Bookish Indulgences

30 June, 2014

Debdatta Dasgupta June 30, 2014 0

#SpecialFeature :: Introducing #Author B.P.Manning

Under "Special Feature" every month I feature a Special Author.

During this month I put up 4/5 posts about the Author/Book, including Interview / Review / Excerpt / Guest Post / Author Bio / Fun Facts or whatever else we can come up with. Also on the first day of the month we will launch the Giveaway contest along with the first post and will announce the winner on the last day of the month.

So be sure to check out my blog every 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th of every month for something new :)

Now Presenting:

*** SPECIAL FEATURE - July 2014 ***

About the Book

Ever the consummate professional, years of staunch dedication paid dividend when Hollywood made Julia Berwick the offer of a lifetime, an alluring proposition she could not refuse. Michael Dunhill——rumored a resurrected knave——emerged as the man brandishing the check. A renowned scoundrel with whom her alliance was now linked, an association she soon discovered came with dire stipulations attached.
Coerced into partaking in a tryst, Julia soon found her agreement to be a severe miscalculation. Locked now in a battle of will and lascivious demands with the handsome Adonis himself, the simplicity of lust quickly spiraled into rivalry, as both drudged further in their quest to outwit, outlast and outmaneuver the other.

About the Author

A ravenous reader with equal passion for travel and the plotting of anything new, my love of words seemed, at times, a blotch on the very core of my DNA, and has been the recurrent source of many jests from my children—the title nerd has been established more than once. Yet the sound, meaning and inference, cannot be more beautiful than those in the notes of a newly toned word, or in the coupling of such to lay forth a vision. With as little as a single word we can open the world to those around us, garner a smile or lay bare intrigue. Yes, such morpheme can wrought a symphony when showcased at its best, doth those cords strum you as it does me? Then smile, as I am with you. Salacious and sweet, it wrung further forward as your key.

As you can see, I’m clearly odd in my thinking, odd in my views and downright peculiar in my descriptive and the structure in which I write. Among my many faults, a fact I’m sure you’ve already surmised, emotions are my perpetual weakness. I’m wooed by it, seduced and persuaded by it, touched and enthralled by the various colliery of it all. Whatever the scenario or the plot that charged through my thoughts, the emotional furor in each turn scramble just as eagerly through, be it harsh or be it sweet, the significance is still the same. It’s the medicine I search for when I read, it’s the way I interact with my children and, in many aspect, the way I live my life.

Giveaway

1 Paperback Copy for US Residents

1 Digital Copy for International Readers

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Debdatta Dasgupta June 30, 2014 0

#Interview with Vikrant Khanna, #Author of Love Lasts Forever

A sailor by profession and a writer by passion, Vikrant has penned two novels before this.
He lives in Delhi with his family. You can get in touch with him at
Website I Facebook

How did your life as a writer begin?
Being a sailor, I have all the time in the world, both literally and metaphorically. Once during a long voyage crossing the Pacific, I thought of giving a shot at writing, since I have always admired the art of good storytelling. The first draft of my first book was completed in that one month voyage. That’s the amount of time we have on the ship.

What makes you feel inspired to write?
A great story in my head. These ideas keeping coming to me from time to time as perhaps I’m an obsessive thinker.

Tell us about your writing process. Do you outline, or are you more of a seat of your pants type of a writer?
Before even beginning to write I like to know the story from beginning to end. For me a good, sound plot is very important. Then I think about the characters. Again I like to be very thorough about my characters. I have a rough questionnaire that I fill about my main characters before beginning the book. Then I take a plunge into the story. After that I do nothing, the characters drive the story themselves.

What is your favorite scene in the book? Why?
There is a scene in the book inspired by true events. The Somalian pirates are torturing the crew members. In this particular scene a pirate smashes the jaw and breaks the teeth of a crewmember and then sets another one ablaze to demonstrate to the ship Captain what they can do if they don’t get their ransom. Now, this is my favourite scene because it was narrated to me in my maritime college by someone who had actually experienced something similar happen on his hijacked ship. When the same person read my book, he was completely enamoured by the way I’d described that and said he actually felt goose bumps because he relived the scene.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?
My most interesting writing quirk is that when I write a scene sometimes my characters look back at me and say, “Hey Mr. Author, I’m not that stupid. I’ll never do that. Kindly change this scene.”

What is your usual writing routine?
One writing shift anytime in the day for a couple of hours.

Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?
Agatha Christie for her sheer brilliance in writing extraordinary stories in the most ordinary way.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?
My advice would be to not get into this field if you do not completely love writing and if you cannot dedicate 3-4 hours every day to reading and writing.

What do you have in store next for your readers?
My next book would be something not done by many Indian authors these days. I’m writing a YA paranormal romance.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with your readers?
I’d like to tell my readers I love a great story and I promise you’ll get one in every book of mine. I always look forward to stimulate all your senses while reading my books.

So you think your love can last forever…?

Get married!

Eighteen-year-old Ronit falls madly in love with Aisha the moment he
meets her at his graduation day from a naval college. He believes he has found his perfect soul mate, and come what may, his love for her will last forever.

Seven years later, he gets married to her. Big mistake!
A week later, he completely hates her and believes she has turned into a devil.
But his perception about love and life change when he hears the poignant love story of Shekhar, his Captain, on a ship that later gets hijacked by the pirates of Somalia.
As they are left fighting for their lives; they confront if love truly can last
forever…? Or does it get too late?

29 June, 2014

Debdatta Dasgupta June 29, 2014 0

#SpecialFeature :: #Interview with #Author Mike Phillips

Now Presenting:

*** SPECIAL FEATURE - June 2014 ***

In ancient times, magical creatures inhabited the earth. They lived on mountaintops, in trees, at the bottom of lakes and rivers. But that was long ago, before the human race declared war on the creatures they feared and hated. Now the enchanted peoples are all but gone. Those few that remain fear being stretched out on an examination table in some secret, governmental facility. The only place they can hide from the ever increasing number of satellites and smart phones is in the World Below.

Mitch Hardy is going through a hard time in his life. In his early twenties, he was working his way through college when he suffered an accident that left him flat broke and physically deformed. When Mitch decides to make a fresh start in a new town, things start looking up. He finds a place to live, a decent job, good friends. He even meets a nice girl. Unknown to Mitch, his new girlfriend is one of the Elder Race, what some call the Faerie Folk. Mitch doesn’t know that Elizabeth is looking for a father she never knew. The key to finding him is somehow tied up with the mysterious Blade of Caro. Desperate, she steals the Blade from its protector, the despotic ruler of the World Below, the Dragon of Worms, Baron Finkbeiner. When Elizabeth is kidnapped by the Baron, Mitch is pulled into a world or magic and monsters he never imagined.

Buy on AMAZON

How did your life as a writer begin?

MP: Writing was never anything I intentionally pursued. I work as a safety engineer. I’ve traveled all over the United States consulting with and educating people on the benefits of risk management and loss prevention. I believe in what I’m doing and it’s important work, but safety is a job that leaves little room for creativity. Shortly after graduating college, I became bored with my new career. To occupy an overactive imagination, I started writing stories. One led to the next and I thought writing a novel might be fun to try. That first manuscript was a crime novel, tucked safely away in the darkest recesses of my hard drive, but it fueled my desire to do more. I now have three novels and over a hundred stories in print and there is no end in sight. Life is so weird.

What makes you feel inspired to write?

MP: Nature, the world around me, is my true inspiration. I can’t tell you how many of my stories began with a low hanging cloud or a rustle in the bushes. I find miracles in everything around me. The Earth is a wonderful place and I try to express that beauty in my work.

How did you come with the idea for your current story?

MP: The World Below takes place in a real city. It is Traverse City, Michigan, USA. Though I don’t live there, I’m a short drive away and I often have the opportunity to visit for business and pleasure. If you or your readers have never been, Traverse City or TC to us locals, is set on Grand Traverse Bay, which is a part of Lake Michigan. There is a strip of public land that stretches between the City and the lakeshore that is over a mile long. The beaches are white sand and the water is blue and clear. The artist community is thriving. Theatre, music, dance and the arts are a part of everyday life in the summer. There is always something happening, even if you are just taking a walk on Front Street. I paint an idyllic picture, I’m sure, but isn’t that a part of fiction too?

Anyway, I had been planning an Urban Fantasy for some time and thought TC would be a perfect place for it. I began scouting out areas for the book. The beach was a natural, as much a part of the city as the buildings and the people. The old cottonwood and the organic foods market and gallery row are actual places. I don’t think I ever named the pizza bar in the book, but if you ever find yourself there, have a slice of Pangea’s best. You’ll love it. Unfortunately for the ladies, Lars doesn’t run the hot dog cart at the bank. The guy who does isn’t exactly a supermodel, but seems like a good guy.

The hero of our story, Mitch Hardy, finds himself flat broke and physically deformed after suffering an industrial accident. He moves to TC to start a new life. What he doesn’t realize that this is one of the last refuges for all the magical creatures of legend. After an act of kindness, he is adopted by a crew of goblins. They bring him into the World Below, a sort of refugee camp, a place that lies beneath the city, a place where the enchanted creatures can live in safety. Here, dwarves and fauns and centaurs and orcs live from the cast-offs of human society, making their way the best they can.

Anchoring a story in a real place, at least in my mind, makes it more authentic. Wait, that doesn’t explain it very well. I like to have my feet on the ground, so to speak. By using a real place as setting, it disciplines the work, brings it more into reality. Let’s try that another way. I observed sword play and fought with swords so my action sequences would be all the more real. I have spent time working in foundries and know the job and the people. I find it important to draw upon the world for my writing. Though I write fiction, and the more fantastical the better, the non-fantasy parts of what I do are ever the more important. Without the reality, the fantasy doesn’t have impact, it just doesn’t work. Otherwise, you end up with comic book literature, dull and uninteresting. That’s not what I do.

I have always found myself drawn to stories of the supernatural. Since The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, my introduction to the world of fantasy beyond the basic fairy tales, I have sought evidence of other worldly creatures in both literature and in life. That is why it has become such a central aspect of my work. I won’t quote Shakespeare at you and say how many things in heaven and earth are yet unknown to man, but I try to keep an open mind. I’ve never seen any evidence that would suggest pink unicorns or purple hydra are hiding out in the backrooms of Walmart, but you never know. Stranger things have happened. The basis of the World Below is that these creatures exist. Once they were common, but with the spread of humanity over the planet, they were all but erased from existence. Like in my book, maybe the faerie folk are hiding out from us, or maybe it was all just drug induced hallucinations that dreamt them up in the first place.

Tell us about your writing process. Do you outline, or are you more of a seat of your pants type of a writer?

MP: There’s not much method to my madness, I’m afraid. Writing for me is a hobby, not a way to make a living. I do it because I enjoy the creativity. Most of the time, I’ve thought about what I’m going to write during the day. I drive a lot for my “Real Job” and I will typically turn off the radio and think about the story I’m working on. Same goes for exercise. I take long walks five or six times a week, up to two hours at a time. Rather than listen to music or a recorded book, I think about my writing. When I finally get a chance to sit down, I can usually knock off a thousand words in an hour or so. Then again, there are days when I go to the computer with my mind a blank and have just as much success. Like every other writer, there are days when nothing works.

Who is the one author that you would love to meet someday and why?

MP: I have diverse reading habits. Short stories, poetry, novels, I read it all. I have an interest in science and engineering, so I read a lot of non-fiction articles as well. When I’m reading fiction, I gravitate toward stories of the supernatural. Some of the new authors you find in online anthologies are really pushing the boundaries of the genre and are worth checking out if you haven’t already. I also like historical fiction. My most guilty pleasure is the Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell. The poetry of WB Yates has been a big influence on my writing. I love the imagery. My style of writing is most influenced by James Lee Burke. Beyond that, I must give a nod to Dean Koontz. He is a master of suspense, and really knows how to draw out key moments to make the action more dramatic.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

MP: Publishing has been a twisted journey for me. I’ve had a lot of ups and downs. Just when I think everything is going great, something bad happens. For a while I thought I might be a jinx. At different times, I had contracts with a half dozen book publishers that went out of business, and my work never got published. The same thing has happened to many of the publishers of print and online periodicals. With the internet and ebooks, the publishing business continues changing, and I don’t think anyone has really figured it out yet. My best advice is to keep doing what you love and success will find you. Work is a gift. Enjoy yourself. Enjoy the work. Don’t worry so much about success or business. Rejection letters are part of the experience, so try to learn what you can from any comments, but don’t dwell too much on any one bad review. Do what makes you happy and your writing will find an audience.

How do you spend your free time? Do you have a favorite place to go and unwind?

MP: Travel, seeing new things, meeting new people, is one of my passions. Reading about history in a book is important, but until you’ve walked the meadows of Appomattox Courthouse or scaled the walls of Fort Sumter, it’s hard to understand exactly what the people were facing. It puts into perspective how the people of history didn’t do great things because they were somehow different from the rest of us. They were people too. The first time I toured Ephesus, I couldn’t get over how ordinary life there must have been. There was the famous library, of course, but also bakeries and shops not all that different from modern times. For someone from the United States, I think mission work is important. US citizens are so very fortunate, something that is hard to appreciate unless you’ve experienced firsthand how people in other parts of the world live their lives. Travel, to me, teaches perspective and compassion, lessons that are as important as learning about cultural differences.

I also enjoy gardening. Even though I grew up on a farm, I’m not very good at it. Pulling weeds from a row of beans is nothing like making flowers bloom all summer. Spring appeals to me in a strange way, it makes me want to get my hands dirty. As a result, I dig up large portions of my suburban yard and plant things that usually wither and die. Ugh!

What do you have in store next for your readers?

MP: My new book, Dawn of Ages has just come out. In the book, war has lasted for generations. In this technological age, no longer must humans risk their lives in combat. Fierce robots operated by remote control make up the bulk of the militaries. Satellites in the atmosphere render the heavens a frenzy of violent confrontation. But the war has little effect on everyday life. The bloodshed is minimal, the disruption to commerce even less. It is a comfortable war. Most of the populace believes they have nothing to fear. Little they know their world is about to come to an end. –So that’s exciting. The second book in the Goblin King series is in the editing process. We’re shooting for a release early next year. There are a number of short story projects I’m working on too. That’s a lot, I know, but you can keep up with me at mikephillipsfantasy.com

Is there anything else you’d like to share with your readers?

MP: Thank you so much for having me as your guest. Thanks to your readers for their interest in my work. I hope you all enjoy the book! Take care, Mike Phillips

Buy on AMAZON

Mike Phillips grew up on a small farm in West Michigan, living much the way people did at the turn of the century. Whether it was growing fruits and vegetables or raising livestock, Mike learned the value of hard work and responsibility at a young age.

While his friends spent their summers watching reruns of bad sitcoms, Mike’s father gave him a very special gift. He turned off the television. With what was affectionately referred to as “the idiot box” no longer a distraction, Mike was left to discover the fantastic worlds that only exist in books. When not tending sheep, gardening, building furniture, chopping wood, or just goofing off, Mike spent his time reading.

With all that hard work at home, Mike was always eager to go to school. He excelled as a student and went on to pursue a career in the sciences. Working as a Safety Engineer in the Insurance Industry, Mike soon became bored with the corporate grind. Writing engaged him like nothing else. After a few novels and numerous short stories, he thought getting published would be a pretty neat idea. And so, here it goes…

Website I Goodreads

Giveaway
5 Digital Copies of The World Below is up for grabs.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

28 June, 2014

Debdatta Dasgupta June 28, 2014 0

#BookReview :: Once Upon A Crush by Kiran Manral

Rayna De has a lot of things going for her. Not that they're necessarily going well, of course. Her thirties are approaching fast, and her boss could give Satan a run for his money. Her romance life, well, that's non-existent. When Devan Ahuja enters the workplace, Rayna quickly falls head over heels for him. She tries telling herself otherwise, that he's out of her league, but it doesn't work. Why would he look at her anyway? He does have a model-turned-actress for a girlfriend and they seem to be quite happy, what with the page three supplement articles which claim so. Her parents aren't helping, not in the least by waving the photographs of Sid Bose in her face, multi-zero salary package, three bedroom house et. al. Rayna thinks things couldn't get more confusing. She needs to think again, for fate has other plans.

Once Upon A Crush takes us on a journey that is Rayna De’s life. At twenty nine, she is stuck at a stagnant job with the devil himself for a boss, her love life is virtually non-existent and though she is still on the right side of thirty (not for long though) she feels her life is going nowhere – atleast nowhere near where she wants it to be. Then things start to happen. Her friend runs away from home for a break and puts up with her. A new face is added to her list of colleagues and while Devan Ahuja quickly baits her heart, he has a supermodel of a girlfriend and gives off mixed signals. To top it all, her family introduces her to a prospective groom – Sid, a poster boy for eligible bachelors. What does Rayna do? How do these twists change her life?

The plot is a recycled one… But don’t let that deter you from reading this book as the author narrates the story in a refreshingly straightforward manner and infused with doses of wit and humour. There are lots of drama and confusion going on in Rayna’s life that makes it a colourful story for us readers. But the best part is that Rayna herself is your girl next door whose life resembles yours. There’s no over the top situations or larger than life people involved and so it is easier to relate to… After all, for a certain period we all have had a crush in the forefront of our lives. But does Rayna end up with Devan or with Sid?? Read this book to find out.

Overall, a fast paced chic-lit that will claim about a couple of hours of reading time.

27 June, 2014

Debdatta Dasgupta June 27, 2014 1

#BookReview :: Lethal Spice by Swati Kaushal

A hundred-year-old stage steeped in tradition. Six contestants with a world to gain and everything to lose. Three judges who stand between them and their dreams. It is October in Shimla. The air is crisp, the mist is rising and the stakes are sky-high as the finalists of India's No. 1 reality cooking show, Hot Chef, are pitted against each other in a live shoot at the historic Gaiety Theatre. The spices are ground, the fires are lit, the knives have been sharpened? Then things start to go horribly wrong. As she picks her way through a maze of testimonies and motives, Shimla's Superintendent of Police, Niki Marwah, is more determined than ever to get to the bottom of a perplexing mystery - a mystery that this time around is dangerously close to her heart.

To be frank, I had very little expectation from this book. Afterall, I have read very few ‘Good’ Mystery/Thriller produced by IWE Authors. But I picked this one up with hopes of it turning out to be time-pass read as it is set in Shimla. Having grown up in hill stations myself, and now being caught up in the concrete jungle of a metropolitan city, I was hoping for an escape into the mountains for a while. But this books has not only exceeded my expectations but has also made the list of favourites this year.

The stage is set by India’s No.1 Reality TV show… Hot Chef. Six contestants battle it out by producing awesome dishes and three judges do their best to select the best. That would have been simple enough, but there is something sinister going on behind the sets. A killer is on the loose and it is upto Shimla's Superintendent of Police, Niki Marwah, to get to the bottomline of the case before it is too late. The stakes are high and nerves are running high too… Will Niki be able to solve the delicious mystery?

First of all, it was good to see a female protagonist who is a competent officer of the law and in an important position. As a female reader, I enjoyed rooting for Niki as she handled things professionally and with finesse. The Whodunnit aspect of the plot is also intriguing and it wasn’t easy for a mystery buff like me to pick out the culprit as the stage was set and facts revealed in such a manner that it forced me to consider each character as the culprit atleast once. The author’s narration style is refreshing and engaging, keeping the readers glued to its pages until the very end.

I also loved the marketing strategy, wherein a small pouch of spice is put in the first page of the book with a tagline ‘A pinch full of this can be lethal.’ If I had seen this in a bookstore I would have surely been tempted to buy the book.

Overall, a great mystery with all its elements in the right places.

26 June, 2014

Debdatta Dasgupta June 26, 2014 0

#BookReview :: Far Beyond The Dead End by Saikat Baksi

They called it the 'mound of dead'. In other words, Mohenjo-Daro!

But beneath those layers of ruin, once flourished a town pulsating with life. There lived Koli with her enigmatic charm, Sindhu with an eyeful of dreams, Girad with his raging passion, the decrepit priest prophesying the doom and many others. They loved, hated and chased their fixations in manic rage. A series of mysterious deaths ensued from such frenetic hunt for lust, riches and glory. Yet, the inexorable game of destruction did not cease to play, until they ventured Far Beyond the Dead End only to be discovered under a heap of rubble four thousand years later.

This is the story of Koli, a smart, beautiful, intellectual and skilled girl. Her father wants to marry her off to Sindhu, a charming man. However, Girad, a failed businessman, has his eyes and heart set on Koli. He is calculative and manipulative and would do anything to get things going his way. Sounds like one of those dime a dozen love stories that have been flooding the market. But hold on for a moment. This one is set in the place we now know as Mohenjo-daro when it a fledging society. Yeah, that kind of puts a twist in what could have been a simple love story.

The characters are well drawn out and develops throughout the story – especially the central characters –Koli, Sindhu and Girad. I particularly liked the character of Koli’s father and the shades of Sindhu. The plot itself is a simple and straightforward one and there are very few twists. But what I loved about this book is the author’s narration style. He brings a dead civilization back to life through his words and I have little doubt about if things were really like as he has described. Special kudos to the author for putting in seven long years of research into Mohenjo-daro civilization. It couldn’t have been easy and the author has included a detailed bibliography in the book that I am sure shows only part of all the hard work that has gone into this novel.

I would suggest everyone to read this book, if not for the plot then atleast for the way the author has brought back life into Mohenjo-daro.

25 June, 2014

Debdatta Dasgupta June 25, 2014 0

#BookReview :: The Murder Bag (Max Wolfe #1) by Tony Parsons

Twenty years ago seven rich, privileged students became friends at their exclusive private school, Potter's Field. Now they have started dying in the most violent way imaginable.
Detective Max Wolfe has recently arrived in the Homicide division of London's West End Central, 27 Savile Row.
Soon he is following the bloody trail from the backstreets and bright lights of the city, to the darkest corners of the internet and all the way to the corridors of power.
As the bodies pile up, Max finds the killer's reach getting closer to everything - and everyone - he loves.
Soon he is fighting not only for justice, but for his own life ...

We follow the life of DC Wolfe as he joins the homicide department. His first case is that of a gruesomely murdered banker. With the wife as the only probable suspect, Wolfe is busy hunting the murder weapon – a weapon designed to take off a man’s head at a single swipe. But soon a homeless druggie is murdered the same way. Though at first it seems that there could be no possible connection between the two except for the murderer, they soon find that both the victims went to the same public school as boys. With ‘Bob the Butcher’ claiming responsibility for the murders on internet, Wolfe is soon on the track of a dangerous serial killer. Will he be able to catch the killer before he gets to those who are close to Wolfe?

From the very first chapter we are given a glimpse into the character of the protagonist DC Wolfe. HE takes his job seriously and is even good at it. However, he tends to be downright impulsive and ignore the chain of command in course of his duty. He trusts his instincts to the core. He is also a family man who lives with his young daughter and their dog. He loves his daughter completely. After a somewhat slow start, the pace picks up as bodies start piling up and Wolfe starts tracking. The police procedures are described in details and some information provided is kind of repetitive. However the author sets up the scenes and settings well. At some points DC Wolfe is portrayed as a methodical thinker, like Lee Child’s Jack Reacher. However I did not like how the majority female characters were portrayed – showing more distasteful characteristics more often than good or redeemable characteristics.

Overall, this book made one hell of thriller that I quite enjoyed reading!

24 June, 2014

Debdatta Dasgupta June 24, 2014 1

#GuestPost by Rue, #Author of It's Not My Favourite

Rue graduated from Pepperdine University in Southern California with a degree in Journalism. Her intimate knowledge of the Midwestern United States, the inordinate amount of time she spent in its churches’ pews and her unique parentage make her an expert on life after religion. Having moved 17 times by the time she graduated from high school Rue has seen more than her share of the Great Plains. She never stayed in one place long enough to make human friends. Her best friends were all characters from her beloved books; and the love of reading led to a lifelong passion for writing.

Website I Amazon Author Page I Twitter I Facebook I Pinterest

Thank you Debdatta, for the invitation to write a Guest Post for your Blog. I loved the suggestion to write about my characters. Writing “It’s Not My Favorite” was an interesting emotional journey. I knew I wanted to write the story of these sisters, I knew they lived in Minnesota, but I did not know how much fun it would be to get to know them!

Gwenn was the first sister to take shape in my mind. (Oddly, she began as a “Kate,” but by the end of the first draft she was demanding a new name!) Gwenn fascinated me, because she worked so hard to make everyone around her happy, while she was miserable. I wanted to help her find some little piece of happiness—something all her own.

Rachel was originally a minor character, but within a few chapters it became clear to me that Gwenn and Rachel would share top billing. I fell in love with Rachel’s love of life and I was furious when I discovered the root of the problem with her girlfriend Annie.

The relationship between the sisters is the cornerstone of their survival. At the end of the day, when everyone else has abandoned them, they can draw strength from each other.

However, the relationship does need some boundaries! As Gwenn’s story developed I discovered she was terrible at setting boundaries. I think this will be something she continues to struggle with throughout the series.

Rachel is a lesbian. There I’ve said it—the truth is out. The wonderful part of Rachel’s story is the complete normalcy of her life. She struggles, she has relationship dramas and she has issues with her parents…just like everyone else.

As the story unfolded I hoped that it would bridge the gap between GLBTQ (LGBTQ) romance/humor and Contemporary romance/humor. Rather than targeting a GLBTQ (LGBTQ) audience, specifically, I hoped this book could slip quietly into the mainstream and allow a far wider audience to experience a character they might normally miss.

In addition to the main characters, “It’s Not My Favorite” has a host of secondary and minor characters that were a blast to write!

Todd – the snarky but loyal-to-the-death assistant.
Randy – Gwenn’s fabulous, gay, designer friend.
Shirley – the pastor’s wife and world’s “judgey-est” mom.
Pastor Ed – Shirley’s husband and the fundamentalist force behind the family’s dysfunction.
Annie – Rachel’s rock-star girlfriend.
Henry – the man-whore.
Yvonne – the socialite-whore.
Flora – the quiet, efficient assistant to Gwenn—with a tortured past.
Thea – the hotter-than-the-sun salesperson at Gwenn’s office.
Frankie – the UFC fighter, turned trainer.

And let’s not forget Daniel. Yum, yum, yum! I can’t say too much about his character without huge spoilers. However, I can say it was incredibly comfortable inside his head. He is so much more than meets the eye and I enjoyed getting to know the deeper side of his character. Discovering the depth of tragedy he had endured was shocking, and seeing what he had accomplished—sober, was thrilling.

Thank you for letting me give you a peek behind the scenes. I hope you will take some time and get to know Gwenn, Rachel, Daniel and all the rest!

Book Title: "It's Not My Favorite" (The Lake Effect Series, Book 1)
Author Name: Rue
Publication Date: April 21, 2014 (Paperback); May 30, 2014 (Electronic Book)

Genre - Fiction (Chick Lit, Romance, Contemporary, LGBT)

Goodreads I Amazon.com I Amazon.uk

The Hutchinson sisters grew up under the piercing, pious stare of a preacher’s wife. Plagued by her ever-disappointed refrain, “Well, it’s not my favorite.” Their search to find their own way in the world has not been a screaming success.

Gwenn is a good girl, a responsible girl…a miserable girl. Her steady diet of vivid fantasies is the only part of her life she enjoys. She daydreams of new parents, a more exciting job and an actual love life. She struggles to run a business as The Organizer, while she stacks relationship carcasses in the closet of her own completely unorganized life. Her only real friend is her younger sister, Rachel.

Rachel is outgoing, risqué and happily gay. The only people who don’t know this little secret are her judgmental parents, Pastor Ed and Shirley. Rachel struggles mightily to dodge her mother’s constant attempts to set her up with “nice Christian boys”; while holding down a job at the bakery and keeping up with her rock-star girlfriend!

Gwenn uncovers a photo that brings her imaginary world careening into reality. She’s forced to ask herself if wealthy artist, Daniel Gregory is the answer she’s been seeking or a grand delusion.

Break-ups, meltdowns, family secrets, wild nights and finally a journey of self-discovery to exotic New Zealand keep Gwenn and Rachel stumbling toward independence.

So grab your parka and join the Hutchinson girls, as they experience the Lake Effect in Duluth, Minnesota!

22 June, 2014

Debdatta Dasgupta June 22, 2014 1

#BookTour :: Open World C.O.V.E.N by Casey Moss

Open World – C.O.V.E.N. by Casey Moss

Erotic Urban Fantasy

Open World – C.O.V.E.N. by Casey Moss is an Editor’s Pick!

The world has broken out in wars. Las Vegas has been ravaged by chemical warfare and is now home to several clans and creatures.

Welcome to I-D-8 Entertainment’s newest game: Clans of Vegas—Endless Night.

Friends and family have gathered for a crunch time playtest of C.O.V.E.N.. When a horrible thunderstorm hits, everyone’s sucked into the game for real. In the MMORPG, Hope Collins is kidnapped by Buzz and forced to submit to his whims. Her boyfriend, Alden, has to delay his quest of defeating a clan’s prince to save her, but time and circumstance don’t seem to be on his side. Faith Collins is bombarded by strange dreams brought on by Buzz. Her boyfriend, Tavis, learns to dream walk, but can he help break the spell she’s under and save her before she’s lost to him?

C.O.V.E.N. is more than just a game. It’s a whole other world.

EXCERPT

Hope appeared in the middle of what looked to be a homeless shelter. It wasn’t what she’d pictured back at…

She shook her head and scratched it. Where’d she come from? Where was it that she wanted to go? Her mind acted like a blank chalkboard being looked at through a fisheye lens. Writing appeared hazy and indecipherable on the outer edges of the sphere, but the blackness in the middle was clean.

Her body tensed, reacted as if she should run. With wide eyes, she surveyed the area. People on chairs and benches were scattered through the large room. Broken windows and shattered glass doors at the entrance looked out upon a gray day. The other way revealed an opening to a courtyard type parking lot with long carports on the perimeter.

A young, Goth-looking cashier with black hair, white makeup and piercings in her lips, eyebrows and ears, gaped at her as if she had grown a pair of horns and sprouted a third eye in the middle of her forehead.

Hope wavered, trying to reconcile what was happening. She knew her name, knew that she had a family and wanted to be a dancer? But anything else? “Where am I? How’d…how’d I get here?” Her voice faltered over the questions. She stared at the teen.

“You in the ol’ bus term.” The goth snapped the gum in her mouth. “How ya got ‘ere is beyon’ me. Ya jist kinda appeared outta nothing.”

Another teen in his goth phase came up to them. “Yeah. Poof. There you be. Totes mcgotes cray-cray.”

“But I don’t want to be here.” Tears of frustration pooled in Hope’s eyes. She swiped at them. She was tired. She was hungry. She was dirty and hot. In the time she’d been in the bus station, dry, oven-like air had sapped all the moisture from her skin. She believed she was a walking piece of water-depleted, brittle clay, which would crumble into dust and blow away with the slightest touch.

“Then flash on outta ‘ere like ya did to git ‘ere.” The goth’s voice was monotone with no vestige of sympathy.

Hope closed her eyes, did her best to picture a place to go to, but none came to mind. Try as she might to ‘flash on out,’ she continued to stand amongst a bunch of uncaring strangers.

The goth shook her head and ran her black-nailed fingers through her hair. “Guess ya usin’ the door like the rest o’ us.” She chomped on her gum a few times, then tilted her head toward the exit.

Evernight Publishing | Amazon | All Romance | Bookstrand | Barnes & Noble

Add to Goodreads

Casey Moss delves into the darker aspects of life in her writing, sometimes basing the stories on reality, sometimes on myth. No matter the path, her stories will take you on a journey from the light-hearted paranormal to dark things unspeakable. What waits around the corner? Come explore…

Website: http://caseymossbooks.com/

Blog: http://caseymossbooks.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.CaseyMoss

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CaseyMoss_

Debdatta Dasgupta June 22, 2014 0

#SpecialFeature :: #GuestPost - An Abundance of Odd-Ball Characters by Mike Phillips

Now Presenting:

*** SPECIAL FEATURE - June 2014 ***

Buy on AMAZON

An Abundance of Odd-Ball Characters

Hello everyone, and thank you for reading my guest post. My name is Mike Phillips and my new book is The World Below. I was asked to talk a little about the characters in the book, so I thought it might be fun to discuss some of the lesser known weirdoes that make an appearance. An important part of the book is that all the fairy tale creatures of legend still exist, hiding in a place known as the World Below, a sort of refugee camp for those creatures that don’t have enough magic to blend into modern society. As a result, the book is absolutely packed with an abundance of odd-ball characters.

When our hero, Mitch Hardy, becomes involved with Lady Elizabeth, herself one of the Faerie Folk and a little offbeat, he has no idea what strange people he is bound to meet. The first and most prominent, of course, is Puttygut and the other goblins. After an act of kindness, the goblins adopt Mitch as one of their own. As it turns out, goblins aren’t as all bad as they are made out to be in myth and legend. They are a fun bunch of guys to be around, if they smell bad and behave like fifth grade boys.

The first creatures Mitch encounters after he meets Puttygut and his crew are the goblin’s mortal enemies, the Ferikrakneh Imps. The Ferikrakneh have been trying to take over the landfill and get rid of the goblins for as long as either can remember. The Imps are tiny little creatures, vaguely human-shaped, but tough. When Mitch accidentally reveals the location of the goblin hideout, the Ferikrakneh are ready to attack. There are so many of the little buggers, that Mitch and the Goblins are soon overwhelmed, and have to resort to drastic measures to escape their wrath.

Later in the story, desperate to find Elizabeth (describing the circumstances surrounding it would be a terrible spoiler) Mitch asks the goblins for help. There are many strange and wondrous creatures in the World Below, but only one that has the information they need. The Mulak is a sorceress and seer of great power. The goblins all fear her, but they know she can be bought. The Mulak has a weakness they can exploit, a serious drug addiction. A case of heroine is her price. After a taste, she tells them what they need to know, changes herself into a spider, and continues her sad decline into oblivion.

Baron Finkbeiner is the despotic ruler of the World Below. His dungeon is filled with all sorts of dangerous creatures. To keep them in line, the guard must be equally as formidable. The Baron’s jailer is just such a person, though you wouldn’t know it by looking at him. The jailer is a squat, funny little man. Like many of the inhabitants of the World Below, the jailer is possessed of unusual powers. When the Baron’s henchman throws a tantrum and obliterates part of the dungeon, we find out that the jailer is nearly invincible to physical attack. His body is homogenous, all made up of the same stuff, like a Gollum of clay. Picking debris from his body, he explains to the henchman the importance of being able to get along with others.

Inside Finkbeiner’s dungeon, there is a creature known only as the Blackness. It has no shape or form. It looks like a cloud of black dust. Though it as no physical body, the creature seems to have all the senses that people do. It can even talk. The Blackness is held in prison by an enchanted collar made of silver. The creature has fallen in love with Lady Elizabeth, and when the Baron’s henchman comes to do her harm, it does everything it can to protect her.

We end this discussion with one of the strangest creatures of all, the Gooch. It is a shape shifting, pan-dimensional being that is drawn to supernatural creatures as a food source. When it can’t get that, any road kill will do. As the Gooch first appears, it takes the form of a mailbox. People with magical ability may be able to see it, but normal humans can’t. The Gooch is so good at hiding itself from the general public that there must be some sort of magical influence involved. Later on the Gooch takes the form of a basketball, and then a garbage dumpster. Characters in the book often have questions about the Gooch, the typical answer to most of those questions being, “no one really knows what that thing is.” As a writer, it’s fun sometimes to leave things up in the air, allow the reader to fill in the gaps, maybe even give yourself some room for the character to play a wider role in future projects. That is my hope for the Gooch. As I write the sequel to The World Below, the Gooch is already making trouble for our hero, Mitch Hardy. That, however, is a story for another time.

Thank you so much for joining me. I hope you check out all the strange characters in The World Below. Please visit me at mikephillipsfantasy.com.

Buy on AMAZON

Website I Goodreads

Giveaway
5 Digital Copies of The World Below is up for grabs.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

21 June, 2014

Debdatta Dasgupta June 21, 2014 0

#BookReview :: Transactions of Belongings by Jaya Padmanabham

The short stories in the collection blend emotion and introspection. Moments of urgency and sweetness are fully canvassed and explored. The stories draw out and examine the texture of emotional belonging. In "His Curls," a mother suffers the anguish of wondering if her son is a terrorist. The ending is left to interpretation and several possibilities. The reader is forced to teeter between laughter and sadness in the tragicomedy of "An Indian Summer." "The Blue Arc" is a redemptive tale of a young woman who shows enormous courage. Each story in the collection is a journey of insights. Transactions of Belonging is a unique, intense and gripping work of short fiction.

I have to admit that I picked up this book based solely on its title. ‘Transactions of Belonging’ sounded a bit ominous and it genuinely made me curious about this anthology of short stories by a single author.

This anthology contains twelve astonishingly daring and beautiful short stories that delve into human emotions thoroughly. From a mother daughter relationship to the life of an lonely old man to a mother anguishing over whether her son is a terrorist to a girl ending up as sex worker in her life to the connection between drinking and abuse to children becoming too independent of their parents. Name an emotion that real people feel in their lives that hasn’t been deeply explored already and it is there in this book.

Each story has its grip on the reader and I can’t, for the life of me, decide which story I like the best. Individually, each story has something unique to offer and as a whole this anthology is a bomb waiting to go off as readers turn its pages. It took me only a couple of hours to finish reading this book and I wished that there were more pages to be turned. I applaud the author for choosing to write such emotional short stories that tug at the right heartstrings. An amazing debut and I hope to read more meaningful work from this author soon.

20 June, 2014

Debdatta Dasgupta June 20, 2014 0

#BookReview :: The Queen of the Tearling (The Queen of the Tearling #1) by Erika Johansen

Kelsea Glynn is the sole heir to the throne of Tearling but has been raised in secret by foster parents after her mother - Queen Elyssa, as vain as she was stupid - was murdered for ruining her kingdom. For 18 years, the Tearling has been ruled by Kelsea's uncle in the role of Regent however he is but the debauched puppet of the Red Queen, the sorceress-tyrant of neighbouring realm of Mortmesme. On Kelsea's 19th birthday, the tattered remnants of her mother's guard - each pledged to defend the queen to the death - arrive to bring this most un-regal young woman out of hiding...

And so begins her journey back to her kingdom's heart, to claim the throne, earn the loyalty of her people, overturn her mother's legacy and redeem the Tearling from the forces of corruption and dark magic that are threatening to destroy it. But Kelsea's story is not just about her learning the true nature of her inheritance - it's about a heroine who must learn to acknowledge and live with the realities of coming of age in all its insecurities and attractions, alongside the ethical dilemmas of ruling justly and fairly while simply trying to stay alive...

Soon after her birth Kelsea Glynn was sent away into hiding. Marked for death, she returns to the kingdom once she turns nineteen and now either she will be dead or live to be the fiercest queen of the Tearling. Accompanied by Lazarus, she takes on the perilous journey to win over her people, her country from the clutches of the Red Queen and the respect of The Fetch. But her path is not so easy – filled with hurdles and betrayals, Kelsea has to take on a lot of responsibilities. Will she be successful or will she bite off more than she can chew?!

I absolutely loved this book! From the authors beautiful style of narration to the setting to the charactersto the whole plot. Everything about it is brilliant. I can see the film rights have already been bought even before the release of the book. It has a magnetic quality about it that is absolutely unavoidable and I finished reading this book in one sitting, resulting to a really late dinner for everyone in the family.

Kelsea is a strong character, full of doubts about herself, yet she overcomes them strongly. I liked the way the author narrated her inner turmoil about what actions to take, it made her more real to me. Lazarus is another really strong character. I hope Kelsea has him till the very end. His strong presence lends some assurance about the safety of the princess. And oh! The Fetch. I absolutely love this rebel. There is something charming about this character that has not only Kelsea smitten to him. I also liked the aura of mystery about the Red Queen, her real identity and her powers.

The narration of the story switches from POV to POV giving us a complete look at every aspect of the story from different characters. I wish though the author would have included Lazarus’s POV too. I would have loved to know what goes on in his mind. The plot is totally unique from what I have read so far. Infused with humour and twists, the story is one hell of a roller coaster journey.

Overall an amazing read that I would recommend to every YA Fantasy lovers.