Anoop Judge

Baljeet Kaur saw the way they looked at her: at the funeral service, at the temple—which smelled of ghee and of underarm sweat—where a small congregation gathered after the cremation. When they came to the house carrying covered casserole dishes and potted plants. The hushed whispers, the looks of reproach, the pity on their faces. …

“I feel responsible for my son’s death”: The Surge in Student Suicides Read More »

Rajeev sat at the six-drawer wooden desk that he had bought for twenty dollars at a thrift store when he’d moved to California some three decades ago. It was made of oak and at one time had been a sturdy piece of furniture, probably purchased for some fashionable den or office space in someone’s home …

Elderly and Anxious: Desperate to Get a vaccine Read More »

2020 was a challenging year that many would want to bury so deep in their memories that they could forget it. Little wonder that on New Year’s eve people were celebrating the coming of 2021 as a return to ‘normal’ life. And yet, the start of 2021 has shown us that monsters still lurk beneath …

2020’s Over; Here’s How to Survive 2021! Read More »

Anil hears the baby crying upstairs in her nursery. She’s woken up from her mid-day nap. Earlier today than usual, he thinks with a lopsided smile. He hears the sounds as his wife opens the door to the yellow wallpapered room, rocks Arya back and forth, murmuring against her ear. Snatches from a familiar Hindi lullaby crowd …

Creating Lemonade Out of Lemons: Cheers to All Those Who Made the Most of 2020! Read More »

After months of near isolation inside her senior care facility—India Home—Suman Pandey no longer recognizes her daughter, Tanya.  Tanya stumbles out of her mother’s room towards the nursing station just outside, too overwhelmed to speak. She’d expected to see some changes, yes—after four months of not being able to visit Mummy she’d felt her chest …

Her Brain has Turned to Mush: Inside Nursing Homes Read More »

You’ve spent a year (or six) writing a 90, 000-word Adult fiction novel. You’ve poured sweat, love, and too much midnight oil into it—coming up with an original plot, fleshing out characters that are relatable and memorable, minding the pacing . . . Whew! Then you dive into the querying process and the pain begins …

Managing “The Call” with a Literary Agent Read More »

I was raised in a middle-class family in New Delhi, India, where education was key, fresh pomfret fish for dinner was a treat, and budget-conscious holidays in hill stations defined our summers. As a young girl, I was expected to apply myself at college, get a job that would allow me to be financially self-reliant, …

Why I Write? Read More »

Good thing, it was her shift that night. Reema was sweaty and grumpy. In full PPE (gown, N95 mask, face shield, and gloves) for the past five hours. Every time she exhaled, her glasses and face shield fogged up. She tasted stale air and burnt coffee from breathing in and out through her mask. (Note …

There’s A New Demon in Town: Lord Corona Read More »

Kavya took a deep breath and released it—exhaling deeply—just as her mother, a yoga teacher, had taught her to do. Last month she had finally set foot at the University of Miami campus—a day she’d been dreaming of since she entered high school. True, college no longer looked as it had when she’d toured the …

Corona on Campus Read More »