Click here to get a free copy from the giveaway BEFORE the book launches. Hurry while the offer lasts.

Here's what others are saying about this new romantic suspense:

​“Brilliant! I have loved all of this author's books and this one is no exception. Expertly plotted, beautifully written, fast paced, with characters who leap out of the page and take residence in your heart, staying there long after the book is finished. Another wonderful story from this very talented author.” ~ Renita D’Silva, Author

“Chatterjee weaves an emotionally gripping tale of flawed characters wanting nothing more than to overcome a past filled with shadows. Their quest for self-realization and redemption unities them in a gradually building, meticulously executed showdown in the ‘Blue House in Bishop’ where every little detail matters.
 An intense and intriguing tale with characters that couldn’t be more different yet all strive for the same things just out of reach: self-realization, and a way to rid themselves of the ghosts of their dark past.
 At once dark and sensitive, fast-paced and multifaceted, THE BLUE HOUSE IN BISHOP takes the reader on a journey alongside several characters that come alive during their quest for peace of mind. The book touches on immigrant issues, the international drug problem, and social stigmata – and yet it is above all an entertaining and stimulating, even inspiring, read.”
Devika Fernando
 
“I thoroughly enjoyed this book… The book would make a really good film with visual descriptions and plenty of sub-plots alongside the main romance. Well done!” Becky Packer, Author
 
“Gripping page-turner...” Ruchi Singh, Author
 
“What a thriller! Kept me on the edge!” Ruchira Khanna, Author
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A family drama with tragedy, forgiveness and acceptance

​First Comes Love is a story of two sisters struggling to make sense of their lives at the fifteenth anniversary of their brother’s tragic death in a car accident. Rosie, the spunky, extroverted sister is now a school teacher who has lost the love of her life and now lives with her best friend, a guy. Nearing forty, she had decided to use a sperm bank to conceive a child, and her quest is to find an appropriate donor. Meredith is the reserved control-freak actress-turned-lawyer married her brother’s best friend out of a feeling of obligation. Her quest is difficult to define; throughout the book, she’s trying to decide if she really loves her husband.

The family is torn apart due to the tragedy and the parents are divorced; Meredith has bought the family home, which ties her further to the past.

The two sisters have an unusually tumultuous relationship; most sisters I know (and my own) are really good friends. But tragedy has distanced them further. There is a passing mention of their relationship before the tragedy, but even that was hair-pulling and ‘won’t-share-my-necklace’ type of drama. At the end of the book, after painful secrets come out and each defines her own priorities, they come to an equilibrium of understanding.

The characters are deeply flawed: Rosie is self-indulgent and bossy without many redeeming qualities, something any protagonist needs to be relatable. Meredith is the jealous type who can’t find anything good about her sister or her own life. I didn’t like either character, but was compelled to complete the story.

The novel delves into the concepts of survivor’s guilt, forgiveness, jealousy, and the ultimate desire to follow your heart. The characters may not be likeable, but the story is well-written and riveting.

Buy it on Amazon. 

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.
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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!
 

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.

• Tell us about your book Big Red Firetruck! What was your inspiration for this book?

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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)

• Tell us about your upcoming book "Ten Gulab Jamuns." What was your inspiration for this book?

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 ..

• 37% of children in the US identify themselves as multicultural, yet only about 10-15% of the children's books have characters that look like them
• Just about 10% of children’s books are written by people of color
• About 3% of children’s books have characters from asia pacific

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.

• What is your writing process? Tell us one unique or quirky habit you have when it comes to writing.

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.

• What is your advice to aspiring writers?

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.

• What is your most important message to your readers?

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
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​www.facebook.com/tengulabjamuns
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www.facebook.com/sandhya.acharya