1. About the Book
This book was born out of
unbearable loneliness.
There's a phase you go through in life when the thing you most crave for is human connection, and yet, it hurts to be around people. You crave belonging, yet pull away from anyone who comes close. You know you're not doing your best work. You wake up immediately wanting to escape back into the arms of sleep.
The hardest moment is right before you close your eyes at night, when you see your life in perfect clarity.
1000 Days of Love was born out of this loneliness.
1000 Days of Love is the story of Riya Shankar — a twenty-five-year-old lonely and anxious South Asian immigrant who is her own favorite punching bag. Pushed by the courage of turning twenty-five, she leaves the American Midwest for San Francisco, hoping a new city will mint a new person and propel her entrepreneurial dreams. But six months later, she's fallen, bruised and ready to give up. That's when she meets Sri, a 58-year-old dying from Parkinson's, yet more alive than anyone you've ever met.
What happens next redefines what love and
loss means for Riya… and maybe for you too.
2. "Will I enjoy this book?"
Everyone will take away something.
But for some, it'll be life-changing.
You'll enjoy this book the most if...
• You grew up with parents who put constraints all around (though they loved you in their own way).
• You live far away from home and miss a sense of belonging.
• You feel disconnected from your work, relationships, and daily life.
• You feel, or have felt, intensely lonely.
• You've caught yourself wondering, “Is this all there is to life?”
And of everyone who read it early, one piece of feedback came back almost universally: "I could not stop flipping pages."
What Early Readers Say
“
Netflix: 0
1000 Days of Love: 1
This book replaced my Grey's Anatomy.
Vishaka Vinod
Founder, Aiknod · San Francisco, USA
“
It landed straight into the heart of a South Asian woman who felt every word in her bones.
Amulya Emmadi
Growth, Manifest OS · Hyderabad, India
“
I cannot sleep. It felt like watching a thriller movie.
Sohan Sethi
Data Analytics Manager, Health Care Service Corp · Chicago, USA
“
I'm obsessed. Reading it every day before bed has been a lifesaver, helping me get a good night's sleep despite all the chaos in my life.
Mayank Bansal
Data Engineering, Target · San Francisco, USA
“
If you don't read this book, you don't truly understand love.
Mahantesh NG
Founder & CEO, Stixe · Bengaluru, India
3. Beyond the Book
1000 Days of Love opens the door to a larger community.
The Novel
A story about love, loss, and family. There are no soulmates or meet-cutes in this. But you'll still laugh, cry, and wish it didn't end.
The Course
Titled "Beyond Luck", this five-hour course was shot with the real-life inspiration of Sri's character, Rajesh Setty. It teaches you how to build relationships that change the trajectory of your career—and life.
The Community
Every week, we host Secret Sessions online where therapists drop in, people dance, and everyone leaves with a new friend.
The Tour
In 2027, we're bringing the book to life across select cities in the U.S. and India. An evening of stories and music, with ✨ magic ✨ sprinkled all over!
4. Beyond the Book: Course
Sri, the heart of this novel,
was inspired by a real person.
While the book shows you how one extraordinary relationship can change your life, the course shows you how to build such relationships.
It's built around one idea: generosity is your greatest unfair advantage.
Across 16 short (and humorous) modules, you'll learn about generosity, attention, meaningful conversations, and how to become someone people trust, remember, and root for.
This course is a humongous leap upward from the kinds of content we usually see on the internet. It helps deepen your existence within yourself and with the people around you.
If I was to take one thing away from the course, it's this quote by Susan Scott: 'While no single conversation is guaranteed to transform a company, a relationship, or a life… any single conversation can.' So when you are having a conversation with someone, put that phone aside. This could be that conversation that can change your life.
This course gave me crucial pieces I've now permanently included in my life's framework: the way I listen and care for the people around me, and building my brand around serving the world, not just showing off.
When you get the course, you'll also unlock offers and discounts worth $100.
Offers & discounts worth $100+ from
5. Beyond the Book: Events
We'll meet in-person in 2027 🎉
Eight cities. Two countries. One evening you won't forget.
United States
San Francisco Bay Area
New York–New Jersey
Dallas
Chicago
India
Chennai
Bengaluru
Mumbai
Hyderabad
More cities will be added based on supporter demand.
Think of each event as a cross between a musical concert, a book tour, and a giant celebration.
We'll bring in local artists from every city. There will be live performances, photo booths, surprise gifts, giveaways, delicious snacks, and stories from the five-year journey behind the book.
(🫣 People still rave about the food from the Unshackled launch party we hosted in 2023. Not kidding.)
6. Golden Tickets
The Golden Tickets
Every copy of 1000 Days of Love comes with a surprise ticket tucked inside 😉 A small gift, just for you.
• A guide to finding meaningful mentors
• A free digital copy of Unshaken, Rajesh Setty’s memoir
• An invite to a private meetup
10 readers will find a
Golden Ticket.
Golden Ticket prizes include private calls with the author, free launch-event tickets, limited-edition hoodies, and more.
Every ticket unlocks something.
Ten are golden.
7. All Pricing Tiers
✓Ships within India only✓Estimated delivery April 2027
The Paperback
Includes
✓1× First-edition Paperback copy
⚡Chapter One, instantly on purchase
Buy Now₹499₹599Save ₹100 · 17%
Buy One, Gift One
Includes
✓2× First-edition Paperback copy
⚡Chapter One, instantly on purchase
Buy Now₹699Beyond the Book
Includes
✓1× First-edition Paperback copy
✓The complete five-hour Beyond Luck course worth ₹2,999 + offers and discounts worth $100+
✓1× Branded notebook with 100 life lessons from the course
⚡Chapter One PDF + Beyond Luck course, instantly on purchase
Buy Now₹1,499₹1,999Save ₹500 · 25%
Beyond the Book (5 copies)
Includes
✓5× First-edition Paperback copy
✓The complete five-hour Beyond Luck course worth ₹2,999 + offers and discounts worth $100+
✓1× Branded notebook with 100 life lessons from the course
⚡Chapter One PDF + Beyond Luck course, instantly on purchase
Buy Now₹2,499The Launch Experience
Includes
✓1× Autographed Paperback copy
✓The complete five-hour Beyond Luck course worth ₹2,999 + offers and discounts worth $100+
✓1× Branded notebook with 100 life lessons from the course
✓1× Launch party ticket in a participating city
⚡Chapter One PDF + Beyond Luck course, instantly on purchase
Buy Now₹2,999₹3,999Save ₹1,000 · 25%
The Launch Experience(Family Edition)
Includes
✓1× Autographed Paperback copy
✓5× Extra Paperback copies
✓The complete five-hour Beyond Luck course worth ₹2,999 + offers and discounts worth $100+
✓1× Branded notebook with 100 life lessons from the course
✓1× Launch party ticket in a participating city
⚡Chapter One PDF + Beyond Luck course, instantly on purchase
Buy Now₹4,999Spread The Joy(Donate books)
Includes
✓1× Autographed Paperback copy
✓20× Extra Paperback copies
✓The complete five-hour Beyond Luck course worth ₹2,999 + offers and discounts worth $100+
✓1× Branded notebook with 100 life lessons from the course
✓1× Launch party ticket in a participating city
NOTE: We can partner with non-profits to donate books in your name.
⚡Chapter One PDF + Beyond Luck course, instantly on purchase
Buy Now₹9,999Founding Member
Includes
✓1× Autographed Paperback copy
✓20× Extra Paperback copies
✓The complete five-hour Beyond Luck course worth ₹2,999 + offers and discounts worth $100+
✓1× Branded notebook with 100 life lessons from the course
✓2× Launch party tickets in a participating city
✓Your name printed inside the book as a "Founding Member"
Limited to 20 members
NOTE: We can partner with non-profits to donate books in your name.
⚡Chapter One PDF + Beyond Luck course, instantly on purchase
Buy Now₹20,000Basic2 tiers · from ₹499
The Paperback
Includes
✓1× First-edition Paperback copy
⚡Chapter One, instantly on purchase
Buy Now₹499₹599Save ₹100 · 17%
Buy One, Gift One
Includes
✓2× First-edition Paperback copy
⚡Chapter One, instantly on purchase
Buy Now₹699Premium4 tiers · from ₹1,499
Beyond the Book
Includes
✓1× First-edition Paperback copy
✓The complete five-hour Beyond Luck course worth ₹2,999 + offers and discounts worth $100+
✓1× Branded notebook with 100 life lessons from the course
⚡Chapter One PDF + Beyond Luck course, instantly on purchase
Buy Now₹1,499₹1,999Save ₹500 · 25%
Beyond the Book (5 copies)
Includes
✓5× First-edition Paperback copy
✓The complete five-hour Beyond Luck course worth ₹2,999 + offers and discounts worth $100+
✓1× Branded notebook with 100 life lessons from the course
⚡Chapter One PDF + Beyond Luck course, instantly on purchase
Buy Now₹2,499The Launch Experience
Includes
✓1× Autographed Paperback copy
✓The complete five-hour Beyond Luck course worth ₹2,999 + offers and discounts worth $100+
✓1× Branded notebook with 100 life lessons from the course
✓1× Launch party ticket in a participating city
⚡Chapter One PDF + Beyond Luck course, instantly on purchase
Buy Now₹2,999₹3,999Save ₹1,000 · 25%
The Launch Experience(Family Edition)
Includes
✓1× Autographed Paperback copy
✓5× Extra Paperback copies
✓The complete five-hour Beyond Luck course worth ₹2,999 + offers and discounts worth $100+
✓1× Branded notebook with 100 life lessons from the course
✓1× Launch party ticket in a participating city
⚡Chapter One PDF + Beyond Luck course, instantly on purchase
Buy Now₹4,999Elite2 tiers · from ₹9,999
Spread The Joy(Donate books)
Includes
✓1× Autographed Paperback copy
✓20× Extra Paperback copies
✓The complete five-hour Beyond Luck course worth ₹2,999 + offers and discounts worth $100+
✓1× Branded notebook with 100 life lessons from the course
✓1× Launch party ticket in a participating city
NOTE: We can partner with non-profits to donate books in your name.
⚡Chapter One PDF + Beyond Luck course, instantly on purchase
Buy Now₹9,999Founding Member
Includes
✓1× Autographed Paperback copy
✓20× Extra Paperback copies
✓The complete five-hour Beyond Luck course worth ₹2,999 + offers and discounts worth $100+
✓1× Branded notebook with 100 life lessons from the course
✓2× Launch party tickets in a participating city
✓Your name printed inside the book as a "Founding Member"
Limited to 20 members
NOTE: We can partner with non-profits to donate books in your name.
⚡Chapter One PDF + Beyond Luck course, instantly on purchase
Buy Now₹20,000“
Your book might be the first novel I will ever read. I am super excited about your journey!
Nafees Mahbub
Data Analyst · LinkedIn
“
This will be the very first book I'll ever read.
Mangalambigai Balamurugan
“
This will be the first book I'm planning to purchase in a long time.
“
Congratulations, and eagerly looking forward to read it as soon as it is out.
Manideep Tummalapudi
SF Bay Area
“
Signed up and looking forward to reading the whole thing in one sitting!
“
I love books, but I didn't read a book that changed the perspective of my life. So I am very eagerly waiting to read your book.
“
I never read a whole book. So this is my first — gonna wait for about 40 days. I'm excited to read it!
“
I'm not a reader… but I want to read your book. Your insights make me want to read it.
“
I was already planning to get a copy for myself, but the reviews on Unshackled have nothing but hyped me up even more!
Early messages from readers-to-be.
8. Meet the Author
Meet the Author
Soundarya Balasubramani is the author of Admitted and Unshackled. 1000 Days of Love is her third book and first novel. She was one of 15 writers selected from around the world for Faber Academy's novel-writing program in Fall 2024 in London. She worked through five drafts and two intensive rounds of editorial feedback to finish the novel.
2
Books published — Admitted and Unshackled
5
Years. Five drafts. 1000+ hours of writing.
1 of 15
Writers selected worldwide for Faber Academy's novel-writing program in Fall 2024
500,000+
Followers across social media, reaching 10M+ people monthly
The writing took five years, five drafts, and 1000+ hours — written across farms in Chennai, Bangalore, and Montana, and completed inside a trailer by the California coast. (Some parts were even written in a tiny library in Sydney 🇦🇺)
9. Meet the Inspiration
In July 2021, Soundarya was connected to a stranger named Rajesh Setty. One email became thousands of conversations; a mentor became family; and their unlikely relationship became the seed for 1000 Days of Love.
Rajesh has lived with Parkinson's since 2014, yet is the happiest person you'll meet. He's also a serial entrepreneur, author of 20+ books, and one of the most (quietly) extraordinary people in Silicon Valley.
Watch the story of how this all started 👇
10. Contact us: We're friendly folks :)
Soundarya Balasubramani
Author aka Chief Painfully Organized Officer
Rajesh Setty
The Godfather
Amulya Emmadi
The Execution Email Whisperer
Nidhish Rajan
The AI Wizard
Chaitanya Gadekar
The Inbox Slayer
Rohit Kumar
The Man Behind The Lens
Mahantesh
The Visual Architect
Any Questions?
Contact Us!
Risks and challenges
We've spent five years on this book. The manuscript is complete, the editing is mostly complete, and the course is ready to go. The biggest risks are the ones every book campaign faces: printing delays, shipping timelines, and the general chaos of logistics across two countries.
Here's what we're doing about it: we're working with established printers in both the US and India, building in buffer time before our April 2027 delivery date, and communicating with backers every step of the way. If something goes wrong, you'll hear from us before you have to ask.
While we cannot promise a journey without surprises, we *can* promise no disappearing acts 😁
Questions about this project?
