Spotlight: Magicauthor.com

MagicAuthor.com was founded in the year 2012 by Mr. Saptharishi Suresh, with a humble mission to help aspiring writers to establish themselves. Mr. Saptharishi Suresh is an avid reader and a published author. His challenges with publishing his first book compelled him to think of something else, a platform where writers can publish their work without the hassle. His journey to create MagicAuthor.com was a long road. It took him nearly 5 years to create MagicAuthor.com and make a recognized platform by authors, readers, and publishers.

Along the way, he noticed it was very difficult to publish books in regional languages, where there are many options for books in English. So, he wanted to create an online space for the literature that includes English as well as regional languages.

MagicAuthor.com, a writing platform for all age groups, they have started an initiative where kids can upload and showcase their works online. It can be an artwork, or stories or a video/photo of craftwork.

He wants MagicAuthor.com foray into podcasts and audio-books; he aspires to make MagicAuthor.com LinkedIn for the author’s community.

About MagicAuthor.com:

MagicAuthor.com is one of a kind platform, in which, using their book wizard authors can create eBooks from scratch and also design a cover image and publish them online. If you've already created an eBook in PDF or ePubformat then you can simply upload it to their e-commerce platform. It is a unique initiative dedicated to authors, designers, and publishers, etc. to create eBooks in formats like ePUB, PDF, and MOBI. 

MagicAuthor.com is a publishing services provider. They provide authors with tools and services that enable them to publish and sell their own books.

MagicAuthor.com also distributes eBooks to Google play store.

Unique Features of Magicauthor.com:

• One of the best things is that MagicAuthor.com is free to use; No upfront costs involved.
• MagicAuthor.com encourages eBooks to be on any topic or genre.
• MagicAuthor.com supports most of the Indian languages. So far, they have released eBooks in Assamese, Konkani (Romi&Devanagiri scripts), Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, and English. 
• The platform also supports promoting books published elsewhere.
• Other features include creating blogs, discussing literature, asking/answering questions related to writing and publishing on our community site.
• You can follow your favorite authors. So, if you are looking to develop a fan base and stay connected with your readers, then create a writer profile at their site.
• If you are a publisher or a business, then you can leverage their community to nurture, engage and retain your followers.

Please check out some of the free tools available for authors, designers, and publishers.

Saptharishi Suresh (Founder of MagicAuthor.com):

Saptharishi Suresh is a published author and an art enthusiast. He wrote his first story at the age of ten and done many paintings during his childhood. Later, as an adult, he reproduced the same online at Saptharishi - Thinketh Undefined.

Though his interests were in arts and literature, he couldn't pursue it as a profession, thanks to the lack of guidance and peer pressure. He decided to pursue engineering and became a software engineer in the year 2005.  After a couple of years into the profession, he realized the need to revive his childhood interests as something in him was feeling lonely. He set up a blogging website called Saptharishi - Thinketh Undefined in 2008 and started writing on a wide variety of topics like short stories, painting, spiritual, tourism, and even technology. With the website getting popular, he decided to take the plunge of publishing his first novel "The Wake-up Call" in the year 2010. 

Getting his first book published was not easy at all and he learned a lot about the challenges involved in the process.  Being a software engineer he thought of leveraging his software skills to aid in the publishing process. He wanted to make life easy for other authors. Hence he set up the platform called "Magic Author" (https://www.magicauthor.com) in the year 2012. Since then he has helped authors and creative artists build their reputation online. He spends most of his time exploring how authors can leverage the internet benefiting both themselves and the communities around them.

Catch up with Saptharishi Suresh On: 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Linkedin

I am M-M-Mumbai

Its been a long time since I have read such an engaging book. I am sure you would love it, too.

The story revolves around life of Rudra Talpade, the young protagonist. His dream to become an actor in Bollywood seems to be faced with only one hurdle - he stammers. 

This is a tale of failure, endurance, enthusiasm to grasp any opportunity that comes in your way and finally, success. Anyone who ever had a dream but has been held back by self doubt or opinion of others, should read this book. Here's a brief narrative of the tale, which itself shall inspire you immensely:

No amount of speech therapy had helped Rudra, and needless to say, he had been an object of ridicule right through school to work as assistant director with various production houses. With low self esteem, he had almost shelved his desire to become an actor until life seems to smile at him when he meets Richa. Their rosy affair suddenly comes to a standstill when  Richa dumps him, succumbing to social pressure. 

Devastated, Rudra takes to alcohol and is faced with further trouble - his father throws him out of home, he is robbed by an auto driver, and more. At this juncture when he has hit the rock bottom, life turns around for him dramatically.

He is saved by Devika, who not only provides him food and accomodation, but also connects him to a film director who promised to cast Rudra as the main lead. It is a difficult decision as it is not mainstream cinema, but Rudra takes it as an opportunity and brings in his past experience to make all possible improvements. His work earns him much appreciation and is spotted by a prominent movie house, who makes certain changes and remodels it as a family drama. 

Overnight, Rudra becomes a star and things start falling in place for him. You would love the way he handles success, but remains grounded when it came to his family and friends. 

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The underlying message in the story is don't let others hold you down, and keep trying. Your hard work and positivity shall pay one day. 

This is a book that shall instill hope in you and inspire you to innovate your way through all obstacles to reach your goal.

A Hundred Little Flames

Set in the picturesque settings of Kerala, this is a very enjoyable book. It is Preeti Shenoy's maiden fiction, and is a perfect balance of her imagination and personal experiences as a child.

The book begins with a sharp twist of events, when the protagonist, Ayan loses his job for no fault of his. He is sent to visit his grandfather who had a fall recently, in a far flung village in Kerala, a village so small that it is not identifiable on Google Maps.

He arrives to his ancestral home where his grandfather Gopal Shanker stays, only to find that there is no internet connectivity even in the idyllic village.

The story progresses as Ayan gradually falls in love with the slow life, making local friends and his interactions with his grandfather. He is kept in dark by his father who stays in Bahrain about his wish to sell off Thekke Madom, their ancestral home- something old Gopal Shanker would never have allowed. Ayan's father, Jairaj tricks his father into a mental asylum to achieve this; but Ayan rises to the occasion and rescues his grandfather with the help of his friends and presence of mind.

This book discusses human relationships in a subtle way but the characterization is very strong. You would almost be able to see the story unfolding in your mind's eyes, it is so well written.

There are very few things that I didn't like, but that can be overlooked.

I will confidently give it 4 stars. 

Immortal India: Young Country, Timeless Civilisation

This book is for the ones who have read books by Amish Tripathi before, and for those who haven't yet. If you belong to Category 1, you are bound to have your opinions about his writing style, and his attempt in presenting Hindu mythology in a simple story like narration. You would have many questions too.

This book is a collection of various articles and speeches written by him, interviews, etc which have appeared in various magazines, literary festivals and alike. They have been arranged intelligently to form a flow that keeps the reader glued to the book. 

Over the pages, one is introduced to Amish as a person.. from his days as a banker with a handsome job to his becoming a best selling author. He introduces the reader to the new age India by touching upon the rich cultural past.

There is a lining of positivity in the chapters, where Amish says that the intolerant youth of today is actually India's future, who are willing to question and innovate. The country's culture is an inclusive one, where religion and casteism go hand in hand but unfortunately, have been misinterpreted over time. There is a gentle mention of social issues such as women empowerment, homosexuality, etc.

The book instills hope in the reader, ensuring him that there's hope in the path ahead. Almighty is there amidst us, integrated in our own souls, and the onus is ours to learn from His teachings. 

The Benfits of Failing Successfully

This is a book which I would rate six stars instead of five, if I can. It is a book that can be enjoyed by everyone, of whatever age. 

The storyline is a narration of the author's life, his failures and how he could use that to his benefit. Dr. Chaturvedi rightly points out that all of us make mistakes and come face to face with failure at various junctures of our lives, and the key is not to get depressed by these non-achievements. Instead, we should accept it and work towards capitalizing on our shortcomings. Failures are indeed the building blocks of success.

Along with a very interactive narration, illustrations by Pranay Arun Kumar enhance the reader's imagination.

Although the author stresses that each one of us is different, and come face to face with very unique challenges, you would be able to identify yourself with the author, and find yourself smiling and nodding as you cruise through the book.

It is a crisp book, which can be finished in two hours, but it leaves an evarlasting impact.

A book recommended for everyone.

Monsoon Musings

This is an anthology of seven short stories, which are narrated in such an engaging style that you wont be able to keep the book down until you have finished them all.

You will come to know briefly about the authoress, Aabha, from the back cover of the book which upholds her multi-faceted personality. No wonder the stories are so well narrated.

While reading the book, I personally felt as if Aabha was telling me some interesting tales from her life, so that I could know her better. Aabha subtly shares her childhood experience in Zambia, her devotion to Lord Shiva and her deep knowledge about various temples. Her deep understanding of human relationships, even between the lady of a house and a maid, makes the stories very enjoyable.

She also brings out the never-say-die spirit of women we can be inspired by: Megha, who gets paralysed due to illness but is still able to have a good life and contribute to society; and Bua, who holds the reins of the family although she is a lonely matriarch, who is a widow and also childless.

The only blemish of this book is that it seems to have missed the last round of proof reading. However, that notwithstanding, you will find that this book is perfect for curling up with in a weekend. 

The Rich Labourer

Have you ever wondered how to approach a problem? This book suggests a 3 step method to you, and when you come to think of it, you may agree that most of us adopt similar strategies in our daily lives, albeit unconsciously. 

The storyline revolves around the 3P method: Probe, Ponder and Prove. Does that sounds like a MBA book? Well, this book is actually written by two architecture graduates turned MBAs, Parthajeet and Sibani Sarma. Reflections of both professions can be found in the narration. Also, the authors are sensitive to the factors that affect our lives on a day to day basis.

When addressing any problem, in the Probe stage, one is encouraged to understand the problem in hand and the needs of the end user. The data collected needs to be analysed in the next stage (Ponder) and the results to be incorporated in the final solution. This is the Prove stage, where the results are demonstrated, sometimes on a pilot basis or in full swing.

Because it is set in the current context of demonetization and issues of modern life, everyone would be able to identify with the book. What I loved about the book is how it drives across its point in the form of a tale. And it gives a ray of hope subtly that if we take decisions that suits our needs, our lives would also be better. Sometimes it may mean getting out of our comfort zones and taking the leap of faith, but if we know what we are doing and why, things may work out in our favour.

I personally thought the end of the book was too fast forwarded, as if one had rationed the number of pages that could go in the book.

That not withstanding, you would definitely like the book.