Preethi Venugopala's Blog, page 4

AutHer Awards 2020 declares its top winners

It was an exhilarating evening at Taj Palace, New Delhi that saw a heart-warming celebration of women on Women’s Day. Times of India and JK Papers joined hands to celebrate women authors who have added value and creativity to the literary space. The AutHer Awards 2020 was attended by the who’s who of the town and the hall jam packed with authors, academicians, publishers, bureaucrats, politicians, artists and book lovers, cheering at the winners was a sight to behold.
And the awards went to……..

The awards were handed over in 4 categories and consisted of a trophy and cash prize worth Rs 1 lakh each. There was a Lifetime Achievement award and a Popular choice award too.In the category Fiction the award went to Madhuri Vijay for her book, The Far Filed (Harper Collins Publishers India)-(Literary Fiction) and Sutapa Basu for The Curse of Nader Shah (Readomania)- (Historical Fiction).The Best Author Non-Fiction award went to Saba Dewan for her book Tawaifnama (Westland).The Best Author Debut award was split between Rudrakshi Bhattacharjee for This is how it took Place (HarperCollins Publishers India) and Rehana Munir for Paper Moon (HarperCollins Publishers India).The award was given to Rudrakshi posthumously who passed away at the young age of 16. It was an emotional moment for the entire gathering when her parents Debasree Bhattacharjee and Ratnadip Bhattacharjee received the prize on her behalf and said how happy and incredulous she would have been to receive it.Bijal Vachharajani was given the Best Author Children’s award for her book A Cloud called Bhura (Speaking Tiger).The Popular Choice Award went to Sutapa Basu for garnering maximum number of votes online.Legendary author Nayantara Sahgal was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award that was received by her daughter who read out a soulful message by Nayantara, thanking TOI for giving her an award that she had never received earlier-a Lifetime Achievement Award for her contribution as a woman author.Times Group CEO Raj Jain who graced the occasion with his presence, emphasised on the need of focussing on the contribution of women and said, “Since times immoral women have always played an integral role in all aspects of life and indeed have been at the forefront of the creation and origin of existence. Sadly though, they have always been praised out of fringes and have never been a part of the mainstream social and historical narrative.”

 The journey of the awards
The books were chosen, post multiple layers of screening, out of a whopping 850 entries submitted by both publishers and individual authors for the coveted national award, the first of its kind in India. The jury considered books by women published in India between December 2018 and November 2019.
Eminent writer and politician Shashi Tharoor who was the Chief Guest of the event, said: " Of course, things have changed very much, but the fact fundamentally remains that too much of our history, too many of our stories have been written simply by men and if you look at the global picture, the vast, vast majority of published writings have not just been written by men but by white men. Therefore the literate public have looked at the world or have been shaped and conditioned by perspectives of these men."
The jury

The chairs for the AutHer Awards jury consisted of author Ashwin Sanghi (Fiction), actor and author Sonali Bendre (Non-Fiction), columnist and author Shobhaa De (Debut), and author Bulbul Sharma (Children’s books).
The other jury members were author Jaishree Misra (Fiction), author and former Deputy Secretary, Sahitya Akademi Gitanjali Chatterjee (Fiction), author Yasser Usman (Non-Fiction), author and journalist Manimugdha Sharma (Non-Fiction), author and comic writer Arjun Gaind (Debut), Co-founder of ScoopWhoop Rishi Pratim Mukherjee (Debut), actor, compere and Director of The Study School Shivani Wazir Pasrich (Children’s books), and author Ramendra Kumar(Children’s books).
Vinita Dawra Nangia, Literary Director, AutHer Awards beautifully summed up the need for having a special award for women authors, “Why should there be an award for women authors? This is to encourage them and recognise their talent because men still seem to have a disproportionate advantage in the field of publishing. It was 174 years ago that Bronte Sisters wrote under the pseudonym of a man because it was felt women writing fiction would not be acceptable in men and although a lot has changed after that, but women continue to use pseudonyms and initials and men dominate the bestselling lists. We need to change all that.”

The AutHer Awards was hosted by popular stand-up comedian Papa CJ who interspersed his conversation with humorous anecdotes and added a lively nuance to the gala evening.

~ Cover Reveal ~ Love, Marriage, and Other Disasters by Shilpa Suraj

About the Book:
She believes in love, family and…squiggles!
Alisha Rana is not your typical single desi girl. For one, she is on the wrong side of 30.  For another, she is divorced. And last but definitely not least, she is still, gasp, a virgin!
Alisha doesn’t want much. But what she does want is that elusive thing all women search for – A man who gets her…but a man who gets her hot! She calls it “feeling the squiggle.”
Enter Dr. Vivaan Kapoor, cute, hot, squiggle-worthy. The younger brother of her cousin's prospective groom, he’s got the squiggle factor in spades. The only catch? He's never been married and is years younger than Alisha. Basically, completely off-limits.
And then there is Arjun. Widowed, older than her by the right number of years and a genuinely nice guy. He's Vivaan’s cousin and a so-called perfect match for Alisha. The problem is, Alisha’s squiggle-o-meter refuses to budge for him.
What will Alisha choose? A lifetime together with the 'right' man or a chance at happiness with the 'wrong' one?
About Shilpa Suraj:
Shilpa Suraj wears many hats - corporate drone, homemaker, mother to a fabulous toddler and author.
An avid reader with an overactive imagination, Shilpa has weaved stories in her head since she was a child. Her previous stints at Google, in an ad agency and as an entrepreneur provide colour to her present day stories, both fiction and non-fiction.Shilpa on the Web:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

~ Cover Reveal ~ Murder in the Chowdhury Palace by Sharmishtha Shenoy

About the Book:
What if someone you loved... was murdered? How far would you go to bring a killer to justice?
Orphaned in her childhood, Durga has always longed for wealth, security and, above all, a sense of belonging. She finds it all when she marries Debnarayan Chowdhury, heir to an immense, multi-crore estate. But the Chowdhury family has been under a curse that dates back to the British era. The first-born of each generation dies young, purportedly killed by the spirit of Kadambari, a young woman murdered by the notorious Shankar Dakat, the founder of the Chowdhury family and their Zamindari. When her father-in-law Birendranath dies unexpectedly, Durga and Debnarayan come down to the ancestral home in Kakdihi, a small village near Kolkata. The moment Durga enters her new palatial home, she crosses a threshold of terror. She loses her husband within a month of her marriage and finds herself a widow in a house full of strangers. Are Debnarayan’s and Birendranath’s deaths accidental? Everyone in her new family and the neighborhood appear to be friendly. Most of them have a motive to kill her. A well-meaning neighbor tells her, ‘Run from this place. You have no friends here.’ Is she, the current owner of the estate, now on the murderer’s radar?

Read an Excerpt from Murder in the Chowdhury Palace
The trees were denser beyond the pond on the northern side, and the area was unkempt and full of thorny bushes and nettles.  Debu remarked, ‘Not many people venture into the northern part of the woods from this point because the haunted house is less than a mile from here. So this part of the estate is in a rather wild state.’‘Yes, I can see that nature has completely taken over this part. But still, let’s go there.’ I said excitedly.‘Some other day…,’ Debu murmured. His face was slightly pale.‘Debu! You really seem to believe in these ghosts and all that nonsense…,’ I said rather incredulously.‘No… no… of course not!’ Debu exclaimed.‘Then prove it! Let’s go and visit the house.’‘Look… it won’t be very safe. The walls are crumbling, and I am sure that bats have made their home there.’‘Please, Debu, let’s go, I have never seen a haunted house,’ I said, cajolingly. I gripped his hand and almost dragged him towards the house.We came upon the abandoned temple first. The plaster was coming off the walls, and the aerial roots of a huge banyan tree had encroached upon the temple and gone in through the walls causing rainwater to leak into the walls and damage them further. The house was located a further quarter kilometer away.There was a strange, sinister silence all around. Even the birds did not twitter in this part of the woods. The house with its closed shutters and peeling walls was a one-storey medium-sized building. It was dark and uninviting, steeped in shadow due to the jungle of trees that had flourished around it. Darkness echoed and folded upon itself. I walked resolutely to the main door, only to find it locked. ‘Where is the key to this door?’‘I don’t think anybody has it.’I was in a naughty mood. ‘Then let’s break it open. I really want to see what’s inside.’ In spite of Debu’s protests, I picked up a heavy rock and hit the rusty lock with it. The lock broke easily.We stepped inside a large hall. It was full of cobwebs and broken dilapidated furniture. Suddenly, a bat swept past my face. I let out a startled cry and drew back. I would have fallen to the ground had Debu not caught me.‘Let’s get out of here. You shouldn’t be so adventurous in your present condition. The baby might get hurt,’ he said in a quavering voice. ‘Oh come on... please Debu…let’s explore a bit more.’I went further in and switched on the torch of my mobile to see better. At the center of the hall, were the remains of a havan done a long time back. The bricks used for the havan were blackened, charred and crumbling with spiders spinning their webs over the layers of dust. There was a portrait of Shankar Dakat and another of a woman on a wooden platform near which the havan had been performed.‘This is, of course, Shankar Dakat’s portrait. And this must be Kadambari…,’ I said. ‘Who painted this?’ The painting of Kadambari mesmerized me. She was little more than a young girl in a green sari, worn without a blouse in the traditional fashion. Her big eyes were strangely life-like and sad and her long, thick, curly hair cascaded down her bare shoulders like a cloud.‘I don’t know who painted this, nor do I care. Let’s go, Durga. I feel really uncomfortable here.’ Debu said a little impatiently. I started coughing because of the dirt. ‘Durga, you know you are allergic to dust. Come away now. I don’t want our baby to get hurt.’ He clutched my hand in a death grip, and almost dragged me out of the house.The fear in his voice was contagious. Also, to be honest, the life-like painting had spooked me. We hurried back towards the pond. As we almost ran back and neared our home, there was a shout from the ground-floor east-wing balcony. It was Kanak. She shouted, ‘Who goes there?’


About Sharmishtha Shenoy: Sharmishtha Shenoy is the author of the Vikram Rana Mystery series. The books under the series are “Vikram Rana Investigates,” “A Season for Dying,” “Behind the Scenes” and “Fatal Fallout”. She has also published a book of short stories, “Quirky Tales.”Her short stories have been published in efiction magazine and Woman’s era. She loves writing murder mysteries, the kind of books that she likes to read. Her favorite authors are Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie. She also likes the work of Satyajit Ray – especially the Feluda Series. Before starting to write, she had been an IT professional and had worked in TCS, Satyam, Infosys, and Microsoft. She is a big foodie and enjoys Biriyani (both Hyderabadi and Awadhi versions) and rasgullas like most Bengalis. She is also a lusty singer of the bathroom singing variety.Though she is happily married to Mr. Shenoy in real life, in her fantasy world she is wedded to her creation Vikram Rana.  You can get to her blog by typing the word “Sharmishtha Rana” into Google. No, seriously, try it.She was born in Calcutta. She is an M Tech from the University of Reading, Great Britain and had received a 100% British Government Scholarship to study there. She lives in Hyderabad.
Sharmishtha on the Web:Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * YouTube 

AutHer Awards 2020 by Times of India: Shortlist announced

The AutHer Awards 2020 Shortlists for best women authors in Fiction, Non-Fiction, Debut and Children’s Literature were announced today by a panel of 12 eminent judges. The books have been chosen, post multiple layers of screening, out of a whopping 850 entries submitted by both publishers and individual authors for the coveted national award, the first of its kind in India.
The AutHer Awards – a joint venture between JK Paper and Times of India -- are a celebration of women authors who have added value and creativity to the literary space. The jury considered books by women published in India between December 2018 and November 2019.
The chairs for the AutHer Awards jury consisted of author Ashwin Sanghi (Fiction), actor and author Sonali Bendre (Non-Fiction), columnist and author Shobhaa De (Debut), and author Bulbul Sharma (Children’s books).
The other jury members were author Jaishree Misra (Fiction), author and former Deputy Secretary, Sahitya Akademi Gitanjali Chatterjee (Fiction), author Yasser Usman (Non-Fiction), author and journalist Manimugdha Sharma (Non-Fiction), author and comic writer Arjun Gaind (Debut), Co-founder of ScoopWhoop Rishi Pratim Mukherjee (Debut), actor, compere and Director of The Study School Shivani Wazir Pasrich (Children’s books), and author Ramendra Kumar(Children’s books).

The Longlists for the awards were announced yesterday. Seven books in Fiction category, nine books in non-fiction category, four in Debut category and seven in Children’s category made it to the Longlists. For the complete Longlist, click here.

The shortlisted books in the four different categories are:
(The lists are in alphabetical order)

Best Author Fiction1. 'The Far Field' by Madhuri Vijay
'The Far Field' by Madhuri Vijay gives us a potent critique on Indian politics and class prejudice and traces history and relationships through a fractured family and state.

2. 'In Search of Heer' by Manjul Bajaj
The book is a modern retelling of the 600-year old legendary love story of Heer and Ranjha.

3. 'The Curse of Nader Shah' by Sutapa Basu
'The Curse of Nader Shah', as the title suggests, is a fictional retelling of Nader Shah's journey. The book follows the rise and fall of one of the world's most notorious conquerors.

Best Author Non-Fiction
1. 'The Anatomy of Hate' by Revati Laul
Looking back at the gruesome Gujarat riots and a decade long research, Revati Laul's 'The Anatomy of Hate' is an important addition to the literature of violence and mob mentality.

2. 'Tawaifnama' by Saba Dewan
'Tawaifnama' by Saba Dewan traces the story of a family of courtesans, their history, culture and music- belonging to a bygone era. It is a walk through a forgotten landscape of Banaras.

3. 'Coming Out As Dalit' by Yashica Dutt
In this deeply personal memoir which is also a Dalit narrative, journalist-author Yashica Dutt opens up about her journey of accepting her identity of being a Dalit. She also writes about the history of Dalit movements, their fight for equal rights, the caste injustices in our society and a need for change.

Best Author Debut
1. 'Paper Moon' by Rehana Munir
Set in Bombay, 'Paper Moon' follows Fiza's journey of finding herself and falling in love. When her estranged father passes away, he leaves a sum in her name hoping that she'll open a bookshop-- this changes Fiza's life overnight. Meanwhile, Iqbal tries to woo her while she is still confused about her feelings for her ex-boyfriend Dhruv.

2. 'This Is How It Took Place' by Rudrakshi Bhattacharjee
It is a collection of interconnected stories that touch upon the issues of mental health and loneliness. Some tales sound familiar and others are open ended, moving and thought-provoking.

3. 'Looking For Miss Sargam' by Shubha Mudgal
Singer Shubha Mudgal's debut book 'Looking For Miss Sargam' is a collection of short stories, each centered around music and misadventures!

Best Author Children
1. 'A Cloud Called Bhura' by Bijal Vachharajani
'A Cloud Called Bhura' by Bijal Vachharajani is a funny and interesting tale about the changing global climate and the havoc it can cause to humanity.
2. 'Flyaway Boy' by Jane De Suza
Jane De Suza's 'Flyaway Boy' is a realistic representation of how children of the contemporary era are being pressurized to move along with societal demands.

3. 'Being Gandhi' by Paro Anand
'Being Gandhi' not only traverses through the Gandhian ways having relevance in the modern world but also raises some pertinent questions on our society.

For the Shortlist, click here.

The winners of the AutHer Awards 2020 will be announced in a grand ceremony on Women's Day, i.e. March 8, at Taj Palace, New Delhi. The winners in each category will be given a prize worth Rs 1 lakh. Apart from this, a Lifetime Achievement Award will also be given to a woman author for her lasting contribution in the field of literature and a Popular Choice award will be given to the author selected through public voting. To vote for your favourite author, click here.

The AutHer Awards 2020 Longlists for Best Women Authors by Times of India

The AutHer Awards 2020 Longlists for best women authors in Fiction, Non-Fiction, Children’s Literature and Debut were announced today by a panel of 12 eminent judges. The Times of India received a whopping 850 entries submitted by both publishers and individual authors for the coveted national award, the first of its kind in India.
The AutHer Awards – a joint venture between JK Paper and Times of India -- are a celebration of women authors who have added value and creativity to the literary space. The jury considered books by women published in India between December 2018 and November 2019.
The chairs for the AutHer Awards jury consisted of author Ashwin Sanghi (Fiction), actor and author Sonali Bendre (Non-Fiction), columnist and author Shobhaa De (Debut), and author Bulbul Sharma (Children’s books).



Talking about women's writing in literature, Shobhaa De says, "Women's voices in Indian literature today are exploding several myths and stereotypes. They are speaking a new language which is honest, irreverent and out there. There is enormous confidence and talent emerging through their work. It is our job to acknowledge and reward the best! It has been a fantastic process of reading all these wonderful women authors sharing their stories with so much verve! Good luck to the winner. And a big thank you to all participants."

While sharing her experience of the AutHer Awards, Bulbul Sharma says, “I really enjoyed reading these amazing new books for children by women authors. Each book painted a vivid picture of a new facet of our society and dealt bravely with different, somewhat difficult concerns. What a variety of prose and rich ideas; what a long way we have come. We must thank TOI for taking women writers on a most exciting journey ahead.”

The other jury members were author Jaishree Misra (Fiction), author and former Deputy Secretary, Sahitya Akademi Gitanjali Chatterjee (Fiction), author Yasser Usman (Non-Fiction), author and journalist Manimugdha Sharma (Non-Fiction), author and comic writer Arjun Gaind (Debut), Co-founder of ScoopWhoop Rishi Pratim Mukherjee (Debut), actor, compere and Director of The Study School Shivani Wazir Pasrich (Children’s books), and author Ramendra Kumar(Children’s books).

Sharing his experience of being a part of the AutHer Awards, Ashwin Sanghi says, “I am delighted to be part of the jury panel for The Times of India’s Women AutHer Awards 2020. It has been a painstaking process to read and review the final selection to arrive at the longlist. Jaishree Misra and Gitanjali Chatterjee (my fellow jury members) and I have burnt the midnight oil in attempting to ensure that we look at each book holistically. We too have gained by being part of this terrific initiative because we all ended up reading books that we may have otherwise missed. In fact, even determining the Longlist was difficult because there were several more that deserved mention.”

Actor and author Sonali Bendre, who also hosts her own book club for fellow readers, called it an "enriching experience". Sonali Bendre says, "Going through the AutHer selection was such an enriching experience. From the 21 non-fiction books that we read, these 9 were the ones that stood out and unanimously got voted in to be part of the AutHer Longlist! It's been a pleasure discussing these books with Yasser Usman and Manimugdha Sharma... it's been a smooth and thoroughly enjoyable journey."

The books under consideration went through multiple layers of screening before reaching the final jury. The Times editorial teams were helped in the initial screening by authors Kulpreet Yadav and Sujata Parashar, Write India winner and teacher Vasudha Gulati, and Dr Anjana Neira Dev, Associate Professor of English, Gargi college.

Vinita Dawra Nangia, Literary Director of the Awards , says, “It has been an eye-opener to see the range of books submitted for the Awards and the process through which our judges painstakingly selected the best. Our effort is to be all-inclusive and neither dismiss any genre, nor favour another. The Women AutHer Awards have been launched to recognize and encourage the contribution of women writers, and to acknowledge their unique space in the literary arena.”


The AutHer Awards Shortlist will be announced tomorrow.


The AutHer Awards winners will be announced at a grand ceremony on Sunday, March 8, at Taj Palace, New Delhi. A prize worth Rs 1 lakh each will be given to the top winners of all four categories and a Lifetime Achievement Award will be given to a woman author for her lasting contribution in the field of literature.


For the Longlist, please log on to : https://autherawards.in/

My Heart's Regret by Shilpa Suraj from Something Old, Something New - A DRA Production

Seven bestselling authors. Seven incredible second chance romances. One epic anthology. 
What would you do for another chance with the one you love? 
Something Old, Something New - a unique novella anthology - tries to answer this question with fantastic, different, desi dramas. 
Whether it is shapeshifters or shifting interracial relationships, single moms in small towns or rich alpha heroes, friends-to-lovers or passionate ex-husbands; this anthology has something for everyone.  Something Old, Something New explores the many different facets of love, forgiveness, fated mates and more in seven, distinctly Indian tales!
My Heart's Regret by Shilpa SurajAll they had was love...would it ever be enough?
Samaira Reddy, the girl in the big house, the Bade Sahib's daughter, only wants one thing and one person...a life with her childhood sweetheart, her Rags.Raghav Cherukuri has always been known as the driver's son. And has also always loved his Sam, the girl he can never have and never forget. And so, he leaves her and his life in Hyderabad behind.But now, Raghav is back. A Chief Officer in the Merchant Navy, he is the success he’s always wanted to be. And yet, he has failed. Samaira is meeting the ‘perfect groom’ her family approves of…A man whom Raghav can never be.Can it finally be their time to be together? Or has their happy-ever-after passed them by?
Read an Excerpt from My Heart's Regret
“So, where does that leave us?” she asked.“Nowhere, Sam,” he exhaled. “That’s exactly what I’ve been trying to tell you.”“Bullshit.” Anger, hurt, frustration, a whole gamut of furious emotion swept through her. She turned to him and balled her hands in his shirt, yanking him forward. “You have no business giving up on us, this way. You have to give us a chance.”“Sam,” His voice was gentle and so were his hands as they pried hers from his chest. He cupped the back of her head and pressed a kiss on her forehead. “We never had a chance. Our families would never accept this. I’m your driver’s son, for God’s sake.”“You’re the man I love.” With a low groan, she grabbed his face and kissed him. Raghav froze in her arms.She poured years of pent up emotion into the kiss and the bloody statue she loved so much still didn’t respond. Humiliated tears pricked her eyes as she wrenched herself out of his arms and stood. There was nothing left to do but accept defeat. Raghav may love her but he didn’t want her in his life. Sam forced herself to turn her back on him and walk away.She’d made it a bare two feet before she was grabbed from behind. He pulled her flush against him, her back to his chest and buried his face in her hair. It took her a moment to realize his tortured breathing and harsh gasps were not desire but tears. He was crying. Slow, silent tears that wet her hair and soaked through her shirt.Her heart breaking, Sam turned and wrapped him in her arms. They held each other, fierce and unyielding, the past and present swirling together to form a protective cocoon around them.“God help me,” His tortured whisper destroyed her. “But it kills me to let you go.”“Then don’t,” she whispered back. “Please, Raghav.” He kissed her then. His lips melting against hers with a mix of passion, fury and need. A dam burst inside her and Sam rose to meet his kiss with all the love and desire bursting through her. Her hands fisted in his hair, pulling him impossibly closer. Soft, mewling sounds escaped her.  He swallowed them as he tilted her head back to deepen the kiss. His hand crept up and clasped the soft mound of her breast, just as a distant sound shattered the moment and its poor illusion of privacy. They pulled apart, chests heaving, the sound of their harsh breaths mingling and spreading until it felt like that was all she could hear. In the distance, his mother appeared on the verandah outside their room. She waved to him frantically, screaming at the top of her voice.“Raghav, come fast.” Her panicked shout had him running even before she was done. Samaira closed her eyes in despair. This nightmare of an evening wasn’t over yet.

About the Author:
Shilpa Suraj wears many hats - corporate drone, homemaker, mother to a fabulous toddler and author.
An avid reader with an overactive imagination, Shilpa has weaved stories in her head since she was a child. Her previous stints at Google, in an ad agency and as an entrepreneur provide colour to her present-day stories, both fiction and non-fiction.

Giveaway:

First Prize - A Kindle
Second Prize - 6 Months Kindle Unlimited Subscription

the Rafflecopter giveaway

Never Stopped Loving You by Ruchi Singh from Something Old, Something New - A DRA Production

Seven bestselling authors. Seven incredible second chance romances. One epic anthology. 
What would you do for another chance with the one you love? 
Something Old, Something New - a unique novella anthology - tries to answer this question with fantastic, different, desi dramas. 
Whether it is shapeshifters or shifting interracial relationships, single moms in small towns or rich alpha heroes, friends-to-lovers or passionate ex-husbands; this anthology has something for everyone.  Something Old, Something New explores the many different facets of love, forgiveness, fated mates and more in seven, distinctly Indian tales!
Never Stopped Loving You by Ruchi SinghWill they be able to put aside their differences and come together to fight the unknown enemy?
Bad memories surface, as Radhika steps back into big bad city Mumbai. A budding fashion marketeer she doesn’t have any option but to deal with her inner demons and make a name for herself. 
A chance encounter puts Radhika in Arjun’s path once again. To his acute disappointment, he finds that she still had the power to affect him in the worst possible ways. 
As both fight their feelings for each other, a secret comes to light which blows their world apart. 
Read an Excerpt from Never Stopped Loving You
All of a sudden, he turned around and faced her. “Radhika, this is not the right place to talk. Something has come up. Please have dinner with me whenever you are free. We have to talk!”“About what?”“About us.”“There is no us.”He blanched as if she had slapped him. “Lance was the person with you that night at the resort.”She staggered back and caught hold of the chair-back.“He told me everything last Tuesday. Karishma misled… me. I don’t know what to say. Sorry seems so lame in the light of… in the light of how I reacted and treated you.”So that was the reason! Mighty Arjun Singh Tomar, the hotshot lawyer, had come to know the truth and now wanted to apologize. A sliver of anger ran through her. A mere dinner and an apology couldn’t erase the torment she had gone through. She wanted to rant and shout at him, to inflict the same wounds on him that he had given her. But she did nothing. What would that achieve? She had Yash. He was coming to pick her up in the evening and she didn’t want this to linger on.“Radhika, I… I don’t know where to begin—”“It’s not required. Apology accepted. You don’t need to do anything else. Please leave now.”He stared at her, looking uncertain again. “Radhika?”“It’s okay. I have moved on. You should marry Karishma. She loves you. You both will be perfect for each other.” His face contorted distastefully. “Like ACP Yash Kelkar is perfect for you?” he sneered. “Is he the reason you want to get rid of me? Is he coming today? Are you guys going out for dinner again?”To her panic, he came around the table.“Does he make your pulse go wild the way I do?” He caught hold of her hand and jerked her to him.“Arjun!” She struggled against his grip. His familiar perfume made her pulse go really wild. What was wrong with her? She was now equally angry with herself too and lashed out, “If nothing works, bring it down to sex. Is that what your modus operandi is now?”His grip relaxed but he didn’t let her go. “I have never been myself when I’m around you.” He trailed a finger from her cheek down to her throat.She jerked her head away. “Great! So, blame everything on either Karishma or on me.”To her surprise, he let her go. “Do you love him?”“Do you really expect an answer to that question?” She glared at him. He sighed. “No. But I’m done with Karishma. I never realized she would go to this length to separate us. Radhika, pl—” Thankfully his phone rang, taking his attention off her, else his affectionate demeanor had begun to unnerve her.She watched his back as he spoke over the phone about some case and she noticed his wrist that caused a memory to jiggle back into her head. He was wearing the watch she had gifted him on their honeymoon. She closed her eyes. Why was he doing this to her? Disrupting her life again with little gestures of affection. The way he had done in Panchgani—playing with the kids, going on treks with her, including her in the conversation with their grandmothers.He concluded his call and turned around. “Listen Rads, this needs my attention. I have to go. But I’m not giving up. I’ll call you later, so please, do answer the phone.”“I won’t.”He smiled, a bit sadly and a bit in amusement, saluted her and left.

About the Author: Author of the bestselling romantic thriller ‘The Bodyguard’, Ruchi Singh is an IT professional and novelist. Her other notable published novels are ‘Jugnu (Firefly)’ and ‘Guardian Angel’. Winner of TOI Write India Season 1, Ruchi also publishes short stories under ‘Hearts and Hots’ series, besides being a contributing author to many anthologies. For more visit her Website.
Giveaway:

First Prize - A Kindle
Second Prize - 6 Months Kindle Unlimited Subscription

the Rafflecopter giveaway

My Warmest Sorrow by Preethi Venugopala from Something Old, Something New - A DRA Production

Seven bestselling authors. Seven incredible second chance romances. One epic anthology. 
What would you do for another chance with the one you love? 
Something Old, Something New - a unique novella anthology - tries to answer this question with fantastic, different, desi dramas. 
Whether it is shapeshifters or shifting interracial relationships, single moms in small towns or rich alpha heroes, friends-to-lovers or passionate ex-husbands; this anthology has something for everyone.  Something Old, Something New explores the many different facets of love, forgiveness, fated mates and more in seven, distinctly Indian tales!
My Warmest Sorrow by Preethi VenugopalaWhat would you do when you come face to face with your past? 
When Ajay, now an IAS officer, is added into his college WhatsApp group, he is welcomed warmly by all his classmates. Except by Diana.Diana is still living with the repercussions of what had happened in the past. She is thrown into despair by Ajay's presence in the group. Diana and Ajay were inseparable while in college. Their relationship had transitioned from being best friends to love overnight. But then fate had intervened in the form of Diana's tyrant father who had separated them ruthlessly. Five years of silence has created a wall of sorrow between them. Their interactions in the class WhatsApp group are nothing like what they once used to be. Every moment is churning out more anguish and unpleasantness.How much have they changed?Is love still hiding underneath their public facades?What are the lies they are hiding?
Read an Excerpt from My Warmest Sorrow
Diana had been online for the last hour. I had checked her last seen almost every hour obsessively. But she had gone offline without even writing a welcome message in the group. I had, in fact, hoped that she might send me a personal message. I felt crushed. No reaction from her even after reading about Anjali. Married life had certainly changed her. 
  I don’t know if meeting Avinash at the Delhi airport had been a stroke of good luck or bad luck. We had talked for just five minutes, but we had exchanged numbers. The next thing I know, I was added to the class WhatsApp group. My first instinct had been to quit. For sure, I would not be able to spend time chatting with friends once I joined work. I would be inundated with work. But the enthusiastic welcome of my former classmates and the humongous yearning to hear from Diana had made me stay put. 
Even hours after I joined, Diana hadn’t come online. Why I had saved her profile picture, I have no idea. Perhaps, old habits die hard. I still treasured all the pictures of us together. Even after I had decided to let go of the past and chase a happy, unappealing future, I couldn’t get myself to part with her photos. They were safe and secure in my cupboard at home in an album hidden at the bottom of an old trunk. Whenever memories came to haunt, I would pull out the old trunk and immerse myself in those memories. I wished I could do the same now. But here, in Mussoorie, where my training was coming to an end, all I owned were books and clothes. 
I turned to WhatsApp again and reread the one paragraph Ashima had written about Diana. To my dismay, she hadn’t mentioned if she had any kids yet. The only info was that she was now settled in Bangalore and worked in an international structural design firm. Bangalore! Was God being ruthless by throwing me again into her path? My first appointment after training was to be in Bangalore as SDM. 
At the time when I put down my options, it had seemed like a neutral place. I had not given Kerala as my first option because I didn’t want to run into old acquaintances, especially, I didn’t want to be anywhere near Diana. It had taken me years to forget her betrayal. 
I had quit my job and travelled the world after working for a year, looking for solace in strange places and people. I hadn’t even called home or kept in touch with my family regularly. But they knew, especially my mother, that I needed that break. After a quick trip through Europe, I had finally settled in Bali for a while. It was during that time that I began dreaming of becoming an IAS officer. I had become friends with a Malayalee IFS officer, Rajneesh, who worked at the Indian embassy there. Like me, he had been a civil engineer and he had become my guide. My initial aim was to take IFS and settle away from India. India still held painful memories. But when the results of the Civil Services examinations came, I was among the top 100 in the country. When he questioned my reluctance about taking IAS, I had told him the reason.
“Don’t let the past become your burden. It has already happened, right? Let it go. Build a bright future instead by accepting what God has bestowed on you. IAS is a dream not many achieve,” he had said.
From then on, I had begun to consciously give attention to my present and future instead of a long-gone past that carried along with it nothing but pain. Even though the urge to dig for information about Diana or search for her presence on social media raised its neck quite often, I forced myself to not to surrender to the need. 

About the Author:
Preethi Venugopala stepped into the world of words during a sabbatical from her hectic civil engineering job after the birth of her son. She began as a blogger and wrote fiction to pass time. Her debut novel ‘Without You’ came out in 2015 and was received well. She was then mentored by eminent author Anita Nair at her writing platform ‘Anitas Attic’ in 2016. Since then, she has published 7 novels on Amazon and more than 15 short stories in various anthologies and platforms.
Giveaway:
First Prize - A Kindle
Second Prize - 6 Months Kindle Unlimited Subscription

the Rafflecopter giveaway

Blood Red Love by Neil D'Silva from Something Old, Something New - A DRA Production

Seven bestselling authors. Seven incredible second chance romances. One epic anthology. 
What would you do for another chance with the one you love? 
Something Old, Something New - a unique novella anthology - tries to answer this question with fantastic, different, desi dramas. 
Whether it is shapeshifters or shifting interracial relationships, single moms in small towns or rich alpha heroes, friends-to-lovers or passionate ex-husbands; this anthology has something for everyone.  Something Old, Something New explores the many different facets of love, forgiveness, fated mates and more in seven, distinctly Indian tales!
Blood Red Love by Neil D'SilvaWhen beauty becomes the beast...is love enough to save her?
Vimal, the most eligible bachelor in town, falls in love with the elusive Yamini, the most beautiful girl he has ever seen. 
It sounds like a match made in heaven, but wait—the darkest of secrets besmirches their love. Yamini is not all human, and the non-human part of her, which she transforms into once a week, is the most terrifying anyone has ever seen. 
Throwing all caution to the wind, Vimal plunges headlong in her love and vows to do whatever it takes to be with her, even if it means playing with his own life every single night.
For a while, everything goes according to plan. But strange are the ways of the supernatural! Yamini loses control her transformation, and to much greater horror, she has no control over her actions.
Will Vimal be able to find a cure for Yamini’s rare condition and make her his eternally? Will Yamini be able to find true love in Vimal? Or does destiny have something else in store for both of them, something that they could never have imagined in their wildest of fancies?
To know the answers, read Blood Red Love, the newest offering from Neil D’Silva.
Read an Excerpt from Blood Red Love
Vimal wanted this night to last, which was not different from any other night that they were together, and he used every method he had learnt with her to prolong the night. His greatest pleasure lay in giving the gift of himself to her and then withdrawing it just when she was about to savor it fully, and then give himself again. That pandered to his male ego—even the most decent of men cannot escape the male ego—for it placed control in his hands, and he would have it no other way. Yamini did not mind it either. She loved every bit of what he did to him—even the deprivation—because she knew one thing that all women know. And that is, men never have the power in their hands. Even when they think they have the power, they are fools because it is the woman who has given it to them. The house around them had gone to sleep. The city was silent too. The only thing that could be heard now was the soft swishing of the eiderdown quilt that was sometimes over them and sometimes under them, and the movements of the two bodies in their heightened moments. Vimal whispered, 'Are you tired?'Yamini just about managed a grunt.'Okay then,' he said, and dove in for one last time for that night. Holding her close, he grabbed her by the small of her back. That was the moment when he felt something at her back and withdrew in shock.'What is it? What’s wrong?' Yamini asked, afraid.He quickly picked her up and brought her to the full-length wardrobe mirror. He directed her back at the mirror and their eyes grew wide in shared horror.'How is that possible?' Vimal gasped.'I-I-I don’t know…' she stammered. 'Tonight is a safe night.'But apparently it was not. For, sprouting from her waist, just above the coccygeal vertebrae of her tailbone, was a tuft of black feathers.'You… you are turning!' he said, aghast.'I am!'She should have run into her room at once, but the shock was so heavy for both of them they couldn’t think! They kept staring at the tuft of feathers until they grew out prominently and took the shape of wings, and even as that happened, feathers sprouted from all over her skin; not the tiniest space was spared. But the most wondrous transformation was on her face. Vimal watched in horror as her ears retracted into her skull, her eyebrows grew heavy and covered with a fuzzy, fibrous growth… her upper lip retreated while her lower lip and nose grew till their tips touched each other and assumed the shape of a beak. Yamini grew in size too, and when she was so large that her head hit the ceiling, deadly talons erupted from her toes, popping out like from an automatic gun, and repeatedly clacked on the floor with a manic fury.It was that sound that broke Vimal’s reverie. 

About the Author:
Neil D’Silva primarily writes horror and is published with  Penguin Random House, Rupa Publications, and Hachette among others. His books and other stories are in the process of being adapted for screen on various platforms. He is the founder and festival-director of Mumbai’s interschool litfest, Litventure, and mentors aspiring writers. He has conducted workshops on writing at several places, notably at IIT Kanpur, and has also spoken on a TEDx stage on the art of writing a bestseller. He hails from Mumbai and pursues writing as his full-time vocation.
Giveaway:
First Prize - A Kindle
Second Prize - 6 Months Kindle Unlimited Subscription

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway

Paper Hearts and Promises by Devika Fernando from Something Old, Something New - A DRA Production

Seven bestselling authors. Seven incredible second chance romances. One epic anthology. 
What would you do for another chance with the one you love? 
Something Old, Something New - a unique novella anthology - tries to answer this question with fantastic, different, desi dramas. 
Whether it is shapeshifters or shifting interracial relationships, single moms in small towns or rich alpha heroes, friends-to-lovers or passionate ex-husbands; this anthology has something for everyone.  Something Old, Something New explores the many different facets of love, forgiveness, fated mates and more in seven, distinctly Indian tales!
Paper Hearts and Promises by Devika FernandoSeven years later, their paper hearts and promises still mean the world! Happy running her little crafts shop and making a lifelong dream come true, the last thing Taara needs is to be reminded of heartbreak. But when Luke, the handsome architect from Australia—and the first man she ever loved—is thrown back into her life, the past and the present collide. She should absolutely not listen to her feelings and jeopardize her stable future, no matter how tempting a second chance seems.
When Luke returns to India after seven years, the last thing he expects is to meet Taara again. He’s here on business, not to lose his heart to the one woman who’s haunted his dreams for entirely too long. Why then does he feel like fighting for what seemed irrevocably lost? Why can’t he resist temptation?
Read an Excerpt from Paper Hearts and Promises
Impulsively, he grasped her hands, which made her stop dead in her tracks. “I’ll treasure this forever,” he said with feeling, watching her breathing speed up. “The time with you, and the fact that you didn’t haul me from site to site but gave this some thought and chose various architectural highlights.”A blush crept over her face, and her lids lowered. When she lifted her gaze back to his, her eyes shone with a light he hadn’t seen for seven years. “I was hoping you’d appreciate it. And I…” She hesitated, bit her lip. “I’m enjoying the time with you too, Luke.”A car honked loudly not far away, and they jumped apart like teenagers caught necking under the staircase.“One more item,” Taara said, her tone all brusque and business-like. She pulled her dupatta tighter around herself, and Luke could’ve kicked his own butt for flustering her.The driver braved the hellish traffic again as the sun set in a fiery blaze over Chennai. He parked at the Express Avenue shopping mall, and Taara finally broke the silence. Looking suddenly shy and uncertain, she fidgeted with the hem of her embroidered kurta.“I have a suggestion. But please don’t feel pressured into saying yes.”Instantly curious, Luke sat up straighter. “I’m saying yes.”She blinked. “What? But…you don’t even know what I’m going to suggest.”He grinned. “I don’t care. This afternoon has been heaps of fun, and I’ve always trusted your judgment. So the answer is yes.”Taara tilted her head and stared at him, and he had the weird feeling she was peering right into his soul. Or maybe his heart? And if so, would she see how much she still meant to him?After a seemingly endless moment, she nodded once. Then a smile almost fierce in its brightness lit her features. “Yes it is then.”He felt his mouth stretch in an answering smile. “Awesome. Now what’s the suggestion?”

About the Author:
Having always loved to read and write, Devika Fernando made her dream come true in 2014 when she became a self-published novelist. The author with German and Sri Lankan roots has released more than 15 novels in the genres of contemporary romance, paranormal romance, and romantic suspense. Her trademark is writing sweet and sensual, deeply emotional stories with authentic characters. Many of her books feature multicultural couples in international settings.
Giveaway:

First Prize - A Kindle
Second Prize - 6 Months Kindle Unlimited Subscription

 Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway