Devika Fernando's Blog, page 10
March 24, 2019
Featured - Book Club Spotlight for "From An-Other Land" by Tanushree Ghosh
check out the schedule here
From An-Other Land
by
Tanushree Ghosh
BLURB
Never has been the conversation on immigration more pertinent than now, post 2016 US elections. From cancellation of refugee protection and zero tolerance to undercurrent crackdown on H visas, the resurgence of nationalism is hitting the globalized population head-on.
But what is immigration today? A question of life or death - fleeing of persecution? A compulsion? Or a mere pursuance of privilege? And what is the US today? A land of opportunities? Or a quagmire impossible to comprehend, inherently racist and selfish?
From An-Other Land dives deep into immigration today for the Indian diaspora and its many facets with characters who seek to define themselves in an intercultural setting that is less and less sure of itself. A reality check and a guide for anyone who wants to understand the modern-day US.
Grab your copy @
Amazon.com | Amazon.in
About the author
Tanushree Ghosh works in the technology sector in the USA and is also a social activist and a writer. She has a Doctorate in Chemistry from Cornell University and has worked at the Brookhaven National Laboratories and is an alumnus of IIT Kanpur and Presidency College Calcutta.
Her blog posts, op-eds, poems, and stories are efforts to provoke thoughts, especially towards issues concerning women, social justice, and immigration - which is the topic of her first solo-author work From An-Other Land published by Readomania publishing.
As a contributor to the Huffington Post US, she has published several posts on topics that affect the under-represented and the lesser privileged, whether that's a population, a nation, or an individual. Her first article for the Huffington Post went viral and was picked up by the Yahoo news. She has since written on the Syria war and its children, open borders, the unfair coverage in the Western media of the Brazil Olympics, societal differences in outlook on issues like gun control in the US, and off-course - women. She has written on postpartum depression, acid attack and its state globally, #MeToo and a myriad of related topics and was interviewed for Reddit and the Indian Express. She is a regular contributor to several popular publications (incl. The Tribune (Sunday Diaspora segment), Thrive Global, The Logical Indian, Youth Ki Awaaz, Café Dissensus, and The Women's Web). Her literary resume also includes poems and stories featured in national and international magazines, including Words Pauses and Noises, UK; TUCK, Glimmer Train honorable mention, and inclusion in seven anthologies (through winning national and international contests), including Defiant Dreams (Oprah 2016 reading list placeholder) and The Best Asian Short Stories 2017 (published out of Singapore by Kitaab). She has served in coordinator and chapter head roles of ASHA and AID India and has affiliations with several women's organizations and non-profits. She is also the founder and director of Her Rights (www.herrights.website), a 501(3) c non-profit committed to furthering the cause of gender equality and supporting victims of gender violence.
Click here to check out all the titles by the author...
You can stalk her @
Play the game of Raffelcopter
With Love from Santa Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This Tour is Hosted by
Facebook | Website | Blog Tours | Twitter | Linkedin
We Promote So That You Can Write
March 9, 2019
Sneak Peek Sunday: First Look at "The (Indian) Prince's Scandalous Bride"
Ever since I started writing royal romances, I wanted to set one of the stories in India. Now I’ve made this dream come true. “The Indian Prince’s Scandalous Bride” is the 4th book in the Romancing the Royals series, and I can’t wait to share it with you all. Here’s the cover and blurb for a #SneakPeekSunday post. The book is due for release next month.
About the Book
Wedding planner Ashley Davies has left England behind to organize a royal wedding in India. She’s expected a cultural shock and lots of unforgettable memories – but never in a million years would she have thought she’d fall in love. When the mysterious and irresistible Vivaan turns out to be none other than an Indian prince, it’s time for her to make a decision: risk everything for the sake of what feels like so much more than a holiday fling, or resist their forbidden attraction and save her job as well as her heart?
Prince Vivaan of Yogeshpur certainly doesn’t want to get involved in the organization of his brother’s grand wedding, but then a free-spirited and smart redhead from England captures his interest. Suddenly he finds himself eager to get to know a woman who would never receive his mother’s royal seal of approval. Should he give in to his feelings or stay away from the ‘scandalous’ wedding planner?
About the Series Have you read the other books in the series yet? The first three novels are each set in a fictitious kingdom as well as in a real country such as Maldives and Germany. They are sweet contemporary romances and can be read as stand-alones with happy endings. Click on the links to find out more. Book 1 is a free download in most countries!
The Prince’s Special Bride | The Prince’s Stubborn Bride | The Prince’s Surprise Bride
About the Book
Wedding planner Ashley Davies has left England behind to organize a royal wedding in India. She’s expected a cultural shock and lots of unforgettable memories – but never in a million years would she have thought she’d fall in love. When the mysterious and irresistible Vivaan turns out to be none other than an Indian prince, it’s time for her to make a decision: risk everything for the sake of what feels like so much more than a holiday fling, or resist their forbidden attraction and save her job as well as her heart?Prince Vivaan of Yogeshpur certainly doesn’t want to get involved in the organization of his brother’s grand wedding, but then a free-spirited and smart redhead from England captures his interest. Suddenly he finds himself eager to get to know a woman who would never receive his mother’s royal seal of approval. Should he give in to his feelings or stay away from the ‘scandalous’ wedding planner?
About the Series Have you read the other books in the series yet? The first three novels are each set in a fictitious kingdom as well as in a real country such as Maldives and Germany. They are sweet contemporary romances and can be read as stand-alones with happy endings. Click on the links to find out more. Book 1 is a free download in most countries!The Prince’s Special Bride | The Prince’s Stubborn Bride | The Prince’s Surprise Bride
March 5, 2019
Featured - Book Club Spotlight for "Dance with Me" by P.G. Van
check out the schedule here
Dance With Me by P.G Van
BLURBWhen a video of Suhana dancing in her own home goes viral, the first thing she does is panic. Suhana got out of a loveless marriage and is trying to prove to her ex-husband that she can live her life without him or the money she got as part of the divorce. She had been a housewife all along, but now she is trying to rebuild her life. However, life throws her a wrench in the form of a viral video—a video that creates a sensation on the internet.Samyan is her elderly neighbor’s son who is staying at his mother’s place while she is away, and Suhana keeps bumping into him wherever she goes. His very looks instigate new thoughts and sensations within her that she tries to ignore because of the man she thinks he is. But, when he helps her in the direst of situations, she finds out more about him and starts to feel a connection to him.Dance with Me is a sweet, light-hearted and passionate love story with a happy ending.Note: This is a standalone romance with content recommended for mature readers.Grab your copy @Amazon.com | Amazon.inAbout the author
P.G. Van published her first novel of The Pure Destiny Series in October 2015 and cannot stop writing. She loves to spend time with family and is a strong believer of retail therapy (mostly shops for boots and purses!!). She enjoys giving her readers an escape to the world of love and romance.
Click here to check out all the titles by the author...
You can stalk her @
Play the game of Raffelcopter
With Love from Santa Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.jsThis Tour is Hosted by
Facebook | Website | Blog Tours | Twitter | LinkedinWe Promote So That You Can Write
March 2, 2019
A to Z of Writing: Length - Does It Matter in Writing?
A few of my author friends and I have decided to join forces in a blogging challenge. Our A to Z of Writing posts will shine a light on various aspects of being an author. This week, we're focusing on the letters L and M. Please make sure to check out the other blogs. Click here for a list of all blog posts per letter.
Adite Banerjie | Paromita Goswami | Preethi Venugopala | Reet Singh | Ruchi Singh | Saiswaroopa Iyer | Sudesna Ghosh
L for Length When it comes to writing and publishing a book, there’s more to think about than plot, characters, grammar, and style. Some other matters can influence sales and/or reader satisfaction too, among them length. What am I talking about? Chapter length and total word count.
Why does chapter length matter?
If your chapters all have a different length, it may disrupt the flow and pace of the story. There are readers who use a break or precious daily/weekly reading time to indulge in a chapter or two, and if yours are roughly the same length then they can plan accordingly.If your chapters are too short, they may lack detail or the story may feel disconnected or hurried.If your chapters are too long, readers might lose interest or not be able to squeeze in a whole chapter at a time.
Advice on chapter length in novels
There is no right or wrong chapter length because various factors can influence a writer’s decision. Generally, book chapters have a word count of 1,000 to 5,000. A good average to go by, especially for romance novels, is 3,000. Ultimately, the length should be decided by what happens in the chapters and whether the scene is finished. Genre can also play a role; a fast-paced thriller or a book with multiple points of view might have shorter chapters than traditional fiction or romance. Non-fiction books or novellas tend to have shorter chapters, as well. Similarly, authors should keep their audience in mind. Younger readers (children’s literature and YA) tend to have shorter attention spans, so a high word count wouldn’t make much sense.
While it is the best thing to settle on an average same length for all chapters in a novel, there can be exceptions. A flashback, for example, can be short. The same goes for a prologue or epilogue or for a shorter complete scene like a dream or a chapter from the villain’s point of view.
Why does the word count matter?
If your book is to be accepted by a publishing house, heed the publisher guidelines. They often have minimum and maximum word counts per genre or per category. Similarly, the word count defines whether your book is a novella or a novel.If an author’s book is enrolled in Kindle Unlimited, they will get paid by ‘pages read’. A higher word count means more pages and thus more royalties. In a similar vein, authors can opt to set a higher price for a longer novel whereas novellas tend to be 99 cents or at least cheaper than novels.Even though more words could ultimately mean more income, there is one case in which they might also incur more cost: printed books. If an author uses print-on-demand services or offers paperbacks, more pages means higher printing costs, which can in turn lead to higher selling prices and might discourage readers from a purchase.
Advice on book length
As with chapter lengths, there is no one true rule for word counts. Even the definitions of novella and novel vary from genre to genre and publisher to publisher. Novellas have 20,000 to 45,000 words whereas novels range from roughly 50,000 to more than 100,000 words. But there are various exceptions. Fantasy invites long ‘epic’ novels, for example. Just think of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings or A Song of Ice and Fire. The typical romance novels published by Harlequin etc. are comparatively short. Traditional fiction books outside this genre, however, are often longer than 80,000 words.
So do an author’s books all need the same length? No, not necessarily. While it makes a series more ‘uniform’ if all books share a similar word count, and while genre might play a role, varying lengths won’t confuse or irritate readers. They can see the page count before they make a purchase, and most readers are fine with different lengths as long as the stories hold their attention.
However: if a novella is too short, it might leave them disappointed; if a novel is too long, it might seem too daunting a task for someone who has limited reading time or is still unfamiliar with the author or unsure about the genre. The latter is why many authors offer a novella among their novels – some as a shortish debut to test the waters, others as a free or cheaper series starter, yet others as a prequel or bonus content. Some writers prefer to divide their longer-than-average opus into two or three reader-friendly ‘instalments’.
Adite Banerjie | Paromita Goswami | Preethi Venugopala | Reet Singh | Ruchi Singh | Saiswaroopa Iyer | Sudesna Ghosh
L for Length When it comes to writing and publishing a book, there’s more to think about than plot, characters, grammar, and style. Some other matters can influence sales and/or reader satisfaction too, among them length. What am I talking about? Chapter length and total word count.Why does chapter length matter?
If your chapters all have a different length, it may disrupt the flow and pace of the story. There are readers who use a break or precious daily/weekly reading time to indulge in a chapter or two, and if yours are roughly the same length then they can plan accordingly.If your chapters are too short, they may lack detail or the story may feel disconnected or hurried.If your chapters are too long, readers might lose interest or not be able to squeeze in a whole chapter at a time.
Advice on chapter length in novels
There is no right or wrong chapter length because various factors can influence a writer’s decision. Generally, book chapters have a word count of 1,000 to 5,000. A good average to go by, especially for romance novels, is 3,000. Ultimately, the length should be decided by what happens in the chapters and whether the scene is finished. Genre can also play a role; a fast-paced thriller or a book with multiple points of view might have shorter chapters than traditional fiction or romance. Non-fiction books or novellas tend to have shorter chapters, as well. Similarly, authors should keep their audience in mind. Younger readers (children’s literature and YA) tend to have shorter attention spans, so a high word count wouldn’t make much sense.
While it is the best thing to settle on an average same length for all chapters in a novel, there can be exceptions. A flashback, for example, can be short. The same goes for a prologue or epilogue or for a shorter complete scene like a dream or a chapter from the villain’s point of view.
Why does the word count matter?
If your book is to be accepted by a publishing house, heed the publisher guidelines. They often have minimum and maximum word counts per genre or per category. Similarly, the word count defines whether your book is a novella or a novel.If an author’s book is enrolled in Kindle Unlimited, they will get paid by ‘pages read’. A higher word count means more pages and thus more royalties. In a similar vein, authors can opt to set a higher price for a longer novel whereas novellas tend to be 99 cents or at least cheaper than novels.Even though more words could ultimately mean more income, there is one case in which they might also incur more cost: printed books. If an author uses print-on-demand services or offers paperbacks, more pages means higher printing costs, which can in turn lead to higher selling prices and might discourage readers from a purchase.
Advice on book length
As with chapter lengths, there is no one true rule for word counts. Even the definitions of novella and novel vary from genre to genre and publisher to publisher. Novellas have 20,000 to 45,000 words whereas novels range from roughly 50,000 to more than 100,000 words. But there are various exceptions. Fantasy invites long ‘epic’ novels, for example. Just think of Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings or A Song of Ice and Fire. The typical romance novels published by Harlequin etc. are comparatively short. Traditional fiction books outside this genre, however, are often longer than 80,000 words.
So do an author’s books all need the same length? No, not necessarily. While it makes a series more ‘uniform’ if all books share a similar word count, and while genre might play a role, varying lengths won’t confuse or irritate readers. They can see the page count before they make a purchase, and most readers are fine with different lengths as long as the stories hold their attention.
However: if a novella is too short, it might leave them disappointed; if a novel is too long, it might seem too daunting a task for someone who has limited reading time or is still unfamiliar with the author or unsure about the genre. The latter is why many authors offer a novella among their novels – some as a shortish debut to test the waters, others as a free or cheaper series starter, yet others as a prequel or bonus content. Some writers prefer to divide their longer-than-average opus into two or three reader-friendly ‘instalments’.
February 16, 2019
Featured - Book Spotlight for "Someone Exactly Like You" by Esha Pandey
Kicking off this Sunday by featuring another awesome Indian author friend of mine (yes, I have a lot of them and I'm proud of every single one of them).
About the Book A beautiful young girl, drenched in rain, is being chased by a couple of goons along the narrow meandering roads of Landour, Mussoorie, when a swashbuckling stranger comes to her rescue. She faints and on waking up, realizes she is in the company of the ‘bad boy’ of Bollywood—Veer Singh Tomar.
Natasha falls for Veer, who, incidentally, is married and dealing with a messy divorce. By some cruel twist of fate, Veer’s estranged wife Amyra comes back to his life. But by then, Veer is already drawn to Natasha.
Will Veer ever find his way back to Natasha?
https://www.amazon.com/Someone-Exactly-Like-Esha-Pandey-ebook/dp/B07NFYCDK9/
About the Author Esha Pandey, is an author and a police officer. She made her debut as an author with her book Kiss of Life and Other Stories, a collection of short stories.
Esha currently lives in New Delhi. She is an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the 2010 batch, serving as Deputy Commissioner of Police Traffic. Over the years, Esha has worked in various capacities and various territories. She was Superintendent of Police and Commandant IRBN in Lakshadweep during 2014-16, where she wrote her first book. In Delhi, she has served as Additional DCP in Central and North District. Her posting as DCP Special Police Unit for Women and Children, in Delhi, gave her an opportunity to understand the problems faced by women, first hand. During her tenure, SPUWAC trained the highest number of girls in Self Defense and established a Limca Record.
Esha has a Masters in International Relations and Masters of Philosophy in American Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. Before becoming a civil servant, she dabbled with the idea of being a journalist and worked with Times of India as a copyeditor. She has won a United Nations FPA Award for Excellence for the “Best Short Story”.
Esha has kept her passion for writing alive through her tough assignments in policing because writing is music for her soul. Her TDH hero is her partner for life, her husband Rajiv, who supports her in all her endeavors. When she is not doing either, policing or writing, she is busy dealing with her two bundles of naughtiness, her sons.
She can be reached at twitter.com/PandeyEsha and https://www.facebook.com/EshaPandeyAuthor/
About the Book A beautiful young girl, drenched in rain, is being chased by a couple of goons along the narrow meandering roads of Landour, Mussoorie, when a swashbuckling stranger comes to her rescue. She faints and on waking up, realizes she is in the company of the ‘bad boy’ of Bollywood—Veer Singh Tomar.Natasha falls for Veer, who, incidentally, is married and dealing with a messy divorce. By some cruel twist of fate, Veer’s estranged wife Amyra comes back to his life. But by then, Veer is already drawn to Natasha.
Will Veer ever find his way back to Natasha?
https://www.amazon.com/Someone-Exactly-Like-Esha-Pandey-ebook/dp/B07NFYCDK9/
About the Author Esha Pandey, is an author and a police officer. She made her debut as an author with her book Kiss of Life and Other Stories, a collection of short stories.Esha currently lives in New Delhi. She is an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the 2010 batch, serving as Deputy Commissioner of Police Traffic. Over the years, Esha has worked in various capacities and various territories. She was Superintendent of Police and Commandant IRBN in Lakshadweep during 2014-16, where she wrote her first book. In Delhi, she has served as Additional DCP in Central and North District. Her posting as DCP Special Police Unit for Women and Children, in Delhi, gave her an opportunity to understand the problems faced by women, first hand. During her tenure, SPUWAC trained the highest number of girls in Self Defense and established a Limca Record.
Esha has a Masters in International Relations and Masters of Philosophy in American Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. Before becoming a civil servant, she dabbled with the idea of being a journalist and worked with Times of India as a copyeditor. She has won a United Nations FPA Award for Excellence for the “Best Short Story”.
Esha has kept her passion for writing alive through her tough assignments in policing because writing is music for her soul. Her TDH hero is her partner for life, her husband Rajiv, who supports her in all her endeavors. When she is not doing either, policing or writing, she is busy dealing with her two bundles of naughtiness, her sons.
She can be reached at twitter.com/PandeyEsha and https://www.facebook.com/EshaPandeyAuthor/
February 14, 2019
Featured - Book Club Spotlight for "The Doppelganger" by Ruchira Khanna
Schedule for the bloggers
Print Length: 34 pagesOn Kindle UnlimitedPublication Date: December 26, 2018Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLCLanguage: EnglishASIN: B07M65B8D8
Sandra lost her husband, Sam, and was lonely in this not-so-alone world until she met Sam’s look-alike, Fran, from another world. Will Fran be able to provide all the happiness Sandra has been yearning since Sam’s physical body left?
The Doppelgänger is a metaphysical short story that will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions as the astral and physical bodies clash.
It would be great if you can add this book to your TBR
"A Biochemist turned writer who gathers inspiration from the society where she writes about issues that stalk the mind of the man via tales of fiction. She projects the mental growth of her characters thus, making her readers tag her work as, ""Books that make you ponder!"" She blogs at Abracabadra which has been featured as ""Top Blog"" for three years. Many of her write-ups have been published on LifeHack, HubPages to name a few."
Click here to check out all the titles by the author...
You can stalk her @
Grab Your Copy From
Check out the From Santa with Love Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This Tour is Hosted by
Facebook | Website | Blog Tours | Twitter | Linkedin
We Promote So That You Can Write
');
Featured - Cover Reveal for "The Heart of You" by Aarti V Raman
~ Cover Reveal ~The Heart of You (A Geeks of Caltech Novel)by Aarti V Raman
Mixed martial arts studio owner Kit Barranos has always been a fighter. He will fight for his family. For his friends. For anyone in need.
What he doesn't know how to do is fight for himself...
... Or the inconvenient and consuming desire he has for single mom Lily Fallahil.
Office manager, Lily has spent the last decade raising her son and proving her independence to her protective and overbearing brother, Drake.
She has no time for romance. Especially with Kit Barranos, who has a body to die for and eyes that rip at her soul.
When Kit reveals his heartbreaking secret to Lily - he has a brother he never knew about, one he considered his closest friend - it brings them closer, creates a bond neither can deny.
And paves the way for a steamy attraction that explodes between them.
But it isn't just Lily that Kit is slowly but surely falling for. It's her adorable son, Bret.
Navigating the holidays, their families and their feelings is no easy task.
Flawed and fiercely loyal, Kit and Lily have fought the odds and survived.
But, survival no longer seems enough.
Can they take a chance on each other, on their hearts... On a love that braves The Heart of You?
The Heart of You is Book Three of The Geeks of Caltech, a unique band of friends bonded by loyalty, brotherhood, and pain. The Geeks of Caltech are to die for and their women all they wish to live for!
COMING SOON!
About the Author:
Aarti V Raman lives in Mumbai, India and has been a commercial editor and business journalist for the better part of a decade.
She is an incurable romantic who has taken up the task of bringing Happily Ever After to life for the characters in her head. She has three traditionally published novels out, all contemporary romances from 2014-2016, with the next one slated for release in 2019.
She currently writes and self-publishes steamy contemporary romance for urban millennials with a global twist. Sometimes, there are guns and car chases too.
Her new contemporary romance series include GEEKS OF CALTECH and ROYALS OF STELLANGARD as well as standalone romances - all of which have become Amazon India and US bestsellers.
She has also appeared as speaker at lit festivals and events around India and also dabbles in poetry, while conducting creative writing workshops.
Contact the Author:
Website * Facebook Page * Twitter * Instagram
This Cover Reveal is powered by b00k r3vi3w Tours
Mixed martial arts studio owner Kit Barranos has always been a fighter. He will fight for his family. For his friends. For anyone in need.
What he doesn't know how to do is fight for himself...
... Or the inconvenient and consuming desire he has for single mom Lily Fallahil.
Office manager, Lily has spent the last decade raising her son and proving her independence to her protective and overbearing brother, Drake.
She has no time for romance. Especially with Kit Barranos, who has a body to die for and eyes that rip at her soul.
When Kit reveals his heartbreaking secret to Lily - he has a brother he never knew about, one he considered his closest friend - it brings them closer, creates a bond neither can deny.
And paves the way for a steamy attraction that explodes between them.
But it isn't just Lily that Kit is slowly but surely falling for. It's her adorable son, Bret.
Navigating the holidays, their families and their feelings is no easy task.
Flawed and fiercely loyal, Kit and Lily have fought the odds and survived.
But, survival no longer seems enough.
Can they take a chance on each other, on their hearts... On a love that braves The Heart of You?
The Heart of You is Book Three of The Geeks of Caltech, a unique band of friends bonded by loyalty, brotherhood, and pain. The Geeks of Caltech are to die for and their women all they wish to live for!
COMING SOON!
About the Author:
Aarti V Raman lives in Mumbai, India and has been a commercial editor and business journalist for the better part of a decade.She is an incurable romantic who has taken up the task of bringing Happily Ever After to life for the characters in her head. She has three traditionally published novels out, all contemporary romances from 2014-2016, with the next one slated for release in 2019.
She currently writes and self-publishes steamy contemporary romance for urban millennials with a global twist. Sometimes, there are guns and car chases too.
Her new contemporary romance series include GEEKS OF CALTECH and ROYALS OF STELLANGARD as well as standalone romances - all of which have become Amazon India and US bestsellers.
She has also appeared as speaker at lit festivals and events around India and also dabbles in poetry, while conducting creative writing workshops.
Contact the Author:
Website * Facebook Page * Twitter * Instagram
This Cover Reveal is powered by b00k r3vi3w Tours
February 11, 2019
Featured - Book Club Spotlight for "Broken Bangles" by Vaidehi
Broken Bangles by Vaidehi
Format: Kindle EditionFile Size: 135 KBPrint Length: 35 pagesLanguage: EnglishASIN: B07MNM6B68Available on Kindle Unlimited
Ranking on amazon.in
Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #371 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)#13 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Short Stories#18 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Short Stories
A tawaif is being interviewed – read her heart wrenching and hard-hitting realities as she opens up about what she has gone through and how she became ‘Meina Jaan’. A mother allows her rights to be discounted as she fears to confront the truth about an extramarital affair of her husband; she pays a hefty price for it. ‘The house of widows’ initially cannot welcome the arrival of a free bird in the nest but then something happens that appears to be dramatic flip in the entire scenario. Broken Bangles consists of these three short stories which leave a lot of things unsaid but also stirs up the readers as they silently demand to be heard.
It would be great if you can add this book to your TBR
She is pursuing her Masters in English Literature and this is her very first independent venture as an author.
You can stalk her @
Grab Your Copy From
This Tour is Hosted by
Facebook | Website | Blog Tours | Twitter | Linkedin
We Promote So That You Can Write
February 10, 2019
A to Z of Writing: Jargon & Slang in Fiction - Yay or Nay?
A few of my author friends and I have decided to join forces in a blogging challenge. Our A to Z of Writing posts will shine a light on various aspects of being an author. This week, we're focusing on the letter J. Please make sure to check out the other blogs. Click here for a list of all blog posts per letter.
Adite Banerjie | Paromita Goswami | Preethi Venugopala | Reet Singh | Ruchi Singh | Saiswaroopa Iyer | Sudesna Ghosh
J for Jargon & Slang in Fiction Usually, the way we talk is not the way we write. But what if we want to inject some of our every-day speech patterns to lend authenticity to dialogues or make a character stand out? Do jargon and slang have a place in fiction? Here are some insights.
Definition of jargon and slang
Jargon stands for words, phrases and expressions that are used only by a certain group. Not like a local dialect, for example, but arising out of common topics or habits. Sometimes, jargon is related to a profession, like medical jargon, legal jargon or military jargon. Often, it doesn’t make much sense to outsiders or taken out of the specific context from which it stems. On certain social media and among the younger generation using chats and messengers, some online jargon has taken hold that is totally foreign to those not part of such groups. This is also true for specific fandoms (of movies or series, music or games). It includes acronyms and abbreviations or words and phrases like “headcanon”, “deaded” or “to stan someone”. Some other examples of jargon are: stat, corroborating evidence, face time, hard copy, to keep in the loop, no show…
Slang is shared by many of the people speaking the same language, though there are often regional differences or country-specific terms. American English has incorporated slang that can’t be compared to British English slang, for example. Slang is always informal and thus rooted in speech. It may also be more common with a particular group of people, like youngsters. Some examples are: chap, telly, chuffed, quid, bucks, to feel blue/have the blues, to screw up…
Jargon and slang in literature – yes or no?
The general answer is: yes, but only where it makes sense and only in moderation. It’s always best not to overdo it because the writing should still be understandable to others who might not be familiar with it. This is especially important for books in English because readers whose first language is not English could get confused. To me, there are five valid reasons for including slang and jargon in fiction:
To make dialogue less stilted – Even though we should use correct grammar and refrain from writing only slang, it is only natural for two protagonists in conversation to use a bit of slang here and there. Adding a “buddy” or “ain’t” or a commonly known term like “on cloud nine” or “you’re killing me” to written speech makes it seem more authentic and animated and can help with the flow. But keep it consistent and sparsely strewn in, and don’t let one protagonist use different terms for the same meaning.To give a character a quirk – Maybe the villain has a word he uses for his victims or partners in crime or maybe there’s a protagonist who comes from a certain upbringing or needs to be different from the others. In this case, both jargon and slang are a good idea to set his speech apart from the rest. Consistency is the key here, too. Even if a villain might come from an uneducated background or certain profession, make sure that what he’s saying is still understandable.To fit the genre or theme – Jargon can play an important part in portraying certain jobs realistically. If you write a thriller, a mystery or a romantic suspense novel that involves policemen, armed forces, detectives or spies or criminals, then of course you should use the appropriate jargon. If you think a word might not be commonly known, try to explain it without making it sound like a copy-pasted definition.To distinguish characters – If you want to highlight different ethnic origins (like in multicultural romance) or present people from different strata of society, making them use slang off and on can emphasize those differences. A rather poor maid might encounter a royal, and their spoken English certainly wouldn’t be the same.To create your own world – World building is essential in all genres, more so in those like fantasy, science-fiction and paranormal romance. It can be part of this task to find certain words and phrases that a group of characters might use. Say you have an organization that monitors people’s dreams. If they have a jargon with job-related terms, it will make them seem all the more fearsome and real.
I would say one thing, though: if in doubt, leave it out. Don’t fall into the trap of choosing too many uncommon words or using certain words wrongly, just for the sake of including them. Also, pay attention to regional slang and to the time when a certain word might have been in fashion or not.
One tip before I go: If you’re interested in slang or don’t understand a particular jargon, try out www.urbandictionary.com for some interesting, sometimes funny, insights.
Adite Banerjie | Paromita Goswami | Preethi Venugopala | Reet Singh | Ruchi Singh | Saiswaroopa Iyer | Sudesna Ghosh
J for Jargon & Slang in Fiction Usually, the way we talk is not the way we write. But what if we want to inject some of our every-day speech patterns to lend authenticity to dialogues or make a character stand out? Do jargon and slang have a place in fiction? Here are some insights.Definition of jargon and slang
Jargon stands for words, phrases and expressions that are used only by a certain group. Not like a local dialect, for example, but arising out of common topics or habits. Sometimes, jargon is related to a profession, like medical jargon, legal jargon or military jargon. Often, it doesn’t make much sense to outsiders or taken out of the specific context from which it stems. On certain social media and among the younger generation using chats and messengers, some online jargon has taken hold that is totally foreign to those not part of such groups. This is also true for specific fandoms (of movies or series, music or games). It includes acronyms and abbreviations or words and phrases like “headcanon”, “deaded” or “to stan someone”. Some other examples of jargon are: stat, corroborating evidence, face time, hard copy, to keep in the loop, no show…
Slang is shared by many of the people speaking the same language, though there are often regional differences or country-specific terms. American English has incorporated slang that can’t be compared to British English slang, for example. Slang is always informal and thus rooted in speech. It may also be more common with a particular group of people, like youngsters. Some examples are: chap, telly, chuffed, quid, bucks, to feel blue/have the blues, to screw up…
Jargon and slang in literature – yes or no?
The general answer is: yes, but only where it makes sense and only in moderation. It’s always best not to overdo it because the writing should still be understandable to others who might not be familiar with it. This is especially important for books in English because readers whose first language is not English could get confused. To me, there are five valid reasons for including slang and jargon in fiction:
To make dialogue less stilted – Even though we should use correct grammar and refrain from writing only slang, it is only natural for two protagonists in conversation to use a bit of slang here and there. Adding a “buddy” or “ain’t” or a commonly known term like “on cloud nine” or “you’re killing me” to written speech makes it seem more authentic and animated and can help with the flow. But keep it consistent and sparsely strewn in, and don’t let one protagonist use different terms for the same meaning.To give a character a quirk – Maybe the villain has a word he uses for his victims or partners in crime or maybe there’s a protagonist who comes from a certain upbringing or needs to be different from the others. In this case, both jargon and slang are a good idea to set his speech apart from the rest. Consistency is the key here, too. Even if a villain might come from an uneducated background or certain profession, make sure that what he’s saying is still understandable.To fit the genre or theme – Jargon can play an important part in portraying certain jobs realistically. If you write a thriller, a mystery or a romantic suspense novel that involves policemen, armed forces, detectives or spies or criminals, then of course you should use the appropriate jargon. If you think a word might not be commonly known, try to explain it without making it sound like a copy-pasted definition.To distinguish characters – If you want to highlight different ethnic origins (like in multicultural romance) or present people from different strata of society, making them use slang off and on can emphasize those differences. A rather poor maid might encounter a royal, and their spoken English certainly wouldn’t be the same.To create your own world – World building is essential in all genres, more so in those like fantasy, science-fiction and paranormal romance. It can be part of this task to find certain words and phrases that a group of characters might use. Say you have an organization that monitors people’s dreams. If they have a jargon with job-related terms, it will make them seem all the more fearsome and real.
I would say one thing, though: if in doubt, leave it out. Don’t fall into the trap of choosing too many uncommon words or using certain words wrongly, just for the sake of including them. Also, pay attention to regional slang and to the time when a certain word might have been in fashion or not.
One tip before I go: If you’re interested in slang or don’t understand a particular jargon, try out www.urbandictionary.com for some interesting, sometimes funny, insights.
February 7, 2019
Featured - Book Club Spotlight for "The Time Is Now" by D. R. Downer
The Time is Now
by
Deep Downer
BLURB
What possibly could an Ex-Major, an Ex-College Professor, a bookstore manager, and a college student have in common? Has fate brought them all together to rekindle some old flames or to start an entirely new one?
The Time Is Now is a short, sweet, unusual, un-cliched, and a mature love story. With just four main characters and one locale, the story is like a leisurely walk around the park on a pleasant summer evening that relaxes you and recharges you at the same time. It is sure to leave you with a mirthful feeling in the end and possibly moist eyes too.
Grab your copy @
Amazon.com | Amazon.in
About the author
He started his professional journey as an Executive in the sales department of a UK based organization, selling timeshare. Since then he changed over and handled many different roles and responsibilities in the Marketing, Sales & Customer Service departments across industries. He finally shifted over to Advertising and spent a good 11 years in the same. It was during the later years of his career that he started to feel suffocated, doing the same sh**, day in and day out. he started to feel as if he was meant to do something more in life, and it was this feeling that forced him to call it quits and resign from his then position of Vice President of a multinational Advertising firm.
He finally had his calling in writing. He took out his laptop and simply started to punch the keys on a blank word processor page. Since then, his laptop has been his closest friend, the one he spends most of his time with. In fact, sometimes he wonders if his wife can sue him for cheating on her...with his laptop. No seriously, can she?
Click here to check out all the titles by the author...
You can stalk him @
This Tour is Hosted by
Facebook | Website | Blog Tours | Twitter | Linkedin
We Promote So That You Can Write
