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“There's a book for that.”
– Dr. Janan Sarwar
ABOUT
Inspiration, Connection, and Defying Expectations
Janan Sarwar, PharmD, is a dynamic publishing professional and pharmacist based in Louisville, Kentucky. She is the CEO and founder of Global Bookshelves International, an independent publishing house focused on creating a more empathetic world. Janan is a TEDxOcala 2023 speaker, giving a speech on the transformative power of books and 2023 COLLIDER Artist-in-Residence for the Louisville Free Public Library. She has worked in the publishing industry since 2014, working within traditional and independent domains, publishing over 50 titles with over 200 authors.
Judging Your Book Covers: What Your Bookshelves Reveal About You | Dr. Janan Sarwar | TEDxOcala
In a world flooded by conflict and division, where social media algorithms craft personalized echo chambers, it is imperative to find ways to see all sides to the story. Janan Sarwar, PharmD reflects on her personal contribution to the lack of diversity and representation in children’s literature. As a self-proclaimed parent with a book for every situation, she explores how her own Bengali-American upbringing in Clarksville, Tennessee led to an absence of relatable characters in the books she read. This talk explores Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop’s concept of "Windows, Mirrors, and Sliding Glass Doors," emphasizing literature's power to offer universal insights, reflect identities, and open doors to different worlds.
PUBLISHING
Navigating the World of Publishing
As the CEO of Global Bookshelves International and co-founder of Publishing in Doses, Janan has helped over 200 authors bring their stories to life. Whether you're an aspiring writer or looking for self-publishing solutions, she can make your publishing dreams a reality with her consulting services.
“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.”
– Edith Wharton
TESTIMONIAL
Rick Holtmeier, DTM
"I very much enjoy speakers that can convey to me experiences beyond my own. Janan is expert in this. Her life path is so different from my own that I learn something new every time she speaks. This short description of her below is indicative of what makes her unique and interesting.
She was born in Tennessee of parents that were immigrants from Bangladesh. Her parents speak Bengali around the house. She wears a hijab by her own choice. She graduated from the University of North Carolina with a degree in pharmacy. While there, she met the man who would become her husband, whose family immigrated from Pakistan. Janan and her husband have three young daughters that participate with her in Tae Kown Do, book reading, podcasting, public speaking and more. She is now CEO and founder of Global Bookshelves International, an independent publishing house focused on creating a more empathetic world.
Perhaps even more important than her background is that she can convey her feeling and experiences in a way that allows you to come with her on her journeys. I very much enjoy those journeys."
Inspirational, Magnetizing, Purposeful
FEATURED POSTCASTS AND VIDEOS
