Releasing my first book…

Dear Readers,

Today is a big day for me and I would like to share something with you all. I am excited to announce that my first book has been published:

Kota Bharu Kelantan Malaysia: 50 Travel Tips from a Local under the ‘Greater Than A Tourist’ series.

The endless hours of work and sleepless nights have finally paid off!! Yes, this is my book, my very own book – it’s going to take time to sink in. As excited as I am to announce my first book launch, I am equally grateful to the people who made it happen. I’m happy to have such a supportive family who has taught me so much and encouraged me tirelessly. I have to thank my wonderful publisher, Lisa, for her patience and guidance for making this happen.

About the book:

Kota Bharu Kelantan Malaysia: 50 Travel Tips from a Local has been written to highlight the wonderful city of Kota Bharu in Kelantan, Malaysia. Most of the travellers think of the usual 2-3 destinations while planning a trip to Malaysia. This book is an attempt to place Kota Bharu on the global map of travellers and lure people to check out its culture, food, and quiet and comforting vibe. It contains insider tip, useful pieces of information to navigate your way around the city and stories from my perspective with in-depth description of places to see and things to do. The book serves as a guide to city-mapping Kota Bharu like a pro.

Click on the image to buy the book 

(For more versions of the book, scroll down…)

Here’s hoping the book spreads awareness of the quaint city of Kota Bharu and serves as a guide for those who want to visit this cradle of Malay culture.

The Greater Than A Tourist series is a brilliant series composed and founded by Lisa Rusczyk. She is an amazing author and ardent traveller herself, and started the series to gather a pile of information on places to travel (like a local) in a short period of time. The series aims to connect people with the locals.

My journey:

I have always been fond of writing. I used to scribble on random pieces of paper or sketch out some ideas and abstract figures in book corners and note-pads all the time. Oh yes, I used to leave my signature everywhere too 😉 Graduating from that habit and getting into a strict writing mode took a lot of effort and discipline. I used to be a very distracted soul who couldn’t focus on anything for more than ten minutes. I started typing and maintaining folders regularly, as well as writing in a dedicated notebook about 4 years ago.

My Mom is an amazing friend and when I was chatting with her telling her how I dream of writing a book one day, she said ‘You will have to focus better; make the most of your time in Malaysia’. Thanks to that, I started working harder and putting in longer hours to make the most of my stint in the new country that I had just moved to. I focused on topics revolving around relationships, poems, lifestyle, travel and food. One thing led to another and before I knew it, I had my blog up and about, and simultaneously a new big notebook that was getting filled up at a fast pace.

I still prefer writing to typing – I love my pen and paper more than my keypad and screen.

Reasons to buy the book:

Writing this book was a pleasure. I love travelling as much as I love trying the local cuisine of any city. Kota Bharu has been my home for over 2 years now and this book sums up a lot that you ought to know about the city, which is not available on the internet. Many pictures and stock photos highlight the flood-stricken areas. Sometimes little or no knowledge about a place dissuades people from visiting it. Why don’t you head to Kota Bharu yourselves and experience the culture and food of the city?

Here are some glimpses of the content in the book…

• Reasons to love Kota Bharu
• Must-try Kelantanese food items
• Insider tips on choosing the best restaurants
• Comprehensive list of things to do
• Narration of the life in the city

Let me stop here. To know more, order your copy from the links below… (read on)

The story behind the book:

Publishing this book was like a dream come true. The platform gave me a chance to express myself and it doesn’t stop here. This is just the beginning and I hope to write more books over the years. At least I got out of the habit of scribbling on random papers and throwing them away 😉 The interest of writing this book grew out my staycations and experiences here. The city eventually grew on me and gave me more warmth than I could expect from the temporary nest. Writing this book was a memorable experience as I ventured out to every nook and corner of the city, exploring it from the eyes of a local. As the name suggests, Greater Than A Tourist incorporates excerpts of my experience and insider chapters of my journey that goes… beyond a tourist.

Quoting a line from my book, “Merely travelling is not enough. You have to put your soul into exploring the city.”

BUY THE BOOK: 

The book is available as an e-Book and Paperback on Amazon.

To order your copy, simply click on the images below:

Paperback:

eBook:

eBook on Amazon.in (India):

After reading the book, please leave your feedback as a ‘review’ on the Amazon page. It’s always good to hear what readers have to say.

Show some love:

You have been such wonderful readers of Lyf&Spice. To extend your patronage and express your love, you could share this post (which has the book links) with your friends and family and across social media.

-> Visit my author page on Amazon.

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Today, it’s not Lyf&Spice but Aditi Shukla signing off…

Cheers!!