I liked the way in which you conveyed the overall message of your story, Bhavna. There were so many small lessons in the way the doctor and Anand’s parents reacted to the events. However, I must admit that at the beginning, I wondered if you were doing a spoof on the hype created by some self-appointed gurus in the world. As the story progressed…[Read more]

Thank you, Anthea!

Brilliant, Sudha! I just loved the way you took a dig at all that’s wrong in the cosmetic industry and the marketing world and social media and social justice warriors and managed to sneak in a rap on academics and book publishing industry too in a mere 1200 words! You’re really gifted with a flair for subtle sarcasm. I loved this story – great…[Read more]

This is a very moving story, Naila. I liked the scenes you painted of the siblings and the unspoken affection they share – especially the social media post that Umer had missed seeing. There’s so much story that you managed to convey in just 1200 words. Well-done!

I never saw that end coming, Catherine! You had me worried about Ciara getting into trouble, so it was a relief. You had me laughing at your accurate description of these self-styled gurus who dish out pithy statements based on common sense but make it sound like some great revelation. Great theme for the prompt!

This is a wonderful story, Kaiser! I loved the way you set up the scenes and paced the story, leading us gently towards the inevitable end. Although the reader can guess that the MC is dead, the process of how he discovers it for himself is beautifully conveyed. And the theme of your story is something that totally resonates with the principles my…[Read more]

Thank you, Bhavna! I wanted to show how the human interactions we share with people in our daily life are so relevant to our well-being although we may not often realize it.I’m glad you liked the story.

Thank you, Sudha, for the nice description of “Quiet peacefulness” and your kind appreciation of the story and its theme. I’m glad you caught that vibe. If only we had more accepting souls like Rama, the world would be a calmer place 🙂

Indeed, Nelia, that’s such a true observation for so many women. Thank you for your kind words, and I’m happy to hear you loved the story!

Thank you, Catherine. I had other complicated story ideas before I settled on this one that was simple enough to fit into 1200 words. I’m happy that you liked it.

Thank you, Kaiser for the kind words. Ah, the garland thing…it’s a practice of mine – that is, if we have got a pooja done at a temple, and they give us a garland from the Lord, or a very long string of flowers, we obviously cannot offer it again to the murti of God in our house, nor can you just discard it right away. So I hang it at the front…[Read more]

Note: Didi means “Elder sister” and is a generic way of addressing an older woman in the Hindi language spoken in India.

I enjoyed reading your story, Athina. I understand from your comments that it’s part of a series, but it worked well as a stand alone piece too. You built up the tension well and the cliffhanger ending is done perfectly.

An intriguing premise you chose, Srivalli! Your story hooked me from the very beginning and although I sensed what was to happen, there was a kind of horrific fascination your words created that had me racing to the very end to know how it would end. Good work with such a low word count.

Thank you, Srivalli! Yes, indeed, I’m feeling better and back to my usual self.

Thank you so much, Athina for reading and leaving your kind words!

Thank you, Michael, for the upvote. Yes, I too think that one word change would make it easier for folks to understand my intent. I didn’t give much thought to this world of souls but yes, in my Hindu religion, there are several planes to which souls progress based on the spiritual level they attain.

Thank you, Catherine. I’m glad to hear that the theme resonated with you.