Blog

This scene is from Ro’s point of view. If you enjoy it, let me know if you would want to read more from her perspective, or from other characters’ points of view! There were quite a few...

December 31, 2024

Claude Forthomme and I crossed virtual paths when I was the Head of Communications for the Women’s Brain Project and we collaborated on a piece on brain health for Impakter, where she is a Senior Editor. A...

August 1, 2024

Have you ever met someone who was poetry? I met Ryan Artes serendipitously when I was in my last year at university, and we realized with a start that we shared two very close friends, even though...

June 28, 2024

Back in March, I self-published my first novel. It has been an exciting journey, and I thought I would share some lessons learned about the whole process of self-publishing using Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (or “Amazon KDP”)....

May 5, 2024

Dear Impostor Syndrome, While I know you’re always lurking, I appreciate that most of the time my cheerleader voice is louder than yours. You might be frustrated that despite your insistence to stick around, I refuse to...

April 8, 2024

I remember when I first came across the term “ARC”, short for “Advance Reader Copy”. It sounded like a promise and a responsibility, but more importantly, a badge of honor – and proof that you weren’t a...

March 18, 2024

It’s done! It’s here! And I’m so excited to share… Here is the cover for “Flight of an Orphan Thief”, my young adult fantasy debut novel coming out March 20 this year: How it came about As...

February 13, 2024

In parallel to finalizing my manuscript, I decided to go ahead and start figuring out a book cover design. I found way more options and resources than expected, a range of prices going from $0 to $3500,...

December 23, 2023

It has been a while since I shared anything here. I would apologize, but I am not sure how many people are even paying attention, what with all the blogs and articles and newsletters out there –...

November 29, 2023

Two notes up front: First, I’m not paid by any of the experts or Apps mentioned in this article. I’m just sharing my experience and appreciation of them because there’s so much noise out there that I...

February 12, 2023

The book “Unapologetically Ambitious: Take Risks, Break Barriers, and Create Success on Your Own Terms” landed on my reading list through the Penn Alumni book club. The author, Shellye Archambeau, is an alumni too, so I read...

September 22, 2022

“Homework for Life” is the brain child of Matthew Dicks, primary school teacher, author, and storyteller extraordinaire.  The concept is simple: Take 5 minutes at the end of every day to answer the question “if I had...

August 15, 2022

For years, investing in myself as a writer meant carving out time to read and write. I still do that, as much as I can. But what changed some six months ago is that I am now...

July 1, 2022

The book “The Moneyless Man: A Year of Freeconomic Living” by Marc Boyle was a joy to dive into for two main reasons: first, I got to borrow a paper copy from a sort-of-neighbor during the inaugural...

June 6, 2022

In the initial weeks and months after I gave birth, there were days when I resented my husband for not doing his exact 50% share of caring for our daughter. The feeling would sit, like a festering...

April 29, 2022

In her memoir “Crossing the River: Seven Stories That Saved My Life“, Carol Smith takes us on a journey through grief and out the other side, so to speak – though anyone who has experienced grief knows...

April 7, 2022

One of my favorite traditions growing up was the Persian New Year, “Nowrooz“, celebrated on the Spring Equinox. The crisp new bills older adults gave us young ones was without a doubt part of the magic, but...

March 17, 2022

As I stood on the dirt terrace, looking around me, I couldn’t quite believe it was real: We were hosting our daughter’s first birthday party, and not only was it in-person like pre-pandemic days, but there were...

March 8, 2022

The novel “Legends & Lattes” by Travis Baldree will be coming out soon, on February 22. I was lucky enough to get an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review. It’s a story about...

February 19, 2022

Have you signed up for my email list yet? If you’re hesitating, this post is for you. Here’s what you can expect if you trust me with your email… What my email list is about My goal...

February 17, 2022

The memoir “Living with a SEAL: 31 Days Training with the Toughest Man on the Planet” by Jesse Itzler was intriguing to me because it covers a very specific period in the author’s life: a month. Given...

February 13, 2022

In her memoir “The Art of Misdiagnosis: Surviving My Mother’s Suicide“, author Gayle Brandeis shares two interwoven storylines: her mother committing suicide right as Brandeis becomes a mother for the third time, and her childhood, peppered with...

February 5, 2022

A few months ago, I started an experiment. I launched a Facebook business page to keep myself accountable with regards to my writing goals. This stemmed from previous success with a real life accountability buddy that I...

January 30, 2022