Preethi Venugopala's Blog, page 5
February 23, 2020
No other Love by Aarti V Raman 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!
No Other Love by Aarti V RamanCan they live with the reality of each other, when no other love will do?
Once upon a time, Drs. Vikrant and Anika had their happy ending...until they ruined it with pride, ego, and ambition. When Vikrant Pandit, GP, left his wife to go back to Aronda, the small town he grew up in, he imagined it was forever.A year later... he's back. Worse, he needs Anika's help.Anika Banerjee, MD, was destroyed when Vikrant left. Taking her heart with him. But when he asks her for help, she is unable to deny the only man she's ever loved.Anika agrees to pretend they’re still married. But living together brings to light bittersweet revelations and red-hot desire.Can they live with the reality of each other when no other love will do?
Read an Excerpt from No Other Love
“So, tell us about running a hospital for the poor people, yaar?” Dr. Vinod Swamy asked with a snicker.Anika closed her eyes as she heard her husband’s reluctant laugh. It was low, throaty, entirely too masculine for her peace of mind. It was melting her bitterness and she couldn’t stand it.“Don’t be silly, Swamy,” Anika said, as she shouldered her way to the forefront of the gaggle of admirers. “Vik isn’t running a charitable hospital. It’s a small clinic in the middle of nowhere. And,” she aimed a nasty, vicious smile at poor Swamy. “I’ve seen the houses in Aronda. None of them are poor, man.”Swamy smiled uncertainly while an awkward silence reigned around the group.“Anika, I thought you were in NICU,” Dr. Anu said, finally. “I was just going to text you but you know how bad the network is on the fifth floor.” Anu had tried to mediate between her and Vikrant back when a mediation might have actually worked between them.“Yep, I know,” Anika said.She still didn’t look at Vikrant, even though she knew she had his attention. Say what you will but the man was predictable. If she was anywhere in the vicinity he was looking at her. Silent, with intense focus. Too bad that is all he did.Talking was not his strong suit.Anika couldn’t believe she’d found his silent, brooding neurosis hot once upon a time. What a silly, immature girl she’d been.The silence continued for a few more seconds before Dr. Tripathi cleared his throat as his phone beeped. “Hey, look at that. I have a patient to look at. So nice to have you back, Vikrant.” He slapped Vikrant on the shoulder. “We have to hang out outside of this hellhole before you leave again.”“Sure, Ashok. I’ll text you, okay?”That was the secret cue for everyone to disperse until it was just Anika and Vikrant at the huge booth. She remained standing and he was sitting.He looked the absolute same – same scruffy beard, piercing, unreadable eyes. Maybe he’d lost a little bit of weight around the cheeks but the rest of him looked the same. Tall and vital and strong.She hated him for it.Finally, Vikrant broke the silence. He leaned back against the booth, resting one long arm on the headrest. “That wasn’t necessary, you know.”“What wasn’t?” Anika kept her eyes trained on his face, even though she wanted to look at his shoulders. She used to sit there. Right next to him, safe in the circle of his arm. Chipku, he used to call her. Sticky. She’d been so stuck on him.It was horrifying but tears unexpectedly spurted in her eyes. She blinked rapidly, clenching her fists in an effort to stop them.“Attacking Swamy and Anu. They were just trying to defuse the situation.”“The situation being me, right?”
About the Author:
Aarti V Raman is a hybrid author of more than ten bestselling novels of romantic women’s fiction. She is the co-founder of Desi Readers Adda, India’s first Facebook community by bestselling multi-genre authors for readers to discuss books and reading in a safe, inclusive space. A former business journalist turned full-time writer, Aarti’s more notable works include Kingdom Come, the Geeks of Caltech series, More Than You Want, The Perfect Fake among others. Aarti is also a columnist, public speaker, and an amateur poet.
Giveaway:
First Prize - A Kindle
Second Prize - 6 Months Kindle Unlimited Subscription
Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway
February 22, 2020
Coming Home by Andaleeb Wajid 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!
Coming Home by Andaleeb WajidWhen fate brings you back to face the one you loved and lost, what will you do?
When Meesha breaks Jahangir's heart and marries the man her Abbu has chosen for her, an angry Jahangir leaves the small Coorg town of Dhakara, vowing never to return. But when an ailing aunt brings him back to the town, nearly a decade later, Jahangir finds that Meesha is now a divorced, single mother and his heart still yearns for her. Will Jahangir put behind his anger and forgive Meesha and give the two of them another chance or is it too late for him to come back home, to the one place and the one woman his heart has never stopped loving?
Read an Excerpt from Coming Home
Meesha Khan rubbed her lower back as she got up from the floor of her family café Sweet Nothings and then proceeded to rub her butt as well. She was glad no one was around to see her fall as it was too early in the day, thankfully.She’d walked inside the café this morning, depositing her usual paraphernalia on the counter - keys, handbag, her carry-on bag in which she carried a spare change of clothes, clean aprons and other odds and ends. Her assistant Ramya was the one who had locked up the café last night. She had spilled something on the floor - being the clumsy doofus that she was - and hadn’t bothered to wipe it up. Obviously, Meesha had put one foot on the floor and wham, she’d slipped and fallen down. Her butt throbbed the slightest bit and she knew she’d have to put some balm on it tonight. But there was no time to think about nearly broken butts. Not when there were bills to pay and money to be made and customers to be appeased. She peered at the list on the industrial sized fridge in the kitchen, wondering if she needed to get glasses already. Pushing her curls behind her ear impatiently, she noted down the first few items on her to-do list. This would take all day, she thought with a sigh when her phone pinged with a message. She looked at the screen reluctantly. It was a reminder from the bank that her credit card bill was due in the next ten days. Anger burst through her veins as she tapped out a number and hit dial. The phone rang but no one answered. Typical, she thought, her chest rising in anger. She already had a lot to deal with. She redialled and the same thing happened. She kept it up until her ex-husband Arbaaz answered the phone lazily. ‘Even on the phone you’re such a nag,’ he said by way of greeting. ‘Listen, you asshole,’ she said, her voice low and furious. ‘You were supposed to pay the credit card bill by now.’‘I couldn’t do it this month. Why don’t you pay it off this time and I’ll take care of the next?’ he asked. ‘That’s what you said the last time,’ Meesha reminded him, her voice almost down to a growl.‘Quit bitching. I said I’ll do it next time,’ he said and he ended the call. She sat at the kitchen table, trying to calm herself down. When Arbaaz had suggested taking out a loan on her credit card last year, to help him in his business, he had promised her that he would repay the EMIs every single month. She’d agreed reluctantly because she knew his financial history was not as solid as hers. But since then, he’d cheated on her with one of his college mates, divorced her, married the other woman, and moved to Bangalore, while she still languished in Dhakara, struggling to pay the bills, figuring out how to keep the business afloat. The asshole hadn’t turned to even look at poor Hammad, their seven year old son who had been heartbroken when his father had left them and gone. Exhausted and feeling like she could no longer take the pressure, she put her head down on the table and cried. Why, Abbu? Why did you have to do this? She cried for the young girl she had been, the dreams she had, the hopes she’d cherished. Everything gone because Abbu had made a life-altering decision for her. How would her life had been if she hadn’t married Arbaaz? If she had…if she had…she couldn’t bring herself to even think of his name. Jahangir. Jahangir Alam, her mind supplied her unnecessarily. As if she’d ever forget.
About the Author:
Andaleeb Wajid is a hybrid author, having published 24 novels of which the last six have been self-published on Amazon. Andaleeb enjoys writing in a number of different genres such as Young Adult, Romance, and Horror. Andaleeb’s horror novel House of Screams has been optioned for the screen and she has an upcoming romance novel with Penguin Random House in 2020. Her YA novel When She Went Away was shortlisted for The Hindu Young World Goodbooks Award in 2017.
Giveaway:
First Prize - A Kindle
Second Prize - 6 Months Kindle Unlimited Subscription
a Rafflecopter giveaway
February 17, 2020
Book Spotlight on Second Chance at Love by Sudesna Ghosh
Link to book
Blurb: Aparna and Sid were high school sweethearts. Something tore them apart seventeen years ago. Neither of them expected to get a second chance at true love. And in the city where it all began. But someone doesn't want them to have their happily ever after. Sid has to choose between the role of a blindly devoted son and that of an independent young man who is ready to renew life with his first love.
Can Aparna and Sid pick up from where they'd left off or will they have to forget each other again?
Excerpt:
“Are you sure you want to put your heart out there for Sid again?” My mother was concerned and rightfully so. She hadn’t been there in London to nurse my shredded to pieces heart back then, but we’d racked up enough phone bills for the cause.
My father just gave me one piece of advice, “Be careful, child.”
In my teens, I would do anything in a heartbeat if Sid suggested it. From trying foreign foods to watching movies that I wouldn’t have gone to otherwise. I don’t know if I was selfless or childish or dumb, but this long gap between Us and Us helped me develop self-protective tendencies. I cared about Sid. I yearned to be in his arms. But I also knew that my wellbeing was in my hands. In other words, I was not going to let his mother play around with my emotions again.“Mom, don’t worry about me. I am a full-grown adult. Let’s see what happens.”“But you’re so invested in this, Apa.”I couldn’t deny that. My feelings were very transparent to any observer. Any mention of Sid and I’d break into a smile, run my fingers through my hair, blush. Shruti said the same thing when we spoke later that day. Our long friendship meant that I couldn’t hide anything from her. Body language was a dead giveaway.Sitting at my desk with my tablet, I finished a project and sent it off to London. The satisfying swish when it was sent made me sit back in contemplation. I was proud of myself. It took me over 30 years to get here but I finally knew what self-love was. And just as a therapist had told me once, “Aparna, nobody in this world can make you love yourself. It has to come from you. That’s the most important kind of love too.”So yes, I was back in love with my first love. His mother still hated me. BUT I was not going to fall apart if things didn’t work out. Even a few weeks ago, I had talked to my friends in London about how stressful relationships were. We singletons like Bridget Jones could spend days with our hair unwashed and legs unshaved. On a serious note, a flashy five-day Indian wedding says nothing about how much effort a marriage takes.
About the Author:
Sudesna (Sue) Ghosh is an Indian-American author based in Kolkata, India. She is a graduate of the University of Rochester (USA) and an ex-journalist. When Sue isn’t reading or writing, she is busy doing her best to keep her rescue cats happy.You can find her on Twitter @sudesna_ghosh and on Instagram @sudesna_meow.
February 12, 2020
On Writing: In Conversation with Natalie Reddy
Today we are in conversation with Natalie J Reddy, a Canadian Author who spends her days trying to escape reality by making up stories about the characters in her head.
There is nothing she loves more than to be pulled into a fictional world whether it is in her own writing or the writing of others. Her debut novel is the first in a New Adult Urban Fantasy series with characters who have supernatural abilities and dark and
sometimes unknown pasts to overcome.
When she is not writing, Natalie can be found having all sorts of real-life adventures with
her husband and daughter or curled up with a good book and a cup of tea.
Natalie's Website Natalie's Instagram Natalie's Facebook Page Natalie's Goodreads Amazon.com Amazon India
Was becoming an author always your dream or was it a particular event or
incident that gave birth to the author in you?
Books and writing were both things I loved at an early age. I loved writing stories and
reading them to my brothers and I always did really well in Creative Writing classes at
school. But being an author wasn’t something I started pursuing until I got married in
2014. After our wedding, I left my job working in childcare and moved to the city my
husband lived in and for the first time since I was sixteen I didn’t have a full-time job. It
was at that time that I found the book “No Plot? No Problem!” By Chris Baty and learned
about National Novel Writing Month which takes place worldwide every November. It
was only July at the time but I didn’t want to wait until November to try writing a novel so
I gave it a shot. I ended up writing a 50,000-word novel that month, and that’s when I
really started to consider becoming an author.
How important are the names of the characters in your books to you? Do you
spend agonizing hours deciding on their names?
Oh, great question! It depends on the character to be honest. I do give thought to every
name I give a character but some come easier than others. With Darshan’s name for
example, I spend hours on a baby name website trying to find the perfect name for his
character. But there was another name that I found on a children’s television show and
one other was the name of a waitress I met at a restaurant. I kind of find names
everywhere. When I hear one that I find interesting I’ll write it down for possible future
use.
What is your writing process like? Do you write every day? Is there a favourite
place to write?
My writing process keeps evolving and I’m still working out what works best for me.
Right now I am a stay at home mom to my four-year-old daughter and that means my
writing has to work around her. I do have an office and it is definitely my favourite place to
write but I’m often interrupted which means that I don’t always get to write there.
I do a lot of my writing on my phone which helps me get more done on days when I’m not able
to sit down at my computer. I’m not a writer who writes for hours at a time. I’m a sprinter
who will try to get as much writing as I can do in fifteen or twenty-minute (or
sometimes five-minute) increments. I try to write at least a few hundred words every day
to keep up a daily habit but there are some days where I don’t write at all.
While writing Forgotten Scars I was able to learn more about my needs as an author. At
least half of Forgotten Scars was written without much planning. The second half I had
to plan before I could finish because I got really stuck. I am currently working on the
sequel and this time around I have done more plotting and outlining which has been
really helpful. I think I’m definitely a hybrid between a plotter and pantser. I love being in
the moment with my characters and seeing where they lead but I need a general guide
so that I stay on track and true to the story.
One thing that has always remained the same regardless of where or when I’m writing is
tea. There is always a mug of tea close by whether I’m writing in my office or on the
couch with my daughter. Tea keeps me going :).
What is different about ‘Forgotten Scars’?
Hmmm, another good question. One thing that is different from some other books is that
my main character Wren is far from perfect. Right off, we see that she is a bit broken. On
top of her emotional wounds, she has her own physical imperfections that set her apart
from others.
The Psi are also something that is different. Many books have different supernatural
creatures in their world (witches, vampires, werewolves) but in my world, the Psi don’t
make up a fraction of the supernatural world, they are the supernatural world. They may
have different powers or appear to be different supernatural creatures but at the end of
the day they are all the same thing. Psi.
Another cool thing about my book is that the setting is in Canada! I’m a Canadian author
and I really wanted to represent my country and use it for the setting for this first book. I
can count on one hand the amount of books I’ve read that are set in my country and I
wanted to change that.
Who is your favourite character in the book and why?
Oh, this is a hard one! If I had to pick one, I would probably say Misha. Misha has
evolved in a lot of ways. He was meant to be a side character and have a much smaller
part in book one but I loved writing him so much that he ended up with a bigger role. He
is also the strong, silent, brooding type and who doesn’t love one of those?
Which do you prefer as a reader? EBook or Paperback?
I love a physical book, I love the feel of it, the smell of it and how it looks on my
bookshelf. But if I had to pick I would have to say Ebook. I read and buy more ebooks
than physical books. It’s easier for me to pull out my phone to read a book than it is to
carry around a paperback everywhere. But I possibly love Audiobooks even more. As a
mom I am constantly multitasking and audiobooks mean I can do my dishes or fold my
laundry and listen to a book at the same time. Perfect!
How long did it take to finish writing ‘Forgotten Scars’?
It took me about a year and a half from writing the first sentence to publication.
How important do you think is marketing in today’s world for any book?
I would say that marketing is pretty important for an author. With the popularity of self-publishing, there are more authors than ever putting their work out there. It’s easy to get
lost in a sea of books if you have no marketing strategy. That being said I think that
writing the best book you are capable of is even more important first and foremost. The
best marketing strategy in the world isn’t going to help you if your book isn’t well written
and properly edited.
Please share a passage or quote from ‘Forgotten Scars’ for our readers.
His back was turned to me for a long moment, and my eyes darted to the stupid candelabra I’d
left on the desk. What was the likeliness I could get to it and smash his brain in before he could stop me?
“Not good,” he said.
“What?”
“Your chances of being quick enough to smash my brain in aren’t good.”
“What?” I shook my head. Had he just replied to my thoughts? I was sure I hadn’t voiced my
murderous thoughts out loud. Or had I? Nothing else made sense. I was losing it. I was totally losing it!
Darshan turned his gaze on me. You’re not losing it—yet. He raised a brow with the word ‘yet.’
I stood there, frozen, and he took advantage and moved toward me. His mouth lifted in a smirk,
and he cocked his head in a casual yet predatory way.
I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat.
“I—” I shook my head, trying to find the right words. His lips hadn’t moved, but I had heard him.
His lips hadn’t moved. Was there a word for that?
Telepathy. Darshan shrugged, his voice filling my mind. That would be the word for it.
I clenched my hands, trying to calm the shaking that had started.
Impossible.
The word I would have used would have been, impossible.
I sucked in a breath. “I—I’m confused.” I cursed the quiver in my voice. My heart had started
pounding, and my palms were sweating.
Darshan closed the gap between us, a dark expression on his face as he gripped my arms. I tried
to pull away, but his grip was iron.
“What are you?” I asked. “I don’t understand.”
“Of course, you don’t. But you need to.” His golden eyes narrowed, and I lowered my gaze. He
dipped his head, forcing our eyes to meet. “I need answers, Wren, and I’ll use every means at my disposal
to get them.”
“I can’t give you what you need,” I said, and his grip tightened. I winced as his fingers bit into
my arms.
He shook me as his voice roared in my head. You can! You’re just choosing not to.
A whimper escaped my throat, shame joining the fear coiling in my gut. At that moment, I was
glad I didn’t know how to find Wendy, because I would have given them almost anything to be allowed
to leave.
“I can’t. I swear! I don’t know anything—not anything useful anyway. I can’t help you.”
You know more than you think you do, he insisted.
But I didn’t. Why wouldn’t he believe me? Why wouldn’t he just let me leave?
Darshan cocked his head as he looked at me. Are you afraid? His grip loosened just a bit.
“Yes,” I whispered. There was no point in lying; it was obvious.
Good. You should be. He dropped my arms, and I resisted the urge to rub where I was sure there
were now hand-shaped bruises. “But not of me. You should be afraid of the woman you’re protecting.”
What are the three tips you have for readers of this interview who are aspiring
writers?
1) Write, write, write! You can’t publish what isn’t written. And even if you think what
you’re writing is terrible, keep going! That’s what editing is for ;).
2) Write what excites you. If you’re bored while you’re writing it, your readers are going
to be bored while they read it.
3) Don’t compare yourself to others. No one is on the same journey. Don’t cheapen your
experience by expecting it to look like someone else.
Thank you, Natalie. It was great speaking to you. Wishing you the very best in all your future endeavours.
About the Book:
Memories can be painful, but not remembering at all can be almost maddening!
Wren Peterson-Cruz isn’t without scars. In her nineteen years, she’s been through more trauma than most, but the memories of her greatest trauma are buried deep within her mind.
Wren had long given up hope of finding out the truth about her childhood until she’s pulled into a world she never knew existed. In this world, she meets people who are far from human. They call themselves Psi. They have powers and abilities that shouldn’t be real and seem to be looking to Wren for answers that she doesn’t have. Or does she?
The Psi, who have more secrets than answers, offers her a unique opportunity. An opportunity that could lead to the answers Wren’s wanted her whole life. But can Wren trust them to protect her and help her discover her true self? Or is she being pulled into a world that is more dangerous and deceptive than she realizes?
PURCHASE LINK
There is nothing she loves more than to be pulled into a fictional world whether it is in her own writing or the writing of others. Her debut novel is the first in a New Adult Urban Fantasy series with characters who have supernatural abilities and dark and
sometimes unknown pasts to overcome.
When she is not writing, Natalie can be found having all sorts of real-life adventures with
her husband and daughter or curled up with a good book and a cup of tea.
Natalie's Website Natalie's Instagram Natalie's Facebook Page Natalie's Goodreads Amazon.com Amazon India
Was becoming an author always your dream or was it a particular event or
incident that gave birth to the author in you?
Books and writing were both things I loved at an early age. I loved writing stories and
reading them to my brothers and I always did really well in Creative Writing classes at
school. But being an author wasn’t something I started pursuing until I got married in
2014. After our wedding, I left my job working in childcare and moved to the city my
husband lived in and for the first time since I was sixteen I didn’t have a full-time job. It
was at that time that I found the book “No Plot? No Problem!” By Chris Baty and learned
about National Novel Writing Month which takes place worldwide every November. It
was only July at the time but I didn’t want to wait until November to try writing a novel so
I gave it a shot. I ended up writing a 50,000-word novel that month, and that’s when I
really started to consider becoming an author.
How important are the names of the characters in your books to you? Do you
spend agonizing hours deciding on their names?
Oh, great question! It depends on the character to be honest. I do give thought to every
name I give a character but some come easier than others. With Darshan’s name for
example, I spend hours on a baby name website trying to find the perfect name for his
character. But there was another name that I found on a children’s television show and
one other was the name of a waitress I met at a restaurant. I kind of find names
everywhere. When I hear one that I find interesting I’ll write it down for possible future
use.
What is your writing process like? Do you write every day? Is there a favourite
place to write?
My writing process keeps evolving and I’m still working out what works best for me.
Right now I am a stay at home mom to my four-year-old daughter and that means my
writing has to work around her. I do have an office and it is definitely my favourite place to
write but I’m often interrupted which means that I don’t always get to write there.
I do a lot of my writing on my phone which helps me get more done on days when I’m not able
to sit down at my computer. I’m not a writer who writes for hours at a time. I’m a sprinter
who will try to get as much writing as I can do in fifteen or twenty-minute (or
sometimes five-minute) increments. I try to write at least a few hundred words every day
to keep up a daily habit but there are some days where I don’t write at all.
While writing Forgotten Scars I was able to learn more about my needs as an author. At
least half of Forgotten Scars was written without much planning. The second half I had
to plan before I could finish because I got really stuck. I am currently working on the
sequel and this time around I have done more plotting and outlining which has been
really helpful. I think I’m definitely a hybrid between a plotter and pantser. I love being in
the moment with my characters and seeing where they lead but I need a general guide
so that I stay on track and true to the story.
One thing that has always remained the same regardless of where or when I’m writing is
tea. There is always a mug of tea close by whether I’m writing in my office or on the
couch with my daughter. Tea keeps me going :).
What is different about ‘Forgotten Scars’?
Hmmm, another good question. One thing that is different from some other books is that
my main character Wren is far from perfect. Right off, we see that she is a bit broken. On
top of her emotional wounds, she has her own physical imperfections that set her apart
from others.
The Psi are also something that is different. Many books have different supernatural
creatures in their world (witches, vampires, werewolves) but in my world, the Psi don’t
make up a fraction of the supernatural world, they are the supernatural world. They may
have different powers or appear to be different supernatural creatures but at the end of
the day they are all the same thing. Psi.
Another cool thing about my book is that the setting is in Canada! I’m a Canadian author
and I really wanted to represent my country and use it for the setting for this first book. I
can count on one hand the amount of books I’ve read that are set in my country and I
wanted to change that.
Who is your favourite character in the book and why?
Oh, this is a hard one! If I had to pick one, I would probably say Misha. Misha has
evolved in a lot of ways. He was meant to be a side character and have a much smaller
part in book one but I loved writing him so much that he ended up with a bigger role. He
is also the strong, silent, brooding type and who doesn’t love one of those?
Which do you prefer as a reader? EBook or Paperback?
I love a physical book, I love the feel of it, the smell of it and how it looks on my
bookshelf. But if I had to pick I would have to say Ebook. I read and buy more ebooks
than physical books. It’s easier for me to pull out my phone to read a book than it is to
carry around a paperback everywhere. But I possibly love Audiobooks even more. As a
mom I am constantly multitasking and audiobooks mean I can do my dishes or fold my
laundry and listen to a book at the same time. Perfect!
How long did it take to finish writing ‘Forgotten Scars’?
It took me about a year and a half from writing the first sentence to publication.
How important do you think is marketing in today’s world for any book?
I would say that marketing is pretty important for an author. With the popularity of self-publishing, there are more authors than ever putting their work out there. It’s easy to get
lost in a sea of books if you have no marketing strategy. That being said I think that
writing the best book you are capable of is even more important first and foremost. The
best marketing strategy in the world isn’t going to help you if your book isn’t well written
and properly edited.
Please share a passage or quote from ‘Forgotten Scars’ for our readers.
His back was turned to me for a long moment, and my eyes darted to the stupid candelabra I’d
left on the desk. What was the likeliness I could get to it and smash his brain in before he could stop me?
“Not good,” he said.
“What?”
“Your chances of being quick enough to smash my brain in aren’t good.”
“What?” I shook my head. Had he just replied to my thoughts? I was sure I hadn’t voiced my
murderous thoughts out loud. Or had I? Nothing else made sense. I was losing it. I was totally losing it!
Darshan turned his gaze on me. You’re not losing it—yet. He raised a brow with the word ‘yet.’
I stood there, frozen, and he took advantage and moved toward me. His mouth lifted in a smirk,
and he cocked his head in a casual yet predatory way.
I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat.
“I—” I shook my head, trying to find the right words. His lips hadn’t moved, but I had heard him.
His lips hadn’t moved. Was there a word for that?
Telepathy. Darshan shrugged, his voice filling my mind. That would be the word for it.
I clenched my hands, trying to calm the shaking that had started.
Impossible.
The word I would have used would have been, impossible.
I sucked in a breath. “I—I’m confused.” I cursed the quiver in my voice. My heart had started
pounding, and my palms were sweating.
Darshan closed the gap between us, a dark expression on his face as he gripped my arms. I tried
to pull away, but his grip was iron.
“What are you?” I asked. “I don’t understand.”
“Of course, you don’t. But you need to.” His golden eyes narrowed, and I lowered my gaze. He
dipped his head, forcing our eyes to meet. “I need answers, Wren, and I’ll use every means at my disposal
to get them.”
“I can’t give you what you need,” I said, and his grip tightened. I winced as his fingers bit into
my arms.
He shook me as his voice roared in my head. You can! You’re just choosing not to.
A whimper escaped my throat, shame joining the fear coiling in my gut. At that moment, I was
glad I didn’t know how to find Wendy, because I would have given them almost anything to be allowed
to leave.
“I can’t. I swear! I don’t know anything—not anything useful anyway. I can’t help you.”
You know more than you think you do, he insisted.
But I didn’t. Why wouldn’t he believe me? Why wouldn’t he just let me leave?
Darshan cocked his head as he looked at me. Are you afraid? His grip loosened just a bit.
“Yes,” I whispered. There was no point in lying; it was obvious.
Good. You should be. He dropped my arms, and I resisted the urge to rub where I was sure there
were now hand-shaped bruises. “But not of me. You should be afraid of the woman you’re protecting.”
What are the three tips you have for readers of this interview who are aspiring
writers?
1) Write, write, write! You can’t publish what isn’t written. And even if you think what
you’re writing is terrible, keep going! That’s what editing is for ;).
2) Write what excites you. If you’re bored while you’re writing it, your readers are going
to be bored while they read it.
3) Don’t compare yourself to others. No one is on the same journey. Don’t cheapen your
experience by expecting it to look like someone else.
Thank you, Natalie. It was great speaking to you. Wishing you the very best in all your future endeavours.
About the Book:
Memories can be painful, but not remembering at all can be almost maddening!
Wren Peterson-Cruz isn’t without scars. In her nineteen years, she’s been through more trauma than most, but the memories of her greatest trauma are buried deep within her mind.
Wren had long given up hope of finding out the truth about her childhood until she’s pulled into a world she never knew existed. In this world, she meets people who are far from human. They call themselves Psi. They have powers and abilities that shouldn’t be real and seem to be looking to Wren for answers that she doesn’t have. Or does she?
The Psi, who have more secrets than answers, offers her a unique opportunity. An opportunity that could lead to the answers Wren’s wanted her whole life. But can Wren trust them to protect her and help her discover her true self? Or is she being pulled into a world that is more dangerous and deceptive than she realizes?
PURCHASE LINK
February 9, 2020
Book Spotlight: The Chosen Seven by Gill anderson
BUY BOOK FROM AMAZON: LINK
BLURB
FARZAD ABED is an unhinged Iranian immigrant living in Australia. His sociopathic tendencies coupled with his political views make him a very dangerous man indeed. Farzad wants the world to sit up and take notice of him and randomly selects six bystanders to hold hostage at a city restaurant.
JACOB BROWN is a fitness fanatic who finds himself at the centre of a bizarre situation when he arrives at his favourite restaurant to pick up a takeaway for dinner.
JAGRITI GOSHAL is a young unassuming Indian waitress working at Alessandro’s Cucina.
REGINA TERRY is a fearless Afro-American woman in Australia on a business visa who unexpectedly finds herself embroiled in a crazy siege with a madman.
LEVI HAINES and BILL WALKER are colleagues having a business dinner at the restaurant. Bill is Levi’s sleazy boss with unethical intentions and Levi is dining with him against her will.
PAUL TOWNSEND is a local electrician who happens to drop off a quote at Alessandro’s Cucina at the same time Farzad descends on the restaurant to begin taking hostages.
Follow the roller-coaster ride of emotions as these strangers find themselves embroiled in a terrifying siege orchestrated by a madman. The authorities scramble to put together a definitive plan of action to contain the situation quickly. But not everyone will come out alive ...
EXCERPT
Prologue
Saturday 6 April 2019, 7.00pm Eat Street, Seminyak,Bali
Farzad Abed was agitated. He had some idea about what had to be done; however, the exact circumstances and the people that would be involved were yet to be determined. He felt hot and bothered as sweat poured relentlessly down his 6-foot 3 heavy set frame. Despite the sunset just over an hour before, it was impossible for him to cool down due to the intense humidity in Bali. Farzad was constantly scanning his surroundings as he walked by the overwhelming array of enticing menus outside each eatery on the popular Eat Street near Seminyak square. The heat was getting to him and the anger that constantly simmered at the surface of his mind was becoming dangerously close to making him explode.
Farzad would make his mark on the world, he was confident about that. Being indecisive and flighty was his downfall though, and he needed to be mindful of this so that his lack of patience and impulsive nature did not make him rush things and foil his plan. He would know when the right place and time were presented to him. He had an important message to convey to the world and the right people would need to be chosen to help him ensure it was spread across the globe. There would be a sign from the universe and he would feel it in his bones, in his very fibres in fact.
He suddenly darted into a large restaurant with an expansive outdoor eating area. Several holidaymakers sat sipping cocktails, enjoying a casual al fresco dinner whilst spending their hard-earned wages on their annual holiday indulgences. Despite the relaxed vibe of the eatery with its colourful umbrella’s and benches scattered with large inviting cushions, the relentless stream of taxis and motorbikes thundering past was in direct contrast to the vibe the establishment attempted to emulate. A young Australian couple became aware of the tall heavyset man sitting at the table next to them. His thick black curls were damp with sweat and his sunglasses were slipping down his nose. He sat at the table to their left, his legs spread wide as his gut hung down between them. The couple paused their conversation momentarily as they noted the man’s strange vibe and penetrating stare.
In unison, the couple attempted to exchange polite but uneasy smiles with their new dining neighbour who did not smile back. Instead, he stared menacingly at them. They tried to resume their conversation under the steady glare of this strange man who seemed to be sitting extremely close to them. Had he moved his table closer in an attempt to join them? The female pitied him and thought perhaps he was just lonely. In stark contrast, the male’s antenna for weirdos had been activated and alarm bells were starting to go off in his head.
A petite Balinese waitress appeared and presented a menu to Farzad, a warm welcoming smile lighting up her dainty features. Abruptly, Farzad stood up and flipped the menu out of the waitress’s hands upwards into the air. He stared at her, his teeth bared and his eyes darting wildly around the venue. On a whim, he thundered towards the exit whilst muttering incoherently to himself. The waitress staggered backwards in shock, an alarmed expression on her face. Picking up the menu from the ground, her eyes followed the retreating man who was taking off down the street. Sometimes tourists were so strange, she thought. Once she was sure he had left the vicinity, she let out a sigh of relief and resumed her duties. However, she could not shake off the gut feeling that she had just got off lightly somehow. Instinctively she knew the strange man intended to cause harm and was thankful she hadn’t been his next victim.
Farzad was fizzing mad as he returned to the mayhem of Eat Street. Those fuckers had got off lightly tonight. He had not executed his plan, as not only were the patrons in that eatery not worthy of hearing his message to the world, but in addition, none of them had shown any leadership potential. They were all pathetic weaklings, not noble enough to be a part of his cause. Little did the people in that eatery know that his change of heart had just spared them their lives that night. They would live another day thanks to the pitiful couple he had made eye contact with. They were too desperately boring to be a part of the fun and games he had planned.
The other pedestrians tried to avoid Farzad as he marched along the narrow pavements without stopping to let anyone pass him. His girth and manic glare made the other tourists uneasy and no one challenged him as he shoved past them, knocking bags from shoulders and elbowing people in the chest causing them to yelp in pain. Even the groups of Balinese girls outside the many massage parlours who automatically called out ‘massas’ (massage) to anyone who looked remotely like a tourist knew instinctively not to offer their services to this odd-looking man.
Farzad reached his hotel and stormed past the bemused concierge straight into the vacant lift – he needed to get to his room quickly. Upon exiting the lift on the third floor, he turned left and marched along the corridor as fast as his huge frame would allow. Upon reaching his room, he became flustered when his first two attempts to insert the key card failed. Finally, he managed to time it correctly and the green light indicated he could enter the room. His face was beetroot with rage as he stood silently in the dark allowing the cranked-up air conditioning to blast some welcome cold air on to his sweaty frame. After a few minutes, he felt calmer and like a zombie, he stared blindly into space for a while. He had no idea how much time had passed when he eventually sat ramrod straight on the end of the king-size bed.
Farzad could not have articulated his thoughts even if he tried. He tried to remember why he was in Bali and then it came to him. His intention was to harm westerners much like the Bali bombings that occurred in 2002 had. He wanted to do something on a much smaller scale but equally as horrifying. Somehow it hadn’t felt right and he would fly back to Adelaide tomorrow without completing his mission. Eventually, his mind tired and he allowed himself to fall backwards on to the bed. As he succumbed to sleep, he surmised that perhaps he would have better luck in executing his plan in the near future. Tonight had not been the right time after all.
About the author:
Gill D Anderson is the author of best-selling novels Hidden From View and The Chosen Seven. Gill was born in Edinburgh, Scotland and immigrated to Adelaide, South Australia in 2004 with her husband and two daughters. Gill has a Social Work background and currently works in a corporate role in the field of Child Protection. Gill feels very strongly about violence and sexual assault, which are prominent themes in her debut novel Hidden From View.
Facebook Gill D Anderson -author - Instagram gillyanderson71 - Twitter @GillianAnders16
February 4, 2020
On Writing: In Converstaion with Dr Leanna Floyd
Today, I am in conversation with Dr Leanna Floyd, who stepped into the publishing world with her debut novel 'Over the Borderline'.
Leanna has a doctorate in clinical psychology and has worked firsthand with murderers, psychopaths, narcissists, and borderlines while working in a prison. She explored the minds of notorious killers and obtained an insider’s view of their secrets as they recounted their darkest hours. It is these experiences in the prison setting that influenced her first novel, Over the Borderline.
Welcome to 'On Writing', Leanna!
Connect with Dr Leanna Floyd: FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM TWITTER
Was becoming an author always your dream or was it a particular event or incident that gave birth to the author in you?
I started writing when I was in elementary school. I won third place in a writing competition titled, “My Favorite Older Person,” which fueled my love and passion for writing. Throughout high school, I wrote a lot of poems to help work through adolescent struggles. Writing has always been a part of my life, and I always felt like it helped me express the secret inner world of my thoughts and feelings that I didn’t want the world to see.
However, even though I have always loved to write, it was not my “dream” to be an author. My dream was to be a child psychologist to help heal the broken and wounded individuals in the world. From a very young age, I knew that I wanted to help people. I was born with a deep desire and compassion for helping people find their ways on their journeys. Today, this is still my number one passion. Specifically, it is my hope that I can share with the world that they were created for a purpose and that they were meant for greatness.
In regard to if there was a particular event or incident that gave birth to the author in me, YES! Writing is where I found my voice, and in some ways, it helped put me back together. Over the Borderline was loosely inspiredby significant and tragic events in my life that had a huge impact on me. The first event was the flagitious murder of my cousin. I will never forget sitting through the trial. All of the vile images and detestable statements made throughout the trial were branded into my mind.
I can remember it all so vividly. I remember the huge lump in my throat, and it felt like an actual physical mass lodged in my throat. I can still see in my mind my father and my aunt sitting to my left choking back their own tears as they stared straight-faced looking at the murderer. At the trial, I tried to remain strong for my family, forcing my own tears and quivering lips to be still. I had a job to do at the trial, to support my family.
The second life-changing event was when I worked at a local Florida prison. It was in this prison setting that I would encounter my first stalker (I never felt safe.), be trapped in a room encircled by a large group of male inmates (I was absolutely terrified. I remember my eyes hastily scanning the room for someone, anyone to help me. It seemed like they were savage wolves about to devour me. I’m forever grateful for the “angel,” my former client, who rescued me that day.), and have an inmate, who was pending an early release, threaten to kill me.
Driving to the prison each day knowing that I had a death sentence over my head was torture. It was in this environment that the idea of understanding the mind of a killer really started to become a central focus of my study. Writing gave me a voice that had once been silenced. Writing allowed me to have control and, in some way, make sense of the pain and terrifying events that I had to endure.
How important are the names of the characters in your books to you? Do you spend agonizing hours deciding on their names?
The names of the characters in my books are very important to me. I want the characters’ names to be relatable, but strong. There’s a lot of meaning behind one’s name. When I’m deciding on a name for a character, the name has to resonate with me, and it has to fit my mental picture of the person. I will research the meaning of one’s name and the history behind it to see if it agrees with the overall feel of my character. I do not spend agonizing hours deciding a character’s name, but I will try a few different choices and allow some time to pass before I finalize one’s name.
What is your writing process like? Do you write every day? Is there a favorite place to write?
My writing process for Over the Borderline was somewhat labor intensive. I used my personal handwritten notes from my cousin’s murder trial as a guide to develop my story. During the trial, I did my best to write verbatim everything that was said. So, I had copious amounts of information to reference. I also am very research-oriented, and I like to incorporate up-to-date research information in regard to different psychological components that influence my characters’ profiles and backgrounds.
When I wrote Over the Borderline, I wrote the entire manuscript by hand. During this time of writing, the story came pouring out of me. I had so many instances where the story was unfolding so fast in my mind that I started to carry paper and pen with me so I could make sure I captured my thoughts on paper. I wrote the story right after my cousin’s trial,it was so cathartic, and I just couldn’t stop or control the flood of images and thoughts dancing around in my mind. I wrote almost every day for a year straight with Over the Borderline.
For the sequel, my writing process has evolved over the years, and I no longer write by hand because it’s so laborious. Generally, I write when I feel inspired or when there’s a burst of ideas that are screaming to find a voice. I find a lot of inspiration when I’m lying in bed at night. When my mind and body are quieted, then I feel like my creativity is best. I imagine this works best for me because I am a visual learner, so my creativity is fueled by scenes that I first see in my mind. I prefer to write when I’m alone, which is usually in the confines of my home.
What is different about Over the Borderline is inspired by true events that happened in my life. During the trial for my cousin’s murder, I learned a lot about the justice system, forensic testing, and the overall processes involved in a trial. I was able to experience the sights, the sounds, and feelings that accompany the trial of a killer, and I was able toincorporate these experiences in my story to give an authentic feel to the reader.
Over the Borderline deals with compelling and complex characters, and I like to give the reader vivid illustrations of how human psychology, personality, and pathology shape one’s motivation and behavior. My writing is suspenseful and grabs readers psychologically and emotionally. My writing gives the reader a comprehensive feel and understanding of what goes on in one’s mind in both the conscious and subconscious realms that influence behavior and the expression of more maladaptive patterns of relating.
I have a doctorate in clinical psychology, and my clinical training allowed me to give a more credible feel to my characters because of my knowledge and interaction with special populations in a prison setting. Specifically, my firsthand experience with working in a prison allowed me to have an insider’s perspective of how to relate with and write about pathological characters. Additionally, my story shifts from different points of view, from first to third person. One example of this style of writing can be seen in one of my characters, the Surfside Killer. This character is written in firstperson to give the reader an insider’s view into the mind of a sadistic and pathological character.
The reader gets to see the thought processes and motivations of a killer as the crimes are being committed. These entries are denoted by italicized font as an indicator to the reader of who is speaking. After these entries, the story shifts back to third person letting the reader know they’re entering into another scene of the story.
Who is your favorite character in the book and why?
My favorite character in the book is Brooke. Brooke is a character that is made up ofdifferent pieces of me. She is a strong and independent character who didn’t allow the negative events of her life to keep her from becoming all that she was created to be. She uses the pain of her past to motivate her to pursue a degree in psychology, and she chooses to devote her life to uncover the etiology of pathological behavior. There are many levels and layers to her that were ultimately based on various events and people that I experienced and dealt with in my own life.
At an early age, like Brooke, I had a longing to help others put the fragments of their lives back together. Many of the hardships that I had to endure, Brooke has also endured, and the longing to understand human motivations and behaviors is at the core of both me and this character. Brooke has allowed me to process traumatic life events in such a way that I can control the narrative, the emotions, and the outcome, and in a way, rewrite my story. Brooke gave me a voice.
How important do you think is marketing in today’s world for any book?
The marketing of a book is so important in today’s world. Over the years, the book world has changed in that social media plays a huge role in getting one’s book out to the masses. Today, most authors are expected to create ads and market their own books through social media channels. With self-publishing on the rise, there are so many new and exciting opportunities for authors in regards to how they can market their books.
Even traditionally published authors are expected to market their books since funds are often limited or not allotted for new authors. Authors need to create a brand for themselves, which will help set them apart and help potential readers get a better understanding of who they are as authors. Ideally, this will help readers identify with them and help create an audience for them.
On average, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, there are about 2.2 million books published worldwide each year, so to ensure that an author’s book doesn’t get lost amongst the masses, an author must put in a concentrated effort to market a book. Not only is it important for authors to market their books, but it’s also important for their books and marketing materials to standout. So, as an author, marketing a book is extremely important.
Please share a passage or quote from ‘Over the Borderline’ for our readers.
The first one was by accident—it really was, I swear.
Yes, my fingers were around that girl’s neck, but the throbbing of her pulse electrified me like a shock. I couldn’t let go, not even if I’d wanted to, which I didn’t. She thrashed and instinctively arched her back to break my grip, but she couldn’t.
After picking her up in some seedy little bar off Highway 295, we’d both had a few drinks, and she made it clear she liked to play rough. So, we left and drove down to the beach and sat in my car, rolled the windows down even though it was late September. She wanted to hear some music, so I started the car again and let her push ‘SEEK’ on the digital console until she settled on Amy Winehouse singing about how tears dry on their own. I pulled out a pint of Jack from the back floorboard, and we drank straight from the bottle. Before the song was over, my belt was undone and her hand dipped below my waistband. She chewed my ear and guided my hands to help unzip her.
I’ll never forget the feel of that dress, as blue as the sky and flimsy as a cloud, and how easily it ripped in my hands. Bless her heart, she laughed about it, actually giggled like we were school kids on the playground and she’d accidentally torn her skirt. That’s when I put my hands around her neck, at first to stop her laughing, but then that surge of lifeblood thrummed through my fingers like the tide coming in.
I don’t know how long we sat there like that, locked together. After a few moments, she could tell something had changed— and I was as surprised as she was. The warm, moist feel of her neck in my hands reminded me of holding a puppy or a kitten, strong yet vulnerable at the same time. Then I couldn’t stop, and the more she resisted, the more excited I became to see her squirm. I held the power of life and death in my hands, literally.
My fingers clamped like steel vices until something gurgled in her throat and her eyes rolled back. Only then did I realize she wasn’t pretending. One minute she was a live wire sizzling in my hands, and the next, nothing, gone. That throbbing pulse that had captivated me with its surging rhythm just stopped. Her neck and spine flexed in one last spasm before relaxing, a balloon being deflated, as I cradled her in my hands. I couldn’t believe I’d done it, nor could I deny how good it felt. It was like discovering a taste for single-malt scotch or basking in that first mellow wave of pleasure the first time you smoked really great weed. And once you find something you like, you know what they say, “Once is never enough.” What are the three tips you have for readers of this interview who are aspiring writers?
1. Dare to dream big! Believe that your dreams can come true. Don’t let fear or self-doubt rob you of your destiny. Tell your story to the world because your voice and your story matters. There are many ups and downs on the journey to becoming an author. But, through the hard moments, keep fighting the fight and never give up.2. Research in advance how to market your book, and figure out what type of audience will be reading your book. There’s a lot of information to learn in terms of effective marketing strategies, and there’s a lot of books/videos that can give authors the tools they need to successfully market their books. Additionally, listing your book under the appropriate categories will also help draw in the right readers for your book and help with the overall ranking of your book. Again, there’s so much to learn, so I’d encourage aspiring authors to look into these things before publishing their work.3. Establish a social media presence sooner than later as an author. This will be very helpful for marketing your book to readers, bloggers, reviewers, and helpful to establish meaningful relationships with other authors.
Thank you, Leanna, for sharing your writing journey with us. Wishing you the very best for your future works.
About the book:
Brooke Douger has a knack for helping others with their broken lives, which explains her interest in criminal psychology and profiling. She convinces her childhood friend, Jacob, to move to Tampa after his latest fiasco, where he finds a job at a legal firm, which is defending Zach Barton, a rich, young entrepreneur who is accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend. When Brooke has to provide expert testimony in Barton’s trial, Jacob and Brooke end up on opposite sides of the courtroom.
As Brooke prepares to testify, she discovers a pattern of violent, impulsive behavior in Barton’s past, eerily similar to those of the Surfside Killer, the case she has been asked to help profile for the FBI. Brooke is swirling in dangerous waters with the killer lurking on the fringe of her life. Who will be his next victim? Will Brooke’s knack for profiling be enough to keep her safe?
Get the book from AMAZON : CLICK HERE TO BUY
Leanna has a doctorate in clinical psychology and has worked firsthand with murderers, psychopaths, narcissists, and borderlines while working in a prison. She explored the minds of notorious killers and obtained an insider’s view of their secrets as they recounted their darkest hours. It is these experiences in the prison setting that influenced her first novel, Over the Borderline.
Welcome to 'On Writing', Leanna!
Connect with Dr Leanna Floyd: FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM TWITTER
Was becoming an author always your dream or was it a particular event or incident that gave birth to the author in you?
I started writing when I was in elementary school. I won third place in a writing competition titled, “My Favorite Older Person,” which fueled my love and passion for writing. Throughout high school, I wrote a lot of poems to help work through adolescent struggles. Writing has always been a part of my life, and I always felt like it helped me express the secret inner world of my thoughts and feelings that I didn’t want the world to see.
However, even though I have always loved to write, it was not my “dream” to be an author. My dream was to be a child psychologist to help heal the broken and wounded individuals in the world. From a very young age, I knew that I wanted to help people. I was born with a deep desire and compassion for helping people find their ways on their journeys. Today, this is still my number one passion. Specifically, it is my hope that I can share with the world that they were created for a purpose and that they were meant for greatness.
In regard to if there was a particular event or incident that gave birth to the author in me, YES! Writing is where I found my voice, and in some ways, it helped put me back together. Over the Borderline was loosely inspiredby significant and tragic events in my life that had a huge impact on me. The first event was the flagitious murder of my cousin. I will never forget sitting through the trial. All of the vile images and detestable statements made throughout the trial were branded into my mind.
I can remember it all so vividly. I remember the huge lump in my throat, and it felt like an actual physical mass lodged in my throat. I can still see in my mind my father and my aunt sitting to my left choking back their own tears as they stared straight-faced looking at the murderer. At the trial, I tried to remain strong for my family, forcing my own tears and quivering lips to be still. I had a job to do at the trial, to support my family.
The second life-changing event was when I worked at a local Florida prison. It was in this prison setting that I would encounter my first stalker (I never felt safe.), be trapped in a room encircled by a large group of male inmates (I was absolutely terrified. I remember my eyes hastily scanning the room for someone, anyone to help me. It seemed like they were savage wolves about to devour me. I’m forever grateful for the “angel,” my former client, who rescued me that day.), and have an inmate, who was pending an early release, threaten to kill me.
Driving to the prison each day knowing that I had a death sentence over my head was torture. It was in this environment that the idea of understanding the mind of a killer really started to become a central focus of my study. Writing gave me a voice that had once been silenced. Writing allowed me to have control and, in some way, make sense of the pain and terrifying events that I had to endure.
How important are the names of the characters in your books to you? Do you spend agonizing hours deciding on their names?
The names of the characters in my books are very important to me. I want the characters’ names to be relatable, but strong. There’s a lot of meaning behind one’s name. When I’m deciding on a name for a character, the name has to resonate with me, and it has to fit my mental picture of the person. I will research the meaning of one’s name and the history behind it to see if it agrees with the overall feel of my character. I do not spend agonizing hours deciding a character’s name, but I will try a few different choices and allow some time to pass before I finalize one’s name.
What is your writing process like? Do you write every day? Is there a favorite place to write?
My writing process for Over the Borderline was somewhat labor intensive. I used my personal handwritten notes from my cousin’s murder trial as a guide to develop my story. During the trial, I did my best to write verbatim everything that was said. So, I had copious amounts of information to reference. I also am very research-oriented, and I like to incorporate up-to-date research information in regard to different psychological components that influence my characters’ profiles and backgrounds.
When I wrote Over the Borderline, I wrote the entire manuscript by hand. During this time of writing, the story came pouring out of me. I had so many instances where the story was unfolding so fast in my mind that I started to carry paper and pen with me so I could make sure I captured my thoughts on paper. I wrote the story right after my cousin’s trial,it was so cathartic, and I just couldn’t stop or control the flood of images and thoughts dancing around in my mind. I wrote almost every day for a year straight with Over the Borderline.
For the sequel, my writing process has evolved over the years, and I no longer write by hand because it’s so laborious. Generally, I write when I feel inspired or when there’s a burst of ideas that are screaming to find a voice. I find a lot of inspiration when I’m lying in bed at night. When my mind and body are quieted, then I feel like my creativity is best. I imagine this works best for me because I am a visual learner, so my creativity is fueled by scenes that I first see in my mind. I prefer to write when I’m alone, which is usually in the confines of my home.
What is different about Over the Borderline is inspired by true events that happened in my life. During the trial for my cousin’s murder, I learned a lot about the justice system, forensic testing, and the overall processes involved in a trial. I was able to experience the sights, the sounds, and feelings that accompany the trial of a killer, and I was able toincorporate these experiences in my story to give an authentic feel to the reader.
Over the Borderline deals with compelling and complex characters, and I like to give the reader vivid illustrations of how human psychology, personality, and pathology shape one’s motivation and behavior. My writing is suspenseful and grabs readers psychologically and emotionally. My writing gives the reader a comprehensive feel and understanding of what goes on in one’s mind in both the conscious and subconscious realms that influence behavior and the expression of more maladaptive patterns of relating.
I have a doctorate in clinical psychology, and my clinical training allowed me to give a more credible feel to my characters because of my knowledge and interaction with special populations in a prison setting. Specifically, my firsthand experience with working in a prison allowed me to have an insider’s perspective of how to relate with and write about pathological characters. Additionally, my story shifts from different points of view, from first to third person. One example of this style of writing can be seen in one of my characters, the Surfside Killer. This character is written in firstperson to give the reader an insider’s view into the mind of a sadistic and pathological character.
The reader gets to see the thought processes and motivations of a killer as the crimes are being committed. These entries are denoted by italicized font as an indicator to the reader of who is speaking. After these entries, the story shifts back to third person letting the reader know they’re entering into another scene of the story.
Who is your favorite character in the book and why?
My favorite character in the book is Brooke. Brooke is a character that is made up ofdifferent pieces of me. She is a strong and independent character who didn’t allow the negative events of her life to keep her from becoming all that she was created to be. She uses the pain of her past to motivate her to pursue a degree in psychology, and she chooses to devote her life to uncover the etiology of pathological behavior. There are many levels and layers to her that were ultimately based on various events and people that I experienced and dealt with in my own life.
At an early age, like Brooke, I had a longing to help others put the fragments of their lives back together. Many of the hardships that I had to endure, Brooke has also endured, and the longing to understand human motivations and behaviors is at the core of both me and this character. Brooke has allowed me to process traumatic life events in such a way that I can control the narrative, the emotions, and the outcome, and in a way, rewrite my story. Brooke gave me a voice.
How important do you think is marketing in today’s world for any book?
The marketing of a book is so important in today’s world. Over the years, the book world has changed in that social media plays a huge role in getting one’s book out to the masses. Today, most authors are expected to create ads and market their own books through social media channels. With self-publishing on the rise, there are so many new and exciting opportunities for authors in regards to how they can market their books.
Even traditionally published authors are expected to market their books since funds are often limited or not allotted for new authors. Authors need to create a brand for themselves, which will help set them apart and help potential readers get a better understanding of who they are as authors. Ideally, this will help readers identify with them and help create an audience for them.
On average, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, there are about 2.2 million books published worldwide each year, so to ensure that an author’s book doesn’t get lost amongst the masses, an author must put in a concentrated effort to market a book. Not only is it important for authors to market their books, but it’s also important for their books and marketing materials to standout. So, as an author, marketing a book is extremely important.
Please share a passage or quote from ‘Over the Borderline’ for our readers.
The first one was by accident—it really was, I swear.
Yes, my fingers were around that girl’s neck, but the throbbing of her pulse electrified me like a shock. I couldn’t let go, not even if I’d wanted to, which I didn’t. She thrashed and instinctively arched her back to break my grip, but she couldn’t.
After picking her up in some seedy little bar off Highway 295, we’d both had a few drinks, and she made it clear she liked to play rough. So, we left and drove down to the beach and sat in my car, rolled the windows down even though it was late September. She wanted to hear some music, so I started the car again and let her push ‘SEEK’ on the digital console until she settled on Amy Winehouse singing about how tears dry on their own. I pulled out a pint of Jack from the back floorboard, and we drank straight from the bottle. Before the song was over, my belt was undone and her hand dipped below my waistband. She chewed my ear and guided my hands to help unzip her.
I’ll never forget the feel of that dress, as blue as the sky and flimsy as a cloud, and how easily it ripped in my hands. Bless her heart, she laughed about it, actually giggled like we were school kids on the playground and she’d accidentally torn her skirt. That’s when I put my hands around her neck, at first to stop her laughing, but then that surge of lifeblood thrummed through my fingers like the tide coming in.
I don’t know how long we sat there like that, locked together. After a few moments, she could tell something had changed— and I was as surprised as she was. The warm, moist feel of her neck in my hands reminded me of holding a puppy or a kitten, strong yet vulnerable at the same time. Then I couldn’t stop, and the more she resisted, the more excited I became to see her squirm. I held the power of life and death in my hands, literally.
My fingers clamped like steel vices until something gurgled in her throat and her eyes rolled back. Only then did I realize she wasn’t pretending. One minute she was a live wire sizzling in my hands, and the next, nothing, gone. That throbbing pulse that had captivated me with its surging rhythm just stopped. Her neck and spine flexed in one last spasm before relaxing, a balloon being deflated, as I cradled her in my hands. I couldn’t believe I’d done it, nor could I deny how good it felt. It was like discovering a taste for single-malt scotch or basking in that first mellow wave of pleasure the first time you smoked really great weed. And once you find something you like, you know what they say, “Once is never enough.” What are the three tips you have for readers of this interview who are aspiring writers?
1. Dare to dream big! Believe that your dreams can come true. Don’t let fear or self-doubt rob you of your destiny. Tell your story to the world because your voice and your story matters. There are many ups and downs on the journey to becoming an author. But, through the hard moments, keep fighting the fight and never give up.2. Research in advance how to market your book, and figure out what type of audience will be reading your book. There’s a lot of information to learn in terms of effective marketing strategies, and there’s a lot of books/videos that can give authors the tools they need to successfully market their books. Additionally, listing your book under the appropriate categories will also help draw in the right readers for your book and help with the overall ranking of your book. Again, there’s so much to learn, so I’d encourage aspiring authors to look into these things before publishing their work.3. Establish a social media presence sooner than later as an author. This will be very helpful for marketing your book to readers, bloggers, reviewers, and helpful to establish meaningful relationships with other authors.
Thank you, Leanna, for sharing your writing journey with us. Wishing you the very best for your future works.
About the book:
Brooke Douger has a knack for helping others with their broken lives, which explains her interest in criminal psychology and profiling. She convinces her childhood friend, Jacob, to move to Tampa after his latest fiasco, where he finds a job at a legal firm, which is defending Zach Barton, a rich, young entrepreneur who is accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend. When Brooke has to provide expert testimony in Barton’s trial, Jacob and Brooke end up on opposite sides of the courtroom.
As Brooke prepares to testify, she discovers a pattern of violent, impulsive behavior in Barton’s past, eerily similar to those of the Surfside Killer, the case she has been asked to help profile for the FBI. Brooke is swirling in dangerous waters with the killer lurking on the fringe of her life. Who will be his next victim? Will Brooke’s knack for profiling be enough to keep her safe?
Get the book from AMAZON : CLICK HERE TO BUY
February 1, 2020
On Writing: In Converstaion with Daniel Kelly
Today I am in conversation with Daniel Kelly, who writes books in the historical genre. He grew up with a love of history and stories in the village of Creeslough along the north coast of Donegal before qualifying as a chef from Tourism College, Killybegs, and moving to Dublin.
The author talks about his writing journey, about his latest book 'The Fall of the Phoenix' which is the first book in the Heroes of Troy series.
Welcome to ‘On Writing’, Daniel Kelly.
Follow Daniel Kelly on FACEBOOK Twitter, Instagram, Youtube @Heroesoftroy
Was becoming an author always your dream or was it a particular event or incident that
gave birth to the author in you?
Growing up, I had always been into reading. I did a lot of sports and had 3 brothers. I was outside playing with them and neighbours a lot but I had always enjoyed taking time alone to read, disappearing with a book to my room. But I don’t think I ever really thought about writing. Never believed I would have been able to. When I trained as a chef, that sort of consumed my life and reading took a back seat, as anyone who has worked as a chef will tell you, the life doesn’t leave a lot of room for anything else, you arrive at work at around ten in the morning and it could be twelve the following night before you see the sky again, it doesn’t leave time for a lot else but when I took a job working in a hospital kitchen I suddenly found myself with the time to read again.
I remember reading David Gammell's troy series, which I won't ruin for anyone who has never
read it, but it was eye-opening, I remember thinking that it was an amazingly different
interpretation of a story we had all read a hundred times and it showed me that just
because a story has been told before that it has to be “That” way, that it can be interpreted
differently. Then I started questioning why, when they won the war and wrote their history
themselves, the Greeks always seemed to come out of the Troy story looking like the bad
guys.
Writing was an accident I think, as I was just trying to work out these questions in my
own head by writing it. And since then I have pursued the same strategy. I try to answer
questions to myself as I am writing, I start a book with a question I personally want to
answer and see how the characters themselves react to different situations. And people
seem to like the results.
How important are the names of the characters in your books to you? Do you spend
agonizing hours deciding on their names?
I must admit, I have been lucky so far, in that a lot of my work has been on historical fiction and historical fantasy, and as history, a lot of the names of characters are already there.
Sometimes I need to add characters to the story, and for this, I like to add people I know personally and change the name to suit the timeframe.
This method works for me because, when I am describing a character, I find it helps to be
able to picture the character so later in the book you don’t forget a detail and have a person
blind in the left eye when they were blind in the right eye originally. For “The Fall of The
Phoenix” I did use a lot of detail from the 2004 troy film, for example, Brad Pitt is my Achilles
because in my own mind that is how I have always pictured him. Probably because that was
the big Troy film I grew up with. However, I used mental pictures from other films for certain
other characters, or people from my real world. It helps me with continuity.
What is your writing process like? Do you write every day? Is there a favourite place to write?
I try to write every day, but sometimes I could be sitting in front of the computer for hours
with very little happening, the words just won't come. This is mostly because I do most of my
thinking during the time when I am working. The job I currently have as a chef, as opposed to
restaurant work, allows me to do the job without thinking about it, so consciously while I am
working in the kitchen, I am more often than not, working out some storyline in my book.
And just to make life more complicated, I have found that I also work better with multiple
stories in my head at once. I will have one story which is my main focus but during the time I
am writing it, quite often during research, I will find by accident other things which I think
will make an interesting story and start those while I think about the main story.
For example, while working on the sequel for “The Fall of The Phoenix” which is almost ready
and which I have called “A Hero’s Welcome: Heroes of troy part:2”, I also found myself
working quite heavily on another fantasy novel based in 15th century Europe during the
crusades and the ottoman incursions into Europe which is currently nearly a quarter done.
This also makes things easier when I do finish a book that I don’t need to start a whole new
world from scratch as I have already got the basis of a story scratched out.
As for a favourite place to write, its usually on my armchair.
What is different about ‘The Fall of the Phoenix’?
“The Fall of The Phoenix” is… because it’s the final days of troy, I have skipped over the
beginning of the war, also, I always hated how Homer used filler, like seven pages of just
boat names. Sure, at the time those may have been important to the various city-states
those ships belonged to but I had always just found it boring.
I took a narrower view of the characters and gave them life, I questioned the loyalty of
soldiers forced to follow Agamemnon, or would childhood friendships have been more
important to them. I took an assumption, that children at the time, would have been taken
from home at a young age, to be trained for war, and as such, the children of great kings
such as Hector and Achilles, whose parents could both easily afford the best education for
their children would likely have sent them to the same places, so they would likely have
trained together, lived together and been friends from childhood. How would that affect
their decisions on the battlefield?
Who is your favorite character in the book and why?
Always a difficult question. It's like asking who your favourite child is haha. I loved writing
Eurodos, Achilles's second in command. And of course, Achilles himself, the greatest hero of
the Greek nation, but I really enjoyed creating characters trapped inside troy itself,
Heraclitus who was semi-psychotic and enjoyed the killing, Arimnestos leading men, Achenia,
who lead and lost a son he could never admit to, to battle and eventual death. And the
strange feeling of loss when you are writing these characters for month, changing details
about them, but the actions of the characters themselves sometimes surprise you even as
the writer. People you had intended to live, to survive, through one action or another, the
only logical end is that they die, giving their lives honorably to save someone else.
Which do you prefer as a reader? EBook or Paperback?
As a reader, I prefer paperback, for the feel, the smell of fresh book, its amazing. For
convenience, because I do read a lot, (although I am a very slow reader) I very often use
ebook just so I don’t need to bring multiple books with me. Otherwise going on holiday half
my luggage would be books with one t-shirt… haha…
How long did it take to finish writing ‘The Fall of the Phoenix’?
Because I didn’t intend it, “The Fall of The Phoenix” took me almost eight years. I started, as
I said, just for myself to answer personal questions, after a while I stopped, scrapped that
version, started again. I think there are four versions of it on my laptop from different
periods in that time.
How important do you think is marketing in today’s world for any book?
Marketing is hugely important, but from the perspective of a writer, it's also the most
difficult part. By our very nature, authors must spend a lot of their time behind either a book
or a computer screen otherwise we would never get any writing done. Also, we very often
don’t know where to go to advertise. All we really want to do is read and write, and we don’t
really think about that part until we realise that we need to promote it or we will never find
the readers we need, and if we don’t find readers, we wont get published. We do start
writing for ourselves, but we publish for the world to enjoy. However, and I can't stress this
highly enough, personal recommendations are like gold. Please always write a review on
Amazon, or wherever you get your books, so your followers can see which books you loved.
Please share a passage or quote from ‘The Fall of the Phoenix’ for our readers.
Seconds passed, which felt like hours, before the priests tossed a sword through the flames to
each of them, landing a few feet away in the sand and sending up a small cloud of dust as they fell.
Hector knelt and lifted a handful of sand, rubbing it between his hands to dry the sweat and give him
some grip on the hilt of the sword before he picked up both sword and shield, keeping his eyes on
Achilles. Stabbing his sword into the ground, he forced his legs forward towards Achilles, unarmed;
just a few paces across the sand, but a great distance.
“Achilles,” he pleaded, “I didn’t know who he was. He was in your armour, he moved like you; I
thought it was you.”
Achilles, who had been taking a few practice swings to stretch his muscles, suddenly swung a
huge underarm sweep which hit the dead centre of Hector’s shield, sending shivers up his arm.
“And you thought the great Hector could beat Achilles?” he roared.
“No, I expected to die.” Hector dodged another overhead swing as he danced back to pick up his
own sword. “And even then, I fought in defence; it was a freak accident when he moved forward into
my sword. Achilles, we trained together, grew to men as brothers, fought together: even if it had been
you, I didn’t want your blood on my sword,” said Hector, bringing up his weapon to block another
overhead blow from Achilles, “nor did I want mine on yours. I was fighting for my life too.”
“He was my brother! He came to train with me, under my protection, and you killed him.”
What are the three tips you have for readers of this interview who are aspiring writers?
1) Start everything you are writing with a question “You” want to answer
2) Be honest in your writing, write what you believe would happen. If your favorite character
dies in the process, so be it.
3) READ. Anyone who thinks they can write, when they don’t read, are deluding themselves.
Reading provides you with the tools you need to write. Read everything.
Thank you, Daniel! This was a delightful conversation. Wishing you the very best for your books.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
The long siege of Troy, the battles fought over it, and the city's eventual capitulation and incineration are events which have often been retold since their first recitation by Homer. Seldom, however, will they have been narrated with such close attention to the minute particulars of battle, to its reek and terror and pain, as in this startling account by Daniel Kelly. Kelly looks minutely at every detail of archaic combat, as well as at the lives and feelings shaped by it. His Troy is not only a scene of shining glory, but also a grimy struggle for survival and mastery. And he introduces surprising questions: what if not everything in the Trojan war came to pass just as Homer tells us? What if the future of the Roman empire were hidden in the burning ashes of Troy's - and not in the way we might expect?
Buy the book from: AMAZON BOOK DEPOSITORY
Watch this video where Manu Bennett, who played Crixus in the Spartacus series, Allanon in Chronicles of Shannara, Azoz in Lord of the rings talks about The Fall of the Phoenix
The author talks about his writing journey, about his latest book 'The Fall of the Phoenix' which is the first book in the Heroes of Troy series.
Welcome to ‘On Writing’, Daniel Kelly.
Follow Daniel Kelly on FACEBOOK Twitter, Instagram, Youtube @Heroesoftroy
Was becoming an author always your dream or was it a particular event or incident that
gave birth to the author in you?
Growing up, I had always been into reading. I did a lot of sports and had 3 brothers. I was outside playing with them and neighbours a lot but I had always enjoyed taking time alone to read, disappearing with a book to my room. But I don’t think I ever really thought about writing. Never believed I would have been able to. When I trained as a chef, that sort of consumed my life and reading took a back seat, as anyone who has worked as a chef will tell you, the life doesn’t leave a lot of room for anything else, you arrive at work at around ten in the morning and it could be twelve the following night before you see the sky again, it doesn’t leave time for a lot else but when I took a job working in a hospital kitchen I suddenly found myself with the time to read again.
I remember reading David Gammell's troy series, which I won't ruin for anyone who has never
read it, but it was eye-opening, I remember thinking that it was an amazingly different
interpretation of a story we had all read a hundred times and it showed me that just
because a story has been told before that it has to be “That” way, that it can be interpreted
differently. Then I started questioning why, when they won the war and wrote their history
themselves, the Greeks always seemed to come out of the Troy story looking like the bad
guys.
Writing was an accident I think, as I was just trying to work out these questions in my
own head by writing it. And since then I have pursued the same strategy. I try to answer
questions to myself as I am writing, I start a book with a question I personally want to
answer and see how the characters themselves react to different situations. And people
seem to like the results.
How important are the names of the characters in your books to you? Do you spend
agonizing hours deciding on their names?
I must admit, I have been lucky so far, in that a lot of my work has been on historical fiction and historical fantasy, and as history, a lot of the names of characters are already there.
Sometimes I need to add characters to the story, and for this, I like to add people I know personally and change the name to suit the timeframe.
This method works for me because, when I am describing a character, I find it helps to be
able to picture the character so later in the book you don’t forget a detail and have a person
blind in the left eye when they were blind in the right eye originally. For “The Fall of The
Phoenix” I did use a lot of detail from the 2004 troy film, for example, Brad Pitt is my Achilles
because in my own mind that is how I have always pictured him. Probably because that was
the big Troy film I grew up with. However, I used mental pictures from other films for certain
other characters, or people from my real world. It helps me with continuity.
What is your writing process like? Do you write every day? Is there a favourite place to write?
I try to write every day, but sometimes I could be sitting in front of the computer for hours
with very little happening, the words just won't come. This is mostly because I do most of my
thinking during the time when I am working. The job I currently have as a chef, as opposed to
restaurant work, allows me to do the job without thinking about it, so consciously while I am
working in the kitchen, I am more often than not, working out some storyline in my book.
And just to make life more complicated, I have found that I also work better with multiple
stories in my head at once. I will have one story which is my main focus but during the time I
am writing it, quite often during research, I will find by accident other things which I think
will make an interesting story and start those while I think about the main story.
For example, while working on the sequel for “The Fall of The Phoenix” which is almost ready
and which I have called “A Hero’s Welcome: Heroes of troy part:2”, I also found myself
working quite heavily on another fantasy novel based in 15th century Europe during the
crusades and the ottoman incursions into Europe which is currently nearly a quarter done.
This also makes things easier when I do finish a book that I don’t need to start a whole new
world from scratch as I have already got the basis of a story scratched out.
As for a favourite place to write, its usually on my armchair.
What is different about ‘The Fall of the Phoenix’?
“The Fall of The Phoenix” is… because it’s the final days of troy, I have skipped over the
beginning of the war, also, I always hated how Homer used filler, like seven pages of just
boat names. Sure, at the time those may have been important to the various city-states
those ships belonged to but I had always just found it boring.
I took a narrower view of the characters and gave them life, I questioned the loyalty of
soldiers forced to follow Agamemnon, or would childhood friendships have been more
important to them. I took an assumption, that children at the time, would have been taken
from home at a young age, to be trained for war, and as such, the children of great kings
such as Hector and Achilles, whose parents could both easily afford the best education for
their children would likely have sent them to the same places, so they would likely have
trained together, lived together and been friends from childhood. How would that affect
their decisions on the battlefield?
Who is your favorite character in the book and why?
Always a difficult question. It's like asking who your favourite child is haha. I loved writing
Eurodos, Achilles's second in command. And of course, Achilles himself, the greatest hero of
the Greek nation, but I really enjoyed creating characters trapped inside troy itself,
Heraclitus who was semi-psychotic and enjoyed the killing, Arimnestos leading men, Achenia,
who lead and lost a son he could never admit to, to battle and eventual death. And the
strange feeling of loss when you are writing these characters for month, changing details
about them, but the actions of the characters themselves sometimes surprise you even as
the writer. People you had intended to live, to survive, through one action or another, the
only logical end is that they die, giving their lives honorably to save someone else.
Which do you prefer as a reader? EBook or Paperback?
As a reader, I prefer paperback, for the feel, the smell of fresh book, its amazing. For
convenience, because I do read a lot, (although I am a very slow reader) I very often use
ebook just so I don’t need to bring multiple books with me. Otherwise going on holiday half
my luggage would be books with one t-shirt… haha…
How long did it take to finish writing ‘The Fall of the Phoenix’?
Because I didn’t intend it, “The Fall of The Phoenix” took me almost eight years. I started, as
I said, just for myself to answer personal questions, after a while I stopped, scrapped that
version, started again. I think there are four versions of it on my laptop from different
periods in that time.
How important do you think is marketing in today’s world for any book?
Marketing is hugely important, but from the perspective of a writer, it's also the most
difficult part. By our very nature, authors must spend a lot of their time behind either a book
or a computer screen otherwise we would never get any writing done. Also, we very often
don’t know where to go to advertise. All we really want to do is read and write, and we don’t
really think about that part until we realise that we need to promote it or we will never find
the readers we need, and if we don’t find readers, we wont get published. We do start
writing for ourselves, but we publish for the world to enjoy. However, and I can't stress this
highly enough, personal recommendations are like gold. Please always write a review on
Amazon, or wherever you get your books, so your followers can see which books you loved.
Please share a passage or quote from ‘The Fall of the Phoenix’ for our readers.
Seconds passed, which felt like hours, before the priests tossed a sword through the flames to
each of them, landing a few feet away in the sand and sending up a small cloud of dust as they fell.
Hector knelt and lifted a handful of sand, rubbing it between his hands to dry the sweat and give him
some grip on the hilt of the sword before he picked up both sword and shield, keeping his eyes on
Achilles. Stabbing his sword into the ground, he forced his legs forward towards Achilles, unarmed;
just a few paces across the sand, but a great distance.
“Achilles,” he pleaded, “I didn’t know who he was. He was in your armour, he moved like you; I
thought it was you.”
Achilles, who had been taking a few practice swings to stretch his muscles, suddenly swung a
huge underarm sweep which hit the dead centre of Hector’s shield, sending shivers up his arm.
“And you thought the great Hector could beat Achilles?” he roared.
“No, I expected to die.” Hector dodged another overhead swing as he danced back to pick up his
own sword. “And even then, I fought in defence; it was a freak accident when he moved forward into
my sword. Achilles, we trained together, grew to men as brothers, fought together: even if it had been
you, I didn’t want your blood on my sword,” said Hector, bringing up his weapon to block another
overhead blow from Achilles, “nor did I want mine on yours. I was fighting for my life too.”
“He was my brother! He came to train with me, under my protection, and you killed him.”
What are the three tips you have for readers of this interview who are aspiring writers?
1) Start everything you are writing with a question “You” want to answer
2) Be honest in your writing, write what you believe would happen. If your favorite character
dies in the process, so be it.
3) READ. Anyone who thinks they can write, when they don’t read, are deluding themselves.
Reading provides you with the tools you need to write. Read everything.
Thank you, Daniel! This was a delightful conversation. Wishing you the very best for your books.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
The long siege of Troy, the battles fought over it, and the city's eventual capitulation and incineration are events which have often been retold since their first recitation by Homer. Seldom, however, will they have been narrated with such close attention to the minute particulars of battle, to its reek and terror and pain, as in this startling account by Daniel Kelly. Kelly looks minutely at every detail of archaic combat, as well as at the lives and feelings shaped by it. His Troy is not only a scene of shining glory, but also a grimy struggle for survival and mastery. And he introduces surprising questions: what if not everything in the Trojan war came to pass just as Homer tells us? What if the future of the Roman empire were hidden in the burning ashes of Troy's - and not in the way we might expect?
Buy the book from: AMAZON BOOK DEPOSITORY
Watch this video where Manu Bennett, who played Crixus in the Spartacus series, Allanon in Chronicles of Shannara, Azoz in Lord of the rings talks about The Fall of the Phoenix
January 31, 2020
Presenting... "Something Old Something New"
I am super excited to share this news with you!
This Valentine's Day, I join six other fabulous authors to bring to you a romance novella anthology. The first of its kind by Indie authors in India.
This is one book you surely wouldn't want to miss.Along with the book release, we have planned exciting prizes to be won by the readers. The prizes are:
Kindle Reader
KU SubscriptionStay tuned to my blog, or any of my social media accounts. I will be sharing more details about this soon.
What do you think are you getting?
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 - DRA’s first novella anthology - tries to answer this question with fantastic, different, desi tales.Whether it is shapeshifters or shifting relationships, small towns or big cities, childhood friends or passionate exes; this anthology has something for everyone.The story behind the Anthology:Months ago, eight of us got together to create the Desi Readers Adda, a Facebook page dedicated to readers. All through this, we had this idea of creating an anthology of novellas written on a single theme. We decided on second chance romance almost immediately.Each one of us has a different style of writing and hence this is surely going to be a delightful reading experience for you all.If you are someone who believes in the power of true love, you would cherish these stories. About the authors: Aarti V Raman AKA writer gal is a hybrid author who has published ten best-selling novels till date. A former business journalist, she is the co-founder of the Desi Readers Adda.Andaleeb Wajid is a prolific author who writes in multiple genres including romance, young adult and horror. She has published 24 novels till date.Devika Fernando debuted as a writer 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. Neil D’Silva is a known name in the Indian literary world. His unique stories have struck a chord with a wide range of readers, eliciting praise from various quarters. He has signed book deals with some of the leading publishers of the world, including Penguin Random House, Rupa Publications, and Hachette among others.Ruchi Singh is the 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’. Shilpa Suraj has been previously published by Harlequin Mills & Boon India, Juggernaut and Locksley Hall. Her next Indian drama is with Rupa Publications. An avid reader with an overactive imagination, Shilpa has weaved stories in her head since she was a child.
January 6, 2020
Saved by Love: Book Blitz and Giveaway
About the Book:
They meet under impossible circumstances.
She is kidnapped by terrorists blackmailing her father, a Supreme Court Judge. He leads the team sent to rescue her.
Trekking to safety through Ladakh... They are in danger of falling in love. But, Lt. Col. Arjun Rathod knows that Naina Ahuja, engaged to politics' rising star, is not meant for him.
Forever changed by her trauma, Naina walks out of her controlling family and forges a new life.
And then, she meets Arjun again. But this time, he is engaged to someone else.
Can they save their love or is it too late?
Book Links:
Goodreads * Amazon * Pustakmandi
Read an Excerpt:
“Miss Ahuja? Naina?”
The almost soundless whisper had Naina’s eyes snapping open in the dark. A hard hand came up to cover her mouth even as a terrified squeak left her lips. A pair of dark, intense eyes in a face streaked with camouflage paint floated into her vision. “I’m here to rescue you. Your father sent me. I need you to stay completely silent when I remove my hand. Can you nod if you understand?”
Keeping her eyes on his strong, reassuring ones, Naina nodded quickly. The stranger waited to make sure she wouldn’t scream, and slowly lifted his hand from her mouth. Slipping a knife out from seemingly nowhere, he cut the rope binding both her hands and feet within seconds and levered her up from her prone position. Helping her to her feet, he watched intently to see if she was steady on her feet. Reassured that she wasn’t going to faint at his feet, Arjun moved quickly to the door and looked out. The guards were still unconscious from the light taps to the back of their heads administered by his teammates, and so far there was no sign of any other movement in the camp. Coming back into the room, he put his lips close to her ear to whisper, “Can you walk?”
Nodding mutely, Naina craned her neck to get a glimpse of his face from this angle. The stranger was so tall that he towered over her by almost a foot. Dressed all in black, with a mini arsenal strapped on to him, he looked like he’d arrived straight from hell. Apparently, the devil was her hero tonight.
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.
Contact the Author: Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram
Giveaway:
2 Winners. Signed Paperback copy of Saved by Love & Bookmarks. Open to Indian Residents only.a Rafflecopter giveaway
Book Blitz - Unusual Equations by Anupriya
Read on Kindle UnlimitedAbout the Book:
Viraj is struggling to concentrate at work because he has a wife to worry about. But he is more apprehensive because he knows that she is currently parked at the apartment of his arch nemesis.Madhuri fought with her husband last night and in her rage left the house. She knows there is one place in the world where she is always welcome. She only hopes that she is not crossing any lines.
Aman has for long given up hope. Yet he can’t help but get a kick out of the circumstances that have brought her to his place. Is this is chance finally to bring her back to him?
Lives of three people entwined by love, passion, urge and devotion. Will they survive these unusual equations? Or will it destroy their happiness forever?
Buy from Amazon
Read an Excerpt:
Anyone who had seen them together thought that Viraj was one doting husband. Madhuri didn't consider it to be a big deal. “I left my family for him, after all.” she felt entitled in lieu of the sacrifice she had made to be with him. “You gotta be easy on him, Madhuri. The reason he can’t stop looking at you like a love-struck puppy even today is not just that you left your family to be with him. It’s his innate need to love and cherish you,” mentioned one of her free-lancer friends last night. Madhuri couldn't care less. Even Aman is so loving and caring towards me.Madhuri sat upright, jolted. Her thoughts shifted towards her relationship with Aman. Friendship, Mads, it’s friendship with Aman. What Madhuri shared with Aman was inexplicable. To call it a childhood friendship or companionship would be marring the beauty of it all. Growing up in an extremely patriarchal household, where her brother was almost worshipped, Aman made her feel like she was the centre of his universe. He was the only person in her life who never wanted to change a thing about her. He counseled her, helped her, and when she got herself into any madness, he just stood along and ensured that he was there to pick her up if she fell. In fact, it was Madhuri’s affinity towards getting into all kinds of weird situations while dealing with people that Aman had christened her - Mads.A much suppressed spirit as a child, Madhuri turned out to be rebellious and aloof as a teenager and a young adult. A part of the reason was also the awareness that she just had to turn and Aman would definitely be somewhere around the corner. He was always close by to help her with academics and extracurricular activities. Whenever she reported sick and missed school, Aman didn’t hesitate to go the extra mile and do double the work by copying all her class-work and assignments in her notebooks for her.Madhuri never worried about even a dime in her life because she knew that Aman was there to root for her. Always.Well, not always.
About the Author:
Anupriya belongs to that generation of Idiots (the proud ones though), who did their engineering first and then decided on what they actually wanted to do. She completed her MBA in Human Resources and worked in the corporate world for 8 years, before taking a professional break. A mom by day and a reader/writer by night, Anupriya is a die-hard romantic. Yet she believes that love (in any relationship) is a part of life, not, the heart of life. And she aims to bring to the world, stories around this theme. She can be found in the dot com world at her blog www.mommytincture.com , which contains her ranting about her experiences in her various roles as a mother, daughter, wife and foremost a human being, all churned together. It is also her outlet to the world where she doles out loads of gyaan on self-improvement and relationship management.Anupriya on the Web:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest
