Reading tales: The Lord of the Rings

I did not choose The Lord of the Rings, The Lord of the Rings chose me.

Back when the dinosaurs roamed the earth, we used to get these 5-in-1 and 7-in-1 movie discs that were pirated copies of English movies. I had an entire folder filled with such DVDs and it was my favourite pastime to find pretty folders to lovingly organize my prized DVDs.

Reading tales: The Birth of Venus

Grocery shopping is my ultimate favourite thing to do. If I was looking to replace a library as my safe space, it would be a grocery store. So while I was in Singapore doing my Masters, since there wasn’t a library nearby, the local supermarket company Sheng Siong became my favourite place.

Reading tales: Teen Idol

Dehradun 2004.

I was in school and had just discovered the marvels of reading. A friend and I used to reach school before anyone else and we spent those fifteen minutes in bliss, discussing Famous Five and Nancy Drew. We had made a pact that she and I would buy different titles so we could swap books.

Reading tales: Assassin’s Apprentice

It was a balmy summer afternoon. The weather seemed in a good mood because there was a cool breeze blowing. Mom was chatting with a relative in the drawing room and I was in my bedroom, still innocent, unknowing how my life was going to change in the next few days.

Not a book review: If We Were Villains

I was introduced to Shakespeare in class eighth by an abridged version of Romeo and Juliet. I knew RJ was supposed to be a love story but after reading the actual story, I remember being unimpressed, thinking what an utter waste of love and life. What was the point – the two died in the end.

What it means to be a successful writer?

When I first started writing, the only goal I had was to become a published author. Not just a published author but a best-selling author. The dream was very clear and when I finished my first manuscript, all polished and ready to be sent off to make me the next best thing, I was convinced that this was it. My golden ticket. Even though I had been warned that the hard part of writing begins after writing, even though I knew that publishing is as much about a good piece of work as it is about luck, timing and place, I was hopeful and gleeful.

From books to ebooks and audiobooks

First up, a year or two ago, I couldn’t have even imagined writing a post like this. Somewhere between turning 26 and turning 29, I lost the plot with books. I think it also happened because I moved houses and lost touch with my library.

It was a glorious library – tiny, filled with books from the floor to the ceiling and had that special library, musty, smell. The proprietor was an old man and any time I would enter, he would be watching a discussion on a news channel. But understanding the sacredness of choosing a book, he would reduce the volume as soon as I’d step inside.

Your perfume lingers

Your perfume lingers
In the things you left behind
Your favourite notebook
A silver bangle that dances –
to whose tune only it knows
In your favourite red polka dot dress
And the pillowcase under your head.

Markers for good mental health days

When I was writing the post on knowing your triggers, it occurred to me that though I had a checklist for how to overcome bad days or how to know something is triggering me or that I need to make some shift in my daily routine to sleep better, etc. I didn’t have a checklist for good days.

But why do I need such a checklist?

Questions you should never ask a bibliophile

The thing I love about being a reader – or being a bookworm – is the bragging rights that come with it. You don’t find people bragging or congratulating someone for binging a series successfully. But say you finished a book in 24 hours and suddenly there will be people who will congratulate you and a bunch of others who will be jealous of your ability to concentrate on ONE thing for any duration of time.

Speaking of, I’m at 96% of my target for 2021! My digital library: