Personal Story In Coaching

jug

Stories connect us to ourselves and to the larger World.  We can view them on a spectrum from simple, to complicated, to complex, and on occasion, multi-layered and to seemingly chaotic. In this, the third article in our series we take a simple approach to touch upon a few more ways in which story may be used to contribute to the coaching process. You will learn something about story and its power, and how to construct and tell a story.

(Readers may choose to dig deeper and explore these introductory offerings in greater detail for themselves).

The anatomy of story

Story has many components. They:

  • take place in a setting (forest, marketplace, home, sea, beach, boardroom, Universe …),
  • happen in a context (physical and emotional),
  • have characters (people, animals, angels, a virus …) with desires, intent and fears.
  • belong to a theme or rhythm and pace (tragic, comic …),
  • consist of a plot or storyline, problem, possibility, motive, and
  • a pattern (which is about movement).

These components vary from story to story. For example, a virus may be a setting, a context, form part of the plot, determine the theme, or be a character (antagonist) …

And story comes in many forms. They may be epic mythological tales, fables, historical accounts, biographical sharing, parable, poem – and reach us in literature (fact or fiction), cinema, newspaper, digitally, the spoken word, or in a dream.

There is power in story

Stories don’t constrain, although the stories that we believe or tell may trap and imprison us or they may liberate and uplift us. Story possibilities are infinite. Poetess Muriel Rukeyser says that “The universe is made of stories not atoms”.

Some stories exist to help us make sense of difficulties, challenges, brokenness – at a personal level, and at an organisation level. Story can break walls, bridge divides, connect, heal and grow us (at cognitive emotional, social and soul levels). We can engage, locate ourselves within the container that is story, and identify, activate our imagination to unleash possibilities, gain knowledge, make sense of, gain understanding, insight, hope, even wisdom – all through story.

Personally applying stories passed down through the ages

Belonging is a primary intrinsic motivation.  Published in 1845, Hans Christian Andersen’s The Ugly Duckling is referred to by Clarissa Pinkola Estés as “a psychological and spiritual root story … one that contains a truth so fundamental to human development that without integration of this fact, further progression is shaky …”   She illuminates, “… when an individual’s particular kind of soulfulness, which is both instinctual and a spiritual identity, is surrounded by psychic acknowledgement and acceptance, that person feels life and power as never before. Ascertaining one’s own psychic family brings a person vitality and belongingness”. (Estés, C. P. 2008)

I can attest to this power being revealed when sharing the ugly duckling story with a team facing redundancies, with a group of retreatants, and with individuals during their coaching journey.

Clinical psychologist Debbie Howes uses Little Red Riding Hood as a conditioning projective story technique to reach the unconscious mind.   LITTLE applies to the child aspect of our being, RED (the colour of blood) to our life force, RIDING represents our capacity to master and control the vehicle or journey we are on, and HOOD is that which covers and holds within all that we are. A rich treasure. (Howes, D. 2010)

The author of Women Who Run with Wolves, Jungian analyst and story teller Dr Clarissa Pinkola Estés has, through the story of Bluebeard, an archetype of evil and of malignant narcissism, explored the far-reaching effects of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) in our current culture. Her analysis of Bluebeard offers a pathway to freedom, a way to identify the false empathy proclaimed by narcissists (and so protect oneself psychologically and spiritually), and how to rise above the oppression of this sort of culture or person. (Estés, C. P. 2019)

Encouraging Personal story within the 4W pattern

I encourage the use of a story pattern to engage clients, instil confidence and allow them to structure their personal story in a way that facilitates exploratory conversation. The pattern involves and encourages their expression of when, what happened, ensued, resulted, and where are you ‘at’ now?

There are a number of complex and detailed theories of the story pattern, developed by Syd Field, Levi Strauss, Gustav Freytag, Joseph Campbell and others. The most well known is what mythologist Joseph Campbell, refers to as the Hero’s Journey. (Campbell, J. 1991).

A simple, easily useable pattern that encapsulates the other patterns and drastically reduces the usual number of steps, is described in The Halo and the Noose. (Williams, G and Haarhoff, D. 2016)

In all of these patterns a story, in essence, captures a journey from a disrupted present state (‘Once upon a time …’) to a desired state (‘… and they lived happily ever after’). (O’Connor, J and Seymour, J. 1995), although it is seldom that effortless. Conflict at some level is a typical story trigger: “The cat sat on the mat is not the beginning of a story. The cat sat on the dog’s mat is” (John Le Carre)

The pattern I teach is of four journey-points or phases, being womb, wound, wander, and wonder. 4 W’s.

  • We begin in the WOMB, before the story starts. All is well, stable, safe, pristine, content. The Garden of Eden. Yet something may be brewing, waiting to emerge, come to the boil, disrupt, begin and shape the story. The ante story.
  • Then something happens – a WOUND. Time and death enter the World. Paradise is lost. Wounds are events, and recovery and healing are a transition process. When wounded – loss, hurt, disruption, unexpected change, death, a disappearance, a theft – we may experience shock, immobilisation, denial.
  • Our grief and despair can introduce the third journey phase, WANDER. We begin to respond – begin to move. We may reach acceptance. We wander and the work happens. Perhaps tentative and scared, we set forth on a journey. We desire to restore what has been broken. But we may be anxious, lonely, uncertain, confused.  “Who are you?” said the Caterpillar. This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice replied, rather shyly, “I—I hardly know, sir, just at present—at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then”.  (Carroll, Lewis 2005)

In a fairy tale and other story forms this is often the longest and richest part of the journey – the hero or heroine travels far and encounters many dangers, enters many bargains with helping creatures, fights transition battles, grows in stature. And brings back to the kingdom the quality or the thing necessary for transformation.

  • The fourth stage (THE WONDER) is about transformation. About wholeness. About alchemy. Out of the dross of pain, loss and setback comes the gold of strength, value and reward.

The fourth stage is not a return to the first stage. We cannot get back into paradise. (In Genesis, the angels bar the gates with a flaming sword). We have been on the poet William Blake’s journey from innocence to experience. We think of the velveteen rabbit’s journey from abandonment and heartache to becoming real. (Williams, M. 2005) A universal principle.

Follow the 4 W pattern here:

A pot stood on a shelf in the museum. Many came to admire it. The woman who worked there took special care of this pot. She dusted it carefully and arranged it so the light from the window fell on it. 

One day somebody left the window open and a gust of wind knocked the pot off the shelf. The pot lay in a thousand pieces. When the woman came to work the next day, she put her face in her hands and grieved for the broken pot. 

Then piece-by-piece she began to reassemble it. The woman glued pieces together and searched in the cracks between the floorboards. Those pieces she could not find, she measured and made. 

When she had glued the last piece, she stood back to gaze at her handiwork. Then she placed the pot back on the shelf. Despite its cracks many came to admire it.

We can think of the museum pot story at many levels:

  • Did someone deliberately open the window?
  • Can we see the pot as a symbol of an economy, environment, society, community, organisation, relationship or person that is hurt, broken, destroyed? 
  • What does the mending process of picking up the pieces equate to in terms of restoration, repair, regeneration, returning to wholeness?
  • What if we saw ourselves as the woman who looked after the pot – the heroine who does the work. What is required? What tools are needed? What ups and downs happen as the work continues? Who might come alongside to help?
  • And as we come to the journey end, what may occur?  Is it possible that the pieced-together pot is now more authentic, stronger, even more beautiful in its imperfection?

Another simple 4W example:

At school I was forced by my music teacher to sing a solo to the class after being caught talking during the lesson.

As my voice was breaking at that time, the result was hugely embarrassing and humiliating.

Thereafter I refused to sing in the class again, notwithstanding being sent often to the principal’s office for several weeks for six-of-the-best.

For many years after that incident, I refrained from singing.

Then I started saxophone lessons, years after leaving school, recovered my joy of music, and now sing again (albeit not in good voice!)

Sometimes a personal story that is a noose (strangling and trapping) has to be reframed into a halo (healing and liberating)

I once found my 5- year old granddaughter watching a horror movie on TV. Huge, slimy, green monsters were catching and eating people.

“Tiia” I said, “you shouldn’t be watching this. You’ll have nightmares”

“Oh no granddad” she said, “Don’t worry. I put myself on the side of the monsters. Then they don’t frighten me!”

That’s reframing!

Aids to reframing include:

  • In the Jewish tradition, there is the idea of Midrash. Midrash involves fleshing out a story we only have the barest details for – the bones of the story. By re-telling a story, filling in the gaps in order to expand, putting oneself into another character, and supplying details that are not recorded we allow for different interpretations of meaning, and personal revelations and insights. Often a different picture brings a deeper understanding
  • Telling one’s story from an observer’s viewpoint, perhaps as a myth, fairy tale or film script. This technique sometimes yields amazing insights and allows for positive reframing.
  • Time-lining. Taking the client back to a past event and examining the event (story) from a distance as if watching a black and white movie scene. Fast forwarding to the future to now imagine a full colour version of how the client would want the event or story to have played out. Then coming back into the present to anchor that version in order to decide the actions needed to move forward with it.

In future articles we’ll discuss other story applications for coaches.

If you’d like to arrange a story-in-coaching workshop or individual story coaching, then please don’t hesitate to contact me on [email protected]

Bibliography

Campbell, Joseph (1991) The Hero’s Journey HarperSanFrancisco

Estés, Dr Clarissa Pinkola (2019) The Understanding Narcissism Summit Sounds True 4th November to 13th November, 2019

Estés, Clarissa Pinkola (2008) Woman Who Run with the Wolves: contacting the power of the wild woman Rider

Howes, Debbie (2010) Little Red Riding Hood Revised: A hypnotherapeutic Analysis, Interpretation and Application https://debbiehowes.com/home/

Williams, Graham and Haarhoff, Dorian (2016) The Halo and the Noose (Version 2) HeartSpace Publications

https://www.amazon.com/Halo-Noose-Version-2-ebook/dp/B01HP1VCVC

Williams, Margery (2005) The Velveteen Rabbit Egmont, London

Graham Williams

About the Author

Graham Williams is an executive coach and management consultant who lives in Cape Town, South Africa. He has worked in over 40 countries in a variety of sectors, authored 9 business books and is a Management Contributor for 12Manage, the world’s #1 management network.

Graham uses narrative, anecdote, metaphor, archetypes, poetry, imagery and conversations in his work. He is passionate about facilitating healing and wholeness in organisations and their members. And is often asked to conduct workshops for coaches on competency development and application areas suitable for the effective use of story, and the powerful possibilities inherent in story.

In this six-part series Graham shares his insights into a number of the key skills required by modern-day coaches.

He may be contacted at [email protected]

Want to read more articles like this? Check out our Author Speaks page, here you will find more such content.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

loader

By choosing Aadya Green Gifting, you become a part of our mission to create a more sustainable future. Together, we can make a positive impact on the environment. As a conscious consumer, your choices matter, and we are here to support you in your contribution towards sustainable development and green living.

    In a world bustling with distractions, there is something truly magical about disconnecting from the chaos and immersing oneself in the serenity of nature to explore the depths of creative expression. Aadya Green Gifting is glad to introduce the ultimate green gift – Residential Writing Retreats – a once in a lifetime kind of opportunity to embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery, inspiration, and co-consciousness. There cannot be any gift more precious than this to gift to yourself and your loved ones.

    •  Embrace the Power of Words: Amidst Nature's Embrace, at the heart of our Residential Writing Retreats is the profound connection between creativity and nature. Surrounded by lush landscapes and untouched beauty, participants find solace and inspiration in the great outdoors. The setting becomes the canvas for untold stories, unexplored emotions, and boundless imagination.
    • A Sustainable Sanctuary for Artistic Souls: Our Residential Writing Retreats are meticulously crafted to align with our commitment to sustainability. We choose eco-friendly venues that leave a minimal ecological footprint, providing an immersive experience that respects and protects the environment. From sustainable practices to locally sourced cuisine, every aspect of our retreats reflects our dedication to preserving the beauty of our planet.
    • Connection to Nature: Many creative writing courses incorporate nature and the environment as themes or sources of inspiration. This connection to nature can lead to a deeper appreciation for the natural world and a desire to protect it.
    • Nurturing Creativity: One word at a time led by experienced facilitators, our Residential Writing Retreats offer a nurturing environment where creativity flourishes. Through guided writing sessions, mindfulness exercises, and creative workshops, participants embark on a profound inward journey, discovering the power of their words in the midst of nature's embrace.
    • A Gift Beyond Material Possessions: In a world dominated by material possessions, our Residential Writing Retreats stand apart as a truly thoughtful and meaningful gift. It transcends the boundaries of the material realm, leaving an indelible impression on the heart and soul of the recipient. It is an experience cherished forever - a gift that keeps on giving.

    Srijanpath:

    Our Writing Workshops:

    Srijanpath 1

    Gift our Creative Writing Courses and Publishing Services to yourself or your loved ones. It is one of our most sought-after green gifts as it offers a range of benefits that not only promotes personal growth, creativity and sustainability but personal brand.

    •  Minimal Environmental Impact: Creative Writing Courses and Publishing Services are offered in both - digital online webinar based as well as on-sight workshops, which significantly reduce paper waste and other resources associated with traditional publishing methods thereby minimizing the environmental impact.
    • Fosters Creativity and Expression: These gifts provide an opportunity to your loved ones to explore their creative potential and express themselves through writing. Encouraging creativity is not only personally fulfilling but also contributes to a more imaginative and innovative society.
    • Lifelong Learning: Gifting Writing Courses promotes a culture of continuous learning and intellectual curiosity. Participants can continue to engage with the materials and apply what they've learned long after the course has ended.
    • Sustainable Publishing: For aspiring authors, our publishing Services provide a more sustainable approach to sharing their work with the world. Our hybrid publishing formats reduce the need for physical copies, which can lead to excess paper and emissions associated with distribution.
    • Encourages Storytelling for Change: Creative writing can be a powerful tool for addressing social and environmental issues. By encouraging storytelling for change, these gifts inspire authors to use their craft to raise awareness about sustainability, climate change, and other important topics.
    • Supports Aspiring Authors: Gifting Publishing Services can be a significant boost for aspiring authors who may not have access to traditional publishing avenues. By providing the opportunity for their work to reach a wider audience, you support and encourage their creative endeavors.
    • Meaningful and Thoughtful Gift: Offering Creative Writing Courses and Publishing Services as gifts demonstrates your thoughtfulness and consideration for your loved ones’ interests and passions. It shows that you value their creativity and growth as an individual.
      By choosing to gift Creative Writing Courses and Publishing Services, you contribute to a more sustainable, creative, and environmentally conscious gift-giving culture. These gifts empower individuals to express themselves, promote lifelong learning, and encourage positive change through the power of storytelling.

    Books: They say books are windows to new worlds, and what better gift to give than the gift of knowledge? Instead of material possessions that may lose their charm, books stand the test of time, imparting wisdom, and sparking imagination with every turn of a page. By gifting our thoughtful and value creating collection of books, you open doors for your loved ones to an unexplored realm, boosting their learning agility, and promote a sustainable reading culture.
    With our 2 imprints – Alpha Zone & Books33, we cater to the specific needs of our two distinct reader segments – children and adults.
    Alpha Zone:
    Books Alpha Zone
    Alpha Zone is dedicated to our very loving and pampered alpha generation – kids born between 2010-2024 – also known as ‘glass generation’. It offers a wide range of colourful story books based on the themes of life skills, healthy habits and sustainable development. These highly engaging colourful books stand out from the pack with their eye-catching illustrations and ample ‘learn with fun’ activities. Our Alpha Zone books are written by award-winning authors of children literature and super-talented doting young moms from across India and other foreign countries.
    Books33:

    Books Books33

    offers a wide range of fictional as well as non-fictional academic books in the domains of school education - primary, secondary and senior secondary and higher education – management, engineering and humanities. Our books are written by eminent authors and academicians from across India and other foreign countries.
    Choose from a wide range of topics, from eco-conscious living and environmental conservation to sustainable business practices and personal growth. With each book, you plant the seed of knowledge, nurturing a more informed and aware individual. Giving books as a green gift comes with a multitude of benefits, both for the recipient and the environment.

    1. Sustainability (clickable, relevant picture to be provided):

    • We are committed to promoting sustainable practices and products that have a positive impact on the environment.
    • Our gifts are sourced responsibly, minimizing waste and supporting ethical suppliers.

    2. Quality (clickable relevant picture to be provided):

    • Providing high-quality, innovative, and eco-conscious products and experiences that exceed our customers' expectations are our top-most priority.

    3. Education (clickable relevant picture to be provided):

    •  We value knowledge and, in our endeavours, to empower individuals with the information and skills they need to make informed decisions about sustainability, we liaison with think tank authors across board to write for us.

    4. Customer-Centric (clickable relevant picture to be provided):

    •  Our customers are at the heart of everything we do.
    • We strive to provide exceptional service and create meaningful connections with our community.

    5. Creativity and Innovation (clickable relevant picture to be provided):

    • We celebrate creativity and innovation for designing things to deal with ‘wicked’ environmental issues.
    • We Embrace design thinking and creative problem solving as a powerful tool to develop products and services that inspire change and raise awareness about environmental issues infuses a sense of responsible ‘do ability’ to make our planet a better World.

    6. Transparency (clickable relevant picture to be provided):

    • We are open and honest in our business practices, ensuring transparency in our sourcing, manufacturing, and communication.

    7. Environmental Stewardship (clickable relevant picture to be provided):

    • We take our role as environmental stewards seriously and actively support initiatives that contribute to environmental conservation and protection.

    8. Continuous Progress (clickable relevant picture to be provided):

    • We are committed to continuous learning and improvement, regularly seeking ways to enhance our products, services, and sustainable practices.

    9. Community Impact (clickable relevant picture to be provided):

    • We strive to create a positive impact on the communities we serve, supporting local artisans and initiatives that promote sustainable development.
    • 10. Inclusivity (clickable relevant picture to be provided):
      We embrace diversity and inclusivity, welcoming individuals from all walks of life to be a part of the Green Gifting community.
    • To offer a thoughtfully curated collection of eco-friendly products for gifting
    • To offer a lifelong experiences and courses and as gifts for all reasons and seasons
    • To raise awareness on sustainable living through our innovative gifting ideas
    • To contribute to environmental conservation initiatives through our green gifting platform
    • To be the leading global platform for sustainable and eco-friendly gifting solutions
    • To inspire a greener, healthier, happier and more conscious world through our sustainable gifting solutions
    • To empower individuals in making environmentally responsible choices for giving gifts
    • To foster a culture of conscious consumerism through our eco-friendly gifts

    Stories are the best way to come closer to children and Dr Monica Khanna is doing fabulous work in that sense. It’s always mesmerizing to read the stories she creates. Not only the kids, but even parents enjoy every bit of them.

    Little Chimpu’s adventure through the jungle wherein she discovers the truth about ferocious Sher Dadu, is a beautiful story about finding friends in the most unlikely of people.

    This picture book is such a delight to read. The book is beautifully illustrated with a good story line and strong vocabulary. I liked in this book is using the relations like ‘chachu’, ‘mamu’ and others which the kids are missing due to nuclear family... I must say the author has touched the chord of the heart with the sweet language used in the book..It’s a must read book for all the young kids.

    A Wormy Tale is a delightful picture story book that offers the curious mind of a child the perfect blend of fun and relatable characters, vibrant illustrations and significant learnings that seep in with simplicity and are finally sealed with the array of activities it offers. This is a book with a wholesome experience, so read on!

    This lovely book teaches you to think smart and not get carried away by appearances. Best wishes to Dr Monica Khanna for her amazing creation.

    Dr. Monica Khanna has come out with one more offering for you all. Such a wonderful and endearing story! It takes us to that time of our lives when we believed that everything around us is black or white. Childhood is so much fun and so full of innocence. The characters in this story are so believable, with human-like qualities. Kind, gentle, witty, intelligent, sharp, sly and so on... Each young reader will enjoy reading this story because it is so relatable. You can find people with such qualities all around you.

    The well-crafted, colourful illustrations of the enthusiastic musicians among insects – grasshoppers, katydids and hawkmoths, the frogs with their crafty expressions and the thoughtful busy bee, make it a lively read. Woven into the story are the fun facts of each insect, making it educative and inspiring too, thus inculcating the love of nature to early readers.

    Katie Bagli’s new book promises to bring back the concert we have missed ever since the pandemic hit us. She beautifully weaves science and fiction, urging her young readers to learn about the techniques used by the wetland musicians - the grasshoppers, the katydids and the hawkmoths. Then there are the subtle values and undertones that make for great learning for children the vacation in nature, the loving aunt, the dutiful bee, or even the love for the garden insects.

    Katie Bagli’s stories are filled with wild imagination yet grounded in facts.She brings to life the mundane and often overlooked facts with wit and humour, in her stories, as also in ‘The Insect Concert’. Her characters are driven by a moral so subtle that children may hardly realize the important life values they are imbibing just by reading her books. Her stories are lessons in science and art as each panel bursts into vivacious colours and tickles the imagination of the young reader. Truly delightful and a must read for all.

    This book ‘Insect Concert’ by Katie Bagli is another gem from her treasure trove of stories about nature. Through a simple yet novel story, she manages to develop an interest in the animal kingdom and also provide a new learning. There are some activities too which children will enjoy. The illustrations add to the storyline and make the book more interesting for the young reader. I wish Katie more power to her pen.

    Sunny Side Up’ is a book of joy for every child. With colourful illustrations and child friendly language this book opens up a world of different kinds of food to the young minds.

    An instant hit - With colorful illustrations and an engaging narrative, this playful nature book is perfect for curious toddlers. A Wormy Tale..an engaging, simple yet extraordinary new story from Katie Bagli, number one bestseller and fastest growing children’s author in the country

    Through this story, A Wormy Tale, the author Katie Bagli highlights earthworms as a part of the ecosystem. Educators can use this story for crossdisciplinary and interdisciplinary thinking within the national curriculum. Katie’s love for nature is evident in all her books.

    To be hired in today’s global marketplace, employers demand more than basic ‘hard’ skills. The difference between a frustrated candidate and a sought-after recruit, the long-term worker and a compelling leader, or the stagnant professional and the rising manager can be the ‘soft’ skills each exercises in the workplace. This highly researched book analyses the job environment of today and for the future where ‘soft’ skills become a more critical attribute. The reader gleans valuable guidance on how to acquire and improve these ‘soft’ skills for a more enriching career.

    Alpha Zone book – ‘Sunny Side Up’ - shows the variety of food that is present round the world. All of us know the common pizza or burger but there are many delicious dishes out there that many have not experienced. This book encourages us to be curious and to learn, enjoy and experience the art of the culinary skill.

    I’ve absolutely no hesitation in saying that even after working for 30+ years in Manufacturing and Education sectors, I was not able to correlate nonverbal communication skills of a person with his personality and credibility. But after getting in touch with Prof (Dr) Shalini Verma and going through her first book, ‘BODY LANGUAGE: YOUR SUCCESS MANTRA, (2005)’ I immediately fell in love with this beautiful subject and understood that body language is an important personality trait of any person. I am delighted to know that Dr Verma is bringing out a multi-title series of that inspiring book after 15 years, which is surely going to be another ‘hit’ and beneficial for the readers, especially the Gen Z youth, who gravely need the maturity to understand and cope with complex personal & professional relationships to move forward in life.

    Children’s literature largely trivialises and glosses over such issues such as gender or colour biases. But this book deals with the sensitive issue of our proclivity or preference for fair skin colour. In the context of the Indian subcontinent, such debates and discussions should be encouraged so that children grow up with a healthy self-image and grow up with the right attitudes that skin colour is secondary to inner beauty. Dr Monica’s sensitive handling of this subject deserves to be applauded. Kudos!

    This book talks about the fact that beauty has no standards - it’s the way one looks at one own self. I am sure this book will surely attract young readers. I wish all the best for the book.

    Kudos to Books33 for coming up with a separate segment of Children Books under its imprint Alpha Zone. Your initiative will definitely make parents and teachers understand the importance of inculcating reading habits in your kids right from their young age. I appreciate Dr Monica Khanna for her bookSunny Side Up’ and love its ‘kahani mein twist’ which made it all the more exciting.

    A lovely rhyming style and delightful words make this book effortlessly readable. Dr Khanna addresses a vital issue of our times in this allegorical tale of female crow.

    One may speak good English, bad English, good Hindi, bad Hindi, a mix of Hindi-English or 'Hinglish', Spanglish, Pig-Latin, Gibberish, Mumbling or Double-speak, the sub-text that one's body speaks is just ONE -- CREDIBLE or NOT CREDIBLE! Be aware of your body language. You can lie in your words, but the body never lies. We communicate through our Body all the time, even when we don't realize it. However, there are very few expertswho can deeply understand, analyse and decode Body Language. Dr Shalini Verma is one of them.

    Kyra’s Return Flight conveys through a delightful story the very important message that there is great joy and power in accepting ourselves as we are,and not falling prey to harmful social prejudices about what is attractive or good. I greatly recommend this wonderful book about loving oneself!

    ‘Sunny Side Up’ authored by Dr Monica Khanna is a slice of delight with just the right bite.

    ‘Sunny Side Up’ is a delightfully wicked book! A complete treat for kids of all shapes, sizes and taste; those who fuss around their meals and those who devour their food. A visual treat for the eyes that moistened my curiosity palate, as I turned each page to follow Sunny’s exciting culinary adventures. An astonishing finale, that enhanced some beautiful childhood memories.

    Katie Bagli has two interests, nature and children. She has two talents, writing and drawing. As a story teller, she engages children with her colourful puppets and other visual aids, bringing to life the characters in her books.

    Dr Monica Khanna’s new book ‘Kyra’s Return Flight’ dwells deeper into the age-old societal challenges of colour differentiation amongst humans. Through a simple life story of a crow, she brings to the front the problem that we have of self-pity and self-doubt that dark coloured people face through the generations. As a school principal, I definitely recommend Monica’s books in all school libraries and encourage parents to share a copy with their kids.

    My compliments to the author for developing rich and novel content in an area that still lies underexplored. With so little information available on body language in the Indian context, I can imagine how much hard work
    would have gone into creating a book like this. This book is beautifully crafted in terms of quality content and relevance in the current context.

    Former General Manager from State Bank of India

    An Electrical Engineer and a first-generation entrepreneur with PhD in Management

    Has been working in the corporate world for the last 10 years

    A 17-year-old bright student of 11th standard at Dibrugarh, Assam

    A student of IBDP program (at DYPIS) in Mumbai, India

    Analyst at Deloitte USI

    A 15-year-old student of class 10 at Apeejay School - Panchsheel Park, New Delhi

    A 15-year-old student of class 10 at St. Mary’s ICSE School, Navi Mumbai.

    An M.A. in English Literature from Tezpur University, Assam

    A NIFT graduate and a professional Jewellery Designer

    An educator by the day and a poet by night

    A professional Microbiologist and an avid nature lover

    Currently pursuing BDS & aspires to become a successful writer

    A Communication Professor & Authorpreneur

    English Language and Personality Development skills Trainer

    Aspires to make career and writing and become a successful writer

    Winner of ‘Mrs Karnataka’ and ‘Inner Beauty’ titles

    A 13-year old 8th grader studying in Mangaluru, Karnataka

    Student of English Honours at Calcutta University, West Bengal

    A student of airport handling at YMCA, Delhi.

    An engineer by profession and a writer by passion

    Author & co-author of multiple books and anthologies

    A nine-year-old student of Silver Oaks International School, Hyderabad

    A Grade-III student of Silver Oaks International School, Hyderabad

    She adorns the hat of a multitasker - an educationist, an artist, a poet, a photographer, an author, a homemaker, a wife and above all a MOTHER

    3rd grader studying in Silver Oaks International School, Hyderabad

    A writer by passion and a Physicist by profession

    Sr. ERO (Sr. Employee Relations Officer) at Indian Oil Corporation Limited

    Associate Professor at Indira Institute of Business Management

    Registering with Books33 is the 1st step to joining our community and earning a ‘Bookoholics badge’ – an ENTRY TICKET to avail plethora of opportunities and discount coupons. And the good news is that registering with us is absolutely FREE!

    BOOKS33 is a HOME of the AUTHORS, By the AUTHORS & For the AUTHORS. We give 360 degree publishing assistance. We not only PUBLISH your books but also PROMOTE & MARKET those books across the world and help you in spreading your wings across the book readers' community. We provide end-to-end assistance in publishing, promotion, and positioning of your books under just ONE roof.