About Thorns & Thoughts
Thorns & Thoughts: Where Wounds Meet Words by Riza Khan unfolds in the vibrant streets of Ankara, Turkey, where 24-year-old Azlyn co-owns Meraki, a cozy café on Tunalı Hilmi Street, alongside her lifelong best friend Darim—from school days—and university companion Ezdan. Outwardly luminous and extroverted, Azlyn hides a tempest of silent suffering: self-harm scars, childhood obsession with roses twisted into thorns that pierce her every reverie.
Her brother Kael, a passionate painter grappling with their parents’ lingering loss, anchors her world with fierce love, channeling grief into canvases that mirror her unspoken pain.
Daily life at Meraki buzzes—laughter over coffee, shared dreams—but Azlyn drowns in thoughts, her secrets festering like untended wounds. Mysterious therapy sessions with the enigmatic Dr. Ehan Hemil hint at buried trauma she guards fiercely, even from those closest.
As March 11th nears, Kael’s art exhibition looms, a surprise tribute crediting Azlyn as muse. Tension builds: cryptic calls interrupt her days, smiles mask unraveling edges. Friends notice—Darim’s loyalty, Ezdan’s quiet concern—but she deflects, obsessed with roses’ dual beauty and betrayal.
The exhibition dazzles, yet post-event shadows lengthen; Azlyn collapses, ambulance sirens wailing as Kael, Ezdan, and Darim rush her to emergency.
Hospital vigil exposes fractures: a suspicious figure lurks, whispers of her hidden truth surface. Azlyn awakens briefly, urging Izel to care for Kael, Ezdan, Darim—then murmurs, “Me apne Thorns & Thoughts ke sath jaari hu,” before ventilator beeps claim her.
Not a tidy happy end; her passing ripples, forcing survivors to confront silence’s cost. Meraki endures as memorial, Kael’s art her legacy—roses blooming amid thorns, thoughts tamed through shared grief.
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Author Bio:
Riza Khan hails from Dehradun’s serene landscapes, channeling human emotion’s complexities into her storytelling. Her first novel, Thorns & Thoughts, delves into life’s unpredictability—learning from thorns, mastering thoughts, embracing bittersweet endings. With fictional depth drawing from quiet strength, Riza invites readers to confront pain, hope, and scars.
Special thanks to best friend Saad, whose inspiration turned ideas into pages.