Debut Novel 'Oracle' - Win A Signed Copy

Olympics-mania is at fever pitch!
 What better way is there to get into the Olympic spirit than a book set around the London Games?

J.C. Martin releases her debut novel, crime thriller Oracle, today! To celebrate, she's holding a month-long Oracle Olympics Blog Tour, with tons of games and prizes, including a possible grand prize of an iPad3 (for more details, visit J.C.'s blog)! 

And it all kicks off with today's Opening Ceremony!


Read on to find out how you could win a signed paperback copy of Oracle right off the bat!


So what is Oracle about, anyway? Here's the blurb: Oracle 

With London gearing up to host the Olympics, the city doesn't need a serial killer stalking the streets, but they've got one anyway. Leaving a trail of brutal and bizarre murders, the police force is no closer to finding the latest psychopath than Detective Inspector Kurt Lancer is in finding a solution for his daughter's disability. Thrust into the pressure cooker of a high profile case, the struggling single parent is wound tight as he tries to balance care of his own family with the safety of a growing population of potential victims. One of whom could be his own daughter. Fingers point in every direction as the public relations nightmare grows, and Lancer's only answer comes in the form of a single oak leaf left at each crime scene. 


Purchase Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble 


 Intrigued? Here's your chance to win a signed copy of the book!


All you have to do is visit all the blogs in the Parade of Nations in order (for a complete list of blogs, visit Olympics HQ here), including this one! Each blog will have a secret letter. Collect them all to decipher the secret message. Then go back to J.C.'s blog and enter your answer in the Rafflecopter for your chance to win! Answer some additional bonus questions to multiply your chances of winning! 


 The contest will remain open till midnight EST on Friday 3rd August. The winner will be announced on J.C.'s blog! 


 So here is my secret letter : First Serve (from a tennis fan, India's best chance at a double's bronze medal) :)


 Click on over to  J.L. Campbell @ The Readers’ Suite  for the next letter! Good luck!


 That's not all, more prizes for pushing Her book up the Amazon top lists, and a chance to test your flash fiction skills (100Words story) and win a Book Depository Gift Voucher at J.C's Blog

A Book Review And the Gut Wrenching Question - IWSG

The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day for participating blog owners who may be professional or amateur writers. (All you need is the passion and output, published or not). Started by Alex Cavanaugh the author of the sci-fi space opera CassaStar and sequel CassaFire, it is a means for writers to talk about their fears big and small. It is also an opportunity to connect to other writers who may have conquered these or are sailing in the same insecure boat as you.


Today's post is a wee bit different. In keeping with the July 4th fireworks, a book review of the Ninja Captain's CassaStar and the introspective question that results. 

CassaStar - Alex J Cavanaugh

(Book one of the CassaTrilogy)

Publishers -  Dancing Lemur Press

Genre - Speculative Fiction - Soft Science Fiction - Space Opera

Ebook - Novel - Paperback - 246 pages 

Price Rs 731 - 800 (Actual Rs 914) /$15.95  - $10.00

Available at Amazon Kindle Store and Flipkart(India)/IndiaTimesShopping

Blurb:

To pilot the fleet’s finest ship…
Few options remain for Byron. A talented but stubborn young man with a troubled past and rebellious attitude, his cockpit skills are his only hope. Slated to train as a Cosbolt fighter pilot, Byron is determined to prove his worth and begin a new life as he sets off for the moon base of Guaard. 

Much to Byron’s chagrin the toughest instructor in the fleet takes notice of the young pilot. Haunted by a past tragedy, Bassa eventually sees through Byron's tough exterior and insolence. When a secret talent is revealed during training, Bassa feels compelled to help Byron achieve his full potential.
As war brews on the edge of space, time is running short. Byron requires a navigator of exceptional quality to survive, and Bassa must make a decision that could well decide the fate of both men. Will their skills be enough as they embark on a mission that may stretch their abilities to the limit?

This is the first book in the series by Author and fellow blogger Alex Cavanaugh and works as a standalone novel.
The story is set in a far away, unnamed galaxy and revolves around a small, elite group of fighter pilots from the planetary race of Casaans. It focuses primarily on the training and inter relations between the pilots and their navigators, and in turn with their mentors.

The concept of advanced  mind powers and the ability to to enhance their flying skills is intriguing. It opens up a whole lot of possibilities in the application of the same in other areas of their life, something I am hoping is explored in the other books in the series.


The protagonist, Byron, whose attitude and behaviour often puts him at odds with those around him, possesses the said ability in its rarer state. His journey to the elite training camp at the remote moon base, his interactions with his navigator cum friend and instructor turned mentor help in his coming out of social isolation, albeit slowly. His flying abilities and new found temperament are further tested during the first assignment which finds him in the midst of an escalating war at the edges of their space. 


The story has been crafted with care, the technology not too far fetched, and the world though alien is painted with human like qualities and emotions. Friendship, trust, courage and belief in each other forms the crux of the story. The training scenes are well drawn and the few battle scenes are gripping. The final battle is reminiscent of Star Wars and the like.


My major grouse is the lack of female characters which I understand has been addressed in the next book CassaFire. 
Believable characters and scenarios make it a pleasant, fast read. 
The dialogue was stilted and formal in places but I construed it as to be peculiarity of that race. 


While the story doesn't offer much in terms of technology and world descriptions, and thus may not find favour with hard core science fiction fans, it's a well written tale appealing to readers of character driven plot lines, first timers to the genre, and fans of young adult fiction.


As an avid science fiction reader of both the soft and hard (I may not always understand the intricacies and theories) science varieties, and someone who prefers exploration and invention  to military action and description, I found CassaStar a pleasurable read. 
For the writing, the characters and the interesting premise, I give this a between 3.5 and 4 star rating.


Personal Disclaimer: This book was an original purchase used for the purpose of review, hence the post in entirety is my basic impression after reading the book. It is not based on intervention by the author or publishing house.


My IWSG question for the month. Forget the support system, the audience, the sales, will my debut book be as well crafted and interesting??


  Happy summer to many, happy autumn to a few and happy delayed monsoon to the rest. :)

Why does being Stuck in the Middle resemble Climbing the Mountain?

Time for RFW - Romatic Friday Writers and Saturday Centus weekend combo. The devilish part of me  loved meshing two meme prompts often, earlier. Time to pay attention to the curve-tailed me!

I put the book down, awaiting the phone call. Mom came in and handed me a cup of coffee. The author's mind reader had nothing on her, sipping the still hot beverage.

TRING...I spilled the contents of my cup, enough to feel the burning sensation through the thin cotton of my salwar. 

"Mohit..." "David here.”

"Sorry, I was expecting Mohit's. What did he say?"

He cleared his throat. I didn’t need his jumble of words to know. I hated romances for a good reason.

"Are you ok?" I wasn't, but had to be...she would need strong shoulders to cry on.

*Salwar - leggings of the traditional South Asian wear salwar kameez.

*edited piece from my short story, the Ring of Finality being the ending.

Just Some Things That Needed Saying

SoAnd

Courtesy Anees.Smile4U

I will be back on Fri/Sat with my RFW...be prepared to critique.

An Adventure And A Romance - Book Review

Defying Gravity - Cherie Reich
(book one of the Gravity Trilogy)

Publishers - Surrounded by Books Publishing

Genre - Speculative Fiction - Soft Science Fiction - Space Romance

Ebook - Novelette - 60 pages, Price $ 0.99

Available at Amazon Kindle Store

Blurb:

A Futuristic Space Fantasy Novelette
Homesick upon the SS Perseid, Linia, a young linguist, thinks she signed up for a mission of peace, but her crew members have another plan: attack the planet Medusa.
Bored with his dying planet, Alezandros, a space cruiser pilot, joins the Medusan army in his quest for adventure.
When the SS Perseid clashes with the Medusans' cruisers, Alezandros and Linia's lives intertwine. Sucked through a wormhole, they crash upon a post-apocalyptic Earth and are captured by cannibals. In adjacent cells, Alezandros and Linia cast their differences aside for a common bond: escape. But when romantic feelings emerge between them, they might do the unthinkable because for a Medusan and a Persean to fall in love, it would defy gravity.


This is a novelette by fellow blogger and author Cherie Reich.
It tells a story that starts of with both, depressing aspects of a planet peopled below the surface and the sinister strategy of a enemy planet that seeks to launch an attack via a space mission under the guise of exploration.
The author interweaves Greek mythology with a battle in space with its own set of unexpected.consequences.
The protagonists, Alezandros and Linia's lives gets complicated as they end up travelling through a wormhole and landing on a hostile, damaged, old Earth.


How they end up prisoners in the same camp unknown to each other, wrestle their hostile captors and escape using their special powers, and the budding romance between them in the process forms the rest of it.


The author has clearly taken the effort to build different planet worlds, races, language while keeping  it all in sync with the basic characterisations of the myth.
She has created believable characters whom you can't help but root for.


This is a soft science fiction of danger and romance. The length of the work makes it difficult to create a more scientifically layered world. Hence, this may not appeal to science fiction aficionados of the hard and soft genres alike.


I would recommend this pleasure read to first timers to science fiction and to romance readers who enjoy varied settings specially out-worldly and other worldly. And lovers of short fiction would enjoy this.

For the writing and the interesting premise, the book gets a between 3.5 to 4/5 rating from me.


Personal Disclaimer: This book was an original purchase used for the purpose of review, hence the post in entirety is my basic impression after reading the book. It is not based on intervention by the author or publishing house.

The Perfect Ex - Romantic Friday Writers

Had to enter the fray, since this will be the last RFW entry till August for me.

Based on the prompt of the same name as the title, a story or poem in 400 words or less.

Puts away his clothes as usual.
the routine followed each night,
He stands by, saying nothing.
Adjusts the covers on the queen sized bed,
another of those things to be done,
 aware of his eyes on the movements made.

That night, they lie down together one last time.
she knows, he knows, pretend otherwise.
Hold her hand, promising another string of lies,
she believed them often, now, not one.

The dark, sleepless hours seem never ending,
her courage peaks and wanes.
The dawn should bring respite for both,
 She, for once, no longer plays
the imperfect specimen of the wife,
embarking on the new journey of a perfect ex.

Lost in the pride of his invincibility,
a blind heart in denial of the inevitability.
These six weeks past mark her revenge
 a small price for the six years he has stolen.

The house is clean, the fridge is stocked,
the dinner awaits him on the dining table,
most of her things, he claimed took valuable space,
gone from this house empty of her footsteps.
All that remain are the few material pieces
he boasted to be acts of needless generosity.

She leaves behind memories of the past,
could choke and strangle any feeling mortal.
 Takes along enough of a future,
 no share or meddling by him, afraid not, any more.

 wc 217



For Romantic Friday writers



Writing after a fortnight was tough, I struggled and barely pulled through.

I posted this just about managing to keep the friday score. Will be visiting the others tomo and also those kind ones that read my previous post.

Awards Nite

Since today is for celebrating my English birthday based on DOB with cakes and eating out, and tomo my Tamil bday (based on birth-star constellation in the horoscope) with traditional Indian food and visit to the temple ...decided on celebrating the duality of blog awards. Some long overdue thanks for awards received over 2011-12 and passing them on. They come with their own set of rules...but the birthday gal reserves the right to break them and offer them to anyone who reads this post and two awards for visitors all through June.

Special thanks for
 the Kreativ blogger award  received from Jan (recent follower) which demands revealing 7 things about me and passing it on to 7 people.












 The Versatile blogger award from
Treelight ( befriended during Campaign challenge),
Jayleigh Cape,
Seabell and Tiberbrite (from Jingle poetry group)
demanding 7 random info on me and passing on to 15 people.












 The Liebster Award from Nutschell for blogs  with less than 300 followers last June. (sheepish and sorry)






The Paperclip award from Traci Kenworth ....supposed to answer 12 questions not me...

 The Booker award from Christine for book bloggers or ones with 50% focus on reading or writing books.











So I choose my seven sins as I call it...
Clumsy till about 35...funny, while the sense of balance supposedly deteriorates with age...mine has improved with time... I used to choose the most crowded places to trip over nothing - the bus stop, the railway platform/bridge, the college canteen, the office corridor, the school ground, the busiest street, the airport/mall escalators. I guess, I craved the attention...another reason I broke up with high heels after just three years of casual dating.

 I have been wearing contact lenses for two decades now - not blind as a bat, but can only see blurred images without my glasses beyond six feet...that my glasses used to frequently threaten to slip off my bridge-less nose was one of the reasons, the other being childhood and teen years' taunts. So, next time you make fun or see someone making fun of people on the basis of appearance, please remember, it can have a life long effect on the victim's self confidence more so when the person is sensitive and shy to begin with. (like yours truly)

27 years of Bombay life has made me open minded, tolerant, cosmopolitan, multilingual, dreamer, creative, neutral-agnostic and much more. I love it, having lived through 16 years of bombings, a communal riot, a flood and a couple of earthquakes; the only city I call home even though I currently live hundreds of miles away.

Lover of all things English (read British) except the weather, superiority complex...and the food, all meat and too bland even for the likes of me....I dream, even sleep talk/scream in English (atleast that's what my mom and ex hubby said) though I am fluent in three Indian language among others....

Was married for 6 1/2 years so I can't really blame the 7 year itch for its ending, though nowadays, its supposed to be the three year itch.

 I am a reasonably good singer, and with training, I could have been much better. As a child, was too rebellious to learn anything that conservative-traditional girls from the Brahmin communities of South India were/are supposed to, like classical music, classical instruments, classical dance, cooking, religious stuff etc (lucky, my mom was liberal enough)...regret not learning music though.
Hell, this infidel even dreamt of a love marriage over an arranged one...my family would have needed buckets of holy water (read river Ganges) to cleanse my mind, if I had found someone crazy enough to love me back.

A passport with no stamps yet. Hope to rectify it on my 40th or 45 th bday by going to Dubai and/or Singapore. Unfortunately Eygpt, Italy and Greece will have to wait for the reincarnated me...if I manage to be born again on planet Earth.

 As rewards for your patience,
I pass on the Kreativ and Versatile blogger awards to all my followers and commenters.

I have a Reader appreciation award for those who read my posts and specially to participants of memes and blogfests who bother to visit me.

In order to accept this award need to do the following:

List something you’ve been up to lately
Nominate 6 other blogs (optional)

I leave you all with wishes for a great week ahead and a picture of the still fat ole me. (but I lost 4 kgs in 4 months not bad...12 more to reach my pre-marriage weight of 56 kgs. I still have two years to accomplish it)
We had a family cake cutting on the bed as my bro (stuck in his hotel room because of the jubilee celebrations of the Queen's reign) wanted to join in on web chat from london.

P.s. I will be skipping my IWSG post this wed as my nephews hog my time and comp. See you all from 9 or 10 June. 

Journey's End? - Flash Fiction Blogfest

It's the 2nd Annual Flash Fiction Blogfest (may21-23) hosted by Cherie Reich to celebrate her third year blogversary. It doubles up as a competition with three winners getting Amazon gift cards.  Open voting on may28.

Check out the linky list of other flash writers here.
A piece of flash 300 words or less beginning with the words Lightning Flashed.

Lightning flashed in the distance. They sans one huddled closer drawing comfort from each other. The swirling black clouds were visible indicating that their journey was at its end. Yet, darkness would arrive before them. The winding road seemingly friendly an hour ago was at its treacherous best. The trees lining both sides were gnarled in places, hideous stumps at others, the roots spreading out onto the pathway like greedy fingers. The leafless branches rustled and bent towards them. This is an illusion. The shaman’s dying warning echoed. Icy hands trailed through their limbs. Fear, the warriors accepted, welcomed, but this unseen entity chilled their hearts, dulled their instincts, made them cower like the villagers they were bound to protect.

Ashan, the self appointed leader, twirled his blood stained scimitar. Basher balked at the other’s impatience, then nudged the unsure group forward. He waited for the one tagging behind. She moved with firm, alert steps belying her tender age. She had impressed Bashir by offering to be the bait. The council had happily agreed.

 He had sworn then to protect her with his life.  

A flash of light revealed the looming grey castle. Thunder made its presence felt. Then. Utter silence. They stopped a few feet away from the gates. Ashan turned to Bashir. “Take the girl and walk ahead. We follow close behind.”

Why single me out? “Come. It’s time.” in the kindest tone he could manage.

One of the gates unbolted, wide enough for a person to pass through.

 He stopped her as she moved forward. “I go first.”

The iron door closed behind them. Bashir rushed back trying in vain to wrench it open.

His reward was bloodied fingers.

Yasmin watched him, the slow hunger now a raging need. The warrior’s blood smelled sweet. A feast tonight.

Wc 300 Exact.

*Love using Asian characters since they are few and far between beyond our shores.

Light Hearted Magick?

She giggled...Neeta struggled to keep a straight face lest they draw attention to themselves.

Zack frowned, his irritation increasing with every passing minute. He could barely wait for the demo session to end.

Cathy, awaiting her turn, tried to catch their attention, her efforts only drawing puzzled looks from the twins seated behind them.

"Is something wrong with your eyes?" one asked 

When she didn’t respond “Trying to seduce my little brother, are we?"

'Little?' sizing up the boy who needed an entire bench to stretch his never ending limbs.

"That must be understatement of the century" with a quiet chuckle.

"Shut up jokers!" the other one hissed,

"I'll turn you both into bats if I get pulled up this time."

They glared at him, about to resort when she giggled again.

Zack got up in a huff only to freeze in place. Her warm hands pulling him back never failed to elicit the familiar response. Small, almost black eyes reprimanded him for breaking their contact abruptly.

Master, who had ignored them all this while was now forced to acknowledge the distraction from the eastern end of the chamber. He was aware of every thought, hushed whispers or otherwise. Faced with no other viable option, squelching the rumours that questioned his authority was a priority.  The first step towards the goal demanded that they be punished.

Pity, the girls were his best friend's nieces. Reluctantly, he called the three of them over.

Zack wasn't sure he could keep himself from casting the 'bent back' hex on the girls, seeing their calm, detached expressions. He didn't want to, not her anyway. He was pleasantly surprised when Master handed them the after session chores.

Planting seeds, magical ones at that was boring but not hard.

The sulking part of him did not share in his relief. This is not we had planned. The reminder was dampener on his spirits. He had volunteered to be the telepathic medium for the girls with an ulterior motive...a desperate need to find a clue, a confirmation of her interest in him. And here they were, digging up the soil with dancing hands, where he could have been plotting his next move with the guys. He didn't find his love for the 'flying ducks' night suit funny, she obviously did.

wc384

Today is  International Flash Fiction Day in the U.K...decided to post my fiction here and not on their site. You can check the other fantastic stories here.

* I got into Pottermore this week...a cute, interactive site. And while I received an Alder-Phoenix...they sorted me into bloody Gryffindor. I wanted to join Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff since we all know enough about the red house. Incidentally, I was put in a red house during my schooling years till 10th grade. I always envied my bro's blue badge.

* My nephews are turning up next week...surprise, as my bro is off to London for two weeks and the elder one has summer vacation till June 13. So June 4 is the only day I will be posting during the first week. I will be using my birthday to thank the bloggers/ettes whose awards I still have to acknowledge and pass on to the rest of you. Do visit the post, as I will be passing on certain awards.


* Any comments on the story welcome, but polite put downs please.

My First Loves - For The Blogfest

 First Loves Blogfest hosted by Alex Cavanaugh...


First loves blogfest by songsnwords on GoAnimate

Hi Alex...bloggers, blogettes...welcome to my version of the First Loves Blogfest. You can see and hear the one minute video if you are feeling lazy to read...more or less the same words.

 At 9 years, second year in the new school in Bombay...my first love, you could say, offered me chocolates for his birthday. All I remember is his being tall for our age, with a cute smile and beautiful light brown eyes.
The other real one was an unrequited one at 22 but that's "classified information".

First book I loved was a gift by my dad's cousin, 'Firebird And Other Russian Fairy Tales' printed in what was once U.S.S.R. It has beautiful illustrations and pages with border art, but now kind of brittle to touch.

Let's get this straight...I am saying, the first movie I loved was Jackie Chan's 1978 released Drunken Master with atrocious English dubbing.

First English song l loved was Boney M's Rasputin, and the first band I listened to and liked was Beatles, the song Kansas City.

Glad to have you here and hope everyone who visited enjoyed this rather one sided conversation, hee hee.