Storizen Magazine October 2020 | Practical Approach to Book Marketing by Storizen Magazine

HOME TO YOUR STORIES

OCTOBER 2020

STORIZEN

Practical Approach for Book Marketing! Exclusive Feature on PAGE 8

Now Available on:

Cover Story

Book Reviews

Book Marketing for Self Published Authors

Swapna Peri

Brand Partners Aleph Book Company Bloomsbury India

Editors Pria Raiyani Saurabh Chawla

Fingerprint Publishing Hachette India HarperCollinsIndia

For Advertising, Contact us attalktous@storizen.com

Pan Macmillan India Penguin India Roli Books Rupa Publications Westland (An Amazon Company)

WHAT'S INSIDE 21

EDITOR'S NOTE

COVER STORY Book Marketing for Self Published authors - Pria

- Penguin India

HOT OFF THE PRESS Fossil Free - Reimagining Clean Energy in a CarbonConstrained World by SUMANT SINHA - HarperCollins India

HOT OFF THE PRESS The Food Mood Connection by Dr Uma Naidoo

HOT OFF THE PRESS China’s Good War - How World War II is Shaping a New Nationalism by Rana Mitter - HarperCollins India

HOT OFF THE PRESS Gandhi in the Gallery by Sumathi Ramaswamy - Roli Books

HOT OFF THE PRESS The City-Makers - How Women are Building a Sustainable Future for Urban India by Renana Jhabvala and Bijal Brahmbhatt - Hachette India

HOT OFF THE PRESS How to Read Amartya Sen by Lawrence Hamilton and foreword by Jeane Dreze - Penguin India

- Hachette India

HOT OFF THE PRESS The Learning Factory how the Leaders of Tata Became Nation Builders by ARUN MAIRA

HOT OFF THE PRESS XIANQUI by Raghu Srinivasan - Hachette India

HOT OFF THE PRESS INSOMNIA by Rachna Bisht Rawat - Penguin India

HOT OFF THE PRESS The Khalistan Conspiracy - A Former R&AW Officer Unravels the Path to 1984 by G.B.S. Sidhu - HarperCollins India

WHAT'S INSIDE 30

HOT OFF THE PRESS Preparing for Death by Arun Shourie

Funding Your Start-up: And Other Nightmares by Dhruv Nath and Sushanto Mitra

- Penguin India

STORIZEN CONTRIBUTE A Black Coffee Date With Myself

- Swapna Peri

STORIZEN CONTRIBUTE 9 of the All-Time Favorite Books to Movies Adaptations that are a Delight to Watch - Saurabh Chawla

STORIZEN CONTRIBUTE Audiobooks – The Way to Reach Out to the Millennials and Old Generations Alike

- Swapna Peri

BOOK REVIEW Ways of Dying - Swapna Peri

STORIZEN POETRY "Let's meet..." - Madhumathi H

STORIZEN POETRY

- Madhulika Ra Chauhan

Percolate a Kaapi Song

BOOK REVIEW

- Vidya Shankar

Along came a Spyder by Apeksha Rao - Swapna Peri

BOOK REVIEW Mantram Beach by Arun Kumar

- Aparna Mukherjee

BOOK REVIEW

STORIZEN POETRY Meeting at a Barista - Moinak Dutta

BOOK REVIEW Batla House by Karnal Singh - Swapna Peri

To read Storizen on the web, visit storizen.com. Follow Storizen on Instagram @storizenmagazine.

BOOKMARKED

Storizen September 2020

Books we are loving this month

CLICK HERE TO READ NOW!

HASHTAG: #STORIZENMAGAZINE

from the editor

calling all writers!

DO YOU WANT TO BE A PART OF STORIZEN FAMILY? You can also be a contributor. Mail us your entries at talktous@storizen.com. Your smart ideas and inputs help us create our informative issues.

G oing by the TRADITIONAL SENSE, the last quarter of the year brings a soothing effect to the atmosphere. It feels like wrapping up in our own warmth with the winters approaching to take it away from us! This has to do something with the theme of the month of October - Breathe in the Coffee, to give us all the warmth we desire during the chilly nights and days of the upcoming season. Along with that, we bring you some really good information on how you can market your book as a self published author which happens to be our feature story this time. We always have something for the book lovers. This month, we announce that we have partnered with Aleph Book Company.

are glad to

For the ones who love listening to Audiobooks, Madhulika Ra Chauhan brings you all the tools you need to create, publish and market your Audiobooks to reach out to millions of readers/listeners out there. Authors, we try to bring in important information for you to stay updated with the latest trends in the publishing world. Packed with five book reviews and wonderful poetry, this issue is surely going to make you come back again and again to read it. I truly hope you enjoy this issue and spread the love by liking, commenting, and sharing. Before signing off, I believe that you all are safe and sound and taking all the necessary precautions in these unprecedented times! Happy Reading! editor@storizen.com Saurabh Chawla, Editor in Chief

COVER STORY

BOOK MARKETING FOR

SELF PUBLISHED AUTHORS A Storizen Exclusive Feature 8 practical methods to market your book(s) as a Self Published Author

by Pria You have written and selfpublished your book. You are now sitting in front of your screen waiting for those order numbers to increase. You think, "I have written the book, now people will buy it." Still, you don't see the numbers as per your expectations.

Here are the steps you can take to market your book and sell more copies of your book(s).

Writing your book doesn't mean your work is finished there. You need a proper book marketing plan as a self-published author.

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2020

There are several tools available to make your book marketing campaign using emails easy. One such popular tool is Mailchimp.

COVER STORY

Is your book the best? With so many tools available now, writers today are tempted to get their book out in the stores immediately. One thing they miss out is the proper editing, revising the plot, and it takes research.

Spread the word This is not about your book alone, but for you as an author. If people don't know that you are a writer, they will never relate your personality as being the one.

For example, if you would check out the successful authors out there, they take years to write their novels.

Book Marketing is often kick-started with your network. You as a selfpublished author have to create that platform of your readers, supporters, followers so that you can build your audience.

You may be a great storyteller, you might not be a great editor. It's the best thing to have that feedback and get your story edited by a professional.

Now there are several ways you can use to build the platform to market your book - Website/Blog - Yes. A blog is the best to invest in. Your book marketing journey can have a big impact on your website/blog.

Share your stories, your thoughts, your excerpts, your reason for success as an author, et al.

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2020

COVER STORY

Share your stories, your thoughts, your excerpts, your reason for success as an author, et al. The blog will help you gain followers who will be your readers eventually. They will buy your books and share the word with their friends as well. - Social Media - This can have a huge impact on your book marketing as a self-published author plan. There are billions of users on social media. You can imagine the reach, the geographies you can spread your work to. - Author/Book Pages - Websites like Amazon, Goodreads, etc. have separate spaces for the authors. If you have selfpublished your book on Amazon and you would like to be noticed, fill up every space they provide to you. Write detailed descriptions with keywords, phrases, and fill up the author page with as much detail as possible.

OCTOBER 2020

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

COVER STORY

Amazon has a variety of products so, to not get lost in the crowd, you need to secure that unique space for yourself. - Email List - This is something not new. For your book marketing plan, don't forget to create an email list of your followers, potential readers to whom you can reach out to. There are several tools available to make your book marketing campaign using emails easy. One such popular tool is Mailchimp.

3. Involve News/Media and Bloggers - Book Marketing Plan is incomplete if you don't have reviews. Reach out to book reviewers, journalists, give interviews, ask them for including excerpts from your book on their online and offline distribution channels. The exposure that you will get with all these activities will help you sell more copies of your books making your book marketing campaign successful. 4. Offer your book in different languages - If your book is about mythology/history, or on the people of different region than yours or may cover some genre which is read by people

Write detailed descriptions with keywords, phrases, and fill up the author page with as much detail as possible.

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2020

COVER STORY

with a language other than English, it's a great way of attracting the locals to buy your books. 5. Book cover We judge the book by its cover although the saying is, "Don't judge the book by its cover". Why do we do it? The book cover can play a crucial role in your book marketing campaign. Go back to your book cover and ask this question, "Can this be improved or something is amiss?" It can be true that your perception change or you plan to change the cover or do the modifications, but make sure that it is not done impulsively. 6. Co-promote your book Heard about authors helping authors? Yes, you can leverage that power by taking help from your fellow author friend(s).

OCTOBER 2020

You promote his/her work and let them promote yours. This co-promotion strategy can work wonders for your book marketing as a self-published author plan. This can be done by including your name in the lists and compilations. When it comes to marketing, this technique is well known as "the sandwich technique". There is a reason why the compilation and lists are all over the internet. An example of this would be, "Top new book releases this month". So, get your name on the lists and roundups to get discovered! 7. Offer an Audiobook As per Microsoft's recent study, "Humans now have an attention span shorter than that of a Goldfish”. The attention span of a goldfish is 9 seconds and that of a human is 8 seconds. Maybe that's the reason the

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

COVER STORY

readership is going down the drain. Multiple formats of content are available nowadays, most popular being videos and audiobooks. Platforms like Amazon, Storytel are coming up with new Audiobooks which the story lovers can enjoy while working in the kitchen, while driving, while working in the office. They can listen to their favorite stories by their favorite authors. This can be a great new way in your book marketing plan for reaching out to the audience interested in your story and prefer listening over reading. 8. Promote your book (Paid Marketing) You have invested a lot of effort and time in writing your book. If you have that marketing budget and wish to reach a wide audience, you have plenty of choices out there. 14

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2020

COVER STORY

If your book is on Amazon, you can use the KDP Select service. It is an exclusive service in which you have to sell your book exclusively on Amazon only. With this approach, you can run an ad campaign or the countdown deals on Amazon itself to get more users to buy your book. - Online Advertising - The major book marketing services platforms offer paid advertising services as well. You can use the Google Adwords platform for running a PPC campaign for your book(s) or you can contact book marketing service providers to do the needful.

About Pria - Young mesmerizing freelance blogger, social enthusiast, an economics graduate from Jharkhand University with Master in Child Psychology. She is hardworking yet crazy, a passionate reader, an ardent music fanatic, an avid caffeine lover, and a maniacal animal lover too.

For each of these, you can set a daily budget not to exceed, a start and end date, and live monitoring of response.

She has been a part of numerous anthologies, articles, and write-ups for newspapers and magazines which are multi-linguistic. She has also written screenplays for YouTube series.

pria@storizen.com

OCTOBER 2020

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

HOTthe OFFpress REIMAGINING A CLEANER, GREENER, CARBON-FREE WORLD!

Fossil Free provides a concise introduction to the challenges, realities and complexities of the global and local energy industry, as well as the trends and forces driving the energy transition. It explains how improved electricity infrastructure, decentralized smart grids, electric vehicles, energy storage and market design are already providing clear pathways for the transition towards green, efficient, affordable and secure renewable energy across the energy-use chain: extraction, conversion, transmission, distribution and end use. 16

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2020

HOTtheOFF press Did you know that blueberries can help you cope with the after-effects of trauma? That salami can cause depression, or that boosting Vitamin D intake can help treat anxiety?

Packed with fascinating science, actionable nutritional recommendations.

STORIZENEVENTS

Did you know that blueberries can help you cope with the after-effects of trauma? That salami can cause depression, or that boosting Vitamin D intake can help treat anxiety?When it comes to diet, most people's concerns involve weight loss, fitness, cardiac health, and longevity. But what we eat affects more than our bodies; it also affects our brains. And recent studies have shown that diet can have a profound impact on mental health conditions ranging from ADHD to depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, OCD, dementia and beyond.Dr. Uma Naidoo is a board-certified psychiatrist, nutrition specialist, and professionally trained chef. In The Food-Mood Connection, she draws on cutting-edge research to explain the many ways in which food contributes to our mental health, and shows how a sound diet can help treat and prevent a wide range of psychological and cognitive health issues.Packed with fascinating science, actionable nutritional recommendations, and delicious, brain-healthy recipes, The Food-Mood Connection is the go-to guide to optimizing your mental health with food.

OCTOBER 2020

Uma Naidoo, MD is board-certified psychiatrist (Harvard Medical School), professional chef (Cambridge School of Culinary Arts), and nutrition specialist (Cornell University). She is currently the Director of Nutritional and Lifestyle Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), where she consults on nutritional interventions for the psychiatrically and medically ill; Director of Nutritional Psychiatry at the Massachusetts General Hospital Academy; and has a private practice in Newton, MA. She also teaches at The Cambridge School of Culinary Arts.

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

HOTthe OFFpress The shifting story has nurtured a number of new views. One rehabilitates Chiang Kai-shek’s war efforts, minimizing the bloody conflicts between him and Mao and aiming to heal the wounds of the Cultural Revolution. Another narrative positions Beijing as creator and protector of the international order that emerged from the war—an order, China argues, under threat today largely from the United States. China’s radical reassessment of its collective memory of the war has created a new foundation for a people destined to shape the world.

HOTthe OFFpress Gandhi was one of the most photographed men on the planet in his time, and his body, ideas, and politics have inspired hundreds and hundreds of artists in India and the world. These artists have held the Mahatma as their muse for over a hundred and fifty years and these representations dot India's streets, universities, government offices, public places, railway stations, galleries, and beyond. Ironically, Gandhi had very little time or interest in art. Through Gandhi in the Gallery, Sumathi Ramaswamy takes the reader on a stunningly visual journey – of 130 artists and their artworks with Gandhi as their muse.

HOTtheOFF press In The Learning Factory, Arun Maira narrates peoplecentric episodes that bring alive the values of the Tata Group, standards that combine the high-velocity practices as well as the oldfashioned principles that make the Tata Group the giant it is today. With insightful stories of conduct that are as practically implementable as they are inspiring, this is a blueprint for the individual as well as the business that seeks success through its community of leaders, workers and thinkers. What can we learn from the individual stories that come together to form this inspiring narrative?

STORIZENEVENTS

In The Learning Factory, Arun Maira narrates people-centric episodes that bring alive the values of the Tata Group, standards that combine the high-velocity practices as well as the old-fashioned principles that make the Tata Group the giant it is today. With insightful stories of conduct that are as practically implementable as they are inspiring, this is a blueprint for the individual as well as the business that seeks success through its community of leaders, workers and thinkers.Founded in 1868 by Jamshetji Tata, the Tata Group symbolizes the great Indian story of hope, growth and phenomenal success. The group played the role of a nation builder in post-independent India. Its companies were headed by legendary chairpersons, all of whom firmly believed in the importance of continuously learning and growing. What can we learn from the individual stories that come together to form this inspiring narrative? Like all great successes, this isn’t one story—it is many accounts that are so powerful that the whole is much greater than the sum of all its parts.“I would like to share my stories of what I learned from these masters. This OCTOBER 2020

book is not a history of the Tata Group: many fine books have been written about it. These are firsthand stories, with insights I gained into the arts of value-driven leadership, and the building of values-based institutions.”- Arun Maira

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

HOTthe OFFpress 'We are from different settlements but we belong to one city.' Rekha, Vikasini from Ahmedabad

Living on the neglected margins of the nation's urban sprawls, the poor women of India's slums bear the manifold burden of housework, childcare and livelihood. They struggle to make their voices heard by city administrations, and for planners and municipalities, to acknowledge that the poor are just as entitled as any other citizen of India to a roof over their head, running water, a toilet at home, and clean and healthy surroundings. 23

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2020

How to Read Amartya Sen

Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen is one of the world's best-known voices for the poor and the downtrodden, and an inspiration for the proponents of justice across the globe.

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2020

STORIZENEVENTS

Lawrence Hamilton is professor of political studies at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and the SARChI/Newton Research Professor in political theory, University of Cambridge and Wits. Jean Drèze, currently visiting professor at Ranchi University (ex-LSE), has lived in India since 1979. He has made wide-ranging contributions to development economics, with special reference to India.

ABOUT THE BOOK Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen is one of the world's best-known voices for the poor and the downtrodden, and an inspiration for the proponents of justice across the globe. He has contributed almost without peer to the study of economics, philosophy and politics, transforming social choice theory, development economics, ethics, political philosophy and Indian political economy, to list but a few.This book offers a much-needed introduction to Amartya Sen's extraordinary variety of ideas. Lawrence Hamilton provides an excellent, accessible guide to the full range of Sen's writings, contextualizing his ideas and summarizing the associated debates. In elegant

OCTOBER 2020

prose, Hamilton reconstructs Sen's critiques of the major philosophies of his time, assesses his now famous concern for capabilities as an alternative for thinking about poverty, inequality, gender discrimination, development, democracy and justice, and unearths some overlooked gems. Throughout, these major theoretical and philosophical achievements are subjected to rigorous scrutiny.How to Read Amartya Sen is a major work on one of the most influential economists and philosophers of the last few centuries. It will be illuminating for readers keen to understand the breadth of Sen's vision, and an invaluable resource for scholars, policy makers and global activists.

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

HOTthe OFFpress The temperamental President of the United States of America, facing a tough re-election and playing to populist voter sentiment, has imposed trade sanctions on a belligerent China. Meanwhile, Chinese citizens, reeling from a disastrous economic meltdown, have taken to the streets in revolt.Staring at the bleak prospect of being ousted from power after 60 years of iron rule in the wake of threats both external and internal, the leaders of the Communist Party in China initiate military action, drawing its rival superpowers Japan and the United States into a conflict that portends an all-out nuclear war.

HOTtheOFF press A retired General is haunted by voices of dead men.Soldiers from two enemy nations manning posts in freezing Siachen form a strange connection.

Who are the invisible people a little girl awaiting brain surgery in the Lansdowne Military Hospital talks to?

STORIZENEVENTS

A retired General is haunted by voices of dead men.Soldiers from two enemy nations manning posts in freezing Siachen form a strange connection.A young Lieutenant dying in the jungles of Arunachal is watched over by three men, one of whom would have his destiny changed forever.What is the dark secret held by a Major and his men operating incognito in Kashmir? What surprise is a train bound for Agra bringing to the all-male bastion of 13 Para?Who are the invisible people a little girl awaiting brain surgery in the Lansdowne Military Hospital talks to?From the bestselling author of The Brave, 1965 and Kargil comes a book that will take you into the olive-green world of army cantonments, through stories that will delight and disturb in equal measure.

OCTOBER 2020

Rachna Bisht Rawat is the author of five books by Penguin Random House, including the bestsellers The Brave and Kargil. She lives in New Delhi with Saransh, the wise teen; Hukum, the bushy-tailed golden retriever; an eclectic collection of books and music; and Manoj, the man in olive green who met her twentyeight years back, when he was a Gentleman Cadet at the Indian Military Academy, and offered to be her comrade for life.

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

HOTthe OFFpress Full of new information on how proKhalistan sentiments and Sikh extremism were deliberately encouraged and then crushed with a heavy hand to draw political mileage.A former R&AW officer’s first-person account that unearths little-known facts about the Khalistan movement and the role of senior politicians of the time in creating and sustaining it.

Releasing 24 October 2020

HOTthe OFFpress The one certainty in life, the one appointment which each of us will just have to face, is the one for which we do the least to prepare—death. From the lives and last days of the Buddha, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Ramana Maharshi, Gandhiji, Vinoba; from our religious texts; from the teachings of great meditation masters; from santhara to sannyas to practices by which we may tame our mind—leavening all these by his personal experiences—Arun Shourie presents clues to ensure that we face our end with equanimity.

A Black Coffee Date With Myself BY APARNA MUKHERJEE

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2020

A lot can happen over a cup of coffee was true in my case. It was the day when I was upset and I was feeling low. I had appeared for an MBA entrance exam. But, I could not clear the exam at the first attempt. After seeing the MBA result, for some days I was under depression. I stopped talking with my sister and my parents. I locked myself inside the room. On the fourth day after my MBA result was declared, my mother made a delicious dish for me so that I feel happy. Whenever I used to feel low, my mother used to make my favourite dishes which would help lift up my mood. That day too, mother woke up in the early morning just to prepare the dishes I would like to eat. During the lunch hour, I was sitting with my family for lunch. I could see my favourite dishes on the dining table. For the first time, I was not feeling elated to see those mouthwatering dishes. My mother started serving the lip-smacking food one after another to all of us. That day, my mother dished out the dishes to me at first. Although I was not in a mood to eat, still I had started eating. It goes without saying that the dishes were indeed very delicious. As I started eating, I chewed a piece of a green chilli which was mixed with paneer masala. OCTOBER 2020

The burning sensation inside my mouth brought out some hurtful words for my mother. I yelled at my mother for putting a piece of green chilli in the dish. "What have you done, mom? Is this the way to cook? Don't you know I don't eat chilies? Please, do not cook for me from tomorrow, if you cook like this." All eyes were on me. My sister was shocked to see me shouting at my mother. My father was dumbstruck. But, my mother was quiet. It seemed she could feel the burning sensation which I had after chewing the chilli. As my mouth and tongue were burning, my mother dished into the kitchen to bring a glass of water. When she passed a glass of water towards me, I threw the glass from her hand out of anger and stood up to wash my hands in the wash basin. I did not eat the meals which were prepared by my mother so lovingly for me. When I was washing my hands and mouth, I could see in the mirror that my mother was using her Saree pallu to wipe the corner of her eyes. At that point of time I did not realize that her eyes were welled up with tears and the reason for her tears was my misbehaviour which she never deserved. I went inside my room slamming the door.

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

The entire day I stayed in my room. As the sun started setting, I was feeling suffocated. To get some fresh air, I decided to have a walk around my residential complex. As I started walking, showers of rain drenched me a bit. I ran to the nearby cafe and waited outside a cafe for some time under the shade. For quite a while, I stood there, waiting for the rain to stop. As the rain started pouring, I stepped inside the cafe to have a cup of coffee. I ordered a cup of black and made the payment at the cash counter. The waiter brought a cup of hot black coffee and placed the cup on my table with a smile on his face. I started sipping the hot tasty coffee. The flavour of coffee started melting my pent-up anger and I was feeling a little relaxed. The combination of rain and warm coffee is something mesmerizing. It was still raining outside and the window glass of the cafe was a bit hazy. Still, I managed to notice something outside the cafe. A poor child and her mother were standing at a shop which was the opposite of the cafe. She was protecting her little baby from rain. The child who had torn clothes on his body was smiling at his mother. The child was elated as her mother was feeding some food to her kid which she managed 33

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

to bring from a roadside stall. Her shabby clothes and tired face seemed to be familiar to me. After seeing the face of the lady, I was trying to recall her face. Then, I remembered that I saw the child's mother today afternoon from the window of my room. The poor woman was working as a labor in an under construction building. After working for the whole day in an under construction building, she could feel her little son was hungry. No matter how exhausted she was, her smiling face was gleaming in the rain. The food she was feeding her baby was ordinary. But, the happiness of feeding her son was more valuable than any expensive item in the world. On seeing the affection and love of a mother and son who manage to make their living imbibed a wave of positive energy in me and my depression for not being to crack MBA exam started getting washed off in the rain. I felt calmness inside my mind. The hot black coffee date with myself brought out a new person in me whose mind was filled with positive thoughts. After finishing the black coffee, I walked fast to see my mother's face. While walking I realized my misbehaviour which hurt her. As I knocked at the door, it was OCTOBER 2020

my mother who came running to open the door for me. Without saying a word, I hugged her tightly and said "I am sorry." My mother kissed my forehead. Her love made me realize that my mother has a heart of gold.

OCTOBER 2020

In a few words, Aparna defines a woman who beholds high aspirations and firmly believes in expanding her horizon. She holds a Master degree in English from Mumbai University. By profession, she is an online Senior Content Writer and Blogger who writes informative articles for various Indian, UK and US blogs and websites. Her poems got published in the digital Reflection Magazine and in the Indian literature website named Facestory's.com. She is a budding author too. Her first story on romantic theme got published in a book named "Memoirs Of Love". Her second story in another anthology will be publishing soon.As a person, she is open-minded, down-to-earth and amiable in nature. Her world revolves around creativity. She wishes to make her mark in the literary world, hoping to leave an indelible imprint on her readers' minds.

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

9 OF THE ALL-TIME FAVORITE

BOOKS TO MOVIES ADAPTATIONS THAT ARE A DELIGHT TO WATCH

BY SAURABH CHAWLA

The best pass time of all the things is watching a good movie. One can play a sport, one can talk at length on the phone, one can read a book, but a good movie - is a treat to self. In all of these, I would prefer to read a book, but it's also evident that some of the great movies of all time are based on books.

Books to movies adaptations have been on for some time and as the attention span of the readers is going down, the readers can now enjoy the screen adaptation of the story. In this part, we have compiled a list of nine books to movies adaptations.

To Kill A Mockingbird This adaptation of the classic by Harper Lee in 1962 focuses on the active characters created by the author in the book.

This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is indeed an awesome story both to read and to watch. The film was directed by Robert Mulligan.

OCTOBER 2020

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

The Fault in Our Stars This Romance Novel by John Green was adapted on screen in the year 2014. Directed by Josh Boone and starred Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, and Nat Wolff, the story is about two teenage cancer patients begin their journey to meet a reclusive author in Amsterdam. The book won the Goodreads Choice Awards Best Young Adult Fiction in 2012 and was chosen as TIME Magazine’s #1 Fiction Book of 2012.

Forrest Gump This novel by Winston Groom is number three on our books to movies list. It won six Oscars. Tom Hanks played the lead role in the film. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, the story is about an Alabama man who desires to reunite with his childhood sweetheart and his journey through various historical events. The movie is surely a delight to watch especially when it's Tom Hanks!

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2020

The Lord of the Rings J.R.R. Tolkien's novels are a treat to read and the book to movie adaptation by Peter Jackson is surely a delight to watch. My all-time favorite, the movie actually streamlined the novel well. The fantasy novel is depicted so realistically in the movie adaptation that I, for once believed that it's actually the reality. The movie is a perfect example of hope, heroism, and despair. A must watch and a must-read!

Harry Potter How can one forget this one by J.K Rowling! This book to movie adaptation stole the hearts and instantly became a love for the kids. The Harry Potter series is eight film long sports four directors and two screenwriters. The story evolves from the children's tale to a more morally complex, darker story. The magic, the evil, and the special effects that this movie series has are pleasurable and fun to watch! I personally liked the second part, 'The Chamber of Secrets'.

OCTOBER 2020

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

The Devil Wears Prada Lauren Weisberger's novel is on the number six in our books to movie adaptations. Unlike the novel, the film is an improvement over the book. The book offers a very different, emotional ending whereas in the film directed by David Frankel, the villain character played by Miranda Priestly is more sharpened to give a wonderful ending to the 2006 film.

Fight Club This 1999 film by David Fincher of Chuck Palahniuk is number seven in our books to movie adaptation. It keeps more or less everything but also provides a different, more traditional structure to it. The books are more about rage and frustration, the film is about the modern-day culture and the overall concept of muscularity in the modern-day world. Whatever the case may be, this Brad Pitt and Edward Norton starred is a classic piece of cinema and a must-watch.

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2020

The Exorcist How can I forget this classic horror film? This is an adaptation of the novel by William Peter Blatty and the film was directed in 1973 by William Friedkin. It still gives me Goosebumps watching this film. The fact that the discomfiting visuals in the film due to the unusual supernatural events makes the overall feel spooky.

The Godfather Mario Puzo's novel was screen adapted by Francis Ford Coppola. The novel is an absorbing, dark thriller that fascinates, horrifies, and entertains. The Al Pacino Starrer movies are two of the best films ever made (one in 1972 and the sequel in 1974) are still considered to be two of the best films ever made and won Oscars for The Best Adapted Screenplay and the Best Picture.

OCTOBER 2020

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

AUDIOBOOKS – THE WAY TO REACH OUT TO THE MILLENNIALS AND OLD GENERATIONS ALIKE

By Madhulika Ra Chauhan

Audiobooks are the fastest-growing segment in publishing with doubledigit growth in markets across the world. Podcasting has gone mainstream with listeners consuming audio on mobile phones and in-car devices, as well as through smart speakers. With the fast-paced technological advancements, the good old reading behaviors are getting morphed.The attention deprived reader lurks unhappily binging on content, moving from one interest to the other – but, with audio books one can attempt toregain the lost audience and make them fall in love with the books once again. I mean who hasn’t loved a good audiobook, while on commute and who hasn’t waited for a dose of the episodes of their favourite comics released on radio. Listening is therapeutic, almost cathartic, where the listener enters the realm of your imagination through a voice.It engages the audience, though OCTOBER 2020

through a different sense. There are variousaudiobook apps (listed below are a few popular ones) whichcan engage the reader with a detailed reading list:

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

1. Audible

Audible remains the powerhouse among the best audiobooks apps, with more than 470,000 titles in its library. Audible's audiobook player offers solid playback features, with

chapter navigation, bookmarks, a sleep mode, variable playback speed and multitasking support for background playback and downloading.

3. Serial Box

2. Audiobooks.com

RB Audiobooks' cloud-based Audiobooks.com platform also is a solid choice among the best audiobook apps for Android and iOS listeners, allowing subscribers to choose from a library of more than 150,000 audiobooks from every genre that they can stream or download for offline listening.

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

Rather than spending a fortune on a fat novel or audiobook, readers and listeners can spring for shorter, episodic content through Serial Box, which offers bite-sized chunks of novels perfect for your commute or breaktime.

OCTOBER 2020

4. Google Play Books

timeline, jump to chapters, and configure playback speed and a snooze timer.

Google Play Books builds in audiobook features, allowing the listener to listen to the purchased audiobooks across platforms and devices. This enables listeners to pick up where they left off on their Android device, iPhone, or desktop PC. It allowsone to skip ahead or scroll along the

6. Bookmobile Audiobook Player

5. Kobo Books

While Kobo may not have the same big name recall of Amazon in the e-books and audiobooks market, it offers a rich library of e-books and audiobooks in its online marketplace and reader apps. Kobo's audiobook player covers your basics, with a timeline scrubber bar, time-skip buttons, chapter navigation, playback speed configuration and a snooze timer. OCTOBER 2020

Bookmobile is a well-regarded iOS Audiobook player for those looking to play DRM-free (digital rights management) audiobooks. Bookmobile supports DRM-locked content from iTunes and Audible, as well as DRM-free content ripped from CDs or downloaded, including M4B and MP3 audiobooks. The app features a thoughtful control scheme designed to keep you from easily losing your place and includes drive and sleep modes, as well as supporting background playback. STORIZEN MAGAZINE

7. Smart AudioBook Player

as variable playback speed, bookmarking, an audio equalizer, some basic collection management features, a sleep timer and control widgets for the notification tray and your home screen.

For The Authors Now, if you are an author and looking on to upload an audiobook here are a few things you would need to keep in mind. The challenge for a lot of writers, is that they tend to be introverts. So, the notion of getting up in front of people, to begin with, is terrifying. In that case one could just hire a professional artist or a recording studio artist to record the book for you. There are two components to publishing your audiobook: 45

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

If you're looking to listen to DRM-free audiobooks already in your collection, Smart AudioBook Player is a popular choice for Android devices that comes with a good selection of features, such

1) Audiobook Production and 2) Audiobook Distribution Audiobook production is the process by which your written book is narrated and recorded into an audiobook. When it comes to audiobook production you have two options: You can record the audiobook yourself or you can hire a professional to record your audiobook. To narrate your own audiobook you will need a quiet place to record, equipment and software, time and some technical expertise. By far the biggest investment will be in the times it takes you to narrate your book and the time it takes you to edit your audio files in post-production. It is most OCTOBER 2020

common for authors to perform their audiobook themselves in non-fiction where the voice the audience expects to hear is consistent with the author’s voices. It’s less common in fiction where the depth of characters and potential range of voice ages, accents, or dialects can become overwhelming and, perhaps, better suited for a professional trained voice actor. The Do it All Dilemma Many authors choose to hire a professional to record their audiobook rather than trying to tightrope through being the do it all phenomenon. When hiring a professional narrator the process usually goes like this: - You create an account at one of the audiobook publishers or production companies - You find a narrator by listening to their auditions the narrator reach an agreement on how much they will get paid for each finished hour of the audiobook. - The narrator will record and upload the audiobook, which you will then approve. You pay OCTOBER 2020

the producer and receive your audio file. The Distribution As with eBooks, Amazon has the lion’s share of the audio market through Audible. But there are other players out there in addition to Audible. Audiobooks.com and iTunes have the #2 and #3 spots with services like Google Play, Kobo, Overdrive and Scribd growing within the “Other” segment of the market for online sales. Your first decision will be whether you want to be exclusive to Amazon/Audible/iTunes by distributing through ACX (Audiobook Creation Exchange) or whether you want to have non-exclusive distribution that will enable you to get your book on Amazon/Audible/iTunes AND other retailers, services and libraries like Google Play, Kobo, Nook, Overdrive and Scribd. The benefit to being exclusive to Amazon is that you will receive higher royalty rates. The benefit to non-exclusive distribution is that your book will be available at many more retailers. However, as with most things selfpublishing, authors can choose between exclusivity and control for audiobook distribution, and

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

DIY or professional help for audiobook production and take part in the booming industry of audiobooks. Whatever you choose, remember the listener is getting keener already.

Madhulika Ra Chauhan is a digital marketeer by day and a passionate writer by night. She lives in China with her super curious son and an ever busy husband. Her articles have appeared in Ezine, FWD Media and DailyO

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2020

We are Sure You got a brilliant idea for a story Let us know when you write it and publish it. We'll help you spread the good word.

talktous@storizen.com

STORIZEN REVIEW

A ROLLING RIDE OF SPYING! The story is about a 17-year-old teenager, Samira Joshi.

Reviewed by Swapna Peri It was 90's I think, during my school times, there were many books and TV shows for children that were based on mystery spying and such adventures. On Indian Television, there were some shows where the protagonist was a teenager, either boy or girl. The episodes had wit, humour, fun, suspense, emotion and social message. After a long time, while reading the college romance books or Young Adult love stories, this book - 'Along Came a Spyder' is refreshing and unique. The story is about a 17year-old teenager, Samira Joshi. Ever since she was aware that her parents are the RAW agents, to become a spy was the only target she had.

STORIZENREVIEW

Vijyant Thapar

OCTOBER 2020

This action-packed book is a continuous chain of events and incidents that are very gripping to read. As all the characters ooze with young blood, not a single dull or pale moment is observed in the story. We can expect an Indian Agatha Christie or Enid Blyton type story.

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

BOOK REVIEW

Though her parents initially were interested in her becoming a spy, one day, her mother asks her to leave everything aside and prepare herself to become a doctor in the future. This sudden decision of her mother irks Samira. She looks for a getaway and happens to find a small organization of Spies or Spyders run by Col.SIngh. With a group of girls, her first assignment goes into unveiling a prostitution racket that links to a terror attack being busted.

Book Title: Exciting and thrilling

Book Cover: The naughty smile gives a fresh feeling.

The Story

Photo by Alexandra Gorn

The story is about a 17-yearold teenager, Samira Joshi. Ever since she was aware that her parents are the RAW agents, to become a spy was the only target she had.

STORIZEN REVIEW

Book Review

My Final Verdict A rolling ride of spying!

Rating Book Title: 3/5 Book Cover: 3.5/5 Plot: 4/5 Characters: 3.5/5 Narration: 4/5 Language & Grammar: 4/5 Final Rating: 4/5

Swapna worked as SAP Consultant for 10 years in Major IT companies. Reading has always been her passion and occasional painting her hobby. She decided to quit her job, look after the family and pursue her hobby of reading and painting in a larger way. Thus, her big leap into book reviewing has paved a way and has been successful to date. Reading challenges interest her a lot and visiting book fairs is her favorite thing. She believes that there is no good back or bad book, but only books. Writing unbiased reviews is her strength and she is appreciated by fellow reviewers and readers for the same. An anthology of musings with her paintings is her pending dream!

@swapna.peri @sappy_dreamz_unlimited @swapna508

OCTOBER 2020

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

A Chilling Story

Photo by Bermix Studio

Reviewed by Swapna Peri

STORIZENREVIEW

What to expect In this book, author Karnal Singh narrates and explains the readers a particular incident when following the encounter that happened in the year 2008, at the Batla House. The book in details describes the shootout between members of Delhi Police Special Cell and Indian Mujahideen terrorists in September 2008.

BOOK REVIEW

I have recently watched the Bollywood actor John Abraham acted movie, Batla House a week before reading the book. As one says, imagination is sometimes very much thrilling than a visual treat. It is proven right after reading the book. The movie and the book, based on the facts and figures, but some drama added in the film made look the whole encounter a little dramatised. It so happened that I am lucky enough to read the book. As I was reading every chapter, because I have already seen the movie, it was easy for me to identify the places, people, names and situations. It was a surreal experience in reading the book. The book, written by President Police Medal awardee, Karnal Singh (1984 batch IPS officer) is a treat to the readers and lovers of non-fiction and hero tales. He also headed the Delhi Police Special Cell from the year January 2003 to December 2008. He was also a critical officer who lead the investigations of the 2008 Delhi Blasts that led to the Batla House encounter. He has dedicated this book in honour of Late Sh. Mohan Chand Sharma (Inspector) and other unsung heroes who lost their lives fighting against terrorism. OCTOBER 2020

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

What to Expect The book in details describes the shootout between members of Delhi Police Special Cell and Indian Mujahideen terrorists in September 2008. The Story This book by author Karnal Singh, an IPS 0fficer of Delhi Police is an excellent piece of work.

Book Review

STORIZEN REVIEW

How entertaining is the book This book by author Karnal Singh, an IPS 0fficer of Delhi Police is an excellent piece of work. The action sequences mentioned in the book are so well detailed and described that they give absolute chills. The information, facts and figures in the book are so well accurate that every reader will be mesmerized with the action episodes in the book.

Rating Final Rating: 5/5

@swapna.peri @sappy_dreamz_unlimited @swapna508

OCTOBER 2020

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

Making a Plan to Set a Startup? Enter the world of Startup companies Reviewed by Swapna Peri

Handpicked Real-Life Stories That Teach a Lot

The authors Dhruv Nath and Sushanto Mitra in this book have addressed some of the essential and crucial concerns. In the elementary and simple language, both the authors have done an excellent job in explaining the real stories of both successful and unsuccessful start-up companies.

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2020

About the book The book is an excellent read for anyone who wants to start or already in the startup.

A Must Read This book, as the title suggests, is all about the world of Start-Up companies, the do's and don'ts, the pros and cons, the successes and failures. The cases, stories and many such things explained in the book not only educate the readers and entrepreneurs but also entertain.

BOOK REVIEW

STORIZEN REVIEW

In recent years the word 'start-up' has been making rounds. Start-up businesses have been receiving increased attention in many parts of the world. In our country, India, the number of start-ups has snowballed, and more support has become available for them. The Indian startup system and model has been successful in most of the cases since 2010.

message or imparting wisdom. I recommend the book very strongly.

If we talk about the genesis of startup culture in India, we shall initially look at the roots of this initiative. Start-ups have played and continue to play significant roles in the growth, development and industrialization of many economics all over the world. India has declared 2010-20 as the Decade of Innovation. The Government has stressed the need to vocalize a policy to synergies science, technology & innovation and has also established the National Innovation Council(NIC). This book contains a list of handpicked real-life stories that teach a lot. I find this a highly superior way of delivering a

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2020

Book Review

STORIZEN REVIEW

My Final Verdict Hands-on book for making a plan to set a startup!

Rating Final Rating: 4/5 Swapna worked as SAP Consultant for 10 years in Major IT companies. Reading has always been her passion and occasional painting her hobby. She decided to quit her job, look after the family and pursue her hobby of reading and painting in a larger way. Thus, her big leap into book reviewing has paved a way and has been successful to date. Reading challenges interest her a lot and visiting book fairs is her favorite thing. She believes that there is no good back or bad book, but only books. Writing unbiased reviews is her strength and she is appreciated by fellow reviewers and readers for the same. An anthology of musings with her paintings is her pending dream!

@swapna.peri @sappy_dreamz_unlimited @swapna508

OCTOBER 2020

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

Literary Realism at its Best! Mantram or the divine hymns to wake up the hidden soul Reviewed by Swapna Peri

Perfectly Written Poems That Squeeze The Thoughts

The poems in 'Mantram Beach' as mentioned oscillate between various things. The poem named ' Visiting the old hometown ' all describes being nostalgic.

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2020

About the book

A Must Read

The choice of the words, the syntax, the expression and the narration of the poem looks as simple as drinking a glass of water.

Printed in a classic and attractive font, every page allures the reader with a different view of every poem. Each poem is rich with vocabulary and poetic that will straightly prick the brain to comprehend it and touch the heart.

BOOK REVIEW

STORIZEN REVIEW

The 2020 year has started with a lot of poetry reading, both in English and Hindi. Since March and the lockdown period was though tough, books have made my mind calm and settled. With rich poetry, I have somehow swum the hard days. This book stands on a very different peak. I have exposed myself to speculative poetry and realistic poetry but never tried reading Dark Poetry and that too Dark poetry in realism. Mantram Beach is a collection of 30+ poems that touch various aspects of living, lifestyles, feelings and virtues. The book is divided into four categories. Each category describes life in it, be it the people or the places or the animals or the natural forces (as mentioned).

the book is the uniqueness of the title to each poem. The author has given the liberty to the readers to conceive the title name with their reception of the poems. The poems in 'Mantram Beach ' as mentioned oscillate between various things. The poem named ' Visiting the old hometown ' all describes being nostalgic. The readers are unaware of who is talking to them; hence the poem is in third person's narration. The lines' Speak of victories and defeats, Other streets, of years of visits to dentists and paediatricians' explains how life turns different for each one of the people who studied in the same college or university. Here, what I infer is that the poet tried to explain in the discrimination in various forms and layers in a person's life.

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2020

Book Review

STORIZEN REVIEW

My Final Verdict A book of literary realism at its best!

Rating Final Rating: 5/5 Swapna worked as SAP Consultant for 10 years in Major IT companies. Reading has always been her passion and occasional painting her hobby. She decided to quit her job, look after the family and pursue her hobby of reading and painting in a larger way. Thus, her big leap into book reviewing has paved a way and has been successful to date. Reading challenges interest her a lot and visiting book fairs is her favorite thing. She believes that there is no good back or bad book, but only books. Writing unbiased reviews is her strength and she is appreciated by fellow reviewers and readers for the same. An anthology of musings with her paintings is her pending dream!

@swapna.peri @sappy_dreamz_unlimited @swapna508

OCTOBER 2020

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

STORIZEN REVIEW

AN EXCITING COLLECTION OF FAMOUS AND IMPORTANT STORIES AND ESSAYS The ten stories present in the book are about ten different ways of death.

Reviewed by Swapna Peri

The term 'Anthology' originates from the Greek word anthologia, meaning a collection of flowers. In the world of literature, an anthology is a collection or a compilation of essays or stories or poems or plays or narrations or any other work of literature. It can also be said; an anthology is an ala-carte of great works brought into one book. In the modern world, an anthology of feature films and movies is also a known craft. As an anthology is a collection of works from different authors and writers, the readers get a chance to know and read works of many authors at once. Well, there are pros and cons to the art of anthology.

STORIZENREVIEW

BOOK REVIEW

It is unlikely that al the stories or essays or whichever works form gathered from many authors will allure and entertain the readers. There may be disappointments as well as surprises for the readers. In this connection, talking about this book, ' Ways of dying ', it is an interesting anthology. The ten stories present in the book are about ten different ways of death. Suppose one chapter talks about the assassination of a famous person, others talk about a personal loss. Moreover, the mindset, the thought process and the psyche of a person who witnesses or hears the death of a person is very well captured and presented in the individual stories. Vijyant Thapar

OCTOBER 2020

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

A Must Read

'Ways of dying', it is an interesting anthology. The ten stories present in the book are about ten different ways of death.

The book is entertaining. As said, the book is a collection of 10 stories or excerpts from a book of well-known authors and their books.

Photo by Alexandra Gorn

The Book

Book Review

STORIZEN REVIEW

My Final Verdict An exciting collection of famous and important stories and essays of famous people

@swapna.peri @sappy_dreamz_unlimited @swapna508

OCTOBER 2020

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

STORIZENPOETRY

Let's meet... by Madhumathi H. Let us make a list Of what all we can converse Over a cup of coffee And Crumple it... Tear to pieces... Let us ban pleasantries Tear off the masks Directly begin to Talk to each other's Hidden doors and windows In the raw voices of love, and truth That they slowly open To let in some healing breeze Dress the desolate wounds Of our souls, trusting the roots... Talk about the precious bookmarks Laden with the scents of your favourite books Of my several muses Blooming as poems, bursting as confetti of love About the rhythm of the rain And the timeless song

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2020

STORIZENPOETRY

Frequently played A sweet confusion, to choose If it is the rain, or the song To dissolve in... Let our dreams be read In our eyes Fears be heard, between heartbeats And hope sprout In the silences exchanged Let tears too Be eloquent... Let all the plush things vanish No better luxury Than being at the sea Or a nurturing riverside Let's surrender to Nature's abundance Discover each other's floods and droughts Silk and thorns of our self No better transport Than hand in hand walks Smitten by the wings Of honeyed freedom... Finally when we leave It would not be just the coffee Relished But the aroma, carried in our hearts Of a precious promise Exclusively Brewed for friends... OCTOBER 2020

An ardent lover of Nature, Poetry(English and Tamil), Photography, and Music, Madhumathi believes, writing is soul's Metamorphosis, a kaleidoscopic view of life through words. She loves to spread mental health awareness through writing, strongly believing in the therapeutic power of words, and takes part in related awareness activities to break the stigma, and reiterate the importance of empathy. Madhumathi's poems are published in anthologies of Poetry Society India, Chennai Poetry Circle-CPC, India Poetry Circle-IPC, and Poetic Prism. Muse India, International Writer's Journal, Science Shore, Our Poetry Archives, Positive Vibes are some of the e-zines her poems are published with.

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

STORIZEN POETRY

Percolate a Kaapi Song by Vidya Shankar I stared at the window, at its faintly peeling blue, Old-fashioned perhaps, but with no trace of dirt, I stared through the window, at the graceful green outside That flickered rays of brilliant sunshine Upon the neatly arranged mica-topped tables and moulded chairs. This was no air-conditioned coffee bar with extravagant Ambience and windows of stylish insulation, This was just an ordinary roadside kaapikadai, Yet a very happening place, Where fresh air and natural light happened during the day — A place that I once would have shunned Had she not happened. ‘Ayiya, kaapi,’a gap-toothed grin looked down at me… He was no barista in apron and shoes. I smiled back confusedly, which I think he didn’t mind, And directed my gaze at the steaming, bubbly beverage In the typical traditional davara-tumbler upon my table. The kaapi smiled at me, its refreshing aroma catching my nostrils. I didn’t miss the large heavy mug of latte art with full fat milk. ‘We must do kaapi and poetry someday,’ she had said, I had smiled weakly, unable to share her exuberance, My already weakened interest in her slipping down Several notches. Why had I felt that way about her then? Why? Why? I had mistaken her simplicity for crudeness, for inelegance; Time now revealed the hot-headedness of my ignorance— She who imbued the essence of truthful living, 71 |

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2020

STORIZEN POETRY

How could I have not seen the poetry of her soul? The genuine love she epitomised? A love that would have percolated drop by drop, Transforming my plainness into exotic elixir Suffused with a heady, brimming wholesomeness... A love that would have lingered its delightful naturalness To eternity... A love so tasteful that I would have relished it to the last drops... Like this kaapi! The kaapi awakened my senses, gave me strength, I took my phone to call her, but hesitated. ‘Will she pick up my call?’ I wondered. Not wanting to overwhelm her, I sent her a selfie, The vibrant window behind me, adding: ‘I am ready for someday; care to join me for kaapi? We could make poetry together.’ I knew I had to be patient; I had to give the message Time to percolate, But my heart beat a different song now, A happy as kaapi song, and as I skipped out of the kaapikadai, I gave gap-toothed grin an equally pleasant smile— Love was upon my sleeve, and the classic lines of the kaapi song Exuded verses of hope. OCTOBER 2020

Vidya Shankar is a widely published Indian poet, writer, editor, yoga practitioner, mindful mandala artist, a “book” with the Human Library, and English teacher. She is the author of two poetry books The Flautist of Brindaranyam, in collaboration with her photographer husband, Shankar Ramakrishnan, and The Rise of Yogamaya. A recipient of literary awards and recognitions, Vidya is the chief admin of the Facebook group KavyaAdisakrit and one of the editors of KavyaAdisakrit, an imprint of Adisakrit Publishing House. She is also a member of the poetry group India Poetry Circle, or IPC.

@shanvidwinsalways @vidya.shankar.author

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

STORIZEN POETRY

Meeting a Barista by Moinak Dutta 'Where from you learnt this?' Asked her, She poured the liquid into the cup, Stirred it on the fire for a while and placed it on the small circular mat. 'Very few people know that baristas are well travelled...' She said. 'I brought fincans from there...' She added. It was only nine in the morning of a holiday. Customers were scarce. The aroma of coffee was hanging in the air. 'That means Turkey...' Said working on a hunch. 'Yes! But how do you know?' 'Heard somewhere that they use fincans...' 'Yeah... they do...and they use a brass coffee pot...cezve...' 'Brought one of that too?' Asked in a jocular fashion. 'Yes...' She replied, 'You seem to take this job quite seriously...' Made the remark, 'That is half of the trade...' She said, Took two quick sips from the cup. 73

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

OCTOBER 2020

STORIZEN POETRY

The smell of beans was invigorating. 'You know something, they use Arabica, and they ground them to extra fine...' She said, 'Brought them too?' Asked her, 'Wish I could...' Her voice became suddenly wistful. The bell at the door rang. An elderly couple entered the shop. Knowing she would soon become busy, thought of wrapping up. 'I don't know Turkey... but this one tastes superb...' Said and looked at her. 'Flattered...' She replied. 'Teach me one day, how to make this...' 'I will not...for then, you will not come here!' She was pretty straight. I guffawed.

Moinak Dutta has been writing poems and stories for the last fifteen years, having many of his poems and stories finding their ways in journals, magazines, ezines, dailies, anthologies, published in India and abroad. He got two published fictions to his credit , namely 'Online@Offline' and 'In search of la radice'. His third fiction will be published soon. He is presently engaged as a teacher in a government sponsored school. Apart from writing, he enjoys traveling and doing photography.

OCTOBER 2020

STORIZEN MAGAZINE

Rekindle your love for books and literature. We bring you the latest releases, interviews and much more from the writing world in our every issue.

Get Storizen Magazine delivered to your inbox the moment the issue is released, subscribe now!

Enjoyed reading STORIZEN?