Meet Manjula Pothuri

I write tender stories that hold the warmth of home and the echoes of our past.I’m a contemporary fiction writer who believes the quietest moments in life often carry the deepest meaning. My work explores themes of love, loss, family secrets, and the resilience of the human heart.

I’m passionate about creating stories that feel tender, emotional, and deeply human—stories that linger long after the final page. Through my characters, I hope to explore the quiet spaces where grief and love intersect, and the strength it takes to begin again.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. I hope my books bring comfort, connection, and a little light into your world. When I’m not writing, I enjoy painting, spending time with the people I love, and discovering the small, powerful stories hidden in everyday moments.

My Inspiration

I began writing Secrets That Hold Us in the months following my father’s passing. Grief is never just pain—it’s guilt, fear, blame, and a hundred questions that may never find answers. But in that silence, I felt the weight of what mattered most: the unwavering love and support of my father.

Writing became my way forward—a quiet place to breathe, to reflect, and to turn sorrow into something meaningful. Every story I’ve written since that moment has grown from a place of ache, yes, but also from deep love.

These books may be fiction, but the emotions behind them are real.
If you’ve ever carried guilt that wasn’t yours, struggled beneath expectations, or tried to rebuild yourself after everything changed—these stories are for you.

Having spent my childhood in India and my adult life in the United States, I’ve always lived between cultures, places, and identities. Today, I embrace a nomadic lifestyle—traveling the world and drawing inspiration from the diverse people, landscapes, and stories I encounter along the way.

These experiences shape the heart of my writing. Through each book, I hope to explore resilience, belonging, love, and the unspoken truths that connect us all.

These past years since losing my Dad, I discovered that the rainbow may not appear where you expect it. But it will appear again.

My Strength

I wasn’t alone on this journey. In the hardest moments, I found strength in the quiet, steady presence of the people who stood beside me—my family, the friends who listened without judgment, and the loved ones who reminded me that grief can soften when shared.

Their belief in me helped me keep writing when it felt impossible. My children taught me why stories matter—why we must speak truth, honor our feelings, and leave behind something meaningful.

These books exist because of them.

To my husband, who gave me courage when grief made it hard to breathe.
To my children, who reminded me of love’s quiet resilience.
To the friends and neighbors who stood by me when nothing felt certain.
And to my father-in-law, whose wisdom gently nudged me back to the page.

You carried me through the darkest chapters and helped me write new ones.
Because sometimes love shows up as courage, and sometimes as the gentle reminder that our stories deserve to be told.