Preethi Venugopala's Blog, page 8

Book Spotlight: Someone Exactly Like You by Esha Pandey

Synopsis of ‘Someone Exactly Like You’ by Esha Pandey
A chance encounter, a meeting of souls, a passionate kiss, a love of a lifetime… Someone Exactly Like You!
A beautiful young girl, drenched in rain, is being chased by a couple of goons along the narrow meandering roads of Landour, Mussoorie when a swashbuckling stranger comes to her rescue. She faints in his arms and on waking up realizes she is in the company of the “bad boy” of Bollywood – Veer Singh Tomar.
Natasha Kapoor, a film student, quickly scores an internship with Veer to learn the nuances of film-making. All the while her heart is singing a different tune; slowly but steadily she falls in love with Veer.  From learning the nuances of filmmaking to coming to terms with the ‘bad-boy-image’ of Veer, Natasha has her hands full. On a stupid, drunken night they kiss. A life-changing, earth-shattering kiss, but, nothing really changes. Veer brings Natasha to a party where they are surprised to find Amyra.
A married man, Veer is dealing with messy divorce proceedings and allegations of physical abuse from his wife Amyra, a top Bollywood actress. When Veer wins the National Award, she comes back to claim what is rightfully hers.
Veer is drawn to Natasha; he wants to give in to this strong pull of desire, but his ties to Amyra are holding him back. Through the process of scriptwriting and scouting for locations in picturesque twin towns of Landour-Mussourie, Natasha and Veer gravitate towards each other.  
When Natasha gets lost in the mountains, albeit very briefly, Veer realizes his love for her, that he has finally moved on from Amyra. An episode of paragliding over beautiful Dhanaulti cements his feelings for Natasha.
Life though has other plans for Veer. Amyra wants to give their marriage another chance. When she realizes that Veer is falling in love with Natasha, she decides to make it clear that for Veer there can be no one else but her.
Meanwhile, Veer finally confesses his love to Natasha but a cruel twist of fate takes him back to Amyra. What happens next? Will Veer and Natasha get together or will Amyra get her way?
In the quintessential Bollywood style, Someone Exactly Like You is an action-packed masala story. The protagonist is a career-driven young woman who has her mind and her values in place, but once in love, she starts experiencing change. She epitomizes every young woman in the twenty-first century who doesn’t judge, is a hard worker but craves love.  
The hero is the classical lover, in a confrontation with the ghosts within. He is a tall, dark, handsome, successful, proud and caring man, who treats women with the respect they deserve but is absolutely misunderstood. Like King Lear, he is “more sinned against than sinning”.  It is a soul-searching love story with a young peppy feeling which will pull at the strings of all young hearts. 

Esha Pandey Esha Pandey, is an author and a police officer. She made her debut as an author with her book Kiss of Life and Other Stories, a collection of short stories.Esha currently lives in New Delhi. She is an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the 2010 batch, serving as Deputy Commissioner of Police Traffic. Over the years, Esha has worked in various capacities and various territories. She was Superintendent of Police and Commandant IRBN in Lakshadweep during 2014-16, where she wrote her first book. In Delhi, she has served as Additional DCP in Central and North District. Her posting as DCP Special Police Unit for Women and Children, in Delhi, gave her an opportunity to understand the problems faced by women, first hand. During her tenure, SPUWAC trained the highest number of girls in Self Defense and established a Limca Record.   Esha has a Masters in International Relations and Masters of Philosophy in American Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. Before becoming a civil servant, she dabbled with the idea of being a journalist and worked with Times of India as a copyeditor. She has won a United Nations FPA Award for Excellence for the “Best Short Story”.
Esha has kept her passion for writing alive through her tough assignments in policing because writing is music for her soul. Her TDH hero is her partner for life, her husband Rajiv, who supports her in all her endeavors. When she is not doing either, policing or writing, she is busy dealing with her two bundles of naughtiness, her sons.  She can be reached at twitter.com/PandeyEsha and https://www.facebook.com/EshaPandeyAuthor/ .

~Book Blitz~ Scepters of Empyrea: A Journey to the Andromeda Galaxy by Vignesh Ravichandran

About the Book:

Empyrea, an island in the Andromeda galaxy belonging to planet Vathura is serene. Everywhere your eyes turn, you will feast on the lovely birds singing their heart out in the lush green vegetation. Osiris Mysterio ruled the regions of Empyrea with his brother Tyrant Seth and with their children Pitheceus Babi, Kraity Wadjet, and Horus Mysterio.



5000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians were the only humans to receive the invitation to enter Empyrea. They gladly on-boarded into a Pegasus chariot and took their journey to Empyrea. Their journey is indescribable. Empyrea by itself was like a fairy-tale garden, an ocean of flowers and exotic trees.


As the Egyptians went further inside Empyrea, they saw its netherworld. They had mixed feelings when they saw the triangle shaped tombs and the bizarre headhunting people. Empyrea also had the blood-curdling creatures like the deadly dinosaurs, gigantic snakes, furious apes, ruthless rhino’s, massive mastodons and many other creepy creatures. This showed the power of the Empyrean Army and that no other army could survive their wrath.

Emperor Osiris and the kings ruled Empyrea with powerful Scepters. With those powers, they were not only considered as kings but also worshipped as Lords. The Lords with the help of their scepter had the crucial power to transform themselves into giant creatures.
Egyptians while departing from Empyrea was gifted with a shortcut portal to earth and also with some people and creatures of Empyrea to build the Empramids in Egypt. Overwhelmed with happiness they took the shortcut door and returned to Egypt.
However, the happiness was short-lived in Empyrea. The Empire of Empyrea was betrayed for ruling earth avariciously. Somehow the Emperor of Empyrea locked the shortcut portal and asked the Egyptians to safeguard it. The Egyptians, on the other hand, failed to safeguard the portal. And some gangsters accidentally opened the shortcut door in 2017 A.D, entered Empyrea, and inadvertently got access to the Lord scepters.
So, now the Earthians were left with no choice but to battle against the merciless predators and headhunting people in their heroic journey. Their ultimate fate lied in an empire beyond imagination. They would take their stand against the powerful lords, who brutally led their people to war against planet Earth.
Did the gangsters protect the earth from danger, or left the other world to accomplish their tyrant rule on Earth? Explore the world of Empyrea to unravel the truth behind this mystery.
Book Links: Goodreads * Amazon
Book Trailer:
War Arrays:



About the Author:

Vignesh Ravichandran is the author of the book Scepters Of Empyrea: A Journey to the Andromeda Galaxy. He  did his Masters in Business Administration from a leading Business School and  presently working as a Human Resource professional in a leading software organization in Chennai. He wrote this debut novel with the story line which he experienced in his nightmare 7 years ago.



Contact the Author: Website * Facebook * Instagram * Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: The Indian Prince's Scandalous bride by Devika Fernando

Today I have Devika Fernando on my blog to reveal the blurb and cover of her new book. Over to you for the details, Devika Fernando.

Dear Readers,
Ever since I started writing royal romances, I wanted to set one of the stories in India. Now I’ve made this dream come true. “The Indian Prince’s Scandalous Bride” is the 4th book in the Romancing the Royals series, and I can’t wait to share it with you all. Here’s the cover and blurb. The book is due for release next month.


BLURB
Wedding planner Ashley Davies has left England behind to organize a royal wedding in India. She’s expected a cultural shock and lots of unforgettable memories – but never in a million years would she have thought she’d fall in love. When the mysterious and irresistible Vivaan turns out to be none other than an Indian prince, it’s time for her to make a decision: risk everything for the sake of what feels like so much more than a holiday fling, or resist their forbidden attraction and save her job as well as her heart?
Prince Vivaan of Yogeshpur certainly doesn’t want to get involved in the organization of his brother’s grand wedding, but then a free-spirited and smart redhead from England captures his interest. Suddenly he finds himself eager to get to know a woman who would never receive his mother’s royal seal of approval. Should he give in to his feelings or stay away from the ‘scandalous’ wedding planner?


THE SERIES
Have you read the other books in the series yet? The first three novels are each set in a fictitious kingdom as well as in a real country such as Maldives and Germany. They are sweet contemporary romances and can be read as stand-alones with happy endings. Click on the links to find out more. Book 1 is a free download in most countries!

The Prince’s Special Bride | The Prince’s Stubborn Bride | The Prince’s Surprise Bride

-Devika Fernando

Remember When: An Excerpt

Excerpt:

The rain pattering on the window, leaving trails of silver threads shining in the morning light took her time traveling to that morning a decade ago. They had met on a similar damp morning seven years ago.

Tara was then in the second year of her bachelor's degree in English literature. Manu was a senior studying for an MSc in Zoology, a rank hopeful for the entire college. Their worlds didn't usually converge. The science stream and the art stream students belonged in parallel worlds that never ever collided. Yet it did for them, magically, amid the unorganized chaos of a bunch of teenagers trying to create music. Music had wiped out the prejudices that often kept the two streams apart. She was the lead singer and he the lead guitarist in the college band.

Manu had initiated their conversations every time they met. He talked to everyone. She often forgot words in his presence, her tongue tangled. Everything about him fascinated her. The light that animated his liquid brown eyes, lines that crinkled around his eyes when he laughed, his silky-smooth hair that fell lazily onto his forehead every time he moved his head. His broad shoulders that made her want to rest her head on them. And when his fingers, long and soft, strummed the guitar, every cell in her body hummed.

It had felt like a meaningless crush until that college trip. She had signed up for a trip organized by the Nature Club only because she knew Manu was the group leader. The trip had been to the interiors of the nearby forest reserve renowned for its rare species of flora and fauna. Her fascination for him did not go unnoticed by him for long. On the way to the reserve, his eyes had met hers often and she had found a question lingering in them.

Inside the reserve, while they were crossing a narrow bamboo bridge, she froze at the middle of the bridge, suddenly frightened and numbed by the chaotic vista of the wild stream that ran just meters below. Everyone had crossed the stream without any incident. Yet, she couldn't lift her feet the moment she had looked down at the white, frothy and raging stream. After the initial encouraging shouts, all had fallen silent. The bridge was too narrow to accommodate two at the same time.

Then Manu had walked back, encouraged her with kind words. Her fear had been replaced by a warmth she had never felt before. Yet it had not been enough to make her walk. Humiliating tears had streamed down her cheeks and he had wiped them wordlessly. Then, effortlessly, he had lifted her in his arms and walked to the bank. They had all cheered for them. Neither one of them wanted to be near anyone else after that. Sometime that night, while they had sat around a raging bonfire, silently holding hands while the others sang and danced, she had opened her heart to him.

She had traced the four letters declaring her love on his palm, her tongue still unwilling to cooperate. He had squeezed her palm in acknowledgment and then traced a heart-shaped loop on her palm repeatedly. Each stroke sent delightful rushes of pleasure to every inch of her skin. He had taken her hands in his and kissed the tips of her fingers.


Blurb:
A Poignant Love Story with the Chennai Floods 2015 as Backdrop Dedicated to the volunteers who kept Chennai afloat  during the floods On the outside, Tara leads a perfect life. A home of her own, a handsome husband, a doting son and a promising career as an author. But inside, she is a wreck. Her marriage is a sham and she hasn't succeeded in forgetting her one true love, Manu, the man she had wronged. The man she had almost married. Manu, now the senior editor with a science portal, firmly believes that he has left Tara where she belonged-in his past. But in reality, he hasn't forgotten anything. Not the love nor the hurt.Their past and present collide when they accidentally meet in Chennai. The city has come to a standstill after facing the worst flood in a century. While nature is unleashing its fury on humans, they must make peace with their past. Will they have the courage to do that? Can they fight the attraction that still burns bright?Or will the bunch of people they are with, teach them new life lessons? What is the secret that is burning Tara from within?


Amazon Book Link: mybook.to/RememberWhenANovel

Book Spotlight: Draupadi – The Tale of an Empress by Saiswaroopa Iyer

Blurb : 
Being born a princess, and raised by a loving father and three doting brothers would make life seem like a bed of roses to any woman. Born out of the sacred fire, Draupadi is no ordinary woman, and her destiny cannot be to walk the beaten path. Witnessing estrangement and betrayal within her own family makes her perceptive and intuitive beyond her years. 

Complicated marital relationships, a meteoric rise and a fateful loss, humiliation unheard of and a pledge of revenge, all culminating in a bloody war—her ordeal seemed never-ending. Yet she stands up to it all—never succumbing, never breaking. 

One of the most unforgettable characters of the Mahabharata, Draupadi shows what a woman is capable of. Told with great sensitivity and passion, this book brings alive a character of epic proportions that resonates with every reader across space and time.


Excerpt :
An awestruck silence overtook them, each drowned in their own memory. Uttara was remembering her association with her enigmatic mother-in-law, and Janamejaya was thinking about Rishi Vaishampayana’s narration of the exploits of his ancestors and their much-celebrated queen. He saw Uttara fiddle with her silvery white plait, still long and lustrous, despite her ripe age of nearly eighty springs. 
‘You lost a lot in the great war, Grandmother,’ he murmured, shuddering while he imagined the dance of destruction at Kurukshetra. ‘Was there ever an occasion when you felt your life would have been better had you not married into the Pandava household?’ 
‘Depends upon how one defines the word “better”, Janamejaya,’ Uttara replied, still staring into space as if she was viewing the incidents of her past right there. 
Janamejaya moved closer, taking his place by her feet. ‘After listening to the most learned rishis of Bharatavarsha for days, I have still not been able to come to terms with my father’s death, Grandmother Uttara. How can I even dare to imagine how it must be for you who lost…’ he could not complete the sentence, partly out of the numbness his empathy generated.  and partly because he did not want to refresh her moments of bereavement. Uttara had lost her father, brothers, and a very young husband with whom she had hardly spent a year of marital life, to the war at Kurukshetra. Her unborn child, Parikshit, Janamejaya’s father, had escaped from an episode of horrific midnight slaughter. 
‘Everyone lost someone dear to them in the war, Janamejaya,’ Uttara sighed. ‘My marrying into this household at least gave me the satisfaction of bearing an heir to this empire. In fact, I am proud that the thought of unborn Parikshit gave the much-needed hope and strength to Uncle Yudhishtira to take up the reins of this devastated land. I had the good fortune of being a daughter to Mother Draupadi when she lost everyone born of her womb to that midnight slaughter.’ 
Janamejaya’s eyes filled with a sense of admiration. ‘Old men and women at Hastinapura still blame Empress Draupadi and her anger for their losses in the battle.’ With a pained shrug, he added, ‘The gap of understanding that exists between the wise and the mundane.’ 
‘As the emperor, it is your dharma to dispel misunderstandings surrounding the history of this land, Janamejaya,’ Uttara’s voice was stern. ‘The whole point of reciting the records of the past is to learn from the exploits of our ancestors, take pride in their valour, strength and courage, while gaining wisdom from the stories of their tribulations. If people judge their ancestors because of false notions about history, it is only a matter of time before the population is uprooted from the values their ancestors fought for, and falls apart.’ 
Janamejaya nodded. ‘That is the reason why I have impressed upon the rishis and acharyas to impart the timeless record of Bharata to students while they acquire education from their gurus. I have also appealed to the erudite disciples of Bhagavan Veda Vyasa to conduct recitation sessions in public gatherings during the festivities.’ 
Uttara smiled in satisfaction at his genuine attempts. ‘Janamejaya, lazy intellect puts the blame of the Great War on one person. Those who truly understood what led to the eighteen-day-long slaughter at Kurukshetra would reflect on the events and choices of three of the four generations that led the entire empire to war. Blaming someone like Mother Draupadi is not only foolish but also a disturbing sign of misogyny that would be frowned upon by the learned rishis who recorded history and composed the timeless story. Mother Draupadi, in fact, saved the empire from many disasters with the sheer power of her desire to protect this land.’ 
Janamejaya listened to her animated discourse and smiled. ‘Grandmother Uttara, I have never seen a woman defend her mother-in-law with the passion that you did just now. Pray, tell me the story again, this time through her eyes.’ 
Uttara rejoiced at Janamejaya’s undying enthusiasm to listen to the tale of his ancestors repeatedly. Very few were fortunate enough to carry the legacy that he did and even fewer realized and strived to live by it as he did. She was more than delighted to narrate the tale, especially from the perspective of the woman who had captured her respect, awe and love for this life and the lives to come—from the perspective of Draupadi. 


The book can be bought from:

About Author:

An Alumnus of IIT Kharagpur and an investment professional turned satisfied writer, Saiswaroopa is the best selling author of four novels, all based on legendary female protagonists from Ancient Hindu Literature. Her second novel Avishi, based on a Rig Vedic hymn, has been acquired for screen adaptation by a major studio. 

Saiswaroopa is passionate about Ancient Indian history, philosophy and literature. She holds a certificate in Puranas from Oxford School of Hindu Studies. As a trained Classical Singer, she has also been awarded a Gold medal by TTD (Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams). 

In her spare time, she likes to search for her next inspiration in books, pravachanas and historical temples. She lives in Bangalore with her husband and daughter. 

Book Spotlight on 'Guardian Angel' by Ruchi Singh

Excerpt:
As Ziya entered her apartment after a long day at the university the next Friday, the loneliness which had receded to the back of her mind during the workday unfurled its tentacles once again. Seeing Nikhil had put her on high emotional alert. She had expected him to appear by her side every second for the past three days, but he hadn’t obliged. 

Eating solitary dinners and feeling sorry for herself would not help her cause, she thought in sudden rebellion. Why couldn’t she go to the restro-bar down the lane and get to know the locals? The area was near her university, maybe she would bump into someone known to her from her first year.

Ziya scanned the restaurant but couldn’t spot an unoccupied table. So intent was she on having a good time as she made her way toward the bar, that she failed to notice a pair of eyes watching her cross the dining hall. Her back toward the diners, she settled on one of the stools. She flicked through the menu but couldn’t zero down on a drink to suit her mood.

“May I buy you a drink?” someone said.

She turned and stared. He looked just like she had pictured him—handsome in a navy-blue dinner jacket and light-blue shirt open at the neck.

He smiled. “Hi, I am Neal. Neal Mehra. May I join you?”

The bleakness of her life disappeared the very next moment. She wanted to launch herself into his arms. He, on the other hand, stood composed like a stranger who had a mild interest in this girl he had just seen. Sudden tears threatened to spill out from the corners of her eyes. She blinked and dropped her gaze to the mobile in her hands. 

“Are you alright?” he asked softly. 

She nodded and swallowed the salty liquid constricting her throat, then looked up again. “Actually, you reminded me of someone I had met a long time back,” she said.





Buy it from 

Amazon India  Amazon US  Amazon UK   Goodreads 

About the author



Author of the bestselling romantic thriller ‘The Bodyguard’, Ruchi Singh is an IT professional turned novelist. Her other published novels are ‘Take 2’ and ‘Jugnu (Firefly)’. Winner of TOI Write India Season 1, Ruchi has also published a short story collection, ‘Hearts and Hots', besides being a contributing author to many anthologies.

2018: The Year that was... A Note of Gratitude

In a few hours, we will ring in the new year.
And it is the perfect time to bid adieu to a wonderful year that gave me so many great memories to cherish.It was a year where I learned a lot as a writer and as an individual. 

Right from the beginning, my plan was to write and publish more novels and short stories than I had done in 2017.I accomplished that in the following manner.
Feb 1: Published 'His Sunshine Girl'on Amazon and it went on to become a #1 BestSeller and gave me a lot more readers than ever. Its success gave me the confidence to plunge myself into completing the next manuscript I was working on.

Feb 16: My short story Happily Ever After got published on Juggernaut Books. It is among the popular books on Juggernaut in its category Love, Sex and Romance though my book is a sweet romance. 

April 9: My short Story 'Dear Meera' got published on Juggernaut books. It is one of my favourites and is one of the popular books on Juggernaut in the books listed in the 'Áll Access' option.

June 14: My novel 'The Princess and the Superstar' was published on Amazon. It has been my most successful novel till date and went on to become #1 in Romance category on Amazon India. 

July 4: Another short story, 'Her Many Lives' went live on Juggernaut books. It was based on my past life regression experience with a lot of fiction thrown in.

July 28: Conducted a short story writing workshop in association with Juggernaut books at Atta Galatta. It was a very interesting experience. 


August 6: The next short story that got published on Juggernaut books was 'Fangirl'. It was a story which had developed from a contest prompt to write a flash fiction which went on to become a short story. It is one of my favourites till now. 

August 28: I republished 'My Red Knight', a previously published short story in an anthology as a short read on Amazon. It went on to become #1 Best Seller in Historical Fiction on Amazon India.

Nov 26: Completed my first NaNoWriMo Novel 'Remember When' and was declared a winner. I am currently polishing and editing it. Hoping to publish it by late January. 


Dec 1: Book Launch event of 'Jest Like that', a humour anthology I am part of compiled by Shinie Antony and published by Atta Galatta, happened at Bangalore at Mimansa@Foxtrot. It was a fun event and my short story 'The Wedding Night'garned quite some laughs when I read aloud an excerpt from it. The best thing was that I met with some of the best authors and people I adore.


Dec 18: Published 'A Christmas in London', a Christmas romedy on Amazon. It is currently the #1 hot new release in humour category on Amazon India. 

I had always wished to write a Christmas romance and this was a dream come true. 
Met many of my author friends at various events and also at planned meet-ups. Loved meeting Paromita, Sudha Nair, Reet Singh and Saiswaroopa. Looking forward to meeting the rest of my gang of Wrimos who have been such an inspiration to me. 

With author Sudha Nair
Another exciting thing that happened in 2018 was reconnecting with old friends. Met many school friends, college friends after connecting with them via Whatsapp and Facebook.
The year that passed was indeed very exciting. I had not set any specific goals. But I achieved more than I wished for. That itself gives me so much happiness.
Personally, I was able to gain closure on many things that happened to me in the past and let go of all things that no more served me.
It was also the year where we moved into our own nest. After months of searching, we finally found the apartment that suited us. 
It is with utmost gratitude that I am bidding adieu to 2018. You have been kind and wonderful.
Dear 2019, be as nice as your predecessor. I hope you guide me to become a better writer and individual.Thank you, Universe, for all the blessings.
How was your 2018?

BookSpotlight: Vyom by Tripti Bhardwaj

An excerpt from Chapter 1- Vyom: The Sky of Success:
‘For Vyom, its aim is paramount and we’ve been striving to achieve it, every day, every time, every moment,’ Chancellor Jaywardhan Rathore was declaiming about a memorable day in Vyom Hall of Vyom Institute. ‘We will die protecting our world, our country and our people and endeavouring a true victory. Victory of peace over war, of truth over falsehood, of trust over treachery, of hope over despair, of courage over cowardice and of unity over every weakness raising hindrances to a better future.’ He gestured to a man in uniform, who had a powerful physique, sitting next to him. ‘I heartedly welcome my dear friend, Major General of Vyom’s army, Sagar Mittal, to our institute to celebrate this great moment.’Vyom Hall was witnessing the presence of professors, scientists, officers and all groups of students: Buddha, Shukra, Vasundhara, Mangal, Brihaspati, Shani, Arun and Varun. 

Jaywardhan continued, ‘A century ago an organization named Vyom, the sky of success was founded with a sole aim. For achieving it we must realize our duties, our responsibilities towards our world and country. We must feel that the people we live among, their safety is our prime duty, their happiness is the source of ours. Today is a glorious day for all of us, as a family, as a team.’ Everyone perked up.
Jaywardhan Rathore in his early fifties, with a set of rectangular glasses and black-white moustache, had an efficacious personality. A gentle person of firm determination. He’d started his career as an Assistant Professor in Vyom Institute. His hard work and passion brought him to its highest post. 
Vyom Institute was a spacious-green campus, had forty main multi-storey buildings, Bhavans, with three wings each, and a head office. All the bhavans were scattered forming twelve concentric ellipses, Parikramas, around the head office. A group of smaller structures collectively known as Sanrachana situated between the sixth and the seventh parikrama included canteens, auditoriums, arenas, stadiums, sports clubs, guest rooms, cyber cafés, etc. Vyom Institute was more or less constructed like the solar system, eight planets replaced by forty bhavans, the asteroid belt by Sanrachana and the sun by the head office.  
Tonight the entire campus was sparkling with decorative lights and streamers vying for attention. Open corridors and courtyards were adorned with shimmering curtains, flowers and rangoli, embellishing the ambience. Everyone was savouring the rollicking festival to their heart’s content. Colourful water, dancing at melodious music, was jetting out of the fountains making every feet move rhythmically. But Jaywardhan’s heartbeat had gone out of rhythm. He was in conversation with someone in the Chancellor’s Cabin through his wireless single earphone, a concerned look on his face, ‘What? But how did he branch out, Ali?’ 
Ali’s voice came from another side, ‘I’m working on it, Mr Chancellor. But he’s scheming to get DTM’s system for sure.’‘You take care of yourself. He must not come to know that you work for us.’‘Don’t worry,’ said Ali. ‘I’ll keep you updated.’‘Vyom farewell.’ Jaywardhan disconnected his earphone. Ali’s words had set him thinking. Murmuring to himself, he paced up and down his cabin. His thoughts were distracted as Damini Rathore, his wife and a scientist, elegantly dressed in a beautiful cotton-printed sari and tying her black hair in a bun, entered.She asked, ‘Did Ali get anything about Vikrant lately?’‘No, no-thing. Everything is...’ Jaywardhan looked away. ‘Anyway, it’s time to go to the hall.’‘What’s the matter, Jay?’ Damini looked straight at him, his expression troubling her deeply.‘I’m fine. You don’t worry,’ Jaywardhan’s voice grew weaker.‘So it’s definitely about him, isn’t it?’ Damini turned him towards herself, sensing his inner turmoil. Jaywardhan removed her hand from his arm. ‘Vikrant’s ambitions are exceeding, Damini. If we don’t stop him now, he will ruin everything.’ Damini stood still, great anxiety enveloping her face.Jaywardhan took a deep breath and motioned his eyes to a framed painting hanging on a wall behind his chair showing a range of red mountains with the sun floating on a river. ‘I’d made a promise to sir and I will keep it at any cost.’ A tiny flashlight on a sapphire metallic belt tied on his wrist blinked green. Coming out of his memory, Jaywardhan saw a name on a small screen fixed into it, touched the screen and said through his wireless single earphone, ‘Yes, Yash?Assistant Professor Yash Chauhan’s voice came through it, ‘Mr Chancellor, the celebration is about to begin. We’re expecting both of you.’ ‘We’re coming, Yash. Vyom farewell,’ replied Jaywardhan, taking a quick look at Damini.As Jaywardhan rang off, Damini spoke, ‘But our.....’‘We’ll talk later.’ Jaywardhan made for the door. ‘You’re coming, aren’t you?’ After a momentary pause, ‘I am,’ answered Damini.Vyom Institute, a part of Vyom Organization was situated on Niketan, one of the eight islands collectively known as Vyomdweep in the Indian Ocean. Vyom Organization primarily worked for the national security, had its headquarters in India’s commercial capital, Mumbai and its offices in almost all the countries of the world. Every year, new batches of twelfth pass students who desired to be a member of Vyom Institute were called in Vyom Headquarters. They had to pass a rigorous but transparent multilevel selection test, Vyom Eligibility Entrance Test- VEET, and show their skills, capabilities and determination. If they passed all the levels, they were welcomed in Vyom Institute.

Blurb:
Vyom: the sky of success, a global organisation, promotes international cooperation and strives to establish world peace. One of its parts, Vyom Institute primarily works for the national security and provides its students the skills, knowledge and training to fulfil the responsibilities to their country. Vyom Institute faces challenges when its ex-member, Vikrant Kapoor, desperately searches for the Royal Weapon which had been hidden in the past.

Vyom's submarine, Mandakini, is attacked. Manasvi -55, a chip connecting two time machines, is stolen from Vyom's Museum. World's two advanced humanoids stand against each other. Chancellor Jaywardhan Rathore and his team find themselves in a deep trouble created by someone present among them. To get the answer what the Royal Weapon is and reach it before Vikrant does, five students from the institute, Prithviraj Malhotra, Kanak Singhania, Samrat Chopra, Kabeer Khan and Aavishkar Arora, journey through time. They encounter unimaginable situations in their quest which lead them to Ananyaakashganga, the Royal Weapon's Haven. A fierce combat is fought where a brother leading an invincible army finishes a 700-year old unfinished business. A teacher is murdered. A father wishes his son to be dead rather than cursed. A tablet unfolds a way to the ultimate destination. A time machine is chased. A mask reveals a horrible carnage. An armour becomes the reason of its bearer's defeat. A code deciphers a warning for the enormous destruction. Welcome to the world of VYOM.


About the Author:

Tripty Bhardwaj is a scriptwriter, an anchor, a newsreader and a teacher. She is a Master's degree holder in Physics and a Bachelor's degree holder in Science as well as in Education.
She has worked with Doordarshan as a scriptwriter and an anchor in the shows 'Geet Bahaar' and ‘Geet Gunjan' for two and a half years and as a newsreader in an agricultural based show ‘Krishi Darshan' for three years.
Tripty has always been a voracious reader of a variety of literature especially science fiction, mythology and thriller and mystery. Being a creative and self-motivated writer, she always tries to formulate her writing in a meaningful and logical manner. She successfully turns her framework of mind into simple and understandable language.

Purchase Links:
Paperback:

Amazon 

Flipkart

Snapdeal
Become Shakespeare
E books

Google Play

 Amazon


Smashwords
Scribd

On Writing 'Because I Promised' : Anupriya Gupta

Today on 'On Writing' we have Anupriya Gupta, who debuted as a novelist this month with 'Because I Promised.'
In her own words, 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. 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.


Welcome to 'On Writing', Anupriya.





Was becoming an author always your dream or was it a particular event or incident that gave birth to the author in you?
Well, there were two things that happened in two different points of time. A decade back, Mills&Boons published some dozen titles with Indian Authors. I was so thrilled at the prospect and wished that someday I will have the patience and talent to write a romance novel myself. Around 7 years later, when I was expecting my second child and realised that soon I will have to leave my job, I frantically jumped into the world of blogging. The motive was to get into something that would help me keep sane once I would be almost homebound.  And then one of my fellow bloggers (it would be more appropriate if I called her my mentor too) informed me about NaNoWriMo challenge. It was then, that I decided that I had to cater to my 7-year itch of writing a novel.
How important are the names of the characters in your books to you? Do you spend agonizing hours deciding on their names?
Oh yes! I want the names to be different and draw the reader’s attention. Also, it should suit the character sketch. But it has so happened almost everytime I have to decide the name, they occur to me in a flash, while in the bathroom, or driving my kid to school etc. And yes, I have a list of favourite names in my repository. I visit the same when I need names for my supporting characters. 
What is your writing process like? Do you write every day? Is there a favourite place to write?
I try to write every day. That’s the only way I can keep in touch with the numerous ideas that keep swarming in my head. Past one year, I have really really been writing a lot. Around 100 blog posts, an ebook (around 26k words) and my latest release (60k words) all of it has been churned out in last one year. In this time, I have learnt a lot and I see that my relationship with words has improved a lot. So I am not complaining. No, I don’t have a favourite place to write. Though I prefer a secluded room in my home with just me and my laptop. But when ideas strike, I just open Google Keep on my mobile and type my mind out.
What is different about A couple of things actually, though it is a romance saga at its core, it is more like a journey of a young girl from the time she is a teenager to her becoming a young adult who has set out to achieve something professionally too. There are contrasting shades to her personality that make her intriguing yet realistic. At some points in the plot, you might get so frustrated with her that you may want to put some sense into her head for acting unreasonably. While at others, you will appreciate her for being extremely level-headed and mature.Another aspect of the story is that a significant plot point includes and throws light on the life of the transgender community in our country. I hope the readers find it interesting and appreciate it.
Who is your favourite character in the book and why?
It’s like asking a mother, who is your favourite child. It would be very unfair of me if I were to name one character. Instead, I would talk about the equations between various characters. There are some very strong connections of friendship, sibling love, parent conflict among the characters.  The one I would like to mention here is the relationship between Varnika (my female protagonist) and her transgender friend Ulfat Bi.  From the time they meet, they share a warmth between them and as the story progresses, Ulfat Bi turns out to be Varnika’s friend, philosopher and guide. It’s a very feel-good equation.
Which do you prefer as a reader? EBook or Paperback?
Oh! Now, this is a catch-22 question. Nothing can match the smell of a paperback and the feel of holding a book in my hands. But then I have two hyperactive kids loitering around the entire home. The idea of ebook sounds cool in my circumstance because I don’t have to be worried about a book being torn. And it’s a little less luggage while travelling with kids to my hometown Chandigarh. I can read a few pages whenever I can extract a couple of minutes to myself in the airport playroom, or during the flight when the kids doze off.
One thing that goes in the eBooks’ advantage is that there are so many nice eBooks by self-published authors. Many of these books are excellent reads and are extremely enjoyable. So yes eBooks have a plus there. But both paperback and eBook are now an integral part of the reader in me.
How long did it take to finish writing ‘Because I Promised’?
The first draft got completed in 30 days straight. Then I hibernated for almost 4 months, before getting back to editing it. It took me three months to get the manuscript to a level where it was fit for printing. Editing took a lot more time than the initial draft. But I have learnt quite a few lessons about writing and editing in the process. Hope they help me when I get to working on my next book.
How important do you think is marketing in today’s world for any book?
Very Important! One cannot stress enough on the significance of marketing. But the channels have changed over time. Social media plays a very significant role today in marketing the books. One can reach out to a lot more people through SM marketing initiatives. And once your book makes a mark, then it's like a chain reaction. Your book is sure to find an audience.
Please share a passage or quote from ‘Because I Promised’for our readers.



As they travelled back home in their car, Varnika looked straight ahead into nothingness. She felt a hand over hers and turned to look at a smiling Beena. Varnika took her arm and moved closer to her mother to place her head on her shoulder. With every experience in her life, she only came to the conclusion that nothing can supersede the love of your family. Yet, she felt a sudden pang in her heart; took her mobile out of her bag and dialled a number. She heard an automated reply that informed that the number is out of network coverage.She wondered if Sushant was genuinely out of network coverage or if he had blocked her number. She shook her head and smiled for her mother’s sake who was clearly revelling in her daughter’s achievement.
What are the three tips you have for readers of this interview who are aspiring writers?
1.       Never wait for the perfect idea to strike you. Sometimes what you set out to write turns out very differently when you actually put it out on the Word Document.  So you never know how your final story will transpire until you type it out.  You can edit an imperfect manuscript later.2.       Read a lot. Do not compromise on reading while you are writing. Reading is the only activity that will keep your writing cells active. I tend to read everything that crosses my eye- newspapers, magazines, interviews everything. You never know what you read today, might become a muse or a plot point for your story in future. Reading is basically research for your writing on the go.3.       Question each and every word you write. That’s in the editing stage. See if you can tighten your language. Use a more appropriate and simple word, instead of a jargon.  And tell a tale that people will carry with them for long.
Thank you! I wish you the very best for your future endeavours.

On Writing: Diwakar Pokhriyal - Sapne, Sach aur Udan

Today on 'On Writing' we have award-winning poet and writer Dr Diwakar Pokhriyal.

Dr Diwakar is a writer by passion. He has completed his PhD, PG and B.Tech. in Power/Energy and is working as Technical Head in Asmi Energy Systems Pvt. Ltd. Mumbai. He has written one Novel, 14 poetry books and 1 Short story collection. He is also a part of more than 100 poetry anthologies with poets around the world. He has been entered into 'Limca Book of Records 2017' for writing 50 different forms of poetry. He has also won 'Aagman Young Talen Award 2014'. His various author interviews are available on social media. 
Welcome to 'On Writing' Dr Diwakar.
  
Connect with Dr Diwakar via his Facebook Page 

Sapne Sach Aur Udaan Facebook page 
Was becoming an author always your dream or was it a particular event or incident that gave birth to the author in you?
I don’t know the exact answer to this, but I was writing since my school days. I read a lot of comic books during my childhood and maybe that made me write. I started writing during one of my English Literature period out of fun. There was no pressure or a particular event that changed me as a writer or inspired me to be a writer.
How important are the names of the characters in your books to you? Do you spend agonizing hours deciding on their names?
Not exactly, I tried to make names more common that can be relatable easily. The story revolves around 5 individuals and while reading the stories the reader can relate with them as they will sound familiar to them with either of their friends of themselves or someone they must have come across.
What is your writing process like? Do you write every day? Is there a favourite place to write?
I write whenever I get time to write. I try to write every day, but at times not able to follow the daily commitments to self regarding the same. But one thing is sure, and that is, I do write in a day or two ranging from two lines poetry to 2000 words short story. As I write both in English as well as Hindi, it gives me an additional way to express my feelings and ideas in two different languages.I scribble in papers, mobile, laptop or whatever I have at that point in time. With the use of Laptop, I mostly write in Laptop because due to my official work, I have become more friendly towards writing in Laptop and another advantage is that I can edit easily and of course save paper! 

Who is your favourite character in the book and why?
This is actually the hardest question. As a writer, I can’t differentiate between the characters because everyone depicts a lifestyle or thought process that gives you a new horizon to explore. I love all of my characters.
As a reader again my interest or experience will make me fall in love with different characters, for example, those who are religiously following their dreams and not able to follow it might like the character of DV, if someone has a broken heart, then they might like the character of Rohan or Ritika. Those girls who are facing the patriarchal mentality and want to break free might like Neeti and Girls that are modern and on their own might like Aks. So the characters are all different.
Which do you prefer as a reader? EBook or Paperback?
I have no problems with reading EBook or Paperback, but I must admit that both have their own emotional impact. I mean touching a hardcopy or Paperback gives you a feeling of connectedness with the book or the story. On the other hand, the EBook gives you the freedom to carry it anywhere and everywhere wherever you can take your mobile or laptop.

How long did it take to finish writing ‘Sapne, Sach aur Udan’?
It took me exactly 3 months to complete the 1st draft of the Novel and then 1 year and more to sign the publishing contract.
How important do you think is marketing in today’s world for any book?
Marketing is very vital for the author. The review of the book will only come to the author when someone will read it. In the present era we have different types of readers (writers too), I mean to say there are readers who will read book after going through reviews, then there are readers who only like to read classics, then there are readers who will read the book if they heard about it from their friends and also there are reader who will pick up the book of the new writer.So to reach different kinds of readers, varying marketing strategies the author has to deploy. Hence, this marketing aspect is very vital. It is not the only thing but certainly a very important thing for a book to reach the sea of readers and for an author to grow.
  Please share a passage or quote from ‘Sapne, Sach aur Udan’ for our readers.


“मम्मी, मुझे क्रिकेट खेलना है, डीवी ने कहा| “तो जा, खेल ले,” मम्मी बोली|“पर मैं तो कॉलेज जाता हूँ,”डीवी तीखे स्वर में बोला|“तो कौन सा एहसान करता है, वो तो सब जाते हैं,”मम्मी के स्वर भी तीखे हो चले थे|“आपने तो कहा था कि नौकरी लग जाएगी तो खेल लेना,”डीवी बोला|“तो ढूँढ लेना ऐसी नौकरी जिसमें तुझे खेलने का समय मिल जाए,” मम्मी हँसते हुए बोली|“लेकिन अच्छा खिलाड़ी बनने के लिए बचपन से सीखना पड़ता है," डीवी ज़ोर देते हुए बोला|“बेटा वो किस्मत वाले और पैसे वाले होते हैं. तुमसे 50 पर्सेंट से ज़्यादा नंबर लाए नहीं जाते. कॉलेज में दाखिला भी मुश्किल से मिला है और क्रिकेट खेलने की बात करते हो,” मम्मी व्यंगात्मक लहजे में बोली|"इसका मतलब आपने मुझसे झूठ बोला था,” डीवी को अब गुस्सा आ रहा था| “जब बच्चों को सच दिखाई नहीं देता, तो ऐसा ही करना पड़ता है,”वे बोलीं और अंदर चली गई|“मैं नीचे जा रहा हूँ,” डीवी ने  चिल्ला कर कहा और बाहर निकलने लगा|“इतनी रात को कहाँ जा रहा है?"  मम्मी चिल्लाई | “खेलने,” डीवी बोला और निकल गया|“तू वापिस आ, फिर देखती हूँ तुझे,” मम्मी गुस्से से बोलीं लेकिन डीवी उन्हें अनसुना करते हुए निकल चुका था|
डीवी का दिमाग़ बहुत  गरम हो चुका था. उसे क्रिकेट खेलना बहुत पसंद था और अब तक उसे लग रहा था कि नौकरी लगने के बाद शायद वो आराम से खेल पाएगा,  लेकिन आज जब उसकी रवि से बात हुई तो उसे ये एहसास हुआ कि खिलाड़ी तो वास्तव में बचपन से मेहनत करके ही शीर्ष तक पहुँच पाते हैं|  जो भी नया खिलाड़ी खेलने  आता है उसकी उम्र 18-20 साल होती है. वो तो 19 साल का हो गया था. डीवी चलता जा रहा था, बिना ये जाने कि उसके कदम उसे कहाँ ले जा रहे हैं|


              You should read a lot and write a lot. If you are an aspiring writer, then writing is the basic necessity despite you have a publisher or not, you write good or bad, you have that spark or not etc. All these questions will be answered only when you will have enough writing material with you. When you will write, you will understand your own thought process and what you need to improve on them. So keep writing, reading and an eye on marketing too.

Thank you, Dr Diwakar for taking the time to interact with our readers. Wishing you the very best in all your future endeavours.
Get Dr Diwakhar's book from Amazon: