# The Dream Pedlar
> writing Indian-inspired fantasy fiction steeped in mysticism and mythology
Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. Use `/llms-full.txt` for consolidated page and post context.
Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`).

## Pages
- [A Benevolent Goddess](https://thedreampedlar.com/a-benevolent-goddess.md) - A Benevolent Goddess Countless gods you pray to. Only one answers. It will cost her dearly. In a land where gods have long mastered the art of ignoring the prayers of human beings, a new goddess arrives. She desires nothing more than to help those who call out in faith. But every choice, no matter…
- [About You](https://thedreampedlar.com/about-you.md) - Who I write for
- [About](https://thedreampedlar.com/about.md) - Hello, Dreamer! Welcome to The Dream Pedlar's emporium of delightful dreams and wondrous whimsies, of impossible illusions and fleeting fantasies! I'm very pleased your meanderings led you here. I'm Anitha Krishnan, a speculative fiction author and an award-winning poet. I write contemporary, new a…
- [bonus scenes from published works](https://thedreampedlar.com/bonus-scenes-from-published-works.md) - Something more to indulge in after the story has ended!
- [Books](https://thedreampedlar.com/books.md) - Books to lose yourself in Speculative fiction & poetry Dying Wishes When I was seven, my mother died. I struck a bargain with the Gods to bring her back to life. A contemporary fantasy novel inspired by South Indian folklore Finalist for 2023 Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize in Speculative Fictio…
- [Contact](https://thedreampedlar.com/contact.md) - I'm no longer on social media but you can always email me! I'd love to hear from you. I read and reply to every message I receive. Write to me at anitha @ thedreampedlar dot com or thedreampedlar @ gmail dot com
- [Dying Wishes](https://thedreampedlar.com/dying-wishes.md) - Dying Wishes Finalist for 2023 Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize in Speculative Fiction Category When I was seven, my mother died. I struck a bargain with the Gods to bring her back to life. For thirteen years now, I have served as a Harbinger of Death, coaxing dying wishes out of mortals so that…
- [Erased From Existence](https://thedreampedlar.com/erased-from-existence.md) - Erased from Existence A lavender farm in summer. A fifteen-year-old girl who loves the colours of sunset. A handsome stranger who begs her to run away with him. It could have been a love story. Except, it is not that kind of a story. When a strange man approaches Rebecca Classion outside her farmho…
- [fiction: hide-and-seek](https://thedreampedlar.com/fiction-hide-and-seek.md)
- [fiction: reimagining](https://thedreampedlar.com/fiction-reimagining.md) - Bonus Chapter 7 of A Benevolent Goddess
- [fiction: Sara's ruminations](https://thedreampedlar.com/fiction-saras-ruminations.md) - Bonus Scene from 'Erased from Existence'
- [fiction: the dance of the mad man](https://thedreampedlar.com/fiction-the-dance-of-the-mad-man.md) - Bonus chapter from 'In Search of Leo'
- [In Search Of Leo](https://thedreampedlar.com/in-search-of-leo.md) - In Search of Leo When you lose someone you love, how far would you go in search of them? And what if the only way you can find them is by first losing yourself along the way? Devastated by grief at the loss of her beloved dog, Leo, Heidi ventures into the woods behind her home, hoping to find him t…
- [Monthly Missives](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter.md) - Life, Unadulterated Delightful musings on writing, reading and living the creative life I frequently write about the books I read and the role they play in shaping my life as a writer, reader, and mother. Sign up to become a member — it's free! — if you'd like to share your thoughts via comments on…
- [Data & Privacy](https://thedreampedlar.com/privacy.md) - Privacy Policy Last updated: November 04, 2023 This Privacy Policy describes Our policies and procedures on the collection, use and disclosure of Your information when You use the Service and tells You about Your privacy rights and how the law protects You. We use Your Personal data to provide and…
- [Tales for Dreamers](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers.md) - an image + a tale = plenty of whimsy and wonder
- [The Land Of No Reflection](https://thedreampedlar.com/the-land-of-no-reflection.md) - The Land of No Reflection You don’t need eyes, let alone a mirror, to peer into the depths of your own soul. Sight is a privilege denied to everyone by law in the land of Parinara. Every child is blindfolded at birth. Even the dead are buried blindfolded. To see is an unpardonable crime, punishable…
- [The Mind Meddler](https://thedreampedlar.com/the-mind-meddler.md) - The Mind Meddler All it takes to seal your fate is a single thought. The Mind Meddler will sneak it into your mind when you aren’t looking. True to his name, the Mind Meddler messes with people’s minds. He plants a single innocuous thought in his victim’s mind, then steps back and watches as it slo…
- [Welcome to Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar!](https://thedreampedlar.com/welcome-to-monthly-missives.md) - Everything you need to know about your subscription to Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar
- [Welcome to Tales for Dreamers!](https://thedreampedlar.com/welcome-to-tales-for-dreamers.md) - Everything you need to know about your paid subscription to Tales for Dreamers

## Posts
- [books you may love: The Lost City of The Monkey God by Douglas Preston](https://thedreampedlar.com/the-lost-city-of-the-monkey-god-by-douglas-preston.md) - An engrossing and true tale of an archaeological expedition into Honduras. And, let's talk about fear of snakes, shall we?
- [books you may love: Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova](https://thedreampedlar.com/monstrilio-by-gerardo-samano-cordova.md) - reflections on a truly out-of-this-world novel on motherhood and maddening grief, and understanding why I read the kinds of books I love to read
- [shape-shifting memories, and a fierce but gentle love](https://thedreampedlar.com/shape-shifting-memories-and-a-fierce-but-gentle-love.md) - On Gary Sobers' passing away, an old memory recast, and more reflections on Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- [the everlasting delights of reading amazing books](https://thedreampedlar.com/the-everlasting-delights-of-reading-amazing-books.md) - reflections on Wings Of Fire Book #10, Bleeding Heart Yard, and an outstanding novel titled Atmosphere!
- [The Folly Of Memory is published!](https://thedreampedlar.com/the-folly-of-memory-is-published.md) - Announcing the release of The Folly Of Memory, Book One in The Separation Of Souls Saga, a metaphysical fantasy series
- [the sound of connection](https://thedreampedlar.com/the-sound-of-connection.md) - How a group of strangers have come to fill my weekends with quiet contentment
- [understanding the nature of attachment](https://thedreampedlar.com/understanding-the-nature-of-attachment.md) - We know of attachment to people and objects. What about attachment to a particular way of life unfolding? And the frustration that arises when life insists on doing its own unpredictable thing day after day after day?
- [What do we really want? Will we ever know?](https://thedreampedlar.com/what-do-we-really-want-will-we-ever-know.md) - Musings on the relentless mental tug-of-war
- [on books, basketball and on being a rebel as a parent](https://thedreampedlar.com/on-books-basketball-and-on-being-a-rebel-as-a-parent.md) - Life, and books, as they happened ...
- [D turns 10!](https://thedreampedlar.com/d-turns-10.md) - Happy birthday, darling D!
- [summer of '26](https://thedreampedlar.com/summer-of-26.md) - setting an intention for the season
- [May Meanderings: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2026-may-meanderings.md) - Celebrating the 50th edition of Monthly Missives by bidding farewell! Thank you for staying with me all this while!
- [books you may love: dragons, Tana French, and basketball](https://thedreampedlar.com/dragons-tana-french-and-basketball.md) - A potpourri of reading and reflections. For instance, can competitiveness and cooperation co-exist? Can you fall in love with a fictitious Irish village? Can playing ball be your dharma?
- [believing in cheesy motivational quotes once again](https://thedreampedlar.com/believing-in-cheesy-motivational-quotes-once-again.md) - Insights from life and basketball as I stand on the cusp of a turnaround in my life
- [books you may love: The Glowing Hours by Leila Siddiqui](https://thedreampedlar.com/the-glowing-hours-by-leila-siddiqui.md) - A wildly imaginative fictional retelling of the summer of 1816 that birthed the idea of Frankenstein in Mary Shelley's psyche
- [books you may love: Take The Shot (Play The Game Book #2) by Amar Shah](https://thedreampedlar.com/take-the-shot-play-the-game-book-2-by-amar-shah.md) - The second book in the Play The Game basketball-themed middle-grade series featuring an Indian-origin protagonist in North America!
- [books you may love: This Is Where The Serpent Lives by Daniyal Mueenuddin](https://thedreampedlar.com/this-is-where-the-serpent-lives-by-daniyal-mueenuddin.md) - A tale of landlords and those in their employ, of characters who have it all and those who desire it all, of finding ourselves desiring a life other than the ones thrust upon us
- [books you may love: The Hoop Con (Play The Game Book #1) by Amar Shah](https://thedreampedlar.com/the-hoop-con-play-the-game-book-1-by-amar-shah.md) - A basketball-themed middle-grade novel featuring an Indian-origin child growing up in North America! What's not to love about this combination?!
- [April A-ha: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2026-april-a-ha.md) - Celebrating 4 years of Monthly Missives, and looking forward to a pivot in my writing and publishing journey!
- [books you may love: Moon Rising (Wings Of Fire Book #6) by Tui T. Sutherland](https://thedreampedlar.com/moon-rising-wings-of-fire-book-6-by-tui-t-sutherland.md) - Important life lessons gleaned from a children's fantasy fiction book
- [March Melodies: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2026-march-melodies.md) - Pre-order links for The Folly Of Memory, giving the gift of reading, and musings on a life non-optimized
- [books you may love: A Hanging At Dawn by Charles Todd](https://thedreampedlar.com/a-hanging-at-dawn-by-charles-todd.md) - A prequel novella featuring Simon Brandon and how he comes to become an indispensable part of the Crawford family
- [books you may love: The Aayakudi Murders by Indra Soundar Rajan](https://thedreampedlar.com/books-you-may-love-the-aayakudi-murders-by-indra-soundar-rajan.md) - Reading a book originally written in Tamil and translated into English, nostalgia, and writing about Gods and deities
- [journeying towards radical acceptance and kindness](https://thedreampedlar.com/journeying-towards-radical-acceptance-and-kindness.md) - Finally realizing what it truly means to accept another person for who they are
- [Gifting the joy of reading in March-April](https://thedreampedlar.com/gifting-the-joy-of-reading-in-march-april.md) - Quick links to where you can obtain several of my books for free over the next few weeks
- [Smashwords Read an Ebook Week Sale](https://thedreampedlar.com/smashwords-read-an-ebook-week-sale.md) - Get all my titles for 50-100% off! March 1-7 only!
- [books you may love: Reckless Girls by Rachel Hawkins](https://thedreampedlar.com/reckless-girls-by-rachel-hawkins.md) - A tropical island thriller, and musings on newfound travel anxiety, the state of the world, and poetry from long ago
- [February Fortune: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2026-february-fortune.md) - Announcing my new metaphysical fantasy series, and musings on 'making the most' of our 'one wild and precious life'!
- [books you may love: I Just Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen by Kate Strickler](https://thedreampedlar.com/i-just-wish-i-had-a-bigger-kitchen-by-kate-strickler.md) - Reflections on a book that delves into life, love, motherhood, friendships, worries about money, time and control... offering all the love and validation we all so desperately seek... and need.
- [January Jives: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2026-january-jives.md) - Life lessons from basketball, a Bingo-style reading challenge, quirky short fiction, and 7 book recommendations to mark January!
- [books you may love: A Fine Summer's Day by Charles Todd](https://thedreampedlar.com/a-fine-summers-day-by-charles-todd.md) - Musing over the nature of relationships and quiet heroism in this reflection on the prequel to the Inspector Ian Rutledge series of historical mysteries
- [December Dance: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2025-december-dance.md) - Reflecting on what matters most as we step into a new year
- [November Nascence: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2025-november-nascence.md) - Turning a year older, soaking up literary wisdom, and savouring the magic of storytelling
- [tales for dreamers: a line that must never be crossed](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-a-line-that-must-never-be-crossed.md) - It’s not what you think. It’s not the threshold between life and death. That veil is a thin, diaphanous one. And members from both sides are free to cross over but only at predestined times (mostly). The consequences for doing so are rather minimal. When folks from the side of the living step into…
- [how much do stories really matter?](https://thedreampedlar.com/how-much-do-stories-really-matter.md) - A reflection gleaned from author talks I attended at the Burlington Public Library's 5th annual Literary Festival this month
- [books you may love: November 2025](https://thedreampedlar.com/books-you-may-love-november-2025.md) - A collection of books read, enjoyed and quoted this month
- [lessons learnt from five years of being an author-entrepreneur](https://thedreampedlar.com/lessons-learnt-from-five-years-of-being-an-author-entrepreneur.md) - Back to the basics is where we come after detours and fascinations with shiny objects along the way
- [tales for dreamers: pretty cauliflowers for sale](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-pretty-cauliflowers-for-sale.md) - Cauliflowers now come in every colour other than white. And it's not for the reasons that spring into your mind first.
- [Happy Birthday to me!](https://thedreampedlar.com/happy-birthday-to-me-2025.md) - Completing 45 revolutions around the sun!
- [tales for dreamers: adrift](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-adrift.md) - What's the point of driftwood? What purpose does its existence serve? Perhaps there is something to be learnt from its state of constant buoyancy.
- [tales for dreamers: the call for validation](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-the-call-for-validation.md) - You can express your appreciation by ringing the bell. Will you? That is one question, yes. But the real question is not whether they pleased you enough to merit your appreciation. The real question is something else altogether.
- [Programming Update for Tales for Dreamers](https://thedreampedlar.com/programming-update-for-tales-for-dreamers.md) - Pausing the Tales For Dreamers series - both written and audio tales - from December onwards
- [tales for dreamers: fair compensation for hardworking monsters](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-fair-compensation-for-hardworking-monsters.md) - Everyone wishes to be compensated for their work. These monsters are no exception. But their demands are very different than what you and I would ask for. Find out what they are in this short whimsical tale. A Halloween special! Happy Halloween! 👻🎃
- [October Opulence: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2025-october-opulence.md) - Ebook gifts for you, Halloween-themed flash fiction and audio tales, and reflecting on how stories foster human connection in unexpected ways
- [4 a.m. musings](https://thedreampedlar.com/4-a-m-musings.md) - On reclaiming our sanity and creativity from the clutches of anxiety in these times when the world feels as though it is burning down
- [tales for dreamers: new caretakers in charge](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-new-caretakers-in-charge.md) - The owners of this home have appointed new caretakers to keep out the pesky neighbourhood kids. How good do you think these miniature creatures likely are at their job? Read this short fantasy tale, a quirky and whimsical flash fiction piece, to find out.
- [tales for dreamers: the head with two faces](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-the-head-with-two-faces.md) - There’s a head with two faces that sits atop a tall metal pole under the vast sky. One face speaks only the truth. The other tells only lies. But no one’s ever figured out which one’s which. At first the village folk tried to solve the mystery by posing questions with unambiguous answers. Does one…
- [talking to the demons that greet us faithfully every morning](https://thedreampedlar.com/talking-to-the-demons-that-greet-us-faithfully-every-morning.md) - About the insecurities that we face at the first light of dawn, and addressing them with gentle acceptance and great self-compassion
- [tales for dreamers: skeletons from your closet](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-skeletons-from-your-closet.md) - The skeletons are emerging from your closet! What have you hidden there? And now that they're out, what will they reveal about you?! 😱
- [tales for dreamers: when the monsters take over](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-when-the-monsters-take-over.md) - In this war between monsters and the homeowner, who will win? Come find out in this whimsical flash fiction tale!
- [September Sizzles: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2025-september-sizzles.md) - Announcing a new book release, sharing my story on a public art sign, and feeling thoroughly happy at resuming our usual monthly correspondence
- [tales for dreamers: the trains are waiting](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-the-trains-are-waiting.md) - Usually it's the travellers who wait for their trains to arrive. In this tale, these trains are the ones doing all the waiting. Not only for passengers, but to realize all their dreams. Find out all about their deepest, heartfelt desires in this whimsical short fantasy tale full of longing.
- [tales for dreamers: more stairs to explore](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-more-stairs-to-explore.md) - Can't resist the lure of a flight of stairs, can you? You've simply got to find out what lies on the other end, isn't it? Fret not. This short fantasy tale will not spill the beans on that front. Or will it?
- [tales for dreamers: don't feed the hungry goslings](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-dont-feed-the-hungry-goslings.md) - Whoever knew that feeding hungry goslings would come with its own set of unexpected life lessons? Read on to find out more in this short and quirky fantasy tale.
- [tales for dreamers: startling rewards for the brave](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-startling-rewards-for-the-brave.md) - In a world that rewards the brave with ghastly consequences such as injury and death, what kind of risks will you undertake? Delve into this short fantasy tale on rewards and consequences, and how they guide our deeds and misdeeds.
- [August Art: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2025-august-art.md) - A little gift for when I'm away ...
- [Programming Update for August: A Reminder](https://thedreampedlar.com/programming-update-for-august-a-reminder.md) - Taking a pause in August; Returning in September!
- [What if I'm not OK? What if I'm OK?](https://thedreampedlar.com/what-if-im-not-ok-what-if-im-ok.md) - If you knew you'd be fine in the future with whatever choice you made today, how would you change how you approach decision-making?
- [July Jollity: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2025-july-jollity.md) - Lazy summer updates, more short fiction, and some excellent books read
- [tales for dreamers: up? or down?](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-up-or-down.md) - Every fork forces you to make a choice. How do you choose? And does it really matter?
- [Programming Update for August](https://thedreampedlar.com/programming-update-for-august.md) - Taking a break in August from my regular publishing schedule. New stories will resume in September!
- [darkness within darkness](https://thedreampedlar.com/darkness-within-darkness.md) - On the Tao Te Ching and its influence on how I write, how I live, how I breathe ...
- [tales for dreamers: messages from the otherworld](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-messages-from-the-otherworld.md) - The ship comes unannounced, bearing messages from the otherworld. Do you have a pen-friend there you'd like to write to and who writes back to you?
- [what would your deathbed regrets be?](https://thedreampedlar.com/what-would-your-deathbed-regrets-be.md) - And knowing those, how would you choose to live differently today?
- [tales for dreamers: an unexpected offering](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-an-unexpected-offering.md) - If ever you happen to see a coconut (of all things?!) on a rocky shore, will you pick it up? Or let it be? Surely you'll wonder how it turned up there, wouldn't you?
- [what do you really want?](https://thedreampedlar.com/what-do-you-really-want.md) - a deep-dive into how we self-sabotage when our words and actions are not aligned, and what to do about it
- [tales for dreamers: dangers lurking on the bridge](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-dangers-lurking-on-the-bridge.md) - The bridge looks harmless. But there's a reason you're being warned there's no salt on the bridge. Find out why in this unsettling fantasy story.
- [the only thing that can change your life](https://thedreampedlar.com/the-only-thing-that-can-change-your-life.md) - Funnily, it is also the one big thing entirely out of our control.
- [June Jazz: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2025-june-jazz.md) - In which D turned 9 years old, a mini-vacation was had, and something surprisingly new is about to be unveiled!
- [tales for dreamers: a fitting response to a senseless punishment](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-a-fitting-response-to-a-senseless-punishment.md) - We're back in medieval times now. The powers-that-be find great delight in beheading! But living beings have always found a way to survive in the face of oppression.
- [9 years of being a mother](https://thedreampedlar.com/9-years-of-being-a-mother.md) - Lessons learnt, realizations had, and digging deep for compassion, grace and forgiveness
- [tales for dreamers: about my favourite woodland creature (revisited)](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-about-my-favourite-woodland-creature-revisited.md) - A story for my little one, D, who turns 9 years old today! Happy Birthday, lovely child!
- [happy 9th birthday, D!](https://thedreampedlar.com/happy-9th-birthday-d.md) - Little D is not so little anymore! He turns 9 today!
- [on being a father](https://thedreampedlar.com/on-being-a-father.md) - What I've learned about myself and my partner as we navigated parenthood together
- [tales for dreamers: the writing on the wall](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-the-writing-on-the-wall.md) - The writing is on the wall. What do the words foretell? And how will you rise to meet this new future?
- [a young adult's dreams of world exploration, not domination](https://thedreampedlar.com/a-young-adults-dreams-of-world-exploration-not-domination.md) - a personal reflection on home, hiraeth, and the quiet hope behind every young adventurer's journey.
- [tales for dreamers: talking heads](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-talking-heads.md) - The heads watch you from their perch on the window sill. Have you ever thought of finding out what (or who) they are?
- [where is your safe space?](https://thedreampedlar.com/where-is-your-safe-space.md) - What if you've been looking for it in all the wrong places and premises?
- [tales for dreamers: a lighthouse marooned](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-a-lighthouse-marooned.md) - The lighthouse has been cut off from the sea. What could possibly be the purpose of its life now? Read this poetic flash fantasy about change, solitude, and quiet resilience.
- [what do you choose to remember?](https://thedreampedlar.com/what-do-you-choose-to-remember.md) - a reflection on parental guilt, on how we can heal childhood memories with self-compassion and understanding, and a free fantasy story that mirrors the journey of healing from the past.
- [May Mischief: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2025-may-mischief.md) - Delving into springtime stories, writing milestones, and short fantasy reads in this month's rendezvous
- [tales for dreamers: unusual offerings for unusual gods](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-unusual-offerings-for-unusual-gods.md) - Only the truly unusual can satisfy the spirits of these enchanted woods. What gift will you offer, O traveller, a gift that is uniquely yours?
- [the weight of hiraeth: when no place feels wholly like home](https://thedreampedlar.com/the-weight-of-hiraeth-when-no-place-feels-wholly-like-home.md) - A deeply personal exploration of longing, identity, and the elusive feeling of home across continents.
- [tales for dreamers: a doorway of locks](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-a-doorway-of-locks.md) - A dreamlike tale of portals, mischief, and forgotten magic.
- [the one thing I'd go back and change in my motherhood journey if I could](https://thedreampedlar.com/the-one-thing-id-go-back-and-change-in-my-motherhood-journey-if-i-could.md) - reflections on my motherhood journey on Mother's Day
- [tales for dreamers: destinations wrongly numbered](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-destinations-wrongly-numbered.md) - How do you follow a signpost that keeps changing the directions it shows you? Find out in this flash fiction tale of misleading paths and quiet revelations!
- [Dying Wishes on sale for $1.99 only!](https://thedreampedlar.com/dying-wishes-on-sale-for-1-99-only.md) - A contemporary, dark fantasy novel steeped in Hindu mythology
- [tales for dreamers: bleeding hearts](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-bleeding-hearts.md) - This is a love story. It has a witch in it. Which is probably why a happy ending may be hard to come by.
- [April Awesomeness: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2025-april-awesomeness.md) - Monthly Missives turns 3! Reflecting on serendipity in this life of writing and reading.
- [tales for dreamers: the poisoned apple](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-the-poisoned-apple.md) - Is the apple poisoned? If it is, or isn't, what will you do?
- [tales for dreamers: at the end of a pilgrimage](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-at-the-end-of-a-pilgrimage.md) - It is a difficult path to travel. What will you find at the end of your journey?
- [tales for dreamers: invisible horses for the wagon](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-invisible-horses-for-the-wagon.md) - The abandoned wagon has quite an interesting history. Sadly it has fallen into disuse. What could possibly revive it?
- [tales for dreamers: coyote area](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-coyote-area.md) - No one has seen a coyote in these parts. Where do you reckon we'll find one?
- [March Marvels: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2025-march-marvels.md) - New book release excitement! And musings on creativity in the age of AI and capitalism
- [tales for dreamers: where all quests come to an end](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-where-all-quests-come-to-an-end.md) - Everybody knows how to set out on a quest. But how will you know where it ends?
- [Tales For Dreamers: Volume 1 is out!](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-volume-1-is-out.md) - The very first collection of these lovely tales that I've been writing for years is now out for your reading pleasure~
- [all the distractions come for me](https://thedreampedlar.com/all-the-distractions-come-for-me.md) - and they get me every single time ... but the desire to create never does fade ...
- [tales for dreamers: stairway to the above-world](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-stairway-to-the-above-world.md) - There is a stairway that leads you to the higher realms in the above-world. But how far it will take you depends on how badly you want to get there. Ready to find out?
- [the delights of living in the present moment](https://thedreampedlar.com/the-delights-of-living-in-the-present-moment.md) - How liberating it is to not have to constantly scheme and manipulate the future!
- [only one place where wisdom lives](https://thedreampedlar.com/only-one-place-where-wisdom-lives.md) - You know where I'm going with this, don't you? 😉
- [what it really takes to choose one thing over another](https://thedreampedlar.com/what-it-really-takes-to-choose-one-thing-over-another.md) - I went to Indigo Books this morning to buy myself a spiral-bound notebook. While there, I chanced upon a set of four lovely magnetic bookmarks. With floral designs, each had a pithy saying like 'grow with the flow', 'each day is a fresh start', and so on. They were placed in a container which also…
- [am i doing this right?](https://thedreampedlar.com/am-i-doing-this-right.md) - On that never-ending need for validation
- [moments of clarity at day's end](https://thedreampedlar.com/moments-of-clarity-at-days-end.md) - Understanding myself better through these end-of-day reflections, and musing on fame this evening
- [having time ≠ having energy](https://thedreampedlar.com/having-time-having-energy.md) - On making time for rest even if, especially when, it feels as though we don't have enough time
- [the non-linear journey of creativity](https://thedreampedlar.com/the-non-linear-journey-of-creativity.md) - The growth of a creative is rarely linear. A creative's journey is a meandering, crossing paths with success once in a while, if at all.
- [tales for dreamers: when the sugar maple weeps](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-when-the-sugar-maple-weeps.md) - The sugar maple cries before the onset of every spring. If you ask her, she'll tell you why she's shedding all those tears.
- [the illusion of choice](https://thedreampedlar.com/the-illusion-of-choice.md) - Do we need several options to choose from? Or do we need just the one option that suits us best?
- [What are we trying to resolve? The problem? Or the discomfort?](https://thedreampedlar.com/what-are-we-trying-to-resolve-the-problem-or-the-discomfort.md) - Because only one of the two has a solution. The other doesn't.
- [jettisoning all yardsticks for growth](https://thedreampedlar.com/jettisoning-all-yardsticks-for-growth.md) - Why we can never really measure growth in the areas that matter. And what we can do instead.
- [the folly of 'if only'](https://thedreampedlar.com/the-folly-of-if-only.md) - On the toxicity of regrets
- [field notes from liminal spaces](https://thedreampedlar.com/field-notes-from-liminal-spaces.md) - Returning to an old love to find sanity and wisdom in these mad times
- [tales for dreamers: the necessity of flowers](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-the-necessity-of-flowers.md) - Every seeker yearns for a guide. Quite often, the guide appears in an utterly unexpected form. More often, they can do very little to help the seeker.
- [Read an Ebook Week sale on Smashwords](https://thedreampedlar.com/read-an-ebook-week-sale-on-smashwords.md) - Get three of my short stories for free!
- [tales for dreamers: about my favourite woodland creature](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-about-my-favourite-woodland-creature.md) - Of all beings in this universe, one in my indisputable favourite. Let me tell you more about it.
- [February Feistiness: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2025-february-feistiness.md) - On slowing down and thriving in a world that's spinning at increasingly dizzying speeds!
- [tales for dreamers: a sticker for a moon](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-a-sticker-for-a-moon.md) - A fortnight ago the sun went missing. This week there's something wrong with the moon. What's going on?
- [tales for dreamers: a door of hearts (revisited)](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-a-door-of-hearts-revisited.md) - There are twenty-nine hearts in all. Only one has a curse written on it. Will that be the one that chooses you?
- [tales for dreamers: a crack in the horizon](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-a-crack-in-the-horizon.md) - The sun has gone missing. Something else now appears in its place!
- [tales for dreamers: a black and white world](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-a-black-and-white-world.md) - A tale for when it snows but not nearly enough ...
- [January Jests: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/january-jests-monthly-missives-from-the-dream-pedlar.md) - Musings on world events, and turning to works of fiction to light the path during difficult times
- [tales for dreamers: a place to store your regrets](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-a-place-to-store-your-regrets.md) - Psst! Did you know you don't actually have to carry all your regrets with you for the rest of your life?
- [tales for dreamers: a simple rule for pedestrians](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-a-simple-rule-for-pedestrians.md) - Pedestrians, you only need to 'obey your signals'. Why is that so hard to follow?
- [tales for dreamers: how to stop the spread of invasive species](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-how-to-stop-the-spread-of-invasive-species.md) - Entering the woods is an invitation to the wood creatures to follow you on the way out. Need tips on how to leave them behind in the woods? Read on!
- [tales for dreamers: the guardian tree](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-the-guardian-tree.md) - There's a tree at the end of the lane that guards the portal to a land of sunshine. It can be quite moody though. How will you make it let you enter?
- [Free Sci-Fi & Fantasy Books](https://thedreampedlar.com/free-sci-fi-fantasy-books.md) - BookFunnel promo running until 31 January!
- [December Diaries: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2024-december-diaries.md) - Year-end reflections, and aiming to focus on what matters in the new year
- [tales for dreamers: fallen angels](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-fallen-angels.md) - The angels are rather exhausted after this season of granting wishes. What, do you think, will revive them?
- [tales for dreamers: going on a wish hunt](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-going-on-a-wish-hunt.md) - There are wishes of all kinds for every seeker. What do you wish for this season?
- [tales for dreamers: sprinkling magic for wish fulfillment](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-sprinkling-magic-for-wish-fulfillment.md) - The dancer's about to shower you with magic motes now. How many will you gather?
- [Kobo Plus fantasy!](https://thedreampedlar.com/kobo-plus-fantasy.md) - Read fantasy books over on Kobo Plus with a subscription!
- [lessons learnt from four years of being an author-entrepreneur](https://thedreampedlar.com/lessons-learnt-from-four-years-of-being-an-author-entrepreneur.md) - Realizing I've already come a long way, and remembering to enjoy the journey
- [tales for dreamers: an unexpected enchantment](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-an-unexpected-enchantment.md) - Because when snow falls after a long wait, it's spellbinding!
- [tales for dreamers: magic's back](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-magics-back.md) - You didn't even know magic had left, did you? But now it's back, and that should be reason enough for celebration. Or should it?
- [November Newness: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2024-november-newness.md) - On growing a year older and wiser, looking back with gratitude and looking ahead with faith and excitement
- [tales for dreamers: jewels in the water](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-jewels-in-the-water.md) - Everyone knows there are jewels underwater. Now they're rising to the surface for all to see. Ever wondered why?
- [tales for dreamers: liquid wisdom](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-liquid-wisdom.md) - The witch will share her wisdom with you now. But in a form you've never seen before.
- [tales for dreamers: a new place, a new life](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-a-new-place-a-new-life.md) - The werewolf has found a new home, at last! But is this where he wishes to stay for the rest of his life?
- [tales for dreamers: need a hand?](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-need-a-hand.md) - So many hands are willing to offer you their services. Which one will you choose?
- [Happy Diwaloween! 🪔👻](https://thedreampedlar.com/happy-diwaloween.md) - Here's to celebrating Diwali and Halloween on the same day this year!
- [October Optimism: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2024-october-optimism.md) - Contemplating community and connection, in fiction and in reality
- [tales for dreamers: a way out for the werewolf](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-a-way-out-for-the-werewolf.md) - The department store is no place for a werewolf. How will he escape? And where will he go once he gets out?
- [tales for dreamers: unexpected faces](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-unexpected-faces.md) - These pumpkins are hiding too many secrets. Hidden faces are just one of them!
- [tales for dreamers: the voice of the mask](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-the-voice-of-the-mask.md) - What do you do when the mask calls out to you? Run away? Or strike a conversation?
- [tales for dreamers: messages from beyond](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-messages-from-beyond.md) - Psst! Do you know how to receive and respond to messages from the other side? I can show you how.
- [September Shimmers: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2024-september-shimmers.md) - Back to routine alongside new beginnings! Plus an exciting update on Tales For Dreamers!
- [tales for dreamers: the unexpected demands of a shopping list](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-the-unexpected-demands-of-a-shopping-list.md) - Because even a shopping list can have demands of its own. Why not?
- [books you may love: September 2024](https://thedreampedlar.com/books-you-may-love-september-2024.md) - Murder mysteries, historical fiction, spiritual non-fiction, and thrillers!
- [tales for dreamers: the bangle-seller's song](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-the-bangle-sellers-song.md) - Come, buy a bangle from me.
- [Spectacular Giveway for Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Other Speculative Fiction](https://thedreampedlar.com/spectacular-giveway.md) - Free speculative fiction books by an assortment of amazing authors!
- [tales for dreamers: the fall dilemma](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-the-fall-dilemma.md) - In which the leaves can't seem to decide whether or not summer is truly gone and fall has truly arrived ...
- [tales for dreamers: the children are gone](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-the-children-are-gone.md) - What memories does your neighbourhood park hold?
- [tales for dreamers: this way up](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-this-way-up.md) - Everyone can see the way up. But no one knows what lies beyond.
- [an announcement: tales for dreamers](https://thedreampedlar.com/an-announcement-tales-for-dreamers.md) - Once again, magic will surface in these parts every Friday at 9 A.M. ET! ✨
- [August Affections: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2024-august-affections.md) - It's hard to believe it's still summer in these parts because it's been raining like monsoon and has become cool as autumn this week. It's 5 A.M. and 11 degree Celsius on a day in mid-August in Burlington, Ontario, as I write this. We've only just returned from being away in the UK and India, a jou…
- [July Jewels: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2024-july-jewels.md) - A journey, and a story of a journey
- [June Jollies: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2024-june-jollies.md) - Musings on the passage of time, and looking forward with the optimism of blue summer skies
- [a snow avatar](https://thedreampedlar.com/a-snow-avatar.md) - That's the title of my poem which won 1st place in the Burlington Public Library's annual writing contest in its category this year!
- [happy 8th birthday, D!](https://thedreampedlar.com/happy-8th-birthday-d.md) - Darling D, here's to growing in many ways while also remaining true to who you are!
- [why growth is not antithetical to enough-ness](https://thedreampedlar.com/why-growth-is-not-antithetical-to-enough-ness.md) - An unexpected lesson on growth mindset learnt from The Centaur's Wife
- [May Memories: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2024-may-memories.md) - Looking back to when we first arrived in Canada 10 years ago!
- [the desire for greatness](https://thedreampedlar.com/the-desire-for-greatness.md) - letting go of the 'potential' for greatness to celebrate the is-ness of the here and now
- [remnants of a past life (note 7): letting go of what no longer works](https://thedreampedlar.com/remnants-of-a-past-life-note-7.md) - decluttering by letting go of an object, a feeling, a friendship, and a dream ...
- [money matters, and happy mother's day!](https://thedreampedlar.com/money-matters-and-happy-mothers-day.md) - a short note on one thing that truly matters to me and another thing that had me all twisted up inside for a long time ...
- [unexpected lessons learnt from an indie author conference](https://thedreampedlar.com/unexpected-lessons-learnt-from-an-indie-author-conference.md) - Reassessing my near-term plans in my author career
- [buy direct and support authors!](https://thedreampedlar.com/buy-direct-and-support-authors.md) - my new e-bookstore, and sharing a promo running throughout May
- [the work is never truly finished.](https://thedreampedlar.com/the-work-is-never-truly-finished.md) - There's always more to be done. We can either respond with overwhelm or with a focus on the process.
- [April Allure: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2024-april-allure.md) - A birthday, a new book, a new online store, and a place and time to meet up! Then contemplating wisdom itself ...
- [tales for dreamers: when dragons forget they can fly](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-when-dragons-forget-they-can-fly.md) - The dragon does not wish to fly. She doesn't say so but we know who's to blame for her affliction.
- [coming to the Toronto Indie Author Conference?](https://thedreampedlar.com/toronto-indie-author-conference.md) - Come attend the Toronto Indie Author Conference on 4-5 May!
- [the one I fight with the most ...](https://thedreampedlar.com/the-one-i-fight-with-the-most.md) - Take an easy guess! 😉
- [in this creator economy, individual creators need not mistake themselves for organizations.](https://thedreampedlar.com/in-this-creator-economy-individual-creators-need-not-mistake-themselves-for-organizations.md) - An individual simply cannot, and need not even aspire to, create and produce on par with a larger team or organization. That way lies madness and burnout, at the very least.
- [begging to belong](https://thedreampedlar.com/begging-to-belong.md) - seeking safety in the wrong places
- [March Magic: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2024-march-magic.md) - March has been a wild month! In more ways than one. First, it was the weather. There were a couple of balmy days mid-month, so much so that the ski hills up north had to cease operations for a couple of days. Then it went and snowed a week later as though it was Christmastime once again, and little…
- [books you may love: March 2024](https://thedreampedlar.com/books-you-may-love-march-2024.md) - March was a month of reading amazing murder mysteries.
- [tales for dreamers: underwater gods](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-underwater-gods.md) - Everyone knows it's impossible to spot an underwater God. But nobody knows why.
- [A rare mid-month update: How I fell in love with the fantasy genre](https://thedreampedlar.com/a-rare-mid-month-update-how-i-fell-in-love-with-the-fantasy-genre.md) - Two fantasy short stories featured in promotions this week
- [growing by subtracting](https://thedreampedlar.com/growing-by-subtracting.md) - personal growth by shedding old habits that no longer serve me
- [waiting for 'the end'](https://thedreampedlar.com/waiting-for-the-end.md) - When did getting to the end become more important than relishing the process?
- [the hero's dilemma! free fantasy & sci-fi books in march](https://thedreampedlar.com/the-heros-dilemma.md) - An assortment of free fantasy and sci-fi books based on the theme of moral dilemmas.
- [remnants of a past life (note 6): the value of the ordinary and mundane](https://thedreampedlar.com/remnants-of-a-past-life-note-6.md) - In the pursuit of the extraordinary, we forget that the ordinary and the mundane we're trying to run away from are truly the most priceless things.
- [Mrs. D'Souza's Dispute with God](https://thedreampedlar.com/mrs-dsouzas-dispute-with-god-released.md) - A new fantasy short story is out! About humans and Gods. About death and life.
- [turning inwards: the true north](https://thedreampedlar.com/turning-inwards-the-true-north.md) - What does your inner voice tell you about your art and life when you shut out the clamour of other people's opinions?
- [February Fervour: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/2024-newsletter-february-fervour.md) - A new book! Plus musings on listening to our inner voice and sticking to our decisions despite the noise of the world outside.
- [books you may love: February 2024](https://thedreampedlar.com/books-you-may-love-february-2024.md) - A thriller, a mystery, and a heart-warming story of immigration and family secrets
- [tales for dreamers: the ghosts are leaving](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-the-ghosts-are-leaving.md) - The ghosts are leaving. But when they're gone, who will haunt you?
- [the trouble with following your own path](https://thedreampedlar.com/the-trouble-with-following-your-own-path.md) - Coping with self-doubt when we make unconventional life choices
- [remnants of a past life (note 5)](https://thedreampedlar.com/remnants-of-a-past-life-note-5.md) - Redefining what a successful outcome is for me.
- [January Journal: Monthly Missives from the Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2024-january-journal.md) - One month into a new year, and remembering that the journey is the destination ... there's no other place to be other than here and now.
- [books you may love: January 2024](https://thedreampedlar.com/books-you-may-love-january-2024.md) - I usually have a Books You May Love section in my monthly newsletter. Since this month's section is enormous, it merits its own post! Happy reading!
- [remnants of a past life (note 4)](https://thedreampedlar.com/remnants-of-a-past-life-note-4.md) - purging stuff and emotions ... after hoarding them for more than decade ...
- [remnants of a past life (note 3)](https://thedreampedlar.com/remnants-of-a-past-life-note-3.md) - Purging the past, one item at a time
- [remnants of a past life (note 2)](https://thedreampedlar.com/remnants-of-a-past-life-note-2.md) - Reflecting on my past attitude towards household chores and the radical shift in perspective I was lucky enough to experience
- [remnants of a past life (note 1)](https://thedreampedlar.com/remnants-of-a-past-life-note-1.md) - Adopting a new hobby, one that entails no creation of anything new
- [the addiction to struggle](https://thedreampedlar.com/the-addiction-to-struggle.md) - What is it that's already working for you, but you're not able to see it for the blessing it truly is?
- [what is the point of it all?](https://thedreampedlar.com/what-is-the-point-of-it-all.md) - finally finding the answer to a question I first began to ask two decades ago ...
- [a reminder of the ephemeral nature of life](https://thedreampedlar.com/a-reminder-of-the-ephemeral-nature-of-life.md) - For a dear uncle who died today
- [free sci-fi books for one day only!](https://thedreampedlar.com/free-sci-fi-books-for-one-day-only.md) - Load your Kindle with amazing free sci fi books for one day only!
- [happy new year!](https://thedreampedlar.com/happy-new-year-2.md) - I love new beginnings! Even though I'm spending today like I've spent most other days this past week—writing, reading and spending time with D and KrA—because that's Heaven for me, it's still a new start. A fresh new morning. A new beginning. And I love it. As I said in my newsletter that went out…
- [December Delights: Monthly Missives from The Dream Pedlar](https://thedreampedlar.com/newsletter-2023-december-delights.md) - Looking ahead to the new year and the wonders it holds in store for us ...
- [tales for dreamers: wish chimneys](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-wish-chimneys.md) - Everyone knows about presents sent down chimneys on Christmas eve. Did you know you could also send undesirables up the same way on new year's eve?
- [tales for dreamers: the un-knowing](https://thedreampedlar.com/tales-for-dreamers-the-un-knowing.md) - Perhaps the time has come to not know more, but to un-know all the knowledge that has dumped upon us, so that we can make way for wonder.

## Optional
- [RSS Feed](https://thedreampedlar.com/rss/)
- [Sitemap](https://thedreampedlar.com/sitemap.xml)
- [Full content of pages and posts](https://thedreampedlar.com/llms-full.txt)