Friday, 28 March 2014

Introductory pages of my book: SHORT STORIES FOR YOUNG READERS - BOOK 1


Short stories

For

Young Readers

(Book 1)

 

 


 

 


 

 

 

T.N.Neelakantan, M.Sc


Title:                     Short Stories for Young Readers – Book 1

Author:                T.N.Neelakantan, M.Sc

First Edition:       Feb, 2011

Second Edition:  Feb, 2012

Third Edition:      Jan, 2014

Price:                    Indian Rupees 100

Printed at:           Sundaram Press

                              Swamy Sannathi

                              Tenkasi 627811

(Tamil Nadu) India

                              Phone: +91

 

ISBN: 978-81-928365-0-8

 

This book of short stories is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the Author Publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dedicated

To

My Parents

Who departed from me long back

But

Are with me all the time


 

04633 283644                                                                                                                                                         Fax: 04633 283636   

                                                                                                                        E=mail: sriparasakthi@yahoo.co.in

 

SRI PARASAKTHI COLLEGE FOR WOMEN

Courtallam, Tirunelveli District Pin:627802

(An Autonomous College of the Manonmaniam Sundaranar University)

Dr. (Tmt) C.RAJESWARI, M.A., Ph.D., M.A., (Soc) Dip in Jour

PRINCIPAL

 

                                                                                                                                                                                    Date: 27.12.2010

 

To

T.N.NEELAKANTAN,

70, Agraharam Street,

Melagaram 627802

Tenkasi

 

Dear Sir,

 

                    Regards. I enjoyed reading your text and I am sending my ‘Foreword’ written without any exaggeration. I thank you very much for giving me this honour.                                                        

                                                                                                                                            Yours sincerely,

                                                                                                                                            (sd)

                                                                                                                                            C. RAJESWARI

                                                                                                                                            Principal

                                                                                                                        Sri Parasakthi College for Women

                                                                                                                        Courtallam – 627802


 

FOREWORD

This anthology of ‘Nine Short Stories’ deserves all literary merits and can serve the purpose of text for school children and the purpose of enjoyment for short story lovers.

The narratives are marked by clear, picturesque and direct style with profuse fragrance of ‘Indianness’ throughout. The ambience will certainly enthuse the young readers to complete reading the anthology. The narration in most of the stories adopts the literary technique – ‘stream of consciousness’ – yet not complicated. The collection has definite moral purpose or message.

A few lines on each story may not be superfluous here.

‘It’s all a matter of one’s attitude and perception’ brings into one fold two characters of antithetical nature, explaining the values of friendship and facing challenges with the contemporaneous concept of ‘Saving the Flora’ as setting.

‘KPL 20/20 – Killior Premier League: A Cricket Match’ is marked by the picturesque presentation of life style of Agraharam, South Indian food and down to earth episodes that would take every elderly reader back to his boyhood and would serve as ‘ambrosia’ for young minds.

There is an assured articulation of moral purpose in ‘Rajasekar and Rajapandian. Two positive traits get high-lighted through the narration. “Sow the seed of your aptitude within you to grow as the tree of achievement.’ And ‘Be positively resourceful even to those who hurt you.’ Similar theme is explicated through ‘Shankar – the Young Detective’ – the God given talent within must be detected and nurtured.

‘Brave Hearts’ is an illustration for concern for the persons around with love, compassion and service mindedness explicated through the central characters, Bhavana and the narrator.

The much needed contemporaneous theme of ‘Haves’ and ‘Have nots’ of foreign life is meticulously described in The Opposites with emotional intensity. The settlers in alien soil are ‘Haves’ of affluence but ‘Have nots’ of basic enjoyments of familial relationships and day to day living in the mother soil.

The next two stories, specially ‘Journey to Vortex’ take a form of ‘Fact garbed in fiction.’ The details in ‘Super Nova’ deserve commendation.

The capacity for accomplishing deeds – great or small but timely can make an insignificant person, a worthy one. The message is conveyed in ‘Every life has a great meaning.’

Short story is a literary genre which pressurizes the writer to compress the matters in a suitable manner to get his expected outcome. This anthology has fulfilled its purpose.

My hearty commendations to Shri T.N.Neelakantan for his literary endeavor done with utmost perfection and definite purpose. His literary fervor combined with his creative imaginative ability and his love for the native soil, has supplemented the Indian literature in English with this anthology.

I pray to Goddess Saraswathi to bless him with everything that will facilitate him to continuously contribute to the literary world.


 

INTRODUCTION

It was just some Divine Grace that when I decided to write, the flow came on its own naturally. For a novice, I believed I wrote well and published some of my writings in my blog: www.neel48.blogspot.com. Many of my well-wishers, friends and relatives commented favorably on my writings and offered a number of suggestions. That encouraged me to write more. Initially, readers of my blog were my only fans. I gained confidence, over a period of time and one day, the idea struck me: Why not I publish my short story collections? The more I thought about the idea and paid attention to it, the more it gained strength and fructified in the form of a book. I believe, that is how most accomplishments happen. Everything remains an idea in someone’s mind until it gains sufficient power to generate actions. When actions become purposeful, constructive, and sustained, keeping a clear image of the outcome in one’s mind, the results always show off. I was immensely happy to see my writings in the form of a book, early 2011.

While writing these short stories, I had kept young readers - especially those from rural and semi-urban areas - in my mind. I had tried to keep the narrative and language simple. I have used Indian characters and settings, to help readers easily identify themselves with the story and the flow. To further help readers feel at home, I have sprinkled here and there, words in the local language as such, without struggling to find their English language equivalent. Pictures speak more than words. I have also used specially made drawings and some publicly available photographs as part of my book, to add color. Imagery is an essential element of reading. When I read books, I have a habit of picturizing in my mind what I read. The same habit continued when I wrote too. I am sure, readers too might do the same when they read this book.

I am one who believes that when someone grows spiritually, their life meets with more lasting happiness. Every moment of our life offers significant spiritual messages. We have to only notice them. I have used these stories not only as an entertainer for time-passing, but also to convey, subtly, a few powerful messages. I believe this book would meet the needs of young readers for their pleasure reading, language development and also help gain some important messages for personal development.

When my short stories were first published in the form of a book in 2011, I had the immense satisfaction that one of my lifetime ambitions came true. This would not have been possible but for the significant encouragement I received from my small reader-club, that included my wife and children. They were my first critics and they never hesitated to offer constructive criticisms on my writing. I owe my gratitude to all of them.

I also offer my sincere gratitude to Professor R.Ramakrishnan at Bangalore, who had encouraged me in several ways and particularly, in writing this book. I thank him not only for his encouragement, but also for all his suggestions and help in bringing out this book.

I had shown my short stories to a few academicians and I thank them all for their commendations, opinions and suggestions. I am in particular grateful to Dr.Smt.C.Rajeswari, the then Principal, Sri Parasakthi college for Women, Courtallam, Tirunelveli District, Tamilnadu for going over the story collections with great interest and providing the Foreword to this book.

I also thank Shri Mariappan, artist of P.M.Arts, for providing the drawings for some of my stories.

Above all, I thank Almighty profusely, for providing me with the right motivation, encouragement, commitment and determination, in all that I do.

I dedicate this book to my parents who departed me long back, but are always with me in every moment of my life. I pray that they continue to accept my shortcomings and bless me from wherever they are, for all my efforts.

I have made a number of changes to my book and I am very happy to present the third edition of the book.

February, 2014                                                                                                                          T N Neelakantan

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