Devika Fernando's Blog, page 37
September 18, 2016
Featured - Spotlight for "Dance or Die" by Liza O'Connor
Two ringsTess receives two rings from two different men.
Both have loved her, or seemed to have loved her even in book two. But accusations make her question one now. Can you guess which ring may not represent true love? Now match your choice of a True Love ring to the person you think really loves her.
Steel or Dan?
Check out the excerpt below.
About the Book
Dance or Die
By Liza O’Connor
Contemporary Suspense/Romance
Blurb
Tess Campbell, mafia princess, has fallen in love with a British prince, who is protected by a Secret Service agent during his stay in America. Two weeks into their budding romance, Tess’s father, a psycho mafia don, kidnaps and nearly kills the prince and his Secret Service agent, believing she has taken both as her lovers. The brutal assault reveals the true character of each man and Tess must face some hard truths, even as she takes control of her destiny to build the finest state park in the country.
Excerpt for Dance or Die
(I’ve removed the name of which fellow gets to marry Tess. Tell me who truly loves Tess in the comments.)
Steel or Dan?
He knelt on one knee and opened a ring box. “I have never loved anyone before you. You have touched my soul and brought it to life. You occupy my heart and thoughts every moment. Tess Campbell, will you marry me?”
Ignoring the ring, she dropped to her knees and hugged him. “Yes, but I won’t change my name, and I can’t wear a ring. I could lose my finger when working.”
He burst into happy laughter. “Can I tattoo on your forehead: ‘She’s mine; find your own perfect woman’?”
“Only if I can do the same to you,” she countered, certain there was a ton of women who would grab him up if they could.
“Wait, we can tattoo our rings if you want,” he offered.
That sounded painful so she shook her head.
“How about this? We won’t wear them at work, but when we leave the woods, we’ll put them on.”
She stroked his cheek. “Is my wearing a ring really that important to you?”
“Yeah.”
She thought that very odd. It’s not like she’d ever forget he was her one and only. But his furrowed brow assured her that for some odd reason, he needed to have her branded as his.
“Then give me the ring and I’ll wear it whenever I’m not in the woods.”
BUY LINKS
Book 1
A Fortune to Die For
Book 2
Unexpected Love
BOOK 3
Dance or Die
About the Author Liza O’Connor lives in Denville, NJ with her dog Jess. They hike in fabulous woods every day, rain or shine, sleet or snow. Having an adventurous nature, she learned to fly small Cessnas in NJ, hang-glide in New Zealand, kayak in Pennsylvania, ski in New York, scuba dive with great white sharks in Australia, dig up dinosaur bones in Montana, sky dive in Indiana, and raft a class four river in Tasmania. She’s an avid gardener, amateur photographer, and dabbler in watercolors and graphic arts. Yet through her entire life, her first love has and always will be writing novels.FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT
LIZA O'CONNOR
Investigate these sites:
Liza's Blog and Website Facebook Twitter
Featured - Spotlight for "Scavenger's Mission" by Liza O'Connor
How does one go from Debutante, to street girl, to Scavenger?
As far as Alisha was concerned, debutants were the most useless creatures on earth. Nor were they allowed to choose their friends, or more importantly, their husbands.
Her parents couldn’t care less if she didn’t want to marry the President of the Americas. Never mind the ass was old and gave her the creeps every time she’d had the misfortune to be in his presence. Her father wanted the lucrative connections that came with becoming a part of the President’s family. To ensure a successful engagement, her parents kept the creep from ever talking to Alisha. Her mother even took on the task of entertaining the jerk…mostly in her bedroom.
By checking the house monitors early each morning, Alisha learned her parents intended to drug her that evening and she’d wake up married to the creep. She wasted no time climbing out a window and running back to Capital.
Finding her Gramps took several days, and she wouldn’t have found him at all without the help of Denny, a young, but savvy street kid who had befriended her the day she arrived.
She had hoped her Gramps would take her in, but when she found him, he was nearly dead. Denny stole a Ryder’s wind-catcher so she could take it up and see if she could fly it. If she could, then she could earn serious money as a scavenger.
Alisha was up first time and knew without a doubt that she was meant to ride the skies. Denny kept her Gramps alive for the week she taught herself enough to scavenge. And despite some problems here and there, for the first time in her life, Alisha was happy. And then she crash landed and a colonel of the SkyRyders too her back to his fort…
About the Book Scavenger’s MissionBy Liza O’Connor
Blurb
Meet Alisha: A young woman who refuses to live the life her parents want.
In a single month, Alisha Kane has gone from a wealthy debutante to street girl to scavenger. While testing her new flying skills in the Cully Canyon, Alisha incurs a near-death crash landing. She’s “rescued” by a colonel of the SkyRyders and her life changes forever.
Meet Logan: A SkyRyder colonel in charge of a sleepy fort with little to do other than arrest the occasional scavenger.
For the first time in his life, Logan’s attracted to a young woman, only she’s probably a scavenger and he’ll have to arrest her. But first he offers her a shower and food while he checks on his crew. His videographer has captured her extraordinary flight through the Cully and her flying is astounding!
He forgoes arresting her and puts his career at risk by asking MAC to assess her skills and integrity as a potential SkyRyder. If he can get Alisha into the SkyRyders, it will be his greatest contribution to the Corps.
Meet MAC: The Artifical Intelligence that runs the SkyRyders Corps.
Upon seeing her arrival, MAC upgrades Alisha’s test. Her flying skills are not just excellent; they exceed what was previously thought possible. MAC classifies her as its top asset and soon she proves her value.
But…the SkyRyders remain a male dominated Corps where Alisha’s sense of right and wrong often clashes with her superiors. How long can a rebellious young woman survive in a regimented Corps?
Excerpt
Alisha soared into the canyon of Cully River. Rocky cliffs, over a thousand feet high, stood on each side. Farther above, the walls widened, reducing the wind speed, but here, near the water, her wind-catcher traveled at exhilarating speeds reaching nearly two hundred miles per hour due to the narrow wind channel.
Her newly designed slats enabled her to fly just above the water. Previously, at these speeds, without the slats, the smallest snag of her toe against the river’s surface would have sent her rolling to her death.
As she approached the canyon bend, she shifted the angle of her slats so their front tips pressed against her stomach. A moment later, she tugged ever so lightly on the two front panels of her wind-catcher, increasing their lift capability. Her body soared upward as if an invisible hand had reached down and tugged her to a safer level, where the winds were only a hundred miles per hour, so she could survive the deadly bend in the Cully River Canyon.
With a single hard tug on the right toggle, she turned within the wider canyon walls. She smiled, pleased with her modifications to her catcher. She recalled the first time she had run the Cully at night. She’d come within inches of crashing into the granite wall at this bend.
The near-death experience had scared her into avoiding the cliffs for several days while she modified her wind-catcher to be more responsive to turning. Now, with her latest improvements, she possessed such control that next time she planned to take the bend at water level.
Even the idea sent chills down her back. To fly the Cully at night was dangerous, but to take its bend so close to the river…unthinkable! Yet these dances with the impossible made her only more determined to enhance her equipment and improve her flying. Nothing was impossible with the right equipment and flying skill.
LINK
The SkyRyder’s Series, Book 1
Scavenger’s Mission
AMAZON
About the Author Liza O’Connor lives in Denville, NJ with her dog Jess. They hike in fabulous woods every day, rain or shine, sleet or snow. Having an adventurous nature, she learned to fly small Cessnas in NJ, hang-glide in New Zealand, kayak in Pennsylvania, ski in New York, scuba dive with great white sharks in Australia, dig up dinosaur bones in Montana, sky dive in Indiana, and raft a class four river in Tasmania. She’s an avid gardener, amateur photographer, and dabbler in watercolors and graphic arts. Yet through her entire life, her first love has and always will be writing novels.OTHER BOOKS BY LIZA O’CONNOR
SCIENCE FICTION
The Multiverse Series
Sci-Fi Soap Opera with humor, romance, and science
The Gods of Probabilities
Surviving Outbound
Surviving Terranue
Surviving Sojourn
Artificial Intelligence Series
Sci-Fi/Romance
Public Secrets
Birth of Adam
The SkyRyders Series
Sci-Fi Romance
Scavenger’s Mission
Scavenger Falters-coming 2017
Scavenger Vanishes-coming 2017
September 15, 2016
Featured - Spotlight for "Shaman's Drum" by Ailsa Abraham
About the BookGenre: Magical Realism / ReligionRelease Date: 5 Jan. 2013
Publisher: Crooked Cat Publishers
England in the near future.
Mainstream religions have been outlawed, and the old gods rule again.
Iamo has been a priest of the Great Mother and is sworn to celibacy, but his love for Riga, a Black Shaman, a magical assassin, caused him to break his vows. After being imprisoned apart from each other for three years, Iamo accepts an offer to earn them both a pardon and the possibility of marriage. If they survive.
Iamo and Riga must discover why demons are breaking through from the other side. Which of the cults are renegades who allow the demons through? Who can they trust?
Combining their powers, they face the ordeal with the help of a band of eclectic pagans, spirit creatures, Riga's Black Shaman brothers, an undercover Christian granny, and three unusually energetic Goths.
It's a tough assignment, but the hope of a life together keeps them fighting.
EXTRACT
The Demon Prince, like all demons, had once been human. He’d been a Handsome man but all manner of evil thoughts and deeds had distorted his face and body. His skin was that of a rotting corpse, maggots and other larvae constantly dropping from it. His mouth hung slack, showing his sharp carnivore’s teeth. Even from this distance I could smell his breath, like a blast of hot air from an abattoir. He was a walking irony of knightly valour in armour made from the nails of his victims. His helmet was a priest’s head, the expression of horror still fixed on it and the eyes still moving. His hands were claws that grasped and pulled everything towards him, he was the embodiment of greed. Nothing that anyone else possessed was safe, especially their souls. His eyes emitted a black luminescence that darkened all around it. Within his circle it became impossible to think clearly, only to walk towards the inevitable death and enslavement he promised. What else was there in the world? What was the purpose of resisting?
In slow motion, I saw him raise his wand, fashioned from a new-born baby’s arm and point it at Iamo. Thick black sludge solidified and shot towards the monk, my partner, and in that moment I realised that it wasn’t just desire I felt for him. I loved him. I threw myself forward, knocking Iamo sideways and took the full force of the black fireball on my chest but a pale blue lightning bolt leapt between Iamo and the site of the hit, bouncing back towards the Demon Prince, who staggered and fell. The other demons stood bereft. Without their leader to command them they had no will of their own. Only the one who had crawled within touching distance of me was still unstoppable and he sank his rotting, grime-encrusted fangs into my leg.
BUY LINKS
AMAZON INTERNATIONAL
B & N
About the AuthorAilsa Abraham writes under two names and is the author of six novels. Alchemy is the prequel to Shaman's Drum, published by Crooked Cat in January 2014. Both are best-sellers in their genres on Amazon.She has lived in France since 1990, enjoys knitting and crochet and until recently was the oldest Hell's Angel in town. Her interests include campaigning for animal rights, experimenting with different genres of writing and trips back to the UK to visit friends and family. She runs an orphanage for homeless teddy bears and contributes a lot of work to Knit for Africa. She is also addicted to dressing up, saying that she is old enough to know better but too wise to care.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AilsaAbrahamTheAlchemyWriter/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ailsaabraham
GoodreadsAuthorPage: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6880582.Ailsa_Abraham
Google+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/102947420641875938947/posts/p/pub
Blog: https://wordpress.com/page/ailsaabraham.com/blog
Website: https://wordpress.com/page/ailsaabraham.com
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Featured - Book Club Spotlight & Review for "The Secret of God's Son" by Usha Narayanan
My ReviewI am generally a bit weary of sequels, especially if the first book was a smashing hit, because they often fail to live up to their expectations. “The Secret of God’s Son” is the sequel to “Pradyumna – Son of Krishna”, and I have to say it definitely does live up to my expectations.
The center around which everything else revolves is Pradyumna, son of Krishna. Once again, upon this hero’s shoulders lies the heavy burden of having to rescue the world. The prologue sets the scene, and it was one of my favourite chapters. It made the darkness and despair come to life, and it gave me some background knowledge as I don’t know much about what happened after the Mahabharata conflicts.
Although the story is once again loaded with action, violence, drama, emotions and quests, I thoroughly enjoyed the subtext too. Pradyumna asks intriguing questions that allow the author to spice up the tale with some philosophy and religion, some moral and criticism. When he asks Krishna who represents “dharma”, we can take away lessons from that. We also get to look into different people’s heads and hearts, to experience grief and rage, confusion and desire through them. Throughout it all, Pradyumna stands tall despite the outer and inner battles he’s waging. As does Maya, his true love. The author shines a light on the role of women and goddesses, wives and mothers, as she has done it with Book 1, emphasizing that often it is the women who determine how the men will act, that they are just as strong and dangerous. Pradyumna has endeared himself to me with his support of women.
>>Pradyumna smiled at Maya, knowing that this was just the beginning. Women such as those who had assembled here would provide the stability that the world needed in order to survive. Dharma could not win if half of humanity was denied their rightful place.<<
Pradyumna’s quest to bring Vikarna back from the Yamaloka to his grieving mother in order to make her take back her curse started it all and was terrifying to read about, but also filled with an insistent urgency and energy that made me want to hang on and cheer even louder for the hero. This holds true for every chapter, especially those where Lord Shiva makes an appearance. Pradyumna needs to forget all that is mortal in order to battle with the gods, but in the end, it is his mortal essence that makes him rise above even deities and destiny. Take this excerpt, for example:
>>The warrior wondered if he should run, escape to his own world. But where could he hide from the god of gods? Even if Shiva let him flee, would he be able to live with himself after he had failed so miserably? Did he want to be known as the leader who could not lead, the redeemer who could not redeem his people?
Do all your actions as a sacrifice for the greater good, said Krishna’s voice in his head.
He saw Shiva raise his trident.
Fear nothing, fight for dharma and you will conquer, the voice said again.
Pradyumna crushed the fear that threatened to overwhelm his mind. Planting his feet firmly on the ground, he lifted his head and raised his voice in challenge. ‘I will not give up,’ he declared, his face set in grim resolve. ‘I will stay the course even if you threaten me with your trident, mighty god.’<<
Vishnu was another highlight of the story, lighting the dark. And yes, the books gets dark, darker even than Book 1. Reading about Krishna wasn’t easy, but once again, every tragedy had its reason and ever action its reaction, every cause its consequence. Kali’s appearance was one of the climaxes of the book, a scene imprinted on my mind. And I cannot help but think that embedded in all the thorns and mythology is one rose of wisdom, one reminder that even today we can learn a lot from the past and the legends. Let me quote another passage from this intriguing book to end my review:
>>Kali remained unfazed. ‘This yuga is governed by a new creed,’ he said. ‘Men will laugh at you if you say that you will redeem them from their sins, for they do not seek redemption. They crave power and success, not virtue and abstinence. Follow my lead, Pradyumna, and you too will prosper. Know that I am the Krishna of this age!’<<
Rating: 4/5
Spotlight
THE SECRET OF GOD'S SONbyUsha Narayanan
Blurb
‘The seas will devour the glorious city of Dwaraka. People will forget your name and your Gita. May the world perish! May the world perish!’
With this cruel curse on Krishna, Queen Gandhari plunges mankind into the unspeakable evil of the Kali Yuga.
It is up to Pradyumna to try and reverse the dire prediction. To journey into terrifying realms, confront Yama and Shiva, and to vanquish the Kali demon. In order to do so, he must shed all that holds a mortal back—his arrogance, his fears, his baser instincts… He must lead his people out of the swirling vortex of greed, disease and misery. And there is one powerful weapon still…the secret surrounding Pradyumna’s origin.
Will he uncover it in time to fight off the cataclysm?
In the answer lies the destiny of all humanity!
Grab your copy @
Amazon.in | Amazon.com | Flipkart
Win the Game of Rafflecopter and win 3 prizes of Fab India Gift Card worth Rs. 1000 INR
a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the author
USHA NARAYANAN
Usha Narayanan had a successful career in advertising, radio and corporate communications before becoming a full-time writer. She is the author of The Madras Mangler, a suspense thriller, and Love, Lies and Layoffs, a light-hearted office romance. The Secret of God’s Son is the sequel to her bestselling book, Pradyumna: Son of Krishna, which was published in July 2015.
When she’s not juggling travel, writing and interviews, Usha reads everything from thrillers to romances, provided her cat isn’t fast asleep on her Kindle. She would love to hear from her readers here: author@ushanarayanan.com
You can stalk her @
Website | Facebook | Twitter
Follow the tour @ Pinterest
Media mentions
Praise for Pradyumna: Son of Krishna:
“Usha Narayanan has taken a quantum leap . . . to the outright spine-tingling narrative from the leaves of a time before. This book is Indian writing coming of age" Femina
"Like the best of our mythological tales, this too, is a multilayered one . . .There is valour, there is cowardice, there is glory, there is shame, there is sex, lies and deception" The Hindu
"This engrossing tale takes readers on a mythological saga" Times of India
This Tour is Hosted by
Facebook | Website | Blog Tours | Twitter | | Linkedin
We Promote So That You Can Write
');
The center around which everything else revolves is Pradyumna, son of Krishna. Once again, upon this hero’s shoulders lies the heavy burden of having to rescue the world. The prologue sets the scene, and it was one of my favourite chapters. It made the darkness and despair come to life, and it gave me some background knowledge as I don’t know much about what happened after the Mahabharata conflicts.
Although the story is once again loaded with action, violence, drama, emotions and quests, I thoroughly enjoyed the subtext too. Pradyumna asks intriguing questions that allow the author to spice up the tale with some philosophy and religion, some moral and criticism. When he asks Krishna who represents “dharma”, we can take away lessons from that. We also get to look into different people’s heads and hearts, to experience grief and rage, confusion and desire through them. Throughout it all, Pradyumna stands tall despite the outer and inner battles he’s waging. As does Maya, his true love. The author shines a light on the role of women and goddesses, wives and mothers, as she has done it with Book 1, emphasizing that often it is the women who determine how the men will act, that they are just as strong and dangerous. Pradyumna has endeared himself to me with his support of women.
>>Pradyumna smiled at Maya, knowing that this was just the beginning. Women such as those who had assembled here would provide the stability that the world needed in order to survive. Dharma could not win if half of humanity was denied their rightful place.<<
Pradyumna’s quest to bring Vikarna back from the Yamaloka to his grieving mother in order to make her take back her curse started it all and was terrifying to read about, but also filled with an insistent urgency and energy that made me want to hang on and cheer even louder for the hero. This holds true for every chapter, especially those where Lord Shiva makes an appearance. Pradyumna needs to forget all that is mortal in order to battle with the gods, but in the end, it is his mortal essence that makes him rise above even deities and destiny. Take this excerpt, for example:
>>The warrior wondered if he should run, escape to his own world. But where could he hide from the god of gods? Even if Shiva let him flee, would he be able to live with himself after he had failed so miserably? Did he want to be known as the leader who could not lead, the redeemer who could not redeem his people?
Do all your actions as a sacrifice for the greater good, said Krishna’s voice in his head.
He saw Shiva raise his trident.
Fear nothing, fight for dharma and you will conquer, the voice said again.
Pradyumna crushed the fear that threatened to overwhelm his mind. Planting his feet firmly on the ground, he lifted his head and raised his voice in challenge. ‘I will not give up,’ he declared, his face set in grim resolve. ‘I will stay the course even if you threaten me with your trident, mighty god.’<<
Vishnu was another highlight of the story, lighting the dark. And yes, the books gets dark, darker even than Book 1. Reading about Krishna wasn’t easy, but once again, every tragedy had its reason and ever action its reaction, every cause its consequence. Kali’s appearance was one of the climaxes of the book, a scene imprinted on my mind. And I cannot help but think that embedded in all the thorns and mythology is one rose of wisdom, one reminder that even today we can learn a lot from the past and the legends. Let me quote another passage from this intriguing book to end my review:
>>Kali remained unfazed. ‘This yuga is governed by a new creed,’ he said. ‘Men will laugh at you if you say that you will redeem them from their sins, for they do not seek redemption. They crave power and success, not virtue and abstinence. Follow my lead, Pradyumna, and you too will prosper. Know that I am the Krishna of this age!’<<
Rating: 4/5
Spotlight
THE SECRET OF GOD'S SONbyUsha Narayanan
Blurb
‘The seas will devour the glorious city of Dwaraka. People will forget your name and your Gita. May the world perish! May the world perish!’
With this cruel curse on Krishna, Queen Gandhari plunges mankind into the unspeakable evil of the Kali Yuga.
It is up to Pradyumna to try and reverse the dire prediction. To journey into terrifying realms, confront Yama and Shiva, and to vanquish the Kali demon. In order to do so, he must shed all that holds a mortal back—his arrogance, his fears, his baser instincts… He must lead his people out of the swirling vortex of greed, disease and misery. And there is one powerful weapon still…the secret surrounding Pradyumna’s origin.
Will he uncover it in time to fight off the cataclysm?
In the answer lies the destiny of all humanity!
Grab your copy @
Amazon.in | Amazon.com | Flipkart
Win the Game of Rafflecopter and win 3 prizes of Fab India Gift Card worth Rs. 1000 INR
a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the author
USHA NARAYANAN
Usha Narayanan had a successful career in advertising, radio and corporate communications before becoming a full-time writer. She is the author of The Madras Mangler, a suspense thriller, and Love, Lies and Layoffs, a light-hearted office romance. The Secret of God’s Son is the sequel to her bestselling book, Pradyumna: Son of Krishna, which was published in July 2015.
When she’s not juggling travel, writing and interviews, Usha reads everything from thrillers to romances, provided her cat isn’t fast asleep on her Kindle. She would love to hear from her readers here: author@ushanarayanan.com
You can stalk her @
Website | Facebook | Twitter
Follow the tour @ Pinterest
Media mentions
Praise for Pradyumna: Son of Krishna:
“Usha Narayanan has taken a quantum leap . . . to the outright spine-tingling narrative from the leaves of a time before. This book is Indian writing coming of age" Femina
"Like the best of our mythological tales, this too, is a multilayered one . . .There is valour, there is cowardice, there is glory, there is shame, there is sex, lies and deception" The Hindu
"This engrossing tale takes readers on a mythological saga" Times of India
This Tour is Hosted by
Facebook | Website | Blog Tours | Twitter | | Linkedin
We Promote So That You Can Write
');
September 14, 2016
Featured - Spotlight for "Forever In Her Eyes" by Karen Rose Smith
Forever In Her Eyes by Karen Rose Smith Series: Search For Love, #9Genre: Contemporary Paranormal Sweet Romance
Cover Designer: Judy BullardRelease Date: September 12, 2016
Melanie Carlotti lost everything, including her eyesight. Because of a donor, she regained it again. But with this gift came haunting dreams, a man's face and questions to be answered. Thanks to the help of a psychic, Melanie discovers the identity of her donor. She steps into the life of her donor's husband Zack and toddler Amy, finding clues but not the definitive answer and peace. Until...she realizes she's in love with Zack, not because of his wife's memories that accompanied Melanie's cornea transplant, but because of her own feelings for this widowed single dad. The truth sets Melanie free but can cost her the man she loves. If Zack can believe Melanie's story and trust her, they will both find happily ever after. But if he can't believe…
Newly edited and updated edition 2016
Original copyright 2002 A Husband In Her Eyes
Keeping his gaze steady on hers, he noted, "There's almost a two-year gap in your work history, and you've only finished a couple of minor jobs in the past few months. Can you tell me the reason for that?"She could lay it all out on his desk right now—tell him about the fire and her cornea transplants and the keening ache that had brought her to him. If she did that, he might escort her out of his building, lock the doors and never let her back in. She'd be left with dreams and no explanations. "I had some health problems," she explained. "Now they're resolved and I'm ready to get back into the swing of my career again."He seemed to think about that. "Why here in Northern California rather than back in L.A.?""I need a change. I've heard that Santa Rosa is a particularly lovely place to live. I have a good reputation that I can take with me anywhere, so I decided to start fresh. If I get this job."He arched a brow. "And if you don't?""I might stay in the area for a while and see if there are any other opportunities."After another long, silent appraisal, he asked, "Do you have a place to stay?""Not yet. I checked into the motel at Cool Ridge last night." Cool Ridge was about forty-five minutes outside of Santa Rosa and consisted of little more than a main street. She'd been fortunate to find a room in the one motel there. A country-music festival was being held at nearby Clear Lake this week and vacancies were hard to find anywhere in the area.As her gaze held Zachary Morgan's, there seemed to be more than words between them. Something akin to electricity. She wondered if he felt it, too.His brows furrowed as he once again looked down at the papers on his desk, and she suspected he was buying time as he made a first impression of her. "Your résumé is certainly complete. I phoned—"Suddenly a toddler came running into the office. From Jake's background report, Melanie knew Zack's daughter was eighteen months old. The little girl made a beeline straight for Zack and held onto his knee, looking up at him with a beatific smile.Melanie's breath caught at the wave of feelings that washed over her. Zack's daughter had dark brown eyes and his dark brown hair."Da-Dee. Up," she said gleefully.Flo Briggs came tearing into the office, breathless. "I'm so sorry, Zack. She got away from me. Right after her nap, she's got more energy than ten of me."Zack laughed and lifted his daughter onto his lap. "How's a man supposed to conduct business with a distraction like you around?" His voice was teasing and warm and altogether loving."Da-Dee, Da-Dee," she said, as if that explained absolutely everything.He shook his head. "I can't play right now. Maybe Flo can find a cookie or two for you."As if telling her dad that was a fine idea, the child wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a tight squeeze.He hugged her back, and looking over her tiny shoulder, he said to Melanie, "This is my daughter, Amy. Since we moved here and I often work out of the penthouse, she takes advantage of any time she can find me."Amy suddenly let go of her dad's neck and turned to look at Melanie.Melanie had felt an almost-hum when her gaze had first connected with Zachary Morgan's. Now as she looked at his daughter, there was that same feeling of connection. Was it her imagination? Truth be told, if she hadn't already been dealing with strange things since her operation, she might think she was going crazy.Her heart told her another story...especially when Amy blinked twice at her, broke into a super-wide smile and scrambled from her dad's lap. She ran to Melanie and looked up at her with wide brown eyes."Hi, there," Melanie said almost reverently, feeling like a mother again. Joy and sadness and an unfathomable yearning filled her.
Amazon ~ Smashwords
Karen Rose Smith was born in the Susquehanna Valley of Pennsylvania. Although she was an only child, she remembers the bonds of an extended family. Since her father came from a family of ten and her mother, a family of seven, there were always aunts, uncles and cousins visiting on weekends. Family is a strong theme in her books and she suspects her childhood memories are the reason.In college, Karen began writing poetry and also met her husband to be. They both began married life as teachers, but when their son was born, Karen decided to try her hand at a home-decorating business. She returned to teaching for a while but changes in her life led her to writing romance fiction. Now she writes mysteries and romances full time. She is a USA Today best-selling and award-winning author. Her 95th novel, THE WEDDING PROMISE--Search For Love series, Book 8, was released in June 2016. Her next mystery--SHADES OF WRATH, Caprice De Luca Home Staging Cozy series, will be on bookshelves in December.
When she isn't writing, she cares for four rescue cats and a sibling pair of strays, gardens, cooks, watercolors and photographs. Married to her college sweetheart since 1971, believing in the power of love and commitment, she envisions herself writing relationship novels, both mystery and romance, for a long time to come!
Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Google + ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram ~ BookBubAmazon ~ Goodreads ~ Website ~ Mysteries Website ~ Blog ~ Email
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Featured - Spotlight for "Chances Are" by Wendy Lou Jones
About the BookContemporary romantic fictionRelease Date: 27th June 2016
Luke is the man with the money, the fast car and the hot woman. There’s no way he would even think about getting serious, but a face he can’t remember soon threatens his calm.
Rebecca isn’t interested in a relationship, and definitely not with him. How could she, after all he put her through? She’s spent the last 4 years hiding away from society, a one-woman crusade for children’s road safety. Who would have thought one fateful day, it might almost be her ... again.
As two worlds collide, will opposites attract?
Not if she can help it.
EXTRACT
Close up, she was like a porcelain doll, fragile and poised. Her skin was nearly as pale as her hair. Only her lips, with their deep pomegranate flush and those denim blue eyes brought life to an otherwise frosty palette and that dazzled him.
She seemed so together now, quite a different woman from the one he had witnessed before. He tried to think of a reason to speak to her, but nothing would come to mind. She paid for her milk and butter and glanced sideways at him, so cool and detached in his presence, and then she left the shop.
Luke placed his tin on the counter and chased after her. The lady behind the till called out to him as he sprinted away, but he ignored her. He needed to speak to the woman.
He caught up with her in a matter of seconds, catching her by the elbow as she tried to walk away. The woman turned and looked daggers at him and Luke was disarmed. He held up his hands. “I’m sorry.” He took a step back. “I just wanted to apologise for the other day.”
The woman said nothing, just looked at him and Luke felt his confidence slipping.
“I … I shouldn’t have left you there on the side of the road.”
“You shouldn’t have tried to knock me down in the first place,” she shot back, before he could blink.
Luke had not been prepared for an attack. “Er. No. But you did step out in front of me.”
“Well you should have been paying more attention, shouldn’t you?”
“I should…?”
She tried to turn away.
“Look.” This was definitely not going to plan. “I just wanted to say I was sorry.”
“What for, in particular?”
What?
The woman rolled her eyes and tried to turn away from him, but he reached for her again.
“Wait. What did you mean by that? For the other day, of course. I’m sure I apologised at the time, but … you were just a bit … vacant. You probably don’t remember.”
“Vacant?!”
“I’m sorry. What I’m trying to say is I should have made sure you were okay. I had hoped we could be civil about this.” Apparently not.
“Civil is a lawsuit, Luke. Go drive your fancy car with your fancy girlfriend and leave me alone,” and she stormed away from him up the road.
Luke’s jaw hung open. Such contempt from a woman he’d barely met. But the thing that had shaken him most of all, was that she seemed to know him.
BUY LINKS
PAPERBACK
EBOOK
About the Author
My name is Wendy Lou Jones. I was born and raised in West Sussex, England and moved to Birmingham to study Medicine at University, where I was lucky enough to meet my husband. We now live in a little village in Herefordshire with our two grubby boys. I discovered a love of writing not long after my youngest son started school. And if you were to ask me what it was that made me make the switch, I’d tell you quite simply, that it started with a dream.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/escapeintolove
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WendyLouWriter
GoodreadsAuthorPage: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6983363.Wendy_Lou_Jones
Instagram: wendylouwriter
Google+ https://plus.google.com/102655860574177863403/posts
Blog: http://wendyloujones.weebly.com/blog
Website: http://wendyloujones.weebly.com/
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September 11, 2016
Featured - Spotlight for "Mistakes We Make" by Jenny Harper
About the BookGenre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction5th book in the Heartlands series (can be read as a standalone)
Release Date: 28 July 2016
Publisher: Accent Press
Sometimes you have to dig deep to discover what you really need.
Marketing events manager Molly Keir doesn’t realise how much she still cares for her ex until she meets him with another woman. Her answer is to seize the chance of a glittering job in London – even though this will mean leaving behind her aging father and pregnant best friend Lexie Gordon.
Adam Blair is in the wrong job. Pressured by his father to join the family law firm, the stress of work helped break his marriage. Now Molly is moving to London, and he knows he needs to move on – but events soon overtake his best intentions.
A year ago, Caitlyn Murray quit her well-paid job to avoid becoming a whistle-blower. Now she is stuck at home with her overworked mother and four needy step-siblings. Tempted by the offer of a good wage, she returns to her old firm – where her nightmare comes back to haunt her.
Molly and Adam seem to have gone too far to recover the love they once had, and when Caitlyn finds the courage to speak out, she brings all their worlds tumbling down.
EXTRACT
Molly Keir rummaged in her handbag and extracted her glasses.
‘Yum, this looks amazing. Scallops, black pudding, Gravadlax, sole paupiettes. Wow. I didn’t realise how ravenous I was till I started reading!’
Lexie whispered, ‘Molly.’
‘Mmm? What do you think about beef?’
‘Molly.’
Molly looked up at the note of urgency. ‘What?’
Lexie’s face had turned an odd shade, and her brown eyes had a panicky look about them. She was staring over Molly’s shoulder at the doorway.
Molly shoved her glasses back onto the top of her head and swung round. A woman was walking into the room. She was Asian – Indian perhaps? – and classically beautiful. Her hair fell in thick, shiny tresses halfway down her back, her eyes were dark as treacle and dramatically outlined in black. She was wearing scarlet. Afterwards, that was what Molly remembered most – the stunning silky dress, hugging a perfect figure.
For now, the dress and the woman faded improbably into the background because there was a man behind her. Not just any man – Adam Blair.
Molly’s husband.
BUY LINKS
AMAZON UK
AMAZON US
About the AuthorI've been a writer for most of my life. I've written and co-authored a number of books on Scotland, a history of childbirth, a children's novel and a romantic novel, all published some years ago. I've now turned my attention to writing the kind of novels I like to read - well written and with some depth, but not literary or too demanding. I like to tackle issues, but also to incorporate the complicated emotional challenges of day-to-day living.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjennyharper
Twitter: https://twitter.com/harper_jenny
GoodreadsAuthorPage: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/15692421-jenny-harper
Google+ https://plus.google.com/+JennyHarperauthor/posts
Blog: http://jennyharperauthor.co.uk/category/myblog/
Website: http://jennyharperauthor.co.uk/
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September 6, 2016
Teaser Tuesday - Pre-Order "The Prince's Stubborn Bride"
Wow, time flies! It seems I released my first Royal Romance THE PRINCE’S SPECIAL BRIDE only yesterday, but in fact more than a month has gone by. I’m almost finished with the manuscript of Book 2, THE PRINCE’S STUBBORN BRIDE. It’s up for pre-order now and will be released on October 29th. I’m just as excited about it as about the first book.
You can find the pre-order links here.
In Book 1, you got to know Princess Olivia, who is not only Prince Christian’s sister but also Marie’s new friend. Some of the plot revolved around her wedding – and Book 2 picks up a few months later with a few shocking revelations. I wonder what readers will think about it.
There’s quite some suspense added to the romance, and it was fun to write. I love Olivia’s strength, and Prince Sebastian was a treat to write, as well. He’s more of an alpha than some of my heroes, but with a kind heart. If you've read Book 1, you'll be happy to meet Marie and Christian again in Book 2 (and they have a surprise to share).
Here is an exclusive excerpt for #TeaserTuesday:
Something shifted in the air between them, almost imperceptibly but all at once so definitely that it felt as if she had stepped through a portal into a different sphere.
His fingers glided up her neck, applying less pressure, caressing rather than massaging. They dove into her bun, tugged softly—which sent a zing of need through her whole body—and freed her hair from the band. It fell down in loose, shortish waves, and his fingers brushed through it.
God, how far gone was she to consider such a simple gesture such a turn-on?
She barely suppressed another moan and held herself perfectly still, not wanting him to stop whatever he was about to do.
After a few moments of rhythmically sifting his fingers through her hair, he shifted his position. One hand banged the laptop shut, the other traveled over her neck to grasp her chin and turn her head to face him.
“You shouldn’t have come here,” he said softly after they had stared at each other for a long, heated moment.
His voice wrapped around her, dark chocolate and masculine huskiness, promises and threats intermingled.
She’d woken the sleeping lion, and now her lioness wanted in on the game.
“Why?” she asked, her voice breathless. “Don’t you like surprises?”
A half-grin tugged at his mouth, but the hot intensity in his gaze kept burning, eating her up alive.
“I like surprises entirely too much if they come with a challenge. I’ve never been able to resist challenges.”
She didn’t want to talk, but she couldn’t help it.
“So I’m a challenge?”
He set his jaw. “That you are.” His gaze turned the heat up a notch, smoldering, searching, searing.
“What else am I?” She leaned a fraction closer, felt his grip on her chin tighten.
You can find the pre-order links here.
In Book 1, you got to know Princess Olivia, who is not only Prince Christian’s sister but also Marie’s new friend. Some of the plot revolved around her wedding – and Book 2 picks up a few months later with a few shocking revelations. I wonder what readers will think about it.
There’s quite some suspense added to the romance, and it was fun to write. I love Olivia’s strength, and Prince Sebastian was a treat to write, as well. He’s more of an alpha than some of my heroes, but with a kind heart. If you've read Book 1, you'll be happy to meet Marie and Christian again in Book 2 (and they have a surprise to share).
Here is an exclusive excerpt for #TeaserTuesday:
Something shifted in the air between them, almost imperceptibly but all at once so definitely that it felt as if she had stepped through a portal into a different sphere.
His fingers glided up her neck, applying less pressure, caressing rather than massaging. They dove into her bun, tugged softly—which sent a zing of need through her whole body—and freed her hair from the band. It fell down in loose, shortish waves, and his fingers brushed through it.
God, how far gone was she to consider such a simple gesture such a turn-on?
She barely suppressed another moan and held herself perfectly still, not wanting him to stop whatever he was about to do.
After a few moments of rhythmically sifting his fingers through her hair, he shifted his position. One hand banged the laptop shut, the other traveled over her neck to grasp her chin and turn her head to face him.
“You shouldn’t have come here,” he said softly after they had stared at each other for a long, heated moment.
His voice wrapped around her, dark chocolate and masculine huskiness, promises and threats intermingled.
She’d woken the sleeping lion, and now her lioness wanted in on the game.
“Why?” she asked, her voice breathless. “Don’t you like surprises?”
A half-grin tugged at his mouth, but the hot intensity in his gaze kept burning, eating her up alive.
“I like surprises entirely too much if they come with a challenge. I’ve never been able to resist challenges.”
She didn’t want to talk, but she couldn’t help it.
“So I’m a challenge?”
He set his jaw. “That you are.” His gaze turned the heat up a notch, smoldering, searching, searing.
“What else am I?” She leaned a fraction closer, felt his grip on her chin tighten.
September 4, 2016
Featured - Book Club Spotlight for "The Broken Home" by Lopamudra Banerjee
THE BROKEN HOMEEnglish Translation of Rabindranath Tagore's NastanirhbyLOPAMUDRA BANERJEE
Blurb
The Broken Home (Nastanirh), the novella, takes place in late 19th-century Bengal and explores the lives of the aristocratic Bengali gentry who were part of the Indian Renaissance. Within the peripheries of such a distinct, culturally liberal society, the world of Charulata, Bhupati and Amal unfolds. Charu, the dreamy, melancholic young woman dreams of an idyllic literary world where she and her brother-in-law Amal, a budding writer would remain two discreet, indispensable entities. However, Amal’s estrangement destroys her creative passions and creates an ocean of turmoil in her life that turns her marital world upside down. Her husband, Bhupati, despite his liberal ideas, is blind to her loneliness and dissatisfaction. It is only with the appearance of his cousin, Amal, in their lives, who incites passionate feelings in Charu, that Bhupati realizes what he has lost.
Nastanirh is the basis for the noted film, Charulata (1964), by Satyajit Ray.
Grab your copy @
Amazon.in | Amazon.com
About the Author
Lopamudra Banerjee is a writer, poet and translator, currently based in Dallas, USA. She is the co-editor of ‘Defiant Dreams: Tales of Everyday Divas’, published by Readomania in collaboration with Incredible Women of India. Her unpublished memoir Thwarted Escape has been First Place Category Winner at the Journey Awards 2014 hosted by Chanticleer Reviews and Media LLC. She is also the Creative Editor of Incredible Women of India and a resident editor with Readomania.
Her poems, stories and essays have appeared at numerous literary journals and anthologies, both in India and the US. She is a regular contributor for Café Dissensus, Different Truths, Readomania.com. She has received the Reuel International Award 2016 for translation also a Certificate of Merit as part of the Reuel International Award 2015 for Writing and Literature.
You can stalk her @
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August 28, 2016
Featured - Book Club Spotlight & Review for "Dangle" by Sutapa Basu
My ReviewIf there was ever a book with a perfect title, then it is this oneâ¦
I had a certain inkling about the first âheroâ to show up in the story, then thought I had my light-bulb moment, only to be leftâ¦dangling. It happened again. And again. Amar. Akash. Adi. All names with A, all standing for something, all appearing when⦠Woops, I donât want to give anything away, Iâll just be a clever tease like the author and leave youâyes, dangling.
I fell in love with âDangleâ by Sutapa Basu for two reasons. Reason 1 is the story itself. I loved reading about the heroine Ips (I love that name, I associate it with âifâ in a way, which fits) finding her inner strength, fighting the demons of her past, embarking on a quest of she knows not what and ending up with one thing first and foremost: love. For herself, for the broken girl she was, for the determined woman she is, for those around her and those inside her. The setting added to the allure, and letâs not forget the thrill of action and suspense throughout. I swear my heart jumped right out of my chest several times. Oh, and let me mention that the first chapter was one of the best I have ever read. Looking back now, Iâm even more impressed and taken in by it than I was when I started reading the book.
Reason 2 is the authorâs style. At times lyrical, philosophical and poetical, at other times lucid and lush, modern and emotionally evocative, it fits the storyâs themes to a T. Not a word seemed out of place or too much. Some lines stuck with me. I fell for the poetry included among the prose too, feeling faint echoes of old Hindi songs and great poets like Tagore well up to shimmer in the air and weave a net of an almost nostalgic magic around the protagonists despite the decidedly contemporary set-up. Hereâs a short excerpt that captures what Iâm struggling to put into words:
âThe lilt of a flute fills the half shadows. Emerald green silk unfurls to lavender hills. Mist gives way to a golden spectacle. Thickly embroidered into flowing waters are hundreds of lotuses. Sunlight dazzles on ruby, sapphire, turquoise and amethyst that reluctantly open their layers to reveal honeyed hearts. The humming of multitudes of bees reverberates in the room. Intoxicated by the sun-drenched perfume of blossoms, they weave in and out of the pattern. Sheer colours daze the senses. Drumbeats intrude softly, only to rise to a crescendo.
Another shape enters the frame. Hazy at first, the outlines darken gradually. It is an empty square etched in bold strokes holding within it diagonally a metallic piece curved to the bent of an index finger. The picture zooms out. The shape takes definition. It is the trigger of a snub-nosed AK-47. The drums fall silent.â
I had already read some books edited and / or coauthored by Sutapa Basu (and from Readomania), but I have to say this gem of hers is my favourite. Do yourself a favour and read it, you wonât just dangle but fall for its charms hook, line and sinker.
Rating: 5/5
âSpotlight
DANGLE
by
SUTAPA BASU
Blurb
Stunning, svelte, smart Ipshita is a globetrotter. She treks across the world to gather bytes for the travel chats she designs and hosts for TV channels. Despite being a self assured and sophisticated entrepreneur, Ipshita is haunted by a nameless fear. Social interaction with men unleashes psychotic turmoil inside her, making her wary of male attention. Yet, the cold and aloof Ips is inexorably drawn to the three men she meets at different points in her journey.
Her arousal to the overtures of these men catches her unawares. Well-built defenses break as her dormant sexuality goes into overdrive until she discovers the horrifying truth about themâ¦and herself.
Life puzzles. Secrets tumble out. Will she be able to reclaim her life or let it dangle?
Read an excerpt from Dangle The lilt of a flute fills half shadows. Emerald green silk unfurls to lavender hills. Mist gives way to a golden spectacle. Thickly embroidered into flowing waters are hundreds of lotuses. Sunlight dazzles on ruby, sapphire, turquoise, and amethyst that reluctantly open their layers to reveal honeyed hearts. The humming of multitudes of bees reverberates in the room. Intoxicated by the sun-drenched perfume of blossoms, they weave in and out of the pattern. Sheer colours daze the senses. Drumbeats intrude softly, only to rise to a crescendo.Another shape enters the frame. Hazy at first, the outlines darken gradually. It is an empty square etched in bold strokes holding within it diagonally a metallic piece curved to the bent of an index finger. The lens zoom out. The shape takes definition. It is the trigger of a snub-nosed AK-47. The drums fall silent.Everybody holds their breath. There is a thud and the face of Beauty is blotted with a gun stamped on it. There is a collective gasp. The screen stills. Strobes pick out a small crowd, including cameras on cantilever arms. Each person in the room is mesmerizedâ¦nobody can look away.
Giving a couple of seconds for the impact to sink in, the focus beams on Ipshita, the host. She begins the chat. Microphones pick up frequencies of her voice, enhancing its soft huskiness. Statistics and logistics start appearing on two screens flanking the bigger screen on which images are projected. She proceeds as visions of paddy fields, streets of Imphal, slim girls in phaneks with long raven-black hair flying, fishermen casting bait, rowing boats, sitting still as rocks for fish to bite fill the screen behind her. She goes on to the fascinating scenes of Loktak, the floating islands, the fishermanâs hut and through her words she builds up a metaphor. It is of Manipur, a dainty nymph struggling to escape rape by Mars, the god of war. She is crushed, yet nothing erodes her indomitable spirit.
Grab your copy @
Amazon.com | Amazon.in | Flipkart
Watch a video:
Follow The Blog Tour +Pinterest
About the Author
An author, poet and publishing consultant, Sutapa Basu also dabbles in art and trains trainers and is a compulsive bookworm. During a thirty-year old professional career as teacher, editor, and publisher, she travelled the Indian subcontinent, Nepal and Bhutan. She has visited UK, USA, Dubai and Singapore while working with Oxford University Press, India and Encyclopædia Britannica, South Asia until 2013 when she decided to start writing seriously.
Sutapa is an Honours scholar from Tagoreâs Visva-Bharti University, Santiniketan and holds a teaching as well as a masters degree in English Literature.
As a publisher, Sutapa has developed and published around 400 books. Recently, her short story was awarded the First Prize in the Times of Indiaâs nation-wide WriteIndia Contest, under author, Amish Tripathi.
Stalk Her
Media Mentions
Play the Game of Rafflecopter and win Amzon gift cards
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This Tour is Hosted by
Facebook | Website | Blog Tours | Twitter | | Linkedin
We Promote So That You Can Write ');
I had a certain inkling about the first âheroâ to show up in the story, then thought I had my light-bulb moment, only to be leftâ¦dangling. It happened again. And again. Amar. Akash. Adi. All names with A, all standing for something, all appearing when⦠Woops, I donât want to give anything away, Iâll just be a clever tease like the author and leave youâyes, dangling.
I fell in love with âDangleâ by Sutapa Basu for two reasons. Reason 1 is the story itself. I loved reading about the heroine Ips (I love that name, I associate it with âifâ in a way, which fits) finding her inner strength, fighting the demons of her past, embarking on a quest of she knows not what and ending up with one thing first and foremost: love. For herself, for the broken girl she was, for the determined woman she is, for those around her and those inside her. The setting added to the allure, and letâs not forget the thrill of action and suspense throughout. I swear my heart jumped right out of my chest several times. Oh, and let me mention that the first chapter was one of the best I have ever read. Looking back now, Iâm even more impressed and taken in by it than I was when I started reading the book.
Reason 2 is the authorâs style. At times lyrical, philosophical and poetical, at other times lucid and lush, modern and emotionally evocative, it fits the storyâs themes to a T. Not a word seemed out of place or too much. Some lines stuck with me. I fell for the poetry included among the prose too, feeling faint echoes of old Hindi songs and great poets like Tagore well up to shimmer in the air and weave a net of an almost nostalgic magic around the protagonists despite the decidedly contemporary set-up. Hereâs a short excerpt that captures what Iâm struggling to put into words:
âThe lilt of a flute fills the half shadows. Emerald green silk unfurls to lavender hills. Mist gives way to a golden spectacle. Thickly embroidered into flowing waters are hundreds of lotuses. Sunlight dazzles on ruby, sapphire, turquoise and amethyst that reluctantly open their layers to reveal honeyed hearts. The humming of multitudes of bees reverberates in the room. Intoxicated by the sun-drenched perfume of blossoms, they weave in and out of the pattern. Sheer colours daze the senses. Drumbeats intrude softly, only to rise to a crescendo.
Another shape enters the frame. Hazy at first, the outlines darken gradually. It is an empty square etched in bold strokes holding within it diagonally a metallic piece curved to the bent of an index finger. The picture zooms out. The shape takes definition. It is the trigger of a snub-nosed AK-47. The drums fall silent.â
I had already read some books edited and / or coauthored by Sutapa Basu (and from Readomania), but I have to say this gem of hers is my favourite. Do yourself a favour and read it, you wonât just dangle but fall for its charms hook, line and sinker.
Rating: 5/5
âSpotlight
DANGLE
by
SUTAPA BASU
Blurb
Stunning, svelte, smart Ipshita is a globetrotter. She treks across the world to gather bytes for the travel chats she designs and hosts for TV channels. Despite being a self assured and sophisticated entrepreneur, Ipshita is haunted by a nameless fear. Social interaction with men unleashes psychotic turmoil inside her, making her wary of male attention. Yet, the cold and aloof Ips is inexorably drawn to the three men she meets at different points in her journey.
Her arousal to the overtures of these men catches her unawares. Well-built defenses break as her dormant sexuality goes into overdrive until she discovers the horrifying truth about themâ¦and herself.
Life puzzles. Secrets tumble out. Will she be able to reclaim her life or let it dangle?
Read an excerpt from Dangle The lilt of a flute fills half shadows. Emerald green silk unfurls to lavender hills. Mist gives way to a golden spectacle. Thickly embroidered into flowing waters are hundreds of lotuses. Sunlight dazzles on ruby, sapphire, turquoise, and amethyst that reluctantly open their layers to reveal honeyed hearts. The humming of multitudes of bees reverberates in the room. Intoxicated by the sun-drenched perfume of blossoms, they weave in and out of the pattern. Sheer colours daze the senses. Drumbeats intrude softly, only to rise to a crescendo.Another shape enters the frame. Hazy at first, the outlines darken gradually. It is an empty square etched in bold strokes holding within it diagonally a metallic piece curved to the bent of an index finger. The lens zoom out. The shape takes definition. It is the trigger of a snub-nosed AK-47. The drums fall silent.Everybody holds their breath. There is a thud and the face of Beauty is blotted with a gun stamped on it. There is a collective gasp. The screen stills. Strobes pick out a small crowd, including cameras on cantilever arms. Each person in the room is mesmerizedâ¦nobody can look away.
Giving a couple of seconds for the impact to sink in, the focus beams on Ipshita, the host. She begins the chat. Microphones pick up frequencies of her voice, enhancing its soft huskiness. Statistics and logistics start appearing on two screens flanking the bigger screen on which images are projected. She proceeds as visions of paddy fields, streets of Imphal, slim girls in phaneks with long raven-black hair flying, fishermen casting bait, rowing boats, sitting still as rocks for fish to bite fill the screen behind her. She goes on to the fascinating scenes of Loktak, the floating islands, the fishermanâs hut and through her words she builds up a metaphor. It is of Manipur, a dainty nymph struggling to escape rape by Mars, the god of war. She is crushed, yet nothing erodes her indomitable spirit.
Grab your copy @
Amazon.com | Amazon.in | Flipkart
Watch a video:
Follow The Blog Tour +Pinterest
About the Author
An author, poet and publishing consultant, Sutapa Basu also dabbles in art and trains trainers and is a compulsive bookworm. During a thirty-year old professional career as teacher, editor, and publisher, she travelled the Indian subcontinent, Nepal and Bhutan. She has visited UK, USA, Dubai and Singapore while working with Oxford University Press, India and Encyclopædia Britannica, South Asia until 2013 when she decided to start writing seriously.
Sutapa is an Honours scholar from Tagoreâs Visva-Bharti University, Santiniketan and holds a teaching as well as a masters degree in English Literature.
As a publisher, Sutapa has developed and published around 400 books. Recently, her short story was awarded the First Prize in the Times of Indiaâs nation-wide WriteIndia Contest, under author, Amish Tripathi.
Stalk Her
Media Mentions
Play the Game of Rafflecopter and win Amzon gift cards
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This Tour is Hosted by
Facebook | Website | Blog Tours | Twitter | | Linkedin
We Promote So That You Can Write ');
