Season 2, Episode 91

Join your hosts Carmen and Sophia Micsa to learn from our guest Shanti Hershenson what it means to be passionate about life, writing, and achieving goals.

Ever since Shanti Hershenson could hold a pencil, marker, or crayon, she created stories. Shanti’s first two novellas were published when she was in the sixth grade.

Shanti lives in California with her parents, sister, and furry friends. Besides writing, she enjoys skateboarding, Beyblading, free-running, falconry, and, of course, reading.

Shanti writes in a variety of genres, including Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Historical Fiction, although she mostly sticks to Sci-Fi. She advocates for anti-bullying, and you may find her at open mic nights, performing her spoken word poem Needles & Thorns, which is about the struggle of bullying in middle schools.

On this Seeds of Sunshine episode:

• Our 16-year-old author Shanti recounts how much she loved to read from a young age, which is why she wished to become an author herself to create books and stories.
• Shanti shares her greatest tip for becoming a prolific author, which is to write every single day 1000 words no matter what. Shanti writes whether she has something going on that day or not feeling well.
• Shanti published her first book when she was 12! It was a novella that she had written with a friend of hers.
• Shanti discusses the pros and cons of traditional vs. self-publishing. She prefers self-publishing because it’s a great way to get into the business and learn how everything works.
• Writing has made Shanti a much more confident person and a better speaker.
• Shanti has written stories about bullies and has empowered others.
• Shanti shares a few of her favorite books for teenagers, such as The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.

To buy Shanti’s books, go to her website:

Author | Shanti Hershenson

To connect with Shanti:

Shanti Hershenson (@shantihershenson) • Instagram photos and videos

Shanti Hershenson (@shantiwhowrites) | TikTok

Shanti Hershenson (shantihershenson) - Profile | Pinterest

Support the Show.

Full editing credit & art design to my daughter Sophia Micsa.
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