Subhechcha Ganguly 
Dr Pamela has curated a beautiful book “Cracking the Happiness Code”. She is a Neuropsychologist, General Physician and Child and Adolescent Psychologist. Let us know more about her book in this Exclusive Feature by Interview Times.
Q1) How did you understand your calling as an author? What was your first writing experience?
Ans: I was an avid reader as a teenager and then stumbled upon poetry. I started penning my lines in English as well as Hindi and then there was no looking back with all forms of writing. I did decide to write a book about five years ago because I thought there is so much I wanted to share with the world about the learnings I have imbibed. A book was my first way to reach out far and wide.
Q2) How did you decide on the plot for “Cracking the Happiness Code”. Give us a short brief about the book.
Ans: So, I wrote the book with a view that it can be used as a tool rather than a ‘read it once and shelf it’. The chapters are short keeping in mind the average human attention span. Although it is scientifically backed, I have made a very conscious effort to speak in simple layman’s language because I want people to understand their minds in a simple, not-so-daunting way that encourages them to take appropriate action where required.
The first half of the book focuses on the various reasons ‘happiness’ evades people. As a side note, I first go into the very usage of the term happiness – what it means to different people and how it can be replaced with any word that resonates with that emotion to get the point across. Anyway, I call the first half of the book, the WHY and more often than not people will find more than one reason that resonates with them. The second half of the book is called the HOW. This part focuses on how people can go about achieving that default state of blissfulness, once they’ve figured out their WHY/s.
My aim with this book other than the obvious is to also break the myth that people either believe or use in their defence, that the brain is hard-wired to be what it is and therefore they ‘are what they are’. This is not the case!
Q3) Nowadays a majority of the youth is much more focused on social media rather than reading books. What is your view on this topic?
Ans: Reading is a quality that some tend to not gravitate towards because it requires being present. Reading a book for some is boring, tedious, or even at times sleep inducing (as I’ve been told). Watching a short clip or even reading bits of information on social media, in comparison to reading, allows the brain to just zone in and out and doesn’t require the brain to process a lot in comparison to reading. It requires less attention span and provides instant gratification. Of course, this depends on the content being viewed/read on social media but even so. Reading a book on the other hand requires attention and patience – the gratification comes at the end of the book. And once you indulge in reading, the images your brain can conjure up would be much more enjoyable and vivid than some of the content on media out there.
Q4) Kindly attach the links to your book so that the readers can get a grasp on these beautiful reads.
Ans: Sure, they are available on the platforms below
Amazon: Cracking the Happiness Code
Flipkart: Cracking the Happiness Code
Pothi: Cracking the Happiness Code
Q5) We know that there is a lot of hard work that goes behind the launching of books. From preparing the final manuscript to writing the first draft till publishing. Tell us how your experience was and to whom would you dedicate your success in this entire process.
Ans: If I were to put it into words, the experience was simply exhilarating! After I drafted the manuscript, I learnt so much about the editorial process and the publishing world. I went down the self-publishing route, so the effort was more than that of a traditional one. The content of my book itself is dedicated to my family and some key people in my life who were instrumental in the workings of the book. Some of my mentors and professors, and some coaches. All in all, if someone were to ask me if the journey was easy, I’d say “No!” But if you were to ask me if I’d do it again, I’d say a resounding “Yes! Without a shadow of a doubt.”
