Inside Story of Storytellers Bloghop

Spinning stories and weaving it's each thread with utmost care is an art that fiction writers do it brilliantly. With the thought to connect all fiction writers and push novice fiction writers; to dive into the love of fiction writing, the seed of StorytellersBloghop germinated in 2021. 

A partner in this endeavor was a good idea; then we, MeenalSonal, approached our dear Blogger friend Ujjwal Mishra and crafted the shape of Storytellers Bloghop step by step. Ujjwal has workable ideas and is quick to frame guidelines on a particular subject. We all work in sync as we have worked together for decades. Each of us pitches in when the other two are occupied and keep the show running. 

We, as hosts, were overwhelmed by the response of the blogging community as 40+ bloggers came together and wrote on the fiction prompts. Brainstorming activities with tons of discussion on WhatsApp group with surprise winner announcement and fantastic feedback by our participants made our hardwork to strategize, organize and conclude the bloghop enlivening. 

In the second year, we came up with Volatile Life and masterclasses by Blogger friends Alpana Deo, Mayura Amarkant, Rakhi Jayashankar, an expert in their niche. We conducted masterclasses that gave the participants the knowledge of the field they wished to explore through fiction writing. We thank the authors and artists who sponsored the prizes and gifts.

This year 2023, the zeal was high for season 3, we put the theme Shades of Love across the community, and writers have bestowed the varied horizons of love towards us. It was a plethora of stories that made us smile and cry. 

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Masterclass by renowned author, columnist and writer Jyoti Jha was an enriching experience in which all participants gained inputs on fictional writing. She gave many valuable insights on crafting the characters of a story.

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We thank the authors (author details) for sending copies to the blog hop winners. 

Buttlerflies in the Storm by  Pratibha R DH 

If you are looking for a modern-aged Cinderella with a twist, this book is for you. Here is the Blurb of the book.

Growing up without parents and living on the charity of relatives is no cakewalk. No one knows this better than Rhea, a bright teenager who copes with financial struggles, manipulative aunts, jealous cousins and rivals, and a controlling brother with stoicism and wisdom quite unnatural for someone as young as her. A family drama spiced with fun and romance as we sojourn with Rhea's friends at the campus while at other times unnerving with suspense and intrigue shadowed by the conniving minds at play. This is a coming-of-age story of a young girl and her relentless battle with life.

 You Tell Me by Sonia Chauhan

For all couples looking for new-age relationship goals, here is the book's Blurb.

They say the bedrock of great love stories is friendship. Madhav and Nishaat are not-so-typical office buddies. A chance encounter brings them together, on their knees, in front of a busted printer. At work, they go their separate ways and never acknowledge each other again. Outside the office, Madhav and Nishaat form an uncanny friendship that spans years. At a glance, they seem like the perfect match. Except Madhav is chasing a long-distance girlfriend, and Nishaat has resolved to keep her dark heart intact. But life’s not perfect. And destiny’s not done with you until it makes you spin like an out-of-control turning top. Will Madhav and Nishaat’s friendship survive the toss of fate?

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Women & their World by Varunika 

Women and their journey is unique, read this to get inspired; here is the blurb of the book.

Tales of love, loss, and survival… is a promising collection of seven short stories that attempt to showcase varied answers to the question: What is it like to be a woman in this world? Even though no two episodes are the same, the book brilliantly weaves together the multiple stages of a woman’s life and the diverse roles she plays in it through a common thread. Sometimes the girl next door. Sometimes a devoted and overworked mother. She could also be a doting grandmother or just another woman wanting to explore the world independently. And sometimes, she could be a woman trying to unchain herself from the clutches of a tumultuous past, exploring the meaning of freedom in a supposedly free world. These stories stem from the lives of the Indian middle class, delightfully capturing the essence of being a woman. Inside, you will find ordinary women attempting extraordinary decisions despite the odds. The stakes are high; you may find a few battling with all their might. Witness their journey. See them win. See them lose. Because not every woman has a happy story to tell. Some struggle all their life and yet, never find peace till the last breath. Some stories are destined to haunt. You may think you know them. But do you really? Sometimes, what is apparent may not be the truth and what is true may not be apparent.

Each year by year, we all, as storytellers, grow by learning mutually. There are tremendous learnings, different perspectives, and varied writing styles to take away from every season of the blog hop. Hope you had an equally fruitful and fun-filled time during the hop. 

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We thank all the participants for making this blog hop purposeful, and we noted all your feedback and will incorporate them in our next season.

Weave, weave and weave amazing stories.....until we all meet again for the next season of #StorytellersBloghop.