Shilpa Mudiganti's Blog, page 4

Book Excerpt: Hollywood Holiday by Sasha Summers

Do you have one of those days when nothing seems right and all you want to do is just curl up with a book that will make you forget your woes and give back nothing but sweet love? Yeah, I have those too and when I do have them, there are very few books I turn to. One of them and of late, quite often, are books by Sasha Summers. I feel very proud that Inkspell Publishing chose to publish her. I enjoy her romance books like no other. She makes me want to dream and I think thats the hallmark of a good author.

So, Inkspell Publishing has contracted her for her Red Carpet Series and I am so pleased to share a book excerpt from her the book 2, appropriately named "Hollywood Holiday". Its a Christmas treat that no romance fiction lover should miss! :)

“My name’s Gunner.” His arm tightened a little. His hand rested on my back, warm and solid. “Gunner Foster.” 

“Gunner?” I didn’t look up or open my eyes, but murmured against him, “I’m Jenny.” 

I drew in a deep breath. He smelled as good as he looked. The plane, the small cabin, the dinging sounds weren’t bad—well, not too bad.His heartbeat was strong beneath my ear, but I heard him murmur, “Nice to meet you.”“Is it?” 

I giggled, shaking my head. “You don’t mind some strange woman clawing her way into your lap?” 

“Happens all the time.” 

I looked up then, laughing. I couldn’t help it.He started laughing too, his smile going wide and his dimples peeking out of his sun-bronzed face. His eyes met mine as he said, “Something about the dimples and the haircut, I guess.” 

“It doesn’t hurt.” 

I moved back a little, not enough to make him move his arm, though. Not yet. It…he…felt nice, comforting. “First time home in a while?” 

“Almost four years.” 

“Wow. That’s a long time. No wonder your mom is looking forward to having you home.” I paused. “Talk about a Christmas present they’ll never forget.” 

He shrugged, his hand sliding up my back to rest on my shoulder. “I’ve missed them.” 

I nodded. “Sure.” He was watching me. And I smiled at him a little. Poor guy. I wouldn’t want to sit by me. I mean, who would? It wasn’t exactly the way a person wanted to kick off the holidays—strapped into a flying missile next to a lunatic. My eyes traveled over his face, knowing I needed to pull it together, to apologize or something. But he didn’t look upset. He looked…concerned.So he was sweet and hot. And he smelled incredible. This might not be the worst flight of my life.    

"My new favorite author is Sasha Summers.  She's as addictive as chocolate." - Marcia King Gamble, National Best-Selling Author
Blurb:
All she wants for Christmas is for Hollywood to love her again. But once she meets him, her Christmas list changes.
Jen’s only Christmas wish: Hollywood falling back in love with her. Meeting ex-Marine Gunner was a bonus. She likes that he isn’t impressed by celebrities or the movie biz. She likes that he’s funny and sweet … and drop-dead gorgeous. And she loves that he has no idea who her alter-ego is: Jen Fleming, Hollywood bad-girl and paparazzi target number one. Why ruin an amazing affair when he’s leaving after the new year?
But the closer they get, the harder she falls, and the more she wants to tell Gunner everything. Especially once he shares his secret with her.
Her new Christmas wish: Gunner accepts and loves her for who she really is.
About the Author:
Sasha is  part gypsy. Her passions have always been storytelling, Hollywood, history,  and travel. It’s no surprise that her books include a little of each. Her  first play, ‘Greek Gods and Goddesses’ was written for her Girl Scout troupe.  She’s been writing ever since. She loves getting lost in the worlds and  characters she creates; even if she frequently forgets to run the dishwasher  or wash socks when she’s doing so. Luckily, her four brilliant children and  hero-inspiring hubby are super understanding and supportive.
Please visit her website: http://www.sashasummers.com

You can buy the book at:
AmazonBarnes & NobleInkspell Publishing

Know more about Hollywood Ever After – Red Carpet Series #1
She wasn’t meant for movie stars,  Hollywood, or happy endings. And then she met him.
Happy Endings are for fairy tales. Or the movies. Not for real life. At least, not in Claire’s life. Even though she’s starting over, she knows better than to want too much this time. But when she falls, literally, into the strong arms of Hollywood’s ‘it’ boy Josh Wiley, Claire’s in for some surprises. Her plans for rest and relaxation are  forgotten as one incredible night with Josh becomes two… And her heart begins to want him as much as her body. Will two kids, one bastard ex-husband, and Josh’s juggernaut career mean the end of their affair? Or can Claire find her happy ending after all?







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Breaking Dawn 2 - Movie review

I promised my husband we won't watch it on the first day as I usually do with a Twilight movie. I know its full of bad acting, cringe-worthy moments that make me squirm in my seat through out the movie yet, I watch it in the theatre. I guess it is the strong urge to feel the same sense of unbridled happiness the book tore from me. Each and every movie failed me and Breaking Dawn 1 was the highlight of all. I actually considered walking away after 15 minutes of the start of that movie.

And hence, I assured my husband that I would not make him wait in the queue, amongst the raging teenage hormones only to watch the dismal, teeth-clenching acting from the actors whose only claim to fame is to be associated with this franchise.

However, the undecided fan that I am, on the very second day of the release, I asked my husband if we can watch Breaking Dawn - part 2, he readily agreed. I suspect he saw the desperate need for closure with this series in me and the fact that it was the last movie. He doesn't have to go through this again, right? So, we got comfortable in a nice AMC theatre with enough popcorn to drown my sorrows if it turned out worse than all. And, what a surprise the movie turned out to be!

The start was painfully slow but a pain that I was very acostumed to and expected. But the improvement in acting was evident right away. Vampirism suits Kirsten Stewart, just like Auro had claimed in the book. Her acting was confident, her dialogues had more clarity unlike the strangled, constipated tone she always took. Trust me, that was the biggest relief for me.

The eye candies were all there at the right time - Edward, finally giving his million-dollar smile more often than before and surprise, some humor too. Jacob, shirtless, but finally cured of his teenage obsession with Bella, hence, much more tolerable. The Cullens family, glittering as usual with their brand of saccharine family love.

But it was the international cast that kept me engaged. Good acting and variety of powers shared amongst them was the entertainment that I longed to enjoy in the movie, just like in the book. It did not disappoint me.

Yet, the highlight was the final fight with the Volturi, a non-existent fight in the book that got us all riveted in the theatre. The build up to it was nail-biting and the fact that this is a new development, left the audience guessing about the end. Of course, they won't kill the hero in the end but a fight with the all powerful volturi? And who the heck could have guessed the insane twist that the screenwriter decided to give to the movie? The last 20 mins kept audience at the edge of the seat, some teenagers wailing, squealing and finally, sighing in relief as it ended. Of course, the freakish outrage still clung to me after the movie was over.

Overall, I am so glad that the movie ended on a high note. I enjoyed the movie. Not as much as the book but definitely more than the rest of the movies in the franchise. The fact that my husband, who dozed off in every one of the movie after 5 minutes of start, watched it without so much as a blink convinced me that I was avenged for all the grief he gave me about this series. :)

Vampire: synonym: Damon Salvatore

This is my post for "Halloween Sucks, says Lily Drake" blog hop. All we need to do is write about vampires and that is my favorite topic in the world!

Want to know more about it? Click on the image and you will find more than 50 bloggers participating in this fun blog hop organized by Inkspell Publishing. There are a lot of swags to win as well!


Vampire: synonym: Damon Salvatore
None of my chats about vampires and vampire fiction go without mentioning Damon Salvatore. In fact, that is all I talk about when it comes to vampires. How can some one talk about anything else when we have Damon Salvatore aka Ian Somerhalder roaming shirtless around AND without sparkling?

So, why am I so hung up on Damon aka Ian? First, the book. The original vampire diaries book series by author LJ Smith got interesting to me the moment Damon stepped in. I have a thing for bad boys like many of you have. Like a lot others here, I cannot resist a challenge of turning a bad boy in to a good one (though I don't know why we try that. They are so much hotter when they are bad!). I especially enjoyed the last one by the author : The return. All three books in that trilogy left me panting for more. Of course, the next book was a disaster (it is ghostwritten) and I have lost all interest in books now. However, TV has ensured the obsession is alive and what better way to do it than getting Ian in all his hotness play Damon? That was a dream come true and I watch it without fail. Again, I have no idea why some one would not watch it!

Anyway, enough about me babbling about this particular vampire. I can do this all day long and wouldn't get bored. But I have to share a pic with you all that encompasses the whole wonderful chemistry of The Vampire Diaries and some sparkly vampires. :)

Courtesy: drunkenwords.tumble.com

Do you know who Lily Drake is? Well, meet her on 5th Oct!



"For Lily Drake, slaying vampires is easy...Dating them is the hard part." 

Join the release party on Oct 5th at Inkspell Publishing website to find the Blog hop winners!









And if you want to win some awesome swag from Inkspell Publilshing, enter in the rafflecopter link below!

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The awesome vampire-loving participating bloggers in this blog hop here. I am going to visit each site to share some vampire love. You do too! :)

http://www.tmichellenelson.com/blog.html (the author herself!)
 www.moosubi.blogspot.com/
www.booksandbeyond.net
www.supagurlbooks.blogspot.com
booknerd.ca
bookbreather4lyfe.blogspot.com
www.lettersinsideout.net
sarahelizabethsbookshelf.blogspot.co.uk/
raelori.blogspot.com
iheartreading.net
www.christysbookaddiction.blogspot.com
bookshelf.shotgunopera.net
www.bookwhales.blogspot.com/
mommacatandherbabies.blogspot.com
www.midtown-underground.com
www.nightlyreading.wordpress.com
www.crossroadreviews.com
www.bookmice.org
pnrurbanfantasyreviews.blogspot.com/
vanessaleighbooks.blogspot.com
www.everythingatoc.blogspot.com
readingcave.blogspot.com/
andisbookreviews.blogspot.com/2012/08/for-love-of-vampire.html
janieraeldridge.blogspot.com
www.readergirlsblog.com
book-spark.blogspot.com/
the-itzel-library.blogspot.com/
bookmaven623.wordpress.com
thelifeofanasiandreamer.wordpress.com/
booksbycenteno.com
megantalksbooks.blogspot.com
fullmoonbites.blogspot.com/
lisavoisin.wordpress.com
www.alwaysyaatheart.blogspot.com
in-interest.blogspot.com
www.bookliaison.com
teenyreader.blogspot.co.uk/
www.jbridgerwriting.blogspot.com/
www.stephaniekeyes.com
www.facing50withhumour.blogspot.com
www.readersconfession.com
www.melissakeir.com/blog.html
cecereadandwrite.blogspot.com
paranormalopinion.blogspot.com
highlyreadioactive.blogspot.in
www.snowdropdreams.ca
sweetandsassyreviewz.blogspot.com/2012/09/blog-hop.html#comment-form
booksdownmypillow.blogspot.com
www.snifferwalk.org
pinkfluffyhearts.blogspot.com/Krystal's Enchanting ReadsErika Knudsen  Aliaa @ Mademoiselle Le Sphinx  Michelle @ Mom With A Kindle  

Monday Marketing Tip: Is it just content?

So, we have been pumped all along how content is the king to attract readers and keep them loyal to your site, and ultimately your business. Whether it is a book you are trying to sell or just your book blog readership, we have been advised over and over about great content. No doubt about it. Poor content will not get you readers but is it only that?

Imagine you are searching for "Marketing tips for selling my book". Google spews out 100s of sites for you to learn the art but what do you actually read? You open up the first 4-5 pages on the first page of search results. Then you filter further based on: content on those sites and...surprise, the design of the website!

Yes, would you keep reading a website that doesn't even have its sidebar listed out well? Would you continue reading a website with bright blue background and yellow text on it? In all probability, no.

Do not lose potential followers by design issues. There are some simple and common errors that can be avoided in your website design. Here are a few:


Cluttered layouts : Keep it simple. Do not clutter your website/blog with too many distracting pictures, text on your sidebars. Your potential reader is interested in the main text area. Sidebar are extras.Organized navigation: Keep it organized. For example, people expect your biography page under the page name "Bio" or "About Me" or "About Us" and not under "Contact Me" page. Colorful text or unreadable text: White or light backgrounds and dark (mostly black) text is the best combination. It brings in clarity and is easy on eyes. No Search capabilities: Never forget to include search in your website or blog. Its an essential function that readers expect on your website or blog especially if you have a lot of content to share. It is easy to include one and comes available with  most of the website/blog templates. Ensure it is on top of the page or sidebar for easy accessibility.
If you are designing your website or blog on your own, one of the best ways to ensure that you have a design that will not irk your readers is to check with your favorite websites. You would soon realize that you have subconsciously rejected the not so great looking websites. Don't let your readers reject yours. :)

Have you given a serious thoughts to your website design?

Monday Marketing Tips: Is Facebook Answer To Higher Book Sales?

Which is the best way to promote your book? Is it Facebook? Twitter? Pinterest? Blog? Letters to readers? Or just writing the best book you can and then leave it all to the publisher? If you are an author, I am sure you have spent countless hours figuring out an answer to this.

While I agree that social media channels like Facebook and Twitter have helped increase book sales, what is it that really works? Does mentioning your book ten times in a day on Facebook to the same set of people pushes your book sales? Or is it the hashtag used by thousand tweeples make a difference? Why exactly do you, as an author follow these practices of promotion in the first place? Is a Facebook account an answer to all your book promotion problem?

No. One has to realize that social media channels like Facebook and Twitter are just that - channels. They do not push sales. The real sales for your book always comes due to one simple reason - word of mouth. It has always been the same. Some one read your book and liked it. And then they tell two others. The two who read the recommended book tell four others who further pass it along. In a few days and months, a lot of people know enough about your book to spend few dollars on it. And that's what pushes your book sales. And unlike few years back when word of mouth promotion has to be literally that, social media channels like Facebook and Twitter today help people do it a lot faster and easier. And accelerate it like never before. You do not have to wait for months. It is possible in days.

So, the next time you wonder why on God's beautiful earth are you tweeting about your book ten times in a day and yet not getting higher sales, think about what you are tweeting. How is your tweet helping your book's word of mouth promotion? What is special about your Facebook post that will make your friend share it with 100 others?

Think. Do not post random social media posts. Have a strategy in mind. A strategy that will make people talk about your book.

Have you tried a planned promotion before? What has worked for you in the past?

Book Marketing Tips You Cannot Miss!

I love new book marketing tips simply because it is the single most important thing that will sell your book. Sure, your book is very well written but if people do not know about it, its not worth much. Therefore, I am thrilled that fellow author and dear friend Darian Wilk, whose debut book broke the top 100 Amazon chart too, is here to share some of the precious gems. If I were you, I would give full attention because advice from the experienced is the best! :)  

Oh and btw, please do not miss her latest romance novel, Reinventing Clare!  

Over to you Darian!

For any published author, either self or traditionally, marketing your work is not only an essential part of your books success – but probably one of the most intimidating tasks we face.  I am no expert on the matter, nor do I claim to be one.  But I’ve had my share of successes; including being a top 100 on Amazon contender a few times, and roughly doubling the typical first year sales of an Indie author.  Not bad for a first timer with no publicist and no marketing budget.  I’m a big believer in writerly karma, so I’m happy to share some of what I’ve learned:
Facebook is your friend, use it.  Create an Author fan page (not book title page), and post to it often. If you don’t have an author website (why don’t you?), use your Facebook page as one.  Get readers to interact by posting questions, post images (did you know the #1 shared posts on FB are images?  That’s a lot of traveling your post could do).  Do keyword searches like Kindle, ebooks, etc.  Pick pages with high amounts of followers, and send a message to the page owner asking if they’d be kind enough to post a link for your book.  Most page owners are so thrilled someone actually asked if they could post, they’re excited to highlight you.  Twitter is your friend too.  I hate Twitter, but I use it daily.  Tweeps love to retweet.  On a bad day, one of my tweets gets retweeted once and only gets seen by a 1,000 people.  A great day, over 5,000 see it.  That’s a lot of potential readers reading my tweet.  Learn hashtags.  Did you know that #free ranks higher than #giveaway?  Learn these tidbits well.  Also, download Tweetdeck.  You can schedule tweets and posts to your Facebook page in this one app.  And yes, it’s free. Crowdbooster.com To better focus your tweets/posts, you need to know which ones are working – this service helps you do just that.  With this (free) service, you can see what are the best days to tweet/post, who’s sharing your posts, how many new follows, and a ton more.  Be consistent in your efforts.  Marketing sucks.  It’s time consuming, a pain in the a#$, and really no fun at all.  But it’s consistency that will help you rise above the rest.  Have a weekly meeting with yourself about what you covered last week, any follow-up you need to do this week, and what you’re working on this week.  This journey is not all about writing, it’s a business; treat it as such by being organized and consistent.  Bloggers rock, make nice with them.  After the release of my first book, my goal was to have at least 2-3 highlights a month.  Whether it was a review, an interview, guest post, etc.  A consistent online presence is your goal.  But remember for the majority of bloggers, blogging is their hobby, not their job.  Don’t be demanding or emailing them constantly, they hate that and won’t work with you again.  Be organized in the information you send them, reply to them quickly, and be polite and grateful.  For starters try Book Blogs, and Book Review Blogs.Don’t go crazy with giveaways.  I know, that contradicts what a lot of others say.  I’m a rebel.  What can I say?  Giveaways gain exposure, but they’re lost sales.  Use giveaways wisely.  Post one on Goodreads, you’ll reach a targeted audience, with huge exposure.  Get the most bang for your lost bucks.  Like right now I’m offering Love Unfinished (my first book) for free on Amazon during the blog tour for Reinventing Claire.  Simply because with the sales from both, I stand a good chance of finally hitting the top 100, get a huge sales rank increase, and oodles of exposure.  Giveaways, are all about planning.  Don’t offer one on a whim, plan it to your advantage.Novelrank.com, track those Amazon sales people.  How will you know if your marketing tactics are working if you’re not tracking your sales?  You should be tracking sales from all avenues.  Also, track your expenses in a spreadsheet.  Anything used for your work/promotions is a tax write-off.  Stamps for mailers?  Yup.  New desk?  Yup.  Why not get a little back for what you put into it?    Listing your ebooks onto Kindle, B&N, etc. yourself gives you higher royalties.  Who doesn’t like a bigger royalty? 

Darian is a women's fiction writer, author of Love Unfinished (available free on Amazon) and just released, Reinventing Claire. She loves the challenge and thrill of putting words onto paper, and forming it into a story. For her, the only thing better than that is her kids. 

On the occasions she’s not engulfed in writing you'll find her reading a book, either for fun or for review on her blog, Crazy Lady with a Pen. When not reading, she’s spending time with friends and family. Life is too short to pass those beautiful little moments life has to offer by, and she wants to soak up every moment she can. 

For more information about Darian, her books, reviews, or blog, please visit her website, www.DarianWilk.weebly.com.

About Reinventing Clare:

People get divorced, but that's what happens to other people. That's what Claire thought anyway, until her husband, Charlie, tells her he wants a divorce.

Claire has no choice but to take on the title of Divorced Woman, and face the question she has no idea how to answer. Who is Claire without Charlie? Her family believes her newly divorced woes can be cured by landing herself a boyfriend. With her dating dunce cap in hand, Claire stumbles her way through the foreign territory of online dating.

A teacher from hell, a softball coach, and a sap later, Claire proclaims herself the dating idiot she thought she was, and fears she's doomed to be a lonely, crazy cat lady. But an accidental run-in with an old acquaintance might change everything. What starts with comparing dating battle wounds over a cup of coffee, quickly turns into something Claire had given up on.

As Claire discovers maybe there is love after Charlie after all, Charlie realizes his mistake. He wants her back, and he'll do anything to prove it to her. Now Claire must choose who deserves her heart, and if she's really willing to give it away again.

Know More! GoodreadsBook trailer WebsiteTwitterFacebook
And want to try Darian for free? 
Love Unfinished, Darian's debut novel will be available for free on Amazon August 20th – 24th! Click here to download from Amazon!

Cover Reveal! - Reinventing Claire by Darian Wilk

I love cover reveals! The first sneak peak to the beautiful book that it can be. I am so excited to be part of the cover reveal of the next contemporary romance novel, Reinventing Claire by my dear friend Darian Wilk. I adore the cover. The colors, and the whole theme relaxes me and makes me curious to know how Claire re-invented herself. And if her first book (Love Unfinished. My review here.) was any indication, this book may well be the next romance must-read novel!
And now, ta-da!! What do you think?



Claire has no choice but to take on the title of Divorced Woman, and face the question she has no idea how to answer. Who is Claire without Charlie? Her family believes her newly divorced woes can be cured by jumping back into the dating scene – and landing herself a boyfriend. With her dating dunce cap in hand, Claire stumbles her way through the foreign territory of online dating.

A teacher from hell, a stalker, and a softball coach later, Claire proclaims herself the dating idiot she thought she was, and fears she's doomed to be a lonely, crazy cat lady. But an accidental run-in with an old acquaintance might change everything. What starts by comparing dating battle wounds over a cup of coffee, quickly turns into something Claire thought she had given up on.

As Claire discovers maybe there is love after Charlie after all, Charlie realizes his mistake. He wants her back, and he'll do anything to prove it to her. Now Claire must choose who deserves her heart, and if she's really willing to give it away again.


Want more details? 
Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13127583-reinventing-claireWebsite - http://darianwilk.weebly.com/Twitter - https://twitter.com/DarianWilkFacebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Darian-Wilk-Fan-Page/154692967912957


Oh, it has a book trailer too! Check it out! - Book trailer 

Lessons from BEA 2012

Book Expo America 2012, the largest book convention in North America was concluded this thursday. Though I had the pass for 4 days, I ended up attending only one day. And that day I realized, how much did I miss.
To say BEA was huge would be an understatement. I had one full day there and yet covered only about half the floor. Not to mention the fact that I wasn't able to attend any of the educational sessions that I so wanted to. It was enormous and was sheer madness. Never had I seen so many books and authors together at one place. 
Sharing here are some of the lessons that I learnt as both a publisher and an author:
BEA is huge. Look before you leap.          BEA might look very attractive to set up a booth for publishers (and for multi-published authors. See, I am specifically pointing out to multi-published. A booth is not for a single book author.) but it is a monster. Having a booth at BEA is not just about reserving the space. It is about location of the booth, display strategy, ARC distribution, catalogs, flyers, bookmarks and other promotional materials. It is about a huge amount of money too. It is about military preparedness. 
For every vendor seeking a booth at BEA, there are three questions to be answered before taking the leap: Why do you want a booth at BEA? What is your goal?Who is your target audience?Do you have enough budget to prepare your booth? You can never be too prepared.I walked, jumped around, and over books at BEA. Yes, there were that many books displayed. And an equal number of interested people walking around with suitcases(I am not kidding) filled with books. They were dedicated readers, librarians, booksellers - all looking for that sparkly book that will appease their senses and business. And amidst hundreds of books, your book has to stand out. And that needs preparation. 
One question to ask yourself before planning - How will you entice your target audience to come and spend time at your booth? 
The more focussed your goal, the more targeted your audience would be. Once you are clear on that front, prepare like there is no tomorrow. Be over-prepared, than under-prepared. Get more bookmarks than you think you need. Get more ARCs than you anticipate needing. Take back up for back up resources. Plug every gap you can think of before stepping in to the convention because once in there, there is no excuse. You run out of stock, you lose a customer. Be nice to people. Network.Never would you attend a conference where you find librarians, booksellers, publishers, authors, bloggers, reviewers, and readers rubbing shoulders (literally, sometimes!) and look interested in YOU all the time! Keep those premium business card of yours handy and network your way. Talk to people, learn their business, and strike up interest in your business. In short, be nice to people and they will be nice to you. After all, we all love books and there is no stronger bond at BEA than that.
Have a good timeYes, I needed to remind myself of it couple of times when I started getting over-whelmed. Not because it was huge but because the sheer amount of opportunity present there was mind-boggling. I caught myself wishing several times that I could have attended all the four days but that wasn't to be. The moment I stopped lamenting and looked around, I felt blessed. So many books, so many authors, so many readers. This was the paradise that we all dream about. Seeing your favorite authors in flesh and getting your hands on the ARCs of the novels you are dying to read is an unparalleled privilege. So, have a good time there. Enjoy the books. Enjoy the views. 
Here's hoping next BEA would be much more eventful than this one for Inkspell Publishing! 

Behind the Veil: My Experience with Hijab By Pavarti Tyler

Hello all,
I have a very special friend today, Pavarti Tyler on my blog. She is fun, thoughtful and very talented when it comes to books. Have you heard of her latest book, Shadow On The Wall? Quite an unusual story bordering on controversy. But well, isn't it time to remove the red-tinted glasses and try another view?
Pavarti is here today with a small experience of her own. Please join me welcoming her to my blog!

Hijab is the headscarf some Muslim women wear.  There is great debate over the need, use and appropriateness of the hijab, which has fueled cultural debate and conflict.  In Islam there is a cultural practice of covering a woman’s hair and neck, this is considered modest dress and the roots of the practice are based in the Qu’ran.  There are multiple surahs (verses) and hadiths (oral histories) which are used to explain the need for men and women to dress modestly.
The specifics of what needs to be covered is controversial.  Some say only the hair must be covered, others say everything but the eyes and hands should be.  From Burquas in Afghanistan to hijabs in France, it seems everyone has an opinion.
In 2001, right after 9/11, I participated in an event called “Sisters for Solidarity.”  The sponsoring group was an interfaith movement for social awareness.  Over 200,000 women in the US donned hijab for Eid Al-Fitr, a celebration that marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.
Somewhere in the depths of my basement there is a picture of me with a beautiful red-and-gold scarf covering my hair and neck. For three days in November, 2011, I went to work, the grocery store, church and everywhere else with my hair covered.
I could discuss the political reasons for doing this, or my own religion beliefs, but what I learned during those three days has nothing to do with either. I donned a headscarf for very personal reasons, which I believed deeply and still hold dear.  And every moment I wore it, I felt stronger in my convictions.  Something about a physical declaration of my beliefs was empowering and liberating.
I also felt a part of something.  Other women in hijab would stop, smile and speak with me no matter where we were.  It was a kind of sisterhood I haven’t experienced in other parts of my life.  Even when they found out I wasn’t Muslim, the kind response I received for what I was doing was deeply touching.
Simultaneously, I found the covering very oppressive.  It was hot under there, and kept slipping.  This was probably mostly due to my inexperience, but I found it physically cumbersome and something that needed constant monitoring.  I was also very surprised to find that a number of co-workers with whom I had been close to did not speak with me during the days I was wearing hijab. I received sideways glances on the bus and subway, not the usual smiles and commuter camaraderie I was accustomed to.
There are three female characters in my novel, Shadow on the Wall.  Each has an opinion of and relationship with wearing the hijab.  I pulled on my short experience to inform how I wrote these characters. Rebekah, Darya and Maryam - each of them represents a different archetype of Middle Eastern women.  While it's certainly not an exhaustive representation, the issues of gender and the veil are explored in depth through the course of the story. 
What I learned during the Sisters for Solidarity movement - and what I hope Shadow on the Wallconveys - is that covering is a deeply personal experience. Ideally each  woman would be able to decide for herself without the pressures of politics, family or cultural assumptions.  Unfortunately, we don’t live in that world, which is what makes the discussion so volatile. 
I’m curious as I move into publishing Shadow on the Wall how readers will feel about these women.  Which will they respond to?  With which will they identify?

Author Bio:
Pavarti K Tyler is an artist, wife, mother and number cruncher. She graduated Smith College in 1999 with a degree in Theatre. After graduation, she moved to New York, where she worked as a Dramaturge, Assistant Director and Production Manager on productions both on and off Broadway.
 Later, Pavarti went to work in the finance industry as a freelance accountant for several international law firms. She now operates her own accounting firm in the Washington DC area, where she lives with her husband, two daughters and two terrible dogs. When not preparing taxes, she is busy working at Novel Publicity and penning her next novel.

My blog is all ages: http://www.fightingmonkeypress.com
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EXCERPT FROM SHADOW OF THE WALL:
Recai walked for what seemed like miles, resisting the instinct to second-guess his direction. The sand moved between his toes but soon he found his footing, and his body responded to the landscape as if from some genetic memory. He remembered his father’s words from a trip he took to the Oman desert as a child: Never take your shoes off; the sand will eat away at your feet. Recai had done it anyway, then and now, feeling more in control with that connection to the ground, its movements speaking to his flesh directly.
His father had always been full of surprises: one moment the strict disciplinarian, the next, he would wake Recai in the middle of the night to see a falling star. Recai had never had the chance to get to know him as an adult. Instead, he lived with the enigmatic memory of a great man lost.
Recai stood in the middle of the desert—every direction would eventually lead to Elih or one of the smaller villages scattered around the city. But who would take in a stranger? A stranger with a Hugo Boss turban and a bruised and bloodied face? In’shallah, he would be delivered to safety.

Inkspell Publishng Free Reads Week!

Have you checked out Inkspell Publishing's free reads this week? We are giving away free superb short stories of some of our authors. Here is a quick blurb as to what each story is about.


On March 12th, you can read Forever Yours by Shilpa Mudiganti, the author of contemporary romance novella Always You. In Forever Yours, main character Amelia loves Aaron, her fiancé. But she also loves Damon. Can one be in love with two men at the same time? How do you define infidelity? Or fidelity?On March 13th, InkSpell releases Love, Lies and other Disasters, a contemporary romance short story by Cecilia Robert, the author of Truly, Madly, Deeply You. In Love, Lies and other Disasters, the one person Celina fought so hard to get over five years ago is back, and has kidnapped her. He says he wants a second chance to prove his love. Will she allow him to glide back into her life and heart?On March 14th, you can read Beyond The Hidden Gate by Debbie Peterson, the author of paranormal romance novel Shadow of the Witte Wieven. In Beyond The Gate, Aynia doesn't remember anything, save her name. Can Aeden help her remember who she is, the love they shared and the importance of the quest for which she risked her life? Or will the power of an evil warlock shatter all they hold dear?On March 15th, InkSpell releases yet another contemporary romance short story, this time Coming Together by Naya Nikki, author of Familiar Ties. Life is complicated when you are pregnant at 17. But when the father doesn't know and he's marrying another right in front of you, it is bound to break your heart. What does Ellie do? Cry on her daughter's shoulders?Last but not least, on March 16th, author Stephanie Lawton's short story After Taste will be released. In After Taste, nothing can shield him from the horrible dream. Nothing can protect her from a danger she can't see.If you want to read these mix of romantic, tense and suspenseful stories, then head over to the InkSpell Publishing website. And there's more. Not only is InkSpell Publishing handing out free short stories to their readers, they're also organizing a contest at the end of the week. Participants in the contest need to answer one question from each story correctly, and in return they can win a $10 Amazon Gift Card and an InkSpell novel of their choosing! What are you waiting for?a Rafflecopter giveaway<a href="http://rafl.es/enable-js"&am... need javascript enabled to see this giveaway</a>.