Like a Banyan Tree: The Making of a Book for a Family’s History

From the unimaginable horrors of Partition through refugee camp after refugee camp, author Eric Severn’s grounding and literary voice immerses the reader in a tale of loyalty, love, determination, and hope. Baij Nath Anand’s children described their father’s magnetic and motivating energy as Undeterred Optimism. And through Eric’s dialogue with Baij, getting to know this man who has already passed from this world, we all begin to understand just why this story was worth being told.

It was a truly valuable experience being a part of this book’s Team. As the Publisher, it was my role to help take the manuscript and craft it into a book that would become part of the family’s legacy. We worked through each piece of the book’s style and design, from paper types to cover finishes to binding and more. We gathered family photos, digitized and organized them, and put them into the story to help bring the tale to life. 

The writing of Eric Severn instantly drew me in, the first time I was sent a sample of his writing, to see if I would be interested in being the Publisher for the project. I felt a resounding YES. And through the process of reading, re-reading, and re-reading this book, I’ve learned both from the great man, Baij Nath Anand and from the author Eric Severn for his reflections, his insights, his style of writing.  

Seeing the final book in hand is always a big celebration, and I’m grateful that this entire book project was such a quality experience. 

If you’re interested in reading Like a Banyan Tree, you can purchase either an ebook or full-color hardcover from Amazon.

I may be a bit biased, but I highly recommend it.

Contributions from Southern States, LLC made this book possible. It is being published in celebration of the new building called the B.N. Anand Complex at Southern States, which is named in dedication to Baij Nath Anand.

About the Author

Mackenzie Bakewell, or ZieBee, is the lead author and artist here at ZieBee Media. Mackenzie is a travel photographer, illustrator, and professional book maker. She specializes in helping people turn their ideas into reality, tapping into her background in web design, publishing, and portrait photography. She is passionate about the use of coloring as a tool for health and happiness.