Sheetal Durve
The story of Dream Diaries begins in the quiet moments of my everyday life, particularly during my daughter’s gymnastics lessons. While she flipped, twirled, and practiced her routines with endless determination, I would sit on the sidelines with a notebook in hand. Those hours, became my sanctuary—a time to let my imagination wander and put pen to paper.
Writing during those lessons was a reflection of parenthood itself: balancing the chaos of schedules with the quiet pursuit of personal passions. It was in those moments, surrounded by the sounds of effort and achievement, that Dream Diaries truly began to take shape.
Growing up, books were my way of exploring the world beyond what I could see,. But it wasn’t until I became a parent that storytelling became an integral part of my life.
Every night, as I tucked my children into bed, I would make up stories for them. These weren’t just tales—they were adventures, crafted on the spot to fit their moods and questions. Some nights we sailed across enchanted seas; other nights, we solved mysteries or befriended talking animals. Their excitement and curiosity fueled my imagination, and our bedtime storytelling ritual became one of the most cherished parts of our day.
Over time, I realized these stories weren’t just for my children—they were for me too. They reminded me of the dreams I had as a child, the adventures I’d always wanted to embark on but never had the chance to. Some of those dreams became the foundation for the stories in Dream Diaries.
Creating Dream Diaries wasn’t without its challenges. Time was always in short supply, especially as a parent. Writing during gymnastics lessons became my way of stealing moments for myself amidst the busyness of life. But even with that time carved out, there were days when the words didn’t come easily, when doubts crept in about whether these stories would resonate with anyone beyond my family.
Another challenge was transforming the stories from spoken tales into written ones. The rhythm of bedtime storytelling is different—it’s more dynamic, shaped by the reactions of your audience. Capturing that magic on the page required countless revisions and a determination to stay true to the heart of each story.
Since I was illustrating the books myself, I knew exactly how I wanted the book to look visually. Creating the illustrations for my own stories brought me immense pleasure and satisfaction.
Ultimately the book was ready to be published. I had an extremely supportive team at Zorba Books. Since Dream Diaries was an illustrated book, I was very particular about the look. But I was really satisfied with the published book.
Looking back, the process of creating Dream Diaries was as much about self-discovery as it was about storytelling. It reminded me of the resilience we carry, the importance of carving out time for our passions, and the joy of sharing our inner worlds with others.
For every child who reads Dream Diaries, my hope is that they see a piece of themselves in its pages—that they feel encouraged to dream bigger, imagine wilder, and believe in their own extraordinary possibilities. And for the parents who read it with them, I hope it inspires them to share their own stories, to create new traditions, and to cherish the moments of connection that storytelling brings.
A book is a celebration of the dreams that unite us, the magic of imagination, and the bonds we create through the simple act of sharing a tale. Writing it was a journey I’ll always treasure—a testament to the idea that even in the busiest corners of life, there’s room for a little bit of magic.
Sheetal Durve
Insta : @artofsheetal
Fb: DreamDiaries by Sheetal