I am Rohini Gupta, a writer living in Mumbai, India.
Wordskies is my writing, poetry and fiction website where I write about writing and post links to my published works.
I have a Masters in Literature from Bombay University and Mass Comm – film studies from St Xaviers College, Mumbai. I have been writing for a long time, poetry, fiction and non fiction. My articles have appeared in the Times of India, websites like Rediff.com and Epic India. I have written for national magazines like New Woman. I have organised Art and Film festivals like Shamiana Film festival and Yantra fairs. About 20 of my short stories have been published in international magazines.
I am editor with World Haiku Review and ex-editor of fiction, Narrow Road literary magazine. I am editor with the Café Haiku magazine. I also manage the World Haiku Review Archives.
I have taught workshops in poetry and short stories for Literature Live Literary Festival, Kalaghoda festival, Somaiya center and colleges like Sophia College, St Xaviers College, Mithibai College. I conducted monthly workshops on Mantras and meditation for the Times Foundation for several years. For the posters and details, scroll below.
List of my books
For the covers, posts and details scroll further below
2023 – my story, The Way of the Warrior was included in the anthology, Aryaa, ten stories of strong epic women, published by Indica. Available in ebook and print.
2022 – my collection of haiku, haiku notes and my pencil drawings published in Where Rivers Meet by Red Rivers Press. Available as ebook and print from Amazon but only the print version has the drawings.
2022 – the fifth anthology of Cafe Haiku, Sharing my Solitude, on the subject of relationships is published. Available as an ebook on Amazon.
2020 – Second edition of Mantramala. Available as a print book from Amazon.
2019 – Cafe Haiku’s fourth anthology Breathing the same air, on the subject of pets. Available as an ebook on Amazon.
2019 – the long awaited anthology Fuga na Makoto, ten years of the World Haiku Review. Available as an ebook on Amazon.
2018 – Cafe Haiku’s third anthology, Pins on a map, haiku and writings about travel. Available as an ebook on Amazon.
2018 – Muses have no Sense of Time, articles on the writing life. Available as an ebook on Amazon.
2018 – collected some of the short stories and flash fiction published in various online magazines and published 3 short ebooks, The Caged Bird Sings, Accidental Encounter and Dream Keepers.
2017 – Monsoons and Mayflowers – articles on life and nature in Mumbai city. Available as an ebook on Amazon.
2017 – Cafe Haiku’s second anthology, Between sips of cutting chai, haiku and writings on Mumbai. Available as an ebook on Amazon.
2017 – Lost Cities of India, two articles on Dwarka and Indraprastha plus one on the Mahabharata. They were first published in Epic India. A short fantasy story Lady of the Tree.
2016 – 5 Minute Delight, a little book of quick meditations, and Life Crafting, a compilation of self help articles which were first published in defunct magazines. Available as ebboks on Amazon.
2016 – Whiskers and purrs, a little book of cat haiku. And the first anthology from Cafe Haiku, The taste of sea breeze. Both available as ebooks on Amazon.
2015 – To Catch a Falling Star, a collection of my short stories. Now out of print. And a short story, A Handful of Rice, published as an ebook.
2010 – Mantramala, a massive collection of over 400 mantras with meanings, visualisations and details of festivals. Published Dronequill publishers. Second edition self published in 2020 and available from Amazon in print edition. Selling well.
Two books of poetry Karna and other poems and Three Farces by Writers Workshop, Kolkota. Out of print and not available. Also a very old collection My World of Fastasy, a child’s poems, published by Popular Prakashan. Out of print and not available.
Amazon Author Page, India
Amazon.com Author Page
All the photos and artwork on this blog are mine and created by me.
My general blog about life, photos, non fiction and travel is Rohini Gupta.
My email : writingdays@gmail.com
Scroll below for details of my books, covers, posts and workshop posters.
Published Books
2023
My story, The Way of the Warrior, was included in the anthology, Aryaa, ten stories of strong epic women, published by Indica. Available in ebook and print.
Posts About Aryaa
Online Interviews
2022
My collection of haiku, haiku notes and my pencil drawings published in Where Rivers Meet by Red Rivers Press. Available as ebook and print from Amazon but only the print version has the drawings.
Non Fiction
Muses have no Sense of Time, articles on the writing life.
Monsoons and Mayflowers – articles on life and nature in Mumbai city.
5 Minute Delight, a little book of quick meditations
Whiskers and purrs, a little book of cat haiku.
Mantramala, a massive collection of over 400 mantras with visualisations and details of festivals. Each mantra has the Sanskrit original, transliteration and meanings.. Published by Dronequill publishers in 2010. That edition is now out of print and sold out. The second edition, revised and expanded, was published in 2020. Selling well.
Two collections of previously published articles.
Lost Cities of India, three short articles on Dwarka and Indraprastha plus one on the Mahabharata. They were first published previously in Epic India.
Life Crafting, a compilation of self help articles which were first published in defunct magazines.
Short Stories
Two Original Tales published as ebooks
A Handful of Rice – an old legend from the age of Krishna retold.
Lady of the Tree – a fantasy short story.
Short Story Collections
Three short story collections with stories previously published in online flash fiction magazines. All three are ebooks on Amazon.
The Caged Bird Sings – two short stories. Dream keepers – nine short fantasy tales. Accidental Encounter – eight flash fiction stories.
Links to some of my stories online
Many of the links are lost and many of the ezines have folded but the stories are included in the collections. Some are still available online.
Haiku Anthology – 10 years of World Haiku Review
Fuga no Makoto, a compilation of the best haiku from ten years of the World Haiku Review.
Five Haiku anthologies by Cafe Haiku
Cafe Haiku has been putting out an anthology every year. All are available as Kindle ebooks on Amazon.
Sharing my solitude – haiku and haikai writings about relationships. 2022
Breathing the same air – writings on our furry or feathery companions. 2019
Pins on a Map – anthology on haiku and writings on the subject of travel. 2018
Between sips of cutting chai – about the city we live in, Mumbai. 2017
The taste of sea breeze – our first anthology. 2016
Workshops, Literary Festivals and Book Launches
Two Contests and Workshops
Two contests of which I was the judge, The Pages – a flash fiction contest and Autumn Rain – a haiku contest, organised by Tata Literature LiveLiterary Festival at the National Center of Performing Arts, Mumbai.
Also a workshop, A Flash of Lightning, a simple way to write a short story. The workshop was full. Most people did finish a draft of a short story in that time, and for many it was their first.
Haiku workshops at Sophia College, Xaviers college, Mithibai College.
Book Launches
Cafe Haiku did two online haiku book launches of my book, Where rivers meet and the fifth anthology, Sharing my solitude.
Poetry and Haiku Readings
The First Kamala Das Poetry Awards
Workshops
The Magic of Haiku, workshop at the NCPA, Mumbai.
Workshops at the Somaiya Center and Kalaghoda
At Somaiya Center – Write Your Own Life Story, Quick Meditations, Publish Your Own Ebook, Publishing and Self Publishing.
At Somaiya Center and Kalaghoda – A Moment in Time, Exploring Haiku.
Workshops at Other Literary Festivals
Word Skies 