Devika Fernando's Blog, page 65
July 19, 2015
Book Club Blog Tour - The Seventh Cup by Nitesh Jain (Spotlight)
Check out the Competition
of
The Seventh Cup
by
Nitesh Jain
The Blurb
A student of history in Switzerland goes missing.
A man drinks exactly seven cups of coffee everyday in the same restaurant and believes in Mind Transportation. Two newly married Swiss detective agents arrive and begin a shocking tale of love, friendship, betrayal and death. From the colorful coasts of Goa, India to the enchanting backdrop of Zurich,Switzerland, the mystery of Verona Schmidt baffles everyone. With shocking twits and turns in every chapter, The Seventh Cup might just have the addictive flavor to stir the readers mind...may be forever !!!
Buy @
Amazon.com |Amazon.in | Flipkart
Watch It
Meet the Author
Nitesh Kumar Jain (1987) spent his childhood days in the beautiful state of Assam in India and pursued his schooling at Carmel School, Jorhat. Later he went to BITS Pilani, KK Birla Goa Campus. He graduated as a Chemical Engineer in the year 2010 and worked as a trainee at Aditya Birla Chemicals inThailand for six months. He did his post-graduate work in Chemical and Bioengineering from ETH Zurich, Switzerland, and later (2012) worked as an intern at BASF AG, Basel. During his two-year stay in Switzerland, he conceptualized his debut novel, The Seventh Cup.
Apart from writing he loves photography and travelling to new countries to explore different cultures. Nitesh has visited several countries during the past few years such as Thailand, Switzerland, Italy, Germany,France, Austria,The Netherlands. He wish to visit Turkey, Australia and the Nordic countries in the coming years. He believes in the saying by Paulo Coelho: When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it!!!
You can stalk him @
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July 12, 2015
Featured - The Penhallow Train Incident by M. S. Spencer - Guest Post
Today a friend of mine - and formidable author - is visiting my blog. M.S. Spencer has taken some time to enlighten you about the mysterious Queen of Sheba and about her latest release 'The Penhallow Train Incident' - a book that I enjoyed so much that I gave it a 5-star review! *round of applause* 
Makeda Riding with Spear (Queen of Sheba) Guest Post by M. S. Spencer Griffin Tate, hero of my new mystery romance the Penhallow Train Incident, is a retired Middle Eastern history professor and becomes ensnared in the search for a fictional map to the Queen of Sheba’s tomb. Now, it’s uncertain whether the Queen of Sheba ever existed, or where the land of Sheba was, but according to the Bible, the Ethiopian Book of Kings, and many legends throughout the Middle East, she came from a nation in the south to meet with King Solomon. Some have identified her with Meroe, whose queens were called Candace by the Greeks. That Nile civilization lasted from the ninth century BC to the fourth century AD, but if she did in fact visit Solomon, it would have been in the tenth century BC. In the Penhallow Train Incident, Meroe and its explorers play an intriguing role in the mystery. Included in the cluster of Sheba map pursuers is the inimitable George Hamdani, whom we meet in this excerpt.
The Penhallow Train Incident
M. S. Spencer
Sweet Cravings Publishing (June 23, 2015)
Romantic Suspense/Mystery, M/F, 2 flames
About the Book BLURB:
In the sleepy coastal Maine town of Penhallow, a stranger dies on a train, drawing Rachel Tinker, director of the Penhallow Historical Society, and Griffin Tate, curmudgeonly retired professor, into a spider’s web of archaeological obsession and greed. The victim’s rival confesses that they were both after a map to the Queen of Sheba’s tomb, and with his help they set out to find it. Their plans are stymied, however, when a tug of war erupts between the sheriff and a state police detective who want to arrest the same man—one for murder and one for bank robbery. It falls to Rachel to solve both crimes…and two more murders, if she is to unlock the soft heart that beats under Griffin’s hard crust.
EXCERPT: WE MEET GEORGE
As she trudged up the cellar steps to her kitchen, she noticed light coming from under the cellar door and smelled something alien—cigar smoke? When the cat wasn’t at his usual post by the Friskies, Rachel felt a frisson of fear run up her spine. Too many deaths, too many conspiracies floating around. She didn’t need any more mystery. Her throat constricted, she croaked, “Who’s there?”
From the living room came a deep voice. “It’s me, Rachel. Didn’t you see my car?”
“Griffin!” She went in. “I came in the back way and—”
Sitting on the couch was her erstwhile lover, in a beautifully tailored navy suit that rendered her breathless. Next to him sat an enormously fat man, his olive brown face concealed by a magnificent moustache, his small, black eyes both cold and anxious. A large cheroot smoldered in a saucer on the coffee table.
One man jumped to his feet. The other, with much groaning and wheezing, pushed himself off the couch and extended a mammoth paw. Griffin said, “I’d like you to meet George Hamdani, of the Institut Français d’Archéologie. He’d like asylum.”
****
“Pardon me?”
Hamdani looked from Rachel to Griffin, confusion writ large on his face. Griffin coughed in vexation. “You heard me, Rachel. You do know what asylum means, don’t you? If not, may I direct you to the dictionary?”
Rachel kept her own irritation on a tight leash. “Griffin Tate, I do not appreciate your tone. Nor do I appreciate being treated like some sort of…of church.”
“Church? What are you talking about?”
“You know, sanctuary.”
“Sanctuary is different from asylum.”
“In what way?”
“Well, for one thing…wait a minute. You’re just trying to distract me from the issue at hand. Are you or are you not going to take George here in?”
Rachel surveyed the mountain that was George Hamdani. Perspiration beaded his forehead and he seemed to be having trouble catching his breath. “No.”
Hamdani latched a pleading hand on Griffin’s arm and spoke with an unfamiliar accent. “My dear professor, cannot you be more agreeable? I am in great need of this beautiful lady’s help.”
“I’ll try.” Griffin made a herculean effort and produced something approaching cordiality. “Forgive me…Miss Tinker. I guess I wasn’t making myself very clear. I meant only that George here needs a place to stay for a bit. Until we sort things out.”
His forced smile did not fool Rachel. “Things?”
“Before we get into that, he hasn’t eaten in two days.” Griffin nodded toward the kitchen. “As you may have surmised, he’s not equipped to fast for very long.”
Really? I’ll bet he could go a year. “Certainly. Can I get you something to eat, Mister Hamdani?” With any luck the sarcasm dripping from her lips would puddle under Griffin’s feet and he’d slip in it.
Griffin deftly avoided the trap. “Thanks. I’ll have a sandwich. George? What can Rachel get you?”
Hamdani nodded enthusiastically. “You are very kind, Miss Tinker. I am devastated to be coming to you in this precipitate manner. When my circumstances improve, it will be my very great pleasure to make it up to you in any way you desire.”
Well, when you put it that way…”I may have some chicken salad. I’ll go check.” She opened the refrigerator and took out a Tupperware container, lettuce, and bread. Griffin came in and retrieved two plates from the dish rack. As he carried napkins and glasses from the cupboard, he whispered to Rachel, “Thanks for doing this. You’ll understand why it’s important in a minute.”
She punched him to hide the mushy smile that crowded out her aggravated scowl. “Beer?”
“Perfect.”
Rachel opened three bottles while Griffin took the sandwiches to the dining room table. One glance at the delicate Duncan Phyfe straight chair and another at Hamdani’s humongous behind and she pushed the ottoman toward him. “You’ll be safer on that.”
Hamdani nodded gravely and sat down.
She waited while the men wolfed down their food. “Okay, spill.”
Griffin wiped his mouth with a napkin. “George is from the Institut—
“You told me that. He’s not French though, is he?”
The big man beamed. “No, no. Although French is my second language. English, alas, is only my third. No, I’m from the most beautiful country in the world, the land of the spreading cedar, of blue Mediterranean waters, of snow-frosted mountains.”
“And that would be…”
“Lebanon, of course.”
Not one to let a paean throw her, Rachel addressed Griffin. “And?”
“Oh right.” Griffin gulped down his sandwich. “I’ll cut to the chase. He witnessed the murder and is afraid if he comes forward he’ll be considered the prime suspect.”
“Which murder?”
His eyes popped. “Which…Oh right, I forgot about the woman. No, I mean Omar Masri. George saw him shot.”
“Does he know who did it?”
“No. He was watching Masri through the window and saw him fall.”
BUY LINKS:
http://store.sweetcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&cPath=4&products_id=278
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Penhallow-Train-Incident-M-S-Spencer-ebook/dp/B0100PHOZS
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-penhallow-train-incident-ms-spencer/1122175522?ean=2940152200393
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-penhallow-train-incident
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thepenhallowtrainincident-1839405-149.html
Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/book/269163462/The-Penhallow-Train-Incident
Inktera: http://www.inktera.com/store/title/02e6123c-5ddd-4dbf-ae08-e0fd0aadfa0c
Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/the-Penhallow-train-incident
Versent: https://www.versentbooks.com/store/title/02e6123c-5ddd-4dbf-ae08-e0fd0aadfa0c
About the Author AUTHOR BIO:
Although M. S. Spencer has lived or traveled in five continents, the last 30 years were spent mostly in Washington, D.C. as a librarian, Congressional staff assistant, speechwriter, editor, birdwatcher, kayaker, policy wonk, non-profit director, and parent. She has two fabulous grown children, and currently divides her time between the Gulf coast of Florida and a tiny village in Maine.
CONTACTS:
Blog: http://msspencertalespinner.blogspot.com OR
http://bit.ly/1aBzraT
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msspencerromance
Twitter: www.twitter.com/msspencerauthor
GoodReads:http://www.goodreads.com/msspencer
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/msspencerauthor/
About.me: http://about.me/msspencerauthor
Tsu.co : http://www.tsu.co/msspencerauthor
Linked in: www.linkedin.com/in/msspencerauthor
AUTHOR PAGES:
Secret Cravings Publishing: http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=products_all&filter_author=56
Romance Books 4 Us: http://romancebooks4us.com/Romance%20Author%20M.%20S.%20Spencer.html OR
http://bit.ly/1d6ehza
Amazon Author Page:
http://www.amazon.com/M.S.-Spencer/e/B002ZOEUC8/
OTHER BOOKS BY M. S. SPENCER
Romantic suspense and mystery, they are available in ebook and print from Secret Cravings Publishing and all fine on-line book stores. For more information, visit http://msspencertalespinner.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html
Whirlwind Romance
The Mason's Mark: Love and Death in the Tower (an Old Town Romance)
Lapses of Memory
Mai Tais & Mayhem: Murder at Mote Marine (a Sarasota Romance)
Artful Dodging: The Torpedo Factory Murders (an Old Town Romance)
Triptych
Losers Keepers
Makeda Riding with Spear (Queen of Sheba) Guest Post by M. S. Spencer Griffin Tate, hero of my new mystery romance the Penhallow Train Incident, is a retired Middle Eastern history professor and becomes ensnared in the search for a fictional map to the Queen of Sheba’s tomb. Now, it’s uncertain whether the Queen of Sheba ever existed, or where the land of Sheba was, but according to the Bible, the Ethiopian Book of Kings, and many legends throughout the Middle East, she came from a nation in the south to meet with King Solomon. Some have identified her with Meroe, whose queens were called Candace by the Greeks. That Nile civilization lasted from the ninth century BC to the fourth century AD, but if she did in fact visit Solomon, it would have been in the tenth century BC. In the Penhallow Train Incident, Meroe and its explorers play an intriguing role in the mystery. Included in the cluster of Sheba map pursuers is the inimitable George Hamdani, whom we meet in this excerpt.The Penhallow Train Incident
M. S. Spencer
Sweet Cravings Publishing (June 23, 2015)
Romantic Suspense/Mystery, M/F, 2 flames
About the Book BLURB:In the sleepy coastal Maine town of Penhallow, a stranger dies on a train, drawing Rachel Tinker, director of the Penhallow Historical Society, and Griffin Tate, curmudgeonly retired professor, into a spider’s web of archaeological obsession and greed. The victim’s rival confesses that they were both after a map to the Queen of Sheba’s tomb, and with his help they set out to find it. Their plans are stymied, however, when a tug of war erupts between the sheriff and a state police detective who want to arrest the same man—one for murder and one for bank robbery. It falls to Rachel to solve both crimes…and two more murders, if she is to unlock the soft heart that beats under Griffin’s hard crust.
EXCERPT: WE MEET GEORGE
As she trudged up the cellar steps to her kitchen, she noticed light coming from under the cellar door and smelled something alien—cigar smoke? When the cat wasn’t at his usual post by the Friskies, Rachel felt a frisson of fear run up her spine. Too many deaths, too many conspiracies floating around. She didn’t need any more mystery. Her throat constricted, she croaked, “Who’s there?”
From the living room came a deep voice. “It’s me, Rachel. Didn’t you see my car?”
“Griffin!” She went in. “I came in the back way and—”
Sitting on the couch was her erstwhile lover, in a beautifully tailored navy suit that rendered her breathless. Next to him sat an enormously fat man, his olive brown face concealed by a magnificent moustache, his small, black eyes both cold and anxious. A large cheroot smoldered in a saucer on the coffee table.
One man jumped to his feet. The other, with much groaning and wheezing, pushed himself off the couch and extended a mammoth paw. Griffin said, “I’d like you to meet George Hamdani, of the Institut Français d’Archéologie. He’d like asylum.”
****
“Pardon me?”
Hamdani looked from Rachel to Griffin, confusion writ large on his face. Griffin coughed in vexation. “You heard me, Rachel. You do know what asylum means, don’t you? If not, may I direct you to the dictionary?”
Rachel kept her own irritation on a tight leash. “Griffin Tate, I do not appreciate your tone. Nor do I appreciate being treated like some sort of…of church.”
“Church? What are you talking about?”
“You know, sanctuary.”
“Sanctuary is different from asylum.”
“In what way?”
“Well, for one thing…wait a minute. You’re just trying to distract me from the issue at hand. Are you or are you not going to take George here in?”
Rachel surveyed the mountain that was George Hamdani. Perspiration beaded his forehead and he seemed to be having trouble catching his breath. “No.”
Hamdani latched a pleading hand on Griffin’s arm and spoke with an unfamiliar accent. “My dear professor, cannot you be more agreeable? I am in great need of this beautiful lady’s help.”
“I’ll try.” Griffin made a herculean effort and produced something approaching cordiality. “Forgive me…Miss Tinker. I guess I wasn’t making myself very clear. I meant only that George here needs a place to stay for a bit. Until we sort things out.”
His forced smile did not fool Rachel. “Things?”
“Before we get into that, he hasn’t eaten in two days.” Griffin nodded toward the kitchen. “As you may have surmised, he’s not equipped to fast for very long.”
Really? I’ll bet he could go a year. “Certainly. Can I get you something to eat, Mister Hamdani?” With any luck the sarcasm dripping from her lips would puddle under Griffin’s feet and he’d slip in it.
Griffin deftly avoided the trap. “Thanks. I’ll have a sandwich. George? What can Rachel get you?”
Hamdani nodded enthusiastically. “You are very kind, Miss Tinker. I am devastated to be coming to you in this precipitate manner. When my circumstances improve, it will be my very great pleasure to make it up to you in any way you desire.”
Well, when you put it that way…”I may have some chicken salad. I’ll go check.” She opened the refrigerator and took out a Tupperware container, lettuce, and bread. Griffin came in and retrieved two plates from the dish rack. As he carried napkins and glasses from the cupboard, he whispered to Rachel, “Thanks for doing this. You’ll understand why it’s important in a minute.”
She punched him to hide the mushy smile that crowded out her aggravated scowl. “Beer?”
“Perfect.”
Rachel opened three bottles while Griffin took the sandwiches to the dining room table. One glance at the delicate Duncan Phyfe straight chair and another at Hamdani’s humongous behind and she pushed the ottoman toward him. “You’ll be safer on that.”
Hamdani nodded gravely and sat down.
She waited while the men wolfed down their food. “Okay, spill.”
Griffin wiped his mouth with a napkin. “George is from the Institut—
“You told me that. He’s not French though, is he?”
The big man beamed. “No, no. Although French is my second language. English, alas, is only my third. No, I’m from the most beautiful country in the world, the land of the spreading cedar, of blue Mediterranean waters, of snow-frosted mountains.”
“And that would be…”
“Lebanon, of course.”
Not one to let a paean throw her, Rachel addressed Griffin. “And?”
“Oh right.” Griffin gulped down his sandwich. “I’ll cut to the chase. He witnessed the murder and is afraid if he comes forward he’ll be considered the prime suspect.”
“Which murder?”
His eyes popped. “Which…Oh right, I forgot about the woman. No, I mean Omar Masri. George saw him shot.”
“Does he know who did it?”
“No. He was watching Masri through the window and saw him fall.”
BUY LINKS:
http://store.sweetcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&cPath=4&products_id=278
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Penhallow-Train-Incident-M-S-Spencer-ebook/dp/B0100PHOZS
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-penhallow-train-incident-ms-spencer/1122175522?ean=2940152200393
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-penhallow-train-incident
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thepenhallowtrainincident-1839405-149.html
Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/book/269163462/The-Penhallow-Train-Incident
Inktera: http://www.inktera.com/store/title/02e6123c-5ddd-4dbf-ae08-e0fd0aadfa0c
Bookstrand: http://www.bookstrand.com/the-Penhallow-train-incident
Versent: https://www.versentbooks.com/store/title/02e6123c-5ddd-4dbf-ae08-e0fd0aadfa0c
About the Author AUTHOR BIO:Although M. S. Spencer has lived or traveled in five continents, the last 30 years were spent mostly in Washington, D.C. as a librarian, Congressional staff assistant, speechwriter, editor, birdwatcher, kayaker, policy wonk, non-profit director, and parent. She has two fabulous grown children, and currently divides her time between the Gulf coast of Florida and a tiny village in Maine.
CONTACTS:
Blog: http://msspencertalespinner.blogspot.com OR
http://bit.ly/1aBzraT
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msspencerromance
Twitter: www.twitter.com/msspencerauthor
GoodReads:http://www.goodreads.com/msspencer
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/msspencerauthor/
About.me: http://about.me/msspencerauthor
Tsu.co : http://www.tsu.co/msspencerauthor
Linked in: www.linkedin.com/in/msspencerauthor
AUTHOR PAGES:
Secret Cravings Publishing: http://store.secretcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=products_all&filter_author=56
Romance Books 4 Us: http://romancebooks4us.com/Romance%20Author%20M.%20S.%20Spencer.html OR
http://bit.ly/1d6ehza
Amazon Author Page:
http://www.amazon.com/M.S.-Spencer/e/B002ZOEUC8/
OTHER BOOKS BY M. S. SPENCER
Romantic suspense and mystery, they are available in ebook and print from Secret Cravings Publishing and all fine on-line book stores. For more information, visit http://msspencertalespinner.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html
Whirlwind Romance
The Mason's Mark: Love and Death in the Tower (an Old Town Romance)
Lapses of Memory
Mai Tais & Mayhem: Murder at Mote Marine (a Sarasota Romance)
Artful Dodging: The Torpedo Factory Murders (an Old Town Romance)
Triptych
Losers Keepers
July 10, 2015
Featured - Book Blitz for The Dark Masters by David Wind
The Dark Masters by David Wind Series: Tales of Nevaeh: Volume 2Genre: Science Fiction/FantasyRelease Date: May 15, 2015
A race to stop extinction!
In what once was Europe, the Dark Masters launch a fleet of ships filled with tens of thousands of their followers.
While in Nevaeh, charged with an epic journey by the eight sorceresses of 'The Island', Areenna and Mikaal must travel to the desolate and unchartered frozen mountains, armed only with their psychic abilities and their swords, where they must discover not just the legends, but the millennia old secret awaiting them in their fight to save Nevaeh from extermination.
Book 1: Born to Magic
I live and write in a small village about thirty miles upstate of NYC, and share my home with my wife, Bonnie and our dog Alfie, an apricot poodle.When I began writing in 1980, I had no idea where I was headed. Since then, I've published thirty-five novels, thirty-three of them with traditional publishers, but I decided I wanted more freedom than the traditional publishers would allow and began a new phase in my life as an Independent Author.
Sci-Fi & fantasy has always been my most favorite genre. My first novel in the genre, Queen Of Knights was a medieval / historical fantasy and reached #2 on the Amazon.com bestseller lists for historical fantasy and medieval fantasy, and my sci-fi of parallel worlds, The Others, received wide acclaim.
My first Independent novel Angels In Mourning, was my 'homage' to the old time private detective books of the late 40's, 50's and 60's. I used to love to sneak them from my parents’ night-tables and read them as a young boy. Angels, is a modern day take on the old style hardboiled detective. Angels In Mourning won the Amazon.com Book of the Month Reader's Choice Award shortly after it was published.
My most current thriller, The Cured, was written with Terese Ramin.The idea for this Medical Thriller came shortly after the death of a close friend. I couldn't help but wonder about the medication....
My previous suspense thrillers are The Hyte Maneuver, (a Literary guild alternate selection); As peace Lay Dying, Conspiracy of Mirrors, And Down will Come Baby, Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep and Shadows.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
July 8, 2015
Featured - Book Blitz for Trouble in Vegas by Patrice Wilton
Trouble in Vegas by Patrice Wilton Series: Looking For Trouble?, #1Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic ComedyRelease Date: May 30, 2015
***NY TIMES & USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR***For fans of SERENDIPITY FALLS and Patrice Wilton, your wait is over. A brand-new fun, sexy series has begun.
## A bride-to-be is in Vegas with her sister and bridesmaid to celebrate her upcoming wedding when calamity, chaos and a hot guy named Josh, sets her life on a different course! ##
This not to be missed romantic-comedy that will win your heart. For lovers of contemporary romance, humor, hot sexy fun give this new series a try.
Patrice Wilton is a NY Times and USA Today best selling author. She has written more than 20 books--heart-warming contemporary romance stories and her fun romantic comedies.She is the proud mother of two, and has a total of ten grandchildren, with the wonderful man at her side. They live in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he teaches her golf, and she teaches him patience.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
July 6, 2015
Featured - Cover Reveal of Racing Heart by June Moonbridge
About the Book Desiree Hart in desperate search for her kidnapped son, does everything in her power possible to find him. Due to a letter she receives after official search was closed, she changes everything; her appearance, her hometown and even her name.When she meets Lorcan Shore, the Five Times F1 World Campion, their encounter is everything but ordinary. Out of pure fear for her life, she loses her temper and spits over everything he is absolutely certain he can do the best; how to drive.
Leaving him alone on Grand Corniche she is certain she would never see him again. But the next morning proves her being totally wrong. He was no quitter and no matter how she tries to run and hide, her heart desires at the end come back to the surface…
Will the man of her dreams be able to fulfil them all? Including the most important will he help her find her missing son?
AMAZON UK
AMAZON US
About the Author The person behind the name of June Moonbridge, has many names and many faces too. Although living in the same area, she was born and raised in one country and now living in another.She studied economics, and quickly realised she hated it. Afterwards, she found herself working in mainly male businesses; at first in automotive and later - steel products productions. She can choose for you the best steel you need, but don't, please don't, ask her which lipstick to use.
She started to write in her high school and was negatively criticised by her teacher. Stubborn as she is that didn't stop her. Under different pen names for her stories she tried to get some independent opinions, which came back as good reviews in magazines and later she published three books.
Giving birth to two children, and learning that her second child has Autism, she married the father of them and continued to work. All that together took all of her free time. But the desire to write didn't die. When life somehow sorted itself out, she decided to write her novel in English and her first submission to Safkhet was rejected…
For what happened later… read third paragraph, second sentence.
https://www.facebook.com/JMoonbridge
www.junemoonbridge.com
https://twitter.com/JMoonbridge
@JMoonbridge
https://si.linkedin.com/in/jmoonbridge
July 5, 2015
Sneak Peek Sunday - Short Story Excerpt from LOVE
Not many of you know this, but a short story of mine was accepted into a fascinating anthology some months ago. I'm talking about LOVE - Lots of Volatile Emotions (don't you just love that clever title?!), compiled and edited by the inimitable bestselling author Faraaz Kazi. It contains stories by 14 authors, spanning all genres and centering around love. Among the contributors are Kazi himself, my amazing dear friend Deepti Menon and other Indian authors I have the honour of knowing like Monnika Nair, Roopa Raveendran Menon and Priyanka Dey.
Here's the mini-blurb for my story 'Return to Escapeland' with paranormal romance elements, and below is a short excerpt for #SneakPeekSunday. The book is available as an eBook and paperback internationally here on Amazon and in India also here on Flipkart.
Excerpt:
She stared at the man who stared back at her, and her world turned upside down.
Ashok.
Nine years of absence were not nearly enough to forget his face. It was forever ingrained in her mind and heart.
Her thoughts too muddled to question and rationalize, she gave in to the urge of merely staring at him, drinking in his sight the way she had admired the stag’s beauty.
He came closer with hesitant steps, stopping a few feet away from her with his arms protectively wrapped around his torso.
Adulthood had been kind to him. She saw much of the boy in his face, but his jaw had squared, and there were fine lines around his eyes and on his forehead. Where those days there had been a hint of muscles, there was now much more than a hint. He seemed even taller than back then, and his broad shoulders in combination with the dark stubble on his chin gave him an almost rakish air that had been lingering beneath the surface in the past. His hair fell in shaggy waves to his shoulders.
Ashok.
The one person she had not expected to find upon her return. The one person she had never wanted to see again.
Here's the mini-blurb for my story 'Return to Escapeland' with paranormal romance elements, and below is a short excerpt for #SneakPeekSunday. The book is available as an eBook and paperback internationally here on Amazon and in India also here on Flipkart.
Excerpt:She stared at the man who stared back at her, and her world turned upside down.
Ashok.
Nine years of absence were not nearly enough to forget his face. It was forever ingrained in her mind and heart.
Her thoughts too muddled to question and rationalize, she gave in to the urge of merely staring at him, drinking in his sight the way she had admired the stag’s beauty.
He came closer with hesitant steps, stopping a few feet away from her with his arms protectively wrapped around his torso.
Adulthood had been kind to him. She saw much of the boy in his face, but his jaw had squared, and there were fine lines around his eyes and on his forehead. Where those days there had been a hint of muscles, there was now much more than a hint. He seemed even taller than back then, and his broad shoulders in combination with the dark stubble on his chin gave him an almost rakish air that had been lingering beneath the surface in the past. His hair fell in shaggy waves to his shoulders.
Ashok.
The one person she had not expected to find upon her return. The one person she had never wanted to see again.
July 2, 2015
Featured - The Gods of Probabilities by Liza O'Connor - Review
About the Book 
The Gods of ProbabilitiesBy
Liza O’Connor
Blurb
The Gods require a time shifter to ensure the Path of Light reigns during the final collapse of possibilities. To speed the process of finding an Oceanic with the specific talents needed, God DNA is induced in several batches of Oceanic eggs, resulting in a generation of brilliant tiny blue Oceanic children.
One charming boy named Drogan has the ability to manipulate quantum reality in ways that will strengthen the Path of Light. Only trouble is that his gift runs a high probability of killing him and wiping out the Path of Light for good.
While the bureaucratic Gods will try to assist, in Quantum all possibilities not only can, but do happen, so the future is never certain.
Excerpt
Sun rays streamed through blue water, into the castle window, and danced like little fish upon the pink coral on the far side of the room.
Osan stared at the reddish hue of the wall. Gods! How did it get so late? He returned his attention to the arrogant and never happy, bloated senator before him. “We’ll continue this discussion tomorrow. I have an important appointment.”
Before Segar could object, Osan swam out of his private office, kicking his webbed feet in unison as he soared up the coral steps to the second story of the castle. While walking the steps was more dignified for an emperor, swimming was far more expedient.
When he entered his private quarters, his beautiful wife, Akai, stood in the entrance hall of their home, nervously shredding a kelp leaf. The pearl necklace, passed down for a hundred generations, shimmered on her dark-blue chest.
“I’m here.”
Her eyes sparkled with joy as she swam to him and grasped his hand, her finger talons cutting into his palm.
“Easy, love,” he teased.
Her claws retracted and her neck gills fluttered. “Sorry, I’m just nervous.”
He was as well. This was their first and only hatching. The scholars had given him careful instructions on how to choose the best of the hatchlings to be his son or daughter.
Scholar Hemp helped the last of the hatchlings out of their sacks, then smiled at him. “It is time, my Emperor.” The young scholar motioned to the nest. “Make your selection.”
Osan and his wife moved in unison to the woven kelp bed and hovered above it, staring at the mass of babies. “How many are there?” Akai asked.
“Forty-three,” Hemp replied. “Take your time, and may the Gods help your selection.”
Osan certainly hoped the Gods would help. As emperor of the Oceanics, he made difficult choices every day; but suddenly, they all seemed simple compared to this task.
He had to choose the best hatchling to become his son or daughter. The others would be returned to the Gods.
In former times, all his hatchlings would have been allowed to live, and time would have revealed the best choice for the next emperor. But his father had imposed harsh population controls on the people. When Osan became emperor, he’d imposed the same law on himself and the senate, so all Oceanics could see the law was necessary and just. No one was exempt, not even those who chose poorly and selected a primitive that proved to be no better than seals in the kelp beds.
Which to choose? They all looked much the same: blue babies with a stub of a tail that would disappear in forty-two days. Most were enchanted with the discovery of their webbed toes. A few were playing with a sibling’s stubby tail.
However, one large-eyed hatching stared straight at him and smiled with happiness. Then the fellow shifted his gaze to Akai and stretched out his arms. “Mother,” a tiny voice spoke in their heads.
“That one,” Akai whispered.
Osan nodded in agreement and lifted the hatchling up. “This is our choice.” He then handed the hatchling to his wife, while the scholars gathered up the other forty-two hatchings and took them away.
He focused on the vibrant life in his wife’s arms. She smiled at him. “You have a son, my love. What shall you call him?”
He caressed his son’s shiny blue forehead. “We shall call him Drogan.”
Scholar Hemp’s eyes rounded in shock. “To name your child after our greatest Oceanic will either inspire or break him.”
Sales Link
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About Author
Liza is a multiple genre author of 15 novels. A Late Victorian Series, The Adventures of Xavier & Vic, plus a spinoff, A Right to Love, is an ongoing series. A Long Road to Love is a humorous Contemporary Disaster Romance series (5 books). She has two single books. One is a humorous, bad boys contemporary novel with ghosts, called Ghost Lover, the other is Untamed & Unabashed, a spinoff from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.
Now, she’s rolling out her Science fiction series (with romance & humor) called The Multiverses. The first four books are slotted for last half of 2015. In addition she hopes, if she hasn’t dropped from exhaustion by then, to re-release a sometimes humorous/suspense thriller called Saving Casey
Liza would love to know: What’s your favorite genre?
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LIZA O'CONNOR
Investigate these sites:
Liza’s Multiverse Blog
Liza's Blog and Website Facebook Twitter
My Review I have read a few books by Liza O’Connor so far and loved those immensely (from her Adventures of Xavier & Vic Series and her Worst Week Ever Series). They were, above all, hilariously funny, filled with lots of social criticism and wit, and deeply emotional. All this holds true for “The Gods of Probabilities” too, although it contains less humour and is a different genre.There is a lot to enjoy and admire about this book. The way the author mixes science-fiction – including planets and multiverses and quantum leaps and space traveling – with ‘mermaids’ and some paranormal and magical elements is something I’ve never come across, and it works surprisingly well. When I say ‘mermaids’, I mean creatures living underwater and being somewhat ‘fishy’ but also human (gilled) and with legs to walk on. They’re aptly called Oceanics. What made the story even more entertaining to read were the gods, of whom she has picked a clever few and who would be great in a movie that could rival “Guardians of the Galaxy”. Sometimes I found myself reminded of Terry Pratchett’s books, and that’s a HUGE compliment.
Drogan and Navood are perfect picks for the main characters, and their parents as well as Scholar Korak are brilliantly matched to them and well fleshed out. Each character has a main purpose in the story and moves the plot forward, and I have grown to know and love them so much that I’d happily read a whole book with each of them. The octopuses are awesome, if I may say so, and I can’t wait to see how the confrontation with the humans will fit into the bigger picture.
Once again, O’Connor manages to tell a fast-paced story full of adventures and interesting facts and emotional depth that will stay in my mind for a long time. Her hints at environmental problems that are all too acute and severe, and her uncanny ability to make even the most outrageous seem real and perfectly plausible make this story shine. There is much to learn from this book, but you’ll be so engrossed that you won’t realize that until after you’ve finished it in one go. The scientific facts and hidden messages are always lurking, but never taking center stage, so this is a terrific read that is both entertaining and enlightening.
I can’t wait to meet Drogan again in Book 4, but until then I’ll happily read the different stories waiting for me in Books 2 and 3.
Rating: 5/5
Book Club Blog Tour - Mr. Imperfect Series by Aditi Chopra - Author Interview
Mr. Imperfect Series by Aditi Chopra
The Blurb
Three intriguing women, Three Imperfect men, Three fascinating stories!
House of Love
Real estate agent Nikki Desai has a rule of not dating her clients. When she hosts an open house on a cold Dallas afternoon, she didn't know what was in store for her. Much like Dallas' unexpected weather, Karan Malhotra, a business consultant, walks into her life and challenges every belief she holds close to her heart. Karan manages to cajole Nikki, but is she making a mistake in breaking her rule by dating Karan?
Arranged Marriage
Arranged marriage - where love happens after marriage or does it? Ishan, a NRI from Dallas, Texas visits his home country, India and gets entangled in his parents' plan to get him married. Sonali is a simple girl from a small town called Meerut and has no desire to leave India. However, she reluctantly agrees to marry Ishan. But when she settles with him in a foreign country, she is completely lost and homesick. Will Sonali find love in a conventionally arranged marriage?
Love Tango
Maya Sarin is sensuous and enterprising. She runs a dance school in the suburb of Dallas. Tahir Ali is an aspiring author who owns a Mediterranean restaurant in the area. When his regular dancer bails out on him, he rushes in Maya as a replacement. Maya is the inspiration that he had been longing for; she feeds his creative soul. Do they have any future together? Explore their passion and intrigue in Love Tango.
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Meet the Author
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Aditi Chopra was born in India and now lives in Texas with her family. She writes NRI (Non Resident Indian) fiction and non-fiction books.
Aditi has an engineering background but she has found her creative bone in fiction writing. Her stories range from Contemporary Romance to Women's Fiction. You might see a glimpse of Bollywood in her stories and will definitely enjoy the emotional ride.
Aditi focuses on leadership skills in her non-fiction books. Her readers get practical take-aways that they can utilize in their career.
Aditi is also a member of Women's Fiction Writers Association.
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Author Interview1. Which of the three books was the easiest to write, and which the most difficult? Why?
That’s a great question. Now that I think about it, ARRANGED MARRIAGE was more challenging to write than the other two stories. The subject was intriguing yet unknown to me since my marriage was not arranged. I had struggled a bit with the concept to be able to bring out the right emotion into the story. I would say LOVE TANGO was easier to write since the heroine of the story runs a dance school. I’ve always enjoyed dancing, so I could relate to her quite a bit.
2. What do you like most about writing romance novels?
You know, I read a ton of Mills & Boon novels in my teen years, but of course, at that time, I didn’t know why I enjoyed reading them so much. I think that the inherent positivity of a romance novel is what I like. The feel good factor and the happy ending, don’t we all love that?
3. Do you think there is anything that sets Indian romance novels apart from the international / Western ones?
Yes, definitely. There are a variety of things that set the Indian romance novels apart from western ones such as the culture, family traditions, colorfulness that occurs in everyday Indian life and how the hero and heroine think about romance. All of these things shape the characters and as we all know, characters are the lifeline of stories. It’s the characters that the readers relate to the most.
4. Why did you start writing?
I believe initially I started writing for the thrill of challenging myself. Being an engineer, I wanted to see if I could actually write fiction or not. I had to retrain my brain and it was an exhilarating experience. I like challenges and often get bored of the same old routine. Now I find creative satisfaction in writing.
5. The cover looks gorgeous! Do you make your own book covers?
Thanks, I’m glad that you liked the cover. As much as I would like to, I can’t design covers at all, I leave that for others to do. I do think covers are very important, especially for fiction books. That’s the first thing readers see and get attracted to.
June 23, 2015
Book Club Spotlight for The Dove's Lament by Kirthi Jayakumar
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..... IS A JOURNEY THAT TAKES YOU AROUND THE WORLD, BRINGING TO LIFE THE HUMAN SIDE OF CONFLICTS THAT TEAR PEOPLE APART.
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EXCERPT
The haunting images of people falling dead, as the flames of life were extinguished in a puff of smoke, danced before my eyes. I wanted to run.I wanted to shout. I wanted the pain coursing through my veins to end in a deafening blast. I wanted the dead back. The silence around was too loud for me. I couldn’t cope. Slowly, my dead-still surroundings started stirring and I became aware of the voices around me … some begging for mercy … some calling out to their loved ones … and what seemed perhaps, newly orphaned children crying piteously. I heard Death’s cape swish and flap in the sick winds that Murder blew. Images of corpses with a permanent scream locked into their faces were etched in my memory forever.
‘Habimana, Habimana, are you one of those faces?’ No!It cannot be.Pain shot up my left arm.I fell back in a stupor.Habimana … I know you are not dead … I will find you,wherever you are …Blood dripped somewhere.Blackness.
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About The Author [image error]
Kirthi Jayakumar is an writer, artist, activist and lawyer based out of Chennai, India. She is the founder of The Red Elephant Foundation and the A38 Foundation of International Law. Driven by the goals of peace and equality, Kirthi indulges in different mediums to express her dreams for the world around her. An optimist by ideology, an idealist by thought, a humanist by religion and an equal-ist by tionality, Kirthi is a global citizen. Her first book, Stories of Hope, earned her a nomination as one of among six Indian authors to watch out for, alongside the likes of Devdutt Pattanaik and Lavanya Sankaran.
Stalk her @
Website | Facebook
Hosted by
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EXCERPT
The haunting images of people falling dead, as the flames of life were extinguished in a puff of smoke, danced before my eyes. I wanted to run.I wanted to shout. I wanted the pain coursing through my veins to end in a deafening blast. I wanted the dead back. The silence around was too loud for me. I couldn’t cope. Slowly, my dead-still surroundings started stirring and I became aware of the voices around me … some begging for mercy … some calling out to their loved ones … and what seemed perhaps, newly orphaned children crying piteously. I heard Death’s cape swish and flap in the sick winds that Murder blew. Images of corpses with a permanent scream locked into their faces were etched in my memory forever.
‘Habimana, Habimana, are you one of those faces?’ No!It cannot be.Pain shot up my left arm.I fell back in a stupor.Habimana … I know you are not dead … I will find you,wherever you are …Blood dripped somewhere.Blackness.
Buy @Amazon.com | Amazon.in | Flipkart
Watch it
About The Author [image error]
Kirthi Jayakumar is an writer, artist, activist and lawyer based out of Chennai, India. She is the founder of The Red Elephant Foundation and the A38 Foundation of International Law. Driven by the goals of peace and equality, Kirthi indulges in different mediums to express her dreams for the world around her. An optimist by ideology, an idealist by thought, a humanist by religion and an equal-ist by tionality, Kirthi is a global citizen. Her first book, Stories of Hope, earned her a nomination as one of among six Indian authors to watch out for, alongside the likes of Devdutt Pattanaik and Lavanya Sankaran.
Stalk her @
Website | Facebook
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June 21, 2015
Birthday Bash: Book Blast Giveaway
It's party time! :-) I have a few reasons to celebrate: It's my birthday on June 29th, I've reached almost 1000 likes on my Facebook Author Page, and I've passed my first anniversary as a romance novelist.And because I can't invite all of you amazing people to Sri Lanka to celebrate with me, I'm having a sort of online party: Enter the awesome giveaway below to win almost 20 eBooks by authors from around the world (most of them romance novels).
Oh, and don't forget to post nice cake pictures on my wall once it's really my birthday! Just kidding, just kidding...
Birthday Bash: Book Blast Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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