True Fiction Project

Welcome to the True Fiction Project, your go-to podcast for exploring the journey of stories from their non-fiction roots to their fictional outcomes! I'm Reenita Hora, your host, and today we're doing something different and special. We have marketing strategy expert Saurabh Bajaj, Executive Vice President at Vodafone Idea and author of the fascinating book The Practical Marketer. We explore practical marketing strategies, brand positioning, consumer insights, and social media marketing. Saurabh reveals how category growth, market share, personal branding, and domain authority shape successful marketing campaigns and how those concepts can be applied to fiction writers and artists. He shares his digital marketing journey and the power of brand strategy. Tune in to hear his Cadbury Celebrations story—how a profound consumer insight about the Diwali holiday, "Iss Diwali Aap Kise Khush Karengay" (This Diwali, Who Will You Make Happy), inspired the iconic, successful campaign.What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✅ The fundamental brand strategy decision: pursue category growth or steal market share—this choice determines your entire marketing campaign approach.✅ Build personal branding and domain authority through social media marketing with vulnerable, authentic content that resonates with audiences.✅ How consumer insights and digital marketing evolved—why establishing context and authority matters more than keywords in modern practical marketing strategies.✅ The story behind Cadbury's iconic Diwali campaign and how understanding genuine human connection created a timeless brand positioning success.Subscribe to Reenita’s Storytelling Den on Substack for free at https://substack.com/@reenitahora and to her YouTube channel to watch the video version of this episode! https://www.youtube.com/@reenymalCheck out her website to stay up-to-date on events, book releases and more! https://reenita.com/TIMESTAMPS:  00:00 Saurabh Bajaj, author of The Practical Marketer and how the pandemic sparked his writing journey 03:56 The fundamental brand strategy question: grow the category growth or steal market share08:03 Understanding your brand positioning task before executing any marketing campaigns13:33 Storytelling techniques for authors and how practical marketing strategies apply to creative professionals17:48 The evolution of social media marketing and building domain authority through authentic content26:11 Creating vulnerable, authentic content that builds personal branding and consumer insights32:00 Saurabh tells us an anecdote about the Cadbury Celebrations Diwali campaign story he spearheaded: discovering the power of genuine consumer connectionKEY TAKEAWAYS: 💎 Understanding whether your goal is category growth or stealing market share is the most fundamental brand strategy decision that shapes all marketing campaigns and determines success.💎 Building domain authority through social media marketing requires authentic content creation and vulnerability—the posts that make you uncomfortable often perform best and create a genuine consumer connection.💎 Great consumer insights come from profound observation—Saurabh's Cadbury Celebrations campaign succeeded by discovering that Diwali represents a genuine human connection rather than transactions, a timeless insight still relevant today.ABOUT THE GUEST: Saurabh Bajaj has served as the Executive Vice President and Prepaid Marketing Head at Vodafone Idea since August 2022. An alumnus of Delhi College of Engineering and IIM Indore (2004), he brings over 21 years of sales and marketing expertise.His career spans a decade at Mondelez, Innovation Head for Premium & Luxury Spirits at Diageo, and over 5 years as Head of Marketing for Dairy & International Business at Britannia before joining Vodafone Idea. He was recognized among the 50 Best Marketing & Communication Professionals by White Page International (2020) and as a DMA Trailblazer Rising Star CMO (2021).The Practical MarketerSaurabh Bajaj - LinkedInThe Practical Marketer - InstagramSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/true-fiction-project/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Historical true crime, genealogical mysteries, and unsolved deaths await in this gripping episode of the True Fiction Project! I'm Reenita Hora, your host, diving into the mysterious world of true crime with author Michelle Graff and her book Hidden: The Unsolved Mystery of Sarah Mumford. We'll explore genealogical research, unsolved mysteries from 1899, and the dark reality of human trafficking and unwed mothers. Michelle uncovers parallels between her great-grandmother and 15-year-old Sarah Mumford through newspaper archives and primary source research. This blend of narrative nonfiction and historical fiction reveals the secrets of a Victorian-era death investigation. Then, hear an excerpt from the book as we witness Amelia giving birth to her daughter and, despite the shame of being unwed, courageously insisting that the baby's father be recorded in the doctor's records. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: How genealogical research and newspaper archives can uncover historical true crime cases from the 1800sHow orphanage records reveal the dark history of human trafficking and exploitation of children in the Victorian eraThe investigative techniques used in death investigations and forensic investigations during the 19th-century crime eraHow narrative nonfiction and historical fiction blend to tell the stories of unwed mothers and hidden truths in family historySubscribe to Reenita’s Storytelling Den on Substack for free at https://substack.com/@reenitahora and to her YouTube channel to watch the video version of this episode! https://www.youtube.com/@reenymalCheck out her website to stay up-to-date on events, book releases and more! https://reenita.com/TIMESTAMPS:  00:00 Michelle Graff explains how genealogical research on her great-grandmother led to discovering the 1899 historical true crime case of Sarah Mumford’s unsolved mystery 04:54 The death investigation reveals Sarah was dead before the train hit her, and the coroner uncovers that she was treated as an indentured servant07:56 Michelle discusses using newspaper archives, primary source research, and orphanage records to piece together the narrative nonfiction story in Hidden13:33 The themes of human trafficking, unwed mothers, hidden truths, and how children were exploited in the Victorian era17:33 Michelle Graff reads an excerpt from Hidden: The Unsolved Mystery of Sarah MumfordKEY TAKEAWAYS: Sarah Mumford's death investigation in 1899 revealed she was dead before being placed on train tracks, transforming the case from suicide to a covered-up murder involving child welfare exploitationMichelle Graff combined genealogical research techniques with historical true crime investigation, using newspaper archives and orphanage records to uncover the parallel stories of Sarah and her great-grandmother AmeliaThe book exposes how children from orphanages were exploited as indentured servants for profit, drawing connections to modern-day human trafficking issuesABOUT THE GUESTS: Michelle is drawn to mystery and true crime novels. Like so many true crime lovers, she longed to solve a real-life mystery. Fellow fans of history, genealogy, research, puzzles, true crime, mystery, social justice, and child advocacy can contact her at resiliencyonline.com.Cultivating Human Resiliency - WebsiteMichelle Graff - LinkedInHidden: The Unsolved Mystery of Sarah Mumford - AmazonSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/true-fiction-project/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Character-driven fiction, multi-perspective narrative, and historical fiction await in this episode of the True Fiction Project! I'm Reenita Hora, your host, sitting down with award-winning journalist and novelist Marshall Fine. We'll explore his new novel Hemlock Lane, releasing today, November 25, 2025! It’s a women's fiction masterpiece told through a multi-perspective narrative over four days. Marshall shares his creative writing process, narrative structure techniques, and how film criticism and writing shaped his character development approach. Set in 1967, this book club fiction tackles second-wave feminism through family drama. Finally, Marshall reads an excerpt from Hemlock Lane which follows Nora Levitsky, a young woman on a quiet drive through upstate New York in the summer of 1967, at a roadside stop and with a handwritten note from her boyfriend which stirs unexpected emotions and the realization that she may be ready to imagine a future she once swore she’d never want.What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✅ How to structure character-driven fiction using a multi-perspective narrative approach that reveals secrets gradually over four days✅ Narrative structure techniques for writing historical fiction set in 1960s America while making themes resonate with contemporary readers✅ How film criticism and writing, biography writing, and documentary filmmaking experience can enhance your creative writing process and character development skills✅ Methods for crafting compelling women's fiction and book club fiction that explores second-wave feminism and family dynamics through literary character study✅ Hemlock Lane is releasing on November 25th and is available for pre-order here: https://www.amazon.com/Hemlock-Lane-Novel-Marshall-Fine-ebook/dp/B0F1Z37XX6Subscribe to Reenita’s Storytelling Den on Substack for free at https://substack.com/@reenitahora and to her YouTube channel to watch the video version of this episode! https://www.youtube.com/@reenymalCheck out her website to stay up-to-date on events, book releases and more! https://reenita.com/TIMESTAMPS:  00:00 Introduction to Marshall Fine's character-driven fiction novel Hemlock Lane and his background in film criticism and writing, biography writing, and documentary filmmaking01:49 Marshall's restless creativity philosophy and his approach to the creative writing process while working on multi-perspective narrative projects08:33 Discussion of Hemlock Lane's narrative structure: four days told from different character perspectives, classified as women's fiction and book club fiction11:06 Exploring the character development of domineering mother and daughter dynamics in historical fiction writing set in 1967 with second-wave feminism themes16:59 Marshall reads an excerpt from Hemlock Lane, introducing Nora Levitsky, demonstrating literary character study and flashback narrative techniques in contemporary fictionKEY TAKEAWAYS: 💎 Character-driven fiction works best when you challenge yourself with structure—Marshall crafted Hemlock Lane as a multi-perspective narrative unfolding over four days, with each character's perspective revealing new insights into previous events through flashback narrative techniques💎 Writing historical fiction set in 1960s America requires balancing period-specific tensions with universal themes—while second wave feminism was shocking in 1967, the story's core about domineering parents and family members treading on eggshells resonates across generations in women's fiction💎 Drawing from diverse creative experiences enhances your creative writing process—Marshall's background in film criticism and writing, biography writing, and documentary filmmaking about rebels who charted their own paths directly influenced his character development approach in book club fictionABOUT THE GUESTS: Marshall Fine is an award-winning journalist, critic, and filmmaker with a 50-year career. Before his bestselling 2024 fiction debut, The Autumn of Ruth Winters, Fine wrote biographies of filmmakers John Cassavetes and Sam Peckinpah, directed documentaries about film critic Rex Reed and comedian Robert Klein, conducted the Playboy interview with Howard Stern, and chaired the New York Film Critics Circle four times. He currently lives in Ossining, New York.Marshall Fine - WebsiteHemlock Lane - AmazonSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/true-fiction-project/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

A queer South Asian woman’s story takes center stage at the start of season 7 of the True Fiction Project! I'm Reenita Hora, your host, diving into the groundbreaking world of queer storytelling with writer, comedian, and filmmaker Aneri Shah. We'll explore her journey from pre-med student to documentary filmmaking, her Eyebrow Queens podcast, and her television comedy pilot she’s written called, Not Quite, which is about queer reinvention. Aneri discusses creating LGBTQ+ content that challenges cultural norms and the absence of South Asian women filmmakers creating authentic bisexual coming-out stories. This episode features a concept teaser called Not Quite, demonstrating emotional authenticity in creating authentic LGBTQ+ content about cultural identity and women's friendship dynamics.What You’ll Learn in This Episode: How queer South Asian representation is breaking new ground in television through comedy writing and independent film production that centers around South Asian women filmmakersThe creative journey from documentary filmmaking about ER physicians during the pandemic to developing LGBTQ+ television pilots that explore bisexual coming-out stories and cultural identity explorationThe power of podcast creation as a tool for discovering your voice and building community around queer South Asian representation and non-conformist life pathsHow creative reinvention happens gradually through embracing uncertainty, shedding labels, and creating LGBTQ+ content that explores women's friendship dynamics and self-actualizationSubscribe to Reenita’s Storytelling Den on Substack for free at https://substack.com/@reenitahora and to her YouTube channel to watch the video version of this episode! https://www.youtube.com/@reenymalCheck out her website to stay up-to-date on events, book releases and more! https://reenita.com/TIMESTAMPS:  00:00 Aneri Shah, a South Asian woman filmmaker creating LGBTQ+ content about flawed, funny women and her creative reinvention journey from pre-med student to documentary filmmaking 03:52 Creating I'm Doing My Job documentary about ER physicians during the COVID-19 lockdown09:07 Discussion of Not Quite, LGBTQ+ comedy pilot exploring bisexual coming out stories, cultural identity exploration, and shedding labels in your thirties18:30 The importance of emotional authenticity in queer storytelling and representing South Asian American experience beyond parental relationships22:45 Listen to Aneri Shah's concept teaser called Not Quite.KEY TAKEAWAYS: Queer South Asian representation in media is virtually nonexistent for women—while there are examples with men like A Nice Indian Boy, there are no fully realized queer South Asian women characters on screen, making LGBTQ+ television shows. Emotional authenticity is the true superpower in queer storytelling—it's not just about putting a South Asian woman on screen, but making audiences feel her emotions deeplyCreative reinvention and coming out isn't just about sexuality—it's about questioning all the labels and assumptions you've made about yourself, from career paths to life goals, and recognizing that South Asian Women filmmakers can tell stories beyond the lens of parental approvalWomen's friendship dynamics shift dramatically when one friend stops performing and the other continues—exploring how South Asian American experience friendships evolve when someone begins self-actualizing is a universal theme that resonates across all women's relationshipsABOUT THE GUESTS: Aneri Shah is a writer, comedian, and filmmaker obsessed with telling stories about flawed, funny women - because perfect is boring. She hosts Eyebrow Kweenz, a salon-style podcast where guests blurt out their truths, is developing Not Quite, a comedy pilot about her queer reinvention, and directed I’m Doing My Job, a feature documentary about women of color ER physicians during the pandemic. She's adept at transforming her trauma into comedy with heart.Aneri Shah - Instagramtiktok.com/@kweenaneriInstagram.com/eyebrowkweenzEyebrow Kweenz - TikTokEyebrow Kweenz | Podcast on SpotifySupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/true-fiction-project/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Female Indian artists shine in this powerful mash-up episode from Season Six of the True Fiction Project! I’m Reenita Hora, your host, honoring the voices of female Indian artists who use writing to explore identity, culture, and creativity. From the sacred symbolism of the Narmada River to the reflections of Indian mixed-media artists like Laila Khan Furniturewalla, these stories reveal how words become art. We’ll explore themes of Indian cultural identity, resilience in art, and the historical depth of the Vermilion Harvest novel, shaped by the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy. This collection of conversations of fiction and historical fiction highlights the brilliance of female Indian artists who write to empower and inspire.  What You’ll Learn in This Episode: How female Indian artists use storytelling to share culture, resilience, and creativityThe spiritual inspiration behind Narmada River rituals and its influence on artistic writingInsights from Indian mixed media artists like Laila Khan Furniturewalla and her creative journeyHow the Vermilion Harvest novel explores history through fiction, including the Jallianwala Bagh tragedyWhy celebrating Indian cultural identity through literature empowers communities and future generationsSubscribe to Reenita’s Storytelling Den on Substack for free at https://substack.com/@reenitahora and to her YouTube channel to watch the video version of this episode! https://www.youtube.com/@reenymalCheck out her website to stay up-to-date on events, book releases and more! https://reenita.com/TIMESTAMPS:  00:00 Introduction to the True Fiction Project, focusing on female Indian artists from Season Six02:15 Rachana Devidayal explains the creativity that flowed from the sacred Narmada River and other elements of her heritage06:45 Laila Khan Furniturewalla, daughter of Pharaoh Khan, is an Indian mixed media artist who focuses on heritage and art. Hear Laila O Laila  14:23 Traci DeForge interviews Reenita’s publisher about her novel Vermillion Harvest Playtime at the Bagh, discussing how real life can inspire historical fiction 17:00 Excerpt from Vermillion Harvest Playtime at the Bagh about forbidden love and the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy, read by Reenita HoraKEY TAKEAWAYS: The introduction to the True Fiction Project highlights female Indian artists, storytelling, and Indian cultural identityRachana Devidayal shares her journey as a female Indian artist, inspired by the sacred Narmada River, rituals and resilience in art💎 Laila Khan Furniturewalla, an Indian mixed media artist, reflects on heritage, creativity, and the legacy of female Indian artists💎 Exploration of the Vermilion Harvest novel, its connection to the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy, and the power of female Indian artists in historical fictionABOUT THE GUESTS: Rachana Devidayal - Website  Laila Khan Furniturewalla - WebsiteVermilion Harvest: Playtime at the BaghRESOURCES MENTIONED: Reenita Malhotra Hora - WebsiteSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/true-fiction-project/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy