Sundry Sunday
- Bird porn: What kept me sane and gave me hope through the lockdown, the stress of covid and health issues were these amazing Youtube videos of birds made by David Stanton (Thank you David!). I feel so lucky that I’m here, alive, and that I can possibly travel in a month or so to say hello it India’s forests. Do forests mean anything to you? What gives you hope?
- Meditation time warp: I’ve never tried meditation, but the other day, I did. I managed to last five minutes thinking it was at least half an hour. When I’m on Whatsapp, I think I’ve been for a minute, but it’s 20 minutes. Read about time perception and how it’s a field of psychology. Have you experienced time stretching on and on?
- Xaxa and data: I’ve been concerned about data privacy, more so recently with the way authorities the world over is taking over. This poem by Abhay Xaxa on casteism and data, really hit it home for me.
My writing joys
- Celebrity scientist Sonam Wangchuk talks about my book! My recent released book, They Made What? They Found What? on Indian scientists (it’s a wacky flipbook!) was talked about the amazing Sonam Wangchuk with a selfie on Instagram. Isn’t that rather generous of him? Read his childhood story in the book. Buy on Amazon.
- What happens when dolphins take over the world? Read my science-fiction story, The Songs that Humanity Lost Reluctantly to Dolphins, to find out. It recently released as part of a solarpunk anthology Multispecies Cities, comprising of mindboggling tales by top Asian writers. (More here)
- Translation to French: Les Chants que L’Humanité abandonna aux is the French version of the dolphins taking over the world. This was published in one of the most known SF magazines in France, Galaxies No 66!
- New story on Bangalore’s history: I tried my hand at historical fiction by writing for Eleven Stops to the Present: Stories of Bengaluru, a wonderful anthology on fiction in history by Intach Bangalore. The Biryani Choke is about spunky Salma, wrestling and biryani set in 1920s cantonment Bangalore. (Buy on Amazon.)
Question for you, dear Penpal
How are you dealing with our collective trauma? What gives you hope?
As I said at the beginning of this newsletter, this is not a one-way street. Tell me about your journey as a reader, a creative person, tell me about your passions and what you’d like to do, talk about your struggles, about what makes you laugh with joy, about how you’re dealing with the collective trauma we’re all facing.
Floor me with your story. For, I’m listening.
Oh, and while you’re writing, if you have suggestions for the next letter from me, send me those too.
Be positive and keep writing!
Shweta
Pages: 1 2