At just 16, I never expected to hold a book with my name on the cover. It was a surreal feeling; I was excited, nervous and ready to open this new chapter of my life. What started as a collection of late night thoughts, hundreds of Google Docs, countless emails and hours of disciplined and hard work slowly morphed into “Bows and Ties,” a book about sisterhood, women empowerment and the stories that connect us.
I wanted to create a “handbook” for women of all ages to reference when they are feeling any sort of emotion, whether it be happy, sad or lost. The book changed my life and I want it to do the same for others.
“Bows and Ties” is a book that creates a modern definition of sisterhood. It contains 19 interviews from highly established women such as Shilpa Shah, the founder of Cuyana, Dr. Deepika Chopra (The Optimism Doctor) and Manana Marie, a content creator with over a million followers across TikTok and Instagram, just to name a few.
Each interview acts as a chapter from the book, and from there, the tone of the interview influences the next set of questions for the next interviewee, beautifully weaving each story together.
The idea came to me during the pandemic. I’ve always loved to write; putting on a good playlist and opening up a page of my journal is my definition of a perfect moment. In fact, that’s exactly what I was doing when Bows and Ties suddenly emerged in my head. I don’t know how it did, but the storyline was so clear, I knew I had to act on it.
As I began reaching out to my first few interviewees; entrepreneurs, authors, designers and creators, I didn’t expect anyone to reply. I was just a high schooler sending emails from my bedroom, hoping someone would take me seriously.
But one “yes” led to another, and soon, I was spending my days recording interviews, transcribing quotes, and shaping chapters that blended wisdom with what it means to be a woman in the 21st century. Each story reminded me why I started: to show that connection and courage have no age limit.
Kavya Thakrar holds her debut book “Bows and Ties.”
Once I had my interviews, I realized that writing a book wasn’t just about collecting words, but building something that had purpose. Every afternoon after school, I’d open my laptop, headphones in, and start piecing together stories from scratch. Some days it was easy; the words flowed like I’d been waiting to write them forever. Other days, I’d stare at the same paragraph for an hour, wondering if the words would ever come.
I worked mostly from my bedroom desk, balancing school assignments with late-night editing sessions and hundreds of email chains with editors and designers. Along the way, I learned to use Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing to publish. I spent hours experimenting with fonts, colors and cover concepts until the vision finally matched the feeling I wanted readers to have.
Even the smallest milestones felt huge; getting my first ISBN number, holding the proof copy in my hands, seeing “by Kavya Thakrar” printed across the cover. I couldn’t even fathom that something I created could now exist in someone else’s hands.
When “Bows and Ties” finally came out, I didn’t expect how emotional it would feel. Seeing people hold the book, share their favorite quotes, or tell me that it made them feel inspired reminded me why I started in the first place. It was proof that storytelling can foster connection, no matter your age.
Now, when I look back, I realize “Bows and Ties” wasn’t just a book. It was part of my metamorphosis between who I was and who I’m becoming. Between teenage dreams and real-world impact. Between stories I admired and the story I’m still writing every day.
If there’s one thing I’d tell anyone thinking about starting something big, it’s this: don’t wait until you feel “ready.” You’ll never feel ready, but you’ll always have something worth saying. Your voice matters no matter how old you are. Start where you are, use what you have, and trust that your passion will take care of the rest.
“Bows and Ties” is now on Amazon for purchase.
