sharing this book you'd be supporting fellow bloggers. :)

Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US

 

The Authors:

 



JENNY SARTO - "Crystal Cacophony"

DEEPIKA ASTHANA - "Delhi Times"

NATASHA GAYARI - "For Love of the Written Word"

MEENA BHATNAGAR - "Love? Bah! Humbug"

KOBITA BANERJEE - "Mind The Gap"

NILANJANA BOSE - "At the End of the Parade"

PARMITA BORAH - "The Transitional Boyfriend"

SUMMERITA RHAYNE - "Right or Wrong"

VARSHA DUTTA - "Speechlessly in Love"

PALAK KAPADIA - "WhatsApp-ening to Me?"

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Pakistan: As Shajee Sees It -- (Part 2)

Shajee with his niece on Eid

Part 1: Getting to Know The Real Pakistan

In search of answers, wanting to know more about Pakistan and the life of people like you or me, (someone who has to make a living, has a family, has friends, lives a middle class life, etc.) I reached out to friends and I received info packed long answers. I’m sharing them as I got them, with a little intro and formatting though. :D

Ahmed Shajee Aijazi…

 

Shajee and his brothers when they were all in Pakistan for his wedding

I met Shajee some years ago in Chaing Mai where he was attending the Foundry Workshop. He came across as a soft-spoken quiet sort but hidden behind this demeanour was a strong passionate person. Shajee lives in Karachi with his family and is a photographer by profession.

 

What do you think of Pakistan?

Pakistan is a great place to live in some ways and not that great in others, as I would think is the case with every country. There are a lot of great people here who are working for the welfare of the country. People generally are very philanthropic and charitable. We have people like Abdul Sattar Edhi who's running the biggest ambulance service in the world and is a simple person, then we have the likes of Dr. Abdul Bari who runs an entirely free top-of-the-line hospital here for people who cannot afford good medical health. So, we have these great inspirational figures amongst us who inspire us on a daily basis, but overall, the thing that I would say makes Pakistan great is that the family life and overall family system of people is still intact, which seems to be decaying at other places.

Abdul Sattar Edhi who founded Edhi Foundation, the largest non-profit social welfare organisation in world.

Then in terms of Islamic scholarship, we have top notch Islamic scholars here in Pakistan and recently I came across a fact that the most hafiz of Quran produced in the world are also from Pakistan. Although this is one aspect that is distorted by a small minority to be used for their own purposes and agendas. But, I would say that there are other factors such as illiteracy, poverty and frustration with the ruling class, that play a role in this distortion as well.

 

What is your life like?

My life is pretty good, Alhamdulillah. We go to our work every morning, we spend the weekends with our families, go for picnics and other recreations. We don't really face all that many problems as one outside of Pakistan would think. And in the recent times, the situation has got much better with this new army chief who's cleaning up crime and terrorist outfits in a very good way, so things are definitely getting better then their predecessors.

Recently a bus tour of Karachi has started that gives you tours in a local bus as if you were a tourist. On the Tour with Frere Hall which is a British time building in the background.

 

Would you label the country as backward, extremist, terrorist?

I think it would be unfair to term the entire country to be that. Sure, there are people and groups who are like that, but the general population is not like that, at least in the cities. We have a diverse range of people who come with different mindsets and bring that to the public sphere.

 

Kemari Boat Basin @ Karachi

 
Is it really stressed on a day to day basis because of extremists and terrorism? Are Pakistani's living in fear constantly?

Not at all. Never have I left the house thinking I would be hit in a terrorist attack. And from previous years, its gotten much better now. These news are getting lesser and lesser every passing day.

Being in Karachi, we do fear muggings and thefts, but that's not the extremism and terrorism that you're talking about. This is simply street crimes, which happen to be a part of every big metropolitan city. But, that's also gotten better in the past year, as I said, since this Army chief came to his position, he's been taking bold steps to even remove these criminals. And this is only particular to Karachi. There isn't much of that in Lahore or Islamabad which are other metropolitan cities of the country.

Shajee and his wife at Swat, the town of Malala.

 

Or is all this talk of extremists and terrorism exaggerated stuff media feeds to the world?

Well, I think as HONY had put it, if there's only one spot in the newspaper to put for Pakistan, obviously the most violent one or the dreadful one is the one that's going to get published. So, yea, the media does exploit our image in the world. But, it's definitely not even close to what the media shows.

 

What is your image of India? What do you think of it and it’s people?

The image I have of India is a land of very diverse people with a rich history. Although the governments of both sides get tangled in politics that leave the two countries at each others' throats, but I don't think the common man on both sides is interested in this animosity. The common man when he comes together with similar Indians, connects with them and doesn't see them as much different and understands that they are a part of a similar human everyday struggle, that they go through. I definitely want to visit India and see all the places first-hand which we have only studied in history or seen in movies and interact with every-day Indians in the hope to find them similar to the every-day Pakistani.
 

More to come… :)

Part 1: Getting to Know The Real Pakistan


 

Photo Credits: All Photos by Ahmed Shajee Aijazi except - "Abdul Sattar Edhi" by Hussain - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons and "Kemari Boat Basin @ Karachi" by Faisal Saeed - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Flickr Commons

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Book Review: It's a Wonderful Death by Sarah J. Schmitt

 

 
Title: It's a Wonderful Death
Author: Sarah J. Schmitt
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Sky Pony Press (October 6th 2015)
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Contemporary
Read: eBook
Stars: ****/5
Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US

 

Summary:

(Goodreads)

Seventeen-year-old RJ always gets what she wants. So when her soul is accidentally collected by a distracted Grim Reaper, somebody in the afterlife better figure out a way to send her back from the dead or heads will roll. But in her quest for mortality, she becomes a pawn in a power struggle between an overzealous archangel and Death Himself. The tribunal presents her with two options: she can remain in the lobby, where souls wait to be processed, until her original lifeline expires, or she can replay three moments in her life in an effort to make choices that will result in a future deemed worthy of being saved. It sounds like a no-brainer. She’ll take a walk down memory lane. How hard can changing her future be?

But with each changing moment, RJ’s life begins to unravel, until this self-proclaimed queen bee is a social pariah. She begins to wonder if walking among the living is worth it if she has to spend the next sixty years as an outcast. Too quickly, RJ finds herself back in limbo, her time on Earth once again up for debate.

RJ is a snarky, unapologetic, almost unredeemable, very real girl. Her story is funny and moving, and teens will easily connect with her plight. Prepare to meet the Grim Reaper, who’s cuter than you’d expect; Hawaiian shirt–wearing Death Himself; Saint Peter (who likes to play Cornhole); and Al, the handler for the three-headed hound that guards the gates of Hell. This cast of characters accompanies RJ through her time in the afterlife and will do their best to gently shove her in the right direction.

 

My Review:

Note: Thanks Sarah J. Schmitt and YA Bound Book Tours for offering me this book to read and review :)

Cover: Eye-catchy

Paper and font: Easy on the eyes!

Readability, language: Simple and easy.

Why did I choose this book: The title got me interested and once I’d read the blurb, I just had to read this book.

RJ dies accidentally, not by accident but rather due to the cunning gypsy who uses her to avoid dying. But it isn’t RJ’s turn so she raises hell up there. The powers that be give her 3 tests to prove she deserves to go back. Being the dudette RJ thinks the tests will be child's play but each test changes her life completely, and she isn’t the dude any more.

The title had me intrigued and curious at the start and by the end of the book the title made perfect sense. The blurb piqued my interest and got me wanting to read the book. As for the cover, I really liked it, its simple and somber and yet resonates.

I haven’t read something like this ever before and found it fascinating. Yet at the core this isn’t an entirely new idea but rather an interesting approach to the old idea that every little change in the past makes a entire new future.

Set for the most part in the afterlife or rather in the lobby of the afterlife, Schmitt has done a good job of describing the place and the people. There is enough similarly to the conventional idea of heaven & hell to make it easy to recognise and yet it was different enough to pique my interest.

It’s a Wonderful Death has two fascinating sets of characters. One is a human set of characters who reminded me of school - it’s politics and group dynamics. The other I couldn’t help but laugh at as Schmitt describes Death Himself dressed in Hawaiian shorts, Saint Peter who likes to play odd games with Al the only one who can handle the three-headed dog who guards hells gate and so on.

RJ is the main character and at the start I sympathised with her, then as I got to know her I started to dislike her only to start liking her again as the story progressed. Schmitt does a good job of building the readers relationship with RJ so that at one point I found myself rooting for RJ and almost crying for her.

The story is well paced with a climax I just didn’t see coming and didn’t like, yet it seemed the most appropriate ending. There aren’t too many subplots and the story sticks together well with no loose ends left behind.

Narrated by RJ, It’s a Wonderful Death is written in simple language that did not require me to reach out for the dictionary for any of the words. Listening and seeing the tale unfold though RJ’s eyes helped in understanding her better and gasping her point of view as Schmitt explored the life of a teenage girl.

I enjoyed reading It’s a Wonderful Death and would recommend it for anyone over the age of 14-15. Even if you are in your 30’s like me, this book will be entertaining and will transport you back to school (well, some what). :)

Buy On: Amazon India | Amazon US

About the Author:

 
Sarah J. Schmitt is a K-8 school librarian and Youth Service Professional for Teens at a public library who, in addition to planning a variety of events, enjoys opening up the world of books to reluctant readers. She has a Masters of Science in Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs from Indiana University Sarah lives outside of Indianapolis with her husband, two kidlets and a cat who might actually be a secret agent. IT'S A WONDERFUL DEATH, is her debut novel.

Author Links:
Website │ Goodreads │ Twitter │ Facebook

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The #QualityITCFoods Blogger Meet: Yippee, A Recap

In my list of soul foods, Maggi would be in the top 5. And I use the word Maggi not as the Nestlé brand but as that descriptor (like Xerox is synonymous with photocopy) it has become for those soft soupy noodles you can slurp. Then I remember that June debacle that makes me snatch my hand back and deprive myself of a food I enjoyed. The whole lead issue didn't just put me off Maggi but also all other noodles in that category.

And today's meet up was all about that. Well, not exactly. The meet up today was all about Yippee, it's fight to stay in the market and taking the number one position held for so long by Maggi. When I turned up at ITC Gardenia today I didn't know what to expect. As I caught up with blogger friends I looked around and figured the meet would be about all the various packaged foods ITC makes.

That's Sid, Vidya and Bhawna with me there. I've linked them so, check out their blogs folks!

The Cutting Chai Stall

Rajesh V L, the CEO of ITC Foods took the stage and gave an introduction to ITC Foods, how it started, their ethic and beliefs, the various products and brands, and some up-coming products. And I was impressed, the company seems to be quite transparent, they seem to be giving importance to sustainability and also seem to be doing work in the causes space. (I’ve used ‘seem’ a lot, but after all I didn’t really see it, just heard it. :D )



One thing in his talk that really stood out for me was their work on e-Choupals. This program really gives back to the farmers (who are our lifeline) by giving them access to the internet and bringing information to their fingertips. An example Rajesh gave was that a farmer now has access to check the rates of his vegetables even before he sets out for the mandi. So now, he can avoid having to make a distress sale after landing up there. A program that provides farmers with up-to-date marketing and agricultural information sounds empowering.

Rajesh was followed by Kavita Chaturvedi who is the Head of Marketing. She has been a part of the Yippee noodles journey since day 1 and that was the story she shared. She talked about how research started on the noodles. In line with Rajesh’s earlier talk, Kavitha talked about the search for that quality thing with a difference.



She recounted stories of how they came about their top three USP’s. The round block of noodles, their non-stickyness and the masala with veggies. Frankly, this won me over. For years with Maggi I have hated breaking the block, it shortens the tendrils of noodles and reduces the slurpyness. It’ll be nice not to have to break the block. And have cold noodles still flowing and not just become one gooey mess like Maggi does.





I’ve been a Maggi loyalist until now but after today, I’m ready to give Yippee noodles a chance and their Yippee 4 in 1 pack in the hamper will helping this I think. :)

Kavita also talked about other aspects of Yippee, their vigorous testing in their Japanese technology factories (over 800 tests are done everyday and 66 on water alone), their hygiene standards and their approach to the Maggi debacle. She talked about their approach of transparency and being up front, and shared Sunfeast’s You Ask We Answer website and videos that were ITC’s answer to the Maggi fiasco.





Q&A came after, moderated by Archana Doshi founder of www.archanaskitchen.com. Rajesh V L came back to stage to patiently answer the many questions that were raised on quality of ingredients, safest and freshest sourcing, the various types of fats, etc. The answering had me impressed with how he stuck to facts and called things as they were. But then again, never judge a book by its cover. :D

After all this Yippee talk, Master Chef Kamlesh Joshi took stage and demonstrated the making of Khow Suey using Yippee noodles. The recipe was an interesting one and since I tasted it at lunch, I’d definitely like to try it sometime.



There was a cook-off that followed that required that each team make a dish with Yippee noodles using the array of ingredients provided. I felt like I was at one of those Australian Masterchef episodes where people went about making something with the ingredients provided. Our team came up with a Chatpata Yippee Pasta and came third. The first prize was won by the Team that made Yippee Gol-Gappas. I missed tasting them, but the three Chef-Judges couldn’t seem to stop eating them! :P

The Ingredients

The Sunfeast Smashers (one of the first things we did was break a bowl :D )

Chatpata Yippee Pasta

The Three Chef Judges - Prashant Joseph, Yogesh Dutta, Kamlesh Joshi

Finally after all that food talk and cooking lunch was served and it was quite a spread. I enjoyed the Khow Suey, gosht and Chicken in Wine sauce. Didn’t have place for anything else as there was a big spread for dessert. And I ate one of each. :D

Dessert Spread

Khow Suey

The ITC Foods Display

I even brought a bottle of tiramisu back for Che along with a hamper. :)

Tiramisu in a Jar

The ITC Hamper

It was a fun day - meeting friends, getting to know more about ITC Foods and having some yummy food. Thanks are due to the guys over at ITC Foods for it all and the guys at ITC Gardenia who made it all possible.

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