Ruchi Vasudeva's Blog: Ruchi Vasudeva Author's nook, page 6
January 27, 2014
Crafting a Short Story
Here’s the post I wrote for Being Bookworms blog.
When we say short story what is the length of the work of fiction we refer to? In current times, it should be 1000 to 20,000 words and or 5 to 20 pages. However, magazines and contests usually demand 2000-5000 words long stories. So that has become a more popular length.
While in a novel, a writer has time and space to build the characters, setting and the course of story, in a short piece this luxury is denied. One has to bring the focus of readers quickly to the story idea and hold their attention while still delivering a satisfying conclusion. So what things should be kept in mind while writing short stories?
First thing, is to have short, pithy descriptions so that excessive words are not wasted. For example, instead of describing in vivid detail a sunset, one might say simply ‘the sun crept past the horizon, splashing peach hues across the sky.’ While describing a character, instead of giving too many details, stick to one or two important characteristics. ‘An old and bent figure shuffling along’ this gives as much impression as ‘the thin man walking with painful slowness looked shrunken. His back was curved with the burden of age…’ you get the idea. A short story isn’t the place to wax poetic about your ability for description.
The second thing to be careful about is the theme or the idea your story centers on. Choose one and one idea only for one story. And keep it limited to one incident if possible. You cannot fit a long timeline into a story with effectiveness. It may be done but for the less length, the immediate effects and consequences work better. Give your character one problem and center the story around that. It may get fixed or not. Too many threads will act as too many spices in a dish and will spoil the art.
Remember even if the length is short, you must not sacrifice the depth of your main character for it. You have to still know your character inside out. So do work on your character. Her past and present. Her hopes and dreams. The more you know your character, the more depth you can bring to your story.
In a story, the final punch is important. So try to achieve a revelation in your ending. Something the reader wants to find out and will race to the end to get. The denouement. The realization. The hit or miss of the goal you have set at the beginning.
For example, in the short story I wrote for Harper Collins India, the heroine Raina finds herself being ignored by her busy neurophysician husband. So, her goal is to find her sense of worth. Can she find it with him or someone else? What twists and turns occur before she reaches an important conclusion in her life is the subject of this short read called ‘Right or Wrong.’ It is set to be released in an anthology in May this year.
Hope you have found this post helpful.
For more tips read my post for Seven Tips for writing a Short Story
This post is published thanks to Sufia Khatoon at Being Bookworms. Read the full post here.
Filed under: Writing Help
January 23, 2014
Get to know the authors of Sirens Spell Danger
Today I have here the three authors of Sirens Spell Danger. Please welcome Karthik L, Suresh Chandrasekaran and Radha Sawana. Let’s get to know them through this question and answer session.
Q:Tell us something about yourself and how you got into writing?
Karthik: Writing was farfetched considering that I am a management consultant. I tried it for the first time when a friend suggested it. Once I started my blog, I could experiment with different genres. Short stories and novellas were the next step.
Suresh: I have always wanted to write since childhood and, while at IIM-Bangalore, I planned to quit work at 40 (after saving enough) in order to write. I did quit at 41 but, because the thought of writing a book was daunting, I took to trekking instead. The urge to write would not be denied, however, and I first started blogging and, now, to writing fiction.
Radha: I am a 25-year-old chemist from BITS Pilani, working in Bangalore. While in BITS, I started my blog called ‘Entropy’. A couple of years ago, I joined the Indiblogger community, which brought me in touch with Karthik (The Fool) and through him, the Indifiction workshop. I decided to take part in the second edition of this workshop to test my fiction writing skills. After that, I couldn’t not write any more 
Q: Your experience of writing a book – easy as pie or hard as nails?
Karthik: I would say hard as nails.
Suresh: I don’t sit to write unless I have the entire story clear in my mind. After that I feel too lazy to writeJ. I find that the process of actually typing it in – is hard as nails. The one thing that makes me absolutely shudder is the process of rewriting and editingJ.
Radha: Sometimes easy as pie, but mostly hard as nails. It was a dark story and more often not, writing it required a sombre mood.
Q: What motivates you to write?
Karthik: I define myself as a sum of my thoughts and ideas. Writing enables me to leave behind an essence of my personality that remains in the world long after I am gone. So in some ways I see writing as a route to immortality.
Suresh: Writing is a pleasure. The process of using language to bring people and settings live is like weaving magic. I think reading takes people out of their humdrum lives into a world of entertainment and I like to give it to them as a writer.
Radha: Stories. Some stories call to be written. They become a motivation in themselves.
Q: What inspired you to write this book?
Karthik: This book was more of an experiment for us to take a leap from the world of blogging to serious novel writing. Reading the history of Bellary inspired this story.
Suresh: This book came about as a journey of exploration – of finding how a story shapes itself better when one gets relevant criticism and rewrites to suit; and of finding out the efficacy of Kindle as a medium for publishing a book.
Radha: Ummm, the inspiration to write this particular story came from a word in Chanakya’s Chant. (And anything more than this will count as a spoiler!). And of course my teammates.
Q: Please describe your book briefly.
Karthik: The book is a thriller – an IB agent sets out to investigate ISI activity in Bellary. Even before he starts, he is swept into a whirlpool triggered by the two beautiful women he meets. What he discovers in Bellary is an altogether different ball game.
Suresh: My story ‘Femme Fatale’ is a roller-coaster ride of action. A naïve hero gets embroiled in a terrorist plot when he gets attracted to a beautiful woman. It’s a light read woven with some thrilling action.
Radha: I am bad at writing descriptions, even if it’s my own story. But since you asked…
The story begins with the discovery of an esteemed industrialist’s dead body in a dingy hotel. Beside the dead body lies a strange picture. As Inspector Shardul Reham starts investigating the bizarre circumstances, help comes unexpectedly from Rajinder Sharma, a forensic expert. While unravelling the mystery, Shardul gets more than what he bargained for.
Q: Tell us about the main characters in your book.
Karthik: The main character is Jay, a successful IB agent who is disgruntled with the functioning of government agencies. He has a bit of a complex about not being as successful as his foster brothers and not having a way with women.
Suresh: Vicky is the protagonist of the tale who gets sucked into a dangerous situation by Tanya. Tanya is the more important character even if the story is told by Vicky in first person.
Radha: There are two main characters visible in the story – Detective Inspector Shardul Reham – an uptight police officer, and Dr. Rajinder Sharma, a veteran forensic analyst.
Q: How do you overcome writer’s block?
Karthik: I apply brute force and whatever comes till I break through.
Suresh: I have not yet had a writer’s block. It’s more laziness than anything else that keeps me from writing.
Radha: By travelling or by experiencing something new
Q: Does writing get in your way of life?
Karthik: Actually it is the other way round. Often life comes in the way of writing.
Suresh: As I have said earlier, I quit with an intent to write though I did get side-tracked. Right now, writing IS my way of life.
Radha: It’s rather the other way round!
Q: What’s next in your writing plans?
Karthik: Have lot of projects in mind. But yet to decide what to start on first.
Suresh: I have a few ideas jostling for space in my mind. It seems likely that the next may be more in the Humour genre than in Crime.
Radha: Reviving my blog, writing many many short stories in several genres and then finishing a novel length sci-fi story.
And here comes our rapid-fire round:
Your favourite movie
Karthik: Lord of the Rings
Suresh: Ben Hur
Radha: Rang De Basanti
The worst movie you’ve seen
Karthik: 2012
Suresh: Too many to pick from J
Radha: In recent times, Hobbit (II) – The Desolation of Smaug
Any secret habit?
Karthik: Can’t think of any.
Suresh: Never been able to keep secrets J
Radha: Whenever I am reading a book, I tend to eat whatever the characters in the book are eating.
Actor you’d fall for in a heartbeat
Karthik: Not really much into film stars.
Suresh: Had you asked this 20-30 years before, I could have readily answered J
Radha: Viggo Mortenson
Favourite book.
Karthik: Dune Series
Suresh: Any of PG Wodehouse’s books.
Radha: Mistborn – The Hero of Ages
Fallback option when the fridge is empty
Karthik: Fasting
Suresh: Starve (Believe me, we wrote the answers independently. No wonder we get along well)
Radha: Cuppa Noodles
What comforts you when things go bad?
Karthik: My family, friends and some light reading like children and young adult’s fiction.
Suresh: Books, Music AND a sense of humour.
Radha: Reading
Your most comfortable outfit.
Karthik: T-shirt and shorts.
Suresh: Tracks and tees.
Radha: A loose kurti and churidaar
A very enjoyable chat getting to know you, authors! Karthik, applying brute force for writer’s block is something I hadn’t yet heard of And starving? Really? Both you and Suresh need to be more resourceful, don’t you think 
I’d rather like cuppa noodles myself, Radha
This intriguing collaboration by this great team is available now.
Book buy links:
January 16, 2014
Author’s Interview..Ruchi Vasudeva, Mills and Boons, Harlequin Author by Sufia Khatoon
Here’s my interview on Being Bookworms, hosted by Sufia Khatoon.
Welcome to another edition of Being Bookworms Author’s interview session where Sufia Khatoon has interviewed Ruchi Vasudeva, Milland Boons, Harlequin Indian Author, the writer of two successful books Bollywood Fiance for a day and You can’t fight a Royal attraction…
We Being Bookworms team are delighted to welcome Ruchi Vasudeva.
I had a great experience knowing you and reading your work. A review coming soon of Ruchi’s books and I am happy to say that she is a wonderful writer, full of surprises and a very dear friend. We wish her all the best, waiting patiently for you other titles.
Best wishes….Sufia
Q1: Being a doctor how difficult it is to find time for writing and juggling two professions at the same time?
Ans: Thank you for hosting this interview, Sufia. It’s a pleasure to be here.
Juggling a medical career and writing is certainly not something I’d advise anyone to do! *smile* Having a job and family means hands quite full, so at times it gets quite tough to find writing time. To write one needs seclusion and I, at least, write better when I’m either alone or somewhere where there’s no chance of getting disturbed. Which is near impossible because at home every one has a claim on your time. At work too I’m busy. But the good part of a great story idea is that it writes itself. The characters will compel me to tell their story no matter if it’s just fifteen minutes I have free. So, all that word count piles up and holidays and weekends help a lot *grin*
Q2: Writing happened to you with winning the passion contest by Mills and boons, have you always been a writer by heart?
Ans:I think so, yes. I used to write stories and poems when in school. I liked to present my essays in new ways than the usual way of introduction. One favourite starting point for me used to be “since the dawn of civilization” No matter what the topic was, eg value of books or my grandmother’s chair (yes, I was given that topic once) I would start with the dawn of civilization phrase and go on to the topic. It worked quite well *grin*
Q3: To many writing is a form of expression, to some a way of escapism from the mundane lives, What is writing to you?
Ans:A series of ideas popping in my mind and forcing me to put them down! It’s something of a compulsion I’d say *smile*
Q4: How challenging is writing a novel? Does one need to be very serious to take up this profession?
Ans:Oh absolutely. Anyone who wants to write well has to be quite dedicated and determined. There is so much to learn. The craft of writing comes way before the art. So it’s certainly not anything you can do just whiling away the time. On top of that, nowadays, writers have to learn about the publishing and marketing side, study the trends and genres. I’d say as a profession, it’s quite demanding.
Q5: Most of us have a writer in us, but few have that passion to pursue it for life, Do you think having a lot of expectations can be harmful as we know is not easy to get published especially now when everyone seems to write?
Ans:In any profession, we have to begin low and go up. If one is willing to work hard, there is no harm in having ambition and I believe there is no lack of opportunity. But writing offers no time-bound progress as occurs in most other jobs. A book might take ages to sell while another book of the same writer might hit the charts as top seller. Don’t expect miracles but be willing to swot, I’d say. Have goals like making your work the best it can be, rather than unreasonable expectations like winning awards with your first book. Goals make you more focused and productive.
Q6: You first novel Bollywood Fiance for a day seems to have been inspired from Bollywood, and so does your other novels. Tells us how important romance and Bollywood is for Indians and Why doe sit inspire you so much?
Ans:For most Indians the two are nearly synonymous. Bollywood films and especially songs ooze with emotions. I can’t say exactly why I like to think of Bollywood as a setting. It’s something that happens unconsciously; maybe because I have grown up watching movies like YC’s Lamhe and others of that genre.
Q7: You can’t fight a Royal attraction is a sequel to your first book, usually a love story in Mills and boons end in a first novel only. What made you write sequel and telling Saira and Rihaan’s love story? Can we expect another sequel to this story in future?
Ans:It wasn’t really a deliberate effort to make it a sequel. I was discussing ideas with my editor and she wasn’t keen on the one I was suggesting at the time. So I put forward this tentatively because Saira’s character had inspired me during the writing of Bollywood Fiance for a Day itself. My editor Kathryn loved it, so I went ahead and the book was formed.
As for another sequel, I have story ideas in mind for Mia and also for Viren of the second book. But they’re not always easy to chart out. Let’s see what happens.
Q8: How do you start writing your story, Do you start with a plot or just start writing and the characters develop eventually?
Ans:Usually for me the story begins with an idea revolving around two characters. Gradually I flesh out the idea and develop the characters. It takes time to situate the idea into the real world because imagination has no foundation in logic and what initially looks good might turn out silly when you actually write it out. So under the left brain direction, there is a lot of tampering and repair and what eventually emerges is quite different from the original. Once the characters and their world is ready then all I have to do is listen to them and let the story unfold. The writing is fairly quick after that.
Q9: Tell us something about Saira and Rihaan?
Ans:Saira is young and spirited. She believed in love and married early, being a little headstrong. She is the sister of the first book heroine. The marriage didn’t turn out well and now she’s divorced and feeling hurt. She has no career and sees no direction in her life. At this point she meets Rihaan.
Rihaan is a loner and somewhat reclusive. He has no desire to get involved with Saira but out of friendship for her sister and her brother-in-law, he takes her under his wing. However, the attraction between them escalates. A twist of fortune places him at a defining moment in his life when his past collides head-on with his future.
Q10: Are your characters in your novels inspired from real lives? How important is inspiration and travelling for a writer?
Ans:Inspiration happens from real life but only to an extent. I do pick up some traits from real people initially but then as the characters start to speak, they assume their own personality. That’s also because they have their own world, their own past and present. So like every human being they are unique. I might discard the traits I had got inspired from once the characters get their own skin so to speak *smile*
Travelling and interacting with people is important for inspiration, I believe.
Q11: Now to get published most writers are choosing the romance or chiclit genre, knowing this is widely read. Do you think a writer should write form the reader’s point of view or write what he or she observes around rather than following the stereotypes?
Ans:The hardest question to answer is what will sell well. I think writing to expectation can profit neither the reader nor the writer. An easy way to decide what to write is think of what you love to read. These days published works are very genre specific so if you pick your favourite genre, you’ll know what comprises it and you’ll find it easy to write for it. But one shouldn’t be afraid to experiment if one has complete belief in the story. And certainly don’t write romance or chiclit just because they sell good.
Q12: Many Indian writers are doing wonders with their impeccable storytelling skills, but recent writers are lacking it, Can you tell us what our new enthusiastic writers need to focus on?
Ans:I’m myself a relatively new writer so really can’t presume to tell anyone anything. I can share what I have learnt and am still learning about writing. It’s that for one thing, one has to know about the craft of writing. The story structure, the goal, motivation, conflict of the character must be properly charted out. I heard it said and will repeat here : there is no shortcut. You learn to write by writing and by having the attitude to learn. Don’t be in a hurry to get published. Try to hone your skill. Take every rejection as a step to learning more.
Q13: You won the Harper Collins’ short story contest, can you tell us something about it and how do you feel?
Ans:The contest was an initiative of Indiblogger in collaboration with HC India. They asked for love stories inspired by real life situations to be selected for publication in an anthology. It was thrilling to win and I’m looking forward to getting published with them.
Q14: How important is participating in contest for newbies? Does research really help in shaping up a novel?
Ans:Contests are the way publishers are roping in new talent these days. Having won two of them and got a publishing break through both, I’d say they are a great opportunity for writers. Just one should read the guidelines very, very carefully and obey the rules to the letter.
Harlequin holds the Passions contest every season for aspiring Indian authors. Right now this is underway. The last date to submit is 25th Jan, ’14. You can check out the details on Harlequin India website.
Research definitely opens new portals for a host of ideas. The more you research the better you can shape up the story world and the characters. For example in case of Rihaan, the more I learnt about his background, the better I could visualise
Q15: Many assume that writers can earn in millions if once published, tell us how does the publishing thing works, and is it really true that once published, there is no looking back?
Ans:If you sell to a renowned publisher and get a great contract, you can earn well but if you think one or two books will land you in the lap of luxury, then no! You’re sadly mistaken if you presume that!
Writing is a job like any other and you have to work at it and be consistent. It’s probably tougher than most jobs because there are long hours but no paycheck at the end of every month to look forward to, in the beginning. When you sell your first work, it feels as though you have arrived but it’s not so. Be prepared for your expectations and your pride to take a lashing. But stick in there – if you really want to succeed – and gradually you will see results. Since publishing world makes a snail look like a jet plane as far as speed is concerned, you’ll need loads of patience. Make sense of what makes successful writers successful and try to work out those principles. It might help.
Q16: Mills and boons is known for its steamy sex scenes, many feel that its just erotics that mills and boons produces, but that is not entirely true. Did you had nay such inhibitions when you were writing about your characters. Do you think a steamy scene is a must in any love story to make it more real or its better avoided?
Ans:It all depends on the story and the characters. All Mills and Boon are not explicit. Take my book for instance. Mills and Boon have many genres and allow the authors free hand in writing what they are comfortable with. For myself, I leave it to the characters. That said, when you’re writing a love story, you have to show some sensuality to make the emotions convincing.
Q17: When you first touched your published novel and heard praises for it, how did it feel?
Ans:Awesome, absolutely out of this world…I could add more superlatives here because I’d have to use many to describe what I felt. Hearing genuine appreciation from a reader who has harmonized with your work is very rewarding indeed. It’s a feeling hard to beat.
Q18: You are a bookworm we know, which writers inspire you and why?
Ans: Getting published is tough. I know so many authors who are writing, taking care of families as well as tackling a job. I salute all those writers and get inspired to do more by their example.
As for writings, my favourite are Agatha Christie’s whodunnits and G
eorgette Heyer’s timeless Regency novels.
Thanks, Sufia. Enjoyed answering your questions.
Ruchi, Best wishes and lots of love.
Hope you are really liking the way we are bringing you tips and the real world of the writer’s…tells us whom should we interview next
warm regards,
Sufia Khatoon, Being Bookworms
Being Bookworms is a praiseworthy project started by the multi talented Sufia Khatoon. She is artistic, devoted to charity work and dedicated to supporting readers and writers. Being Bookworms is an effort to bring readers and authors together and promote good readership. I congratulate Sufia on her work and wish her the best for future.
Here’s the link to the interview http://beingbookworms.blogspot.in/2014/01/authors-interviewshomprakash-sinha-roy.html
Filed under: Author Interviews, Links
January 7, 2014
Six Tips for Writing First Chapters of Your Story
Nowadays, writing competitions have become quite the thing for publishers to draw in new talent. Having found my way into publishing through a writing contest myself, I’m all for participation in these kind of online hunts. Some require a full manuscript like the Harlequin SYTYCW. Most others however just require your story’s synopsis and a partial. Like the Passions contest that Harlequin holds every season in December-January for aspiring Indian authors. It is ongoing and you can check out the details here. Last date to enter, 25th Jan, ’14.
So how to go about preparing for a contest? They say, well begun is half done. Well prepared is target secured. Any contest is both difficult and rewarding. Difficult as it takes nerves to enter and rewarding because one always learns from experience. Writing contests are no different except that an aspiring writer contestant is especially sensitive to rejection. It’s important when you enter a contest to first keep in mind that ANY outcome is possible. Second, to repeat to yourself, ‘I’ll give it my best shot.’ Over and over. If you do, you’ll have no reproach for yourself at least, however it ends…and who knows you may be next one shortlisted! From my experience of entering writing contests, and winning both of them, I’ve compiled some tips. Also I’ve included the input from all I learnt during the writing of the initial chapters of my first book, Bollywood Fiancé fora Day and the second, You Can’t Fight A Royal Attraction I’ve listed them in order of what looks important to me:
Opening scene: The opening scene should draw the reader in. Right into the world you have created. What is your character doing as the story opens? What is she/he feeling? Is your character worried while driving? Does she accidentally miss the turn signal of car in front? What happened then? Create a situation where the readers (or your judges) can’t help but read on to find out what happens next.
Build a problem: Is your heroine (or hero) in trouble? Why? Who could help her? Why wouldn’t she take help from him? Always go deep into a character’s reasons. Why. That simple word leads to so many possibilities. The late Penny Jordan, romance author extraordinaire once said, the most important of the tips her editor gave her was: always ask why.
Interaction of characters: In romance you have two main characters. Have them in the scene together as soon as possible. That sounds like a tall order for a first chapter. You would say, what about explaining the setting, the situation, the background? But just think, if you don’t show them together here, you may miss the chance to make a strong initial impression. The first chapters, mostly first three are asked for in a partial, should not just set up the story but also hint at the first turning point. So have your characters interacting as soon as possible. Show what the heroine feels for the hero and he for her. How do they happen to be in the situation? Is it planned? Or coincidence? Does she want to avoid him? Will she succeed? Build up the curiosity factor.
Tension: Show the tension between the characters. Awareness. Attraction. Conflict. Does she drop something in her confusion when near him? Most heroes aren’t bumbling but a little tug at his necktie would be endearing, don’t you think? Tension between Hero/heroine is a must in a Mills and Boon! And even in other genres, tension, implied and manifest, is a desirable ingredient.
Sympathy for the characters: Have the reader sympathize with your character. If the hero turns the heroine’s troubled aunt out of her house, it’s a very strong conflict between the characters but would the reader sympathize with someone like that? Would you? You’d most likely kick such an insensitive brute. Always keep your character if not lovable, at least understandable. For more on characters, go here.
Make it read-worthy: Last but not least the grammar. Spell check. Read. Revise. Watch your tenses. Double check your verbs. Make your presentation the best it can be. Also always follow the specifications given under the contest rules.
So do remember, begin with a strong opening scene, build a problem, have your characters interact and show tension between them. Make your characters lovable, always spell check and make your work presentable.
Sharing your work can be scary. If you’ve submitted or made a decision to submit your entry to a writing competition, you’re already to be congratulated. If you’re reading this to improve it, double congratulations, because you have decided to go after this writing thing and you’re already interested in making it better. So are you trying your luck? Good luck to all the entrants and remember, if you’re pursuing your dream, you’re a winner!
Write with love,
Ruchi.
Filed under: Writing Help
January 6, 2014
Get to know Sundari Venkataraman
Q: Tell us something about yourself and how you got into writing?
A: I have grown up in a family where a woman’s main aim in life is to get married, preferably an arranged marriage. I got married to my husband Venkatraman when I was 23 and had two kids. While I always loved reading, I never could write creatively.
I enjoy Mills & Boon romances and kept visualizing Indian heroes and heroines in them. I used to weave a number of scenes in my head but never wrote as I had no confidence in my writing.
One fine day, I just decided to put my thoughts into words in the form of a novel and quite liked the way it read. And that’s how my writing happened in my life.
Q: Your experience of writing a book – easy as pie or hard as nails?
A: Writing a book is easy as pie. Rewriting to specifications is hard as nails.
Q: What motivates you to write?
A: Just about everything that I come across – movies, books, newspaper articles, things people say…
Q: What inspired you to write this book?
A: Writing about twins had been running in my head for a while. We have seen a lot of Bollywood flicks with twins separated at a young age and connecting as adults. I wanted to write one where they grow up together. I wanted both the twins to be good guys. And then, I love romances – both reading and writing. And Double Jeopardy was born.
Q: Please describe your book briefly.
A: Sanya is a young lady who is in love with her childhood sweetheart. Unfortunately for her, when she comes to Mumbai all the way from London to live with the Sharmas, Arth is nowhere in the picture; while Ansh is around all the while, tormenting her. She tries hard to deny her physical response to Ansh, very sure that it is Arth she wants. The rest of the story is about who Sanya ends up with.
Q: Tell us about the main characters in your book.
A: Sanya is the heroine. She lives in London with her parents. She parties round the clock and is bored of her life which has no purpose. She grabs the chance to visit the Sharmas in Mumbai and hopes to reopen her relationship with Arth.
Arth & Ansh Sharma are twin brothers who help their father run the family electronics business. They look exactly like each other but have very different characters.
While Sanya holds on to her childhood crush on the gentle Arth, she is too disturbed by her physical attraction to the mischievous Ansh.
The story revolves around the three of them.
Q: How do you overcome writer’s block?
When I see that writing is not happening, I don’t try to. I just leave my writing alone for a few days until I can feel the words flowing comfortably within me.
Q: Does writing get in your way of life?
No, it’s woven quite well into my life.
Q: What’s next in your writing plans?
I have a couple of ideas that I have submitted to Indireads – my publisher. I am waiting for their feedback.
And here comes our rapid-fire round:
Your favourite movie
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge
The worst movie you’ve seen
Tees Maar Khan
Any secret habit?
You really set me thinking on this one. J It took me the longest to answer this question, actually. I can’t think of any. In our family, everyone talks about everything to everyone else. We have no secrets – not out of compulsion but more because we are open about things.
Actor you’d fall for in a heartbeat.
Arjun Rampal
Favourite book.
JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series
Fallback option when the fridge is empty
Home Delivery from one of the many restaurants near home
What comforts you when things go bad?
Talking to God
Your most comfortable outfit.
Sari
Hope you enjoyed meeting Sundari, folks. I’d say having restaurants near home is bliss, isn’t it? and as for finding sari the most comfortable, I can only gasp in amazement!
Here are the book buy links :
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/386589
Indigo: http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/double-jeopardy/9781927826386-item.html
Diesel eBooks: http://www.diesel-ebooks.com/item/SW00000386589/Venkatraman-Sundari-Double-Jeopardy/1.html
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/double-jeopardy-sundari-venkatraman/1117704167?ean=2940045494762
Bookworld: http://www.bookworld.com.au/ebook/double-jeopardy/46604300/
All Romance Books: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-doublejeopardy-1380981-177.html
Indireads: http://www.indireads.com/books/double-jeopardy/
This interview is a part of the Blog tour hosted by The Book Club.
Double Jeopardy by Sundari Venkatraman
The Blurb
Sanya doesn’t just have trouble, she has double trouble. Twins Arth and Ansh Sharma, are rich, sexy and sinfully handsome – what’s a girl to do?
Sanya last saw the twins when she was ten years old. Now, all grown up, she has come looking for gentle Arth, the twin she has loved ever since she can remember. But instead, she is confronted with fiery Ansh, who is hell-bent on seducing her. And what’s worse, she can’t seem to stop herself from responding to him.
As she chases Arth and is chased by Ansh, Sanya finds herself on a crazy roller coaster ride with no way of getting off. How will she deal with these two very different men in her life? Will she be able to convince one twin that she loves the other?
Meet the author
The Author’s Thoughts
Even as a kid, she absolutely loved the ‘lived happily ever after’ syndrome as Sundari grew up reading all the fairy tales she could lay her hands on, Phantom comics, Mandrake comics and the like. It was always about good triumphing over evil and a happy end.
Soon, into her teens, she switched her attention from fairy tales to Mills & Boon. While she loved reading both of these, she kept visualising what would have happened if there were similar situations happening in India; to a local hero and heroine. Her imagination took flight and she always lived in a rosy cocoon of romance over the years.
Then came the writing – a true bolt out of the blue! She could never string two sentences together. While her spoken English had always been excellent – thanks to her Grandpa – she could not write to save her life. She was bad at writing essays in both school and college. Later, when it was time to teach her kids, she could manage everything from Science to Mathematics and History & Geography. When it came to writing compositions, her kids found her of no help at all.
All this changed suddenly one fine day in the year 2000. She had just quit her job at a school’s office and did not know what to do with her life. She was saturated with simply reading books. That’s when she got home one evening after her walk and took some sheets of paper and began writing. It was like watching a movie that was running in her head – all those years of visualising Indian heroes and heroines needed an outlet and had to be put into words. That’s how her first novel, The Malhotra Bride, took shape. While she felt discouraged when publishing did not happen, it was her husband who kept encouraging her not to give up.
There was no looking back after that. While publishing took a long time happening, Sundari continued to write novels and then short stories and had them published in her blogs. Her luck turned when Indireads approached her to write for them and Double Jeopardy was born.
You can stalk her @
Blog Tour Schedule
1Jan-11 Jan 2014
(The Blog links will be live as and when the posts come up)
2nd Jan 2014
Adite Banerjie (Spotlight)
aditebanerjie
3rd Jan 2014
Ushasri Nannapaneni (Review and Interview)
ushaveera68
5th Jan 2014
Sridevi Datta (Review)
THE WRITE JOURNEY
7th Jan 2014
Jaibala Rao (Review)
My School Of Thought
7th Jan 2014
Ruchi Vasudeva(Interview)
Ruchi Vasudeva Author’s nook
8th Jan 2014
Sonia Rao(Interview)
soniaraowrites
9th Jan 2014
Neelesh Gajanan Inamdar (Review)
From the Heart – Neel
10th Jan 2014
Dola Basu Singh (Spotlight)
Shiuli
11th Jan 2014
Rubina Ramesh (Review/ Interview)
The Book Club
Filed under: Author Interviews
December 31, 2013
The Year I Got Published – and learning curves
I will remember 2013 as that landmark year – the year I got published. I got, not one but two books out this year. Woohoo!! I would’ve made it in another anthology slated to be released in December but oh such are the things in the publishing world that it has got delayed. Oh well! Still I’m very much pleased with what did come through to happening. Harlequin was my dream publisher so getting in through that door is even more special.
Not only writing wise but in my other profession too, this year bestowed me an achievement. I became Professor and that was a big hike up Of course more onus on me to have things running well but that’s just a part of it.
Achievements or when we garner the rewards of our efforts are milestones which help us push forward. Receiving congratulatory wishes, celebrating it all, gives you an impetus to do more.
But the truth is that the disappointments also have a part to play in our success. As we get encouraged by achievement so too, not making it or in case of writers, rejection of a work helps us be better. In every success, we have contribution of the rejected writings. And I’ve learnt that getting published doesn’t provide vaccination against getting the ‘R’. My own editor while brainstorming for the next manuscript said no to 2-3 ideas and what’s that but rejection at an early stage. But every such event teaches you what works and what doesn’t. In fact if you look a little more deeply, it opens a whole new vista for a spate of newer and better stories. I’ve always felt this way. Each fallout of your plans has a purpose. It’s a bend in the road and beyond it one can always envisage greater things. So let’s not feel disheartened by failures. Let’s convert them into important learning curves and get better.
What was this year like for you? Did it bring lessons or congratulations or both? What was the best thing that happened this year?
I wish you the success you crave in the new year. And if you already have your dream may you weave many more to have them happen! 
Have a great 2014!
Pic from the Vector art pool flickr.com
Filed under: Uncategorized
December 22, 2013
How research shaped my book, You Can’t Fight A Royal Attraction
I’m on special feature this month on the book r3vi3ws blog. This is my third post on the special feature. You can read the first one Romantic Heroes Rule and the second A Chat with the Characters from You Can’t Fight A Royal Attraction. There’s a giveaway also, but limited to India only.
Here’s the post.
Writers live twice
~ Natalie Goldberg
Authors are privileged people in that. Maybe it should be said that writers live multiple times or as many times as the characters they write. Stepping into the character’s shoes, living out their emotions in that span, does gain you a new perspective. To make the background of a character, to make the character living and breathing and real to the reader, a writer have to find out lots of things the character might know in her life but which don’t appear in the story. To make the history three dimensional you have to explore a lot especially if you envisage characters who are from a different background from yours. Thus researching is both enlightening and educating.Researching You Can’t Fight A Royal Attraction was both hard and a lot of fun! I got to know about a lot of fun facts which didn’t have much use in the book. For instance I found interesting info about the traditional Rajasthani cuisine.
Read the rest here
Filed under: Book Enthuse
December 18, 2013
A Chat with the Characters from You Can’t Fight A Royal Attraction
Here’s the interview of Rihaan and Saira I did at a guest post…
Today I have Rihaan and Saira for an interview here at b00k r3vi3ws blog. Thanks, Debdutta, for the center stage and a chance to host my well loved characters. Thanks too, for the nice tea and thoughtfully provided chocolate cake. Looks yummy and so totally hard to resist while I wait for them to arrive. Ah, the wait wasn’t long! Here is Saira!
(Saira walks in.)
Saira: Hi Ruchi, great to see you.
Me: Hi Saira, wonderful to see you as well and looking fab as usual. Orange and black, what a nice combo and I love the pleated chiffon skirt!
Saira: Thank you! Well, you know me (smiles and winks) Clothes are my thing.
Me: Where’s Rihaan? Would you like tea while we wait? (Pours and hands her the teacup)
Saira: (accepts) Thanks, I guess it’s early for cocktails yet. (grins) Rihaan? He’s still working on his story. You know what he’s like – well of course you do! You’re to blame for his tendency to get lost in the story he’s creating. Do you realize how much trouble it is? Last Sunday he walked out of Aragham’s birthday party that we were attending at Vishakha’s and I had to chase him down to the beach where he was working out his plot twists. And he got me thinking it out too, so we nearly missed the cutting of the cake!
Me: Oh oh that is bad. But look here, you didn’t complain when he acted absentminded the last time he was thinking about his script? (widens eyes innocently)
Saira (Blushes) Now that was…what can I say…kinda cute! And don’t make it sound so scandalous because you know it wasn’t. It wasn’t anything it shouldn’t be! Me: Mmm, do I sense a note of accusation in that?
(Rihaan comes in at that moment.)
Me: Hi Rihaan!
Rihaan (smiles a rakishly attractive smile): Hi Ruchi! (Leans over to peck Saira and takes a seat): I see you’ve started without me? When the man is away, the ladies love to get all chatty!
Me: Is that even a phrase? I’ve never heard of it.
Rihaan: I can create phrases. It’s my job after all. Working on words, with words and through words. (Tips imaginary hat in an olde worlde gesture and gives another heart stopping smile.)
Me (in an aside to Saira): I can understand how you fell for him. Oh those sherry eyes!
Saira: (whispers back.) Pure wine and as heady in their magic. You have put me in trouble, haven’t you? (sighs)
Me:I guess I totally have. (Clears throat and says more normally) So shall we start, Rihaan?
Rihaan: All set Ruchi. Though I have trouble understanding why you’re interviewing your own characters. You’re supposed to know us through and through and inside out. Isn’t that how it goes?
Me: Know you? You particularly? That’s something like climbing Mount Abu. You aren’t that easy to decipher, my dear Rihaan. Not easy at all. You think it was easy to figure out and write what you were all about? Let me tell you it was like trying to peel the cover from the maize seed or trying to break into a chakravyoh out of the epic Mahabharata or delve into the deepest ocean…!!
Rihaan: I get the picture. (Holds up his hands) My apologies. I really had no idea I was being tough.
Me: Oh I forgave you when you finally began to talk. Anyway the purpose isn’t for me to know you but to get you acquainted with the readers.
Rihaan: Go on then. What do you want to ask?
Me: How do you feel about getting to know her?
Rihaan: Well she’s, you know, spicy, quirky, fun to be with. It’s been a topsy-turvy ride trying to figure out what I felt for her and then it had just begun. But now looking back the uncertainty was all trivial. What matters is now. I feel my life totally changed knowing her. (Looks across at Saira with such feeling that I start to blink emotionally)
Me: Oh Rihaan! (Dabs eyes.) And Saira? What do you say about your life before Rihaan?
Saira: I was lost, you know. I mean I knew myself and I’ve stood up for my beliefs. But then a part of me, the loving part, had been through a frightful experience. I’d forgotten how to trust. Even distrusted my own decisions. Meeting Rihaan wasn’t problem solving. Far from it. When you’re determined not to open your heart and then you find the doors are cracking up… (Smiles back at Rihaan.) Well, suffice to say I led him quite a dance. Yes, I acknowledge it!
Read the rest here
Filed under: Uncategorized
December 10, 2013
Giveaway
Good news for Indian readers. Now you can win a copy of my new book You Can’t Fight A Royal Attraction. There’s a rafflecopter going on at Book R3vi3ws blog. Follow the link to enter. You can follow #ARoyalAttraction on twitter via @Ruchi_Vasudeva for more news and giveaways of the book. Thanks and warm wishes!
Filed under: Book Enthuse
December 9, 2013
Excerpt – You Can’t Fight A Royal Attraction
Hi, sharing an excerpt from my new book, You Can’t Fight A Royal Attraction.
In this Saira is trying to get a rise out of Rihaan. Enjoy
What was it about that cool hauteur that made her want to play with fire?
‘Of course, you’re no danger to me in a…’ deliberately she let her gaze run over him. ‘…sexual way, are you?’ He didn’t miss it nor did he miss the insolence she projected. She could see his mouth tighten in controlled annoyance. For a wild minute she wished he’d let loose and the unreasoning thought made her heartbeat pick up.
‘Are you trying to challenge me?’ Her heart jumped up at the deep voice laced with mockery. Coward, she derided. Surely she wasn’t frightened of him?
‘No challenge for you surely? You can hardly stand the sight of me.’ She reminded him.
‘Am I supposed to jump on you in fervent denial of that statement, swearing that I can’t keep my hands off you?’ A dark eyebrow rose. ‘Sorry, but your little game won’t wash, Sehgal.’ Irritatingly he addressed her by her surname again.
‘Oh how astute you are, Khehra!’ She widened her eyes. ‘You catch on so fast, guess I’ll have to watch myself more around you.’ She formed a pout, aware of his gaze moving to it, feeling an unreasonable thrill as it did. She must be mad. Or starved of fun. But somehow she couldn’t not try to get a reaction out of that stone monument.
His eyes narrowed, ‘Whatever you’re trying, I’m not looking for trouble, and I’d advise you not to go poke for it either.’
‘So disappointing!’ She shook her head sorrowfully, ‘Here I was getting thrilled to bits we’re going to have this weekend. Just us. Lonesome, twosome.’
So did you like the impudent side of this heroine? I’ll love to know
Filed under: Book Enthuse
