07 Monday Aug 2017
Posted in Narrow Road, Published works
This is a literary magazine which began with coffeeshops and friendship. Three of us began it, putting together an issue of flash fiction, poetry and haibun. The first issue did well.
The Second issue got a lot of submissions and interest seems to be growing. So here it is, the second issue is up.
And here is the first issue.
22 Monday May 2017
Posted in Published works, self publishing
Tags
ancient India, books, Dwarka, historic India, history, India, India history, Indian mythology, Indraprastha, lost cities, Mahabharata, mythic age, mythic cities, mythology, travel, Writing
Did you always want to know about the magnificent mythic cities of ancient India? Sunken Dwarka and crystalline Indraprastha? Take a look at this short book on the grandeur and mystery of the past.
I wrote these articles a long time ago and the response I got was excellent. I have planned a full book on the subject since the Mahabharata is full of fascinating details and stories but that is yet to come. In the meantime, by popular demand here are the original articles I wrote in 2007.
Take a journey into India’s magnificent heritage like you have never seen before.
Available as a Kindle ebook on Amazon.
11 Saturday Mar 2017
Posted in Published works
Tags
birdwatching, books, cats, dogs, India, monsoon, Mumbai, nature, nature in India, nature in Mumbai, travel, trees, Writing
This one has been a long time coming. I wrote these reflections of life and nature over the years, in bits and pieces, and finally put them together as a book. A lot of people think there is no nature in a big city like Mumbai. There is plenty if you look for it and I have been looking all my life. The seasons are unlike any other and that makes them interesting.
Here is a world of dogs and cats, trees, birds, and coffee shops in Mumbai. It is the world I see. Perhaps you will like it too.
These endearing and delightful sketches will give you a most unusual look at the life of a big city.
Have you always wanted to know how not to talk crow, or how to think like a dog or walk into a wall of grass? Have you secretly desired to experience Mumbai’s most beautiful visitors or hide under a table with your whole family? If you pit a squirrel against the education system who will win? Don’t worry, it has a happy ending.
Here is a whole world of lonely Black Kites, dissatisfied visitors, telepathic dogs, giggling Peepals, lucky black cats, gaudy birds, a soundwave of sparrows, independent minded trees and cats who hate the rain. And much more.
Enter at your own risk. Take this journey into a world you did not dream existed.
The Chapters –
The Fields of Mumbai
In the Days Before Licenses
The Fairest of Visitors
As Gaudy as Possible
A Squirrel vs the Education System
Luck Comes in Black
How Not to Choose a Puppy
Love and Light
The Fine and Delicate Art of Intimidation
This is How it’s Done
Of Lovers, Coffins and Kittens
Walking Between Two Worlds
Alarms, Tall Grasses and Telepathy
Who is the Villain?
Life at the Bottom of the Ocean
Filter Coffee, Wada Pav
How Not to Speak Crow
In Memory of Trees
A Roof Full of Sparrows
A Bowstring of Honeybees
Mayflowers and Mangoes
Now Comes the King
One Tree Autumn
A Tickle of Winter
How to Hide Under a Table
21 Tuesday Feb 2017
Posted in Published works
Tags
books, ebook cover, India, kindle ebook, nature, nature in Mumbai, next book, publishing, travel, words, Writing
Coming soon, my next book – Monsoons and Mayflowers.
A book about nature and life in Mumbai city. It will be released online as a Kindle ebook.
I am in the last stage of editing. Hope to publish it next month. More details very soon.
12 Monday Dec 2016
Posted in Mantramala, Published works
Tags
A few copies of my book Mantramala are available at Kitab Khana, Fort, Mumbai.
Sadly, it may go out of print and is at the end of its second edition. It had been doing well and I get a lot of feedback about it. If you want a copy this is the time.
27 Saturday Aug 2016
Posted in Published works
My latest book is up, Life Crafting, Techniques for self growth and creativity.
Available as an ebook on Amazon
Amazon.in Amazon.com Amazon.uk
These are the chapters in it.
The Art of Visualisation- tells you how to visualise, why, sometimes it does not work and what to do about it.
The Words we Use- do you know how powerful the words you use to yourself really are? You can improve your life just by changing your vocabulary.
Do you Love your Body- do you listen to your body’s needs or do you just drag it around like a machine? Methods to become more responsive to your most important possession.
Open up your Creativity- if you always wanted to be creative but had no idea how, here are a few simple methods to get you started and keep you going.
The Trouble with Stress- everyone talks of stress but what is it and where does it come from?
Synchronicity and Flow- you don’t have to live in a state of high stress all your life. There is another way.
Keeping a Journal for Self Growth- why keeping a journal can enhance your life and seven reasons to do it.
Mandalas for Self Growth- a few stray marks on paper can be amazingly revealing. Examples from my workshops to help you understand the language of self-expression through drawing.
People Skills- simple methods to help you improve your relationships.
The Power of Mantras- what mantras are and how to use words as mantras.
16 Saturday Jul 2016
Posted in Published works
Tags
haiku, haiku anthology, poems, poetry, short poems, words, Writing, writing journey
Its finally out, the anthology of our Mumbai INhaiku group. After two years of monthly meetings, even in the pouring rain, we put together a collection of haiku and related forms.
Its been fun getting it together for our second year. Everyone cooperated and helpd with the sometimes tedious task of editing and formatting. So here it is our first anthology. Take a look at haiku and senryu, tanka and the collaborative form of renku. And a new form too – renbun. Here it is.
Available as an ebook from Amazon and you can download it free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.
Amazon.in Amazon.com Amazon.uk Amazon.jp
My fifth book in the self publishing journey and this one was great fun to do in collaboration. I also enjoyed doing the cover – summer fishing boat – a very Mumbai sight. You often see these brave little boats with colourful flags even in rough seas.
15 Wednesday Jun 2016
Posted in Published works
Tags
book cover, making a cover, Mantramala, publishing, self publishing, writers journey, Writing, writing journey
One of the things I really enjoy is being able to do my own cover. Of course, it is a time taking process and I conceptualize the cover when I begin the book. The cover is ready long before the writing and helps to keep me focused during the long process of writing, rewriting, editing, formatting and uploading. I put it as wallpaper on my phone to keep reminding myself.
My minimal art experience, and a lot of study, is now coming in useful. I draw the central image first, digitally, and then add texture, backgrounds and all the rest.
This is the cover for my latest book, 5 Minute Delight. It went through many steps to get to this point. After I published the book many people told me that they really loved the cover.
It took a long time to get there and these are the steps – and some missteps which I took. The first ideas did not work. I kept redoing it until I liked the result.
I knew I wanted a bright and cheerful cover, but not one which looks like a children’s book. I decided on a flower and chose a sunflower. I drew out the flower but somehow it just did not work. The colours never seemed to gel and the impact just was not there. The first panel at the top left shows the first attempt and then, I tried to play with the colours but gave up on the sunflower.
I looked around for another flower and thought of the rare blue Himalayan poppy, a favorite flower of mine. The third picture on the top row is my rough drawing of it growing out from a book. The book is about visualizations so that image seemed to fit.
The flower did not look real. I studied photos of it went back to work. The three photos on the right show the progression as I chose a blue – yellow, contrasting colour scheme, finished the flower and added the background. The size turned out wrong so I had to resize it as you can see in the bottom panel on the right. The drawing was too big and not enough room was left for the title.
After all, its a book cover not a piece of art. It’s like an ad for the book so title takes precedence. I reduced the size of the drawing.
And finally I got what I wanted. Then I only had to add the text. Which took another few days playing with fonts and placement. Then I sent it out to a few friends and they approved.
I had lots of fun doing it and liked the end result.
Now on to the next book and the next cover.
29 Sunday May 2016
Posted in Published works
My latest book is up. A book of tiny meditations to relax and de-stress you. Just published and available as a ebook on Amazon.
46 little meditations which take no more than five minutes of your time. The powerful visualizations will keep your mind happily occupied. Take a quick and relaxing meditation break with your coffee break.
You can get it here –
I had a lot of fun writing this book and years of work have gone into it. The meditations have been developed by working with groups over a couple of decades. Trial and error until I found the ones which worked the best. I had the scattered notes over the years. I put them together and added a few new ones for this book. My classes may recognize a few, but not all of them.
I had fun doing the cover too. I knew I wanted a flower and at first I tried a sunflower. Just a few yellow petals, but it did not work. Finally I decided on this rare flower – and a favorite of mine – the blue Himalayan poppy. It seemed to symbolize the magic and the delight which I hope the meditations will bring you.
Here is a sample meditation so you can see what they are like.
Create your own Valley of the Flowers, just like the one in the Himalayas where there are flowers as far as the eye can see. You can have that too – in your mind.
Look around your room and imagine it full of flowers. Turn your sofa into a row of flowerbeds. Let roses bloom or add a pool of blue lotuses. Let the walls dissolve into a field of sunflowers.
Visualise your favourite flowers growing all around you. Look at the brilliant colours and shapes. Inhale the wonderful perfume.
In the mind you have no restrictions at all. Seasons and species do not count. All species can grow side by side and bloom around the year. Space is not a constraint either, even if you are in a very tiny room. It can blossom into a vast garden in your mind.
Every species can bloom together. Lotuses can bloom on land and poppies can sprout from water. You can have a carpet of marigold or a mountain of lilies. Mayflower can have orchid petals. Anything goes and these flowers never go out of bloom.
Be lavish and be creative. Enjoy the Valley of the Flowers right there around you anytime you like. Challenge yourself every time to create more and more wonderful flowers and more exciting and beautiful vistas.
***
This is a very cheerful little visualisation which you can use any time life seems grey. Give yourself a boost by imagining the flowers. The more you let your imagination go, the more happiness this meditation can bring you.
Become a child again and just lose yourself in a fabulous world of flowers.
27 Saturday Feb 2016
Posted in Haiku, Published works
Tags
whiskers and purrs – a book of cat haiku – which I published a few days ago is doing very well at the moment.
Its at the top of the haiku list on Amazon.in.
A very big thank you to all the wonderful people who bought it.
