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The Closet Writer Chronicles

The Closet Writer Chronicles

By Sangeetha Menon

Candid conversations with writers, storytellers & creators about what writing and creativity means to them, a peek into their life stories & featured narrations of their work.
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Saoirse: Lost In Translation

The Closet Writer ChroniclesFeb 26, 2022

00:00
01:15:41
Shrenik Rao: The Madras Courier

Shrenik Rao: The Madras Courier

It's our season finale and I'm talking to Shrenik Rao! The episode opens with Shrenik talking about what writing and creativity means to him. He shares his early childhood memory of coming up with an evening edition newspaper and how that sparked his interest in journalism. We delve into his journey with entrepreneurship in the media space and his experience as a documentary filmmaker. We talk about how he revived The Madras Courier and his editorial process. Later, we chat about his upcoming book and some of his favourite writers. The episode ends with an article written & narrated by Shrenik.


Shrenik Rao is the Editor-In-Chief of The Madras Courier, a 236-year-old new brand which he has revived to a digital format. He is also the founder of 7MB, a digital media company and a documentary filmmaker! He has produced documentaries for the History Channel. Shrenik is a fellow at the University of Oxford's Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (2016) and an alumnus of the London School of Economics.


Mentions: World This Week by Pranoy Roy, The Hindu, India Today, London School Of Economics, The Elephant Whisperers, BBC, CNN, Sky News, Pranoy Roy, N Ram, NDTV, Doordarshan, The Hindu, Malayala Manorama, The new York Times, The Washington Post, Richard Johnston, Swarajya, The Caravan, The Scroll, Om Shanti Om, The New Yorker, The Financial Times, Vice Media, Scoop Whoop, Dalai Lama, Salman Rushdie, Arundathi Roy, J.K. Rowling, Kushwant Singh, The Billion Dollar Spy, Arvind Adiga, The White Tiger, Little Women. Beef,Brahmins & Broken Men, B.R. Ambedkar


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Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

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Produced By White Hot

Mar 09, 202401:40:10
Shalini Mullick: Empathy In Medicine & Storytelling

Shalini Mullick: Empathy In Medicine & Storytelling

The episode opens with Shalini talking about what creativity and storytelling means to her. We delve into how she chose medicine as a career with a specialisation in respiratory pathology. Shalini talks about her experience during the corona pandemic and how it started her writing journey. We talk about books, burnout and if you need to be a reader to write. The episode ends with Shalini reading an excerpt from her book.


Shalini is a pulmonary pathologist and writer. During the day, she’s managing her lab or working on complex biopsy reports. As a writer, she has published articles on Women’s Web, E-She Magazine, and The Himalayan Writing Retreat. She has also published a book called ‘Stars From The Borderless Sea’.


Mentions: The Final Diagnosis, Haley, Harry Potter, Morning Pages, Julia Cameron, Atul Gawnde, When Breath Becomes Air, Paul Kalanithi, Shoe Dog, The Swaddle, Respectfully Disagree, Story Jam, Munshi Premchand, The Seen And The Unseen, Amit Verma, Humans Of New York, Lady Hardinge College


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Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

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Produced By White Hot

Mar 02, 202401:23:59
Eshan Sharma: A Student Of History

Eshan Sharma: A Student Of History

The episode opens with Eshan talking about what creativity and storytelling means to him. We chat about how his interest in history started and how he decided to pursue it as a career. He talks about how he got the idea for Karwaan Heritage, how he started it and what the evolution has been like. We also talk about a book he published when he was 17! Later, we delve into his writing journey and discuss one of his articles in relation to Karwaan's work culture. He shares resources for those interested in learning more about history. The episode ends with a poem narrated by Eshan.


Eshan Sharma is a writer, heritage activist and a TEDx speaker. He is the founder of one of India's leading history collectives, Karwaan: The Heritage Exploration Initiaitve. He likes to call himself a historian in training. A graduate in History from Delhi University, he is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Modern Indian History from MSU, Baroda. He is interested in films, history and everything that falls between the two. Eshan is currently working on a book project on the New Wave in Indian Cinema. You can find him on Instagram @iameshansharma_


Mentions: KL Saigal, Noor Jahaan, Talat Mahmood, Lata Mangeshkar, Vikramjit Singh Rooprai, Delhi Heritage: Top 10 Baolis, Sohail Hashmi, Chinmay Tumbe, The Age Of Pandemics, Manimugdha Sharma, StreamYard, Romila Thapar, Voices Of Dissent, Lady Doctors, The Day I Became A Runner, Sohini Chattopadhyay, The Last Heroes, P.Sainath, Anand Ranganathan, Sadaf Hussain, Ratna Pathak Shah, Ithihasology, Anirudh Kanisetty, The People Of The Indus, Sapiens, Yuval Noah Harari, Amar Chitra Katha, R.G. Collingwood, Naseerudin Shah, Nikhil Taneja, Animal, Kabir Singh, Pushpaa, Court, Garam Hawaa, Schindler’s List, All Quiet On The Western Front, Daak Vaak, Studio Ghibli, Death Note, John Green’s Crash Course On History, Shaasn, Mughal-E-Azam, Shyam Benegal, Spiderman, Trolley Times


Zencastr Offer Link: https://zen.ai/RyFqAp3Eu9MNOFMmxzuy27Zh1S6TcJuGEEiK4pTHopo

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Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

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Produced By White Hot

Feb 11, 202401:20:25
Salini Vineeth: Passion To Profession

Salini Vineeth: Passion To Profession

The episode opens with Salini talking about what writing means to her. We delve into how she decided to pursue engineering, her work life and her decision to switch to a writing career. We talk about books and writer with a focus on Malayalam literature. Salini talks about her experience with self-publishing and things to keep in mind while working on a book. The episode ends with Salini narrating an excerpt from her book, 'Lost Edges'.


Salini Vineeth is a fiction and freelance writer based in Bangalore. She worked for ten years as an engineer before turning to full-time writing in December 2018. Since then, she has published five books – Lost Edges (novel), Magic Square (novella), Everyday People (a short story collection), and travel guides for Hampi and Badami. She won the Orange Flower Award for Humour in 2023. Her short story collection Everyday People was the finalist in the Amazon Pen2Publish contest 2019. She won the eShe short story contests in 2019 and 2020. Her stories have appeared in magazines like Out of Print, The Bangalore Review, Borderless Journal, Cafe Dissensus, Kitaab International, Funny Peals, and The Bombay Review. You can find her on Instagram @salini_vineeth


Mentions: Mathrubhumi Weekly, Vaikom Mohammed Basheer, Kamala Das, M T Vasudev Nair, Madhavi Kutty, Dil Chahta Hai, Blogspot, Tiny Tales, Write Plus Jobs, Red River Press, Andaleeb Wajid, Blossoms, Atta Galatta, With Love, Madras, Valli by Sheila Tomy, JCB Prize, Hangwoman by KR Meera, Sherlock Holmes, Aurthur Conan Doyle, The Good Wife, Kudhravattum Papu, CBI Diary Kurup, Mindhunter, David Fincher


Vote for The Closet Writer Chronicles under the Arts & Entertainment category for the Podmaster's Awards! Voting link: https://survey.zohopublic.in/zs/fgBG1i


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

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Produced By White Hot

Feb 03, 202401:43:50
Pragadish Kalaivanan: Desi With A Chance Of Influencer

Pragadish Kalaivanan: Desi With A Chance Of Influencer

The episode opens with Pragadish talking about what storytelling and creativity means to him. He shares how he decided to pursue a career in marketing and the steps he took to find a position that aligns with his values and interests. We chat about books, movies, poems and stories that we enjoy. Later, Pragadish opens up about his experience of coming out as queer and his relationship with identity. We also talk about his TikTok fame and how he navigates social media. The episode ends with poems written and narrated by Pragadish.


Pragadish Kalaivanan is a queer Indian marketer and poet. After graduating with a B .Tech in Computer Science, he moved to the US to study and pursue a career in marketing. He started his marketing career in content writing before moving into a more SEO and lead generation-oriented role. He has been featured on NBC, NPR, Yahoo News and Daily Dot. His work is influenced by his experiences of growing up in a sheltered, conformative society and is a dance of finding the balance between loving the culture that raised you and becoming the person you are truly meant to be. He has given a talk at 'A World Without Borders', a digital summit. You can find him on Instagram: @pragadishk and Tiktok: @pragadishkalaivan


Mentions: Drizzly, Google Fibre, TikTok, BeReal, Lapse, Padma Laxmi, Curtain by Helen Spalding, BookTok, Colleen Hoover, Bindery, Publisher’s Weekly, Animorphs, Hunted, PC Castewell, Twilight, Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, The Once And Future King, TH White, One Piece, Only Murders In The Building, The Boys, The Powerpuff Girls, Mulan, The Devil Wears Prada, Drishyam, Helen, The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner, Poetry Foundation

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Use Code CLOSETWRITER to get 30% off!


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Jan 29, 202402:01:08
Sadaf Hussain: A Love For Food & Storytelling

Sadaf Hussain: A Love For Food & Storytelling

The episode opens with Sadaf talking about what creativity and storytelling means to him. We talk about how his interest in food was sparked and trace his journey from starting a pop-up cafe, being on MasterChef India, and going on to carve a career in food! Sadaf shares some fun anecdotes along the conversation. We chat about stories, writing, his latest book for children 'The Carrot Soup', and his upcoming projects. Sadaf also talks about how making mistakes can help you grow and misconceptions people have about his job. The episode ends with an excerpt from the book 'Forgotten Foods' written and narrated by Sadaf.


Sadaf Hussain is a chef, writer and food history enthusiast. He has written two food books to date, and has two more lined up to be released next year, including illustrated books and a book on spices. He also worked on a study of Rampur cuisine with the University of Sheffield, UK. He is a TedX speaker and is a host of the award winning Indian food podcast, Naan Curry. You can find him on Instagram @sadaf_hussain and X (Twitter) @hussainsadaf1


Mentions: Sanjeev Kapoor, Tarla Dalal, Daawat, Pushpesh Pant, Manjeet Gill, Jiks Karla, Tarun Sibal, Vikas Khanna, Ranveer Brar, Gordon Ramsay, Marco Pierre, Anthony Bourdain, Nigella Lawson, Padma Laxmi, Ogilvy, Chota Bheem, Bohri Kitchen, Take Home Chef, Curtis Stone, Adam Smith, Desi Delicacies, Forgotten Foods, Dastan-E-Dastarkhwaan, University Of Sheffield, Durjoy Datta, Chacha Chowdhary, Archie, Tinkle, Amar Chitra Katha, Doga, Pinky, Super Commando Dhruv, Vikram Doctor, Bombay Canteen, Dexter’s Labaratory, Dexter, Peaky Blinders, How I Met Your Mother, Friends, The Big Bang Theory, Game Of Thrones, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Chetan Bhagat, William Wordsworth, Ali Sethi, Lupin, Kohrra


Zencastr Offer Link: https://zen.ai/RyFqAp3Eu9MNOFMmxzuy27Zh1S6TcJuGEEiK4pTHopo

Use Code CLOSETWRITER to get 30% off!


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot


Dec 24, 202302:04:50
Mid-Season Finale Sneak Peek

Mid-Season Finale Sneak Peek

Cyclone Michaung struck Chennai earlier this month which lead to power and wifi connectivity issues. Hence, the episode has been delayed to next weekend. Do tune in to previous episodes and listen to this if you're curious to know who next week's guest is!


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Dec 16, 202302:12
Adithi Muralidhar: Earthly Notes

Adithi Muralidhar: Earthly Notes

The episode opens with Adithi's thoughts on creativity & storytelling. She shares how her interest in nature started and how that lead her to study about it. We talk about her children's book and her interest in birding. We also delve into what her role as a teacher and curriculum designer is like. Later, Adithi talks about books and shows that have influenced her and shares resources for environment education. The episode ends with excerpts from pieces written & narrated by Adithi.


Adithi Muralidhar has done a post graduation in Zoology and in Educational Communication. She works as a Scientific Officer with a national education-research institute where she designs and develops resources for science, design and environment curriculum. She is a nature enthusiast and her love for nature has taken her across the length and breadth of India, working with various local and national organizations, state forest departments, NGOs and initiatives. Her volunteering has included radio-tracking King Cobras, carrying out transect-surveys to estimate Tiger-prey population, photo-documentation of herpetofauna, bird-surveys, plateau surveys, education projects etc. She runs a nature blog called Earthly Notes (www.earthlynotes.com) and has extensively published pedagogical and popular articles on environment education. You can find her on Instagram @theearthlynotes and on X (Twitter) @Adithi_M


Mentions: Crystal Maze, Takeshi’s Castle, The Magic School Bus, Rainbow Fish, The Hidden Life Of Trees, Studio Ghibli, Only Yesterday, Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, Woman At War, Occupied, The Last Of Us, Pedro Pascal, Entangled Life, Merlin Sheldrake, Cornell Lab Of Ornithology, Where The Leaves Fall, Center For Humans And Nature, Earthly Notes, John Muir Laws, Early Bird, Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Sanctuary Asia, The Living Museum, Salim Mamoo And Me, Zai Whitaker


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Use Code CLOSETWRITER to get 30% off!


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Dec 09, 202301:11:20
Nainika Mukherjee: The Story Of A Kathak Artist / Ek Kathakar Ki Katha

Nainika Mukherjee: The Story Of A Kathak Artist / Ek Kathakar Ki Katha

The episode opens with Nainika talking about what dance, storytelling & writing means to her. She shares how she got into Kathak, her time at Kathak Kendra and how her relationship with the dance form has evolved. We delve into how she decided to pursue psychology and specialisation in Dance Movement Therapy. We talk about the importance of mentorship, Mental Health and the confusion of therapy v/s feeling therapeutic. We also share a lot of book recommendations! The episode ends with an excerpt of a blog post written & narrated by Nainika.


Nainika Mukherjee has received 18 years of training in Kathak. In 2016, she joined Kathak Kendra in New Delhi and completed her Diploma with Honours, as well as achieved a "Distinction" in her Post Diploma under the able tutelage of the legendary Guru Pt. Rajendra Gangani. Parallel to her dance journey, Nainika is pursuing an M.A. in Psychology, exploring the "Impact of Dance and Movement on Stress and Mental Health" through her dissertation. She also studied Dance Movement Therapy at Mumbai's prestigious Tata Institute of Social Sciences. You can find her on Instagram @nainikamukherjee


Mentions: Shiamak Davar, Smt. Swati Sinha, Pandit Rajendra Gangani, Sangeet Natak Academy, Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, Bound, Michelle D’Costa, Aishwarya Javalgekar, Tara Khandelwal, Pragya Bhagat, The Wire, Jhumpa Lahiri, Amitav Ghosh, Whereabouts, A Man Called Ove, Anxious People, Normal People, Less, These Precious Days by Anne Patchett, Lighter Than My Shadow, Atomic Habits, Twelve Rules Of Life, Ikigai, Adam Grant, Brene Brown, Call To Courage, Netflix, I Want To Die But I Want To eat Tteokbokki, Maybe You Should Talk To Someone


Zencastr Offer Link: https://zen.ai/RyFqAp3Eu9MNOFMmxzuy27Zh1S6TcJuGEEiK4pTHopo

Use Code CLOSETWRITER to get 30% off!


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Dec 02, 202301:49:09
Anisha Palat: The Gaze Of An Art Historian

Anisha Palat: The Gaze Of An Art Historian

The episode opens with Anisha talking about what writing & creativity means to her. We chat about how she decided to pursue a career in the art world, her influences & inspiration, and how she decided to pursue a PhD. Anisha talks about her research and thesis - 'The Cow, Caste and Contemporary Art in India: Aesthetic Ecologies and Social Hierarchies in the Twenty-First Century'. She shares how her work is collaborative and what she means by that, as well as how she uses the lens of personal & collective histories to interpret art. We also share book recommendations and resources for art education. The episode ends with an article written & narrated by Anisha.


Anisha is a PhD scholar in History of Art at the University of Edinburgh. Her research focuses on the image of the cow in contemporary Indian art, and its intersections with caste and animal studies. She has presented her research at conferences and workshops around the world, and convenes the Climate & Colonialism Reading Group at the Paul Mellon Centre, London. You can find her on Instagram @anishapalat

Mentions: Young World, Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Sotheby’s, Christy’s, Amal Clooney, Geeta Kapur, Alamelu Annamalai, Kirtika Kain, Sajan Mani, Suraj Yengde, B.R. Ambedkar, Siddhesh Gautam, Bakery Prasad, Tale Of The Horse by Yashawini Chandra, Art Fervour, John Berger, Gardner’s Art Through The Ages, MOMA, Google arts and culture, Fake Or Fortune, Verneer, Girl with The Pearl earring, Picture of Dorian Grey, Little Women, Louisa May Alcott, Monet, Matisse, Roald Dahl, Quentin Blake, Persepolis, Marijanne Satrapi, Ritika Merchant, Studio Ghibli, Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away, The Boy and The Heron, Enid Blyton, Anne Of Green Gables, Harry Potter, Dutch House, Anne Patchett, Elena Ferrante, Elmet by Fiona Musli, Cobalt Blue, The Travelling Cat Chronicles, Balzack and the Little Chinese Seamstress, Embroideries, Hamnet, The Marriage Portrait


Zencastr Offer Link: https://zen.ai/RyFqAp3Eu9MNOFMmxzuy27Zh1S6TcJuGEEiK4pTHopo

Use Code CLOSETWRITER to get 30% off!

Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Nov 25, 202301:27:11
Reviewing Stories: Books & Films ft. Aditya Mani Jha, Deepanjana Pal & Suchin Mehrotra

Reviewing Stories: Books & Films ft. Aditya Mani Jha, Deepanjana Pal & Suchin Mehrotra

It’s our bonus episode and we’re talking all things reviews, books & films! What is the difference between a reviewer and critic? How do you stay objective while reviewing a story? All this and a lot more on this informative and fun chat with some of the best in their fields. Tune in!

Aditya Mani Jha is currently a freelance writer but has been Books Editor at The Hindu Business Line in the past, and Commissioning Editor at Penguin Random House India. You can find his articles on books and films in India Today, Mint Lounge, Open magazine and several other publications.

Deepanjana Pal is a culture critic, writer and podcaster. She has worked with Time Out Mumbai, Elle, Newslaundry, and Hindustan Times to name a few. She is currently the Managing Editor at Film Companion.

Suchin Mehrotra is a critic and host of Streaming with Suchin and the podcast The Streaming Show. You’ll find his articles on Firstpost, Hindustan Times and other publications.

 

Mentions: Pauline Kale, Roger Ebert, Robert Gottlieb, Naresh Fernandez, Pratham Books, Bijal Vachrajani, Susan Sontag, Against Interpretation, Yellowface, Anurag Kashyap, Wes Anderson, Adipurush, Christopher Nolan, Kangana Ranaut, George Miller, Still Born, Guadalupe Nettel, The Sellout, Paul Beatty, Andrei Tarkovsky, Pedro Almodovar, Sculpting In Time, Maggie Nelson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nadine Labaki, Chup by R.Balki, Richard Ford, Colson Whitehead, The Human Stain by Philip Roth


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Oct 07, 202301:52:24
Ayush Handa: Phoenix Symphony

Ayush Handa: Phoenix Symphony

Trigger Warning: Addiction


The episode opens with Ayush talking about what creativity means to him. Ayush shares how he started playing piano and how he cultivated his interest in music. He talks about his various pursuits as a creative - composing, singing, songwriting, and playing piano. He gives his perspective on the music industry and shares some interesting facts. We talk about his newfound interest in investment advisory services and how he set up hist music studio during the pandemic. Later, he shares his experience with addiction, what he wished someone had told him and a possible book on the same. The episode ends with a song written, sung & composed by Ayush called 'Mehfil'.


Ayush Handa better known by his stage name, 'Handa' is a singer, songwriter, music composer, & session pianist. He is also a co-founder at Flip Studios. Ayush and his music has been featured by Rolling Stone India, Rock Street Journal, Apple Music, Spotify and more. You can find him on Instagram @handamusicofficial


Sangeetha Menon a.k.a.The Moody Marshmallow is a writer, editor and podcaster. She currently handles the rights portfolio at Tulika Publishers, where she finds new avenues for stories to travel. She has worked with organisations like Bound, Karadi Tales, and Carve Magazine to name a few. You can find her on Instagram: @marshmallow.musings and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menonsangeetha/


Mentions: Yamaha, My Little Pony, Classical Music, Trinity, Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Led Zeppelin, Spotify, The Weeknd, Coldplay, Radiohead, J Paul, Max Martin, Adele, Ed Sheeran, Amit Trivedi, Dev D, Trent Reznor, AR Rahman, Taylor Swift, She Wants Revenge, Amit Sana, Indian Idol


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Song:

Mehfil by Handa


Intro & Outro Music: Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Apr 29, 202301:20:18
Nikhil Menon: Writing & Future Technology

Nikhil Menon: Writing & Future Technology

The episode opens with Nikhil talking about what writing means to him. He shares how he got into writing and his creative influences. We chat about how he decided to pursue a career as a writer, his first screenplay for a Malayalam movie, dealing with a setback, and how he moved into writing about future technology. He shares his thoughts on AI replacing writers and his perspective on ghostwriting. The episode ends with an article on future technology replacing jobs written and narrated by Nikhil.


Nikhil Menon is a professional Content Developer specialising in future technology. He has delivered thought-leadership articles and ghost-written pieces for a couple of Fortune-500 organisations as well. He helped develop the content for 'Sophia - the Humanoid robot' for an event, and has written a portion of a speech for the Hon' Prime Minister of Mauritius (H.H Pravind Jugnauth). In 2016, he wrote the screenplay for the Malayalam film Vilakkumaram. He has published articles on diverse topics revolving around Big Data, HR-Tech, ITeS, Blockchain, FinTech, AI-ML and Applied Robotics. You can find him on Instagram @nikhilvijaymenon


Sangeetha Menon a.k.a. 'The Moody Marshmallow' is a writer, editor and podcaster. She currently handles the rights portfolio at Tulika Publishers, where she finds new avenues for stories to travel. She has worked with organisations like Bound, Karadi Tales, and Carve Magazine to name a few. You can find her on Instagram: @marshmallow.musings and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menonsangeetha/


Mentions: Cambridge Young Learners, Stephen King, Pet Sematary, The Godfather, Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola, Titanic, James Cameron, RocknRolla, Guy Ritchie, Romancham, Evan Luthra, Terminator, WALL-E, Grammarly, Ex Machina, H.P. Lovecraft, Call Of Cthulhu, The Broken Flute, Sharada Dwivedi, Rocky Soraya, Carrie, Necronomicon, Vaikom Muhammad Basheer, The Sopranos, David Chase, William Strunk Jr., Sidney Sheldon, Chetan Bhagat, Two States, Five Point Someone, Shashi Tharoor


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Apr 15, 202301:26:56
Sanaa Mariam: Cinema Is Forever

Sanaa Mariam: Cinema Is Forever

The episode opens with Sanaa talking about what storytelling means to her. Sanaa shares her early memories of being creative and how the film bug bit her. She talks about how she always knew she wanted to be a director and her decision to study film. She shares how she joined Madras Talkies, what her journey has been like and how working with Mani Ratnam has shaped her as a creative. Later, we talk about the Ponniyin Selvan movies, book to screen adaptations and remakes. The episode ends with a script written and narrated by Sanaa.


Sanaa Mariam is a writer and aspiring director! She did her Bachelor of Arts in Film from the Putnam School of Film at Lasalle, Singapore and went on to work with Madras Talkies. She has worked on films like Chekka Chevantha Vaanam, and the Ponniyin Selvan movies. She has also worked on short films like ‘Bloom’ and ‘A Short Film On Raghu & Nalini’. You can find her on Instagram @sanaa_mariam

Sangeetha Menon a.k.a.The Moody Marshmallow is a writer, editor and podcaster. She currently handles the rights portfolio at Tulika Publishers, where she finds new avenues for stories to travel. She has worked with organisations like Bound, Karadi Tales, and Carve Magazine to name a few. You can find her on Instagram: @marshmallow.musings and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menonsangeetha/


Mentions: Virginia Woolf, Shakespeare, Khalid Hosseini, A Thousand Splendid Suns, Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte, Wong Kar-Wai, Chungking Express, Richard Linklater, Before Sunrise, Noah Baumbach, Frances Ha, Marriage Story, Dune, Denis Villeneuve, Terrence Malick, Song To Song, Martin Scorcese, Woody Allen, Little Women, Louisa May Alcott, Greta Gerwig, Chekka Chivantha Vaanam, Madras Talkies, Mani Ratnam, Ponniyin Selvan, Kalaki, PS-1, PS-2, Marvel, Game Of Thrones, Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Whale, Oonga, Devashish Makhijja, Anurag Kashyap, Devdas, Sanjay Leela Bhansali


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Apr 08, 202301:09:55
Kuriakose Vaisian: Finding The Fun & The Funny

Kuriakose Vaisian: Finding The Fun & The Funny

The episode opens with Kuriakose talking about what writing and creativity means to him. We talk about his earliest memory of being creative, how he started writing and decided to pursue a creative career. He talks about being a journalist, content creator and then becoming the editor-in-chief at Tinkle Comics during the pandemic! We chat about his move to the Netherlands and his love for stand-up comedy. He goes on to share his journey with stand-up and what he hopes to achieve. Later, we talk about his different creative influences and his entrepreneurial venture! The episode closes with an article written and narrated by Kuriakose.


Kuriakose Vaisian is a writer, content creator and stand-up comic. He initially worked as a journalist, writing on lifestyle and culture, and designing content websites. His writing has been published by The Times of India, Financial Chronicle, The Week and Maxim to name a few. He has a BA Honours in History from St.Stephen's College, Delhi and went on to study digital direction at the Film & Television Institute of India. He has worked in film and has also been an entrepreneur. Later, he went on to work with Amar Chitra Katha and became editor-in-chief at Tinkle Comics. He currently resides in the Netherlands, working as a copywriter and pursuing stand-up comedy. P.S. - He appeared on Comedy Central's Sterling Reserve Comedy Project and was the runner-up! You can find him on Instagram @thatsouthindiancomic or find more on his website: https://www.kuriakosegetscreative.com/


Sangeetha Menon a.k.a.The Moody Marshmallow is a writer, editor and podcaster. She currently handles the rights portfolio at Tulika Publishers, where she finds new avenues for stories to travel. She has worked with organisations like Bound, Karadi Tales, and Carve Magazine to name a few. You can find her on Instagram: @marshmallow.musings and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menonsangeetha/


Mentions: Tinkle, Amar Chitra Katha, National Geographic, Planet Of The Apes, The Hindu, Maxim, Network 18, Deccan Chronicle, Times Of India, New Indian Express, Abish Mathew, Kunal Kamra, Russell Peters, Chris Rock, Eddie Murphy, Naveen Richard, Chetan Bhagat, Manorama, Killikum, Rude Bastards, Archie’s, Calvin & Hobbes, Garfield, Enid Blyton, Famous Five, Secret Seven, C.S. Lewis, Frank Miller, Kalabhavan, Star Wars, Star Trek, Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, Small Wonder

Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

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Produced By White Hot

Apr 01, 202301:25:57
Andrew Prashanth (CG Salamander) : An Origin Story

Andrew Prashanth (CG Salamander) : An Origin Story

The episode opens with Andrew talking about why he loves the comic book format and what creativity means to him. We talk about how he decided to become a writer. Andrew shares his early days of studying engineering and deciding to make the jump to writing. He talks about taking up the job of a tour guide and how that's helped his writing. He talks about why he decided on the pen name CG Salamander and his plans to write under his own name one day. He talks about his creative partnership with Rajiv Eipe and his hopes for taking his books to new media. We also talk about children's literature, comics, graphic novels and more! The episode ends with Andrew narrating excerpts from his book, 'Nisha Small: The Knot Of Gold'.

Andrew Prashanth, better known as CG Salamander is a an award winning writer, comic journalist and editor. He has written books like the Maithili And The Minotaur series, Nisha Small, Moodunnit and more. He is currently based in the Netherlands as a Commissioning Editor for Springer Nature Group, and has previously worked with Pratham Books, Pearson and the Jellyfish Monthly. Before all this, he studied engineering and worked as a tour guide with Story Trails. You can find him on Instagram @cgsalamander


Sangeetha Menon a.k.a.The Moody Marshmallow is a writer, editor and podcaster. She currently handles the rights portfolio at Tulika Publishers, where she finds new avenues for stories to travel. She has worked with organisations like Bound, Karadi Tales, and Carve Magazine to name a few. You can find her on Instagram: @marshmallow.musings and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menonsangeetha/


Mentions: Manga, Terry Pratchett, Goosebumps, R.L.Stine, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Animax, K TV, Inuyasha, Fullmetal Alchemist, Cardcaptor Sakura, Detective School Q, Ranma 1/2, Death Note, One Piece, Tom And Jerry, George Orwell, Parry’s Corner, Armenian Church, Hachette, Helter Skelter, Shah Rukh Khan, Oprah, Notion Press, Pratham Books, Lincoln In The Bardo, George Saunders, Sangam Literature, Rajiv Eipe

Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

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Mar 18, 202301:24:48
Meghaa Gupta: Green Literature & Children's Books

Meghaa Gupta: Green Literature & Children's Books

The episode opens with Meghaa talking about what writing means to her. She shares how she started writing and her creative influences. We talk about publishing, rights management and book to screen adaptations. Later, we chat about her interest in children's books with a specialised focus on green literature. The episode ends with Meghaa narrating excerpts from her book 'After Midnight'.


Meghaa Gupta is an author and festival curator! In 2018, she made her foray into children's writing with the award-winning picture book, A Home of Our Own, and in 2020, the children's imprint of Penguin Random House India published Unearthed: An Environmental History of Independent India. It's the first book in a widely-acclaimed, unique series of history books on Independent India for young and lay readers, that have been endorsed by Ramachandra Guha, Manu S Pillai, Bittu Sahgal, Tripurdaman Singh and Disha Shetty among others. She’s previously worked with Tulika Publishers, the Times Group and Singapore Press Holdings. Currently, Meghaa is pursuing her MA in Environmental Humanities from Bath Spa University. She is also the co-founder of the Green Literature Festival in India. 


Sangeetha Menon a.k.a.The Moody Marshmallow is a writer, editor and podcaster. She currently handles the rights portfolio at Tulika Publishers, where she finds new avenues for stories to travel. She has worked with organisations like Bound, Karadi Tales, and Carve Magazine to name a few. You can find her on Instagram: @marshmallow.musings and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menonsangeetha/


Mentions: Journaling, Times Of India, Tulika Publishers, A Home Of Our Own, Radhika Menon, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Tenali Raman, Chhota Bheem, David Godwin, Arundhati Roy, Booker Prize, Aangan, The Women’s Courtyard, Khathija Mastoor, Harry Potter, Ruskin Bond, Roald Dahl, Subhadra Sen Gupta, Paro Anand, India After Gandhi, Ramchandra Guha, Penguin Random House, Puffin Books, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Khalil Gibran, The Prophet, Katherine Rundell, Karan Mahajan, Family Planning, The Lady And The Monk, Pico Iyer, Everybody Loves A Good Draught, P.Sainath, This Fissured Land, Madhav Gadgil


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

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Produced By White Hot

Feb 18, 202301:25:27
Shasvathi Siva: Claiming Your Narrative

Shasvathi Siva: Claiming Your Narrative

The episode opens with Shasvathi talking about what writing means to her. We talk about her earliest memories of being creative, her first piece of writing and her creative influences. Shasvathi takes us through her choice of taking up a career in marketing & advertising. We also talk about AI and ChatGPT's influence on marketing, today. Shasvathi shares her entrepreneurial journey with Cowvathi and her hopes of resuming it. Later, we talk about her work with advocating for normalisation of divorce and her book on the same theme. The episode ends with an excerpt of an article written & narrated by Shasvathi.


Shasvathi Siva is a writer, activist, and a marketing professional. She has previously worked agencies like Media2Win, Gozoop and 22 Feet Tribal Worldwide. She has also been an entrepreneur with her vegan venture Cowvathi. Shasvathi is currently writing her first book soon to be published by Penguin Random House India. You can find her on Instagram @shasvathi


Sangeetha Menon a.k.a.The Moody Marshmallow is a writer, editor and podcaster. She currently handles the rights portfolio at Tulika Publishers, where she finds new avenues for stories to travel. She has worked with organisations like Bound, Karadi Tales, and Carve Magazine to name a few. You can find her on Instagram: @marshmallow.musings and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menonsangeetha/


Mentions: Margazhi, Calvin and Hobbes, Not Without My Daughter, Betty Mahmoody, Harry Potter, A Man Called Ove, Fredrick Backman, Enid Blyton, Sidney Sheldon, Roald Dahl, Tintin, Herge, Archie’s, Tinkle, Septimus Heap, Angie Sage, Chappal Maarungi, The New York Times, Sumanto Chattopadhyay, Ogilvy, ChatGPT, Desparately Seeking Shah Rukh


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles


Music:

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Produced By White Hot

Feb 11, 202301:28:40
Pragya Bhagat: Living Limitlessly

Pragya Bhagat: Living Limitlessly

The episode opens with Pragya talking about what writing & creativity mean to her. We chat about how she got into writing professionally and her earliest memories of being creative. She shares her take on belonging & identity. We delve into how she wrote both her memoirs and get an insight to her writing process. Later, she opens up about her relationship with body image and mental health. The episode ends with Pragya reading an excerpt from her memoir, 'Swimming In Our Oceans'.


Pragya Bhagat is an award-winning essayist and spoken word poet. Her work has been featured in BBC, The Wire, Muse India, the Huffington Post, Helter Skelter, and many more publications. She is the author of two memoirs: Yarn and Swimming In Our Oceans. Before all this, Pragya was a Biology major at the University of Texas, Austin and she went on to do a Master’s in Dalit and Tribal Social Work from Tata Institute of Social Sciences. You can find her on Instagram @bhagatpragya


Sangeetha Menon a.k.a.The Moody Marshmallow is a writer, editor and podcaster. She currently handles the rights portfolio at Tulika Publishers, where she finds new avenues for stories to travel. She has worked with organisations like Bound, Karadi Tales, and Carve Magazine to name a few. You can find her on Instagram: @marshmallow.musings and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menonsangeetha/


Mentions: Journalling, The Alipore Post, Dr. Seuss, Green Eggs And Ham, Madeline L’Engle, A Wrinkle In Time, Sarah Kay, Staceyann Chin, Flowers For Algernon, Daniel Keyes, Narcissus And Goldmund, Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha, Kendrick Lamar, Damn, Breaking Bad, University Of Texas, Austin, Earnest Hemingway, Alok Vaid Menon, Kommune India, Yarn, Swimming In Our Oceans, Zubaan Books, The Second Sex, Simone De Beauvoir, Borderline Personality, Misophonia, Yoga, Joan Didion


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Feb 04, 202301:11:40
New Episodes Streaming Soon!

New Episodes Streaming Soon!

Happy New Year! It's been a minute but I hope you're refreshed and ready for all new chronicles & guests. Season 2 resumes streaming from this weekend. Want to know who's being interviewed? Listen to this to get a hint. Talk real soon!


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Feb 01, 202301:05
Prathyush Parasuraman: Making Of A Maverick

Prathyush Parasuraman: Making Of A Maverick

It's our mid-season finale and I'm talking to Prathyush Parasuraman! The episode opens with Prathyush talking about what creativity and storytelling means to him. We chat about his career from pursuing a PhD in Economics to a dramatic move to Mumbai to pursue a career in writing. He shares his earliest memories of being creative and his influences. We also talk about books and movies! Later, he talks about his relationship with gender and sexuality. The episode ends with a fun rapid fire and an excerpt from a story written & narrated by Prathyush.


Prathyush Parasuraman is a culture writer & film critic. He has been published by Film Companion, First Post and The Hindu. He has also assisted with research for the book Queeristan by Parmesh Shahani. He has graduated with a B.A. in Economics and South Asian Studies from the University of California, Berkley and has worked with the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL). You can find him on Instagram @yush_azure and Twitter @geekoutyush


Sangeetha Menon a.k.a.The Moody Marshmallow is a writer, editor and podcaster. She currently handles the rights portfolio at Tulika Publishers, where she finds new avenues for stories to travel. She has worked with organisations like Bound, Karadi Tales, and Carve Magazine to name a few. You can find her on Instagram: @marshmallow.musings and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menonsangeetha/


Mentions: Shri Krishna, Tamil Nadu, Madurai, Saawariya, Om Shanti Om, Zohra Sehgal, Bangalore Days, Sita Ramam, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, The Sense Of An Ending, Julian Barnes, Midnight’s Children, Salman Rushdie, Anita Desai, Harry Potter, Roald Dahl, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, In Custody, Fasting Feasting, Parul Sehgal, The New York Times, The New Yorker, Jerry Pinto, The Education Of Yuri, Kalank, Film Companion, Queeristan, Parmesh Shahani, Arundathi Roy, To Paradise, Hanya Yanahigara, Liger, Qala, Netflix, Jhumpa Lahiri, Name Place Animal Thing, JCB Prize, Lootera, Monica Oh My Darling, A Suitable Boy, Ali Sethi


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Dec 20, 202201:30:05
Sumanto Chattopadhyay: Living Creatively

Sumanto Chattopadhyay: Living Creatively

The episode opens with Sumanto's thoughts on storytelling. He shares how he ended up getting three academic degrees and some really fun anecdotes from his days as a university student. Later we talk about his time in advertising and some of the projects he's worked on. He talks about retirement and how he continues to find things he wants to work on. We chat about his passion project, 'The English Nut', his book and his plans of acting on screen! The episode ends with an excerpt from a short story written & narrated by Sumanto.


Sumanto Chattopadhyay is a creative consultant and the creator of ‘The English Nut’, a platform that highlights interesting facts about the English language! He is the former chairman & chief creative officer of 82.5 Communications, Ogilvy Group, and he was the executive creative director, of Ogilvy, South Asia. He is also an actor and is currently in the process of writing his first book. He has a Bachelor's in Economics and two Master's degrees - one in applied mathematics and the second being an MBA! You can find him on Instagram @theenglishnut and YouTube @TheEnglishNut


Sangeetha Menon a.k.a.The Moody Marshmallow is a writer, editor and podcaster. She currently handles the rights portfolio at Tulika Publishers, where she finds new avenues for stories to travel. She has worked with organisations like Bound, Karadi Tales, and Carve Magazine to name a few. You can find her on Instagram: @marshmallow.musings and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menonsangeetha/


Mentions: Rabindranath Tagore, Sound Of Music, Sukumar Ray, Abol Tabol, Satyajit Ray, IIM, Emily Wapnick, Raymond’s, Rahul Bose, White Light, IAPA, The Promise by Damon Galgut, Hamnet by Maggie O Farrel, Hamlet by Shakespeare, magic realism, Piyush Pandey, TEDx, Boman Irani, Chaar Adhyay, Is Raat Hi Subah Nahi Hogi, Sudhir Mishra, Buddha, Juhi Chaturvedi, Soojit Sarkar, Mousetrap, Agatha Christie, Berea College, McGill University, Clemson University


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Dec 03, 202201:11:04
Saraswathi Menon (SARAS): Creating Your Own Legacy

Saraswathi Menon (SARAS): Creating Your Own Legacy

This week's chronicle is Saraswathi Menon! We talk about how she chose to enter the media industry and talks about misconceptions people have about this space of work. She also shares how family has been influential towards her creative journey. Saras shares her experience on different projects and her current role as a creative producer and an emerging actress. We exchange our views on social media and talk about creative burnout. Later, Saras talks about her relationship with body image. The episode ends with two pieces written and narrated by Saras.


Saraswathi Menon is a writer, director, actress, dancer & singer! She has been associated with projects like Padmaavat, Mudhal Nee Mudivum Nee, Navarasam, Kallapart, Kadhal Kirukkan and others. She currently works as a creative producer at The Viral Fever and is also associated with Mindscreen Film Institute. You can find her on Instagram @sarasmenon


Sangeetha Menon a.k.a.The Moody Marshmallow is a writer, editor and podcaster. She currently handles the rights portfolio at Tulika Publishers, where she finds new avenues for stories to travel. She has worked with organisations like Bound, Karadi Tales, and Carve Magazine to name a few. You can find her on Instagram: @marshmallow.musings and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menonsangeetha/


Mentions: Bharathanatyam, Last Leaf by O Henry, Minsaru Kanavu, Rajiv Menon, Dil Se, Kannathil Muthamittal, Mindscreen Film Institute, NIFT, Prakriti Foundation, Padmaavat, The Viral Fever, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorcese, Promising Young Woman, Coke Studio, Mame Khan, Rohail Hyatt, Carnatic Music, Hindustani Music, Whale Rider, Rabindranath Tagore, The Lover’s Gift, Sukumar Ray, Satyajit Ray, PCOS, Ayurveda, Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down by Haemin Sunim


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Nov 27, 202201:25:36
Shivangi Patankar: Being Open To The Flow Of Life

Shivangi Patankar: Being Open To The Flow Of Life

The episode opens with Shivangi talking about what writing & creativity mean to her. Shivangi shares her earliest memories of being creative and how travel and listening to stories from her mother influenced her. She shares her journey from being a student of Zoology to working in retail to content writing! Shivangi talks about her life after having moved to U.S.A. and finding solace in learning Spanish. She also talks about her time at Jericho and her current writing project - a picture book for children! Later, she shares some of her favourite stories and writers. The episode ends with a few pieces written & narrated by Shivangi.


Shivangi is a writer, having worked in content writing and animation scripting in the edu-tech space. She is currently working on a picture book for children. Before all this, She has been a Spanish instructor, worked in retail and has been a student of Zoology!


Sangeetha Menon a.k.a.The Moody Marshmallow is a writer, editor and podcaster. She currently handles the rights portfolio at Tulika Publishers, where she finds new avenues for stories to travel. She has worked with organisations like Bound, Karadi Tales, and Carve Magazine to name a few. You can find her on Instagram: @marshmallow.musings and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menonsangeetha/


Mentions: Wildlife Institute of India, Himalayas, Category Management, Six Sigma, Kaizen, Who Moved My Cheese, University Of California, Language Learning, Times Of India, Vedantu, UCSD, ISB, Data Analytics, Jericho Writing UK, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Pablo Neruda, Ricky Martin, Shakira, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Zoya Akhtar, Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer, Heidi, Malgudi Days, Dale Carnegie, Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged, A Search Into Secret India by Paul Brunton, Katha Sarita Sagara by Somdev, Panchatantra, Granta


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - themoodymarshmallow@gmail.com


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Nov 19, 202255:41
Krishna Trilok: Part 2 - Writing Your Own Story

Krishna Trilok: Part 2 - Writing Your Own Story

In part 2, we continue the conversation on Krishna's career path. He talks about why he decided to go to university in the middle of a thriving career to study and about his unabashed love for fashion! The episode ends with a piece written & narrated by Krishna.


Krishna Trilok is a professional writer. He has authored the Indian fantasy novel Sharikrida and the official biography of two-time Oscar winning composer A.R.Rahman. Krishna has also worked as a financial journalist and copywriter. He recently graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a MFA in Creative Writing. You can find him on Instagram @krishnatrilok


Sangeetha Menon a.k.a.The Moody Marshmallow is a writer, editor and podcaster. She currently handles the rights portfolio at Tulika Publishers, where she finds new avenues for stories to travel. She has worked with organisations like Bound, Karadi Tales, and Carve Magazine to name a few. You can find her on Instagram: @marshmallow.musings and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menonsangeetha/


Mentions: A.R.Rahman, Keigo Higashino, Khalid Hosseini, The Lion King, Harry Potter, Little Women, Sharikrida, Lord Of The Rings, Notes Of A Dream, 99 Songs, Bhagavad Gita, Asian College of Journalism, Steve Jobs, Leonardo Da Vinci, Michael Jackson, James Cameron, Penguin Random House, Savanna College Of Art And Design, Vogue, Elle, The Devil Wears Prada, Meryl Streep


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Nov 13, 202250:08
Krishna Trilok: Part 1 - Writing Your Own Story

Krishna Trilok: Part 1 - Writing Your Own Story

The episode opens with Krishna talking about what writing & storytelling means to him. He shares how he started writing and his relationship with reading. Krishna shares about his two books Sharikrida and Notes of A Dream and we chat about a TED Talk he had done. We also talk about his career trajectory and going with the flow.


Krishna Trilok is a professional writer. He has authored the Indian fantasy novel Sharikrida and the official biography of two-time Oscar winning composer A.R.Rahman. Krishna has also worked as a financial journalist and copywriter. He recently graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a MFA in Creative Writing. You can find him on Instagram @krishnatrilok


Sangeetha Menon a.k.a.The Moody Marshmallow is a writer, editor and podcaster. She currently handles the rights portfolio at Tulika Publishers, where she finds new avenues for stories to travel. She has worked with organisations like Bound, Karadi Tales, and Carve Magazine to name a few. You can find her on Instagram: @marshmallow.musings and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menonsangeetha/


Mentions: A.R.Rahman, Keigo Higashino, Khalid Hosseini, The Lion King, Harry Potter, Little Women, Sharikrida, Lord Of The Rings, Notes Of A Dream, 99 Songs, Bhagavad Gita, Asian College of Journalism, Steve Jobs, Leonardo Da Vinci, Michael Jackson, James Cameron, Penguin Random House, Savanna College Of Art And Design, Vogue, Elle, The Devil Wears Prada, Meryl Streep


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Nov 13, 202253:19
Vishal Vasanth: The Culture & Politics Of Education

Vishal Vasanth: The Culture & Politics Of Education

The episode opens with Vishal talking about what writing means to him. We talk about how he went from engineering to a career in education, from having a start-up to being a political consultant for the DMK to now setting up Model Schools in Tamil Nadu. He also shares his experience of studying at Harvard and his take on education systems. Vishal talks about a book he's written on how education and culture influence each other along with sharing other projects he's looking to work on - a book on biryani & caste and an essay on moustaches! The episode ends with Vishal reading an excerpt from his book.


Vishal currently works with the Madhi Foundation as a Senior Manager, helping the Government of Tamil Nadu implement Model Schools in each District. He is a graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Education with a Masters in International Education Policy and has previously worked as a political consultant for the DMK, helping strategise and design their campaigns for the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections. Vishal has just finished his first book "The Smart & The Dumb: Stories on the Politics and Purposes of Education in India" which is a collection of narrative non-fiction stories that portray how education affects culture and vice versa. You can find him on Instagram @vishalvasanth


Sangeetha Menon a.k.a.The Moody Marshmallow is a writer, editor and podcaster. She currently handles the rights portfolio at Tulika Publishers, where she finds new avenues for stories to travel. She has worked with organisations like Bound, Karadi Tales, and Carve Magazine to name a few. You can find her on Instagram: @marshmallow.musings and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menonsangeetha/


Mentions: Perumal Murugan, Jaymohan, Video Mariamman and Other Stories, Samanth Subramanian, Following Fish, Kavitha Rao, Journo Hardy, Onam In A Nightie by Anjana Menon, Shadow City by Taran Khan, Sangam literature, Harvard, Sahitya Akademi, Ramachandra Guha, Janaki Nair


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Oct 22, 202201:06:42
Yashika Doshi: Seeking Home

Yashika Doshi: Seeking Home

The episode opens with Yashika talking about what writing means to her. She talks about how she started writing and creating her Instagram page. We chat about social media and the different media available for content creation. Yashika talks about how she decided to become an economist and shares some of her favourite writers. We later have a heart to heart on what goes one behind the scenes for us as writers. The episode ends with poetry written and narrated by Yashika.


Yashika Doshi is a writer and economist. She recently finished her Msc. Economics degree from the University of Nottingham and works as an associate with Artha Global. She is also a freelance writer with The Remnant Archive and runs a podcast called ‘Confessions from a Poet’s Heart’. You can find her on Instagram @in_the_name_of_writing


Sangeetha Menon a.k.a.The Moody Marshmallow is a writer, editor and podcaster. She currently handles the rights portfolio at Tulika Publishers, where she finds new avenues for stories to travel. She has worked with organisations like Bound, Karadi Tales, and Carve Magazine to name a few. You can find her on Instagram: @marshmallow.musings and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menonsangeetha/


Mentions: Spoken word, Regional language writing, Remanant Archive, Meraki, Canva, Megha Rao, Joel, Emily Henry, Khalid Hosseini, Chitra Banerjee, Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts, Sydney Sheldon, Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl, Sudha Murthy, Freakanomics, Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh by Shrayana Bhatacharya, Rupi Kaur, Atticus, Shakespeare, Byron


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Oct 08, 202201:11:33
Manick Vennimalai (Dr. Maniak): Finding Your Groove

Manick Vennimalai (Dr. Maniak): Finding Your Groove

The episode opens with Manick talking about what music means to him. He talks about his professional journey as an engineer and how he's managed to find a space he wants to explore. We chat about how he started DJing and the origin story of 'Dr. Maniak.' Manick gets into the nitty gritties of being a DJ, what really goes into it and how he's carving a space for himself in this field. He goes on to talk about his future plans. The episode ends with a sample beat created by Manick.


Manick Vennimalai is an engineer by education and profession. Graduating with a bachelors in Mechanical Engineering from the College of Engineering Guindy, Chennai, he (like many others) found his path migrating towards the IT field. After a few years of working in the Healthcare IT industry as a software developer, he decided to take the plunge and self-educate himself in the field of Machine Learning (vis-a-vis Artificial Intelligence) subsequently landing a job as a Machine Learning Engineer and working under IIT-Madras professors for 2 years. Manick is now in the process of acquiring two Masters degrees, one based in the US (Georgia Tech) being done remotely, and one based in the UK - (Southampton Uni) that is set to start in September 2022. Manick moonlights as Dr. Maniak, a DJ that aims to serve snappy, uplifting and non-conventional electronic music. You can find him on Instagram @drmaniak


Sangeetha Menon a.k.a.The Moody Marshmallow is a writer, editor and podcaster. She currently handles the rights portfolio at Tulika Publishers, where she finds new avenues for stories to travel. She has worked with organisations like Bound, Karadi Tales, and Carve Magazine to name a few. You can find her on Instagram: @marshmallow.musings and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menonsangeetha/


Mentions: The Artificial Intelligence Podcast, The Morning Brew, Build For Tomorrow, The Pessimist’s Archive, Vsauce, Mark Rober, DIY Perks, Action Lab, Stuff Made Here, Jazz, R&B, Benny Dayal, Echoes Of Earth, Fur Coat, Solomun, Nina Kraviz, Covelong Festival, Java, Python, Udemy, Coursera, Deep Learning, Machine Learning, Atomic Habits by James Clear


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot2

Oct 01, 202201:11:20
Rohini Kejriwal: Creating Sparks Of Joy

Rohini Kejriwal: Creating Sparks Of Joy

The episode opens with Rohini talking about what creativity means to her. We talk about her journey with The Alipore Post and the community she has built around it. Rohini talks about some of her projects and collaborations - Hoovu Finds, Dear Jasmine, Chitti Exchange and more! She shares how she deals with creative burnout. Later she talks about her experience with being diagnosed and living with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). The episode ends with a poem written & narrated by Rohini.


Rohini Kejriwal is an independent writer, poet and artist based out of Bangalore, India. She enjoys flowers, coffee, doodling and hanging out at park. She is the founder of The Alipore Post, a weekly newsletter on art, poetry and creativity. You can find her work in publications like Hyperallergic, Scroll, FirstPost, The Quint, Red Bull India and others. You can follow her on Instagram @woohoochild and @thealiporepost


Sangeetha Menon a.k.a.The Moody Marshmallow is a writer, editor and podcaster. She currently handles the rights portfolio at Tulika Publishers, where she finds new avenues for stories to travel. She has worked with organisations like Bound, Karadi Tales, and Carve Magazine to name a few. You can find her on Instagram: @marshmallow.musings and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menonsangeetha/


Mentions: Spike Milligan, Oddity and Light, Sarojni Naidu, H.W. Longfellow, Tenneson, Tumblr, Inktober, NaPoWriMo, Notion, Hoovu Finds, Arena, Feegly, Dear Jasmine, Chitti Exchange, Hoovu, Elizabeth Gilbert, Mubi, Niyogi Books, Notion, Buffer


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

Email - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Sep 24, 202201:20:37
Curtain Raiser: Musings Of A Moody Marshmallow (Vol.2)

Curtain Raiser: Musings Of A Moody Marshmallow (Vol.2)

BONUS EPISODE: Tune in to hear me answer some questions about the podcast, my journey as a podcaster and Season 2!

Nominated for Hubhopper Podcast Awards 2022 for 'Best Interview Podcast'!  

VOTE NOW: https://community.hubhopper.com/best-interview


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh

E-mail - theclosetwriterchronicles@gmail.com


Music:

Beat Provided By htps://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Sep 08, 202238:14
Hemangini Mandaliya: The Hedonist Writer

Hemangini Mandaliya: The Hedonist Writer

The episode opens with Hemangini talking about what writing means to her. We chat about her book and podcast, how she deals with creative burnout and her vision as a creator. Hemangini also shares how she came up with the name 'The Hedonist Writer' and the philosophy behind it. We also talk about other challenges she has faced on her journey of being a creator.

Hemangini Mandaliya is a jewellery designer, author, Illustrator & podcaster! She’s a gold medalist from NIFT Kangra, has written a poetry book called ‘We Remember’ and runs a podcast called ‘A Poetry Tribute’. You can find her on Instagram @thehedonistwriter


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

May 14, 202238:57
Shubh Tripathi (Bawal): The New Gully Boy On The Block

Shubh Tripathi (Bawal): The New Gully Boy On The Block

Note: This episode is in Hinglish. This week I chat with Shubh Tripathi a.k.a. Bawal! The episode opens with what creativity means to Shubh. We chat about how Bawal was born and his journey into rap. We also talk about the growing rap scene in India. Fun Fact: Spitfire introduced Shubh to the world of rap! Shubh later shares his connection and deep love for nature as he talks about his time working at the Indore Aviary. The episode closes with a poem written and narrated by Shubh.


Shubh Tripathi is a rapper who goes by the stage name Bawal. He is also a writer and actor and has worked with the Indore Zoo particularly the aviary and the Animal Rehabilitation & Protection Front. Shubh has composed a number of songs and has been featured by Brown Girl magazine and Rolling Stone India. You can find him on Instagram @shutupshubh


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

May 07, 202239:23
Dhwani Sabesh: A Family Recipe To Creativity

Dhwani Sabesh: A Family Recipe To Creativity

The episode opens with Dhwani talking about what storytelling means to her. She talks about how family has played a big role in her creative endeavours and how music, dance and theatre have helped shape her. Dhwani also shares some of her favourite books! We talk about her book, Paati's Rasam and the process of writing and publishing it. She shares what is was like to work with her mother (Janaki Sabesh) and her plans of writing more in the future. Dhwani also talks about her experience with vitiligo. The episode ends with a personal food essay written & narrated by Dhwani.


Dhwani is a Cloud Kitchen brand creator for a leading food delivery platform in India. A Young India Fellow from Ashoka University, she also studied Media & Culture at SOAS, University of London. In 2021, she turned children's author with 'Paati's Rasam', co-authored with Janaki Sabesh, published by Karadi tales.   She grew up watching her grandmother cook, and is passionate about her cooking, and all things food! She documents her culinary experiments on Instagram from time to time, on her handle @dhwanisabesh


Mentions: Masterchef, Sanjeev Kapur, Rakesh Sethi, Tarla Dalal, Masala Lab by Krish Ashok, Nigella Lawson, Young India Fellowship, The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery, Enid Blyton, Groggy Eyes, Karadi Tales, Tulika Books, The Blue Jackal, Winnie Harlow, Gina Davis, See Jane, Five Morsels of Love, The Tim Ferriss Show, Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, Purple Hibiscus by Chimamnda Ngozi Adichie, Em and The Big Hoom by Jerry Pinto


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Mar 27, 202201:12:06
Suchin Mehrotra: Becoming The Hero Of Your Own Film

Suchin Mehrotra: Becoming The Hero Of Your Own Film

The episode opens with Suchin talking about what writing & storytelling means to him. He talks about how he decided to leave his banking job to become a film journalist and how he landed at Film Companion. We discuss book to screen adaptations, film remakes and South Indian cinema (specifically Malayalam movies). Suchin also shares some of his life learnings and his views on the future of movies & OTT in India. The episode closes with an article written by Suchin for Firstpost on the 10th anniversary of the movie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.


Suchin Mehrotra is a film journalist who reviews the latest streaming releases on YouTube for Film Companion. He also writes and reviews for the Hindustan Times and  Firstpost, among other publications. He’s also worked as a Programme Coordinator at the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival and as an investment banker before all of that! An unabashed mainstream cinema lover, he sincerely believes that movies and storytelling can change the world. You can find him on Instagram & Twitter @suchin545


Mentions: Haider, Little Women, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, October, Vir Das, Rahul Desai, Baradhawaj Rangan, Anupama Chopra, Shah Rukh Khan, Mumbai Film Festival Young Critics Lab, Fahad Faasil, Ashiq Abu, Pushpa, Dulquer Salman, Nayattu, Netflix, Drishyam, Minnal Murali, Tovino Thomas, Naaradan, Bhramam, Prithviraj, Andha Dhun, No Entry, Squid Game, Rohit Shetty, Zoya Akhtar, Anubhav Sinha, Vijay Sethupati, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Vijay Devarkonda, Raj & DK, RRR, Sir, Axone, Neeraj Madhav, Koffee With Karan, Rocket Boys


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Mar 19, 202201:16:27
Roshni Raju Palepu: When Medicine Met Creative Thinking

Roshni Raju Palepu: When Medicine Met Creative Thinking

This week's chronicle is Roshni Raju Palepu. The episode opens with Roshni talking about what writing means to her. She talks about how she wanted to be a YouTube creator and ended up founding Med-Bites! Roshni talks about her creative influences and how music and dance have helped her with her business. She also shares her experience about becoming a mother during the pandemic and how she's been balancing work and home. The episode closes with a poem on motherhood written & narrated by Roshni.


Roshni Raju, the founder of MED-bites Pvt. Ltd., has a Bachelors in Human Health Sciences from Manipal University & American University of Antigua, and a Masters in Sonology from Crescent University. As a performing dancer and an artist, Roshni found her passion in simplifying medical content and presenting it in a creative medium. With a certification in Neuroscience in Marketing from IIM Ahmedabad, Roshni started MED-bites as a content production company focused on the medical and healthcare market. You can find Med-Bites on Instagram @medbites_official


Mentions: Dr Seuss, Osmosis Jones, Disney, The Magic School Bus, Bill Nye The Science Guy, M.A.D by Rob, Pogo, Minute Physics, ASAP Science, Sunny Bee, Surya Giri, Earth Sense Farms, YPO, Puffalope, Kuchipudi


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Mar 04, 202240:57
Saoirse: Lost In Translation

Saoirse: Lost In Translation

This week's chronicle is Saoirse. The episode opens with Saoirse sharing their thoughts on creativity. We talk about their journey with writing and how they decided and managed to make writing & editing their profession. They share their studies on colonisation and the English language and we also talk about how effective translation is in publishing. We talk about social media poetry, writer's block and things writers should keep in mind while building their craft. Saoirse also talks about their journey on identifying as non-binary. The episode ends with two poems written & narrated by Saoirse along with an excerpt from a piece they have edited.

Saoirse's name and passion are the same: freedom. As an exophonic writer, their academic interests revolve around linguistic power dynamics, especially in connection to the land. They are also a freelance editor and are currently associated with Oyster River Pages and The Winnow Magazine. You can find the on Twitter and Instagram @saoirseedits


Mentions: Doctor Who, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Gulzar, Archie’s, Booker Prize, Chetan Bhagat, Fatima Asgar, Khushwant Singh, Emily Wilson, Homer, Odyssey, Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky, Judith Butler, Ismat Chughtai, Devdutt Pattnaik


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Feb 26, 202201:15:41
Akshat Rajan: Part 2 - Stories Connect Everyone & Everything

Akshat Rajan: Part 2 - Stories Connect Everyone & Everything

This week's chronicle is Akshat Rajan. We have a heart to heart conversation about identity and the importance of understanding yourself. Akshat also shares some really cool resources that he derives inspiration from. Later we chat about social media and Akshat's relationship with it. He then shares about future projects he's working on. The episode ends with Akshat sharing quotes from speeches by speakers he has coached.


Akshat Rajan is a Storytelling Coach & Creative Consultant who has been involved in event curation & community development for about a decade. He has coached CEO’s, creatives & professors for speeches given at TED, TEDx, United Nations, Forbes, YPO, Toastmasters and many more organisations! He is currently working with his family group of construction & infrastructure companies – Gammon India. He is also an Investor, Writer and Influencer! You can find him on Instagram @akshatrajan


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Feb 19, 202254:29
Akshat Rajan: Part 1 - Coaching People Into Storytellers

Akshat Rajan: Part 1 - Coaching People Into Storytellers

This week's chronicle is Akshat Rajan. The episode opens with Akshat talking about what storytelling means to him. We chat about how he became a storytelling coach, his association with TED and what his future as a coach looks like. Akshat also shares his process for coaching speakers. Later we discuss qualities that make a good storyteller. 


You can listen to the rest of this conversation on Part 2 which is out now!


Akshat Rajan is a Storytelling Coach & Creative Consultant who has been involved in event curation & community development for about a decade. He has coached CEO’s, creatives & professors for speeches given at TED, TEDx, United Nations, Forbes, YPO, Toastmasters and many more organisations! He is currently working with his family group of construction & infrastructure companies – Gammon India. He is also an Investor, Writer and Influencer! You can find him on Instagram @akshatrajan


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Feb 19, 202235:53
Lakshya Datta: The Story Behind The Voice Of Romance

Lakshya Datta: The Story Behind The Voice Of Romance

This week's chronicle is Lakshya Datta. The episode opens with Lakshya talking about what storytelling means to him. We chat about how he started writing and what led him to found Launchora. He shares his journey as a podcaster and also talks about things creators should keep in mind while making content. Lakshya shares some of his inspirations, what he loves about love stories and talks about a novel he's been writing and what he plans to do with it. We finish with a fun rapid fire round and the episode ends with an excerpt from an audio show written & produced by Lakshya.


Lakshya Datta is the Founder & CEO of Launchora, a storytelling community & narrative podcast company. Launchora is home to over 240K storytellers and over 14 million readers! Before that, he used to work with M&A Advisory firms and was a Lecturer of Finance! Today, Lakshya is best know for his Hindi language fiction podcasts around romance and has been featured on top podcasts lists by Jio Saavn and GQ! You can find him on Instagram @lakshya.d


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh


Music for The Closet Writer Chronicles:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot


Note: Part 1 of One More Night with Meera has been written and produced by Lakshya Datta who has allowed it to be a part of this episode of The Closet Writer Chronicles.

Feb 12, 202201:13:51
Michelle D'Costa: From Corporate To Creative & Everything In Between

Michelle D'Costa: From Corporate To Creative & Everything In Between

The episode opens with Michelle talking about writing and creativity. She shares how she got into reading and how that inspired her to start writing. We chat about how she decided to take the plunge from a corporate career to a creative one and discuss her journey with identity. Michelle shares some of her favourite books and authors and also talks about points that writers should keep in mind while building their craft. We also talk about rejection and the allure to portray a perfect life on social media. The episode closes with an excerpt from a short story written & narrated by Michelle.


Michelle D'costa is a writer and editor from Mumbai. She was born and raised in Bahrain. Gulf (Yavanika Press, 2021) is her debut poetry chapbook. She is currently the Managing Editor at Bound and co-hosts the author interview podcast Books and Beyond With Bound.  Her fiction and poetry can be found in several journals like Litro UK, Berfrois, Out Of Print, The Bombay Literary Magazine and many more. Her poetry was longlisted for the TOTO Award For Creative Writing (2021). She loves teaching and mentoring writers. You can find her on Instagram and Twitter @michellewdcosta


Mentions: The Days of Abandonment by Elena Ferrante, Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates, The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart, Anjum Hasan, Jahnavi Barua, Janice Pariat, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, Kazuo Ishiguro


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Feb 05, 202259:09
Samyuktha Vibhu: Finding The Intersection Of Finance & Creativity

Samyuktha Vibhu: Finding The Intersection Of Finance & Creativity

The episode opens with Samyuktha talking about what writing and storytelling mean to her. Samyuktha talks about journaling and how that encouraged her to start writing. We exchange about books, films and different resources regarding creativity. Samyuktha talks about how she got into finance and her time at the YIF program. We chat about financial literacy and various misconceptions around it. Samyuktha shares some resources that anyone starting out can refer to understand financial jargon and concepts better. The episode closes with a story written and narrated by Samyuktha.


Samyuktha is a Financial Planner and Advisor at iThough Advisory and she’s previously been associated with Goldman Sachs. She is also an avid reader and writer who occasionally blogs and has written articles for independent publications. She is currently pursuing the Young India Fellowship at Ashoka University.


Mentions: The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, Bullet Journaling, The Shadow Of The Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Bird By Bird by Anne Lamott, The Prestige, The Illusionist, The Wandering by Intan Paramaditha, Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, The Wheel Of Time by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, Lord Of The Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, A Series Of Unfortunate Events By Lemony Snickets, Goldman Sachs, Financial Literacy, Let’s Talk Money by Monika Halan, The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel, Money Stuff by Matt Levine, Substack Go, Young India Fellowship, Askoka University


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Jan 29, 202259:32
Rahul Roy: Storytelling For Change

Rahul Roy: Storytelling For Change

This week's chronicle is Rahul Roy. The episode opens with Rahul talking about what creativity means to him and the work he does at Humans of Kerala and Yellow Club. We talk about the history of both these organisations and Rahul's vision for them. He shares how filmmaking has helped him select stories and shares his belief that stories can be leveraged to understand society and to make social change. We also talk about the importance of representation in media and why he insists on talking about issues through a cultural lens. We also chat about our cultural identity of being 'Malayali' and how that fits into storytelling. Rahul goes on to talk about his passion for filmmaking and also shares his favourite movies and directors. The episode closes with a poem from Yellow Club's magazine Agnosthesia.

Rahul is the founder of Humans Of Kerala and Yellow Club. He is a passionate story teller and a social entrepreneur who likes to create organization structures that can enable real change in society. His interests are predominantly in films and photography. Rahul has made 15 short films during his time as a student at St Stephens, Delhi with one of those films winning a national award for social impact. You can find him on Instagram @rahul_roe


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Jan 22, 202259:04
Interlude Party: Musings Of A Moody Marshmallow

Interlude Party: Musings Of A Moody Marshmallow

It's our mid-season finale and I'm being interviewed this week! I chat with Megha Vasudevan who also happens to one of our most streamed guest episodes on the podcast. I talk about how The Closet Writer Chronicles came to be and how I approach guests for the show. I also share the conversation that's inspired me the most till now! Later, Megha and I chat about my journey with writing and what it does for me. We talk about the relevance of social media and if fame is really a necessity for a creative career? We also come up with an idea for a possible future start-up. Tune into to listen to the full episode!


New episodes will be out in January 2022!


Hey! I'm Sangeetha a.k.a. The Moody Marshmallow (TMM). I started out in corporate with work experience in shipping & logistics, consulting, NGO's and legal work. I was looking to study law when the pandemic hit and I stumbled my way into writing. TMM is a blog I started in 2017 and that's remained my pen name since. My work has been published by Platform For Artists, Scholastic-QuillClub Writers & The Alipore Post. I've worked with Bound on their podcast 'The Book People' which trended at #2 on Apple Podcasts in India & the UK as well as contributed to a research report on the Indian Publishing Industry. I'm currently associated with Yellow Club and Carve Magazine and I take up freelance work. I'm also working on some personal projects - a book, a movie script (which I got to pitch to Guneet Monga :') and this podcast that's being created as a part of Anchor X IFP Podcast Lab! Get in touch if you'd like to collaborate or just chat about any mutual interests :) You can find me on Instagram @marshmallow.musings


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Dec 22, 202149:20
Ashna Lulla: A Marriage Between Architecture & Writing

Ashna Lulla: A Marriage Between Architecture & Writing

This week's chronicle is Ashna Lulla. The episode opens with Ashna talking about how she got into reading and how words have influenced her creativity. We chat about her journey from architecture to writing and how she's slowly but surely finding her calling. She talks about how she felt a bit lost and unsure and how she managed to find her way with her upcoming debut book - with love, Madras! We talk about the journey of her book and what she hopes to achieve through it. Ashna also talks about architects and design organisations she loves whilst also sharing some writers & books she's enjoyed reading. She also talks about how therapy helped her learn more about herself and talks about gratitude for her life partner whose supported her journey with her book. The episode closes with an excerpt from with love, Madras written & narrated by Ashna.


Ashna Lulla is an architect and interior designer who grew up in Chennai. She has an eye for detail, and her aesthetics are driven by traditional yet modern designs. She has worked at reputed practices across India while being an aspiring writer, and she is now foraying into architectural journalism. She is currently preparing to come out with her debut book -With Love, Madras. You can find more about her book on Instagram @withlovemadras


Mentions: Design Matters by Debbie Milman, Anne Of Green Gables, 74 short essays on design by Michael Beirut, Pentagram, Park Hyatt Chennai, The Flying Elephant, Avroco, Carnegie Mellon, Antwerp Port House, Zaha Hadid, Elle Decor, Conde Nast


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Dec 11, 202154:32
Saahil Bhargava: Storytelling Through Animation & Music

Saahil Bhargava: Storytelling Through Animation & Music

This week's chronicle is Saahil Bhargava. The episode opens with Saahil talking about what writing and creativity means to him. We then chat about how Saahil got into writing and his journey in animation. We exchange about anime/ animated content we've both enjoyed watching and talk about common misconceptions people have about anime. Saahil goes on to talk about music and songwriting and talks about how his debut EP Ronin came about. He also shares some future projects he's working on and what he hopes to accomplish in his career. The episode closes with Saahil talking about his song Mama from his EP Ronin.


Saahil Bhargava is a singer, songwriter, writer and animation producer. Born in NY and currently based in LA, he has been releasing music and working on animated films/shows for the last few years. Most notably, his debut EP titled Ronin was released in August 2021, while his single “Kohima” was nominated for several film festivals including the LA Shorts International Film Fest. He is also the creative producer on the upcoming Young Captain Nemo franchise, with more animated and live action projects to be announced in 2021. You can find him on Instagram @saahilbhargava


Mentions: Lion King, Akira, Naruto, Tokyo Ghoul, Fruits Basket, Miyazaki, Into The Spiderverse, Tokyo Godfathers, Makato Shinkai, Your Name, Demon Slayer, League Of Legends, Arcane, Marvel, Avatar The last Airbender, Steins Gate, Fruits Basket, Tantei Gakuen Q, Cardcaptors, Yu Yu Hakusho, Animax, Fullmetal Alchemist, Death Note, Jujutsu Kaisen, Teen Titans, Iron Man, Spider Man, Tom Holland, Robert Downey Jr, Deadpool, Horizon Zero Dawn, Attack On Titan, Shinki, Linkin Park, School of Rock, Umbra, Karnivool, Cinematic Rock, Ronin, Plug In Baby by Muse, Rush, Orpheus, Young Captain Nemo


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Dec 04, 202152:24
Indira Reddy: An Insight To Reading, Creativity & Education

Indira Reddy: An Insight To Reading, Creativity & Education

This week's chronicle is Indira Reddy. The episode opens with Indira talking about what words and writing means to her. We chat about how she got into reading and started her bookstagram page! Indira talks about her work with setting up a school that focuses on holistic education and changes she hopes to see in existing education systems. We also exchange some books and authors we've loved and chat about book to screen adaptations. The episode closes with a blog piece that's been written and narrated by Indira.


With a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles, Indira has always been passionate about learning and teaching. She is also committed towards helping and raising awareness for the differently abled community. She is a co-founder at Kai Rassi, a non-profit that focuses on empowering differently abled individuals through art as a vocation and also the co-founder of The Riverbend School, an upcoming project which aims at reshaping education as we know it by focusing on holistic development. Riverbend has been featured by the World Economic Forum, Business Insider, Now This & more! Indira is also an educator and trainer at TREE Learning. You can follow her on Instagram @indi_reads


Mentions: Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden, Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, Roald Dahl, Enid Blyton, Tintin by Herge, Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan, Yuval Noah Harari, Homo Deus, Sapiens


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Nov 26, 202146:41
Shiva Chandrika (Rave): So, What Is The Rave About?

Shiva Chandrika (Rave): So, What Is The Rave About?

This week's chronicle is Shiva Chandrika a.k.a. Rave. The episode opens with Rave talking about what writing means to her. We then chat about her journey in writing and how she found her calling in creativity. Rave also shares the mystery behind her name and we exchange about some of our favourite films. She talks about how she got into script writing and what kind of films she wants to make. Rave also talks about a graphic novel she's ghostwritten, that had Shah Rukh Khan as the face of it! We also talk about online plagiarism and Rave's experience with the same. The episode closes with two pieces of poetry written and narrated by her.


Shiva Chandrika / Rave is a Visual Communications graduate who went on to study for the Civil Services and now works as a Content Writer and Script Writer! She’s worked on films like Vadacurry and Bigil. She’s also written a graphic novel that’s slated to release soon and she runs a poetry page on Instagram! You can find her on Instagram @whatistheraveabout


Mentions: Shah Rukh Khan, Atharva by Ramesh Thamilmani, Citizen Kane, 12 Angry Men, Home, The Devil Wears Prada, Django, Mani Ratnam, Bigil, Vadacurry


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Nov 18, 202152:35
Rajarajeshwari Mahitha: Stories & Sprinklings Of Magic

Rajarajeshwari Mahitha: Stories & Sprinklings Of Magic

This week's chronicle is Mahitha. We chat about her journey from theatre to the screen and how she got to telling stories about Indian Mythology! Fun Fact: She's appeared in Sacred Games and Masaba Masaba on Netflix! Mahitha talks about taking chances and how she's managed find purpose in her life. She talks about how she decides to tell stories from mythology and takes us through excerpts from some of her retellings of mythological stories. We chat about what makes a good storyteller, some of her favourite tellers and her journey on becoming one! 


Rajarajeshwari Mahitha is a trained theatre professional from Drama School Mumbai and the American Conservatory Theatre, San Francisco. She is an actor, writer, storyteller, and diehard romantic, obsessed with Indian mythology! Inspired by the books she read, and stories from ancient Indian texts she heard while growing up, she retells these for an audience young adult and older, presenting the ageless in fresh, contemporary ways. She has been featured by creative communities like Kommune India and Tape A Tale. As an actor, Mahitha has appeared in Netflix series like Masaba Masaba and Sacred Games. Her first love though is the stage, and she's been part of several productions with The Madras Players, CreaShakthi, and other theatre groups in Chennai. 

You can find her on:

Instagram - @storiesandmagic

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC85wrZFRQNNC-jMori1HMPw/featured


Mentions: Devdutt Pattanaik, Janaki Sabesh, Geeta Ramanujam, Seema Anand, Raman Iyer, Sacred Games, Masaba Masaba, Netflix, BBC, Amar Chitra Katha, Spoken Fest, Kommune, Tape A Tale


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Nov 05, 202151:48
Dia Rekhi: Part 2 - What Drives You Kuku About Bollywood?

Dia Rekhi: Part 2 - What Drives You Kuku About Bollywood?

This week's chronicle is Dia Rekhi. The episode opens with a poem by Dia on the tropes and culture of Bollywood. We chat about our favourite films and how we miss movies from the 90's even if they didn't age very well. We also chat about the ongoing craze for Hindi serials and where television could really improve. Dia and I also chat about how OTT platforms and shows have really changed the landscape for viewers and chat about maybe writing our own shows some day. Dia plans to write a crime thriller book and a web show! Dia also talks about what she's looking forward to and shares a lesson she's learned, which changed her view on life and opportunities. P.S. - We have some great recommendations for movies and web shows on this episode! Tune into Part 1 of this conversation to listen to Dia's journey on being a journalist.

Dia Rekhi is a journalist and she currently works with a leading business daily and covers busines, tech & political developments in Tamil Nadu. She has also been dabbling in formats like news-based podcasts and even started a small lockdown experiment called ‘What Drives You Kuku’. You can find her on Instagram @whatdrivesyoukuku and Twitter @diarekhiET


Mentions: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Dharma, Fawad Khan, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Befikre, Anupama Chopra, I Hate Luv Storys, Zindagi Gulzar Hai, Humsafar, Dil Mil Gayye, Miley Jab Hum Tum, House Of Secrets: The Burari Deaths, Little Things, Dhruv Sehgal, Mithila Palkar, Dil Chahta Hai, Farhan Akhtar, Zoya Akhtar, Naagin


Social Media:

Instagram - @theclosetwriterchronicles

Twitter - @TheMoodyMarsh


Music:

Beat Provided By https://freebeats.io

Produced By White Hot

Oct 29, 202137:04