Wednesday 31 May 2017

#BookReview ; Voting At Fosterganj by Ruskin Bond




I have never seen so many people in the bazaar. Bunting, in the form of rival posters and leaflets, is strung across the street. The tea shops are doing a roaring trade. There is much last-minute canvassing. For the first time I learn the names of some of the candidates.

The chaos and urgency of an Indian election comes to a sleepy town in the mountains. In the bazaar of a town that he thought was heartless, the author comes across the most beautiful human being he has met yet. One unhurried morning at a small branch of a bank, a magic oil is handed out. Read these stories and more that bring to life the drama, joys and heartbreaks of life in small town India.


Voting At Fosterganj is a collection 17 short stories written by Ruskin Bond & published by Rupa Publication. Ruskin Bond has been writing for over 60 years & now has over 120 titles in print- novels, collections of short stories, poetry, essays, anthologies & books for children. Born in 1934, Ruskin Bond grew up in Jamnagar, Shimla, New Delhi & Dehradun.


Ruskin Bond writes about a small town called Fosterganj with a population of mere 1000 people. In each of his story he describes the life of several people from Fosterganj & how they’re unique in thir own way. The book starts with the story “The Old Lama” & it’s about an old Tibetan Monk who crosses path with the author every single morning when he is going to the post office. His age is undeterminable but his optimism about returning to Tibet one day is what makes him seem ageless. Get the book here to read more such stories,


 Ruskin Bond is one Indian author who needs no introduction & neither his style of writing. His speciality is to glue the readers in his stories so strongly that they’ll feel they’re a part of it. And that’s what happened in this book too. Its a pretty thin book & one can read it in one sitting only but once you’ve finished reading it you’ll surely feel that you took a trip to Fosterganj itself. A must read! 
   

#Spotlight ; Writing the Wolf by Steffanie Holmes




Writing the Wolf
Wolves of Crookshollow
Book Two
Steffanie Holmes

Genre: paranormal romance, shifters

Publisher: Bacchanalia House

Date of Publication: May 18, 2017

ASIN: B06W58YNT6

Word Count: 70k

Cover Artist: Aria at Resplendant Covers

TaglineRosa just wants to be left alone to write her book, but when werewolves attempt to kidnap her, she realizes her neighbor Caleb is the only one who can protect her. But Caleb is hiding a secret of his own … fur and sparks fly in this hot paranormal romance from USA Today bestselling author Steffanie Holmes.

Book Description:

Sink your teeth into the hot new werewolf paranormal romance from USA Today bestselling author, Steffanie Holmes!

Rosa

I need to escape.

After those racist bastards destroyed my home, I can’t face the world again.
I’ve rented a cabin in the heart of the Crookshollow forest. I’m going to lock myself away and work on my book. I’m going to write my story.

And I absolutely, positively WILL NOT think about Caleb, the hunky labourer who’s fixing up my cabin.

No way.

I won’t think about the way his eyes melt my heart, and his smile melts my panties.
I’m too emotionally raw right now. I can’t handle a fling, especially not with a white guy.

Especially not a guy like him. A guy who shags and leaves. I can’t handle any more heartache.

Caleb

Rosa Parker – clever writer, black woman, total hottie.

The connection between us sizzles – there’s no denying it: this woman is my mate.

When I’m near her, all I want to do is claim her.

If only I wasn’t the biggest threat to her life right now.

With a rogue wolf pack after my hide, I can’t afford a distraction. Even a distraction as alluring as her.

I need to keep my wolfish instincts in check.

But I can’t help myself.

Rosa Parker has got under my skin.

And I won’t stop until I’ve made her mine.

Writing the Wolf is a standalone novel with an HEA. It’s the second book in the hot new paranormal romance series by USA Today bestselling author Steffanie Holmes. Read on if you love spunky heroines, pack politics, and a hero so hot he’ll have you howling for more.

Amazon      BN      iBooks      Kobo      Google Play


Excerpt 2


Rosa stalked through the forest ahead of me, deliberately averting her gaze from my naked body. I wanted to make a joke about it, but judging by the set expression on her face, I knew it wasn’t the best time.

When Rosa reached the cabin, she stomped across the porch, unlocked the door, walked inside and slammed the door shut behind her. I stopped myself before I slammed my face against the glass panel.

“Hey,” I rapped against the window beside the door. “I’m still out here.”

“I know that. Say what you need to say to me through the door,” Rosa moved toward the kitchen, and started slamming her groceries down on the bench. Her hands were still shaking. “I’m not having you inside, not when you could turn into one of them.

“Could you at least throw me a towel or something? It’s a little nippy out here and I’m afraid I’m not showing you my best angle.”

The corners of Rosa’s mouth tugged upward a little, but she didn’t crack that gorgeous smile for me. She balled up the red duvet she’d spread over the bed, and shoved it through the door to me, slamming it shut behind her before I could get an arm through the gap.

I wrapped the duvet around my lower half, knotting the ends together. “Not quite the kilt I’m used to, but it’s something.”

“Don’t try to be funny, Caleb. This is serious. You’re a werewolf. I was just attacked by two other werewolves. The werewolves that attacked me today – they’re your stepbrothers, and they are after me to get to you for some reason that I’m sure to regret learning.”

“That’s an astute summary of the situation.”

“I’m going to need more, Caleb. I’m going to need the full story.” She slammed the kettle down on the stove, and turned on the gas.

“It’s a pretty long story.”

Rosa held up her cup and waved it at me. She folded her arms and leaned against the bench, one hip jutting out suggestively. “I’m listening.”


About the Author:

Steffanie Holmes is a USA Today bestselling author of dark and steamy paranormal romance. Her books feature clever, witty heroines, wild shifters, cunning witches and alpha males who get what they want.

Before becoming a writer, Steffanie worked as an archaeologist and museum curator. She loves to explore historical settings and ancient conceptions of love and possession. From Dark Age Europe to crumbling gothic estates, Steffanie is fascinated with how love can blossom between the most unlikely characters.

Steffanie lives in New Zealand with her husband and a horde of cantankerous cats. Learn more about Steffanie at her website: www.steffanieholmes.com. She also writes dark science fiction under the name S C Green.

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#Spotlight ; Under Parr by Andrea Bramhall




Under Parr
Andrea Bramhall

Genre: Mystery, LGBT

Publisher: Ylva Publishing

Publication date: May 3 2017

ISBN: 978-3-95533-744-5

Book Description:

December 5th, 2013 left its mark on the North Norfolk Coast in more ways than one. A tidal surge and storm swept millennia-old cliff faces into the sea and flooded homes and businesses up and down the coast. It also buried a secret in the WWII bunker hiding under the golf course at Brancaster. A secret kept for years, until it falls squarely into the lap of Detective Sergeant Kate Brannon and her fellow officers.

A skeleton, deep inside the bunker.

How did it get there? Who was he…or she? How did the stranger die—in a tragic accident or something more sinister? Well, that’s Kate’s job to find out.



About the Author:

Andrea Bramhall wrote her first novel at the age of six and three-quarters. It was seven pages long and held together with a pink ribbon. Her Gran still has it in the attic. Fast forward a few years and Andrea Bramhall is a highly-respected author of eight novels and multiple-award winning writer including the Lambda Literary Award, Golden Crown Award and a Lavender Certificate. Under Parr is the second in the Norfolk Coast Investigation Series, following on the success of the 2016 release Collide-O-Scope (also published by Ylva Publishing).

When she isn’t busy running a campsite in the Lake District, Andrea is hunched over her laptop scribbling down the stories that won’t let her sleep. She can also be found reading, walking the dogs up mountains while taking a few thousand photos, scuba diving while taking a few thousand photos, swimming, kayaking, playing the saxophone, or cycling.

Andrea's writing style demonstrates her commitment to tackling issues close to her heart through fiction - such as euthanasia, assisted living and ageing - combined with a serious passion for detail. The police procedures in the Norfolk Investigation Series, for example, are precise and true to life. During her research, Andrea talked in length to retired and working police officers to ensure that the facts and procedures are as close to reality as possible, without becoming a work of non-fiction.

Having worked her way through college as a carer in nursing homes, NHS homes, private independent homes, and BUPA homes, before moving into working in hospitals and prison psychiatric wards, Andrea has lived through many eye-opening experiences that have inevitably informed some of the characters and situations in her fiction writing. Her time spent helping to care for her grandfather with Alzheimer’s disease was also hugely impactful. Andrea’s love of the beautiful North Norfolk Coast is incredibly influential to her writing. Andrea says: “Now I live in the Lake District with my partner and our two dogs, on our new campsite, and it is proving to be as inspiring as Norfolk ever was. After all, the Lakes have a long history of inspiring creatives in their work".









#Spotlight ; Writing the Wolf by Steffanie Holmes




Writing the Wolf
Wolves of Crookshollow
Book Two
Steffanie Holmes

Genre: paranormal romance, shifters

Publisher: Bacchanalia House

Date of Publication: May 18, 2017

ASIN: B06W58YNT6

Word Count: 70k

Cover Artist: Aria at Resplendant Covers

TaglineRosa just wants to be left alone to write her book, but when werewolves attempt to kidnap her, she realizes her neighbor Caleb is the only one who can protect her. But Caleb is hiding a secret of his own … fur and sparks fly in this hot paranormal romance from USA Today bestselling author Steffanie Holmes.

Book Description:

Sink your teeth into the hot new werewolf paranormal romance from USA Today bestselling author, Steffanie Holmes!

Rosa

I need to escape.

After those racist bastards destroyed my home, I can’t face the world again.
I’ve rented a cabin in the heart of the Crookshollow forest. I’m going to lock myself away and work on my book. I’m going to write my story.

And I absolutely, positively WILL NOT think about Caleb, the hunky labourer who’s fixing up my cabin.

No way.

I won’t think about the way his eyes melt my heart, and his smile melts my panties.
I’m too emotionally raw right now. I can’t handle a fling, especially not with a white guy.

Especially not a guy like him. A guy who shags and leaves. I can’t handle any more heartache.

Caleb

Rosa Parker – clever writer, black woman, total hottie.

The connection between us sizzles – there’s no denying it: this woman is my mate.

When I’m near her, all I want to do is claim her.

If only I wasn’t the biggest threat to her life right now.

With a rogue wolf pack after my hide, I can’t afford a distraction. Even a distraction as alluring as her.

I need to keep my wolfish instincts in check.

But I can’t help myself.

Rosa Parker has got under my skin.

And I won’t stop until I’ve made her mine.

Writing the Wolf is a standalone novel with an HEA. It’s the second book in the hot new paranormal romance series by USA Today bestselling author Steffanie Holmes. Read on if you love spunky heroines, pack politics, and a hero so hot he’ll have you howling for more.

Amazon      BN      iBooks      Kobo      Google Play


Excerpt 2


Rosa stalked through the forest ahead of me, deliberately averting her gaze from my naked body. I wanted to make a joke about it, but judging by the set expression on her face, I knew it wasn’t the best time.

When Rosa reached the cabin, she stomped across the porch, unlocked the door, walked inside and slammed the door shut behind her. I stopped myself before I slammed my face against the glass panel.

“Hey,” I rapped against the window beside the door. “I’m still out here.”

“I know that. Say what you need to say to me through the door,” Rosa moved toward the kitchen, and started slamming her groceries down on the bench. Her hands were still shaking. “I’m not having you inside, not when you could turn into one of them.

“Could you at least throw me a towel or something? It’s a little nippy out here and I’m afraid I’m not showing you my best angle.”

The corners of Rosa’s mouth tugged upward a little, but she didn’t crack that gorgeous smile for me. She balled up the red duvet she’d spread over the bed, and shoved it through the door to me, slamming it shut behind her before I could get an arm through the gap.

I wrapped the duvet around my lower half, knotting the ends together. “Not quite the kilt I’m used to, but it’s something.”

“Don’t try to be funny, Caleb. This is serious. You’re a werewolf. I was just attacked by two other werewolves. The werewolves that attacked me today – they’re your stepbrothers, and they are after me to get to you for some reason that I’m sure to regret learning.”

“That’s an astute summary of the situation.”

“I’m going to need more, Caleb. I’m going to need the full story.” She slammed the kettle down on the stove, and turned on the gas.

“It’s a pretty long story.”

Rosa held up her cup and waved it at me. She folded her arms and leaned against the bench, one hip jutting out suggestively. “I’m listening.”


About the Author:

Steffanie Holmes is a USA Today bestselling author of dark and steamy paranormal romance. Her books feature clever, witty heroines, wild shifters, cunning witches and alpha males who get what they want.

Before becoming a writer, Steffanie worked as an archaeologist and museum curator. She loves to explore historical settings and ancient conceptions of love and possession. From Dark Age Europe to crumbling gothic estates, Steffanie is fascinated with how love can blossom between the most unlikely characters.

Steffanie lives in New Zealand with her husband and a horde of cantankerous cats. Learn more about Steffanie at her website: www.steffanieholmes.com. She also writes dark science fiction under the name S C Green.

Want to be informed when the next Steffanie Holmes paranormal romance story goes live?

Sign up for the mailing list! http://steffmetal.com/subscribe




Twitter @steffmetal

FB reader group: Books that Bite - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1757403921176035/

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Monday 29 May 2017

#Spotlight ; A Vision in Crimson by Kathryn Troy



Kathryn's Book Front Cover Final 02-06 - Copy.jpg
A Vision in Crimson
Frostbite
Book One
Kathryn Troy

Genre: dark romantic fantasy

Date of Publication: June 1, 2017

ISBN: 9781539800897

Number of pages: 323
Word Count: 80k

Cover Artist: TS95 Studios

Book Description:

Katelyn knows her magic is risky, but Icaryan light is fading fast and she is desperate. Returning to Earth, she crosses paths with Luca, a vampire hybrid living on the outskirts of humanity.

Passion sparks their weary hearts. The rogue hunter follows Katelyn into a world teeming with wonder and danger, forsaking his own quest to root out his father.

But his father has not forgotten him.

A Vision in Crimson is the first installment of a new epic fantasy blistering with romance and Gothicism.


Add it on Goodreads
Excerpt 1 :

His dream was broken by the feel of something soft against his mouth. He opened his eyes and blinked, thinking for a moment that he was still asleep. Flooding his vision was the red-haired siren of his dream, crouched above him.
Her dark brown eyes were staring straight into his. He held her glance for a long while, then took a minute to glimpse at the rest of her. Her features were well defined and graceful. Her long luxurious hair, braided in a few places, spilled over her firm, ample curves onto the ground in front of her. Looking at it now in reality, he saw a unique, vibrant shade of red, darker and almost auburn in the shade of the trees, with strands of pure copper and gold highlighted by the sun through the forest canopy. Her large eyes sparkled. They were alight with intrigue and kind concern, but Luca saw a touch of the tired sadness that he was accustomed to seeing in his own dim reflection. Too much for someone her age.
Luca puzzled over her age for more than a few seconds. Her beauty and slender frame suggested a girl nearing her thirties, yet her countenance told him she had been through more than her share of life’s troubles, even for a woman of the rough and unprotected countryside.
She stared at his clear crystal blue eyes, framed by thick dark brows. A straight nose, tightly pursed lips and strong chin completed his face. Despite his pale complexion, he was dark and beautiful. She didn’t let it show on her face, but the woman had become immediately enamored of him.
Her fingers rested lightly on his mouth. After a silence that lasted a bit too long, she was the first to speak.
“I’ll have you out of there in just a minute,” she whispered. “I won’t hurt you, but we have to be quiet.”
She turned her head to the side to get a glimpse of the valley below.
“I’m looking out for a friend, and just spotted you here a minute ago. Once I’m sure he’s okay, I’ll start digging.”
Luca said nothing. When she was sure that he wouldn’t make a sound, she removed her hand from his lips and moved closer to the hill’s edge, looking for her companion. Luca got a better look at what she was wearing.
A plaid scarf in sapphire blue with hints of gold thread was wrapped around her neck and waist, covering a tunic dress of the same shade. Her legs were covered by high, soft leather brown boots and blue leggings, but Luca spied shapely thighs at the edge of her skirt. She wore a utility belt across her chest which hinted at her generous cleavage, despite her modest neckline. Above, his eyes traced the silhouette of her long, pale, comely neck with excitement, but he quickly quashed the flutter in his heart before it developed, and redirected his gaze.
At her hips, she wore two short swords, and the hilt of a dagger peeked out from the top of her boot. She seemed sure of herself, and didn’t appear the least bit threatened by Luca. She didn’t react to seeing him for the first time in the manner customary to women, and even scores of young men; they usually succumbed quickly to his outward charms—his dark aura and hypnotic stare, two of his many vampiric qualities. But she didn’t gasp in fear or swoon in ecstasy. That puzzled him.
A small part of him wondered why she hadn’t immediately responded to his visage, with a little disappointment.  He chalked it up to her finding him covered in dirt from the neck down. But he knew that shouldn’t have stopped her from surrendering to his trance-inducing stare, even for a moment. He was intrigued by this girl, who had just happened to appear as his dream self was making love to her.
Her garb made her even more of a mystery. He only noticed these things, which were inconsequential to him, because the fabrics, colors, and design of her wardrobe were infinitely superior, and foreign, to anything he had ever seen, including some of the priciest fashions available in the biggest cities. He much preferred the naked version of her, which had dissipated with her actual presence. But even in all her gear, chosen for its rugged functionality, she looked regal. He saw her gesture to her friend, then she turned to face him once more.
“Okay, it looks like whoever did this to you is gone. I’ll have you walking around again soon. Who did do this to you, anyway?” she asked, as she began to claw at the earth with her hands.
“I did.”
His voice was as toneless and nonchalant as ever. Her hands paused for a moment, still holding clumps of dirt, and she looked at him quizzically.
“You buried yourself? Why on earth would you do a thing like that?”
Here came the part he always dreaded, but was compelled to divulge nevertheless.
“I’m a dhampir.”
“A what?”
Here, Luca thought, was the reaction he had been expecting, but had been unusually delayed. He waited for what he had said to sink in, but it didn’t. She was still honestly waiting for an answer. He repeated himself.
“I’m a dhampir.”
“What’s a dhampir?”
He just stared at her, his eyes going slightly wide.
“I’m not from around here,” she explained, “so you’re going to have to fill me in.”
Now it was Luca’s turn to pause. Never, in his entire life, had he been asked to explain this term. In a world whose entire existence revolved around the struggle between vampires and humans, to find someone who was not familiar with this word was truly unheard of. He experienced an emotion he had almost never had occasion to experience. He was, in a word, stunned.
“I’m part human, part vampire.”
“Oh. Ohhhh.”
She finally got it. He waited now for the standard response. Instead, a look of embarrassment swept over her face as she began hurriedly replacing the soil she had disturbed.
“I am so sorry, I didn’t realize. I didn’t mean to intrude on your resting. You looked like you were having a hell of a dream.”
If you only knew. But, was she actually apologizing for bothering his slumber? Luca’s revelation hadn’t fazed her in the slightest. His amazement at her response only piqued his interest in her more.
“It’s alright, I was just getting up.”
Though she had interrupted him, he felt rested.
“In that case, would you like me to help you?”
“Do what you like.”
She resumed her exhumation of Luca. “My name is Kate, by the way.”
Luca stretched his muscles slightly to a sitting position, the remaining earth above him falling away. He took her outstretched palm with his freed right hand, and they both stood up.
“Call me Luca.”



About the Author:

Kathryn Troy is an historian turned novelist and baker. Her nonfiction book, The Specter of the Indian: Race, Gender and Ghosts in American Séances, 1848-1890, is forthcoming from SUNY Press. Her historical expertise in the supernatural and the Gothic informs her fiction at every turn. Her genres of choice include dark fantasy, romance, horror, and historical fiction. She lives in New York with her husband and two darling children.

Bathory’s Closet: http://ladybathoryscloset.blogspot.com

Goodreads Profile: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16571460.Kathryn_Troy

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/bathoryscloset




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#Spotlight ; Half Pants, Full Pants by Anand Suspi




HALF PANTS, FULL PANTS
REAL LIFE TALES FROM SHIMOGA
by
Anand Suspi



Blurb

Half Pants Full Pants is a sort of childhood autobiography set in Shimoga of the 70s and 80s. Given the era and milieu that he grew up in, it carries a flavor similar to that of Malgudi Days. All the characters in the book are real and most of them are still in Shimoga, of course now in their mid-40s. Quite a few are from prominent families and are now active and important members of Shimoga. The book vividly captures the real childhood adventures of this generation of people in Shimoga. It’s a glorious reminiscence as well as a tribute to this wonderful town.

R. Balki says

“After Malgudi Days, I could never imagine that someone could create a childhood classic for adults to regain their innocence even for a few hours. Suspi’s tales would have made R K Narayan smile. Oh! That beautiful Kannadiga gene!”

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About the author


An advertising writer for over 20 years, he started with Mudra, Mumbai in 1995 and subsequently spent a large part of his career in Lowe Lintas working under Balki. He was the Creative Head of Lowe Delhi between 2007 and 2010. Currently, he lives in Gurgaon and is the co-founder of an ad agency called AndAnd Brand Partners.

Half Pants Full Pants is his first book, a sort of childhood autobiography set in Shimoga of the 70s and 80s. Given the era and milieu that he grew up in, it carries a flavor similar to that of Malgudi Days. The notable difference would be that every story is real and the characters are all in their mid-40s now, often reminiscing about the gloriousness of their growing up years.

Featured in New Indian Express


The Hindu


Times of India


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