Ralu Keyho, Lisi Shupao, Vishü Rita Krocha & Elizabeth during the launch of PenThrill’s 101st publication, “Excerpts from a diary of a growing teenager” by Nao Yokhe (not seen in the photograph) on April 17. Nao Yokhe is the pen name under which the book is being written and has also chosen not to reveal her identity.
Morung Express News
Kohima | April 19
Asserting that often times, people undermine how scary it is, or it was, to be a teenager, 20-year-old Nao Yokhe underlined that, “it is a time when everything seems to be changing at once, a time when we feel constantly misunderstood, and a time when we are forming our identities- the person we gradually we become as we get older.”
She was speaking at the launch of her debut book “Excerpts from a diary of a growing teenager” on April 17 at the Walker’s Library, Great Commission Higher Secondary School in Chümoukedima. The book marks the 101st publication of PenThrill and is being written under the author’s pen name- Nao Yokhe.
Having turned 20 last May, she said, “but I don’t think I could ever escape it altogether.” As a child, she said, she looked up to teenagers even while putting across that, “I thought they were cool; then I became one, and I thought I was the biggest loser in the world.”
“Now, as I grow older, I seem to slowly forget her. But even so, she remains in me still. The things that have been said to me, the emotions that I went through as a teenager- they continue to be with me as I progress in life”, she said.
Further putting across that, “the compliments that I’ve received continue to encourage me, the not so likeable comments I’ve also received come back to bite me sometimes”, she added that, “and the things I’ve learned- some continue to guide me, while some I still find it difficult to unlearn.”
While publishing a diary is personal and a loud display of her vulnerability, in her words, “it still scares me that now, pieces of my mind will be out there for people to see.” She said that is also why she decided to write using a pseudonym.
She also expressed hope that when anyone reads the book, they would be able to understand someone a little better and thanked God and her family for never once stopping her from expressing herself.
In her comments, Aseno Terhuja Kavalov, Proprietor of El Mizmor Music Academy, said “this book is filled with a kind of innocence that’s incredibly relatable.” Stating that “it takes you right back to that strange, in-between time of life when you’re no longer a child, but not yet considered an adult”, she added, “that awkward space where one moment you feel like you’ve got everything figured out, and the next, you’re completely lost.”
What makes this book so special, she underscored, “is how honest it is. It doesn’t try to be grand or poetic. It’s simple, raw, and vulnerable.” Through entries about love, friendship, depression, betrayal, family, and forgiveness, she went on to say that, “it shows us that the everyday experiences- the little things we often overlook, are where the real emotions live.”
The truth in these pages hits home because we’ve all felt it, in one way or another, she further expressed while stating belief that the book is for everyone - “For the young, it’s a comforting reminder that you’re not alone. That your thoughts and feelings are real and valid. And for the older ones, it’s a quiet journey back to a time we may not talk about often, but still remember clearly.”
In her publisher’s note, Vishü Rita Krocha remarked that, “even as adults, we have all been teenagers once and young children will also become teenagers one day.” Further talking about how the book explores important issues of family, love, friendship, loss, and grief, she said, “it also makes you smile, leaving you with a nice, warm feeling inside.”
Pointing out that “Excerpts from a diary of a growing teenager” also makes it feel like the author is directly talking to you, sharing her innermost thoughts and secrets, she said, “beyond the mere act of flipping pages, reading is an experience that can leave you with inspiration, and also like a comforting friend in your tough times.”
The book was formally released with a dedicatory prayer by Lisi Shupao Children’s Pastor, Naga United Village Baptist Church while Ralu Keyho chaired the programme.
