Tarang Sinha's Blog, page 25

Newbie Writers! 5 Things You Must Do.

'I am a writer. An author.'

Yes, I am. But, it took me long to tell that (unapologetically) to people when they asked, 'What do you do? or Do you work?' People don't really consider writing as a proper job especially when you work from home, but now I don't really care. In fact, I feel good when I say, 'I'm a writer.' These days, some people look impressed and ask what do I write.

So, first of all, let me tell you what do I write. I am a freelance writer and author of We Will Meet Again , a...

Best Books I Read In 2017

Okay, this is my first post of 2018, and it's about books. When I don't know what to write, I write about books. I have been very slow when it comes to blogging, not that I have been a fast reader lately (I've decided to be a better reader this year), but I have read some good books last year. So here I'm sharing my best reads of 2017.


Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Adichie 

This was my first read by Adichie, and I instantly fell in love with her writing. It was one of the rare occasions wh...

Best Movies I Watched in 2017

Whenever I watch television, I prefer to watch movies. I seldom get peaceful, uninterrupted time to watch television (I like watching movies alone. What about you?) so, I prefer English (or foreign language) movies channel. Not because I don't like Hindi movies or all Hollywood movies are great, but because English movies are quick and you just don't have to sit for 4 hours (including ads) to watch the complete movie.

Last year, I did this Best Movies I Watched in 2016 post. So, I thought to d...

Book Review: Hell! No Saints in Paradise by A.K. Asif

Hell! No Saints in Paradise  ( Harper Collins India )  by A. K. Asif is a political satire. It tells the story of Ismael, a Pakistani American student who ventures into a spiritual journey (even though he is a non-believer) that takes him from New York to Pakistan (to his estranged father), and then his life just jumbles. 
The opening line of the book is interesting:
'I met Petra on a Friday night in late October, 2050.'
I picked this book mainly because of really good reviews...

Book Review: The Goat Thief by Perumal Murugan

This is my first book by Perumal Murugan, a little controversial yet highly acclaimed author. The Goat Thief (Juggernaut Books) is a translated work of fiction, a collection of short stories. I'm not a fan of translated works, mainly because the translated language often lose the essence of the storytelling. But, kudos to N. Kalyan Raman – the translator of this collection – for maintaining the original voice.
There are 10 well written, unique and sometimes strange stories in this collection....

Book Review: Ravana Leela by Radha Vishwanath

Ravana Leela – sounds strange as we always have heard of Ram-Leela. But, that’s the title of this new book by Radha Vishwanath. The title itself draws attention, and promises to be a unique read.
It has a powerful tagline - 'The One who forced God to become human.'

The story of Ravana Leela ( Rupa Publications ) is a unique take on Ramayana where author tells the story from Ravan’s point of view. It’s about his childhood, his relationship with his siblings, his love life, his aspirations, his ach...

Author's Interview: In Conversation With Saiswaroopa Iyer

Today, I am in conversation with Saiswaroopa Iyer , author of two best-selling mythological fiction - Abhaya and Avishi. The most interesting thing about Saiswaroopa's writing is that she chooses lesser known protagonists for her stories - that's certainly a plus point for this genre.




So, let's talk! (And read her enriching and enlightening answers!).Hello. Welcome to my blog. Please tell me and your readers about yourself and your writing journey.
Thank you Tarang :). I am an inv...

The Shadow On The Stairs

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Many years back, we had a courtyard in our house, and our bathroom was situated in the far corner of the courtyard (Some people in India still prefer to keep bathrooms away for hygiene purpose or whatever). We needed to come out of our rooms and walk through the courtyard to reach the bathroom.  I was in school. While studying until wee hours at night, whenever I came out of my room and walked toward the bathroom, my grandmother, sleeping in the room next to mine, would ca...

Book Review: Breathing Two Worlds by Ruchira Khanna

Finished reading this thoughtful novel Breathing Two Worlds by Ruchira Khanna . The story of Breathing Two Worlds is about Neena Arya who goes abroad to fulfill her dreams and aspiration. She tries to mix well in the new world by adopting the new lifestyle and accent while having a live-in relationship with her boyfriend, Adan.

Sudden medical emergency strikes, and Neena heads home - to India - and her thoughtful boyfriend accompanies. And, here starts a challenging phase in Neena's life when s...

What Ruins A Story? What Authors/Readers Have To Say

The world of story is a wonderland. If told well, you can live them. But, not all stories are wonderful. Why? What ruins a story?

In this post, I'll be sharing some expert views on this topic.  Before I start, I'd like to clarify that when it comes to my opinion, I'm talking as a reader.

So, let's get straight to the points.

Boring Writing Style:

Writing style is not just about lyrical prose, it's also about execution and the voice that connects the writer to the readers, and this connection...