Shreya’s monthly column for newspapers in October is about modern love and where to find it

“…It was unfortunate, therefore, that on the one night recently that some couples-time was scrounged, the only cinema show we found to watch was The Materialists. Whilst this isn’t a review, because I won’t add to the glut, I feel obligated to warn my readers to stay away from this snoozefest, rendered more ridiculous by its somnambulating lead, Dakota Johnson.

But its premise isn’t as pointless — that modern men and women are kept apart by the demands they make of their dates. Not the occasion as with Hubby and I — entertaining would have sufficed — but the person they hope to engage. What essential qualities must peeps possess to interest the partner-seekers of this age?”

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Shreya’s monthly column for newspapers in September is about the winds of change and fanning them ourselves

“But the battle isn’t irredeemably lost. If spearheading isn’t your gig, there are still people worth supporting, from climate activist Greta Thunberg to New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, to grassroots leaders of progressive, sustainable living across this distressed planet. Liking them as people shouldn’t be prerequisites, as it’s their urgent causes we need to rally around…”

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Shreya’s monthly column for newspapers in August is about birthdays and why we all deserve to be celebrated

“Why do we celebrate our birthday when there’s little we did that day that deserves congratulations? I tossed and turned in my mother’s womb with such impatience that I got the umbilical cord wound around my neck, nearly strangling myself. Saved by a caesarian, my bumpy ride into our world ensured I approached it forever more with irreverence. What it didn’t make me, however, was the hero of my birth. That is always the long-suffering mom, and sometimes the support act…”

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Shreya’s monthly column for newspapers in July mulls over breaks and what they should mean (yes, yes, we’ve been away but we’re back!)

“…Amidst all this, there’s never a good time to unwind and reset, but don’t we ALL need a break? WH Davies said it best, “What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare?” I rather plenty of shut-eye instead but the principle stands. Yet, what really is a break?”

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Shreya speaks to two hundred students at Nottingham College about a career in writing (hers and their own)

…And gets glowing feedback from a very happy college! They want her back to speak to their students and so does the highly rated Bilborough College. But she has a book to finish writing for Penguin, so will engage with students again, which she finds very rewarding, in the new school year. Watch this space for more news about Shreya’s speaking engagements.

Shreya’s column for newspapers in May is about the month, its beauty, and how we need to look outside ourselves to preserve it

And now, having had a peek at a slightly wider view of the world, please get out there and vote. The options are rarely great but if you’ve done your research, you’ll know the pros and cons of each candidate well, and can make a properly informed decision for a change. When we see the bigger picture, we become less susceptible to manipulation…

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