Sunday, May 29, 2016

COVER REVEAL - ALL OF ME

*** Cover Reveal ***

Title: All of Me
Author: Jonali Karmakar
Length: 69 pages
Publication Date: May 29, 2016
ASIN: B01G0P8JGK


Book Blurb:
All of Me is a collection of thirteen little stories that have been gleaned from real life as well as imagination. Exploring a range of genres, these throb with everything primal to human nature: fear, angst, joy, love, and longing. Some stories are designed to elicit smiles, chuckles, and maybe even a belly laugh or two whereas some are meant as a reality check. Universal in nature, each story provides a glimpse of what women empowerment or a lack thereof can mean in a person’s life.
From a small hamlet in India to the roads of Australia; from a mother’s betrayal to a daughter’s confession; from an extra marital affair to a same sex relationship learn for yourself the what, how and whys.

Originally written for anthologies and ezines, these stories have been revisited and updated for this new collection.  

About the Author:
Jonali Karmakar is a fiction writer with a Masters in English. Writing is not just her passion but her way of dealing with life. She loves being able to escape into the worlds she creates. Everything that she writes becomes a part of her and she wants her readers to know the woman behind those words. In addition to being an educator, she works as a content editor for a local news portal. She has been providing editing, proofreading and translation services for the past few years.

Jonali’s work has been published in several journals, anthologies and poetry collections both national and international. An avid reader, she loves flipping pages of anything and everything on the table and reviewing the same on her blog Eclectic Moods. She feels that reading and writing are the flip sides of the same coin. Writing is her way of communicating with the world. When she’s not writing or teaching she loves to experiment with her paintings.

She has quite a few accolades to her name.

Contact the Author:
This Feature is a part of the Blogger Outreach Program by b00k r3vi3w Tours

Sunday, May 15, 2016

AND IT'S RELEASE DAY for MY LAST LOVE STORY!


About the Book:
Perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes’s, Me Before You, My Last Love Story is a heartbreakingly romantic tale about the complexities of trauma and whether love can right a wrong.

I, Simeen Desai, am tired of making lemonade with the lemons life has handed me.

Love is meant to heal wounds.
Love was meant to make my world sparkle and spin.
Love has ripped my life apart and shattered my soul. 

I love my husband, and he loves me.
But Nirvaan is dying.
I love my husband. I want to make him happy.
But he is asking for the impossible. 

I don’t want a baby.
I don’t want to make nice with Zayaan.
I don’t want another chance at another love story. 

Book Links:

Conversation with Simeen Desai from My Last Love Story.


Introduce yourself to our readers.

Hello! I’m Simeen Desai née Batliwala but I’m mostly known as Simi. I’m from Surat, India, but I now live with my husband in California. We’ve recently moved to Carmel-by-the-Sea from LA to indulge my husband, Nirvaan. He’s terminal, you see, and its part of his bucket list.

That’s a…difficult situation to be in. Are you up to this game then?

Simi: Yes, of course.

So, it’ll go like this. I’ll ask five random questions and you answer them as truthfully as you can. Okay?

Simi: Okay.

First question: Who would you like to trade places with for one month?

Simi: Marie Antoinette. I’ve been reading a book about her and I want to know if she was as frivolous as historians make her out to be.

Have you ever had an experience that led you to believe in angels or ghosts?

Simi: Yes. I believe my parents are angels and they look after me from heaven. I believe Nirvaan when he tells me that I shouldn’t fear his dying as he’s going to come back and haunt me forever. I’m looking forward to it.

If you could have any view from your back porch, what would it be?

Simi: I have it already. I have Carmel Beach rolled out in front of me. My inner beach bunny is very happy that Nirvaan decided to move here.

Who’s the funniest person alive?

Simi: My brother’s best friend, Zeus. He’s a big grizzly bear of a bawaji and he absolutely cracks me up even while saying the most innocuous things.

Which of your features would you like to change?

Simi: My insult of a large nose. It’s too big for my face and bumpy.

That’s it, Simi. You did good! Thanks for the interview, honey.


Advance Praise for My Last Love Story:

At once heartbreaking, delightful and completely unexpected. A must read! 
~ Sonali Dev, author of The Bollywood Affair

In My Last Love Story, Kothari examines love and loss, desire and desolation, with a deft, wry touch that kept me reading late into the night and moved me to tears. 
~ Julia Tagan, author of Stages of Desire

About the Author:


Falguni Kothari is an internationally bestselling hybrid author and an amateur Latin and Ballroom dance silver medalist with a background in Indian Classical dance. She writes in a variety of genres sewn together by the colorful threads of her South Asian heritage and expat experiences. When not writing or dancing, she fools around on all manner of social media, and loves to connect with her readers. My Last Love Story is her fourth novel.





Giveaway
1 Copy of My Last Love Story by Falguni Kothari
Paperback Copy if the Winner is US or Indian Resident / eBook for other International Winner.


Friday, May 13, 2016

MAMA'S BOYS AND WHY WE LOVE THEM

For the past month, I've been enjoying this early morning ritual of Whatsapping with my Soul Sisters from India, who are three fellow Harlequin/ HarperCollins authors. We text some crazy shit to one another, and in the post-view glory of Captain America: Civil War, we got into a discussion about:

Mama's Boys and Why We Love Them.

We've all heard of super bonds between Fathers and Sons, Mothers and Daughters, Fathers and Daughters and even applaud the examples, going all mushy when we witness them in person or virtually. But then why do we have this slightly negative reaction to the bond between a Mother and Son? 

ma·ma's boy
noun
unpunctuated: mamas boy; noun: mummy's boy; plural noun: mummy's boys; noun:mama's boy; plural noun: mama's boys
  1. a boy or man who is excessively influenced by or attached to his mother.

And I'm thinking, have we as a society failed to understand the Mother and Son bond? We just may have because look who's 

BRINGING THE COOL BACK IN MAMA'S BOYS.

Don't ever mess with Superman's Mama...



Or, Batman's mother...


Even evil gods love their mothers...



Brothers will fight over their mothers...


And the biggest shocker is Spock getting sentimental with his Mama...


And this is why we love these Mama's Boys.

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

SPOTLIGHT on VOYAGERS into the UNKNOWN


VOYAGERS INTO THE UNKNOWN 
BY 
RUCHIRA KHANNA



Blurb 
In the historic Indian town of Agra, you can find a very unusual tour company, which is owned by a charming young man named Raj. Although Raj's official job is to show off the historical landmarks of Agra, including the legendary Taj-Mahal, his true mission is to heal the souls of his broken "birds," as he affectionately refers to his tour participants. His business operates purely upon word-of-mouth referrals, ensuring that all of his tour members arrive in Agra with their hearts in their hands, ready for the spiritual growth and cleansing that Raj is known to provide. Healing the hearts of the spiritually damaged can be a difficult job, and in this particular tale, Raj finds himself faced with his most challenging tour group yet. First, there is Ira, a stunningly gorgeous but fragile young woman on the brink of suicide. Next, we meet Darci and Lennard, a couple on the verge of divorce. Then there is Carl, an irritable, antisocial workaholic who has burned all of his bridges. Lastly, we meet Asha, an elderly widow who still yearns for the company and comfort of her late husband. When disaster strikes the tour group, everything is thrown into jeopardy, including lives, relationships, and Raj's very reputation as a tour guide. Raj must find a way to lift the spirits of these five special travelers, even in the face of death and despair. Venture into the unknown and discover how Raj Touristry heals the brokenhearted, one soul at a time. 




Grab your Copy @


ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

A Reiki Master where she passes out information about channeling universal energy and conducts sessions. The author of “Choices”, “The Adventures of Alex and Angelo” but just another soul trying to make a difference in this lifetime.

Stalk Her  @

               

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Sunday, May 8, 2016

MOTHER'S DAY excerpt from My Last Love Story

Dear Readers, it's one week to lift-off for 

My Last Love Story. 

In the meantime, enjoy a Mother's Day excerpt.


“I’m here. What’s the deal?” I asked, holding my purse against me like armor.

He closed the book, slid it into its slot on the store shelf. Rumi, I read off the spine—Zayaan’s favorite Persian poet. He used to quote Rumi all the time when we were kids. I hadn’t seen him read poetry, much less quote a couplet for a long time. No one who knew him now would guess that staid and to-the-point Zayaan possessed the soul of a romantic.

That night had taken many things from us. I had taken Rumi from Zayaan, and for that I couldn’t be sorrier.

He led me to the cashier’s desk cluttered with books and other things.

“What do you think?” he asked, holding a book on Lord Krishna in one hand and a box containing a silver-plated Om in the other.

“They’re…cool.” I blinked at him. “Going back to your Hindu roots, are you?” Some sects of Khojas were converted Hindus, which was why their language, customs, even their food was more Gujarati and Kathiawari in style than Islamic.

Zayaan did a double take before he burst out laughing. “Your punch lines always had perfect timing, Sims. Good one.”

Hm. Great. Though, I’m not joking.” I pointedly looked at the objects in his hands.

“For Mummy. Mother’s day.” He gave a shy, charming little shrug. “Can’t decide what to get her.”

I couldn’t help it. I went up on my tiptoes and kissed his stubbly cheek. But I quickly stepped back when he leaned in just as unconsciously. And then he froze.

Khodai. We’d become so awkward around each other.

“You’re so sweet, Zai. Let me see. She’ll definitely love the book,” I said, roving a critical eye over both objects. Lord Krishna was the patron god of Nirvaan’s family and the book was an intricately illustrated romp through Krishna’s early life as a cowherd. The pictures were augmented by well-known hymns and poems.

Krishna was known as the Complete Man in Hindu philosophy. He was a prankster, a flirt, a diplomat, a musician and a great orator. If ever there was a classic example of a God’s influence on his Believer, Lord Krishna and Nirvaan were it.

 © Falguni Kothari

ONLY ONE WEEK TO RELEASE, PEOPLE! 


GIVEAWAYS GOING ON FOR US and INDIA.



Goodreads Book Giveaway

My Last Love Story by Falguni Kothari

My Last Love Story

by Falguni Kothari

Giveaway ends May 15, 2016.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Enter Giveaway

Goodreads Book Giveaway

My Last Love Story by Falguni Kothari

My Last Love Story

by Falguni Kothari

Giveaway ends May 15, 2016.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Enter Giveaway

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Author Interview with Aarti V Raman

Dear Readers, please welcome once again author Aarti V Raman whose new release 

WITH YOU I DANCE #WYID 

is trending upwards on Amazon.in.


Let’s talk romance, RT…

Thank you so much for having me over, FK! I love talking romance, books and hot dudes with you.

Haha. Me too :)

1.What’s your personal brand of romance?
If you’d asked me a year ago, I would have said my personal brand of romance involved Chris Hemsworth, a waterfall, white shirt and jeans. Now though, it’s that moment of utter quiet and peace you have with yourself and someone else. Where the world is revolving or going to hell but you’re Ok, you just be. And it’s not perfect but it works. And it can be for five minutes or a lifetime but that feeling stays forever. I know, cheesy, right?
I also wouldn’t mind a trip to the shoe store, though!

2.Where did you get your inspiration from for WYID?
Dance has been a big part of my childhood, like every Indian kid, especially South Indian kids. In fact, I even won a few Bollywood dance competitions back when I was in school and participated in all Annual Day dance programs.
When I thought of writing about a broken woman who has to come back home to India and deal with her well-meaning but ‘not-understanding-her’ family, I pictured her to be someone delicate and yet with a core of strength that carries her through to the other side. Ergo, she became a dancer.
Also, I might have seen Natalie Portman in Black Swan around that time and thought she was smoking hot!

3.Do you dance like Meera?
If you mean, do I know ballet? The answer is no. I don’t know ballet. I do have five years of classical Bharat Natyam training under my belt although I never did perform my arangetram.
But, on the other hand, I do dance with the same abandon and sheer joy of living that infuses Meera when she moves. I don’t always succeed but I try!

4.What did you have to research for WYID?
Being a great fan of classical music, I had to comb through the greats – Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Wagner, Prokofiev and others to find that one perfect opera that my beautiful heroine would completely screw up. In the end the choice was obvious, if a bit clichéd. Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s ‘Swan Lake’ opera.

5.Who is your favorite character in WYID?
Hey! I can’t play favorites among my babies. But I admit, I have a soft spot for the Sagar siblings – Meera and Bullet. Being an only child with a ton of cousins who made my childhood and adulthood so memorable, I could only guess at the inner workings of a relationship as complex and fragile as that of siblings, that too, siblings who had not seen each other in years.
But Meera and Bullet made it damned easy to write about them, mostly because they are fully formed people in their own right.

6. Difference between love and lust?
Love is when you want to tear the clothes off of your S/O while both of you are wearing your rattiest pair of PJs. Or just Netflixing without the chill, LOL. Lust is needing to dress up in an LBD and fuck me shoes in order to impress. I guess, comfort, trust and intimacy is the difference between love and lust.

7.What do you think of the Tall, Dark and Handsome trope? How does it work for Abeer? Or doesn’t it?
Abeer is TDH, but he is TDH with a twist. He isn’t vengeful or brooding. Or at least, he tries not to be as he helps Meera with setting up her ballet school/business venture. The TDH trope exists for a reason – Women love men they need to fix and most TDH’s (like Krivi Iyer from Kingdom Come) come with damages to their souls that need careful tending.
In WYID, both characters are coming from a place of deep emotional scarring. Abeer tells Meera that he thought she was dead, when they meet again for the first time, so he isn’t exactly Mr. Sorted but he isn’t your traditional Alpha Male TDH either. I’d call him the caramel-flavored version of the trope – Sexy, Suave, Confident and Screwed Up.

8.Your favorite romance author or a memorable romance you read that you must share with our readers:
Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh. In recent times, it’s pretty much the best romance I have read which had me weeping copiously and sighing in hopeless writer’s envy. Other authors that come to mind are Shilpa Suraj, Adite Banerjie and Sarah MacLean. Reading them all is such a pleasure.

9.The nicest gift you have received from a loved one! Does Abeer give any special gifts to Meera?
Shoes! And books! And handbags. And clothes. Ok, kidding. I am at that stage where I prefer gifting things to my loved ones than getting them, but my nicest gift yet is yet to be given me – a pair of nude Loubotins and turquoise Manolo Blahniks. Any takers there?
Abeer does give Meera several somethings – advice on how to start a business, lead on a rental space in a posh Mumbai neighborhood and …the last one happens in the last scene of the book. Read it y’all to know what it is.

10.What would you cook up for a romantic dinner?
I adore cooking, it’s my stress buster. If it were a romantic dinner with a holiday the next day, I’d go the whole hog. Dum Aloo Kashmiri, Jeera Rice, Dal Makhani, Rotis (which will be ordered cuz I can’t make) Salad, Papad and, for dessert gaajar ka halwa
This is Indian romantic date. I am open to an Italian, Chinese or Thai date. 

11.On a date - would it be jeans and a top or a long sexy gown?
I am like five one, FK. I have to wear dresses that flirt with my knees to appear taller. And black, to appear slimmer. So! A short LBD.

12.Your favorite fragrance.
Azzaro Silver Black. If a man wears that, I am doomed (in the best way possible, of course). Women too, I don’t discriminate. (winks)

13. Share a little something about WYID that no one knows about yet.
WYID was written as part of the April NaNoWriMo2013 challenge. The thing I remember the most while writing it was that it was such a simple story to tell. A girl trying to not get married at her parents’ behest and figuring out what she wants to do in the meantime. It turned into this beautifully layered tale of second chances and two people who have to re-love each other and themselves while confronting demons.

It’s kind of the best thing about writing, right? The places you go with it.

It is, RT. And that’s it. Thank you for visiting my blog, and allowing us a peek into your life.

Author Bio:

Aarti V Raman is an Amazon India bestselling romance writer who dabbles in romantic thrillers and contemporary romance. Happy Ever After are her three favorite words in the English lexicon.
Aarti graduated from Mumbai University in 2007 with a degree in Mass Media focused on Journalism which provided her the perfect background for conducting sound research on any project. But she has also worked as a copy editor, social media consultant, and commercial content writer-editor while pursuing her goal.
Aarti’s ambition of honing her craft and writing stories, particularly romances that have strong characters and stronger plots that remain etched in the reader’s minds, grew when she sold her first novel WHITE KNIGHT (Leadstart Publishing), in 2012.
In 2013, her work was excerpted in the Tamil Edition of Mills and Boon novels. And in 2014, her short story “Post-Coital Cigarette” was chosen to be part of the Rupa Romance Anthology “An Atlas of Love” curated by bestselling author Anuja Chauhan.  Her last novel “Kingdom Come” (Harlequin MIRA) has enjoyed a brief stay at the bestseller lists in Amazon India. Her third book “With You I Dance” (Fingerprint! Publishing) released in April 2016 and debuted on the Amazon India Romance Bestseller list.
Aarti was chosen to be part of the Goa Arts and Literary Fest 2014 in December 2014 and The Hyderabad Literary Festival in January 2015.
She is represented by Red Ink Literary Agency, India.
You can find her at www.aartivraman.wordpress.com. She loves to hear from her readers and friends on email at kingdomcomethebook@gmail.com, on Facebook as Aarti V Raman-Author and on Twitter @RT_writes.

Kingdom Come: Amazon India, Infibeam, Flipkart
White Knight: Amazon India

With You I Dance: Amazon India, Flipkart

Monday, May 2, 2016

Seduced in Spain - Character Interview

Seduced in Spain by Devika Fernando



Hi, Emily, welcome to my blog and thank you for this interview.

   First impressions count so what are you wearing? What do you look like?
I love wearing dresses. Today’s dress is one of my favourites: It’s a black dress, knee-length with sleeves to my elbows. I love the collar because it has red and white embroidery that reminds me of traditional artwork. I’ve combined it with espadrilles. I consider myself pretty tall, slim with some feminine curves, warm brown eyes and brown hair that’s neither long nor short.

      Are you a girly girl or a tomboy?
That’s tougher to answer that it sounds. I love some girly things, like nice fashion, cute animals, romance novels, and chocolate… And I certainly go all girly and gushy when it comes to my handsome Spanish lover Alejandro. But I guess some would consider me a bit of a tomboy too. I don’t like asking for help or depending on others, and I’ve also grown more confident in the past nine years.

      What do you do for a living? Do you like it?
I’m a personal assistant to a famous hotelier, and I think it’s the perfect job for me. I love interacting with people from all over the world and focusing on tourism and various countries. And I’d never have met my true love if I hadn’t been in the tourism trade.

      Tell us your story.
You shouldn’t have said that, now I’ll sit here talking for hours and bore you to hell. *laughs* Seriously though, it’s not easily summarized. I’m from Germany, and I wouldn’t say I’m close to my family. I met Alejandro for the first time nine years ago when I visited Spain, and we were instantly attracted to each other. But then something went horribly wrong. Now I realize it was all a huge misunderstanding…but I can’t reveal more about that, or I’ll spoil things for you. Let me just tell you that a lot of things about my life are about to change now, for better or for worse.

      Describe your Hero. Is he a Darcy or a Christian Grey?
Definitely a Darcy. And by the way, I LOVE “Pride & Prejudice”! Alejandro is incredibly tall and handsome with his black hair and emerald green eyes. He’s just the right mix of muscles and intelligence / brawn and brain. He can get a bit alpha-male when he really wants something, but he’s also caring and kind and a Latin lover who really knows what a woman wants. Sorry, am I swooning too much?

      Just between us, what do you like best about your Hero?
Is it awfully superficial of me if I say his eyes? They are just so beautiful and incredibly expressive. Just kidding… I love it that he’s not afraid to be emotional. In a world where men think they have to be all cool and hard and demanding, he prefers a more quiet strength and confidence. He makes me feel safe and loved like I’ve never felt before.

      Do you prefer the bedroom door open or closed?
Sometimes open, sometimes closed. I have to say being with Alejandro has made me shed some inhibitions…

      What TV shows best describe your relationship with the hero—Scandal or Downtown Abbey?
Don’t kill me, but I’ve watched neither. I guess all others would say “Scandal” because my choices seem to upset quite a few people.

      If your story is made into a movie, what actress do you want to play you?
I can’t choose just one, there are so many choices… Perhaps Alicia Vikander, Emma Stone or Jessica Chastain.

      Tell us about your author.
She’s super busy at the moment with her latest two books, trying her hand at rural romance and royal romance. I’d describe her as an author who really injects some love and depth into her contemporary and paranormal romance novels instead of letting lust dominate. She loves writing multicultural romance novels, which is how a German ended up falling in love with a Spaniard in SEDUCED IN SPAIN and how an Irishman fell for a Sri Lankan in SAVED IN SRI LANKA.

That was a lovely interview, Emily. Hope you liked being Seduced in Spain. :)

About Devika Fernando:
Having always loved to read and write, Devika Fernando made her dream come true in 2014 when she became a self-published novelist. The Amazon bestselling author has released several eBooks in the genres contemporary romance, paranormal romance and romantic suspense. Her German and Sri Lankan roots influence her writing.

Connect with her: