Ekta R. Garg's Blog, page 32
November 3, 2022
First installment of Thursday R.E.A.D.s now up!
Hello, Write Edge readers! I’m thrilled to be sharing with you this quarter’s Thursday R.E.A.D.s. What am I diving into this month? Fairy Tale by Stephen King! Check out the first installment now with my thoughts on the book as a Reviewer.
Also, for my writing friends out there who are doing NaNoWriMo or who are looking for craft article to read, I was fortunate to be published recently by WOW! Women on Writing. Check out my tips on how to build three-dimensional characters using a journalist’s quick tool: the 5 Ws and an H.
And good news for those of you waiting on my next book: we’re done with formatting! Soon enough I’m going to be able to share the cover and a release date with all of you. Stay tuned for more details on In the Heart of the Linden Wood, out early 2023 by the incredible Atmosphere Press!
Take care of each other, and perform an act of kindness for a stranger this week, readers!
E.R.G.
November 2, 2022
Book review now up!
Hello, Write Edge readers! I’ve posted my latest review for you. Tonight I share my thoughts on Pay Dirt Road by Samantha Jayne Allen. Here’s the opening to my review:
A young woman comes back to her small town and finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. As she gets involved in the case, she deals with the trappings of her past. Author Samantha Jayne Allen takes readers to the deep heart of a Texas town in lush prose with a plot that could have used more heft in her debut novel Pay Dirt Road.
Read the whole review now on The Write Edge Bookshelf!
Take care of each other, readers, and perform an act of kindness for a stranger this week!
E.R.G.
October 31, 2022
Happy Halloween, and into November we go!
Hello, Write Edge readers! Another Monday, and today officially marks “spooky season,” as my sixteen-year-old says. As I sat at a local market on Saturday selling copies of The Truth About Elves, she was mildly miffed that I was sharing my holiday book with potential readers. We have to fully and thoroughly celebrate spooky season first, she objected.
I told her I couldn’t help it that I’d written a book focusing on Santa and his elves. That’s just the way the writing fell out.
In any case, we’re back for another week of content! But first, I think I need to address my constant lagging on Growth Chart. There are several reasons why I haven’t updated that particular blog in a while. Some of it is sheer time, both with my writing and editing pursuits and also with the fact that I’m doing the raising of the actual kids I started blogging about more than a decade ago. Who knew that as kids get older, they need to be shuttled around to so many different places? 
Some of it is also being mindful of the fact that Sixteen, at least, is now active on social media, and I don’t want to say or do anything to hurt her. I also want to respect her privacy as well as the privacy of her little sister. Some things just aren’t meant to be shared in public. Often they’re little things, but those are the things that mean a lot in many instances.
For that reason, I’ve decided to put Growth Chart on an indefinite hiatus to give myself some time and space to really consider what I want to accomplish with the blog. I don’t know when I’ll bring it back. Just know that I’m mindful of how many of you read it and enjoy it, and I want to do justice to your dedicated readership.
The other content I offer you, though, is very much on track! First, today is the last Monday of the month, and that means the writers showcase. Check out what stories caught my eye. And, yes, there is a scary one in there! Find them all now on The Write Edge Writing Workshop!
Next is this week’s book review. I’ve had an ARC of this book for a few months now but didn’t get around to it until this past week. Check out my review on Wednesday of Pay Dirt Road by Samantha Jayne Allen on The Write Edge Bookshelf!
November starts tomorrow, which means this month we’re going to be doing another deep dive with Thursday R.E.A.D.s. Come back to The Write Edge Bookshelf on Thursday to find out what book I’ve chosen for this month’s closer look, and check out previous Thursday R.E.A.D.s here!
Finally, on Friday, it’s back to Instagram where I’ll share a couple of pictures from the All Together Now market this past weekend. A huge thank you to the organizers for letting me be a part of this wonderful event. I’m so glad I participated!
Take care of each other, readers, and perform an act of kindness for a stranger this week!
E.R.G.
October 26, 2022
Book review now up!
Hello, Write Edge readers! I’ve posted my latest book review for you. Today I share my thoughts on Secrets Between Friends by Tracy Buchanan. Here’s the opening to my post:
A woman tries to figure out why her longtime best friend is acting so out of character. As the she battles her own challenges and tries to get to the bottom of the issue, the woman deals with unwanted advances, small-town gossip, and the memories of the worst night of her life. Author Tracy Buchanan offers readers a mostly satisfying mystery in her latest book Secrets Between Friends.
Read the whole review now on The Write Edge Bookshelf!
Take care of each other, and perform an act of kindness for a stranger this week, readers!
E.R.G.
October 24, 2022
The holiday season begins…
A very good evening to you, Write Edge readers, and, for those who celebrate, a Happy Diwali! Today is the Indian Festival of Lights, and in light of that (and the fact that it’s Monday and I was a little all over the place today, cutting down my writing time,) I wrote a simple haiku to celebrate Diwali. Check it out now on The Write Edge Writing Workshop!
In the middle of the week, I’ll have a brand new book review for you. This Wednesday I’ll share my thoughts on Secrets Between Friends by Tracy Buchanan. Find out what I thought of this thriller on The Write Edge Bookshelf!
On Friday, I hope to have a brand new Growth Chart for you. I’ll also share more fun pictures on Instagram. Check out previous Insta posts with my handle, @EktaRGarg, or on my Facebook author page.
Lastly, I’m so thrilled to be doing the All Together Now Market here in Central Illinois! This Saturday I’ll join other local creative vendors to meet patrons face to face and to sell copies of The Truth About Elves. Can you believe it’s already been a year? If you haven’t gotten your copy yet, order one from my author website.
Take care of each other, readers, and perform an act of kindness for a stranger this week!
E.R.G.
October 21, 2022
Instagram posts now up!
Happy Friday, Write Edge readers! I’ve posted my latest pictures for you on Instagram! Check out what I’m up to this weekend and next as well as some fun mail I got recently. Use my handle, @EktaRGarg, to find me!
Take care of each other, and perform an act of kindness for a stranger this weekend, readers!
E.R.G.
October 19, 2022
Happy birthday to The Truth About Elves!!
It’s my book’s first birthday!
A huge shout-out to the entire team at Atmosphere Press for making this dream a reality. Thank you for making this journey so special and meaningful!
If you’re new to The Write Edge or haven’t gotten around to getting the book yet, hop on over to my author website to learn all about The Truth About Elves! You’ll learn about part-time elf Curtis who spends three months out of every year working for Santa (Mr. C. to the elves.) When the boss asks him for a favor, Curtis can’t turn him down. The favor leads him back to the one place he’s always wanted to go: home.
Readers have told me the book makes a great stocking stuffer. Check it out on my website where you’ll get to read reviews and find out how to order an autographed copy directly from me. If you’ve ever wondered whether magic is real, come find out. Discover the power of forgiveness and the holiday spirit in The Truth About Elves!
It’s also Wednesday, which means book review day here on The Write Edge. Today I’m sharing my thoughts on Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan. Here’s the opening to my post:
When a teen is accused of murdering his girlfriend, his mother must face her own horrific past. The trial brings up uncomfortable questions, and the mother finds herself stretched beyond her comfort zone. Authors Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan join to tackle a sensitive issue in the well-intentioned but dragging novel Mad Honey.
Read the whole review now on The Write Edge Bookshelf!
Take care of each other, readers, and perform an act of kindness for a stranger this week!
E.R.G.
October 18, 2022
Notes on Tuesday posted!
Hello, Write Edge readers — and writers! Today this post is for you. Some of you may know that occasionally I’ll do writing workshops for our library here. When I do, I post a condensed version of my notes for the workshop attendees and anyone else who needs a quick refresher on a particular aspect of the craft.
At the beginning of the month, the library invited me to talk about pacing and point of view. You can find my notes right here on The Write Edge in the latest installment of Notes on Tuesday by clicking here.
For those of you in the northern states/regions of the world, stay warm! Take care of each other, and perform an act of kindness for a stranger this week.
E.R.G.
October 17, 2022
Pretend last week is this week…
Hello, Write Edge readers! I’m asking, once again, humbly, for your forgiveness and patience. I was all set to post new content last week, and then one of my kiddos came down with a stomach bug. She’s all better now, but it was a long week of swapping out trash can bags and keeping her company as she fought to recover. Which meant I couldn’t get to my computer nearly as much as I would have liked.
I’m finally back, though, and ready to jump back into it!
First, this week’s new fiction. It’s a micro piece, so no preview here, but you can read it now on The Write Edge Writing Workshop!
Two weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to conduct another workshop for our local library. This time I talked about point of view and pacing and how to work with both to make your writing better. I’ll post the notes for those tomorrow on a new Notes on Tuesday.
I did get to do some reading last week, and I finished Jodi Picoult’s newest book, Mad Honey, that she co-wrote with author Jennifer Finney Boylan. Curious to know what I thought of it? Find out on Wednesday on The Write Edge Bookshelf!
And, finally, we’re back to Instagram. I’m tickled to be getting more book mail — my favorite kind — and will share it with you on Friday. Check out previous posts with my handle, @EktaRGarg, or on my Facebook author page.
Also, in book news, I’m in the formatting stage of my novel! Atmosphere Press is, once again, publishing my work, and I got to see the book in the next stage. It’s actually happening, and I can’t want to share more info as I get it!
In the meantime, take care of each other, readers, and perform an act of kindness for a stranger this week. Have a good one!
E.R.G.
October 3, 2022
One-week hiatus
A very good evening to you, Write Edge readers! Just a quick note that I’m putting The Write Edge on a one-week hiatus to catch up on some reading and writing. I look forward to talking to you all next week!
Take care of each other, and perform an act of kindness for a stranger this week.
E.R.G.
