Sometimes, a reader’s response to a story tells you more about your writing than any review possibly can. I received this beautiful, deeply personal response from a reader after reading The Palm Reader, one of the stories in my collection On The Threshold. What touched me was not just that the reader enjoyed the story, but that it took them back to their own childhood.

That, perhaps, is one of the most rewarding things a story can do, take someone into the lives of fictional characters and, somewhere along the way, bring them face to face with their own memories, relationships and emotions.

I am sharing the reader’s response here because it captures something I hoped these stories would do, travel beyond the pages of a book and find a place in the hearts and memories of those who read them.

“The Palm Reader brought back our childhood days, those treasured memories of summer holidays with much cherished cousins at Nani’s and dadi’s place with all those evening chats, stories, riddles and jokes, being the light of life  in dark nights with no electricity, but always illuminated with the mirth and joys of hearty laughs. It was indeed the most fulfilling fun, we ever had. Those visits which seemed only fun at that time had played vital role in shaping our adult persona and that realisation becomes stronger seeing today’s children and their childhood challenges. And the other part of the story depicting mothers unconditional love is a saga in itself though I have my own inhibitions ( I am a mother but still I always have some conflict with my mom on this aspect of love which surrenders in front of children’s waywardness..a discussion for later). Loved the closure with memories I am most fond of, stirring a sense of nostalgia. 

Thanks again for your stories. It’s a world in itself opening multiple doors and windows to numerous homes, heads and hearts, permeating few cracks, cementing many crevices, holding few feelings, withering many thoughts, irking few nerves, satiating souls. Humane tales of human existence  serving  and seeing humanity, in ink making indelible marks on its readers in different ways. Thankyou!”