Book Spotlight : Giving Candy to Strangers by Stan Holden

Book Description for Giving Candy to Strangers:

Too many sales people are focused on the end result, the outcome—the close—and another notch on their gun! But, what if you approached “sales” from a heart-centered standpoint, with curiosity and playfulness, as though the world were your sandbox?

What if you created relationships for no other reason than to help others and make new friends? I know what you are saying, "How can it not be about results when it comes to business?"

The bottom line is important, but if you detach from this burden while you are creating relationships, you will find that the health of your bottomline will improve on its own!

Buy the book:  Amazon   Barnes & Noble   Book Depository   Chapters/Indigo

Author's Bio:

Stan Holden, owner of The LooneyBin Creative Studio, has created work for many Fortune 100 companies. As a protégé, he was first published in a national magazine during the 5th grade. A graduate of California University Long Beach, his screenplay, Rebel Without A Claus, has received a "recommend" by Disney and optioned for filming. He resides in Irvine, CA, with his wife, Reneé, and their two teenagers, Sara and William.

Connect with the author:    Website   Twitter   Facebook

Release Day Blitz : Soul Warrior by Falguni Kothari

About the Book:

Twisted myths. Discretion advised. 

Fight fate, or succumb to destiny?

In the dark Age of Kali, the Soul Warrior alone stands guard over the Human Realm, protecting its denizens from evil-willed asuras or demons. When a trick of fate appoints him guru to a motley crew of godlings, he agrees to train them as demon hunters against his better judgment. Suddenly, Lord Karna is not only battling the usual asuras with sinister agendas, but also rebellious students and a fault-ridden past.

Spanning the cosmic realms of mythic India, here is a tale of a band of supernatural warriors who come together over a singular purpose: the salvation of Karna’s secret child.




Book Links:
Kobo * iBooks * Amazon US * Amazon UK * Amazon Canada

Read an Excerpt:

CHAPTER ZERO

DWANDA-YUDDHA: THE DUEL

The Himalayan Mountains.
Five thousand years ago.

Absolute darkness shrouded the Human Realm, and had for three days and three nights. Some believed the occurrence was prophetic, like the prolonged amavasya or new moon night that had heralded the Great Kuru War two thousand years ago. The war had given birth to the dark Age of Kali, the age of asura. In contrast, hope was ripe that this event would trigger the Age of Light. But the Bard wasn’t here to succumb to superstition. 
The first day without the sun’s light had spread confusion and chaos across the realm. The second day had brought desperation in the breasts of humans and fear in the belly of Celestials. The third day—today—was a feast for the asuras. Death lay everywhere. 
The human world burned without its sun. How soon before the Heavens went up in flames?
The Bard’s troubled eyes reread the last line. Then he deliberately scratched it off, lifting his long, pointed talon from the parchment made of dry palm leaf. With a sigh, he rested his aching hand on his trembling thigh. He would spare a moment to ease his body, and his mind from the strain of observation and due recordkeeping. If he didn’t, he’d forget his duty as Witness of the Cosmos, and begin to question fate. 
Despite the fire that crackled close to his right knee, and the feathered form of his upper body, he was cold. An icy wind had settled around the Pinnacle of Pinnacles, where he sat cross-legged on a seat made of rock and snow. He’d chosen this perch because it gave him an impartial view of the events happening in the world. He was the Bard, entrusted with keeping the Canons of the Age of Kali, just as the Soul Warrior was entrusted with keeping the Human Realm safe from asuras. Would they both fail in their duty today?
The Bard shook off the heavy despair the darkness had brought into the world. He mustn’t judge. He shouldn’t question. He would sharpen the talon on his forefinger, dip it into the vessel of ink kept warm by the fire, and write this tale. That was all he could do. Be the witness to history.
So he raised his feathered hand and began to write again while his eyes, sparked with power, knowledge and magic, saw clearly events unfolding from great distances. A thousand kilometers to his right, Indra, the God of War and Thunder, fought the Dragon. Indra did not fare well. But that didn’t concern the Bard as much as the clash between the Soul Warrior and the Stone Demon. Over and over, his eagle eyes were drawn to the duel taking place in the heart of the world, not only because it was a magnificent battle to behold, for it was, but because its outcome would decide mankind’s destiny.
The Soul Warrior was more than a great warrior. Karna was a great soul. Fair, honorable, brave and resilient, he was the perfect protector of the Human Realm. Of course, there were other reasons he’d been chosen to fill the office of Soul Warrior—there always were when Gods and demons were involved. But Karna’s existence was a testament to righteous action and if anyone could bring back the day, it would be him. 
But how did one vanquish stone, the Bard wondered?
Avarice and cruelty, two nefarious desires, had made Vrtra and Vala attack the Human Realm. Three days ago the Dragon had swallowed the Seven Rivers in the north, and the Stone Demon had imprisoned the Sun God, his daughter, and all the cattle of the region in his cave.
The Bard paused his writing as a thin vein of lightning winked across the skies, but without the accompanying roar. Indra’s strength waned. His thunderbolt hadn’t left Vrtra screaming in pain this time. The Bard spared a moment’s attention on the duel, just enough to note that the Maruts, the Celestial Storm-gods, waited in the clouds to rescue their god-king in case of a calamity. Indra would survive even in defeat. Of that, the Bard was sure.
But Karna had no one at his back. His might and god-powers had depleted without the sun’s healing warmth and light. His divine astras, weapons, had not slowed the Stone Demon down, at all. Only the conviction that he could not fail his godsire, his sister, and the innocents under his protection drove him now. His birth family had once abandoned him to his fate, but he would not abandon them to theirs—such was the greatness of Karna.
The Bard crossed out the last observation. No questions. No judgment. No praise, either. The canons would be free of all emotion. He wasn’t here to embellish history or glorify the history-makers, as some bards were wont to do. 
It wasn’t embellishment to write that the foothills of Cedi were drenched in the Soul Warrior’s blood. Or observe the gushing wounds on his body, despite his armor, that would make the hardiest of warriors bellow in agony, but not him. It wasn’t embellishment to write that the Heavens were empty for the Celestials had come to Earth to watch the battle, firelight cupped in their palms to light the warrior’s way. 
The Naga, the Serpent People, also looked on, hissing from the mouth of the portal that led to their underground realm beneath the hills. The Serpent King will not choose a side. Vrtra and Vala were half Naga, after all. All across the Human Realm, demons roamed free, taking advantage of the darkness and preying on human flesh and human souls. It was a terrible moment in history. The asuras had the upper hand in the eponymous age of Demon Kali.
Vala did not have arms and half a leg, but still he came at Karna. He had an ace up his sleeve. There were plenty of creatures about, an entire mountain close at hand. He began to chant the spell of soul transference. It was the darkest of all magic, the possession of another’s soul. Soon, he would be whole again and stronger than before.
Battered and bleeding, the Soul Warrior veered away from the Stone Demon. He leapt over boulders and charred vegetation. The onlookers called him a coward. Had he forfeit the duel? Has he forsaken mankind? 
Karna dove for Manav-astra, the spear of mankind, he’d thrown aside yesterday after his bow, Vijaya, had shattered under repeated use. In one smooth motion, he rolled, picked up the astra, coming up in the spear-thrower’s stretch. His tattered lower garment billowed about him as a gust of wind shot through the air. His muscled torso glistened with blood and sweat, tightened as he pulled the arm holding the spear back. 
He meant to throw Manav-astra at Vala. A futile attempt, to be sure? As long as Vala was made of stone, broken or not, his body was impregnable. Karna should have waited for Vala to transfer his soul to an onlooker. Then Karna should have vanquished the possessed creature. 
Taunting laughter reverberated through the foothills of Cedi. Vala had reached the same conclusion. The Celestials looked at each other in angry silence, unable to interfere. A dwanda-yuddha duel was fought between two opponents of equal size and strength alone. The humans hadn’t stopped screaming in three days, the din simply background noise now. 
The Bard scribbled the observations onto the parchment in no particular order. He wished he was a painter, for surely this was a picture worth a thousand words.
The demon hobbled toward the warrior, who stood still as stone with his arm drawn taught behind him. Then finally, with a roaring chant the Soul Warrior shifted his weight from his back leg to his front and let fly Manav-astra at the Stone Demon with all his remaining might. 
Karna didn’t wait to see the ramifications of his action. And there were plenty to come. He ran into the mountain cave to free Vala’s hostages. Within moments the rock face rent in half, and bright streams of light speared through the terrible darkness. A new day had dawned on the Human Realm after three days of perpetual night.
The sun’s power was too bright, too full of hope. Yet, the Bard looked on pensively, wondering if the Soul Warrior knew this wasn’t a victory. It was merely a reprieve.

About the Author:

Falguni Kothari is a New York-based South Asian author and an amateur Latin and Ballroom dance silver medalist with a semi-professional background in Indian Classical dance. She’s published in India in contemporary romance with global e-book availability; Bootie and the Beast (Harlequin Mills and Boon) and It’s Your Move, Wordfreak! (Rupa & Co.), and launches a mythic fantasy series with Soul Warrior (The Age of Kali, #1)

I’m embarrassed to admit how many social media accounts I own :

Website * Blog * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads * Pinterest

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Sewing Can Be Dangerous And Other Small Threads by S.R Mallery : A Review & Blog Tour

Tour Schedule

Welcome to my stop on the Blog Tour of Sewing Can Be Dangerous And Other Small Threads by S.R Mallery. This is a collection of 11 short stories. Featuring stories from genres like mystery, history, romance and action, this anthology has been highly rated by readers all over the world and has 4.8 out of 5 rating on Goodreads. 

And I am so excited to share this book on my blog today. Also, Sewing Can Be Dangerous And Other Small Threads by S.R Mallery is only 99c/Rs. 63 from a limited time! 

~About the Book~

Title and Author: Sewing Can Be Dangerous And Other Small Threads by S.R Mallery
No. of Pages: 276
Publication Date: December 2013
Genre: Historical Fiction, Anthology, Short Stories, Romance, Mystery, Action

Blurb:
The eleven long short stories in "Sewing Can Be Dangerous and Other Small Threads" combine history, mystery, action and/or romance, and range from drug trafficking using Guatemalan hand-woven wallets, to an Antebellum U.S. slave using codes in her quilts as a message system to freedom; from an ex-journalist and her Hopi Indian maid solving a cold case together involving Katchina spirits, to a couple hiding Christian passports in a comforter in Nazi Germany; from a wedding quilt curse dating back to the Salem Witchcraft Trials, to a mystery involving a young seamstress in the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire; from a 1980’s Romeo and Juliet romance between a rising Wall Street financial ‘star’ and an eclectic fiber artist, to a Haight-Asbury love affair between a professor and a beautiful macramé artist gone horribly askew, just to name a few.

BOOK REVIEW:

Rather than the review of the book as a whole, it will do justice to give a few comments about each individual story because every single story has a unique element.

Sewing Can Be Dangerous:
It is a tale that takes people back to the past in its writing. The dialogues (with the nativity pertaining to that particular time) are well written. The story is chilling enough and brings the violent scenes of the fire accident right before the eyes as if they were happening in the present. The twist, though predictable for seasoned readers is a real treat and the main point of the story.

A Drunkard's Path:
Starting off as a normal happy tale, this sets the scene where you keep expecting something sinister to happen. And it does happen, though not in a really obvious blood curdling way. Narrated (once again) in past, the back story gives definite goose bumps, if not for being real, at least for explaining in a very realistic way the Salem Witch Trials.

Lettie's Tale:
Lettie is a black slave. Set in the backdrop of the plantations in America when slavery was a big issue, this story is thrilling, undeniably fast paced and with nice twists. I will never look at a quilt the same way again.

The Comforter:
Irony at its best. The real point of the story isn't visible until the last line. But surely, one of the best stories about Nazi Germany that has been written without being too gory but getting the point across.

A Plague on Both Your Houses:
A beautifully scripted love story between two individuals who are unlikely to meet, much less fall in love. The initial pages, where the comparison between Lizzy and Mark are written are classic if you are able to follow the sudden switches between characters. A feel good story.

Border Windfalls:
A story about a righteous doctor who wants to cure cleft lips falling into a mexican drug cartel. But the whole poignant mood of the story is simply crafted to say that sometimes even the worst of situations bring out the best for people.

Emma At Night:
A story of English nobility, set in fifteenth century England, and a plot to overthrow the King, Richard the Lionhearted. It is the tale of a brave seamstress who helps hatch a brilliant plan to inform the King's High Minister about the treachery, thereby saving the ruler. The archaic language is the highlight of the story.

Murder She Sewed:
A brilliantly written piece about a cruise ship homicide. A quilter and a NYPD detective are on a cruise for their own vacationing reasons and when the murder happens, who solves it forms the rest of the story. It is slightly predictable with linear progression but it is a good read.

Precious Gifts:
A woman's obsession with a sewing machine, and the events that follow! Simply written, story's depth is the best point.

Lyla's Summer Of Love:
If anything, this story attracts the readers with its title. And the content doesn't disappoint either. This story has all the elements of a racy read!

Nightmare at Four Corners:
Helen and her article - enough said. The title sounds ominous enough and the story follows with quick twists and turns. A fitting end to a unique book.

Overall comments:
The book is one of the most unique I have read in recent times. Almost every story has a sewing link (pun intended) and the title seems apt. The stories seem to have been handpicked and the language is great, save a few typos. The best dark stories can be woven using words that have the capability to send chills down the reader's spine. Go for this book if you like your stories peppered with dark emotions. A brilliant read.

~Excerpt~

An Excerpt from Sewing Can Be Dangerous & Other Small Threads

From A Drunkard’s Path

 “....Are you kidding me?” Deborah exploded. “My life is falling apart! C’mon, curses don’t really happen, do they? I mean, what can I do? You tell me now!” She segued into a screech.

“Come over to my place tomorrow and I’ll try to relate it all to you, I promise…”

….“Do you know anything about the Salem Witchcraft trials?” The older woman leaned in toward her niece, as if casting a spell herself.

“No, not much, why?”

“You remember Martha Stinson from my quilt group? Well after the wedding, she showed me a journal written by a relative of hers and frankly, I am very concerned about you. It seems one of the accused witches from the original Salem trials might have actually had a connection with a real witch, an ancestor of Martha’s…”

* * * *

Inside the packed meetinghouse, dust particles from mud-caked boots floated throughout the air, rendering it dense, murky. That year, April had been an unkind month to Salem Village. Rain-drenched meadows produced a sludge that clung to the edges of women’s dresses, creating odors so foul that in such tight quarters, it became difficult to breathe. But people weren’t concerned with such matters on this day. They had gathered for a higher purpose: the Devil was in Salem, and they wished him thwarted at all costs. Even the constant threat of Indian attacks and surviving harsh winters paled in comparison to what was happening now, in that room, swelling with apprehension.

Crammed into high-walled pews, dark wooden benches, or simply shoved up against walls, spectators filled every conceivable space in the meetinghouse. Donning black hats, cloaks, and breeches, the men angled forward, their eyes boring holes into the five men sitting up front, yet it was the women who carried the greatest burden that day; their hooded coats and muffs covering their recently unkempt hair and unwashed fingernails, couldn’t disguise the uncertainty they felt about their community’s loyalty to them and how it would all end.

Sitting at the head of the counsel table, amongst other magistrates in the newly appointed Court of Oyer and Terminer, John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin quietly conferred with each other before beginning their first round of questioning. Arrogant, self-important, the black-robed magistrates assumed their positions on the political totem pole, and having been brought to Salem for such a specific purpose, they dared not disappoint. They were on a mission to deliver souls. Hathorne, displaying the greatest exhibition of self-aggrandizement, seemed the most severe. With no real legal experience, and having only glanced at Sir Mathew Hale’s Trial of Witches, and Joseph Granvill’s Collection of Sundry Trials in England, Ireland the week before, he nonetheless believed he was more than competent to interrogate the accused.

At the front of the room facing the magistrates, sat all the accusers, the “afflicted” girls: Abigail Williams, her cousin Betty Parris, Ann Putnam, Sarah Bibber, Sarah Churchill, Elizabeth Booth, Mercy Lewis, Susanna Sheldon, Jemima Rea, Mary Warren, Mary Walcott and Elizabeth Hubbard. With downcast eyes and folded hands, they appeared demure; inwardly they were experiencing emotions quite different from anything they had ever known. Childhoods stocked with adult repression and fear now served as a springboard to the frenzy of accusations they had created, because on this day, along with their catharsis and even exhilaration, came the most important emotion of all: a sense of empowerment. At last, they were getting adults to listen to them, and it was intoxicating.

John Hathorne commenced with the proceedings. “Bring in the accused, Bridget Bishop….” 

~Buying Links~

Grab the kindle/Nook book at just $0.99 or Rs. 63!

Amazon IN: Kindle Book

Amazon US: Paperback | Kindle Book

B&N: Nook Book

~Meet the Author~

S.R. Mallery has worn various hats in her life. First, a classical/pop singer/composer, she moved on to the professional world of production art and calligraphy.?Next came a long career as an award winning quilt artist/teacher and an ESL/Reading instructor. Her short stories have been published in descant 2008, Snowy Egret, Transcendent Visions, The Storyteller, and Down In the Dirt.

Website/Blog:  www.srmallery.com

Twitter:  @SarahMallery1

FB: http://facebook.com/pages/SR-Mallery-Sarah-Mallery/356495387768574

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/107388739382996104658/posts

Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7067421.S_R_Mallery

Pinterest:  (I have some good history boards that are getting a lot of attention—history, vintage clothing, older films)

http://www.pinterest.com/sarahmallery1/

Amazon Author page:   http://www.amazon.com/S.-R.-Mallery/e/B00CIUW3W8/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

~Giveaway~

 $25 Amazon Gift Card

Open Worldwide

Ends on 31st July

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~Organized by~

TSU | Pinterest | FB | Twitter | Become a Tour Host

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

Kidnap Part 1 of Guy Erma and The Son of Empire $100 Amazon Gift Card giveaway!!

KIDNAP: Part 1 of Guy Erma and The Son of Empire goes on sale today! Read on for more info on how to win a $100 Amazon gift card.

Mystical Mystery Series Book Bundle: An Amazing Giveaway! Enter to win!

Mystical Mystery Series Book Bundle

Three Award-winning Authors—Book Giveaway and Sale

Discover a touch of the mystical and an innovative take on mystery from an international trio of authors.  Australian Virginia King, American Amber Foxx and British Marion Eaton – all B.R.A.G. Medallion winners – have teamed up for a giveaway and over a week of discounts from April 21 – 30. 

Win a Paperback of Each Book

Enter the drawing below to win a paperback copy of the first book in each author’s series. 

Buy each e-book during the sale for only $1.99 US.

The Calling – Amber Foxx

The first Mae Martin Psychic Mystery

Obeying her mother’s warning, Mae Martin-Ridley has spent years hiding her gift of “the sight.” When concern for a missing hunter compels her to use it again, her peaceful life in a small Southern town begins to fall apart. New friends push her to explore her unusual talents, but as she does, she discovers the shadow side of her visions – access to secrets she could regret uncovering.

Gift or curse? When an extraordinary ability intrudes on an ordinary life, nothing can be the same again.

 The Mae Martin Series

No murder, just mystery. Every life hides a secret, and love is the deepest mystery of all.

Website & buy the ebook for $1.99:

https://amberfoxxmysteries.wordpress.com/buy-books-retail-links/

When the Clocks Stopped – Marion Eaton

The Mysterious Marsh Series, Book One

When lawyer Hazel Dawkins decides to write some wills while she waits for the birth of her first child, she unwittingly triggers dramatic consequences. Mysteriously, she encounters Annie, a woman whose tempestuous life took place more than two centuries earlier when Romney Marsh was a violent place, dominated by smugglers.  Soon that past collides with the present, and Hazel finds herself pitted against an evil that has stalked the marsh for centuries.  As her destiny intertwines with Annie’s in the shifting time-scape, Hazel confronts a terrifying challenge that parallels history – and could even change it. If she survives.

Website: http://www.marioneaton.com/

Buy the ebook for $1.99: amzn.to/17THZ83

The First Lie – Virginia King

Selkie Moon Mystery Series, Book One

Selkie Moon is a woman on the run.  In a mad dash for freedom she's escaped her life in Sydney to start over again in Hawaii.  But her refuge begins to unravel and she's running from something else entirely.  A voice in a dream says that someone is trying to kill her.  Not that she's psychic, no way. But the messages and threats escalate until she's locked in a game of cat and mouse with a mysterious stalker.  Entangled in Celtic and Hawaiian mythologies, the events become so bizarre and terrifying that her instinct is to keep running.  But is she running from her past?  Or her future?

Website: http://www.selkiemoon.com/

Buy the ebook for $1.99:

http://www.amazon.com/First-Lie-Selkie-Moon-Mystery-ebook/dp/B00K1VC20Y/

All three books will be on sale for $1.99 US from April 21 to 30.

Enter the drawing now to win paperback copies of all three books

To Enter the Rafflecopter directly:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Or Alternatively...
When you click on the Rafflecopter link you’ll be invited to choose which series you would like to learn more about. This will enter you in the drawing. To get an additional entry, click on the option to tweet the give-away. The raffle runs from April 21 – April 26.  The winner will be announced on April 27.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/eb0a35092/

Spotlight : The Guitar Girl by Aniesha Brahma

About the Book:

Sixteen year old Rhea Shah never thought that she would find herself falling for her brother’s best friend, Joy Fernandez, when they come home from college. Because she never thought that the dork who used to go to school with them would suddenly reinvent himself in college.
The only people she’s able to talk to about her absurd crush, are her best friends, Sophie and Arjav. Both of whom at first encourage, and then almost blackmail, Rhea to confess her feelings, which leaves the poor girl more muddled than ever!
Plagued with upcoming Board Examinations along with her friends’ suggestions, Rhea finds it difficult to concentrate, because she’s fallen for Joy, hook, line and sinker. In an attempt to vent to her feelings, she begins a blog, where she publishes all her songs and poems, dedicated to Joy, keeping her identity a secret.
But things do not go quite how she planned when a certain blogger named J. Fern begins to read her blog, and wishes to work with her…
Will Rhea ever confess her feelings to Joy? And will Joy find out the real identity of The Guitar Girl?

Book Links:

Amazon.com / Amazon.in / Goodreads

Meet the Characters of The Guitar Girl

Rhea Shah: 16-year-old Rhea Shah develops a crush on her brother, Robbie's, best friend, Joy Fernandez. She adopts the alias The Guitar Girl in a misguided way to keep a hold on her feelings. Rhea cares about her two best friends, Sophie and Arjav, although the latter knows how to push her buttons. She is pretty awful at hiding her feelings.

Joy Fernandez: 18-year-old Joy is Rhea's brother's best friend, as well as Arjav's cousin. He takes on Rhea as his student, teaching her how to play the guitar, unaware that she harbours feelings for him. He can be pretty dense at times - refusing to see what is really happening right in front of his eyes. He dates a rather crazy girl in college, Rosetta, who later becomes Robbie's girlfriend.

Sophie Ghosh: Rhea's best friend in school, who discovers her secret at the beginning of the novel and keeps encouraging her to confess to Joy about it. Initially united with Rhea on the front by finding Arjav, she begins liking him more than a friend. Both she and Arjav believe in meddling with 'destiny'. 

Robbie Shah: Rhea's older brother who has no idea has his sister has fallen for his best friend. He is too preoccupied with his band and his girlfriend, Rosetta, who Joy had dated before him. 

Arjav: Rhea's oldest friend, who knows her secret and wants her to tell Joy as well. He and Sophie like each other and likes to meddle with 'Fate'. 

About the Author:

Aniesha Brahma has loved writing since the age of six. She was schooled in Dolna Day School, and then pursued BA honors in Comparative Literature from Jadavpur University, where she went on to complete her MA in the same. Currently, she’s pursuing MPhil in Comparative Literature from the same place. Her hobbies include reading, writing, playing with her favorite pet, Pippo the cat, (and other kittens too), traveling and blogging.She has written innumerable short stories and poems, most of which can be found on her blog and in various magazines and newsletters. Her debut novel was, The Secret Proposal, published by General Press in September 2012. She won the Editor’s Pick for Romance genre in the IndiReads Second Short Story Competition, and her story The Difference, was subsequently published in the anthology, Voices, Old & New. She has interned with www.womanistan.com and www.zapondo.com, as their content writer. She has volunteered at Hope Foundation, Kolkata, teaching the children who attend the Chetla Lock Gate Coaching Center. Aniesha also had a brief stint as a writer for the Kolkata-based travel magazine, Touriosity.

Contact the Author:

Blog I Facebook I FB Page I Twitter I Email

Tour Schedule

Metro Diaries by Namrata : Spotlight and Review!

BOOK SUMMARY:

          Love is one of the most amazing feelings on this earth, one that makes you the most powerful person or the most helpless person in a split second. These stories capture those feelings of despair, longing, love, lust, desire, want, dejection and admiration to create deja vu. Hold onto your hearts as you flip through these pages and take a walk down the memory lane as "Metro Diaries" will revive your innermost feelings and imbibe in you the magic of love. Touching, amusing and deeply moving, Metro Diaries - Love Classics are tales that will hold you from start till end.

SURPRISING TRIVIA / FUN FACTS ABOUT THE BOOK:

          (Read these before you read the book.)

1.    All the stories in the book are real. Name of places and people have been changed to maintain confidentiality.

2.    Metro Diaries is a segment on my blog which consists of stories across genres though this book has only got the romance collection.

3.    One of the characters in the book is me and NO I am not telling you which one ;) If you think you have the right answer do write to me and I will let you know how close or far you are.

4.    All the stories in the book have not been "ended”, they have been brought to conclusion in a manner that there can always be a next part to it and the story can go on with the same characters.

5.    If observed closely you will notice the stories are not technically love stories where boy meets girl and they fall in love to live happily ever after for I believe love stories are also about what doesn't happen between the lovers.

NOW, FOR THE REVIEW:

          Metro Diaries – a collection of short stories that I am going to review with a twist. Instead of the usual long drawn professional review that gave in depth comments about the plotline, I am going to give my comments about each story in a line or two.

Once in a Lifetime:

          The best part was Ansh's proposal - the beauty of those words can be described in just one word - magical.

          The story had powerful dialogues. For a story filled with bits of conversation and metaphors, with scenes flashing like memories, the completeness is amazing.

Then, Now and Forever:

          That Verse before the story - amazing!

          The first word of the story - the character's name - for Harry Potter fans, this quickly brings a smile upon their faces. The potter fandom sees references everywhere. If we don’t understand this, then there is something seriously Ron with us!

          The letter from Ron's grandfather is moving – it is a well written, thoughtful piece.

Love Thy Dreams:

          Love the dreams you have - let your memories aid you. And achieve those dreams - even if it means the dream is a person! Okay, enough ambiguity!

The Wait:

          The whole story changes with one word - or rather, one phrase. It is amazing how the human mind perceives things with omission and inclusion. Thoughts are the most easily manipulated feature of humans. Go on and read this more than once to understand what is wrong or right here.

A Secret Revealed:

          A story with a powerful theme. It takes a bit of in depth reading to understand the crux of the story. If you do understand the references, this story might garner good marks.

A Promise of a Lifetime:

          A commercial, happy ending story which makes the ordinary into extraordinary and makes the dialogues speak where the crux doesn't.

Will You?:

          A dialogue style story that quickly turns into the most essentially simple check list of lovers. If you find yourself making mental notes to check this with your love interest, you are well on your way to a lifetime supply of… No, no… That was not what I was about to say. Love. Yeah, that’s it.

Love Beyond Words:

          How much emotion could you put into a diary entry? What about the truly physical explanation of love? Beyond words - speechless. This story owns the lovelorn readers starting from the first sentence. Cynics, give this a skip.

Imperfectly Perfect:

          Had to go through this one twice to grasp the real plot of the story. Good try. Parallel worlds in a single short story (both existing in the same physical world) are usually difficult to bring about. Kudos to the author for trying this.

A Thing Called Love:

          A bittersweet tale with too many references of famous lines. A clichéd, repetitive tale but the prose is well-written.

The Sole Soul Mate:

          A story of realization and finally coming to terms with what was already evident to the subconscious mind. Filled with mind numbingly powerful dialogues.

The Yellowed Diary:

          A sadly penned diary entry that speaks of memories and of unrequited love – yet again.

You, Me and Love:

          The definition of soul mates at the end in this first person narrative stands out… That is the only thing that is memorable.

Unlocked:

          Friends with Benefits? Abridged.

Memories:

          Love lost? Photos remain the same as memories even when the people in them change or move away? Okay, I will stop with the clichés and picture quotes right now.

A Message of Love:

          A reflective story that ends in abrupt sweetness. Thank god I didn’t substitute the ‘e’ with an ‘a’ in the title – typos can be really awkward especially when they alter the meanings of phrases.

Her:

          For the love of God! Totally unexpected last paragraph. Well written! Yes, that is a sincere compliment. I was actually beaming after the ending of the story. I personally related to this story and this is my pick from the lot!

Love Revisited:

          A story about second chances in life. Well phrased dialogues and strong concept. Much needed.

The Last Letter:

          The story that describes the saying that 'the people who really love us never leave us'. Clean writing.

You & I:

A cheeky, beautiful story. A bit more emphasis on dialogue (like in the rest of the book) would have done wonders. The dialogues were good, but considering the setting of the story, a more speechless approach was what the author has aimed for and absolutely achieved. A fitting end to this anthology.

COMMENTS ABOUT THE OVERALL PLOTLINE:

          The stories are short, and to the point. The power of each story lies in the dialogues and the emphasis is lesser on the plotline. (Fun Fact about the reviewer: I did NOT have access to the ‘facts’ – included at the start of this review – before I began this book. But now things are clearer. The reason these stories lack a conclusion is revealed in a few short sentences. I had to rewrite my whole review considering I had commented on the lack of effective conclusions in every story – but it was worth it to know that there was logic behind this.)

          The language (save a few obvious typos) is fairly pleasant to read and the elaborate discussions between characters in each story must have taken a lot of work – because the most difficult job of all authors is to bring out human emotions in proper words. Thankfully, Namrata has concentrated upon it very well, even if it has, inadvertently translated into lack of focus in certain crucial areas. But overall, no major complaints.

          Usually when an author sits down to write a book, they draw inspiration and influence from a lot of authors. Some authors try to avoid it consciously and some authors proclaim it proudly. This book belongs to the latter category and the famed authors who are a silent inspiration are Paulo Coelho and Pablo Neruda. They have been mentioned more than once in a creative license that always beautifies the common run of the mill stories. The characters might not have read Coelho to spout those script friendly lines, but the author has a way with words that is an ointment to any soul that has been tarnished by the pangs of unattainable (or broken, or unrequited, or selfish, or… you get the picture) love.

          This book might be your make or break. Based on your temperament and patience and usual genre preference, you will either love it so much that you will open and read the dialogues again and again, if only to soothe your wounded soul. Or you will roll your eyes at the questionable expressions of the most sacred emotions humans can feel. There are stories here that suit every type of love. As the author has very rightly said, this is not your usual book of feel-good, happy- ending love stories between men and women. You might be a romantic, or a skeptic, or you might be a cynic, read this book for it caters to every type of person – if not for being a fan, at least for being a critic!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

          Namrata is a prolific blogger known by the name Privy Trifles in the blogosphere who romances life through her writings and aspires to make love the universal language. She dons various hats between that of a contributing author to 7 anthologies a reviewer for leading publishing houses an editor to various books and a columnist. Apart from that she is also the editor for an online magazine called Writer's Ezine. Having mastered the nuances of finance till recently she also held the title of an investment banker closely to let it go to embrace her love for writing fully.

Social networking links:

Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/wingstomywords

Website: www.privytrifles.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/privytrifles

Email: privytrifles@gmail.com

PRE-ORDER LINKS:

Flipkart link: 

http://www.flipkart.com/metro-diaries-english/p/itme4aevg7v6rthc?pid=9789381841617&otracker=from-search&srno=t_1&query=metro+diaries&ref=1ce7765e-ae42-46a0-b626-8e2002947617

Amazon link: 

http://www.amazon.in/Metro-Diaries-Namrata/dp/9381841616/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1424148571&sr=8-1&keywords=metro+diaries+namrata