About Shivani Parashar:
She is a Delhi based former facilitator and an educational psychologist in making. Foster keen interest in art, literature, and Drama. Defense aspirant, military committed. Kathak Dancer, script writing and narrating are my hobbies. Motivation to other army girlfriends, on the path of living life less ordinary by joining defense forces.
LiFT: Tell us about your book, the journey of writing it and its content.
Shivani: Book Title- Pink in his world of Camouflage.
“Let’s be honest, the military relationship is tough.
The military life is a hard one, but if you love someone enough then it’s not hard to be faithful.
We know it’s tough but we are helpless. We know it’s dangerous, we silently pray. We fear, we keep the faith. There are these several deaths we die every day. there are these unsaid “stay safe” goodbyes and “take care of everything till I’m back”promise we keep. That’s what and how life is for us. We take pride in it and make our own legacy.
It is a story of the group of friends who share the lifestyle, happiness, sorrow, and challenges as of having their respective counterparts in Army.
It’s about the ladies who are just class apart from the civilian ones, who are the one holding on to everything served to them, unexpectedly.
It’s about the gentlemen who redefine the meaning of brotherhood and friendship.
It’s about the promises of staying when you don’t even know what the next moment brings in for you.
It’s a journey of from being a cranky civilian to a ladylike army girlfriend.
We, the girls, call ourselves the “PINK” in his world of camouflage, we hold the fortress!
Pink is the sacrifice, love, and courage.”
The book happened to be an accident. Honestly, I’m not good with writing, pathetic grammar and what not, it was when the man was posted in a no network zone and I got a lot of time for myself and what could be better than writing things I experienced and was going through as Spouse of an Army Officer.
LiFT: When did you realize that you want to be a writer and what’s your inspiration behind it?
Shivani: As stated above, the writing was just an accident, it wasn’t planned, I write blogs just to pass time which was appreciated by fellow ladies who are associated to the army and then on demand of 2 of my friends we designed it into a book.
It’s difficult being with a serving defense officer, the long distance, the hardship, the uncertainty and more than that, holding the fortress in their absence, being the man of the family and making sure everything goes fine. It takes a lot of motivation and strength to accept the fact that you get to see him after months and you anyway have to deal with uncertainty and last moment orders. Just the way I lived, I’m sure girls who are seeing their future with army officers, the book will keep them motivated to stay strong because only the strong can be paired with the soldiers.
LiFT: What do think about the literary world and what are your expectations from it?
Shivani: There are different genres in the market and every person got a unique style of writing the book.
We have an appreciation and we have critics as well. As a budding and not at all established author I got more criticism than appreciation – the thing is every single person writes with all their heart and every piece of writing is a masterpiece in itself, it’s better to keep newbies motivated and appreciate them, that’s how they learn.
LiFT: How much do you think marketing or quality of a book is necessary to promote a particular book and increase its readers?
Shivani: Marketing, definitely needs a high standard. Mine was a self-published book, being unemployed, I didn’t have enough money for the marketing. The sold units are equal to the people who know about the existence of such a book, as far as quality of a book is concerned – it should be enough written in the way the reader gets connected to the story.
LiFT: What is the message you want to spread among folks with your writings?
Shivani: Writing isn’t only for others to read but it’s just what the writer feels and put in words. What a person feels and elaborating and mustering into words is an art and trust me it’s difficult to explain. So it’s good to motivate, feel the zing and live the essence and emotions.
LiFT: What do you do apart from writing?
Shivani: I cleared my examination to get into Indian Airforce, for now, I’m preparing for my Airforce Selection Board.
I’m a BEd with a couple of years experience and pursuing my Masters in Education Psychology.
Interior designing and crafting decoration pieces and painting are a few of my pastime activities. More of an artist and a baker. Motorsports enthusiast and trekking freak.
LiFT: What if your story will be adopted as a movie? Whom would you want to work as a director or actors in it?
Shivani: Director – Meghana Gulzar / Imtiaz Ali Khan as the two works amazing with showing true essence and gravity of the scene.
Actors- Anushka and Vicky Kaushal.
Anushka because she being herself a daughter of an officer can relate and feel the character as she lived one such life whereas Vicky Kaushal’s work in Raazi and Uri must have given him experience and knowledge to portray as an army officer.
For the other roles – anyone can fit in.
LiFT: What are your future plans?
Shivani: To join Defence forces, realize my full potential, marry the man in olive green, serve the nation.
After short service commission tenure end, teach in Army Public School and I so definitely see myself working in the welfare of wives of soldiers, making life better with skill development workshops, etc.
LiFT: What are your suggestions to the budding writers so that they could improve their writing skills?
Shivani: I’m myself a budding writer, just that originality in thoughts and writing style makes the writing unique and appreciated.
Writing a hi-fi vocab only isn’t the part of writing. It should be in a form that the reader gets connected and engaged in the writing. Something like as if it’s not he is reading but listening from you – the bond of audience and narration.
