INTERNATIONAL AUTHORS DAY : BLOG HOP AND GIVEAWAY!

Organised and hosted by b00k r3vi3ws blog!

THE LOST ART OF READING!

          Reading – a single, simple word that carries more weight based on the perspective in which it is used. You can ‘read’ almost anything. The top ‘reading activity’ that might come to one’s mind when we see the word is ‘reading the newspaper’. Sadly, it also happens to be the standard, bland response most children nowadays come up with when asked about their hobbies. It gives original readers and bookworms a sad realisation that they are a rare species – those people others should approach with hesitation and caution. Either for the fear of having their ears blasted off in a unsuspecting, totally unintentional lecture of sorts about their favourite book (or the one in their currently reading list) or for the pure cluelessness of having to deal with what would mostly sound like Greek and Latin.

          True readers are those rare people who actually derive pleasure from reading the words printed on paper (or electronic devices nowadays) and constructing the magical scenarios in their heads. These people tackle ‘reading’ as an art, a slow sensual romance between them and the book they read. Most often, you will find these people at the local bookstore, thumbing through copies of books to find that one book that would capture their heart. They will serenade with the shelves, trying to locate that title they have been wanting to read for some time now or maybe for that single elusive title that might immediately capture their attention and thereby their soul.

          Then once the book is located, begins the actual process of enjoying. It usually starts with the admiration of the cover and the title (yes, even though we don’t buy or reject a book solely based on its cover, it still plays a vital role) then the attention moves towards the book’s summary. It is a slow seduction as the reader then begins familiarising with the book. The necessary ‘get to know’ routine – gently sliding fingers across the spine, admiring the lettering and the opening the cover itself, savouring the smell (new book or old book smell, they each have their own charms) and then slowly reading the title and the description word by word.

          Once the ‘reading’ actually starts, the reader enters into a world of their own. From then on, they are with the characters, delving into the pages and becoming one with the characters. The words seem to possess a magical quality as they broaden the minds and create worlds that wouldn’t otherwise exist. For in each written word, a tale is told and in each chapter of a book a new perspective dawns. Reading is a pleasure – it is magical.

          To encourage more people to take up reading and to show our support to the original magicians – the authors, to continue writing more such awesome books, we are celebrating ‘International Authors’ Day!’.

          Please enter the EXCITING GIVEAWAY to win ONE PAPERBACK COPY of ‘The Elephants’ Child’ by Marion Eaton.

ALSO TO BE WON: A digital copy of either of the exciting titles, ‘The Lion Mountains’ and ‘The Elephant’s Child’ by Marion Eaton!

Enter HERE

Interview with RV Raman : Author of Fraudster

          Author RV Raman, author of the crime thriller, Fraudster, opens up to Readers’ Muse in this interview. We @ Readers’ Muse thank the author for his candid answers that tells us a little more about the man who created such memorable characters. We thank you for your insightful answers, sir!

1. Please tell us a little about yourself (preferably something that is not in your goodreads Profile!)

There is so little to say …

I used to be an ardent follower of cricket, with India and the West Indies being my favourites. A minor dream was fulfilled when I watched test cricket at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica (I went on to watch many more matches there).

I’ve had the good fortune to have travelled widely and seen different cultures. I’ve also had the ill fortune to have had my car hijacked, not once, but twice.

2. What was the basis for writing Fraudster? Was there a specific event or a group of events that was your inspiration?

Fraudster was an experiment with two objectives:

First, I wanted to see if I could come up with something that would go down well with Indian readers. My earlier attempt at another genre (epic fantasy) had found favour with some global readers. I then wanted to write something very Indian.

Second, I saw a gap in the crime fiction genre – few people write novels with the core in corporate India. And those who do are a generation younger than me. In my writing, I wanted to offer a more tenured perspective of the temptations and challenges in the corporate world.

No, Fraudster was not inspired by any specific group or event. I chose banking for my first novel as it is perhaps the easiest arena to showcase varied motivations, and to construct a white-collar crime. On the one hand, you have upright, incorruptible people like Visht and Subbu. And on the other, you have opportunistic men driven by greed.

3. Of the characters of Fraudster, who is your favourite and why?

Varsha. Had I had a daughter, I would have liked her to be something like Varsha.

4. Which character was the most difficult to frame/ create?

Ranade. For one, I don’t know any police detectives, and my perspective of these guys is entirely based on novels set in the western world. All the other characters are quite common in the corporate world – the kind, upright Visht; the caring but no-nonsense Subbu; the helpful IT support geek in Ashwin, the lecherous middle-manager in Vincent Shain; and a bright, vivacious girl in Varsha.

5. For someone with your experience in this field, how easy or difficult was writing Fraudster?

While the basic elements of content were not new, assembling them into a credible crime and an industry-wide scam took some doing. I found that writing crime fiction requires a lot more rigour and care than epic fantasy does. Multiple components and several causal chains of events have to fit seamlessly and credibly. I didn’t want an informed banker or corporate executive discovering logical flaws.

6. I had a really good time reading the book. For a computer enthusiast who is interested in reading fast paced thrillers, Fraudster was a really engaging read. But I couldn’t really classify it in one genre. It was too realistic to be fiction (of course it was fiction, this is a compliment!) How would you classify your book, and why?

I see it as a combination of a mystery and a thriller. The first murder is a classic locked room mystery, and the rest of it is a thriller. The blurb focusses on the thriller element.

7. What is your writing habit? In calm and silent environments or even the hustle and bustle of traffic?

I need a good measure of calm to write and edit, and the mind must be free of cares. But formulating scenes and events can be done anywhere. I find that walking promotes imagination and non-linear thinking. I tend to do a lot of my thinking on my feet.

8. Are there any plans for a future book? What more can we expect from you, sir? We’re eager in that regard.

I am in the midst of the next novel, which is set in the Indian stock market. As a computer enthusiast, you will find the core crime a little more IT driven (more than just Blackberry and email).

Now a set of short rapid fire questions for you, sir!

Favourite classic book: The Three Musketeers

Favourite authors: Isaac Asimov, Arthur Conan Doyle, JRR Tolkien, PG Wodehouse

Books that influenced you: The Foundation Trilogy, The Complete Sherlock Holmes, The Lord of the Rings, The Four Just Men

Top five books on your bookshelf (it might even be related to your profession!):

1.    The Golf Omnibus by PG Wodehouse

2.    The Complete Yes Minister / Yes Prime Minister

3.    The Complete Sherlock Holmes

4.    The Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov

5.    The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

Classics or modern literature? Either, depending on the mood.

What is your opinion on the books that come out these days as compared to classics? I read to get away from the misery that surrounds me, not contemplate it further. I find that modern literary fiction depresses me. But I still do read some of it.

What do you do to unwind (other hobbies): An evening out with friends, or I read.

Something that ticks off your nerves immediately: Duplicity.

Your advice to young authors? I am a rookie myself. I can’t advise others. What I tell myself is to write for the pleasure of it, not for fame or fortune.

 About the Author:

Over a career spanning three decades and four continents, RV Raman advised several banks, financial institutions and corporates on various matters. He has now turned to writing fiction set in corporate India, based on his insights and observations.

Having moved away from full-time roles, he now teaches business strategy at an IIM, mentors young entrepreneurs, advises select clients and writes.

Tired of extensive physical travel around the world, he now prefers less punishing mental excursions into fictional worlds of his own creation. He lives in Chennai.

Fraudster is his first corporate thriller, and is available in most book stores including Flipkart & Amazon.

In conversation with : Michelle Pickett - PODs Blog tour!

Michelle : Thank you so much for hosting me today. I know it takes a lot of time to keep up a blog and I appreciate you dedicating some of it to me and PODs. Bloggers are priceless to authors!

Dhivya @ RM : What prompted you to write on such a unique theme as a virus destroying man kind? And how did you think it would be best to convey it in the first person narrative of a teenager?

Michelle : I really don’t have a great story to tell about how I came up with the idea for PODs. I wish I did. I don’t even remember when the idea came to me. It just started out as a “what if” game, as most of my books do. I usually hear something—on the news, in a conversation or ETC—and think what if this were to happen, and then this, and what if that happened, then this, and then if we did this…?? And so on. So I have an idea bouncing around. Sometimes it works into a story, like PODs did. And sometimes it fizzles out before it materializes into anything.

I used teenagers as my main characters because my idea of how the government would rebuild the country would be selecting young, strong individuals. So I wrote it from the young adult perspective.

Dhivya @ RM : I sympathised with the character of Eva, and could relate to most of the things in the book. But the actions of the government bordered on oppression. What prompted you to mix the virus with such a theme?

Michelle : It wasn’t really a planned partnership. The story just evolved as I wrote. When the virus mutated I visualized the government stepping in to try and stop a widespread outbreak—therefore the districts were closed to keep people from going into the infected zone and keep people from the infected zone from coming in.

It’s hard to know what our, or any, government would do when faced with such an outbreak. I think it would be very easy for the government to become oppressive and the citizens, thinking that the government is doing what is in their best interest, may blindly let them.

Dhivya @ RM : Could you tell us a little about the main motivator for writing this story and how the initial spark ignited?

Michelle : I can’t pinpoint one specific moment that inspired me to write the book. I didn’t have a dream or read an article or book that sparked an idea. The only thing that comes to mind that may have planted the seed is talk of the “Super bugs” or the “Super Viruses” that have been in the news. Both my parents have had MRSA. A strain of an aggressive staph infection that is very resistant to antibiotics. It’s just one example of a virus that has adapted and mutated and is now extremely hard to treat with common antibiotics.

Talk of the overuse of antibiotics and anti-bacteria soaps and cleansers have also been debated recently. Some healthcare professionals believe that the overuse of these products do more harm than good. They make bacteria stronger as they adapt to survive and the more we use antibiotics, the more our bodies become immune to their effects.  That’s one theory, anyway.

Dhivya @ RM :Apart from writing wonderful books, what are your other hobbies? And do they reflect on the books you write?

Michelle : Oh, thank you very much for saying I write wonderful books. Compliments like that always humble me. Other than writing I love photography. I love to take photos of faces, especially eyes. I also love to read. That helps with my writing. I’m able to study other techniques and styles.

My family is a constant in my life. I spend time with them when I’m not writing. We do a lot of things as a family. My kids are still young, but they are growing so fast and I want to spend as much time with them as I can before they outgrow me.

Dhivya @ RM : What are the things that you feel strongly about? (In short your likes and dislikes.)

Michelle: I feel strongly about my family. Don’t mistreat them. I’m very protective of them.

I feel strongly that we should all strive to help the unfortunate as much as we are able. I’ve volunteered at soup kitchens and it’s a very rewarding experience.  There are more, but I’ll move on to my dislikes.

I strongly dislike when people are purposely mean or fail to consider other’s feelings in what they do or say. I strongly dislike when people lie. I teach my children that telling the truth will always be better for them in the long term.

I strongly dislike people who abuse or mistreat children or the elderly.

Dhivya @ RM : If you could change one thing in this world by your writing, what would it be? And what would your books (if written for this purpose) be about?

Michelle :That is such a hard question to answer. There are so many things that I would want to change. But I think at this time in our world I would change the way we view each other’s choice of faith. I’d like to teach everyone to accept each other’s faith and not be distrustful of a person because of the God they chose to worship.

Honestly, I’m not sure how I would write a book that would convey this to readers. It would be something that would require a lot of research and introspection. I would want to make sure I was as fair as possible to each religion and its followers.

Dhivya @ RM :Please tell us a little about yourself, family and their support towards your profession?

Michelle : I’m a wife to the best man in the world. He supports my writing completely. He even helps me with ideas and is a great sounding board for me when I need inspiration. My 12-year-old son loves to help with the zombies and monsters. Although he thinks the romance part of the book should be cut out altogether. He told me, “Mom, zombies and kissing should NOT be in the same book!” My twin daughters are still too young to really help, but they do tell everyone that I write books. They love to hand out my bookmarks when we go shopping or out to eat. I think they are my best publicists! My mom reads everything I write and she is a great beta reader. Most people say family members don’t make good beta readers because they won’t tell you the truth because they’re afraid to hurt your feelings. Well, that’s not my mom! She tells me what she doesn’t like and it’s usually really helpful.

About me…there really isn’t anything to tell. I’m a pretty boring person, actually. I was raised an only child in Flint, Michigan. I met my husband at church when I was 15. We’ve been married for 25 years. I love Reese’s peanut butter cups and can’t write without wearing a hoodie. I strive to be abnormal because normal is boring. (ha-ha).

Dhivya @ RM: How did you take up writing? Who is your literary inspiration?

Michelle: I always knew I wanted to be an author. I can’t remember a time I didn’t want to write. The first book that really took me out of myself and immersed me into a new world was Wilson Rawls’ “Where the Red Fern Grows.” That book was a huge inspiration to me. “My Side of The Mountain” and anything “Nancy Drew” were also big when I was young. As an adult I loved Rebecca Ryman’s “Olivia and Jai.” Her characters just jumped off the page. I love them. I’ve reread that book so many times I can almost recite it by heart, but I still love it.

Dhivya @ RM : One piece of advice for aspiring authors?

Michelle: Don’t stop writing and build relationships with readers. Shoving a book in a reader’s face isn’t going to give you sales. Building relationships, true relationships, with the blogging community and readers is essential.

Dhivya@ RM :Can you tell us about your home state? Have you ever visited India?

Michelle :I have not visited India, but the book I mentioned above, “Olivia and Jai” is set in India and I loved the history and culture the writer included in the book! The country sounds wonderful and I would love to visit one day.

I live in Texas now. I’m in a small suburb close to Houston, which is the fourth largest city in the United States. But I’m originally from Michigan. That’s where I was born and raised. I miss it. I loved the Great Lakes that surrounded my home state and the seasons, especially the wonderful colors of autumn.

We @ Readers’Muse wish Ms.Michelle Pickett the best of luck with her books. We also thank her for providing us a review copy of her book and for patiently answering our questions – Dhivya & Janani

Guest Post : Time To Write That Book by Jane Tara

It is said that everyone has a book in them. Certainly in my experience this appears to be true. When people ask what I do for a living, and I tell them I’m a writer, most will inform me that they’ve always wanted to write a book. Some even tell me what the book is about. Most will admit that they really want to write the book … but simply don’t have time.

It’s at this point that I roll my eyes. I don’t mean to. (I apologise if I’ve done it to you.) But am I one of those blessed people who was born under a 24 hour clock while others got ripped off with only 15 hours a day? How can I find time to write when others can’t? Or is it possible that everyone has enough time to write a book?

I understand that everyone is busy. I am too. I run a business. I’m raising four boys. I also have a massive problem where I love a clean house but don’t have a cleaner … I’m thinking about making all my sons live in one room only, which will cut down on housework.

Life is a constant juggle, but I jam as much writing as possible into any spare minute I can. I write when my sons are asleep. Or when I’m waiting for my kids to finish jujitsu / swimming /drums. While other mothers chat, I sit in the corner and edit pages. I regularly stare into space as I ponder how to move forward with my plot (no doubt many people think I’ve lost the plot).

There is always time for that book if you really want it.

Do you watch TV? Turn it off. There, you have time. Spend hours on the Internet? You could be writing. Do you commute to work? I have a friend who writes all his novels on the Tokyo subway.

Naturally there are certain things I’ll never find time for, despite knowing I should. I’ll never find time to volunteer for canteen shifts at my son’s school. I’ll never find time to clean up my iPhoto, or make proper albums for my kids, or write in my diary, or read A Course in Miracles, or clean out the front shoe cupboard. But anything I’m truly passionate about, and anything I really want to achieve … well there’s always plenty of time for that!

- Jane Tara

We thank the writer for taking time out to write such a passionate piece for us in spite of her hectic schedule.

Jane Tara spends most of her time wandering the world and writing. She has over twenty children's picture books published in Asia, and has written travel articles for many publications worldwide. She has lived in Tokyo, London, Vienna, New York and various parts of Australia. She recently transformed her  itchy feet into ITCHEE FEET, which publishes travel books for kids. Jane is the author of the Shakespeare Sisters Series. Both FORECAST and the sequel, TROUBLE BREWING are 

available on Amazon. Jane lives with her partner Dom and their four sons in Sydney, Australia.

Find her books here: http://www.amazon.com/Jane-Tara/e/B0039AK7SI

In the quest for books!

IN THE QUEST FOR BOOKS!

One of the real treats of the city is its abundance of activity. Quaint old buildings coupled with modern skyscrapers, the city has its charm for tourists. But there is the quiet corner of the city's inhabitants who are neither moved nor awed by the various treats of the city. Their aim, goal and destination are one of the numerous book shops that are aplenty and scattered all through the city. These treasure troves are situated in nooks and crannies of the city, where only the regulars feel comfortable.

Yes, the city has its swanky malls and new bookshops. There are your Landmark, Odyssey, Higginbotham’s showrooms. And yes, the thrill of purchasing a new book is always there. But budget concerns and the thirst for classics push the book nerds towards these lesser heavens. Not as swanky, not as glittering, but still just as alluring! Many people say that the smell of books has no compare. But the feel of a well thumbed book gives by itself, a sense of comfort! A happy memory of another book lover who had already gone through the same pages...

My recent quest for books started when my dormant bookshelf stared at me alarmingly one morning. I realised my supply of paper backs was dwindling and therefore I just went through the books I had been reading and re reading. And finally I realised that another trip to my comfort corners was due. So with determination I set off toward the local book shop which sold second hand books at a deal. My mind was busy listing all the authors I would like to read and I have not yet had the chance to come across. Before long I found myself at the platform where the familiar sight of books pleased me like an appetising display of chocolate cake! (No food references allowed, I guess, I will move away from the topic).

There was some unidentified happiness blossoming at the sight of the old uncle who managed the bookshop greeting me with a smile. And his innocent enquiry as to why I had not dropped by for six months to which I just shrugged. Mumbling flimsy reasons and of course the clichéd "I have been busy and had no time..." I proceeded to check out what he had on display. Seeing the books stacked in the display board in neat orders gave a strong wave of nostalgia. Much like greeting old friends, I soon made myself at home and started my determined ploughing through the rows and rows of books.

I knew my way through the racks and the books stacked according to their prices. I talked as I searched and belted out the names of authors I had in mind. Uncle speeded up and brought out 6 of the ten books I named. The other four books, he promised to have ready and call me when they arrived. But I was far from disappointed. This uncertainty is the charm of these bookshops. You can never get every title you have in mind, but as I soon discovered, (Once again, every time, it happens always.) I started choosing books I had never thought about.

Before long the 'helpful' uncle started taking out packed crates with a grunt and a resigned sigh, with his almost clichéd, 'these display books are never enough for you. Here, these books might interest you'. I couldn't help the reluctant grin that spread across my face as I remembered the initial days when I mistook this gesture as a ploy to sell me more books. But before long I understood that the uncle was choosing books based on my favourite genres. He was, contrary to popular belief, quite knowledgeable about the various authors and books and the general trend and mood of the other patrons.

Knowing that his suggestions were almost always good, I proceeded to dust out the books out and discovered fourteen more books "I just had to buy". The ever helpful owner provided a grand total and discounts. But still, the sum far exceeded my budget and I had to part with a few. This filtering process is the hardest. You never know what to take and what to let go. Finally I chose a few books that I couldn't avoid. And with requests to keep those aside for another day, I finally totalled the books and loaded my treasure in the bag I readily carried.

The uncle fervently nodded and assured me that he will set those books aside and I knew he would. The number one benefit of frequenting a local shop is that you can get such concessions. So I filtered out the six books, which in addition to my earlier six made a total of twelve, and kept aside four books with promises to return. The weight of the books was a comfortable load on my back as I trudged my way back to home, much richer than I was before. I came back home and bragged about my exploits and made my mother go 'oh no. Not again' but with a smile on her face.

In another two days I had forgotten my trip to the bookshop and pushed the books I had kept aside to the back of my mind. They belonged to the 'near future'-- one other weekend when - no, If- I found the time. So with this totally unprepared mind I trudged home after a long day at office. And lo and behold what do I find? But the four books I had meant to buy. Knowing every book I own by heart and understanding that these four books here couldn't be a lucky coincidence, I stood staring at them in awe. My mother came forward with her usual won't-you-ever-get-enough-of-this stare. I tried a tentative puppy face and grin while she just shook her head and rambled on, "The book shop man told me you had kept aside these four books. So I just thought I must pick them up before someone else does."

I could see her stern expression slowly morphing into an indulgent and understanding smile. But her next words were lost in the bear hug I gave her. And oh, did I mention? There is another benefit of purchasing at your local shop; the shop owners are familiar with your whole family, and who knows? Your surprise book package may arrive with your mother or the not so distant cousin whom you introduced to that uncle once. The pleasure of passing on a legacy, I say!

 

In Conversation With : Roy Huff, Writer ( Writer of the Book series : Everville)

First, I thank Roy for sending me his book, Everville : The First Pillar.

We also would like to wish him good luck with his book series.

Here is our conversation!

Before I start off, we ( Me & My good friend - Fire Drake a.k.a Dhivya who   co-writes the blog with me) would like to congratulate you on the success of your book! Way to go!

Q1. Owen sage and the battle with Them! What/Who is your inspiration for this book?

            The book started out as descriptive paper for an English class. I received a lot of interest in turning the story into a book. Once I decided to write the book, the meat of the story came from various influenced as well as some ideas I had on my own about constructing a conflict between good and evil.

Q2. In the story, it is not explained why Owen in particular got pulled into Everville and why he is particularly entrusted with the task of fighting the evil Them. Do we get to know that in the future books? 

              Yes. This will be explained further, and it also has a lot to do with the plot in upcoming books.

Q3. The Naming of your characters is quite unconventional! "Dante" as we all know was an Italian poet and is not a really common name. And the place “The other In Between "  is virtually a common English phrase and also the evil is called "Them" again a common English word. Any particular reason for such names?

            Again, the names have meanings that are associated with the characters. I don’t want to give too much away about the future books, but if readers pay attention to names, they can get clues about the story and character’s roles in forthcoming the plot.

Q4. Now getting to something about you. 

5 degrees in liberal arts, history, secondary science education, and Geo science! That's a whole lot of varied interests! How did you manage that!?!

           It was a lot of hard work! A couple of the degrees I worked on concurrently, and I had to do it while working full time. Lots of coffee helped!

Q5. Apart from writing, what are your interests?

            I have so many interests. I love movies, hiking, eating out, travelling, karaoke, chess, good conversation, education, science, philosophy, art, and so much more.

Q6. What kind of books do you read? Who is your Literary Inspiration?

            I’m a classic scifi fantasy kind of person, so all the greats Tolkien, Rowling, C.S. Lewis, as well as classics like Shakespeare, Poe, Longfellow, and others.

Q7. Tell us something about the city you live in - Hawaii. I heard it’s a great place!

            I live in Honolulu, a city of about one million if you include greater Honolulu. The island is very diverse, from a densely population region that resembles Tokyo, to majestic scenic views just a few short miles away. There is great food, views, hiking, swimming, water sports, aviation, as well as the most culturally diverse state in the entire country. There is just about everything for everyone.

Q8. Have you heard of India? We are from India, A country of huge diversity and many book lovers. Any plans of visiting India?! 

            I have heard of India, studied India culture, and eaten a lot of Indian food. I love the curry! I hope to visit and would also love to visit regions in Northern India and the surrounding region. One of my dreams is to climb Mt. Everest. I would like to visit all the major peaks in the Himalayas, travel to Nepal, Tibet, and the surrounding areas.

Q9. What can we expect from the rest of the books in the series?!

            I’m hoping to add more character development and descriptions, more world creation, more races and creatures, and so much more! I envision a film series of 7 or 8. I am writing the story with this in mind. I am hoping to add to the already great epic stories such as LOTR, Narnia, and Harry Potter and have the Everville series stand on its own as that kind epic series. I don’t know if I will achieve this, but that is my goal.

To know more about the book or to get in touch with the writer hit the links below.

Twitter @evervillefans 

Instagram @owensageblog 

Facebook Facebook.com/owensagefans

Google plus https://plus.google.com/u/0/106301367...

Pinterest http://pinterest.com/owensage/

Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/evervillefans

Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89pH3r...

Blog http://www.owensage.com/blog.html

In conversation with : Sherrie Cronin - The writer of x0 ( To the power of Zero ) & Her little Surprise!

Thanks to the “Social Networking" part of goodreads,I was able to contact the writer of book x0 ( To the power of zero ) the book that I had reviewed in my last post. I wanted to know more about her and her book. Here is an excerpt from our conversation!

ME :Before I begin I'd like to congratulate you and thank you for writing such a book based on real interesting theme of Telepathy. I found it really interesting and informative and the plot managed to keep me hooked totally ( Especially after Lola and Somadina made contact!)

ME : The book majorly revolves around the lives of 3 women. What or who is your inspiration for such a storyline which is so women-centric?

Sherrie : That’s a good question. When I started the book I thought of it as a “sister” story.  I have only one sibling, a sister, and we are very close even though we live a thousand miles apart.  I wanted my main character to have such a sister, and for her to form a telepathic link with another woman living a very different kind of life far away but who was just as close to her own sister. My idea was that things like bonds with ones family members transcend cultures, languages and customs and are something we all share and understand. It felt right to me that worrying about your sister’s safety was something that could bring two strangers together.

ME :Telepathy/ESP are much debated topics which have very less believers (I do believe! Many people in my country do!). What made you pick up this subject?

Sherrie: I now get asked a lot if I’m a telepath :).  I’m not, but like Lola at the start of the book I am a very empathic person who picks up feelings from others easily. I’ve often wondered if I could take this gift further and, if I did, would I regret it. I also wanted to explore the idea of empathy. If you really knew what another person was thinking and feeling, could you cheat them? Hurt them? Kill them?

ME :Your style of writing is not the stereotypical kind in various parts of the book. For a fiction work you have used Question and answer kind (The narration of Lola and Somadina reading the FAQs of the website) of narration and you have given links. What made you to use this style? Isn't this style of writing a gamble? (Hey! I loved the way you detailed about telepathy and your links were good too! but just wondering how such narration would sit with the typical novel readers! )

Sherrie: Yes, it was a gamble and maybe not such a good one.  When I wrote the book I promised myself I would write the novel that was inside me, and this book was the result.  I still like the extraneous facts woven into it and the links but that’s kind of how my brain works anyway.  Some readers have really enjoyed my unusual style, others have more or less ignored it and just enjoyed the story, and another group has really rather disliked it and said so.  I wonder if the last group might have liked my story if it was written in a more conventional style.  I have thought about putting out a “second edition” of the book specifically targeted at those who want plot only (sort of an x⁰ lite). And I did back off from that style a little in both y¹ and z².

ME: Yes, I know you are a Physicist hence the liking for Variables (Your Title "x0") is evident. But what triggered you to give these kind of titles - x0, y1, z2!

Sherrie : The book x⁰ is the first in a collection of six books.  The first five novels will each tell the more or less independent story of a person developing an unusual power in response to an emergency situation. The second book, now finished, is the story of Lola’s son Zane and it was supposed to be called x¹. The third book, also done, is about Lola’s husband Alex as he rediscovers an unusual power he had as a young athlete. It was going to be called x². Yes, the next novels (about daughters Ariel and Teddie) were really going to the be x³ and x⁴.  I just thought it was a neat idea and I had a way to tie each exponent into the story.  But as I wrote about Zane, it turned out that he loved superheroes as a child and his favorite were the X-men and at that point I became afraid that all those x’s looked like I was sort of copying from the comic characters (which had not been my idea at all.)  So I changed the second book to y1 and now every book will have a different letter. To me all six books are a very mathematical collection and why that is so won’t be that obvious until the sixth novel.

ME :Now to a little about yourself!
 You are a Geophysicist by profession, what made you take up fiction writing?

Sherrie : Science fiction was my first love, I’ve wanted to write it ever since I was a little girl. I studied journalism in college with a minor in physics with the idea of being a science writer who wrote fiction on the side. But once I was out in the working world I realized that science paid far better than writing and I went back to school to study geophysics. It was a practical decision, although I do enjoy geophysics too.

ME:  And Hey! How do you manage writing and being a geophysicist and having a family? Isn't it a bit taxing?

Sherrie : I couldn’t do it all at once.  To be honest, raising three young children and working as a geophysicist took all the energy I had even with a supportive husband and great kids. I loved my life as mom and scientist, but for many years there was no extra time for writing. However, my youngest child is now in college and I consult four days a week, and so I am rediscovering the idea of free time.  My family thinks it’s great that I’m returning to what I wanted to do so badly years ago.

ME: Tell us something about your likes and dislikes (Just to know what truly irks you when you start writing!)

Sherrie : Well, I’m intolerant of intolerance. I firmly believe that the best and worst human qualities are well distributed among every age group, both genders, every race, culture and religion, every sexual preference, every style and every income level. To me, one of the missions of a writer is to take a reader outside of their own day to day world and into that of another, and to thereby increase our understanding and appreciation of each other. I confess to being an idealist.  In the end, I want my books to add to the sum total of hope in this world, to add to the joy, to add to the love. If I accomplish this even a little tiny bit, I’m going to be very happy that I picked up my laptop and started writing.

ME :What can we expect from y1( I haven't managed to lay my hands on this book) and z2?

Sherrie :I got a little ahead of myself and told you about y1 and z2 when I talked about the titles.  I believe that human beings each have far more potential than they realize and each novel tells of a different family member facing difficulties and overcoming them by learning to use more of that potential.  Zane in y¹ has always been something of an outsider.  He is exceptionally smart, he is a gay, and he grew up in Texas public schools. He has unusually good fine muscle control that he uses to teach himself to alter his appearance and he improves on these abilities to save friends who are in danger. Alex in z² is an aging teacher and ex-athlete who used to be able to slow down time when he was on a basketball court.  He thinks that those glory days are long gone, but when serious dangers enter his own quiet life he needs to relearn those skills quickly.

I’m now working on c³, the story of Teddie, the youngest daughter in the family. It is a work in progress so I hate to say too much about it, but part of it does take place in Northern India near the Himalayas and I am having a wonderful time learning more and more about that part of the world.

Thank you Sherrie for patiently ( & Promptly!) answer my questions! I look forward to reading the rest of the series! 

And now for the little surprise that the writer, Ms. Sherrie Cronin Promised me! 

An Electronic Give away of her book x0( To the power of Zero )  @ https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/138940

Enter the coupon code :  SN62Q

To get the book as a free give away ! Only exclusive to my blog readers!