Sunday, May 25, 2014

AUTHOR'S CIRCLE: with HARSH WARRDHAN

On Author’s Circle today, meet author and filmmaker,
Harsh Warrdhan, to talk about writing, life and his book,
When Hari Met His Saali.

Hi Harsh, thanks for dropping in to chat with us.

So tell us, what’s When Hari Met His Saali about?
HW: The book is about how a young woman who has everything going for her drives away her man due to her unrealistic expectations of romance. Things really get spicy when he falls for her sister.

Her idea of romance comes from movies and magazines. His idea of romance is that it is unnecessary.

Theirs was a love story that was never going to be conventional. But when Tia’s sister, Simi walked into their lives, what happened to Hari and Tia was something that nobody would have predicted.

Mix two sisters with bad history between them and one clueless man, to form one whacky triangle, and you get a cautionary lesson in how you should be careful of what you wish for in the name of love.

Set in Los Angeles and Nagpur, India, 'When Hari Met His Saali' is a funny, fresh, and outrageous look at young people and their dreams, longings, aches and heartbreaks. It is a fascinating take on the grand idea of love and the reality of romance. In a breezy, humorous narrative anchored around a magical twist, the story of Tia, Simi and Hari unfolds from romantic comedy into a climax full of suspense.


What’s your favorite line from your novel? Why?
HW: ‘The first thing anyone should know about Simi Galhotra was that God exercised his sense of humor through her life.’ When Simi’s character is introduced in the story, we already know about her sister Tia’s rocking life. This line foreshadows Simi’s contrasting life when compared to Tia’s.

Do you have any strange writing habits?
HW: I write the last chapter first.  

That is strange...

What does your day look like?
HW: It always starts with yesterday’s to-do list.

Huh. Mine too :)

Which author/s have inspired you the most?
HW: Elmore Leonard, Raymond Chandler and Billy Wilder, of course.

If your book becomes a movie whom would you want to play the hero and the heroine? 
HW:Disney cartoon characters.

What??? Hm.

How did you become a writer? In other words, tell us YOUR STORY.
HW: Necessity is the mother of discovering if one can write. While finishing my engineering, I was simultaneously applying for a film school in U.S. One of the requirements to securing an admission was to write an essay saying why they should accept me in the university. I wrote a 4 page long essay completely made up of Hollywood film titles. It started with ‘To Sir, with Love’, the 1967 Sidney Poitier film. Since I got accepted everywhere I applied, I thought I was a good writer. But, it was the fun I had while writing it that really kept me going back to writing.

What is your least favorite part about the writing/publishing profession?
HW: Publishing industry is too laid back. I’m sure the publishing industry feels the same way about the authors, especially in terms of keeping the deadlines J

What is your best marketing tip?
HW: Be shameless. Wear your heart on your sleeves.

Why write what you write?
HW: Nobody else has such twisted idea of beautiful things ;)

Which is the best character you’ve written? Is he or she your favorite? Why?
HW: Tia Malhotra in When Hari Met His Saali is the best character I have written. As a writer she is my favorite but as a reader she wouldn’t be which was the intention. We all know people like Tia. They do all the wrong things for the right reasons. We admire their zest for life but we wouldn’t want them as a close friend. In her fallacy she is the most realistic character of the story.

Naturally, in part you are all your characters (they come from your head) but which of your characters is the most like you? Or resonates in you the most? Why?
HW: It has to be Simi Galhotra in When Hari Met His Saali as she is so much like how I used to be. Although fictional and written by me, she is the only woman who could ever inspire me to be a woman. How convenient huh? ;)

What do you wish to convey through your writing?
HW: Unapologetic entertainment.

What can we expect from you next?
HW: In terms of my next novel, I am very excited about a high concept romcom which I have just locked and there is one more which is also a romcom but this one reflects my own life. For this one, before I commit, I need more time to come to terms with the idea of my life being in a book J

To end lets try a Rapid Fire round. Your answer should be the first word/s that pops into your head when you think of:
LIFE: Illusion
PASSION: Sex & food…together.
HERO: Cycles
LOVE: Thy neighbor’s wife.
HATE: Everything equally.

Thank you, once again, for guesting on my blog, Harsh Warrdhan, and wishing you the best with your books.


To connect with Harsh click on his social media:


Monday, May 19, 2014

AUTHOR'S CIRCLE: introducing KRISHNA SHASTRI DEVULAPALLI

On Author’s Circle today, 

with great fondness and nostalgia, I introduce author, artist, cartoonist and graphic designer, annnd a very dear childhood friend, Krishna Shastri Devulapalli, to talk about writing, life and his book, Jump Cut

Hi, Krishna, you don't know how excited I am to host you on my blog. While I've forgotten many things from our brief spurts of holiday mayhem in Chennai, I haven't forgotten you, your family or your incredibly offhand humor. (Also, ABBA and copious mounts of big hair come to mind when I think of those times!) 
Dear Readers, this man is funny! Trust me when I say that we're in for a huge treat today. So, clutch your stomachs and away we go:

What's Jump Cut about?
KSD: Jump Cut is a book about fathers and sons, the film world, coming home and intellectual property theft.

Hm. That sounds like a classic case of Silicon Valley. 


Ray had it all worked out. Go to India, take care of his father and return to his life in San Jose. His father would follow him in a couple of months and that would be that. But his father dies and Ray attributes it to bad luck. Things take a bizarre turn when an old friend tells him the reason behind his father’s death. Ray finds himself drawn into the seedy under-belly of Tamil films and up against a man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants.

Should Ray go back to his meticulously constructed life in the US? Or should he throw all plans aside and take on the man responsible for breaking into his father’s heart and stealing his mind?


Jump Cut is a genre-defying page-turner that is at once funny, moving and suspenseful, all leading to a deliciously satisfying climax with a sting in its tail.



How did you become a writer? In other words, tell us YOUR STORY.
KSDI come from a family of artists and writers. Tried artist first, trying writer now, will try new medication shortly.

LOL. Which brings us to: Do you have any strange writing habits besides self-medicating for inspiration?
KSD: Yes, sometimes I write wearing nothing but a nun’s habit.

Haha. I told you he's funny!

What does your day look like?
KSD: My day looks like your night. I’m from the other side of the world.

Which author/s have inspired you the most?
KSD: Osho, James Hadley Chase and Falguni Kothari.

Why thank you, Krishna. And likewise, my friend.

What’s your favorite book and why?
KSD: Any client’s cheque book. For obvious reasons.


Ahem. Yes. Quite. And if your book becomes a movie whom would you want to play the hero and the heroine?
KSD: A.K. Hangal and Dakota Fanning.

Ooh. Dakota is lovely. 

What is your least favorite part about the writing/publishing profession?
KSD: The part where the accounts dept sends me a statement of my sales return signed with an ‘LOL!!’ at the bottom.

What is your best marketing tip?
KSD: Always take a carry bag.

Why write romance? (Shoot, should've changed that question for you but, oh well...)
KSD: Because foreplay is fun.

Is there a certain scene you find difficult to write? Eg: Racy or action etc.? Why?
KSD: Sex. Because it’s quite often funny in real life.

I can see that...even if I can't claim the same. 

Is your writing character-driven or plot-driven?
KSD: A bit of both. What I do like is being BMW-driven.

Which is the best character you’ve written? Is he or she your favorite? Why?
KSD: Dog Raj, the uncontrollable Labrador in Jump Cut. He’s my favourite because he’s based entirely on me.

Hmmmm. Naturally, in part you are all your characters (they come from your head) but which of your characters is the most like you? Or resonates in you the most? Why?
KSD: The character Gopi in my first book, Ice Boys in Bell-Bottoms. Like me, he’s a messed-up kid.

What do you wish to convey through your writing?
KSD: I want to make you laugh, then make you think.

What can we expect from you next?
KSD: I’m writing the sequel to my first book, Ice Boys in Bell-Bottoms. It’s called Rally Days & Disco Nights.

To end let’s try a Rapid Fire round. Your answer should be the first word/s that pops into your head when you think of:
LIFE: Sentence
PASSION: Fruit
HERO: In
LOVE: Difficult
HATE: Easy

Thank you once again, Krishna, for being here and talking to me. It was as much fun as I'd anticipated!


To connect with Krishna click on FACEBOOK.

To check out his first book click ICE BOYS IN BELL BOTTOMS

Monday, May 12, 2014

AUTHOR'S CIRCLE: introducing MOHANALAKSHMI RAJAKUMAR

On Author’s Circle today, meet indie author and mother, Mohana, to talk about writing, life and her book, An Unlikely Goddess. 



Hi Mohana, welcome to my blog. Thanks for taking time out from your busy schedule to come chat with us. To dive right in, tell us a bit about An Unlikely Goddess?
Mo: The story of a young South Asian girl, Sita, growing up in America, looking for love in all the wrong places, exchanging one conservative society for another.

If your book becomes a movie whom would you want to play the
hero and the heroine?
Mo: Hero: James McAvoy
Heroine: an as yet undiscovered Indian actress along the lines of Mindy Kaling (she is more comedy than drama)

Ooh. I adore James McAvoy. And hmm Mindy Kaling is an 
interesting choice. But moving on...What does your day look like?
Mo: I wake up, try to journal if it’s not too early. On slow days, there’s a 20-45 minute work out; on busy days, right our the door, to drop the 3 year old at nursery, then to meetings, teach class, more meetings and pick up the 3 year old to head to an activity – swim or gymnastics class – home for dinner.

That's a busy, busy day. You must need some potent inspiration to
sit down and write after that. Which brings us to the author/s
who have inspired you the most?
Mo: I love Alice Munroe and am so happy she won the Nobel Prize for Literature this year.

How did you become a writer? In other words, tell us YOUR
STORY.
Mo: I wrote and wrote and wrote for ten years, short stories, novels, memoir, and essays. I tried to get agents for each project and each time, was told that the writing was interesting but not for them. I finally began self publishing in 2011 and have released 8 eBooks. Now those books are coming into paperback.

What is your least favorite part about the writing/publishing
profession?
Mo: Everyone thinks they have a story  - which they probably do. But they also think that becoming a successful writer is an easy, overnight process and if they figure out how you did it, that process will work for them as well.  Publishing is a unique process because you have to connect with your audience; that takes time and dedication. There is no shortcut.

What is your best marketing tip?
Mo: Figure out who your target audience is and reach out to them on topics that are not about your book. For example, my niche is women interested in culture. I share information on my author Facebook page that is related to current events, humorous gifs, and recipes. If they know me as  a person, they’re more likely to pick up one of my books.

Why write romance?
Mo: The number one genre for readers, even over crime or thrillers. I want to be read, discussed, argued over. So I write literary romances; the female characters look for love but also live their lives in modern societies which are complex and challenging.

What can we expect from you next?
Mo: I’m revising a novel set in 1975 Laos, a Southeast Asian country that became communist in that year. A young woman is thrust into marriage as a way of escape; she immigrates to America and must decide her own way.

To end lets try a Rapid Fire round. Your answer should be the first
word/s that pops into your head when you think of:
LIFE: Long
PASSION: Love
HERO: Needed
LOVE: Friendship
HATE: Rage

Thank you once again, Mohana, for allowing us a glimpse into an author's life. We hope you bring us many more books to enjoy.


Click on the words to get linked to Mo's social media.

Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
YouTube
Website

Saturday, May 10, 2014

MOTHER OF DRAGONS

So, I was trolling the Internet for some lovely Mother's Day anecdotes and/or poems when I ran into this post and I just had to share it here. It's perfect.

GAME OF MOTHERS


Mom,
I would sleigh a million white walkers,
And fight my way through Westeros,
King’s Landing, Braavos, and Elyria for you.
To me you are Brienne of Tarth and Arya Stark,
Fearless and proud.
Strong.
Tough-as-nails.
Mom.
Coming home to see you,
Is more satisfying than the Purple Wedding,
More luxurious than Jon Snow’s hair,
More divine than all of Tyrion’s wines.
Brace yourselves,
Mother’s Day is coming.


(source: http://www.bustle.com/articles/24016-perfect-mothers-day-poems-for-the-pop-culture-loving-mom-in-your-life)

Thursday, May 8, 2014

AUTHOR'S CIRCLE: introducing HD SMITH

Dear Readers, starting a new chapter for my blog where I'll be interviewing other writers in a series of guest posts titled: 

Author's Circle. 

Which brings us to... 

Author's Circle debuts with a fellow author and good friend, HD Smith, to talk about writing, life and her book, DARK HOPE



Hi HD Smith! Thanks for dropping by and letting us have a peek into your life. To jump right in...

What’s Dark Hope about?

Claire, the Devil’s assistant, knows very little about the world she was dropped into five years ago, when she inherited her mother’s unpaid debt to the Demon King. She certainly didn’t expect to be a contender for the Fallen Queen’s throne, a target for the Druid King’s mafia, or a suspect in the murder of Junior, the Devil’s oldest hell spawn … will Claire save her soul, or be trapped in their world forever?

      What does your day look like?

   write software for an awesome cruise line in Celebration, FL.   Most days I’m stuck in the office, but sometimes my office is a stateroom and I’m floating on ocean waves while I work.

       Which author/s have inspired you the most?

    Kim Harrison, Karen Marie Moning, Thea Harrison, Jeaniene Frost, Ilona Andrews, Kresley Cole, Gena Showalter … it can go on and on.

      How did you become a writer? In other words, tell us YOUR STORY.

    I started my first story (which I eventually used as a flashback in Keegan’s Point) over 15 years ago. I planned that story to death … literally. I put it aside before I’d even written one word of the actual novel and started a different story. The second one fell victim to the same fate, but I had at least started writing it. Shortly thereafter I discovered that I’m not a plotter … I’m a pantser … I don’t plan or outline I just write. My third attempt, Keegan’s Point, was the first story I finished. It’s available in all of its first book glory on Smashwords.

      What is your best marketing tip?

     Do a blog tour. Give readers plenty of chances to win a free copy of your book (Facebook party planned for May 9th!). I’m a new author and as such I have NO fan base (yet). Getting out there in front of people, (social media, book signings, author promotional events) can only help you get noticed. This is the advice given to me by an author friend, and so far it has worked out well.
  

      Why write urban fantasy?

     I love the genre. I’ve found many great authors like Kim Harrison and Faith Hunter and Ilona Andrews that bring such fun worlds to life. I love the freedom of the paranormal world, with the believability of a contemporary setting. It’s magic :)

      Naturally, in part you are all your characters (they come from your head) but which of your characters is the most like you? Or resonates in you the most? Why?

   I’ll have to say Claire (main character of Dark Hope), but mainly because several of my good friends hear my voice in their head for her. She’s a bit snarky like me, which is our only real similarity.

      What can we expect from you next?

    I’m working on Book 2 in The Devil’s Assistant trilogy. I have 2nd drafts of Book 2 and Book 3, but both need revisions based on the final version of Book 1. No ETA for either book yet.

     To end lets try a Rapid Fire round. Your answer should be the first word/s that pops into your head when you think of:

LIFE: Love
PASSION: Writing
HERO: My Mother
LOVE: Cherry Coke
HATE: Dill Pickles

Thank you once again, HD Smith, for joining us today. It was fun!


HD Smith's



(Click to be taken to the sites)