About the book:
Title: Brave Inked Emotions
With Subtitle: Brave Inked Emotions: Soulful life experiences of eminent Indian writers on
how life taught them precious lessons in their emotional battles
Editor: Roma Gupta Sinha
Publisher: Notion Press
Publication Date: March 8th, 2024
Genres: Biography, Autobiography
Book purchase links:
NotionPress
Goodreads
Amazon
Brave Inked Emotions is a delve into 31 soulful life experiences of eminent Indian writers of how life taught them precious lessons on emotional strength which someone in a similar boat can use as a guiding light to deal better. You can read an unimaginable range of true stories here right from a young bride’s exemplary resilience to a wheelchair-ridden inspirational young girl’s biography. There’s a counselor giving her heart and soul to her student and there’s a destiny’s chosen child stumbling and weaving back life at every step of life and many more. They all will touch your soul like never before, giving you precious lessons on emotional wellness.
About the Editor:
Roma Gupta Sinha is an acclaimed writer who won the coveted “Woman of the Year” Award in 2015 for her writings on Women Empowerment, Equality, Rights, and Liberation on her blog and the prestigious “Planet’s Pride Award 2018” for her entrepreneurial venture RCA where she has been passionately grooming six-to-sixty-year-olds for the last many years in her endeavor to give back to the society and aid in shaping the future of India. She believes she is born for a purpose and yearns each day to be the face of positive change in the society she lives in. With Brave Inked Emotions, she has forayed into the realm of materializing every blogger’s dream to become a published author by giving them an opportunity to see themselves in print catering to the larger purpose of creating a series of exhaustive and powerful emotional wellness resource for the Indian masses.
BIE is overall her 8th published work and her first collaborative launch. Her first release ‘Dare to Defy the Destiny’, a hard-hitting non-fiction anthology did really well and her second, a chicklet romance, ‘The Fragrance of True Love’ which was a soulful tale of two resonating hearts became a bestseller. Her third book ‘Destiny’s Favourite Child’, which is her candid autobiographical account, is her most-read book so far. Women-Empowerment is a subject closest to her heart and thus her fourth release was known as ‘Empowered Women Empower Women’. ‘Soulful Letters On COVID, To My Future Grandchild’ was her fifth book. She has published an offbeat love saga ‘I Live to Love You’ and a book full of her poetic compositions ‘Soft Strings of My Heart’ in the last two years as her 6th and 7th published works. You can grab a copy on Amazon any time by looking for Roma Gupta Sinha.
She is also the founder of ‘The Endometriosis Awareness and Support Group of India’ and ‘Emotionally Strong Women of India’.
A few relevant pics:
Here goes the interview:
Q1. Can you share with us the inspiration behind “Brave Inked Emotions” and what led you to explore the soulful life experiences of 28 eminent Indian women writers?
A. When I ran my academy in Pune, I came across several women whose emotional strength remained concealed deep in their hearts and externally they were very fragile and dependent. They just needed a small nudge to identify their hidden power which I successfully did by telling them stories of how a certain woman I know overcame this situation just by putting her emotions in the right place. It was probably then that I envisioned creating a master resource for anyone to visit when they are seeking a reference for emotional wellness. But I wanted to do it the most effective way because I knew the rule book already existed but penetration into the hearts and souls was the key and the best way to do it was by sharing personal stories. So I actually began my work around this five years ago which I formalized with the release of this book which is the first in the series. I hope you find “Brave Inked Emotions” Vol1 worthwhile and a book with a purpose.
Q2. What common themes or patterns did you discover among the stories shared by these women writers regarding their emotional battles and the lessons learned?
A. When I read these stories they touched the deepest chords of my heart, sometimes I had tears as I read and reread them to weave them into a meaningful book but these are tears of inspiration. The most impressive pattern that stood out for me was that each of these woman no matter what adversities they faced, never gave up and instead devised a strong solution to secure their emotional wellness, I want the world to use this template as a reference when they are stuck in a similar situation.
Q3. Were there any particularly surprising or unexpected insights that emerged from compiling and analyzing the narratives in your book?
A. It hurt me and I am sorry to say that the major cause of most of the emotional trauma that Indian women have to go through for decades is the inherent patriarchy in our society and both men and women are equally responsible for this. No amount of education can be magical until our thought processes radically evolve. Why should men earn and why should women cook is what I question? Why can’t both do both things together? This inequality and undue pressure are the root cause of a lot of our emotional troubles not only in women but also men and this must change.
Q4. How do you believe the stories in “Brave Inked Emotions” can resonate with readers and offer valuable lessons for navigating their own emotional journeys?
A. Every story that you read will make you think that you either know this person or someone in a similar boat or it may be you yourself. Now in such a situation either the way my co-author has handled it can help you be comforting to that person and if she or he has already figured it out it would be a reassurance that she is on the right track and will be motivated to share her story further. This is how we wish to amplify our reach to any humble extent that we can. Overall these anecdotes are pricelessly enriching and will only add perspective to the thoughts of our readers. Take my word for it. Though I still believe this is just a humble beginning and we have miles to go.
Q5. As an author and editor, what challenges did you encounter during the process of curating and crafting the narratives in your book?
A. They were quite a few, to be honest, and they made the journey all the more worthwhile because I also have to ensure the emotional wellness of my coauthors as they take a leap of faith from bloggers to authors. Sharing such a vital slice of their life in public required a lot of courage and they had often come back to me with this hunch and nervousness and I have tried my best to love them and be kind to them unconditionally. I had to also guide them on when in search of an impeccable piece they were losing the soul of their anecdote and that they needed to be raw and not preachy.
Q6. In your opinion, what role do storytelling and personal narratives play in fostering empathy, understanding, and resilience, particularly concerning emotional struggles?
A. Honestly, they are the best tools in my eyes for they leave the most lasting impressions on the reader’s heart. Scientifically too it is proven that the best way to educate is by real-time examples, I tried precisely that with real-life examples of Indian women who were graceful enough to weave what life taught them into words.
Q7. What advice would you give to aspiring writers or individuals who may be hesitant to share their own emotional experiences and vulnerabilities through writing?
A. I wish to tell them that I understand their apprehensions but they must do it with the genuine intention to help because if they do it with compassion in their hearts, the universe will send back good vibrations to them in abundance that will help them heal further.
Still, they must be gentle with their feelings and not force. I gave my co-authors three options while submitting their anecdotes, first, they can choose to own them or they can send them out to the world anonymously or since they would like to retain their Authorship they can weave them in the third person but with a personalized touch to enhance impact.
Q8. How do you envision “Brave Inked Emotions” contributing to ongoing conversations surrounding mental health awareness and destigmatization in Indian society?
A. The conversations have already begun and I am so glad they have. I get personal messages on a daily basis from the readers of BIE directly or through my co-authors about how they find the stories very heartwarming, courageous, and uplifting. Last week someone pinged me at 2 a.m. on Instagram on how one of the chapters is very close to her life and she feels extremely motivated to give life another chance. I don’t believe in numbers but these feedbacks are my real earnings from the book. I feel so overwhelmed when I see the book being picked up for a read in various women’s forums and bloggers meets. So yes the discussions have begun and I am grateful to Almighty for it.
Q9. Can you share a personal anecdote or experience from your own emotional journey that inspired or influenced your work on this book?
A. I lost my mom when she was very young. She was highly educated but the social stigma prevented her from venting out her emotions and the stress eventually took her from us forever. I could never forgive myself for it and all the work that I have been doing in the last two decades is my apology and tribute to my mom.
Q10. Looking ahead, what future projects or initiatives do you have in mind, and how do you hope to continue advocating for women’s voices and emotional well-being through your writing?
A. I wish to make ‘ Brave Inked Emotions’ a Franchisee where in we will keep adding resources to this series, I have already conceived the framework of the forthcoming volumes and I hope and trust it will only get bigger and better than here. I also work closely with the women of India through my two support groups ‘Endometriosis Awareness and Support Group of India’ and ‘Emotionally Strong Women of India’ where I personally talk to them and ensure they get the desired help and be with them until they need. This is the action on the field. My endeavor is to touch as many lives as possible positively through the two mediums above.
Q11. What genres do you typically write in, and what draws you to these particular genres?
A. I am majorly a nonfiction writer and believe a lot in writing with a purpose at the core. So I am mostly driven by a larger purpose and if I feel I will be able to create a better impact through weaving fiction, I don’t shy away from it either. My goals in life have made me stick to these and I genuinely enjoy my work. Occasionally I also delve into writing thrillers and murder mysteries and they bring in a refreshing change.
Q12. What keeps you motivated and inspired to continue writing, especially when faced with challenges or setbacks?
A. My purpose in life for as long as I am alive. Writing is a lonely journey but what we write can become a powerful resource. Being a very emotional person I work hard to keep myself going despite all odds. God and my readers have been kind they have entered my life and held me high every time I was about to succumb. Many of them are my best friends today.
Q13. Can you share your approach to planning, scheduling, and monitoring your writing commitments to ensure productivity and progress?
A. So I work backward. Like, I decided that for lasting impact BIE should launch on Women’s Day so the target is set. Dates for manuscript, editing, and cover design are all reverse calculated with sufficient margins and go into my calendar. I mostly dedicate the same two hours for a project each day to build in discipline and consistency and this allows me ample time for multitasking.
Q14. Do you have a signature line, tagline, or favorite quote that encapsulates your writing philosophy or personal ethos?
A. Give out love to the universe in abundance, let the healing happy vibrations reach everyone in the farthest nook and corner and that is what you would receive in return
Q15. If you were to write your autobiography, what would its title be, and why?
A. I have already written it in 2019 and it is called ‘Destiny’s Favourite Child’, you must read the book to know from where it gets its name. I think I touched on it very briefly in BIE too and the autobiography also speaks about how my goals align with releasing ‘Brave Inked Emotions.’ So yes my life is an open book for you all because we have to practice what we preach.
Q16. Reflecting on your life’s journey, what would be the last line of your autobiography, summarizing your experiences or lessons learned?
A. Undoubtedly, ‘A Life Well Spent!’ This is how I would like to end it because I wanted to remain alive in this universe even after I am gone and my books will do precisely that, hopefully creating the desired impact even after the day I rest in peace.
Q17. Why did you choose to feature exclusively female authors in “Brave Inked Emotions”? Is there a specific reason for this focus, considering emotional battles are universal experiences?
A. It was not a conscious decision and I had often thought about inviting male bloggers I know well to contribute. Actually, the chapters of this book stemmed from an activity I conducted in October’23 which was the emotional wellness awareness month. I saw the potential in these stories to be published and that is how BIE volume 1 was released. In fact, I have ensured the emotional wellness of men is covered exhaustively in the book and future volumes will see a lot of contributions from male bloggers and authors too. You will notice I always write 31 soulful life experiences for this book because experiences have no gender.
Q18. Is there a misconception that men don’t face emotional battles or have learning capacity as reflected in the selection of all female authors for your book, “Brave Inked Emotions”?
A. I believe men face them as much as women and they feel equal or if I may say so a slightly more social stigma while choosing to vent their hearts out and seek solutions. They just fare a little better because they are financially independent and go out and are not mostly indoors in the four walls of their house like Indian women but this is a choice each one of us makes or is made to make. You will find me talking about all these in the forthcoming volumes. I wish to make it clear that the choice of male authors was not mine and the people who chose to sign up for the emotional wellness awareness activity incidentally were all women. So I would request all my male co-bloggers and co-authors to sign up when the submissions of BIE Vol2 open shortly. I am only a medium and would love to give you equal representation to the best of my capacity because we wish to secure the emotional wellness of one and all including our children and the elderly.
#EmotionalWellness #IndianAuthors #WomenEmpowerment #LifeLessons #StrengthAndResilience
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