My Shining Star

By Priyanka Joshi - More

"""A girl meets her school friend after years online ... A dying girl is saved by a stranger and sets out to search him... A train journey that does not go as expected... 

Are all stories involving a male and female character romantic? Are all stories supposed to be a happily ever after? Does every love story have a clichéd

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ukiyoto Publishing
• Release date: Jan 14, 2023
• ISBN: 9789360490171

Book preview

My Shining Star

And other stories

Priyanka Joshi - More

Ukiyoto Publishing

All global publishing rights are held by

Ukiyoto Publishing

Published in 2022

Content Copyright © Priyanka Joshi - More

ISBN

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in a retrieval system, in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

The moral rights of the author have been asserted.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated, without the publisher’s prior consent, in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published.

www.ukiyoto.com

To my Parents and Ra - I love you.

&

In fond memory of the ones who departed us…

Acknowledgement

Firstly, I would like to thank Ukiyoto (India) publishers and their team, for not just approving, but also going through the strenuous task of editing my manuscript. If a book is liked by readers, the credit is not only to the author - who has formulated the plot but also to the editors and drafting/designing team, who add in the beauty of the language and make the book as it is. I also wish to take this opportunity to thank Ukiyoto for selecting me for the ‘Best Contribution in an Anthology’ for Wide Awake series at the Literary Awards, 2022 held at Taj Vivanta, Kolkata; for pitching my debut novel - That String that Joins Us at the IFFI, Goa and for the AUTHER Awards under the ‘Debut Author’ category. A BIG thank you for their contribution to my career as an author, playing a major role in it.

Secondly, I wish to thank all my friends at work. They are the ones who keep me going in the times when I am pressured or tired of work (I think we’ve all been there…wink). So here’s to our coffee and/or snack breaks, long (and loud) talks and heartful laughter. I also wish to thank some friends in my life who have always been special in their own ways. I am thankful to my relatives across the globe. They were super excited when my first book was released showering their blessings and best wishes.

I am not thankful but grateful to my parents; without them, I would have been nothing. They have been my life support vest for as long as I can remember. I have never come across people with such big hearts. Lastly, but most importantly, I want to thank my friend for life and partner - Akash, who made me realize that two imperfect people can make one perfect life. We have been married for nearly 7 years but we still don’t feel like it; we’ve been more like friends than spouses. In him, I found my match for my craziness, my love for food and everything else. Even if he isn’t at times, he manages to put up with it. Thank you.

Foreword

Happy New Year 2023!

I am once again elevated as I write this note for this novel which is in the process and aimed to be published by January 2023.

Looking back at my journey, I started as an author in the month of January 2022, it’s been a year now. Although, I feel I have learned a lot about the art and style of writing, however, there is still a long way to go. When my first novel - That String That Joins Us was released (Ukiyoto), I had mixed emotions as I was uncertain how it would be received. Despite not being a best-seller, I am happy with the feedback and reviews I received. I was overwhelmed by the reaction of family and friends. In that process, I learnt many things about the art and post-publishing stages of writing. The same year, I had been part of many anthologies; some were good experiences while others were not so great, but they have all taught me. It is also how I came across Ukiyoto and they became a key player in my career as an author.

Coming to this book, consists of three stories that I came up with throughout the year and compiled into one. The first one - My Shining Star - is a dedication to a school friend, inspired by real incidents. The second one - Drowning in Love -  as cliche as it sounds, is also close to my life as it talks about a girl who had lost nearly all hope due to incidents in her life, but gradually becomes a better person after she meets someone. The last story - Hello There Stranger - some might say is a modified version of the film ‘Jab We Met’, which I agree, might sound similar but there is a sociocultural element I have touched upon. The story was imagined while travelling by train myself to attend an event organized by Ukiyoto in Kolkata. The three stories have a touch of romance with aspects of life and death; highlighting that ‘Life never goes as planned’. They are all works of fiction, so I have taken many liberties. I hope you enjoy the reading experience as much as I enjoyed writing them.

~ ~ ~

CONTENTS

My Shining Star

Drowning In Love…

Hello There, Stranger!

About the Author

My Shining Star

You are a Star and will always be …

When I look up, I feel you’re there, shining above me…

Gone too soon…  Miss You.

(Inspired by real events in fond memory of a good friend)

~ ~ ~

I

walked into the new classroom, among unknown faces. They looked up to see me as I was the new kid. There weren’t many kids, just seven to be precise, of which only three were girls, including me; possibly due to the fact that the school was relatively new. I was asked to introduce myself by the class teacher and I did as told. I saw them smiling at me probably due to my accent as I had just returned from abroad. I was told to sit and I looked at the person sitting opposite me as we were sitting at a round table. He looked at me with a smile, and even though I was nervous I smiled back. He had large eyes, curly hair, a fair complexion and a lean physique. At the first glimpse, I noticed his eyes, eyes that were full of sparkle. This was not the age when one could fall in love, but indeed they were mesmerizing. He spoke politely as he introduced me to things. Within days I realized that he was the top performer in all fields – studies, sports etc. He was slightly arrogant about it too. His father was in the air force and his mother was on a high post in the same school. I was here now and was no less arrogant myself. I was here to compete, not in sports, as I was lazy, but he met his match in academics. For the next five years, it was about marks, ranks, jokes, crushes, fun and good times – all things innocent. I did have a crush on him, and I knew whom he had a crush on, as he himself had mentioned it. We parted ways when his father was transferred and by