It’s always a pleasure when someone you know publishes a book. Even better when the book is a great read that you have enjoyed. Today I’m happy to introduce you to Ami Bhat, author of When Places Come Alive.
Meet Ami
Ami Bhat is a marketing post- graduate by qualification. A travel enthusiast, who loves sports, photography and dancing with equal passion, Ami believes in planning a get-away for every long weekend that comes up through the year. She began documenting her travels on her blog – Thrilling Travel not just to re-live her travel but also share information with other travelers. Over time, her blog gained popularity and won her several accolades including the Best Travel Blog of India, Top 100 Travel Blogs across the world and Top Solo Woman Travel Blogger. She now writes not just for her blog, but also for websites and publications like BBC Travel, Lonely Planet, Deccan Herald and Shubh Yatra.
Welcome Ami! First of all, congratulations on your book. Tell me how When Places Come Alive came about.
Every place that I have visited tells me a story. Sometimes they come from the old walls of a heritage destination that share their tales. In certain instances, come from people, their work and culture, and sometimes, it is just the wind, the river, or the mountain that tells you their saga. For me, this is how places come alive. I had initially listed 30 different stories from 30 places to include in the book but as I started writing, I realized each one of these could be made into a book in itself. To ensure that I do justice to each place, I reduced the count to ten.
Writing the stories were not difficult, for each of these plots had been playing in my mind from the time I first visited them. Long after my return, I would keep piecing together the history, the current lifestyle, the culture, the art, or for that matter, anything that I had learned about the place I had visited. It is this that I have put together in the form of fiction.
What is the book about?
When Places Come Alive showcases various destinations through stories based on their culture, heritage, art, people and landscapes.
It is not a travelogue. Nor is it a travel guide. It is travel fiction! Stories with characters centered around their lives. Each story has a different setting that reflects the culture of that place. Some travel back in time to bring alive a certain legend while there are a few that are set around the present. At the end of every story, I have shared the inspiration and the facts behind it.
Here’s the book cover :
“Drift with the winds to the place, where Midas turns everything to Gold” – the clue that set off Ami on a journey through Gold Coast.
“…. Death is but a new beginning. And you will see it for yourself. My end will bring a new life to not just me but these departed souls.” True to his promise, the old monk continues to return to the enigmatic valley of Bhutan.
“Hidden within it is the secret of our lost clan, who they say still resides in the last village.” – reveals a Greek man to his teenage granddaughter who promises to find them.
Buy When Places Come Alive
It is available in both paperback and ebook format. You can order it on Amazon, Flipkart, Google Play and Notion Press.
If you’re wondering about the title of this post, I chose it because Ami has a lovely way of making places come alive! Read her blog and her book to experience this!
