DIMAPUR — The Prabha Khaitan Foundation conducted a session of ‘The Write Circle’ with India's top-selling authors and a prominent blogger, Preeti Shenoy, at Zone Niathu by The Park, Chümoukedima, on Monday.
It was orgainsed in association with Ehsaas Woman of Dimapur—Viketuno Rio and Abokali Jimomi—and supported by Shree Cement Limited as their CSR initiative.
During the launch event, Shenoy revealed that books have been the only constant in her life because her father had transferable jobs, resulting in frequent changes in place, friends, and culture.
Shenoy revealed that her father's death in 2006 prompted her to begin writing, and it served as a pivotal moment, awakening her to the unpredictable nature of life, where tomorrow or even the next minute holds uncertain outcomes.
Consequently, to lift herself from the shroud of grief after her father's loss and for the sake of her children, she began blogging under the title 'Just a Mother of Two' with a mindset to inscribe something positive each day regardless of life's challenges. Her blog resonated with numerous readers, eventually drawing attention from abroad as well.
In 2007, Shenoy received accolades for a blog post she wrote about her father and this recognition marked a turning point, enlightening her to the distinct quality of her writing abilities.
She added that her initial books comprised a collection of true-life incidents titled "34 Bubblegum & Candies", an anthology filled with light-hearted and heartwarming short stories and this marked the inception of her journey as a writer.
During the discussion, when the host, Abokali Jimomi, inquired about the contemporary societal outlook on mental health issues, Shenoy referenced her book titled "Life is What You Make It” and mentioned that delving into mental health was a focal point of this book, a project that took her three years to complete.
She recounted her decision to write the book "Life is What You Make It" after a visit to an art exhibition featuring works created by bipolar artists. Inspired by this experience, she initiated extensive research into bipolar disorder, even visiting mental health institutions.
Shenoy mentioned that over three lakh individuals grapple with bipolar disorder, a topic often shrouded in silence. Motivated by this, she created a character in her book "Life is What You Make It", and despite the book being rejected 40 times by publishers, it sold over one million copies upon its eventual publication. Encouraged by its success, she went on to publish a sequel titled "Wake Up Life is Calling”.
She added that there is a need to normalise discussions and writings on mental health and added that in her latest book, "All the Love You Deserve", one of the characters prominently explores the concept of undergoing therapy.
When discussing her writing process, Shenoy revealed that it typically starts with an idea revolving around issues that profoundly affect her but are beyond her control and stressed the importance of crafting characters with thorough, 360-degree detailing.
The Write Circle initiative aims to promote and expand the global reach and readership of English literature. It offers a cross-country platform for notable authors to engage in an informal and engaging conversation about their lives and literary works with a discerning audience of literature lovers.
The Prabha Khaitan Foundation is a non-profit trust based in Kolkata that was founded in the 1980s by eminent Indian litterateur, entrepreneur, philanthropist, social activist, and feminist, Dr. Prabha Khaitan.