Under an Indian Sun

by G.V. Landon

Under an Indian Sun is an evocative and passionate journey of self-discovery for three independent travellers as they are inexorably drawn together during a trip to India. Tom, self-assured and at ease with his identity faces an unexpected dilemma when he meets Julia, herself on an unusual quest on behalf of an elderly friend. And Jeremy, still recovering from a failed marriage, finds himself irresistibly attracted to these charismatic companions. Follow these captivating travellers as they journey through the magical landscape of the Indian subcontinent and are drawn together into an intoxicating love triangle and stunning finale.

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 26, 2011

About the author

My first immersion into the delights and challenges of creative writing occurred some fifteen years ago, when I found myself in a desert of my own making; both terrestrial and metaphorical - but still a desert nonetheless. It did have its pay-offs though, as it forced me to write and be disciplined and attempt to turn that desert into a garden. To water it, sow it, plant it and nurture it. And out of it grew my characters, so real to me then that at times I indeed thought they were real. Why so? Because in each of them was a bit of me. I woke up with them, ate with them and fell asleep with them. I was Jeremy; electrified and petrified by a stranger's gaze and allure across a beach-hut in Goa. I was Tom; normally so self-assured with his identity, but now at a loss when he meets Julia in the Himalayas. And in Julia herself I saw a friend so close and real I could almost touch her, smell her scent and hear her laughter. And so was born 'Under an Indian sun' or at least at that time, its baby brother. Now older and more mature it speaks with a more adult voice. I hope you enjoy it. For sample chapters and further information please visit: http://underanindiansun.webs.com/

Work is in progress on another journey of self-discovery for its own spunky quirky set of characters; this time set on a small Caribbean island in the middle of revolution, obeah, cocoa-trees and armadillos! Following is an excerpt from the first chapter:

Chapter One

Of Armadillos and Cocoa Trees

The ancient turboprop' hiccups through a final puff of fleecy white vapour and descends into a riot of sunshine and tropical verdure. William peers intently through the porthole while the pilot effortlessly skirts the hilltops and in a wide gentle arc swoops down towards the miniature airstrip.
His neighbour, a tiny grey-haired Englishwoman suddenly looks up from her travel-book and exclaims:
"Do you know, they eat Armadillos in St. Nicholas!"
William, momentarily caught off balance and unsure whom she is talking to, turns to look at her. She does seem to be addressing him. Wrinkling his nose in mock horror William answers:
"Armadillos?"
"Yes, Armadillos!" the woman repeats, pursing her lips in disapproval, though whether this is directed at the culinary customs of the islanders, or at his inattention, William is unsure. She then continues:
"Apparently they're a sought after delicacy; call them 'tatou', and wrap them up in clay and bake them in a charcoal oven, would you believe?"
"Good heavens above!" William remarks.
"Quite!" the woman replies, returning to her book again. William, relieved, turns back to peering out of the window.
A delicate chill of excitement suddenly sweeps over him at the realisation that this tiny island paradise is to be his home for the next year. This is what he has dreamt of for months. His thoughts turn to Sue, and then to John and Lucy and the frantic two days of packing and moving which his new job abroad had necessitated. He wishes his lover and friends were with him to share in the moment. But then, he reprimands himself; Sue will be joining him soon, so there is no need to start moping.
He smiles at the memory of Lucy at the wheel of her struggling, overladen 2CV Citroen, as it stubbornly refused to negotiate the final hundred yards to John's home only the previou