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Just Do The Thing!
Your book, Steeped: My Search for Tea and Transformation in India, shares your ten-week journey across India and how this experience took you on a journey of self-discovery and transformed your life. Could you tell us why this book was essential for you to write?
I went to India naively, thinking that the subcontinent would simply bestow upon me some transformation into an elevated life and I would come back an improved human. The trip changed me for sure, but it was really just a step along my path. A BIG step, but not the fully wrapped-up evolutionary product of my fantasies. So, you ask the question accurately. The trip to India took me on a journey, and that journey continues to this day.
Writing the book, then, was another step on the journey as I challenged myself to go deep and explore what gifts my travels did bestow upon me.
Your journey took you to some amazing places and gave you a new perspective on many areas of your life. What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
One theme that arises in the book is acceptance, which, turns out, is at odds with a search for transformation. Striving toward evolution, in my case anyway, is borne of dissatisfaction with myself. The puzzle is that happiness comes from contentment, and contentment comes from acceptance. I mean, like, true acceptance of exactly what is.
So, as I left my job and my home and went to the other side of the world looking for self-improvement, what I really needed was self-acceptance. The frustrating paradox, then, is that the more I demanded transformation, the further I got from it. What I was looking for could only be found by no longer needing to look for it.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
In my earliest drafts of the book, I allowed that what I’d undertaken was bold and brave, and thus I presented a fairly together protagonist handling the challenges of travel with relative aplomb.
But the truth was, I was terrified as I quit my job and undertook these travels. I was riddled with anxiety at every turn of my journey. Exposing the messy reality of that felt vulnerable—both because it revealed unflattering truths and because it felt self-indulgent. I learned along the way, though, that the more I revealed, the more my readers wanted me to reveal. In the end—and by no surprise as I look back—the vulnerability is what pulls people in, even as my ego imagines the opposite to be true.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from your story?
It’s funny, because while there were so many lessons like the ones alluded to above, the big lesson is sort of the starting point of the book: Just do the thing! If I could inspire one thing for readers, it would be that they find the courage to get their own bold ideas off the bucket list and onto the calendar—in any area of life, not just travel. But Steeped is first and foremost a travelogue. So, maybe the one thing is that readers sink into and delight in the sights, sounds, scents, joys and struggles of travel in India.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website
Purchase the paperback HERE
Steeped: My Search for Tea and Transformation in India provides a vicarious trek—part spiritual quest and part travelogue from enchanting Himalayan tea village to scorching Rajasthani desert—through the contemplations that arise when taking such a leap and the realization that the answers we seek are never so far away.
Steeped: My Search for Tea and Transformation in India
Steeped: My Search for Tea and Transformation in India, by Bill Giebler, is a captivating travelogue that chronicles the author’s transformative journey across India. In it, Giebler steps out of his comfort zone to embrace the role of a traveler, embarking on a quest that is as much about discovering tea as it is about personal transformation.
Throughout his travels, Giebler immerses himself in the vast and vibrant landscapes of India. His narrative vividly brings to life the diverse environments he encounters, from bustling cities to serene tea plantations. Giebler’s experiences are not just about the places he visits; they are deeply intertwined with the people he meets. These encounters, ranging from fleeting to profound, contribute to a tapestry of memories that underscore his journey.
A distinguishing feature of Steeped is its rich portrayal of Indian culture. Giebler delves into the country’s complex history and the myriad backgrounds of its people. His writing is not just descriptive; it’s evocative, enabling readers to feel as though they are journeying alongside him. The book offers a unique perspective that is both informative and engaging, making it an intriguing read for travelers and those interested in Indian culture. Giebler’s approach to storytelling is immersive. He employs a descriptive tone that is both engaging and informative, providing readers with a sense of the sights, sounds, and flavors of India. The narrative is not just a recounting of events; it’s a tapestry of experiences that captures the essence of being a traveler in a foreign land.
In Steeped: My Search for Tea and Transformation in India, Bill Giebler’s exploration goes beyond mere travel; it is a journey into the heart of India’s culture, history, and values. This book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in understanding the depth and diversity of Indian culture through the eyes of a thoughtful and observant traveler.
ASIN : B0CVYKQKBP
Lost in Beirut
Ashe and Magdalena Stevens’ Lost in Beirut is a true story of love, loss and war. It is a work of non-fiction and narrates the lived experiences of Ashe and how he managed to escape the war in Lebanon. Beautifully written, this impactful book will immerse you in the story and keep you flipping the pages, wanting to find out what happens next.
Set in 2006, in the socio-political context of the early 2000s with America at war with the Middle East, the novel depicts the truth of the racism, stereotypes, and prejudices Middle Eastern individuals had to face at that time. The story follows Ashe, a rising star in Hollywood, and his best friends, who get a chance to organize a gigantic concert in Beirut, Lebanon.
For the first few months, Beirut seems like a dream come true as he falls in love with Aleyna and Beirut itself. This bubble of bliss bursts when Israel and Lebanon abruptly go to war. Stranded in a country where being an American is equivalent to having a target on your back, Ashe and his friends experience the devastation of war in Beirut. The authors, survivors of this war, give a real representation of the Middle East’s political situation and war crises. The writing is powerful and evokes strong emotions in the reader. We follow Ashe through love and happiness and then devastation and grief, feeling these emotions with him.
Lost in Beirut: A True Story of Love, Loss and War is the true story that took Ashe Stevens fifteen years to overcome his PTSD and recount how he escaped the devastating war in Lebanon. Definitely, a five-star read, Ashe and Aleyna’s story will leave you feeling a riot of emotions. Violence, love, and grief have been written beautifully and leave a lasting impact on the reader.
Pages: 189 | ASIN : B09MTGCWBT
LITERARY TITAN 