November 9, 2022
Sagar Udeshi, Normandy Graduate, Class of 2011, recently published his first children's book, titled Virtues for a Better Tomorrow.
Read more about the author and all about his new book with our question and answer session!
Q. Tell us a little about yourself. Where did you attend college? What did you study? Where has your career taken you?
A. I grew up in the local area in Parma, but now live in Middleburg Heights. I went to Hillside Middle School and Normandy High School (class of 2011). Aside from writing, my hobbies include hiking, sports, music and learning about different aspects of spirituality. My interest in spiritual growth was sparked by growing up as a practicing Hindu but going to a Christian private school as a child. I graduated from Baldwin Wallace University in 2015. After graduation, I served as a member of AmeriCorps from 2015 to 2016 before earning my graduate degree from University of Findlay in 2017. I work in marketing and business development at a physician recruiting company.
Q. Where did the idea come about to write this book? Where did you get the inspiration from?
A. The idea for the book came about after pondering for a long time what I could do to positively affect my community. After serving in AmeriCorps for a year I’ve felt that intrinsic need to give back. When I realized that I had a message that could benefit children, writing a book seemed like the best way to do it. The inspiration came from wanting to write about life lessons that I learned growing up. These were lessons that helped shape me who I am today, but also something I try to live by to this day.
Q. The book talks about important characteristics/traits like valor, kindness, and humility. Why these topics?
A. I believe these topics (and other topics mentioned in the book), are universal topics that children should learn. These are not just characteristics that can help themselves, but ones that can help their families and communities at large. Trying to live by these virtues brings about a positive outlook in our community where we can all come together for a greater cause.
Q. What do you hope children take from this book? What is one thing you want them to remember?
A. I hope that children are able to find each of the stories relatable to where they are able to embody the values taught in them. If there is one thing that I would want them to remember, it's that it’s not hard to be good, and to do good. While it sometimes may not be the easiest, or the most popular thing to do, doing good for others helps us become a better person.
Q. Have you always had a passion for writing?
A. Yes, I have always had a passion for writing. It always served as a great creative outlet for me.
Q. How does it feel to be a published author?
A. Of course, it’s a surreal feeling, but sometimes it doesn’t even feel like I am a published author. For me that’s just an aspect that comes with writing a book but not the end goal. All the credit goes to my friends and family that helped and supported me along the way.
Q. You have donated a book to two of our buildings. Thank you for your generosity in donating books. Why is giving back important to you?
A. Giving back is important to me because I personally feel like it should be our duty to do our part in the community. As I mentioned before, I truly do believe that these are universal topics for children across all walks of life. To me, that means that all children should be able to learn about the lessons in this book.
Q. Any future plans for more books? Will you only focus on children's books? Any plans for other styles of writing?
A. In the future I plan on continuing to write to send a positive message into the community. In the immediate future, my writing will focus on books for children but I’m open to writing for young adults as well!
Connect with Sagar Udeshi on Instagram/Facebook page: @sagarudeshiwrites
