The swiss-based publishing company, Bose Creative Publishers will release their fifth book as part of their “SHE” project. The book titled ‘She Shines’ is out on the 8th of March. It is dedicated to the lost voices of refugees, war victims and to magical moments: She is the real and surreal. You will read tales of hope, determination, optimism and self-realization amidst geopolitical strife, illegal practices, and unchartered territories in everyday routine. The stories are based on true events or have been inspired by actual happenings.
In an interview with Namaste Switzerland Brindarica Bose, the founder of Bose Creative Publishers (BCP) tells us about how it all came to be.
Brindarica, tell us about you, your journey?
I was born in Mumbai and raised in several parts of India. Armed with a BSc and MBA, I worked with the Times of India in Mumbai for a while. Marriage brought me to Switzerland. I am a working mother of two young boys. For the last 17 years, I have been leading the publications department of IABSE. I also work as an art teacher in Migros Klubschule, conduct art workshops, and volunteer as an online art teacher for underprivileged children in India (Robin Hood Academy).
How did Bose Creative Publishers (BCP) come to be?
I grew up in a family watching my father constantly engage in philanthropic activities. My mother worked as an editor and has authored two Bengali books. This background groomed me. After working in the print industry for almost 20 years, it felt organic to start a collaborative publishing company as I was keen to work on books with artists and writers. I believe in creative activism and feel, as individuals we can all lend our skills to help the underprivileged.
BCP literally operates from my dining table. My 13-year old son created the logo, and you will find me carrying print copies in my backpack to sell at events. The impetus to start BCP came from our SHE writers group, and I would like to thank Jill Marsh, who gave me useful advice before I started BCP. In April 2020, my husband helped me with the paperwork and I registered the company in Switzerland.
Our first book published was the ‘Sketching Diaries’. Managing the tasks after my working hours has always been a challenge, but where there is a will, there is a way!
We now have over 60 writers, from nine different countries and nine books in two years: Sketching Diaries; Social Entrepreneurs and Change Makers; Indian Grandmas’ Secret Recipes, In Search of Sherpur: An Immigrant’s Memoir, and the SHE books (She Speaks, She Celebrates, She Reflects, She Shines and Emotions in Rhythm).
Each book is unique, read about them on our website: https://www.bosecreativepublishers.ch/order-books.
In 2020 and 2021 we donated more than 2000 CHF to support Give India projects, the Red Cross, and Unicef.
Tell us about the “SHE” project.
The “SHE” project is led by women of Indian origin, settled worldwide. The stories in the books bring to light women’s perspectives, their thoughts, choices, challenges, and celebrations. Through this project, we encourage women to actively take part in voicing their opinions and sharing their narratives.
We started this group in 2018 and it has been a long learning curve ever since. We collaborate and democratically decide on everything, starting from the cover page to the theme of the next book. We are a group of 40+ women coming from various professional backgrounds, who love writing.
Each year we designate various roles within the group, as editors, coordinators, marketing, and work as a team. Each book takes us a year from concept to publication. Since 2019 we have been publishing a SHE book on ‘International Women’s Day’ 8th March.
Tell us about each book from the SHE project.
She Shines 2022 (Short Stories): Our latest – The stories in ‘She Shines’ have stories giving voice to underprivileged women as well as stories based on magical events (the ‘real’ and the ‘surreal’). The common thread is resilience. The luminosity of light is appreciated because of the darkness surrounding it. Editors were Abhilasha Kumar (Switzerland), Rejina Sadhu (Switzerland), Teesta Ghosh (US) and Raka Mitra (The Netherlands). Coordinators were Ekta Sharma (Australia), and Jesleen Gill Papneja (US); supported by Ashwathy Menon (India) in production.
She Reflects 2021 (Flash Fiction): This book is a collection of 43 flash fiction. The stages in a river’s journey are used as a metaphor to capture the many facets of a woman’s life from its beginning to its end. The reader will find a rich smorgasbord of fiction, all told by a female voice with varied personalities, traversing different stages of life.
She Celebrates 2021 (Short Stories): This book is an anthology of 21 short stories. Each story is set against the background of an Indian festival and also has a food recipe at the end for the reader to try.
Emotions in Rhythm 2021 (Poems): This book is a collection of poems. What is poetry, if not a lyrical way of expressing emotion? There are three main kinds of poetry in this book: narrative, dramatic and lyrical.
She Speaks 2019 (Short Stories): This book is a collection of 20 short stories offering a fresh perspective of the global Indian experience in the 21st century, as seen through women’s eyes. Everything from the quest for emancipation to the looming threat of female foeticide to the stories of the everyday woman, as she asserts her identity in a new land, to the stories of women who use their past to write their present.
What lies ahead for Bose Creative Publishers?
We want to publish impactful books. We wish to encourage creativity in the common man and support the underprivileged. We hope to become a community project, books for a cause.
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