Ekta R. Garg's Blog, page 62

With August upon us…

Hello, Write Edge readers! Okay, raise your hand if you can’t believe it’s already August? Like you swear it was just March about 10 minutes ago?

I think, in some ways, we feel like if we could just pause the year and give scientists and our essential workers a few minutes to catch up, that we’ll be able to finish this year with a sigh of relief. That we’ll get back everything we’ve lost so far in 2020. Especially the people.

Time continues to pass, no matter how much we loathe it to.

One thing that allows us to capture a small piece of time, though, and turn it back — even if it’s in our hearts and minds — is stories. So don’t be afraid to share yours. Don’t be afraid to let people know how you think and feel and what they need to hear from you today. One way to do this is participate in others’ stories by reading. This week’s motivational quote reminds us why that’s so important:

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.”—George R. R. Martin

I have new short fiction to share with you. Here’s a quick excerpt of the new story I wrote today.

What did I give Katherine that year?

He fought with his memory to bring up the answer, but it refused to yield. Refused to bring back a recollection of a trip to a store, a receipt tucked into the small zipper pocket of his wallet. Stonewalled his attempts to picture her reaction when she opened…what?

Read the full story now on The Write Edge Writing Workshop!

Speaking of stories, this week I’ll share the review of a new one. Or a new book, rather. Ironically (I promise, I didn’t plan this!) the book review I’m going to post on Wednesday is about how we tell stories. How we manage them when they get bigger than us. And how they might change lives in the most unexpected of ways. Find out on Wednesday what I thought of It Came from the Sky by Chelsea Sedoti; that review will be up on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

It’s the third quarter of the year, which means a new Thursday R.E.A.D.s. After years, Suzanne Collins released a new book, and she went back to the arena of the Hunger Games. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes came out this spring, and this whole month I’ll delve into it as a r.eviewer, e.ditor, a.uthor, and a d.reamer. Wonder what Thursday R.E.A.D.s is? Find previous R.E.A.D.s books here on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

And on Friday, I’ll have brand new Insta-pics to share, including a fun new addition to my writing studio to keep it shining bright. Find other Instagram posts by using my handle, @EktaRGarg, or go to my Facebook author page. See you for all that on Friday!

Have a fantastic week, readers, and stay safe, stay home, stay hydrated, and stay healthy!

E.R.G.

Parenting adventures are back!

Hello, Write Edge readers! I’m back with my latest parenting post. Here’s a quick excerpt:

From the time the girls were too young to understand the words, I’ve made them repeat a particular sentence after me: Smart girls find a way to fix the problem. As they got older, I forced them to parrot it back like a call-and-response—“Smart girls do what?” I’d demand, and one or both would roll their eyes and intone, with flat words, “Find a way to fix the problem,” the syllables words drawn out to indicate how utterly sick and tired they were of having to repeat the adage.

Read the whole post now on Growth Chart!

Also, my newest episode as host of Biblio Breakdown is out now! Get writing exercises and the idea of mood in your writing within the context of The Ancestor by Danielle Trussoni. Find the full episode here on The Writescast Network!

Have a lovely weekend, readers! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, and stay hydrated. Don’t forget your masks!

E.R.G.

New book review up!

Hello, Write Edge readers! I’m back with another book review. Today I share my thoughts on the recent release The Day She Came Back by veteran women’s fiction author Amanda Prowse. Here’s the opening to my review:

A teenager is left without any family after her last living relative dies. She’s shocked, then, when the mother she thought had died of a drug overdose comes back, healthy and very much alive. The teen must decide if she can forgive her mother for disappearing and figure out how to move on. Acclaimed women’s fiction author Amanda Prowse is back with another winning novel about grief and restarting relationships in The Day She Came Back.

Read the full review now on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

Also, another reminder for you writers out there looking for writing exercises. This Friday I’m back with another episode of Biblio Breakdown on The Writescast Network. I’m talking about the mood of a piece — how to set it and how to maintain it — within the context of The Ancestor by Danielle Trussoni. If you’re curious what the Biblio Breakdown might be, check out the last episode I did about patient storytelling within Where the Crawdads Sing. Then subscribe and mark your calendars for the newest episode!

Stay safe, stay home, and stay hydrated, readers!

E.R.G.

Last week of July!

Hello, Write Edge readers! Can you believe it’s already the last week of July? Even as we trudge through the challenges of a pandemic, we see that time doesn’t stay still.

For those of you following your hearts to pursue a life’s passion, you know that we don’t sit still either. Pandemic or not. To that end, a fun announcement about what I’ve been doing with my time in the last month or so. But more on that in a minute.

First, this week’s motivational quote. If you’ve ever wondered why it takes writers (or any artists, really) to create their works, one reason is because they spend a lot of time pondering a variety of things in life. There’s a method to that madness, though, as this week’s quote lets us know:

“A great writer is actually a great thinker, not just someone who can put words down on paper.”—David Flanagan, screenwriter/author

To that end, it’s the last Monday of the month–time for the writers’ showcase! These stories (and one haiku) definitely required a great deal of thought. Writers find themselves tumbling into all sorts of interesting spaces and times when they’re working on pieces. This month’s showcase takes us to familiar territory — a fairy tale — as well as unfamiliar — a visit with a wily octopus. Check out all the featured pieces for this month on The Write Edge Writing Workshop!

In the middle of the week, I’ll share a brand new book review with you. Those of you who follow me on Instagram (or are checking out the thumbnails here on the main page) already know what book I’m going to feature (and how I felt about it :D.) This Wednesday I’ll give you my thoughts on Amanda Prowse’s The Day She Came Back. Check it out on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

And on Friday, it’s back to parenting adventures. With more of my focus going toward my career in writing and publishing, I’ve been steering The Write Edge toward sharing and exploring ideas in those arenas. Parenting posts, while fun (and cathartic many times,) have taken a back seat. I’m sure many of you regular readers of Growth Chart have noticed.

Parenting is an active, daily pursuit. Writing about it can’t always be, especially if I want to focus on getting published and staying in touch with the amazing #writingcommunity. That’s why I’m paring Growth Chart back to one post a month on the last Friday. This will give me time to plan and do the posts justice; it’ll also go a long way toward getting that arm of The Write Edge blogs back on track. So, yes, a new parenting post on this Friday on Growth Chart!

Also debuting this Friday: my second episode as the new host of Biblio Breakdown, the book analysis podcast that also gives writers some exercises they can do to mine their own work. This Friday I’m going to take you through The Ancestor by Danielle Trussoni. If you’re on a mobile device, you can open this link to the podcast collective and check out the last episode  as well as all the other amazing content that author/creator r.r. campbell has put together. I’ll definitely be reminding you about this one, readers, make no mistake. Be sure to come back for that on Friday!

And, lastly, my weekly soapbox. Please keep one another safe. Wear masks in public. Stay socially distant. Stay home if you’re not buying essentials. This seems like a hard thing, but you know what’s even harder? Losing a loved one and not being by their side when they take their last breaths.

Stay safe. Stay home. Stay hydrated.

Have a good week, readers!

E.R.G.

 

 

Insta-pics now up!

Hello, Write Edge readers! I’ve posted my latest Instagram photos for you. Get a hint to what I might be writing next, check out my latest 5-star review, and see a fantastic new resource for writers. You can find me by my handle, @EktaRGarg, or on my Facebook author page.

Have a fantastic weekend, readers! Stay safe, stay home, stay hydrated, and stay healthy!

E.R.G.

Second review of the day!

Hello again, Write Edge readers! I’m back with my second review of the day. Again, this book is by British thriller writer TM Logan. The Catch released in the U.K. back in April, but it only recently came across my shelf. Here’s the opening to my review:

A father can’t ignore the warning signals when his daughter announces her engagement. Everyone else seems to love the new man in her life, but he can’t shake the feeling that something is terribly wrong. What starts as an instinct becomes an obsession for a father who loves his daughter more than life itself. Author TM Logan is back with another winner in his book, The Catch.

Read the full review now on The Write Edge Bookshelf now!

Have a great day, readers! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, and stay hydrated!

E.R.G.

Book review posted — 1 of 2 today!

Good morning, Write Edge readers! I have two book reviews for you today, and both are for books by the same author. British thriller writer TM Logan debuted with Lies two years ago. His fourth book, The Vacation, just released in the U.S. yesterday, and I had the chance to read it. Here’s the opening to my review:

When a woman goes on vacation with her three best friends and their families, she makes a startling discovery that threatens her marriage. As she tries to figure out the details of the secret, she fights to stay calm. Soon, however, she realizes she’s not the only one with problems or secrets. Author T.M. Logan is back with another thriller in the fun and surprising novel The Vacation.

Read the full review now on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

Later today, I’ll share my second review of a TM Logan book. The Catch came out in April in the U.K. Come back to The Write Edge Bookshelf to find out what I thought of that thriller as well.

Have a lovely day, readers!

E.R.G.

Teamwork

Hello, Write Edge readers! Summer is marching along, and so are the opportunities I’m thrilled to receive to be a part of various teams. Some of you may know this, but as a short story judge for the Saturday Writers out of St. Louis and the Florida Writers’ Association, I get to join in the larger purpose of helping other wordsmiths get better in the craft. As the host of Biblio Breakdown over on The Writescast Network, I get to spotlight great books and use what they did well to encourage others with writing exercises to make their work that much stronger.

I’ve been a part of another great team, and today their hard work is on display for the world to see. Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi have been offering writers their amazing thesaurus series to give us resources so we can make our characters richer and more three-dimensional. Today their newest book, The Occupation Thesaurus, officially releases. Here’s my official review of the book, which is now available for writers.

When I was working on the novel I’m now querying, Angela and Becca’s first book, The Emotion Thesaurus, didn’t leave my desk. The latest thesaurus is just as amazing. If you’re a writer, you have to add it to your shelf today!

Plus, a bonus. To celebrate the release of The Occupation Thesaurus, Angela and Becca are throwing a launch party. This includes an awesome list of giveaways, which also features an editing discount offered by yours truly. If you want more information on how you can get a discount on editing by me or you want to check out the other cool prizes, go now to the release-day celebration giveaway on Writers Helping Writers!

Now, on to our regular schedule for the week.

In my quest to make my contributions to the #writingcommunity, I like to share quotes that remind us of why we do what we do. I also like to share good advice about how to do what we do. This week’s inspirational quote goes right to the heart of that and how good writing can cut straight into our souls:

“The bigger the issue, the smaller you write. You don’t write about the horrors of war. You write about a kid’s burnt socks lying on the road.”—Richard Price

Speaking of writing well, today I tried a piece squarely in women’s fiction. The novel I’m querying is magical realism, and the new one I’m developing (!!) is also magical realism. But occasionally, I like to go back to the genre that I started in. Here’s an excerpt from this week’s workshop piece:

He set his jaw and put his hands on his hips. I didn’t give him the satisfaction of continuing to stare him down. That would only mean this was some sort of twisted contest of wills that he thought he’d be able to win.

What Sam didn’t understand, though, is that he’d already lost. In a big way.

In the middle of the week, I’ll share two new book reviews. British thriller writer T.M. Logan has two new releases for fans of his work, and on Wednesday I’ll let you know what I thought of The Vacation as well as The Catch. Find out whether you should be digging into these books yourselves on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

Finally, at the end of the week, I’ll post new Instagram pics. Surprised? Come back next week for a parenting post and an announcement of reshuffling of content here on The Write Edge. In the meantime, check out all of my previous Insta-pics with my handle, @EktaRGarg, or on my Facebook author page.

And one last word on teamwork. If we all work together, we can beat COVID-19. That means being compassionate and tolerant of small inconveniences. If more of us think of others, we can actually turn the tide on this terrible virus.

Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, and stay hydrated, readers. Have a great week!

E.R.G.

Instagram pictures now up!

Hello, Write Edge readers! I’ve posted my latest Insta-pics for you. Check out all the books I’m going to be reading in the next month as well as a shot of a special cake and a helpful resource for writers. You can see the thumbnails here on the main page or go to Instagram and find the pictures with my handle, @EktaRGarg. You can also go to my Facebook author page for these snaps as well as other Facebook-exclusive content.

Stay safe, stay hydrated, and wear a mask, readers. Have a great weekend!

E.R.G.

Book review now up!

Hello, Write Edge readers! As I mentioned on Monday, I’m on the social media street team for the book I’m reviewing today. The Occupation Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi releases on Monday, and here’s an excerpt of my review:

The latest resource to land on writers’ desks is The Occupation Thesaurus, and it takes the concept of a traditional thesaurus and elevates it. At first glance, providing a thesaurus for occupations may not make sense. Ackerman and Puglisi, however, keep their goal of helping writings in the forefront as they proceed with this book.

Read the full review now on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

If you want more information the book itself, you can visit Writers Helping Writers for a closer look. Writers, definitely check it out. You don’t want to miss out on this one when it lands next week!

Have a great rest of the week, readers. Stay healthy, stay safe, stay home, and stay hydrated.

E.R.G.