I am thrilled to be part of this eclectic collection of short stories from authors around the world. Regardless of your beliefs or religion, the holidays bring your family and friends together, but sometimes, it’s just as important to be alone, reminiscing and reflecting on your life. This is a cross-genre collection of short stories, varying from romance, to family drama, to first person narratives and even a ghost story! Immersed in these stories, I had a chance to travel vicariously to the cold and desolate North Pole and Alaska, spectacular Machu Picchu and Cyprus, the war-torn Afghanistan, and enjoy a train ride through the Indian subcontinent. Here’s a little about my short stories: A White Christmas Successful lawyer Melissa, stay-at-home-mom Jessica, and Chef Dominic have not visited home for Christmas since their father died two years ago. But when their elderly mother invites them home for the holidays and shares her plan to sell the house, the three siblings plan a surprise for her. Little do they know their mother has a surprise of her own. Meet the White family for their unexpected Christmas reunion. Letters from Carmen Sixteen-year-old Mia’s world is shattered when she finds out her mother’s cancer has recurred. Ever since her father died on Christmas six years ago, the holiday hasn't been the same. To make matters worse, Mia will have to live with an aunt she didn’t know existed. Why should Mia read her aunt’s letters when she’s never come to visit? Aunt Carmen had been ‘in trouble’ and is in and out of rehab. How can Mia trust someone who cannot take care of herself? Grab your copy here while it's on sale! For my new novel The Blue House in Bishop, I am looking for readers who will help me launch it by reading an advance reader copy and posting a review once the book is released in Jan 2017. If you're interested, please email me at sunandajoshichatterjee@gmail.com. Here's a blurb about the book: A broken soldier with a past, a doctor with a secret, an ex-cop with a mission, and a mysterious woman must fight a drug lord and the FBI to find justice. After an accident, ex-Special Forces Capt Duke Wilcox is forced to recover in the house of his old college roommate, Sunil. Haunted by his failed mission and failed marriage, Duke has lost his trust in women and yearns for a chance to redeem himself. Indian Police Inspector Alisha Raj has a passion for bringing criminals to justice. After leaving the police force with a broken heart, she agrees to an “arranged marriage” with Sunil. But it is an unusual proposal; Sunil asks Alisha to pretend to be his fiancée to please his dying mother. Alisha comes to Bishop to leave her past behind, only to fall hopelessly in love with Duke. But she is engaged to Sunil, whose mother is expected to arrive any day. The attraction seems mutual, but Duke’s troubled past prevents him from opening his heart. Everything changes when a mysterious woman shows up with a baby, seeking Sunil’s help. But is this woman who she claims to be? Why is the FBI after her? And how is she involved with a Colombian Drug lord? A story of loyalty, camaraderie, and friendship, The Blue House in Bishop brings four strangers together in a fight for survival. Congratulations on your latest release of Book Relaunch. What was your inspiration for this book? My mission has been to help educate writers on the process of self-publishing. After the release of my first book, Book Launch Marketing, I discovered that a part of my audience had already released books. I spent a lot of time coaching others in the process of book marketing and realized that many authors would benefit from relaunching their books. Over a year of writing and research went into creating a ten step guide that produces real results. What is your writing process? Typically, I start with brainstorming and research. I spend time writing down my ideas, looking into details, and putting all my thoughts on paper. Then I work on a general outline for my book with a description of what each chapter will include. When I have that completed, I develop a detailed outline that shows every main point that each chapter will contain. This allows me to understand my book from a higher level before diving into the details. Another benefit is being able to write about the topic or scene that inspires me at the time, instead of only writing in order. Tell us one unique or quirky habit you have when it comes to writing. I am not able to concentrate on one thing at a time. I usually have a movie or music on as I write. The noise helps me focus on my work. Each person is unique. If you find yourself not being able to focus, try different things. Can you tell us something about your ‘work in progress’? I am in the process of writing two books that will be released in 2017. One is fantasy fiction and the second is non-fiction business. In addition, I will be launching a company in 2017 and hosting a Fiction Author Summit. Be sure to sign up for my newsletter at www.trroach.com to get advance notice. What is the single greatest challenge for indie authors today? There are so many challenges that we face as indie authors. The quality control and sales are always an issue. However, I believe that the greatest challenge is being able to stand out against the flood of book hitting the market. It becomes exponentially more difficult to be noticed and build a fan base. Indie authors are going to find that they will have to spend a lot more time and energy to reach the same amount of people that they have in the past. What is your advice to aspiring writers? Read, read, and read. The best thing that you can do for your writing is to read other books in your genre. Learn from them and take notes. Do not stop improving and finding ways to innovate. Join writing communities, take writing courses, and find a way to keep yourself motivated. What is your most important message to your readers? Don’t be afraid to ask for help. The single greatest advantage that the self-publishing industry has is each other. The authors have the flexibility to work together. We need to focus on how to help each other instead of being competitors. How can readers reach you? Website: www.trroach.com Email: tedroach@hotmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTheodoreRoach/ You can get a copy of Book Relaunch here. This month I interviewed Sandhya Acharya, author of lovely children's books.
I have always dreamed of being an author. After a long career in corporate finance, I gave myself the permission to pursue my passion for writing. I write different genres and earlier this year I took on a fun project by publishing my first children’s book on Kindle. I partnered with a very talented friend of mine Rashmi Menon who did the illustrations for this. In this humorous short story, young Idu (Ee-doo) teaches his younger brother Adu (Aa-doo) all about fire and fire trucks. It is perfect for little children just learning about vehicles including trucks, firetrucks, cranes, cars - you know - everything that moves! The best lessons are learnt through play and seeing my sons interacting and learning about things around them, which inspired me to write this story. As an aside, Idu and Adu mean “This” and “That” in Kannada which is my mother tongue. I would like to let folks know that Big Red Firetruck is FREE on Amazon until 10/14. Do download and enjoy. You can read it on any device with a Kindle app (including your phone)
I am really excited about this book. With my earlier book, I loved the outcome and the process. On the way I also realized there was a huge gap in the children’s books market. Did you know that ..
With my next book I hope to close that gap a little. The story is inspired by a true story. I had a sweet tooth growing up and my mother is always telling me how it was a challenge to keep me away from the sweets she prepared for guests. I decided to retell a favorite childhood story of mine in the current context with my two sons. Gulab Jamuns the ever present indian sweet delicacy is the subject of this one. It also includes some counting lessons (what better thing to count than Gulab Jamuns) as well as some important family values that come out as part of the story. I am launching a Kickstarter campaign for it on October 20th. I would like to make “Ten Gulab Jamuns” a household name. But I can only do it with everyone’s help. I humbly request everyone to contribute to the project. You can promote diversity and enhance the landscape of the children’s book market. I will be sharing the Kickstarter link as soon as it goes live on the Facebook page for the book www.facebook.com/tengulabjamuns. So do like the Facebook page for now.
My first draft is more about getting whatever is inside of me out on paper. Then I rewrite and rewrite and rewrite. Sometimes if I am not satisfied I leave a peice alone for days and even months and come back with a fresh look to edit. I love to sit in coffee shops and write. It stimulates my thinking process and gives that perfect balance of having enough subtle distractions to concentrate.
Biggest advice is - Keep at it. Writing, like any other trade, takes a lot of practise and a lot of hard work. If you have a passion for it, keep at it. It is of course not easy to break into the top. It also takes a lot of time to build a body of work and gain appreciation for what you do. I also believe that you have to listen to your heart. If writing is what brings you satisfaction, make sure you keep some space in your life for it. Whether it is full time or part time, make sure it is part of your routine. The satisfaction from pursuing a passion and giving it a 100% is wonderful. I am also surprised how important other skills are when you are writing. Whether it is writing for a column, self publishing or writing fiction there is a good mix of market research, marketing, sales, communication, operations and believe it or not numbers involved too.
Thank you so much for stopping by and reading. I hope to put forth views, stories that entertain you and add some value. You may not realize but you are making a HUGE difference to authors, writers when you appreciate their work. Be it with a like, comment, share, tweet. You won’t believe the joy I feel when I hear from someone who may have liked an article or blog post I have written. Writing full time has been an exhilarating journey for me and I hope to continue with your support and love. Sandhya Acharya grew up in Mumbai, India and now lives in the Bay Area. She previously worked in corporate finance and is now a writer. She is mother to two young boys, a dance and running enthusiast. Her articles have also featured in NPR.org , India Currents and IMC connect Big Red Firetruck! is FREE on AMAZON until 10/14/16. Hurry while the offer lasts! www.sandhyaacharya.com www.facebook.com/tengulabjamuns www.facebook.com/sandhya.acharya If you’re writing in third person omniscient POV, you are able to describe the same event from the point of view of different characters. Personally, I decide the POV before I write the scene. But sometimes, I write down the dialogue and decide whose POV gives the story its maximum impact and provokes the maximum emotional response from the reader. Of course, it can be subjective, but let’s look at an example.
Let's say you are writing a scene about an argument between a husband and a wife. The husband is a drunk, jealous of his wife’s success, and assumes she is sleeping with her boss. Wife is just trying to make a living. Let us take it from the husband’s POV: Sam finished his third beer. He was hungry. Where the heck was Lilly? Gallivanting with her boss, no doubt. He was sure she was taken in my Brad’s fancy suits and perfumes. Sam had demanded that she return the pearl necklace Brad gave her after they got the last contract, but Sam was sure she kept it hidden somewhere. The lying bitch! A noise at the doorway made him look up. There she was, in a pant suit, pretending to be good people. And look at that blouse! He could see the curves she didn’t care to hide from her boss. Had she forgotten their roots? He had worked hard to put her through college! And this is how she repaid him! Flaunting her body in front of other people? Sam said, “Where have you been?” He put down his beer mug. Lilly looked startled and dropped her purse on the floor. “Oh! I asked you not to wait up.” He stood up and strode toward her. “You didn’t answer the question. Were you with Brad?” She took a step back and raised her hands in defense. “For the last time, there is nothing going on between me and Brad. He’s just my boss.” “Who keeps you in his office until late at night.” She was definitely sleeping with him! She took off her shoes and sank in the sofa, massaging her feet. “Don’t get mad! It’s just nine o’clock. He has a big presentation. If we don’t get this contract, I’ll be out of a job.” “You’ll find another!” A job that featured an elderly man with a potbelly, perhaps. She looked up, and her eyes glistened with tears. “If you didn’t stay at home drinking all day, I wouldn’t have to work so hard.” Let’s try it from the wife’s POV: The house looked dark. Lilly sighed and opened the door. She hoped Sam had gone to bed. She could not deal with his drinking anymore. “Where have you been?” called a voice. Startled, Lilly dropped her purse on the floor. In the darkness, she saw his outline on the sofa, two empty cans of beer lying beside him. She watched as he put down his beer mug. So he was drinking again. She wished he had just gone to bed. He would no doubt tell her how he had worked hard to put her through college. But she hadn’t squandered the opportunity by drinking! She had worked hard to get where she was. She didn’t know how long she could carry on like this. “Oh! I asked you not to wait up.” He stood up and strode toward her. “You didn’t answer the question. Were you with Brad?” She knew he was suspicious of Brad. And maybe he was right about Brad’s intentions. But Brad had never made a pass at her, although she had caught him staring down her cleavage once or twice. And the pearl necklace he gave her when they got the last contract? Sam was right in asking her to return it. That had set the boundaries right. She took a step back and raised her hands in defense. “For the last time, there is nothing going on between me and Brad. He’s just my boss.” “Who keeps you in his office until late at night.” She took off her shoes and sank in the sofa, massaging her feet. God, will I never catch a break? “It’s just nine o’clock. He has a big presentation. If we don’t get the contract, I’ll be out of a job.” “You’ll find another!” She looked up, tears stinging her eyes. Why don’t you get a job? “If you didn’t stay at home drinking all day, I wouldn’t have to work so hard.” Looking at the two POVs, my personal preference is the wife’s, unless we are setting up the husband as the main character who changes his life based on the interaction. Sometimes writing the same scene from both POVs is incredibly powerful, and makes the reader empathize with both your characters. How do you choose POVs? What do you like to write about? I read widely, across several genres and tend to write similarly, depending on what catches my interest. Small town romance, women's fiction, historical westerns and mystery suspense primarily. Tell us about your latest release. What was your inspiration for this book? My latest release is a Kindle Worlds book, The Wedding Photo, which is part of a launch for Bella Andre's sweet romance series, Four Weddings and a Fiasco, which she writes as Lucy Kevin. In my book, Jenna is a photographer who often shoots weddings and has a gift for seeing how true their love is by looking at the pictures she takes. She is taken aback when she reviews the pictures for her most recent wedding which is for her best friend, Charlie's cousin. When she sees Charlie's individual photo, it seems like he's staring directly at her and she sees something in his eyes that she's never noticed before--intense interest. But does she want to risk their friendship on a romance that might not last? It's a friends to lovers romance, which is always one of my favorite story lines, and I'd been wanting to write one for a while. What is your writing process? Tell us one unique or quirky habit you have when it comes to writing. I don't recommend my writing process. But for the last few books it's gone like this. Spend a few weeks thinking about the story and putting off the writing. Then sitting down and writing the first half of the book slowly, as I figure out what the story is. Then, write the second half in a few very long days. I keep saying it would be so much easier if I just wrote a little each day, but it just doesn't seem to work that way often for me. Can you tell us something about your ‘work in progress’? The book that I am working on now is a bit different. It's more of a saga that spans a number of years. I think of it as my soapy saga. It's set in the world of country music and is called Nashville Dreams. It's about a young couple that are planning to marry and have their lives mapped out when something awful happens that sends things spinning in an entirely different direction and changes the course of their lives and dreams. The short synopsis I've been using is "True love torn apart by amnesia and an evil billionaire with political ambitions." What is the single greatest challenge for indie authors today? What is your advice to aspiring writers? The biggest challenge is standing out among the tidal wave of books that are being released. The very best advice I can give it to focus on the book and make it as good as it possibly can be. That is how you will stand out. People are always looking for a really great book. What is your most important message to your readers? Thank you for reading, and for making this author's dreams come true. :) _ Connect with Pamela Kelley at http://www.pamelakelley.com/ or Twitter Latest Release: The Wedding Photo This short story was published in www.induswomanwriting.com...
Leaving the office with my briefcase and portfolio, I got into my old Nissan and drove toward the estates in Pasadena. The appointment was at 9:30 AM. I drove through the hills beyond Rose Bowl, overlooking the country club, where all the ‘old money’ lived. My boss Mr. Chen, the owner of Yin & Yang Designs had told me our new clients were Indian, and preferred an Indian designer for decorating their new home. The lady spoke no English. “Better not mess this one up,” Mr. Chen had said. I wish he had told me about the meeting yesterday so I could have dressed in an Indian outfit to better impress the client. I looked at my beige blouse and black skirt in dismay. I’d neglected to wear pantyhose for it was forecasted to be a hot day, and hoped the clients wouldn’t be too traditional. Mr. Chen had hired me just for providing service to the occasional Indian client in a Chinese-American dominated neighborhood of San Gabriel Valley, but I had the least experience on field. I’d worked on the projects with other designers, but was yet to get a client on my own. My career depended on this meeting… Parking my car a block from the estate, I picked up my portfolio filled with designs and ideas for ‘Ethnically Oriented Interior Decorations’ that Yin & Yang boasted, and walked up the winding driveway. An English butler opened the door and told me to wait in the morning room. The ‘mistress’ was a little late. I looked at the beautiful home, bereft of professional decorating, but elegant nonetheless. The family room and formal living rooms still had a few unopened cardboard boxes. A spiral staircase led to an upper level, and from the room I was to wait in, I could see the hallway, in which stood an impressive oak table cluttered with old photographs, with an empty box beside it. Unable to resist, I walked to the table and started looking at the black-and-white pictures, my professional mind already dreaming up beautiful oxidized silver frames which would show off their pristine beauty. My eyes went to framed newspaper clipping dated seven years ago, about a rags-to-riches story of an entrepreneur who had made it big with his Indian pre-cooked frozen foods. The frozen food packets, initially launched for paying-guests and hostel-dwellers in Mumbai were now being exported to the United States. I was familiar with the name “H & S Foods, Enjoy Home Cooked Meals Without Cooking at Home,” having sustained myself on those for nearly a year. H & S stood for Heat and Serve, the article informed me. I placed the newspaper clipping back on the table. Then I saw an old and yellowing photo of a family I knew a long time ago. Surely it wasn’t them? Yes, the old man, the frail woman, and the two girls. The older girl with the plain face, and the little one with the limp. To read the rest, click below: http://www.induswomanwriting.com/the-girl-with-the-limp.html When describing a scene, it is important for the author to show what the character sees and feels. You can use all senses: sight, smell, touch, sounds, and taste. The shortest sentence can give a ‘vibe’ of a place, and create a sense of doom, hope, or sorrow.
Examples:
What do the above scenes portray? Shoumi Sen is the Author of Celebrate Durga Puja With Me!, a children's picture book in a series about Indian festivals. Transcript from the interview: Welcome, Shoumi, and congratulations on your wonderful new book. First of all, let me ask you: what got you into writing? Celebrate Durga Puja With Me! started as a thought while we were vacationing in Australia. It was right around the time of Durga Puja and we were in Brisbane, visiting an old friend who I grew up with in Mumbai. We were thrilled to find that the local Bengali Association would be celebrating Durga Puja and as we enjoyed the festivities of the “weekend Pujo” (in many celebrations outside India, five days of celebrations are often compressed to the weekend, and instead of multiple pandals throughout the city, the festivities are normally confined to a school auditorium), we reminisced about our childhood when the whole city would come alive! I realized that as long as we lived outside India, my little daughter may never get to experience Indian festivals the way I did growing up. I wanted to recreate the magic of this festival for her in verse and she absolutely loved what I wrote! Encouraged by her enthusiasm in this “toddler diary”, I decided to publish it. Did you start writing as your main profession or a hobby? I studied engineering, currently work as a Strategy, Sales and Marketing professional; writing is something I enjoy on the side. What do you like to write about? I enjoy writing about Indian culture - my books are illustrated books centered around Indian festivals as experienced by a toddler. What is your writing process? Tell us one unique or quirky habit you have when it comes to writing. I enjoy the research phase (that's the engineer in me talking) and then it's write, re-write and write some more. In my mind, I dream up images of what I want the illustrations to look like and I start writing detailed descriptions for my illustrator. My daughter and husband are my biggest fans and toughest critics so they play a huge role in bringing the final version to life! I'm old fashioned, in that I write using pen and paper, so it's a lot of writing, scratching out, and re-writing until the poem sounds perfect. Also, I enjoy writing at night, when everyone is asleep! What is your goal for the next five years? Any new books in the pipeline, or any off-shoot projects from your current book? I am currently working on the next few books in the series 'From The Toddler Diaries' and I'm looking forward to releasing the next diary soon! What is your advice to aspiring writers? Start writing and don't let "What next?" worry you too much. No matter what publishing route you take, enjoy the learning phase, as challenging (and sometimes frustrating) as it might seem. Network with other writers so you can help and support each other. For me, this has been quite a journey and I ended up making some amazing friends along the way! What is your most important message to your readers? Thank you for your support and encouragement - it really means a lot to me! I would love to hear from you, please feel free to drop me a line at https://www.facebook.com/FromTheToddlerDiaries/ Thanks for your time, and good luck with your next book! You can reach Shoumi Sen and read about her wonderful books at: www.shoumisen.com Amazon Book link: http://amzn.com/1517550076 Amazon - Author page: amazon.com/author/shoumisen Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/FromTheToddlerDiaries In fiction writing, a crucial element is deciding the POV (point of view) to narrate the story. It could be first person, which makes it easy to create a voice, but hard to explain what happens to other people not in direct view of the protagonist. An example is Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Third person limited is when the author uses only one person’s POV. Like first person, the limitation is that you can’t explain what happens to other people in the plot. An example is Harry Potter series by JK Rowling. Third person omniscient is when the author tells the story from different perspectives, like a movie camera showing wide vistas and zooming in on someone, then zooming out and focusing on someone else. It gives great flexibility to show what’s happening in places away from the protagonist. The reader often knows something the protagonist doesn’t, which creates another level of tension. Whatever POV you decide to use, it should be consistent. The reader needs to know whose ‘head’ he/she is in. The reader needs to feel the emotions of the character. If you’re using the third person omniscient, an important thing is to avoid ‘head-hopping’. Head hopping is when the POV switches from one person to another too quickly. The author should keep the POV of one person for the whole section or chapter, and switching to the other person’s POV in the next section. Here’s an example of ‘head-hopping’: Alice stared into Todd’s eyes and knew he was the one. As he tipped up her chin, her heart raced and her skin burned for his touch. She felt herself melt in his arms as he pressed his mouth against hers. Her fragrance drove him crazy, her lips felt soft against his. He knew he should never have left her. She was the only one he’d ever loved. She shivered as he whispered, “I love you!” In the above passage, the POV jumps from Alice’s perspective to Todd’s, in a muddled fashion. Here’s a better version, with consistent POV (Alice): Alice stared into his eyes and knew he was the one. As he tipped up her chin, her heart raced and her skin burned for his touch. She felt herself melt in his arms as he pressed his mouth against hers. Why did you leave me, Todd? But then he whispered, “I love you!” OR, Consistent POV (Todd): Todd tipped up her chin and stared into her eyes. He pressed his mouth against hers, and felt her melt in his arms. Her fragrance drove him crazy, her lips felt soft against his. He knew he should never have left her. She was the only one he’d ever loved. He felt her shiver as he whispered, “I love you!” I like to write passages from different POVs, until I decide whose perspective works best in a situation. In my latest novel Shadowed Promise, I wrote the last chapter three times, from three different perspectives until I decided on doing it through the protagonist Moyna’s eyes. |
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