Insight Stories

When thoughts fly
High in the sky
We are a speck of dust
A tiny happening in the void


- हेरंब
Author of The Last Nomad
ISupportNAAM

It feels excited to share that my novella, The Last Nomad, is now available for readers at Shabd - The Book Gallery, Mumbai.

Shabd has become a space for readers in Mumbai to be often visited with its Shabd Gappa - an annual series of conversations with renowned personalities in the world of literature, films, music and social work. It's magazine Mukt Shabd also offers wonderful thoughts on culture and society.



So what if you are in Pune or Bengaluru?
Visit Bengaluru's The Bookworm: https://goo.gl/Ft7mL8 and Pune's Pagdandi - Books Chai Cafe: https://goo.gl/s3eOrs

And in case you are a fan of paperbacks, like me, more than a Kindle version, it will be a matter of honour to be introduced in a book cafe/store in your city. Get in touch on Facebook or Email: connectinsight@gmail.com.

What's happening at Shabd? Follow them here:
Website: www.shabdbooks.com
Facebook (Shabd Publication): Shabd Publication

Visit Shabd - The Book Gallery
Shop No 2, Crest Apartment,
L T Road, …

Away from the sea
A sailor feels good as dead
So is true for his lover
Whom fate often parts 

The sailor longs for the wind in his face
His lover waits for the warmth in his arms
One sunset the ship must forever rest
His lover eyes are on the next sunrise


- हेरंब
Author of The Last Nomad
ISupportNAAM

The American writer and critic Edmund Wilson said,
"No two persons ever read the same book."
So true, Mr. Wilson! Readers find their own special story in each and every page they read.
Won't it be awesome to hear a passage from The Last Nomad in your voice? Let's prove Mr. Wilson right.

Start here. Select a passage you would like to read (from the nine given below)Record it in your clear voice (a voice recording on any mobile/pc/tablet/voice recorder would do. A video recorded at a beach/park/cafe would be simply amazing.)Quickly send it across(maybe along with a nice selfie :-)) using:Message on Facebook: @thelastnomadindiaEmail it on connectinsight@gmail.com with the subject line 'The Edmund Wilson experiment | My story in your voice'.Tweet to @insightstories with the hash tag #MyStoryInYourVoiceYou can also share it using Dropbox/WeTransfer/Google Drive to connectinsight@gmail.com.Your stories will be published on Facebook and SoundCloud. Like TheLastNomad …

Here are few conversation cards for #SundayChatonTheLastNomad

Get your steaming coffee, adrak chais and join the event tomorrow: https://t.co/7c6v8PaO1V









- हेरंब
Author of The Last NomadSupportNAAM

So the plan is...

After the recently held #TheLastNomad micro-tale challenge, here's a chance for us to meet again.

Join me in a live chat on 11th December between 5pm to 6pm IST(the true Indian Standard Time and not the Indian Samjhauta Time!) at facebook.com/thelastnomadindia and freely share your thoughts on passion, identity, fear and love. Because, this is exactly the experience awaiting you in The Last Nomad! Join Sunday Chat on The Last Nomad.



So, what if you haven't read the novella, here's a glimpse in one line: 'an intriguing journey of Rahul and Ryan being set free from the identities they have assumed.'

But before we catch up maybe you'll like to watch the readers' praise for The Last Nomad: https://goo.gl/zOSCOJ

Here's what you can choose to begin with:
Tell me about one of your favourite romantic, thriller, suspense or mystery story.
Or it could be a movie or a song which made you pause and think.
And of course any of your experiences which l…

Understanding any movie will seem to be the easiest thing... only until you watch Kaul - A Calling.
Maybe you'll feel like quitting it halfway, but hang on till the end to have the complete experience. This is neither a praise post neither a review; I can't rate this experience. 
Maybe I can go on talking about unconventional cinematography, sound design and so on. But it won't do you any good. 
Kudos to team Kaul, especially writer and director, Aadish Keluskar, for attempting such a film. Watch it, at least once, but only if you can dare to be left hollow in the end.
The movie opens with Friedrich Nietzsche's quote, “And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.”
Not all things experienced can be understood, not all things understood can be expressed.
We danced.
Welcome to KAUL - A Calling!



- हेरंब Author of The Last Nomad
ISupportNAAM

For all your love and support, I just have one word: gratitude.

At this moment I would like to share a glimpse of what readers' say about the book.


If you are in Bengaluru, you can get your copy at The Bookworm or if in Pune, you can read the book at this amazing book chai cafe Pagdandi.

For more details visit these links:
Bengaluru's The Bookworm: https://goo.gl/Ft7mL8
Pune's Pagdandi - Books Chai Cafe: https://goo.gl/s3eOrs


Get your copy online on:

Paperback [ISBN: 9789352684748]Kindle

And don't forget to share your review on Goodreads or write to me on connectinsight@gmail.com.

Happy Reading!


- हेरंब
ISupportNAAM

Following the success of 'Ethereel Book 1: Lights, Captura, Action', author Ankur Chakravarty brings out Book 2: 'Hello, Can You Fear Me?'.

New chapters will be released every Saturday, on the his blog here Read Ethereel Book 2

Happy Saturdays to you!

Here's the synopsis:
Three months since dealing with the Company, Ravi is relaxing into his new life, his responsibilities keeping him busy. But there are events at work in the city that he cannot simply ignore. Events that seem to be affecting even the ghosts in the images. What will Ravi discover when he tries to get to the bottom of it all?

Reading Ethereel for the first time?
Start with Book 1: Lights, Captura, Action.

Get your Book 1 copy here: Ethereel Book 1: Lights, Captura, Action

About the Author










"Ankur Chakravarty is also a huge fan of anime and manga (Japanese animation and comics, respectively). Some of his favourites are Fullmetal Alchemist, Rebuild of Evangelion and Gintama. He has also been self-st…

Let us wander every inch of this earth
Like nomads in search of nothing
It is silly to gather in this life so brief
How much love will we horde after all?
For all pleasure we seek is love in disguise
And it is never enough to love


- हेरंब
ISupportNAAM

There was a huge old rock who thought it was being hit unsparingly, broken down, and snubbed by the sculptor, day after day.

Life was going to chisel the rock each day, till all the unwanted parts would be chipped away, to be made into a beautiful sculpture. The sculptor felt like witnessing what life was doing to him and thought, who is the sculptor?


- हेरंब
ISupportNAAM
Meet my novella The Last Nomad 

Maybe The Last Nomad is meant to meet its readers at places away from the obvious ones.

After reaching Bengaluru, now the book has been welcomed at Pagdandi Books Chai Cafe, Pune, thanks to Neha and Vishal Pipraiya (the founders) and Team Pagdandi.




If you are in Pune don't forget to visit this amazing place(open on all seven days). The space offers so much that it can't be covered in this post - workshops and events on poetry(including Urdu!), community story telling, monologue acting and even Madhubani painting. And yes, I have heard Mary's cakes are not to be missed at the cafe.

It takes great courage and passion, Neha and Vishal, to create such space. Punekars have once again become the subject of my envy.

If you are at Pagdandi on 26th November maybe we can catch up. Pagdandi, I'm coming on the road less taken.

Ready to welcome at your book cafe/ book store/ reading circle? Get in touch at connectinsight@gmail.com or on Facebook

Stay updated about Pagdandi: Facebo…

Hi Friend,


Are you feeling good? Hope things are well in your life and around you as you read this.

Once upon a time being children, we have realised (hopefully) that happy moments are never enough.

What is that one thing you would like to change at this moment that would make you happy? This is with no intention, a survey or a study. Share any story, song, picture that will immerse you in happiness in the comment box below. Tag it with #DilKholke. You can even share it on Facebook(https://www.facebook.com/InsightStories) or Tweet it @insightstories(https://twitter.com/insightstories)

Just thought of talking to you in midst of all the crowd of shares and promotional posts. After all, conversations between friends should never stop.

Once upon a time we were children. Happy Children's Day!

Feel free to share this post wherever you like. No need to share credit. Sunshine, love, grace are free...the best things in life are.

Aaj #DilKholke thodi baatein karle...


Image courtesy: The Le…

Woohoo!

Congratulations to Mayur Dhondsekar for winning the micro-tale contest. You will receive your paperback copy of The Last Nomad soon.

Here are the entries for #TheLastNomad micro-tale challenge.



- हेरंब
ISupportNAAM

For dear readers who found it difficult to spare time writing a lon...nngg post, let's make this challenge little easier (or difficult?).



10 words!
All you have is 10 words (at most) to key in a micro-tale and impress the readers.
An example?
Here's my 6 word micro-tale shortlisted by Penguin India during Tasleema Nasreen's latest book Exile: A memoir's promotional campaign. (https://goo.gl/Gjv82G)


Your tale must include the word 'nomad' anywhere.
Example: Living as a nomad he let go everything, including love.

So, here you go...
Visit: https://www.facebook.com/thelastnomadindiaWrite your tale. (Remember 10 words or less.)Tag it with #TheLastNomadShare it with your friends.The entry with maximum Likes wins a paperback copy of The Last Nomad. Entries close on 30th November.

*Entries open for all resident Indians. Age no bar.


- हेरंब
ISupportNAAM

- हेरंब
ISupportNAAM

अंगणातल्या रातराणीच्या सुगंधात रेंगाळताना, सह्याद्रीतल्या जीर्ण गडाच्या तटबंदीवर वाऱ्याशी बोलताना, कुठल्यातरी पायवाटेवर वेळकाळ विसरून चालत जाताना, त्याला नेमकं वाटत होतं, 'ह्याच निवांत क्षणांसाठी तर सारी धडपड सुरु आहे'. पण मग विचार आला, 'पाहू, रिटायर झाल्यावर'.
- हेरंब
ISupportNAAM

Ask any author...

If there's anything delightful next to receiving readers’ feedback, it is seeing even a single copy of your book on the shelves of a bookstore. And trust me; it is tremendously difficult and super delighting for a debut author to witness his/her work in a bookstore.

Today evening one such surprise was awaiting me. Thanks to The Bookworm team, finally my novella, The Last Nomad, met its readers in Bengaluru.



In a city famous for its filter coffee and voracious readers, among other things, The Bookworm is a reader's heaven. Being an avid reader himself, Mr. Krishna Gowda, coming from a small village near Mangalore started working in a small bookshop on a pavement in the year 1997. Later in 2000 he opened The Bookworm and today is the humble owner of its, 5000 square feet sprawling, third outlet which opened in March 2016 on the Church Street opposite Starbucks.

I feel proud not only because my book has been placed besides ones by famous authors, but more so bec…

Hello!

I'm planning for a Youtube Live session very soon for my novella, The Last Nomad.

Curious about The Last Nomad?
Then join me and participate in The Last Nomad Live session to ask questions, share your thoughts on the book or simply to quench your curiousty.

You can also send your questions (mentioning name and city) before the session to connectinsight@gmail.com

Tweet your questions/thoughts/wishes at @insightstories using the hash tag #thelastnomadlive

Watch this video to know readers' thought on the novella: The Journey Continues [Novella: The Last Nomad]

How can this live session become a success? Interested to know your thoughts.


- हेरंब
ISupportNAAM

With you time flies like a feather
Without you time is a burden of tons
Which is more mysterious, time or you?

- हेरंब
ISupportNAAM

आज बहुत शोर हैं बाहर,
मोहोल्ला हुआ हैं खूब रोशन |
इस रौश्नी और धुए मे,
न जाने तारे कहाँ गुम हो गये |


अजी चाँद तारों की बातें फ़िज़ूल,
हमे खुदसे गुम हुए सदिया बीत गयी |
फिलहाल एक कहानी ही सुनलो
शायद गुम हुए तारे वापस लौट आए |


My novella, The Last Nomad, released on 25th September, is an invitation to meet your true story. 
To participate in The True Story I Met contest and win a copy of book visit: Facebook/TheLastNomad
Share this post and help me spread the word.

- हेरंब
ISupportNAAM

The last date for submission of entries has been changed to 12th November. Hope to see more and more readers share their stories.

Share this post with your friends and fellow readers to make this contest more exciting!

How do I participate? Click 'The True Story I Met' Contest to share your story.

Get all the latest updates here: facebook/thelastnomadindia.

- हेरंब
ISupportNAAM

'The True Story I Met' Contest - Win a copy of The Last Nomad!


Stories born are of two kinds:
The nice and happy ones - which we all dream of living one day, those ending with achieving love, success and happiness.
While the later ones shake us out of our dreams, fantasies and place us in the middle of here and now – the true ones. They show us the way back to our core.
The Last Nomad will lead you into the world of your true story. Have you ever met such a story - be it in books or movies?

Write about a story which gave you a taste of the world around in 'The True Story I Met' and post it on http://www.facebook.com/thelastnomadindia

The top two entries with highest number of votes will win copies of 'The Last Nomad'.

The last date to submit your entries ends on 30th October. The entries will be live for the voting phase from 31st October to 5th November.

The world is waiting to read the true story you met!

Rules:

Contest is open for all Indian resident citizens.Ag…

We never know which incident might trigger a story, poetry or any creative work.

Here's how the story for The Last Nomad began...

"The story started taking root 9 years ago in the form of a short story, which was published on Pothi.com. The trigger for another story was born a year and half ago on the streets of Mumbai’s blazing summer. It was published on www.insightstories.in as a series- The Story of Ryan. Coincidentally, there seemed a common thread between these two stories which became The Last Nomad."

Does this remind you one of how one of your stories/poems/blog posts was written? What triggers and drives your work? Share with me in a comment below or write to me at connectinsight@gmail.com

This was the first in a series of what The Last Nomad is all about. To receive more of such interesting stories follow The Last Nomad on Facebook.



- हेरंब
ISupportNAAM

Now, this may seem like narcissism, and I must plead guilty. But this post is nothing more than a note of gratitude to you all. I'm really overwhelmed seeing the response to The Last Nomad.

Feels glad to share my interview at Partridge India with you. Click here to read.

Seeing the several message from my readers all I would like to express my heartfelt thanks. Waiting to hear your thoughts on The Last Nomad.




Available on: Pothi.com Softback
Amazon Kindle
Achara Times Article (newspaper article): http://bit.ly/2dcVXhK
Save it on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2dxn19u


- हेरंब
ISupportNAAM

Feels blessed to share this with you. The Last Nomad got featured in Achara Times - the newspaper from my native place Achara, District Sindhudurg in Maharashtra.

Yes, this does remind me of Malgudi Times (although fictional), from one of my favourite authors, R.K.Narayan's Malgudi Days.


Could there be a better feeling than feeling connected to your roots? Do visit Achara if you happen to be in Konkan. Here's a glimpse of what it can offer you.




- हेरंब
ISupportNAAM

What is it that keeps your pen to the papers, day after day, and your tired fingers glued to those keys and eyes staring at the cursor as your repeatedly press the [Backspace] button, trying to make the first draft better?

I would like to share with you three such things which inspire me to write.

Joy


 [Picture Courtesy: My Aaji (granny) and Rishann - neighbour's grandson]

Every time I see this picture, I remember what my friend Raj once said after seeing it, "Here are two lives: one which has seen what is life is all about and the second which is totally a blank slate, unaware."

Seeing such moments of joy leaves me want to describe everything about them.

Truth


[Picture taken at Malvan, District: Sindhudurg, Maharashtra]

Truth is bitter but important. Imagine talking ideal and good things, about how life is awesome - and suddenly your car halts to ask direction and there is this man toiling hard in his field at noon with the buffaloes grazing in the background.

It is as i…

It's been a year since I first thought of publishing something apart from short stories.

Finally it's here - my debut novella, The Last Nomad published by Partridge India.

I'm sure this story will take you to places within, long forgotten. Hope you enjoy reading it.

Get your copy on Pothi.com(Softback) and Amazon (Kindle) 

Add it on your shelf and don't forget to share your thoughts on Goodreads

It is a really special birthday for me.

Thanks to all those who made this dream come true: : Shailesh Vatsaraj, Sonal Trivedi Athnikar, Shamitha Vokkaliga, Chintan Girish Modi, Ankur Chakravarty, Arvind Sukhathankar, Sheela Wagle, Chetan Asodekar, Vinay Desai and Partridge India


Happy to present the first copy of The Last Nomad to Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni - one of my favourite contemporary screenplay writer and director.Thank you Umesh!
- हेरंब
ISupportNAAM

No matter what you name the relation
To be blessed is to dissolve in someone

Someone who embraces you with all your savagery
And floods you with more goodness than you could desire

This is one thing we all will be led to
Beggar or emperor

Is there something more we can ask life for?
Wise it is to break your cocoon when life starts loving


- हेरंब
ISupportNAAM

She was brought back into the present with sudden start of the bus.

Her eyes happened to notice the peculiar shape of the co-passenger's belly region. She was more convinced of her belief after seeing the manner in which the accompanying man's fingers were carefully wrapped around the lady's shoulder - the lady was pregnant.

Through the smoke she was inhaling, it seemed for a moment as if he was around. "I would stop smoking when we are expecting...," she had promised him.

But he was gone, 4 months back. Her fingers crushed the burning cigarette in the extinguisher.


This story is a part of the Untold Stories of Love.
These are not-so-pink love stories, not the happily-lived-ever-after ones. Here are stories that talk about love as is; no cosmetics.

Get your copy: http://imojo.in/e3bvzp
Hope you enjoy it.
- हेरंब
ISupportNAAM

Here are my final two entries under poetry for the Majhi Metro Festival 2016. Hope you like them.

Theme: People
The Immortal Man http://majhimetro.in/contest/the-immortal-man-theme-people/

The Man Who Never Went to The Sea http://majhimetro.in/contest/the-man-who-never-went-to-the-sea-theme-people/

If you haven't participated yet, here's a great opportunity. The submission deadline has been extended to 9th August. All the best!


- हेरंब
ISupportNAAM

No matter what I say
No matter how I feel
No matter where I go
I long to be with you
Just make me one with you

Things come together and fall apart
I can never imagine to ever depart
When things are perfect I'm scared
Come tell me my fear is just a nightmare
Just make me one with you

I like to be always fooling around
With crazy attempts to make you feel we belong
One thing's for certain now I'm sure
No matter what you'll be there
Just make one with you

Poems in general and poems specifically on love maybe the most ridiculed ones: they sound crazy, sometimes idiotic, foolish, illogical and too sentimental. And the funny part being everyone writes them at some point in time: child who loves his dog or broken toy, teenager for his sweetheart, woman who misses her spouse, and someone who has lost his/her beloved.
Now think of a 'high' in your life, it could be a roller-coaster ride, your first date or meeting your parents after a really long time. Were you "all…