About Prema Ganesh
By profession and passion, Prema is a fragrance enthusiast, fascinated by the intricate art of creating unique fragrances that evoke memories, emotions, and comfort. Just as a well-crafted scent can transport us to cherished moments or calm our restless minds, she believe words have the same power. Her exploration into fragrances taught her that subtle, often overlooked triggers play significant roles in how we feel — a revelation that aligns perfectly with understanding stress, a silent killer and the root cause of most health problems today.
Beyond her love for writing and fragrances, she is an avid traveler with an insatiable curiosity about the histories and cultures of different nations.
LiFT: Tell us about your book, the journey of writing it, and its content.
Prema Ganesh: As a first-time author, I am thrilled to embark on this exciting journey of sharing my thoughts and experiences with the world. Writing has always been a deeply personal passion of mine, growing alongside my love for reading, which has opened countless doors to new perspectives, ideas, and inspirations. I have spent years pouring my heart into the written word, finding solace and meaning in stories. Now, I am proud to present The Monkey Trap — a self-help guide dedicated to helping people manage and ultimately overcome the invisible burden of stress.
Like many, I often found myself searching desperately for timely solutions to manage daily stress, only to discover that quick fixes were either fleeting or nonexistent. It was during one particularly challenging phase that I realized how deeply stress had woven itself into the fabric of my life, quietly draining my energy and joy.
The Monkey Trap is born from these personal experiences. This book is not just a collection of strategies, but a heartfelt guide inspired by real struggles and practical solutions. It seeks to shine a light on the traps we unknowingly set for ourselves — like the proverbial monkey grasping fruit and refusing to let go, we often cling to habits, thoughts, and fears that perpetuate our stress. Through this book, I hope to help readers recognize these patterns and gently guide them towards liberation and a happier, healthier life.
LiFT: Why did you choose this title?
Prema Ganesh: Human beings are creatures who seek attention and affection. Even if one of the two is not present, we get sad and depressed, and our mind goes on overdrive and start getting anxious. This constant anxiety leads to stress, which eventually leads to low self-esteem and depression. This is the Monkey Trap, where your true self is trapped in this cage of despair, confusion, and delusion.
LiFT: When did you realize that you wanted to be a writer/poet, and what was your inspiration behind it?
Prema Ganesh: Writing was always a habit since a very young age wherein I had the habit of maintaining a diary of events, thoughts, things, article that influenced me. The curiosity to find answers led to reading and finding answers to questions for which answers were not easily available. The idea of wanting to be a writer or publish a book started germinating around 4-5 years back. Though I started working on it, it is a long way towards completion. Meanwhile I decided to write on the topic of Stress due to personal struggles with Stress and my journey in battling and overcoming stress to a great extent. The need to share my journey of battling Stress with people like me who are struggling with Stress on a daily basis was the inspiration behind this book.
LiFT: Where do you see yourself ten years down the line in the world of literature?
Prema Ganesh: I am a newbie in this field of literature and I need to explore a lot before I can commit myself to this field. Having said this, I feel a sense of responsibility to give back to society in a small way by writing on issues and topics that are not generally addressed. I would mostly stick to Non-fiction and Self help books that can help people and in the process hopefully leave a legacy behind for future generations.
LiFT: How important do you think marketing and the quality of a book are in promoting it and increasing its readership?
Prema Ganesh: A book must meet quality standards with good language and grammar to make it readable and relatable. Marketing and promotion can help to give the necessary exposure and spotlight for a book. With the help of social media and various promotion tools available, it is fairly easy to market a book, but without quality and readability, it is not easy to capture the audience’s hearts.
LiFT: What message do you want to convey to people through your writing?
Prema Ganesh: I strive to reach as many people as possible and help them lead better lives. In today’s fast-paced world, where it is impossible to find time to relax and slow down, it becomes necessary for people to find avenues to relax and rejuvenate themselves at regular intervals. At such times grabbing a good book to unwind and release pent up emotions should become a natural choice. My aim is to write engaging books that help people relax and unwind at the end of a hard day.
LiFT: What do you do apart from writing?
Prema Ganesh: By Profession, I am a Fragrance Specialist and passionate about creating unique sensory experiences for people. Apart from being a fragrance enthusiast, I am interested in Music, Reading and Cooking.
I am also an avid traveler and like to explore new, quaint, and unexplored places. My inherent interest in people and people’s behaviors inspired this book.
I am also a voracious reader and draw inspiration from different sources to bring the essence of life into my work.
LiFT: What activities do you resort to when you face writer’s block?
Prema Ganesh: I usually take a step back and go about doing regular chores and talking to my children when I reach a writer’s block.
LiFT: Are you working on your next book? If so, could you tell us something about it?
Prema Ganesh: Yes, I have started working on my new book. It is a motivational book that will help people discover their latent and creative talents, converting dull situations into enthusiastic ones. Apart from this, there are a couple of other topics in the pipeline.
LiFT: What are your suggestions for budding writers and poets to help them improve their writing skills?
Prema Ganesh: Writing, like any other skill, can be learnt. What is more important is to choose the right topics to write about. If you are writing a non-fiction book, do a lot of research on the issues you wish to write about before embarking on the writing journey. As for fiction, one needs to have a vivid imagination and the creativity to spin tales that captivate the minds and hearts of people. There are techniques to write a book and it is important to learn the rules before publishing a book so that it reaches the right audience and is able to generate sales.
