Deep Ties

“A person who does not protect a child doesn’t deserve to live.” The cover speaks volumes... a fluffy white bird that sits on a fragile branch, unaware of the sharp black talons that hover over it, the threat clearly perceptible against a blood-red background. You are all set to delve into a tale that is stark and unvarnished, but ‘Birds of Prey’, published by Readomania, is more gritty and raw than your wildest expectations. At one level, the book is a fast-paced thriller that digs into the underbelly of the city of Mumbai. Ex-ACP Anton Pinto, who is living a life of sedate retirement “fishing, eating, drinking”, is unwillingly dragged into a high-profile case that points to the disappearance of men from wealthy families. He promises his wife that he would only assist in the case, and not involve himself in the actual ground work. However, even before he knows it, he is in the thick of things, starting his investigation from the prestigious Prism International School, w...

If you want to read stories that are akin to a cup of tea, comforting and familiar, tales that will fill your heart with nuances of romance and joy, ‘Knitted Tales – A Collection of Emotions’ by the talented Rubina Ramesh  is not for you. These stories sear and sizzle; they portray harsh realities and forbidden themes that are normally swept under the carpet. They leave out the trappings and tell only the truth. Rubina Ramesh does not believe in candy floss and tinsel, at least not in her debut collection of short stories, which, in my opinion, need to be explored, if only to show the dazzling variety of topics that Rubina has touched upon. 1.       A Secret in Their Closet: “Cruel hands were holding her down, smothering her... maybe she could pretend to be dead and then these monsters would leave her alone.” What is the mystery behind ten-year old Payal’s nightmares? How do Satya and Anjali deal with the trauma their daughter is going through? ...

Today I opened a very special bundle of letters, a bundle that took me back to my childhood and left me with a choked throat and moist eyes. They were in a little red cardboard box, spilling out almost as if they were keen to escape their confines and reach out to my heart. How did they get to me, these little missives that I had written so long ago, little, forgotten scraps that had stayed on like indelible ink, smudged and precious? My latest book ‘Shadow in the Mirror’ was launched in October this year and what made it extra special was my mother landing up without warning, to wrap her eldest offspring with her love and blessings. She spoke a few words about me, and then handed over the red box, which, she said, defined me as a person. Life went by and today, as I was looking for something else, I came across this precious offering. Fortifying myself with a cup of green tea, I sat down and proceeded to take a trip into the past. The first thing I laid eyes on w...

Mock, Stalk & Quarrel  is a collection of 29 satirical stories, penned by prolific writers and bestselling authors, that attempt to mock, question, defy, and raise a voice against issues that matter. The stories were chosen from a nationwide contest conducted by Readomania and compiled in this collection that promises to be an engaging and thought-provoking read. For more about the book and the authors, head to the  Facebook page of Mock, Stalk & Quarrel .  The book has made an amazing entry at no 29 on Amazon.  Book Link:   Amazon http://www.amazon.in/Mock-Stalk-Quarrel-Collection-Satirical/dp/9385854267?ie=UTF8&ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_dp_eh.myb1SS289A Author Interview: 1.           How would you describe yourself in one line? Humanist, creative fiction writer, artist 2.       After four decades of experience in publishing, how did you find the shift over to writing?...

Check all the Books Here Name of the book: Shadow in the Mirror Author: Deepti Menon Read some reviews:  Kirthi Jayakumar Ayan Pal Kavita Singh The Story: It all begins with a death. Nita, a pregnant woman falling from her balcony becomes the string that unravels the plot. Her death casts a shadow over many lives; her heartbroken father, her husband and Vinny, a young journalist, drawn in by the whiff of foul play and murder. What follows are stories within stories, eras and worlds colliding with each other, leaving behind splintered relationships and mesmerizing slices of lives that appear to be drawn together and driven apart by the whimsical threads of destiny. As events cast their shadows ahead to link the stories of Vinny, Kavita, Roma, Krish and Nita in an unrelenting knot, a journey starts to uncover the truth. What is the secret that links Nita’s death to the other characters? Will Vinny be able to unravel the mystery of Nita’s ...

"Someone I loved once gave me a box of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too, was a gift." It takes a gifted writer to be able to create an imaginary island and etch it so precisely that it appears real to her readers. Radhika Tabrez does just that as she  fleshes out an Indian paradise called Bydore and populates it with lifelike characters like Susan Pereira who is bound to Pereira Mansion and her father’s promise, Deena, a close friend and her feisty daughter Shahana, and Colonel and Mrs. Bindra, all of whose lives are blended together effortlessly. “They all could sense the chasm in each others’ hearts” and “their mutual need for succour”, a need that made them family. It is into this family that a grievously wounded Meera is brought in, and over time, Susan turns into her anchor, touched by “the forlornness in Meera’s eyes” which made her “hear the echoes of her own life”. Their lives fuse as the pieces of a puzzle coming together, and Me...

Marriages Made in India Book #1 THE SMITTEN HUSBAND by Sundari Venkatraman Guest Post The Queen of Romance novels, Sundari Venkatraman, answers a question put to her by Deepti Menon. "Dear Sundari, It is wonderful to see so many stories fly out from your prolific pen. Where do you get your ideas from, especially for a five-novella series? How difficult is it to sustain the tempo as well as the credibility of the characters, considering that they stem from book one and live on over the next four books? Which are the characters closest to your heart, and why?" Hi Deepti, Firstly, let me thank you for your compliment. When I published The Runaway Bridegroom , a few of my readers were impressed with Shikha, one of the side characters, and her relationship with Abhimanyu. They wanted to know what happened to the two. I wasn’t sure of writing a sequel as I couldn’t visualise a full-length novel for them. Later, when I read a ...