In Appreciation

    It is a profound joy as well as pride when the author and protagonist in a novel are your close friends. For an aspiring writer like me, the opportunity to introduce them both is a rare privilege. I was fortunate to cross paths with both Tom and Rethy Devi, as fellow travellers of Malayalam writing. Along the way, they both have become my mentors and well-wishers.
    Tom is among a rare breed of American writers; proficient in both Malayalam and English prose.  It’s perhaps his background in psychology that Tom handles complex human relationships and social issues through his writings with relative ease.  
    In this book, Tom portrays the life of a woman whose real life is stranger than fiction. Rethy Devi is the quintessential social activist who embodies the term ‘activism’ in her every breath. Through her speeches and her own novel ‘Adima Vamsham’, Rethy has become the spokesperson for the oppressed namely the women. It’s a responsibility she leads with courage and passion, while defending her fort from the bastion of a male dominated society. 
    Let’s congratulate Tom for this difficult venture of balancing the creative process, while giving justice to a real life character. On a personal note, I praise Tom for inspiring young readers to take bold decisions and speaking out for the weakest of the weak.
‘Just Another Day in Paradise’ is bound to take readers on an interesting voyage through a not so familiar path. This book is a great read and strongly recommended to all book lovers out there.

Jane Joseph
Austin, Texas