For #writerfriendschallenge, the prompt for Day 12 was the books that made us fall in love with reading — and I have to admit there were MANY, MANY, MANY books. Even more than books, there were the stories my Thatha (grandfather) would share with us. He lived an ocean away in the mountainous region of the Western Ghats where he oversaw his coffee plantation. My mom had grown up here, in this breathtakingly beautiful place at the edge of a jungle. Visiting my grandparents was the best adventure ever!
My Thatha would fill our heads with folklore of our ancestors and Indian myth and do it all with such theatrical gusto that you couldn’t help but want to hear more!
On weekends, he would take us into town and let us pick out dozens of comic books (Amar Chitra Katha were my fave) and then he’d spend the next several hours reading them to us!
Since then, I’ve always had a passion for books and stories❤️
Here’s to my Thatha – today is his Birthday❤️ In his memory, I’m going to break out my Amar Chitra Katha comics, and get lost in a story❤️
SATHYA ACHIA 
Sathya, I fell in love with your grandparents. I wish I could have sat at their feet and heard those stories. I hope we meet and you will tell me some of these
memories. Love to you. Frances
Thanks for your thoughtful note! I can’t wait to share those stories with you! Love to you, S