Launch of WritersMelon's Jukebox at Kolkata

I am thrilled to be a part of Writersmelon's Jukebox, an anthology of 15 winning short stories of Melonade, a nationwide writing competition. Jukebox was officially launched in Kolkata on August 19, 2017. The launch was successful, despite heavy rainfall. The book launch took place in the Doodle Room, which is a cozy corner for all art, music and literature lovers of the city. 

It was great to meet Pooja, who represented Writersmelon. Deepti (my coauthor of Jukebox) and I quickly clicked a selfie with Pooja before the launch. 

As Deepti and I were discussing the topics that we will discuss in the book launch, Pooja clicked some of our candid pictures. 

Preparing for the Jukebox launch. @purba_chakraborty @dipteeraut #bookstagram #wmjukebox #booklover

A post shared by writersmelon (@writersmelon) on Aug 19, 2017 at 5:54am PDT

The event started with our brilliant host, Rei, who introduced us and the book, Jukebox to the audience. 

She invited me to talk about my story in Jukebox after the introduction. My short story "Her Favorite Pupil" is about the relationship between a teacher and a speech-impaired student. It is a story about faith and love. Sometimes, all we need in life is a person who has faith in our potential more than we have on our own selves.

I said how a visit to my paternal uncle's deaf and dumb school gave birth to the idea of this story. It was a very special story for me as I understand how a good mentor can shape up the life of a person. During my school days, I was a very shy and introvert child. I remember there was a teacher who was ruthlessly harsh with me whenever I expressed the desire of taking part in extra-curricular activities. And in the same school, I also had a teacher who inspired me a lot. 

Next, my coauthors, Deepti and Uttiya talked about their short stories in Jukebox. 

Deepti's story "A deep fried love story" is a quirky love story of a woman on diet and a man on Alur chop whose paths cross in the Metro station. They see each other every day in the Metro Station, without speaking a word, but acknowledging each other's presence. 

Uttiya's story "Marital Chains" is a dark story about marital rape. Usnis and Ankita's marriage seems ideal, but is far from perfect. Uttiya explained why he had chosen this subject for his story. He explained that he had seen his friends stuck in abusive and disturbing relationships. This is the reason why he chose to write this story as he believes that victims must speak up.

After we talked about our stories, we formally posed with the book for shutterbugs. It was a moment of pride for all of us. All the 15 stories of Jukebox deal with an interesting subject that makes this anthology a treat for book lovers. 

After the formal launch of the book, we read a few passages from our stories for the audience. The book reading session was a lot of fun. 

Thank you everyone for coming to the book launch and making it a success💜💜💜 #repost @writersmelon • • • A short snippet from @purba_chakraborty's story in Jukebox. We hope you like the excerpt and buy the book to read the full story. Jukebox is available on Amazon now. #wmjukebox #jukebox #melonade #writersmelon #readomania #shortstory #booklover #booklaunch #shortstories #authorsofinstagram #purbachakraborty #excerpt #bookreading #booklaunch

A post shared by Purba Chakraborty (@purba_chakraborty) on Aug 19, 2017 at 9:22am PDT

Although it was raining heavily that evening, the launch of Jukebox in Kolkata was a success. We wrapped up the event by signing books for our enthusiastic readers who love reading short stories. 

Had such an amazing evening at the launch of Jukebox 💜 This picture was clicked by my lovely coauthor, Diptee just before the launch 😄 #jukebox #writersmelon #booklaunch #books #bookstagramer #bookishfeature #bookishlove #bookadda #adda #books #doodleroom #readomania #wmjukebox #authorsofinstagram #authorlife #poser #saturday #instabookclub #instabook #instapic

A post shared by Purba Chakraborty (@purba_chakraborty) on Aug 19, 2017 at 8:58am PDT

Buy Jukebox here! 

5 types of comfortable and stylish footwear for women

Wearing a beautiful outfit with uncomfortable footwear can totally spoil your day. Have you ever been in such a situation when your footwear was so uncomfortable that it was taking away all your confidence and making you grumpy? Well, I can remember two such circumstances, which I will talk about on some other blog post.

Women are obsessed with shoes. Whenever they see some beautiful, fancy footwear, they cannot resist buying it despite the fact that they already have so many shoes in the shoe rack of their homes. As the festive season is almost here with Ganesh Chaturthi, which will be soon followed by Durga Puja and Diwali, we are on a shopping spree- buying outfits, footwear and accessories.

If you want to look stunning and have a great time during the festive season, you must choose footwear that is both comfortable and stylish. Here are 5 types of shoes that every woman must have in her wardrobe as they are both stylish and comfortable:

1.     Sneakers

Sneakers are extremely comfortable. Sneakers are light and colorful shoes that are perfect for an adventurous day outside. They look great with jeans, shorts and any other casual clothes.

2.     Ballet Flats

Ballet flats are super comfortable. They are available in a wide variety of colors and styles. A pair of ballet flats is perfect for the working woman who is looking for comfortable footwear. You can wear them with jeans or dresses when you are going out for lunch with your friends.

3.     Wedges

Wedges are a favorite of many women because they symbolize class and elegance. They go well with both western and Indian outfits. The high heels of wedges will give you a great posture. At the same time, the comfortable sole will prevent any ache, keeping you comfortable all day.

4.     Black pumps

Every woman must have black pumps in her wardrobe. A pair of black pumps makes a great style statement. It will make heads turn when you wear it with your favorite LBD. If you have a party, then this is the footwear you should pick. They are comfortable to wear.

5.     Flat sandals

If you are tired wearing heels, you should buy a pair of flat sandals. They are chic and super comfortable. As flat sandals are available in a wide variety of colors and styles, you can choose the one that goes perfectly with your outfit. They go well with all kinds of outfit, so you don’t need to worry.

So, if you are thinking of donning a nice pair of footwears this festive season, you must think about shopping online from Amazon, Flipkart etc. With the festivities around, these mega stores are all offering discounts and deals. Have a look at some of the major footwear offers that these mega sites provide their respective customers during the festive season, with the help of which, you can shop for footwear at a cheaper price and save some money.

So, what are you waiting for? Enjoy your online shopping experience.

A Letter to Poetry

Dear Poetry, 
     
           If you wouldn't have been there in my life, I would have probably gone insane. Yes, I might have survived even then, but living would surely be difficult. The emotional and deep person that I am, it's hard to find someone who understands me or values my emotions. But I have found you and so, no regrets.

           You are the one who calm my 3 am tears and help me find beauty in chaos. You help me make sense of my overwhelming emotions. You convince me that pain and separation can be romantic too, just like togetherness. You help me look beyond the ordinary. You make me feel life is hard but interesting as there is so much to write about.

            I was reminiscing the day I fell in love with you. I think I was ten. I took part in the elocution competition in school, where I was told to recite "The Hero" by Rabindranath Tagore. It was a long poem and at first, I was annoyed that I had to memorize it. But then slowly, I started enjoying reading the poem. I still remember those opening lines "Mother, let us imagine we are travelling, and passing through a strange and dangerous country". 

        That poem had built my confidence then and inspired me to be brave. Back then, I didn't know that I will have no choice apart from being brave in life. I was not born strong, but life sculpted me to be as strong as a warrior in order to survive. And you have been inspiring me all the way to be brave, kind and never give up on dreams.

         When I tasted pain, one after the other as I grew up, you became my source of solace. It's in your arms I could reconstruct myself. I like the fact that it's always so easy to bare my heart out, by using a metaphor. I could express everything, and yet not reveal anything. And when people read my poems and relate to them, it makes me euphoric. 

            The best thing is you connect me to people I love deeply. No matter whether they are with me in the present moment, I can always reach out to them through you. You help me dwell in the parallel universe, where I am with my soulmate. You help me relive the moments I had spent with my mother and grandmother. You nourish and water the love in my heart, not letting it perish. You capture the hope in my heart, not letting it fly away.

          Whenever I feel overwhelmed with the injustice happening around me, I can always calm my raging thoughts in your embrace. I wonder had I not found you, how would I have been able to control my rage, pain and fear?

          My dear poetry, I will be indebted to you forever. You add so much meaning to the simple, mundane things of life. You make life an enigma and nature a magician. No wonder I fall in your love every time I read some mesmerizing poem or write a poem to soothe my heart. 


         Thank you for giving me the chance to love you wholeheartedly in this lifetime. And I hope, you love me too. 

                                                                                         ~A poet

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If you like reading my blog, you will like my books too. My latest novel, "Canvas of a Mind", a psychological mystery is out! If you like thrillers and mysteries, it will appeal to you.
Grab your copy now!


           
         

      

Canvas of a Mind : Kalimpong Diaries #2

In my latest novel, "Canvas of a Mind", the backdrop plays a very crucial role. The psychological mystery novel is set against the backdrop of Kalimpong, a remote hill station in West Bengal. It traces the lives of two sisters, Akashi and Ipsha and how their lives change when a stranger mysteriously appears in the town and starts stalking the younger sister desperately.

In Canvas of a Mind: Kalimpong Diaries #1, I shared about the beautiful Kalimpong golf course where one of the most important scenes of the novel takes place. In this post, I am going to talk about another beautiful place of Kalimpong, the Deolo Hill which I have captured in the novel. 

Kalimpong is situated on a ridge that connects the two hills, Deolo and Durpin. Deolo is the highest point of Kalimpong town that attracts plenty of tourists. It is also renowned for paragliding. 

I went to Kalimpong in 2015 with the rough idea of "Canvas of a Mind". Spending half a day in Deolo helped me visualize my characters there. 

The turning point of Canvas of a mind takes place here in the form of a catastrophe, which changes the lives of Ipsha and Akashi. When you will read the novel, you can surely relate. 

When I was writing the scene, I could easily visualize my characters in this beautiful place. Since childhood, I had read so many mysteries and thrillers of Satyajit Ray and Ruskin Bond, set against the backdrop of hills. I have noticed that hills beautify and intensify mysteries in such a beautiful manner.

When I was trying to do the same with Canvas of a Mind, I absolutely enjoyed the process. It was wonderful observing how the hills of Kalimpong helped me develop the story. 

If you want to read my novel, here's your chance to win a signed copy. All you need to do is click on the following link and participate in the rafflecopter giveaway, in association with Writer's Ezine. 

http://www.writersezine.com/p/giveaway-of-canvas-of-mind-by-purba.html

My third novel "Canvas of a Mind" is now available!

Blurb

What lies within?

Akashi lives with her younger sister, Ipsha in Kalimpong, a remote hill station. Their tranquil life turns upside down with the arrival of a stranger in the town, who stalks Ipsha desperately. He tries to lure her by sending love notes and playing a haunting tune on his harmonica, without revealing his identity and showing his face. 

As Ipsha gets bewitched by him, Akashi tries to protect her from the creepy stalker. She tries to solve the mystery of the stranger and gets shocked by certain revelations. Meanwhile, she realizes that her sister has been deceiving her at every turn of the road.

Why is Ipsha deceiving Akashi? And, what does the stranger exactly want from the two sisters? Will Akashi be able to save her sister from the darkness she is walking into? Or will she be shattered, knowing certain things about her sister that she had no idea about?

Taut with suspense, "Canvas of a Mind" will take you on a riveting ride. Are you eager to know what lies within?

I am so happy to announce that my third novel, Canvas of a Mind is now available worldwide at Amazon, both in Paperback and Kindle. 

Click for paperback:

Click for Kindle:

The book is also available at Barnes & Noble

Here is a quote from the book: