Writer's Interview - Elizabeth Mueller (YA Paranormal Romance)

 I am happy to announce that I am publishing my third writer's interview with Author Elizabeth Mueller. Her début novel ' Dark Spell' has hit the market with a bang. A very warm and a jovial person I got a quick response from her when I asked her for her interview.

Excited...excited...I am also hosting a give away of author's debut novel ' Dark Spell'

To enter to win an e-copy of Dark Spell, please share with me your most memorable moment while blogging? I will use Random.org to choose the winner--you have until December 25 to enter.

 " I started into the world of magic when I was very young. I expressed it by *illustrating talking animals, and forced hardships upon them just so that I'd feel better.

I also turned to the game of "pretend" that extended into a series of days or even weeks and months. I had an active imagination. It was my way of escaping.

I started writing when I was 9 with short and choppy poems. When I was 11, I  wrote a handful of short stories that would make me laugh now, and I started my first epic high fantasy novel at 17--which I completed 8 years later! It's collecting dust right now until I decide to edit all my grammar mistakes!

The common theme in my writing is enduring tragedies, failing, and then coming out strong. It's similar to my life story, and without a doubt, it shows in every book that I write.

My trails have made me compassionate. I love sharing what I've learned as any real friend would.

It is my goal, as an author, to let you know that there is hope, love, and strength in this life that seems to batter and beat and abuse our poor souls.

I'm a passionate writer holding no secrets, and a friend willing to share everything I've learned."

taken from her website www.authorelizabethmueller.com 

Here is Elizabeth Mueller exclusively for you....

Could you tell a few words about yourself?
I started writing poetry when I was 9, but always enjoyed illustrating stories as a way to escape the problems in my home. As a teen, I wrote your everyday-angst poetry, but my senior year was my first step into novel-writing. I finished that book 8 years later and haven't stopped since!

Tell us something about your book ' Dark Spell' and the character ' Winter Sky'?
Winter has no reason to believe that anything out of the ordinary could ever happen until she meets Alex for the first time in her dreams. As seer of his coven, Alex Stormhold is assigned as Winter’s guardian to protect her from the darkness that hunts her.

Winter is the kind of girl who you can just be yourself with. She’s funny, sweet, but reserved if you don’t personally know her. She comes from a happy, conservative family where she can be herself, despite of the tragic loss of her father seven years prior. As she falls in love with Alex, she discovers startling truths about herself that forever change her.

Which scene do you think that will surprise your readers?
There are many scenes in Darkspell that will shock my readers—both pleasantly and not so. The first scene that comes to mind about an unexpected event is when Winter is betrayed.

When did you start writing? Was it a children's book or a novella?
I started writing when I was 9. My first attempt was poetry, and I worked my way up to short stories, and novels and then children’s stories.

Which is your favourite character in ' Dark Spell'?
I would have to say Alex. He’s filled with strong passion—for both Winter and life, but yet, he will hold back because of his high sense of honor.

Do you write a book with both the readers of east and west in your mind?
Now that I’m published, I’d have to say more so than ever! It’s to the point that I wonder if what I’m writing will please my readers other than my need for escapism.

You have told in your home page that it really needs a lot of guts to be a writer - especially to be an aspiring author-Why is it so?
It is extremely challenging as well as courageous to become an aspiring author.

The first thing a writer must go through is stepping out of their comfort zone. It is human nature to stay within the boundaries of comfort. Who likes being uncomfortable? We face this everyday enough as it is, but as an author, there are more to face than your average person.

You have your book, the idea you’ve been nursing for months—even years! In order to aspire to being an author, you need to get that book out there. You get it out there by sending it to as many trustworthy people who will critique it’s concepts: pacing, characterization, believability, flow, grammar . . . the list goes on (I didn’t learn this by accident, but from years of studying the art and by meeting other writers, too).

It’s disheartening when you get your manuscript back marked up with bleeding ink, but how else can you grow?

Another thing that I can think of is that, as an aspiring author, you set yourself up for public study. The book you’ve cherished and nurtured is finally accepted by a publisher—or you may self-publish—but the end result is the same: People will either love your book or hate it and they aren’t afraid to say it out loud!

One thing that is a writer’s best friend is thick skin. If you’re an aspiring author, and haven’t already, start growing one!

Could you tell us about your other novels? Out of these novels which is that special which you pampered like your baby?
I started at age 17 with high fantasy mixed with some romance. After finishing that novel 8 years later, I wrote a historical romance that starts off with a young debutante who gets whisked to the old west where a murderer hunts her down. I finished another high fantasy where a centaur shares forbidden love with an elf princess—notice the love angle? Another romance novel I wrote has to do with Eros, Aphrodite’s son who is cast out of Mt. Olympus and is doomed to make a girl fall in love with him. Then there’s Rockstar, a hotheaded 20 year-old male diva who falls in love with 18 year-old Beth who suffers terminal cancer; this one is my first stab at contemporary and I have to admit it came out better than I had thought since I was used to elves and gods and demons! I’ve written a total of 9 books, including Darkspell. I’d love to go into detail about every one of them, but I don’t want to take up the entire page!

Who is my special pampered baby novel? Oh, what a question to ask that’s hard to answer . . . If my life depended on it, I’d have to say Rockstar because I tamed a wild beast for Beth. Shh, just don’t tell her that!


What would you like the most, reading or writing?
What a question to ask! I love reading because it whisks me away into other words—I’m enjoying someone else’s blood and sweat! But I also love writing because it frees me and gives me a sense of well-being.

Do you buy books you need to read or just collect books to read in future?
I only buy books for pleasure. I have a stack of books that I need to read, but I’m looking forward to it!

Can you please name all your books ?
Of course I will—it will be so much fun once I get them all published, but here they go, ready?

Tragic Innocence, high fantasy with some romance
Devil’s Angel, YA historical romance
Heartsong, high fantasy romance
Khandra’s Mists, fantasy romance
Darkspell, YA paranormal romance
Eros, YA urban fantasy romance
Chengral, historical fantasy romance
Rockstar, YA contemporary romance
Kursed, YA paranormal romance

I’ve written a few children’s books too!

When did you start blogging?
I started back in 2009! I had no idea that I would end up getting published 2 years later. Amazing . . .

Did blogging help you in your writing?
I would have to say yes. It helped me on many levels. One, breaking out of my shyness by having others read my stuff. Two, getting others to interact with my posts. Three, getting my name out there. Four, getting my writing out there with the blogfests—those are super awesome! Five, helping others by sharing my failures or writing tips. Six, making new friends! There is a lot more to do with this, but yes, all of this does help build a writing career for sure!

What are your tips for writing?
Make sure you balance these elements to make it a better read: internalization, dialogue, setting and character description, and emotional responses by way of physical reactions: heart beating faster, sweating, trembling. Turn a cliché into fresh read: I love “eyes wide shut”. Can you feel how thought provoking this is? Another tip is to turn weak words into powerful ones. Don’t use ‘look’ if you can use ‘stare.’ Instead of cold, use chilled. Also, try to end every paragraph with a strong word, it will appeal to the reader psychologically and turn it into a page turner without becoming overbearing. Vary your sentence structures in each paragraph so that it doesn’t lull the reader to sleep with rhythmic cadence!

Apart from YA Paranormal romance, which are the other genres you prefer? 

To write or read? I love to write anything with romance—I’m a hopeless romantic! I enjoy writing books with research because what I learn is priceless, but I also enjoy inventing societies with their own governmental rules—I love world building!

As far as reading, I prefer reading YA because teens, in my opinion, are (should be) untainted by the stresses of adulthood. Life is adventure when you’re young.

Share some of your beautiful moments associated with writing?
Oh, I love it when my characters rebel from my writerly hand. There are numerous instances when I knew exactly what I wanted to happen in a chapter, but as I came to a close, it took me off guard how the characters decided to do their own thing! Silly characters. But you know what, that’s a good thing because that means it’s working!

What are your other hobbies, apart from writing?
I find joy in singing, especially in a duet or a piece with many moving parts. Dancing is healing for me as well where I can feel my imagination rise all around me. Another thing I really enjoy doing is drawing! If you go to AuthorElizabethMueller.com and under the “Darkspell illustration” tab, you’ll see all 39 illustrations I drew for my debut novel, Darkspell! Another thing that I love doing is reaching out to others. I enjoy making friends and helping them as well. I love spending time with my family, too!

How do you create your characters and name them?
Most of the time, my characters hit the ground running as they hand me their names. I fell in love with “Winter” the very first time I heard it. A friend of the family has a niece named Winter and I never forgot! With my other YA paranormal romance, Kursed, I googled male Gothic names and this is what I found: Drusus, Draven, Gray, Grey, Talon or Thorn. I fell in love with both Talon and Grey. The main character’s name is Talon Grey now!


Your 10 favourite books and 10 favourite movies?
My favorite 10 books are: Giants of the Frost by Kim Wilkins, Ingo series by Helen Dunmore, Bumpy Landings by Don Carey, The Third by Abel Keogh, The Perfect Fit by Michele Ashman Bell, Emily Windsnap Series by Liz Kessler, Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay, My Beginning by Melissa Kline, The Fairies of Nutfolk Wood by Barb Bentler Ullman, and My Fairy Godmother by Janette Rallison!

The movies that I absolutely love are: Stardust, Legend, Willow, Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, Avatar, One Night with the King, The Final Inquiry, and just about any Disney YA movie!

How would you like to see you after five years?
What a fantastic question! Being a debut author is a bit more stressful than an aspiring one—yet I won’t dismiss the fact that while you’re aspiring, you have to deal with tons of rejections on your query letters and those are hard on the heart. As for a debut—you have to work ten times harder to get your name out there and the best way is by joining as many social networks as you can and never sit on your laurels when it comes to your book. Your mind is always turning on how you can get your book out there. I admit, it’s a bit stressful! So I’m hoping that in 5 years, I will be established enough to where I won’t have to scramble every single day and wonder how I’ll do with publish speaking (yikes!). I want to be a veteran now! 

Ends

Hai Everyone...

It has been two months since I scribbled something in my blog. I miss reading other blogs too. It was not a deliberate hiatus. I got too entangled with my job that I even did not have the time to open my blog and go through what my buddies have written. I won Sold by Patricia Mccormick from Medeia Sharif http://www.medeiasharif.com/

But could not come up with a review. I will do it soon.

The Time Traveling Fashionista

Louis Lambert is a 12 year old girl who is fascinated with vintage fashion and movie starlets. Things got exciting when she got an anonymous invitation to take part in a Vintage fashion sale, which entirely transformed her life full of adventure. When she wore the pink gown which she got from the Vintage sale made her live a life that she always wanted. Is she comfortable with the new life ? She met a lot of people she always adored.

The story turns into a thrilling mode when she find herself in the largest ship

the world has ever seen ' Titanic'.

I am reading a YA novel for the first time. It was quite existing. For me it was a sudden twist as I always preferred mysteries and serious stuff. When you are young, your imagination will always be flying aloft. Impossible becomes possible. There exists no inhibitions. Dreams, dreams and only dreams....I loved that feeling. But when you grow up, reality creeps in and you will be coerced to adhere to the so called ' norms'.

I loved the book. It was an absolute stress reliever.....Enjoyed the book....

Writer's Interview - Bianca Turetsky (YA Author)

 I am so happy to introduce Bianca Turetsky through my blog. I won her book 'The Time Travelling Fashionista' from my fellow blogger http://thenextbestbookblog.blogspot.com/ and I have enjoyed it to the core. This is the very first book I read from YA fiction genre.I sam so happy that she found time to give me this interview,despite her busy schedule.

Bianca Turetsky is a YA Author and ' The Time Travelling Fashionista' is her debut novel.

 

(I am an author, explorer, dreamer, and vintage fashion-obsessive.

I grew up in suburban Fairfield CT, in a similar town to where I placed Louise before her adventure- an only child (which according to my friends explains a lot) with wonderful parents and a gray cat named Bernard. So that meant spending a lot of time reading, swimming, making up stories, playing dress up, trying to teach Bernard how to talk (he never quite caught on...) and inadvertently preparing myself for the solitary life of a writer. But all in all, it was an idyllic childhood-- although at the time I was convinced that I was adopted and my real parents lived a fabulously wealthy and exciting life elsewhere. Was I the only one growing up with this Annie fantasy? )

Information collected http://timetravelingfashionista.com/bianca/

 Here is Bianca Turetsky exclusively for you.

Could you tell a few words about yourself?

I am a writer, traveler, explorer, and vintage clothing enthusiast living in Brooklyn NY with my filmmaker boyfriend and precocious cat Cleo.

When did you start writing?

I’ve been writing since I was a little kid. My first published piece was a poem I wrote when I was 7 years old. I’ve since realized that my talent is definitely not in poetry, but it still has a sentimental place in my heart.

Could you tell a few words about 'The Time-Traveling Fashionista '?

The Time-Traveling Fashionista answers the question: What if a beautiful vintage dress could take you back in time?

12 year old Louise Lambert has always dreamed of movie starlets and exquisite gowns and longs for the day when she can fill the closet of her normal suburban home with stylish treasures. But when she receives a mysterious invitation to a vintage fashion sale in the mail, her once painfully average life is magically transformed into a time-travel adventure.

Suddenly onboard a luxurious cruise ship a hundred years ago, Louise relishes the glamorous life of this opulent era and slips into a life of secrets, drama, and decadence. . . .

Could you tell us about the illustrations of beautiful gowns in your book?

Aren’t they amazing? They were drawn by a fashion illustrator from Barcelona named Sandra Suy who none of us have actually ever met. Everything was done over email, she sent us illustrations and we corresponded like that. She totally got the tone and feeling of the book. She’s so mysterious, I feel like she’s a time-traveling fashionista herself!

Why did you choose YA over other genres to write?

Actually I never thought I’d be a YA author. I always wanted to be a writer, but it wasn’t until I had the idea for this story that I even thought about writing for young adults. The story dictated the voice, and I discovered that I LOVE writing for this audience, and it was more natural and easy and honest than anything else I’d written before.

Are you a full time writer?

No, I also work in his studio of the artist/filmmaker Julian Schnabel, organizing art exhibitions and assisting him on his films.

Which genre you prefer to read, apart from YA?

I’m currently on a memoir kick. I love reading about how fascinating and adventurous other people’s lives are.

Apart from reading and writing, what are your other interests?

Swimming, traveling, going to the cinema, and of course, shopping for vintage clothes!

What are your tips for writing?

For me writing is 75% discipline, 25% inspiration. Showing up every day in front of your computer and getting words on the page is to me the most important part. If I waited for the muse to show up, I’d never finish a book!

Any other works in progress?

I am just finishing up book # 2 , The Time-Traveling Fashionista and The Palace of Mirrors, where Louise has a vintage inspired adventure during the French Revolution. It will be out next spring, stay tuned!

Does your book cater to the west as well as the east?

I hope so. I think there are some universal themes in the book that everyone will be able to relate to. One thing we all have in common is that we’ve all been a child once.

Could you please suggest YA books to read for those who are not acquainted with this genre?

I just finished The Hunger Games which I've recommended to a few adult friends and they've all loved it as well. And the classic YA books I grew up with by Judy Blume or Ann M. Martin are always a fun read and a good place to start!

You can find more about Bianca Turetsky fromhttp://timetravelingfashionista.com/bianca/

Writer's Interview - Medeia Sharif ( YA Author)

I am happy to announce that I am publishing my first ' Writer Interview'. When I thought of it, the very first name that crept up in my mind was of Medeia Sharif. A very warm and cordial person, she accepted my request with pleasure. I never felt that I am interacting with a person who is sitting miles away from me. Such was the cordiality expressed by her.

Medeia Sharif is a YA Author whose debut novel BESTEST. RAMADAN. EVER.would soon hit the markets.

( Information collected from Medeia Sharif's website www.medeiasharif.com)


Medeia Sharif is a Kurdish-American author who was born in New York City. She received her master’s degree in psychology from Florida Atlantic University. Besides being an author, she is also a school teacher. Medeia became a voracious reader in high school and a relentless writer in college.Her persistence paid off in 2008 when she attained agent representation and in 2009 when she got her first book deal.

BESTEST. RAMADAN. EVER. is her first novel and it will be published by Flux in 2011.

Here is Medeia Sharif exclusively for you...
Could you tell a few words about yourself?
I’m a high school English teacher and YA author living in Miami Beach.

Could you tell a few words about your debut novel, BESTEST. RAMADAN. EVER.?
Almira Abdul fasts for Ramadan for the first time, and the holy month proves to be a bumpy one.


When did you realize that writing is your cup of tea?
I wanted to become a novelist when I was in high school. During my senior year I was determined to fulfill this dream. The summer after I graduated I began my first novel and kept writing throughout college and after I started teaching.


How would you choose books for giveaways?
Right now I do giveaways linked to my reading goal. My 2011 reading goal is 150 books. I’m giving away one book from that list when I reach 50, another book when I reach 100, and three books when I reach 150. I enjoy sharing the books I've read with others. I’m also doing a giveaway of my own novel on Goodreads.

Are you a full-time writer?

No, I’m a full-time teacher and part-time writer.


Why did you choose YA over other genres to write?
I finished my first novel when I was eighteen, and from that age to my late twenties all my manuscripts had young characters. But I was writing in an adult style! After becoming a teacher, I immersed myself in middle grade and young adult books. A light bulb clicked in my head. If I have young characters, I should change my style to accommodate younger readers.

Which genre you prefer to read, apart from YA?
I love mysteries and thrillers.

What are your tips for writing?
Write consistently and use feedback. I go to a critique group and I have a few beta readers; my agent and editors also provide guidance. Criticism is needed to revise a manuscript.


What are the technicalities that have to be kept in mind while writing?
One must overcome the many distractions found when working at home.


Do you buy books you need to read or just collect books to read in future?

I read for pleasure, so I collect books to read in the future.

Does your book cater to the West as well as the East?
Yes. The main character is American-born, but a child and grandchild of immigrants. I believe people in both the East and West will find something to connect to.


Do you encourage ebooks as a reader and writer?
Yes. I read both print and e-books, and there are advantages to both. The advantage of ebooks is that it’s convenient to read things outside of home. It’s easier to bring my Kindle on a trip versus a pile of books. I also use my Kindle to read manuscripts. The text-to-speech feature helps me catch mistakes.


How do you name a novel?
It comes from the theme of a manuscript or a phrase from it.


Could you please suggest YA books to read for those who are not acquainted with this genre?
There are so many, but I recommend Elizabeth Scott’s LIVING DEAD GIRL, Paula Yoo’s GOOD ENOUGH, Stephanie Perkins’ ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS, and Jandy Nelson’s THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE.


Your 10 favourite books and 10 favourite movies?
Books: Elizabeth Scott’s LIVING DEAD GIRL,
Paula Yoo’s GOOD ENOUGH,
Jandy Nelson’s THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE,
Lauren Oliver’s BEFORE I FALL,
Margaret Atwood’s CAT’S EYE,
Stephen King’s EYES OF THE DRAGON,
Pat Conroy’s THE PRINCE OF TIDES,
Ellen Hopkins’ CRANK,
Sylvia Plath’s THE BELL JAR,
and Kurt Vonnegut’s CAT’S CRADLE.


Movies:
Annie Hall, The Knack and How to Get It, Full Metal Jacket, The Wizard of Oz, Arsenic and Old Lace, Foul Play, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Atonement, Layer Cake, and Edward Scissorhands.


How did you start blogging?
I started my current blog in 2009, but I had two blogs before that. I first started with Yahoo 360, which shut down years ago. The idea of sharing my thoughts with others appealed to me, even though my first two blogs were probably unread and I didn’t know how to garner attention for them at the time.


Please suggest other networking sites to promote readership and writing?
I also use Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr.


What do you like the most, reading or writing?
I like both equally, so I can’t decide.
 
You can find more about her in http://www.medeiasharif.com/,

Books I would like to read by June 2011

These are some of the books I would like to complete by June, 2011. Some books I have and some I don't...As I got a job, my reading has been put on hold for sometime. I hope I would soon resume it..


1.The Time Travelling Fashionista by Bianca Turetsky


2.Playing with Fire by Susan Moody


3.They came to Baghdad by Agatha Christie


4.The mysterious affair at styles by Agatha Christie


5.Digital Fortress by Dan Brown


6.In the Line of Fire by Pervez Musharaff


7.Anne Frank - The diary of a little girl


8.To Kill a mocking bird - Harper Lee


9.Lost Symbol - Dan Brown


10.Deception Point - Dan Brown


11.Angels and Demons - Dan Brown


12.Where are the children - Mary Higgins Clark


13.The adventures of Huckleburry Finn - Mark Twain


14.The Devil wears Prada - Weisberger Lauren


Is the list too short?
 

I won ' The Time Travelling Fashionista' by Bianca Turetsky

Hi buddies! 

I have got a good news to share. I won an international copy of ' The Time Travelling Fashionista' by Bianca Turetsky- a give away fromhttp://thenextbestbookblog.blogspot.com/ for YA lovers. I am so glad that I won it.I got acquainted with this genre of fiction very recently. I have not read any of it. I am really excited about this one. I will give its review very soon in my blog and also in goodreads and amazon.

 Thanks a lot. I have received the copy and I will be reading it soon.

Here is the description from Goodreads.

    "When Louise Lambert receives a mysterious invitation to a traveling vintage fashion sale in the mail, her normal life in suburban Connecticut is magically transformed into a time traveling adventure.

    After a brief encounter with two witchy salesladies and donning an evening gown that once belonged to a beautiful silent film star, Louise suddenly finds herself onboard a luxurious cruise ship in 1912. As Alice Baxter, the silent film star, Louise enjoys her access to an extensive closet of gorgeous vintage gowns and begins to get a feel for the challenges and the glamour of life during this decadent era. Until she realizes that she's not just on any ship-- she's on the Titanic!

    Will Louise be able to save herself and change the course of history, or are she and her film star alter ego, destined to go down with a sinking ship in the most infamous sea disaster of the 20th century?"

I want to interview 'YOU'

It's been a year since I started this blog. Usually a year does not appear too long. But for me, it does. I  learnt a lot in this one year. The experience has been great. When I started this blog, little did I know that I would complete one year and that too with love and support in great deal from this blogging fraternity.I had grown a lot. I did not know how to post, in the begnning. I was too ignorant that I would start a new blog for each post. I went on creating blogs.I had about 15 blogs and I deleted them all. Hey! You learn from mistakes, right?

I did not start this blog as ' Passion Drops.' It was ' Shalet's Creative Impressionzz' before. It used to carry my works as a copy writer. You could see my captions and copies in the 'older post.' When I left my job, I had  nothing to flaunt. I liked that blog and I did not want to delete it. I kept it without any updation until I transformed into a blog for books. It was a wonderful experience. I post small reviews of the books I read. To be honest, I was not too greedy for followers for this blog for I knew it would take time. I was like a child who was enchanted with this book world and I was ready to take my own time. Now I have 14 buddies in my 'followers' widget – a pleasant surprise. Debra, http://shewhoseeks.blogspot.com/kept me motivated with her comments.Kate,http://kateevangelistarandr.blogspot.com/ MedeiaSharif, http://www.medeiasharif.com/...the list is endless...A big thank you to everyone. For the  first time in my life, I learned that my cup of tea is mysteries and thrillers and hope that there are lots to come.

As this is my first blogging anniversary, I would like to venture into something new. I want to interview the writers, aspiring writers and bloggers. Though it sounds  a bit clichéd, it is not so. I do not want to put the same questions to each and every one. I would take my own time to go through the blogs and frame questions according to it. It would be a great experience to be a part of the journey undertaken by my fellow bloggers. When I started this blog , I was an utter illiterate about various genres. Gothic Fictions, YA fictions etc. are not known to me before. Hence, I want these interviews to throw light on various features for all those starters like me, who are completely unaware of the meticulous details of this enchanting book world.

Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie (I plan to read)

Shamsie’s complex fifth novel, spanning the years between August 1945 and September 2001, is a story of two inextricably connected and politically impacted families. Berliner Konrad Weiss and Hiroko Tanaka, his translator, meet in Nagasaki and plan to marry. But after he is incinerated by the bomb and she is left permanently scarred, Hiroko journeys to Delhi, home of Konrad’s half-sister, Elizabeth Burton, and her British husband, James. Hiroko bonds with James’ assistant, Sajjad. With Partition between India and Pakistan looming, the Burtons return to England, where their son Henry is in boarding school. Hiroko and Sajjad marry, but they’re not allowed back into India, since Sajjad is a Muslim who “chose to leave.” Shamsie takes up their story 35 years later in Karachi, where they have one son, Raza, after bomb-related miscarriages. Henry appears, searching for his past, and offers to assist with Raza’s education; by 2001, they’re working together for the CIA in the U.S. Shamsie offers a moving look at the “complicated shared history” of these two families, an increasingly common facet of globalization. --Deborah Donovan(review from amazon.com)

Nmesis by Agatha Christie

 Agatha Christie has always had her own way of creating a plot. This story starts from nothing and then ensues the real sinister incidents. I loved it all the way. She gives a lot of characters that either you end up judging everyone or you rather stands blinking at them for her characters are not that explicit. That's why I really like reading her.

If I am not wrong, ' Nemesis' is the last of her Marple series. 

Marple is surprised when she gets a letter from Mr. Rafiel, who is dead  a few days back. He is talking about something very vaguely which became rather a nerve racking job for her.Besides it, he has kept a handful amount of money for Jane Marple to undertake this task. What is the task? That is the mystery. Mr. Rafiel's letter does not give her much clue. She is quite certain that something sinister has happened and Mr. Rafiel, who is a just man wants the justice to be done, at the earliest The story really gains momentum when she sets on an expedition that has been arranged by the late Mr. Rafiel. The mystery gets unravelled slowly.

 Robert Weaver in the Toronto Daily Star of December 4, 1971 said, "Christie richly deserves the loyalty offered up to her by devotees of the traditional mystery. She is readable and ingenious, and in Nemesis she has going for her the amateur lady sleuth Miss Jane Marple deep in a murder case as she tries to carry out a request that comes in effect from beyond the grave. Beyond 80 Miss Christie remains unflagging."

The Madman's diary by Thom Racina

" Pulse - Pounding suspense...an excitement winner."
                                                               - Harriet Klausner
" Harrowing...a suspense lover's dream."
                                                      - Romantic Times

 My thought

Judy never thought she could be one of the reason for all the killings that was happening around her. When she realized it, it was too late. She thought that the deaths of her close friends were just a coincidence until she learned the death of her mentor and boss, Norman Lempke,, which made not only Judy apprehensive, but also her dear friends Skeet and Anne. The way he was murdered  offered

enough proof that a lunatic was lurking in the darkness. When it should rear its ugly head was not known to anybody. 

Judy was an architect who lives with her room-mate Skeet. The relationship started when they were quite young, but soon it gave way to a relationship beyond that. They ceased being lovers and became soul mates and their balanced atmosphere takes a twist when Judy's boss was murdered brutally. Death has also occurred to her other friends, but she dismissed it as natural deaths. It was her friend Anne, who was a mystery writer got a hunch for the first time that it was nothing but cold blooded murders.

It is a diary that takes the story and gives us the creeps. There was a Shaman, who believed himself as an Indian was killing people. Who was he ?

  Dear Diary:


Dead, the man who desired her for his own. I will grieve for him, for what I have done, for what I had to do. But this is my duty...

The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths

 

" Forensic archaeology has become a fashionable sub- section of crime fiction. Elly Griffiths has produced a particularly good variation on this theme....this is a cleverly plotted and extremely interesting first crime novel, highly recommended" Literary Review 

Forensic expert Ruth Galloway is called in to investigate, when a skeleton was unearthed in Norwich. Some builders while demolishing a large house dug out a skeleton underneath its doorway.It was of a child and had no skull. Dr. Ruth Galloway plunged into action. She was a forensic archaeologist.

DCI Harry Nelson had to find out whether it was a cold blooded murder or something that happened many years ago as a part of some ritual as the mansion's history could be traced to the remote past.

The house was once a children's home and while investigating, Harry Nelson found out that there were two children missing who were siblings. The investigation got intense as somebody was also trying to scare Ruth out of her wits. 

My thought

I do not call it a chilling suspense that could send shivers down your spine. But it was a good read and gave a good suspense as I keep on guessing ' Who done it.' I  pinned my hopes on each character that he or she did it. But all my efforts were in vain, which definitely was one feature that made it a good read. The other highlight of the story is the baby of Ruth and Nelson who is yet to be born. It was just an accident and Nelson is a married man and Ruth did not like to be in a relationship. I kept on guessing that a chemistry would soon develop between them. I just kept on guessing and nothing happened. 

This book is the third one in the Ruth Galloway series, the others being ' The Crossing Palace,' 'The house at Seas End.'

I would give 6/4

Chak de INDIA, JAI HIND

 PROUD TO BE AN INDIAN

India beat Srilanka by 6 wickets.

We won the World Cup, 2011.

Three Cheers for India.

Hip, hip......Hurrah,
Hip, hip......Hurrah,
Hip, hip......Hurrah.

India bagged the Cricket World Cup after long 28 years.

'Parippuvada and Tea'

I have read from blogs that, most of the avid readers prefer a coffee cup filled with brewing coffee alongside a wonderful book. I tried to sip coffee while reading. But it was not that easy. I do not mind the big cup but not with brewing coffee, but South Indian tea where we mix milk with the decoction. My day begins with it, so why am I going for a coffee.

This is what I really liked to have while reading books ' Parippuvada' and Chaaya(tea). Though Parippuvada(s) do not look that attractive, it's crispy and it is readily available anywhere in Kerala.

Woman who dared ( edited by Ritu Menon )

 

' Woman who dared' is a book that talks about 21 successful Indian women who had made their mark in their respective fields. It's too late to introduce this book. But I go with the axiom' better late than never'. It's a book, I think every Indian women should read. I can vouch that there are many personalities among these 21 women, whom today's generation is totally unaware of.

The Pleasure Seekers by Tishani Doshi

  I have not read this book.But I have read a lot of reviews and heard many interviews on this book. Since I have not read this book, I cannot give my review. So here is a synopsis from the Flipkart.com

 Book Summary of The Pleasure Seekers from Flipkart.com

It all started in August 1968 when Babo, with curly hair and jhill mill teeth, became the first member of the Patel family to leave Madras and fly on a plane all the way to London to further his education. His father should have known there would be trouble: on the morning of the departure he had his first and only dream, in which strange ghosts threw poison-tipped arrows and all his family was lost...But off Babo went, and now here he is, in a flat off the Finchley Road, untraditionally making love to a cream-skinned girl from Wales, Sian Jones, who he fell head over heels for as soon as he saw the twirl of red ribbon in her hair. Ba-ba-boom, ba-ba-boom, ba-ba-boom-boom-boom. Theirs is a mixed-up love in a topsy-turvy world, and their two families will never be the same again. Meet the Patel-Joneses: Babo, Sian, Mayuri and Bean, in their little house with orange and black gates next-door to the Punjab Women's Association. As the twentieth century creaks and croaks its way along - somewhere out there Charles and Diana get hitched; Indira Gandhi is assassinated by her own bodyguards; cable TV arrives in India - these four navigate their way through the uncharted territory of a 'hybrid' family: the hustle and bustle of Babo's relatives, the faraway phone-line crackle of Sian's, the eternal wisdom and soft bosom of great-grandmother Ba, the perils of first love, lost innocence and old age, and the big question: what do you do with the space your loved ones leave behind? In this tender, lyrical and uplifting debut, Tishani Doshi, a prizewinning poet, effortlessly captures the quirks and calamities of one unusual clan in a story of identity, family, belonging and all-transcending love.

Coyote by Linda Barnes

The story starts when a mysterious women asks Carlotta Carlyle who was once a cop, to help her find her missing Immigration card and gave her a five hundred dollar bill, though the woman did not looked as if she could afford such a huge sum. Though it seemed a straight forward task in the beggnning, Carlotta sooon realised it that is just the other way round. The mysterious woman suddenly disappears and the card ends up with other woman, who is dead. An immigration agent who follows carlotta is the other mysterious character. 

I do not have much to write on it as I did not find it quite interesting to read..

My hands are full

There was a time when I was searching right, left and centre to read a book.I've already mentioned in my previous post that how I would fall short of books and how I managed to get some books. But today my hands are full. I liked this sudden and pleasant twist. My only worry was how I was going to read all those books.

I'm currently reading " Atlas shrugged" by Ayn Rand. My room mate gave this book. She was an elderly lady who was a retired professor.

" If you read this book, you will definitely be going after her other books." That's what she told me when she gave me this book. I think I am going to take this whole month to finish it as it has more than 1000 pages. 

Ayn Rand was famous for developing a philosophical system called " Objectivism". I googled for objectivism but could not grasp its essence. I hope I would get to know after going through the whole book. I am wishing myself a happy read for I was always scared  of such  intense topics.

I also wanted your suggestion on Dan Brown. I haven't read any of his books. Today I was watching " Angels and demons"and it seemed quite an enjoyable watch. But I did not complete watching it as I wanted to read the book first.

I have Angels and demons, Deception point and The lost symbol ebooks. But I do not know how far I can go with these novels in a pdf format. If I do not have any other option, I would definitely resort to ebooks.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

It's been very long since I posted a review. I was reading Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Reading a classic after long years had been a wonderful experience. The pace of the reading was very much different from reading a best seller.

Summary

Jane was an orphan who was sent to live with her aunt Mrs. Reed who never had a special liking for her. She kept Jane for she was asked by her deceased husband to do so. Jane Eyre was her husband's niece. Little Jane had to face her nagging cousins all the time. Soon she was sent to Loowood school where she befriended Helen Burns who  died  due to consumption. Though short span of time, Helen influenced Jane a lot.Her life changed when she had gone to Thornfield Hall and met the rough Mr. Edward Rochester. He fell in love with her madly. They were about to marry when the bad news struck Jane like a thunder bolt. She was always sure that there was some sort mystery in Thornfield Hall that kept alluding her for quite sometime .She used to hear scream occasionally in the Thornfield Hall that sent cold shivers down her spine. She was not sure what was it all about.

Mr. Edward Rochester was already married to a woman named Bertha Mason who was a  lunatic. She was kept hidden in the Hall and it was her scream that was heard occasionally. Jane could not marry her beloved ,Edward for if she married him, she would be called his mistress as his wife was alive.

Jane left Thornfield Hall against her master's wishes. After a tiresome journey, she reached where she met the next twist in her life. She was exhausted and famished and sought asylum in a Moor House where lived the Rivers family. Ten months had passed.She was friendly with St. John and her sisters Mary and Diana. The more delightful news was that she got a family who was originally her family. Jane was St. John's cousin and their uncle who was their mothers' brother died leaving Jane his possessions that made her independent.  It was in that same Moor House St. John proposed to her and asked her to become a missionary's wife and accompany him to India. Jane was ready to accompany him not as a wife but as a sister which St. John was not ready to accept.

Another thought was gnawing her - the thought of her master and beloved, Mr. Edward Rochester. She had written to Thornfield Hall seeking Mr. Rochester's whereabouts. But she did not receive any reply. She decided to seek it by herself and set on to Thornfield Hall ,where once her life was about to change.  What she had to encounter was a ruined mansion where her love blossomed. She also learned that a disaster struck her master's mansion and his life in the disguise of his mad wife Bertha. Out of her lunatic fury she set the mansion ablaze and died accidentally falling from the top of the house.

Mr. Rochester had to pay a heavy price.His hand was amputated and he lost his sight when he was struck by his mad wife on his head with something heavy . After this tragic incident he was keeping himself aloof and was staying with his servant John and his wife. His joy knew no bounds when he met his Jane. Soon they were married.

My thoughts

Jane Eyre was an independent young woman who knew her thoughts as well as herself. She always maintained a tranquil equilibrium between her earthly desires and her principles. She straight away told to Mr. Brocklehurst that she read Bible, but was not in favour of psalms. Though she loved Edward, she was not ready to become his mistress.

I liked Jane a lot. Reading classics were not an easy task for me. But I really enjoyed this one. A totally engaging read.

Final Appeal by LISA SCOTTOLINE

I was actually looking for a legal thriller written by a female  with a female lead. I was really happy when I laid my hands on this book. 

Final Appeal really had a wonderful beginning. You would get the fast pace the moment you began the story. The story started when Grace Rossie, a divorcee and a single mother who accepted a part-time job with a federal appeals court as an assistant to the hot Chief Judge, Armen Gregorian. The real twist came when Armen was found dead in his office.Everyone but Grace believed it was a suicide. 

She could not for she was with him a few hours before his death and was making love to him passionately. Her hunch got confirmed when she got a note that was written by him, professing his love.A man could commit suicide right after confessing his love to somebody. Grace started off to find the real assassin. This is a story which would give you a lot in the beginning but nothing in the end. 

No fear was lurking in the darkness.There were so many characters which would not fit in or were not given many clarifications on why they were introduced in the story. Sadly, I never got butterflies in my stomach. There was little fear for the safety of the heroine as she encountered mostly favourable situations for her sleuthing...

But I want to read more Lisa Scottoline as I came across many good reviews for her other books....

I am back again

I have read 13 books last month and was quite happy about it. I thought I could repeat the same in the new year too. But I was wrong. I laid my hands on many books but could not read even a paragraph. I was inflicted  with readers block. I used the word ' infliction' deliberately. Situation was worse. I didn't feel like concentrating on anything. I could not eat, sleep, watch movies...the list was endless. Long and short, I was not properly doing anything...Am I exaggerating? Heck/, no....I tried Master of the Game by Sydney Sheldon, Malgudy Days by R. K. Narayan, Five point someone by Chetan Bhagat which was a national best seller, Only love is real by Dr. Brian Weiss. But none of these books were of any help, though they were quite a good read.

I thought I was too over confident and was afraid that my lists with which I had decorated the fringes of my blog was going to remain without any entries. I was short of money to buy any new books, but I mustered my energy and went to my favourite place, the second hand book shop. I exchanged my old books with new ones along with a small amount which I could afford.

I began with "Final Appeal Lisa Scottoline and I am sooooooo happy that I am back in the game.

 

Contract Paternity (Delta Justice) by Jasmine Cresswell

I picked up this book from a second hand store without even realising that it was not a mystery but romance. Along with this book I have picked up three more which were an absolute mysteries and I have completed two of them in December. Hence, I could not come up with its reviews.

I might be a bit hasty with this book as I had selected 3 good mysteries.

' In the sultry Louisiana heat, a family dynasty of law and order is shattered by a mysterious crime of passion". This was the sentence that misled me.

I was too obsessed with the word ' mystery ' that I didn't take the other words for face value. While I was reading I was seriously looking for a chilling suspense but all my search was for naught. When I almost reached the middle of the story, I really felt as if I was reading a mills and boon. 

The setting was perfect for it. The woman and the man. Due to a torrential downpour she could not get to her  home and also could not find a motel to spend her night. Here comes our masculine hero with his helping hand. He offered her his bed in his apartment (in every sense). She was in a dilemma whether to accept it or not. Though she did not know what would happen we knew that she was going to accept it. 

In the apartment, everything  perfect, from upholstery to bed. Again the conflict, whether to make love or not (to be or not to be , sex(hysterical paralysis). They could not as somebody's intrusion ruined their privacy. Still I could not realize I was reading a romance. I understood only when I reached the last page.

But that should not keep me away from writing its summary.

Summary

Tony Delacroix was a famous jazz singer who also belonged to the famous Delacroix family. She was going to be thirty five and badly wanted to mother a baby and was in search  of a prospective father. Perfect timing...Brody Wagner, a successful lawyer bumped into her and he possessed everything what she was looking for in her baby's prospective father. But Brody wanted not only to be  a sperm donor but somebody more than that in Tony's life. But a mystery    ( was it a mystery?....I don't know) that was kept hidden in her family brought them too close. The mystery got solved with the help of  this dashing hunk Brody Wagner and they lived happily ever after....yea, yea they got married.

I would give 4/10 for this book.

Body Double TESS GERRISTEN

Summary

Dr. Maura Isles' world changed all of a sudden when she found out that the woman who was murdered right in front of her house resembled her in every possible ways. The mystery intensified when she learned that the deceased was none other than her twin sister.  The  cop Jane Rizzoli who was brave, determined and also pregnant was in charge of the investigation. As the story progressed, the duo they had to face a series of blood cuddling events. As deep as they dug, they encountered   not only Dr. Isles' mysterious past but also a her murky identity as a daughter. The suspense was  chilling and you could see it all through the story.

I was really getting butterflies in my stomach after reading it. Ms Gerristen was really vivid in her craft and her grip on each expression could give you a clear imagination which scared the life out of me. Definitely, it was a good read and fulfilled all my criteria in my 'Strong heroine Challenge, 2011' category.

Mingled Hearts VICKY LEWIS THOMPSON

Dr. Stephanie Collier was a young and enthusiastic psychologist who cherished her freedom the most. But all her assurances for herself came on a sudden halt,when a tawny eyed Dr. Lloyd Barclay entered her life. All her emotions which she had kept hidden exploded at the very sight of him. She could also read that he also felt the same.  But she valued her freedom and independence the most and she was not ready to bargain it for a man. But It was just the beginning.

Though I was not an avid reader of Mills and Boon, I've read some but this one completely lacked the passion and heat. Not a good pick to start with in 2011.

I love to read books. But for me it is not too easy to get all those new arrivals. I am a bibliophile who is not surrounded by bibliophiles. Hence, there is less chance of getting any books either as a gift or in exchange. The library nearby, is of little use for I've to wait for months to get a book I want. Because most of the best sellers are under reservation. But I have to read books. Hence I decided I would go to a second hand book nearby and get books . 

I like suspense, romance and fantasies. I'll write about the books I read and how I felt about it.

Regarding films, I've good access than books.

Though I love suspense. I'm starting with a romance " Mills and Boon". 

 "Mingled Hearts" by Vicki Lewis Thompson

I've just started reading it and will come up with a review very soon.

These are the 13 books I read in December, 2010.