Stormling: John Hennessy

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About the Author:

John Hennessy is a British author of paranormal fantasy horror for YA, psychological horror and murder mysteries, plus his own unique take on vampire lore. He has also written ghost stories and delved into high epic fantasy with a hint of romance. A kung fu addict; he teaches martial arts full-time but writes at all other times, working on four series:- Dark Winter, Haunted Minds, Stormling and A Tale of Vampires.

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Blurb:

In an age when Stormlings have only known peacetime, one man's desperate action threatens not only the stability of the mystical world of Mordana, but Earth as well. 

Teenager Ophelia Drewe discovers a jewel that has been lost from its homeworld, and whilst she thinks she can keep it, demonic forces believe otherwise. 

She’s not alone, but who can she trust? The head Stormling, Anadyr, hasn’t been to the Earth in 500 years, but go there he must – if the jewel is not returned, it will destroy both Ophelia’s world and his own… 

* * * 
A Lost Jewel. A World in Chaos. An Epic Fantasy Adventure like no other. 

When a jewel is lost from the mystical realm of Mordana, and found on Earth, so begins a race against time to ensure the safe return of the jewel to its rightful place. 

With news that the jewel has now been located, two warring factions fight for the control of Mordana. Anadyr, the strongest and bravest of the Stormlings, is sent on a quest to retrieve the jewel, as the survival of his race depends on it, but he finds there are some on Earth that are out to stop him as well. 

On Earth, teenager Ophelia Drewe discovers the jewel. Anadyr needs to win her trust, but the task is made more difficult as Ophelia finds herself in conflict with dark mages, sorceresses, elves, demons, giant-folk, and more. 

However....Evil stirs East of Mordana, with the minions of Andus Rey also working together to release The Fourth – the entity who was a good Stormling at one time, but has since turned to darkness. 

Even if Anadyr helps to restore order to Mordana, his quest will not be truly complete until he announces his successor from a group of trusted, but untested Stormlings. 

The evil in Mordana knows this too, and is just waiting for the right moment to strike, to set in motion a new and terrifying age of darkness...

My review:

Stormling is book one of the series, the Mordana Chronicles. From the page one, the author takes you to the magical land of Mordana, a realm of magic. The land where there is peace during the rule of Stormlord Anadyr, an immortal who has been at the helm of power from the time he was eighteen years old. Now he is over three thousand years old and is facing troubled times. The threat from AnnanGhorst is looming near. The powerful  Aynara, the half-breed who protects Mordana has lost a jewel from her magical necklace which if ended up in the wrong hands will spell doom to Mordana.

The author introduces the main characters one by one and through these character introductions we are given a tour of the mystical land of Mordana, the enemies that have been threatening the peace of their land and also the stromlings who are immortals. The real world, our earth, comes into picture when Ophelia a teenager living on earth is introduced. Ophelia, a carefree teenager finds the lost jewel and now has the responsibility of returning the jewel to Aynara. Her committed group friends: Melody, Siobhan and Michael, is by her side in this mission. But their biggest enemy Mindy, their schoolmate, turns up on the wrong side and hinders their mission.

Will Ophelia succeed in the mission?

Will Anadyr win over the dark beings that threaten his land?

Will Aynara, who is half stormling and half Andurii, help Anadyr when darkness threatens to annihilate earth and Mordana?

I won’t tell you that. You have to read the book to know. 

The book is a tome, with 495 pages of absolute fantasy. I admire the skill of the author for keeping the pace of the narration uniform and interesting in such a long book. The many side stories during the character introductions are interesting as well. Then there is the romance between the beautiful sorceress Corianna and Anadyr.

The whole book is like watching a fantasy movie where magical creatures like elves, stormlings, Andurii, witches, sorcerers and Shadow wraiths runs the show. This book I hear is the lone book written by John Hennessy which doesn’t have horror/ violence that would give you nightmares, the reason why I picked the book. Yes, it is not dark. It comes in the category of fantasy like the harry potter series, the hobbit and the lord of rings. It is definitely a book which can be made into a movie. Hope one day I will get to watch the Stormling as a movie!

The Cover of the book is very beautiful. So is the book.

Highly recommended if you like reading fantasy that borders with horror.

That is all for now.

Until next post,

Much love,

Grab my best-selling book from Kindle for free

Grab my Amazon best-selling romance novel 'Without You' for free from kindle today.

Do spread the word folks!
Get the book here:
Amazon India: http://amzn.to/1VTvsQ3

It will be free till tomorrow 2 PM (IST)

Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B015TJJOJE

Synopsis:

When Ananya, a bubbly twenty-year-old engineering student, reaches her Grandmother's house in Sreepuram on a month long vacation, romance is the last thing on her mind. However, she meets Dr. Arjun there and falls head over heels in love. 

As it often happens, the path of true love never runs smooth. Circumstances force them apart even though they were madly in love. She becomes a victim of depression. When everything fails to return her to normalcy, help arrives from an unexpected source. Will she ever find happiness again? Will time allow her heart to heal and forget Arjun? What indeed is true love? What is that strange secret that locks all the circumstances together? 

Travel with Ananya to the picturesque Sreepuram, face the chaos of Bengaluru, and relish the warmth of magical Dubai in this heartwarming tale of love, betrayal, friendship, and miracles. 

Meet the main Characters in order of appearance: 
Ananya: A bubbly twenty-year-old engineering student— the narrator of the story. 
Ammamma: Ananya’s Grandma, Arundhati Mukundan, an author by profession, who loves playing Cupid. 
Dr. Arjun: The dashing doctor who is the heir to a multi Billion super market chain ‘Shine’. 
Colonel R.S Nair: A helpful neighbor whose charming talks always influences Ananya. 
Dr. Vishal: Ananya’s cousin and Arjun’s best friend. 
Shakuntala Devi: Arjun’s mom, the current head of the ‘Shine’ empire. 
Shankar & Sukanya: Ananya’s parents. 
Khushi and Poornima: Ananya’s best friends in college. 
Kishore: Ananya’s cousin who lives in the United Arab Emirates. 
Shreya and Aditya: Kishore’s wife and son. 
Lily: The cute Filipina girl who is Ananya’s colleague and best friend. 
Tom: The handsome and funny colleague who is the heartthrob in the firm Ananya works. 
Sophia: Ananya’s flat mate and friend who is an expert on Zodiac signs. 

Newbie Corner: Ashutosh Bhandari

Today on Newbie Corner we have blogger and author Ashutosh Bhandari, whose first book talks about aliens!

Welcome to Newbie Corner Ashutosh!

Follow him on        Blogger       Facebook      Twitter

Tell us a little about yourself. How did you begin writing?

I'm a Chennai-based guy with a round routine of College - Home, 5 days a week. Whatever my résumé says I'm not 'active' or 'focused person' but I eat and sleep every chance I get.
Writing began as an activity out of interest after my schooling seeing that I had a certain pull towards literature. And after getting a few good feedbacks I decided to do it on a regular basis.

What is your favorite genre in writing?

 Fairies, Gnomes, Elves in childhood and Wizards, Aliens, Centaurs and Orcs in my schooling days made it evident that Fantasy and Science Fiction was my thing. Non-humans, speaking strange languages and living in weird places was something that made fantasy a lot more interesting and real than reality.

Who inspires you most and to whom would you dedicate your creative growth?

Those people I read and hear about every week on social media, the people who write great books at the same age I try to come out of my '5 pointer' status in my college are the people who prevent me from procrastinating. They are my inspiration!
In the initial steps I would dedicate my creative growth to every person who gave honest feedbacks, criticism and suggestions about my writing. But for the big leap I would thank my friends from my team 'By Lines' for their immense support and help in my way to become an author.

What kind of a writer are you? Do you plot the entire novel/story or make it up as you write.

Not sure, 'Unpredictable' might be the word because I remember surprising myself at times. 
The only published story, "The Awakening" was a pre-planned one, but for my next project I have only made up the opening and will be going with the flow. I might end up surprising myself again.

Do you have a favorite place to write or a scheduled time to write every day?

Unlike many people who can write anytime and anywhere, I have a restricted bubble. Midnight is the most suitable time and in the confinement of my bedroom is were thoughts come to me.

Who are your favorite authors and what is the genre that you like reading most?

It is extremely hard to name just one. J.K.Rowling, Dan Brown, J.R.R.Tolkien, Amish Tripathi, Agatha Christie, Mark Twain, Suzzane Collins the list is very very long! 
And likewise there is no single genre I can mention. Fantasy, Sci-Fi, crime, thrillers, murder mysteries, mythology are a few genres I would never say no to.

Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?

Having a job I'm actually comfortable with, striking the last book title in my 'To Read' list, finally deciding who my favorite super hero is and planning the release of my next big thriller! (Yea, I might've written a couple already)

Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? What is it?

Of the selected few I've read there were only a couple of 'Romance' novels I would actually rate 5/5. If there is a subject I would never write about is 'Love'. There is not much flexibility and it lacks the suspense and gore which generally I look forward into as a reader. And yes, I also don't get those cheesy lines.

How much important do you think marketing is for the success of a book?

Unless you are Mr.Tolkien Jr. Or Rowling Jr., marketing is very much needed for a book if it’s your first. It helps in the basic step every writer dreams of, announcing your arrival at the crease! It is essential if you're looking for commercial success or even if you want your book to be read, loved and recognized.

What is the message that you want to convey to the readers through your writing?

In the first book, "Six Degrees" the clear message given out by the team in our story, "The Awakening" is, "No matter how grey, evil, and cruel you are, you will be easily be defeated by peace, bravery and will.

Wonderful Ashutosh, it was fun knowing more about you!

Thank you, Preethi!

So folks, pick up his book. I personally can vouch that it is 'unputdownable' from the very first page as I am also a part of it.

Buy it from here:

Amazon.in

That is all folks....

Until next post,
Much love,

On Writing: Vani and Recession Groom

Vani is a former business journalist turned fiction writer. As a child, she loved listening to stories until she grew up and started writing her own. Her first book, ‘The Recession Groom’ is out now and she currently spends her time reading fiction and working on her second novel. She also writes blogs and columns for ‘The Huffington Post’ and ‘DailyO’. 

FOLLOW HER:

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Website 

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Author Facebookpage  

Facebookpage of The Recession Groom

Goodreadsauthor page 

Welcome to ‘On Writing’ Vani Kaushal

Thanks, Preethi.

Your debut novel “The Recession Groom” went into reprint mere weeks after it was published. What do you think makes it so popular?

I chose a contemporary theme and combined it with arranged marriages, a concept that has always piqued the curiosity of readers. While other novelists present a hard-hitting satire on our society thus commanding a more mature readership; my novel was a light-hearted take on the Indian family value system and I made every attempt to engage readers from multiple cultural backgrounds and social milieus. The novel was also positively reviewed by top newspapers of the country which I think helped its sales.

You opted to become a writer ditching lucrative day jobs though you have a management degree from Kingston University in London. Why? Do you regret your decision?

Writing is my passion and nothing gives me more pleasure than working on my stories. It was hard for me to leave the comfort of a full-time job, but I’d rather spend my life doing what I love than counting days from Monday to Saturday. No, I don’t regret my decision.

  

What kind of a writer are you? Do you plot the entire story or write it the way the story takes you?

I like to prepare a rough plot line. It gives me an idea about the research I need to do, the characters I need to build, and the method of narration that would work best. Maybe when I am a few books old, I’d be able to write my stories without plotting them.

You have toured all over India to meet the readers of your books through book launches. Which launch is memorable among all?

I travelled to nine cities for launching my book and most of these were new for me. I was really scared about going to Kolkata; it has such a thriving community of readers and writers, I wasn’t sure I’d be accepted there. To my surprise, I had three wonderful events in that city, including a very successful event at IIM Kolkata, and I made amazing friends. Most of them have been asking me to visit the city again during Durga Puja.

For that matter, I loved Trivandrum, Kochi, Bangalore, Pune, Mumbai and Surat and met some of the most wonderful people in these cities.

You are a Bharatnatyam student as well. Do tell us about the dancer Vani.

I always wanted to learn classical Indian dance. Growing up, I never got that opportunity. However, when I came back to India in 2014 from London, I decided to join a Bharatnatyam class and was placed in a batch of these four to ten-year-olds. Guess what, the leaning, jumping, bending routines that we had were so intense, I lost a lot of weight within days which gave me the initial high. Today, I cannot stay without my dance classes. Dancing clears my aura and helps me unclog my mind.

What is your favourite time to write? Any particular place that makes you more productive?

I wake up early and work through the day, getting up for lunch and tea breaks. I love to work in my bedroom. On good days, I can easily write five pages, and on my non-writing days even twenty words are a headache. When I am not writing, I’m reading books.

Is there a particular book that you have read and wished that you had written it?

I’m reading one such book. It is the most amazing book I ever read. Please read it and you’d say the same. It was released in 2004 and was an instant bestseller, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke. The only other book that has had this effect on me is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, also The Colour Purple by Alice Walker.

Are you a full-time writer? What other works are you currently working on?

Yes, I am a full-time writer. I have finished writing my sequel to The Recession Groom. There is a third one that wraps up the series.

Who are your favourite authors/ favourite books?

I am an avid reader and take inspiration from many authors like Jane Austen, J R R Tolkien, George R R Martin, Stephen King, John Grisham, J K Rowling, Dan Brown. Susanna Clarke is my new favourite. Among Indian authors, my favourites are Sudha Murthy, Ravi Subramanian, Chitra Banerjee Devkaruni and Shashi Tharoor.

What are the three tips you have for readers of this interview who are aspiring writers?

1) Read as much as you can and across genre.

2) Be disciplined about your writing. Don’t let anything disturb your writing routine.

3) Believe in yourself, work hard and never lose sight of your goal.

Thank you Vani, that was a very interesting chat. Wishing you the very best for all your future endeavors.

About her Book:

Name of the Book: THE RECESSION GROOM
Author: VANI
Publisher: Leadstart Publishing

Book Blurb:

Parshuraman Joshi, 27, handsome, Hindu-Brahmin, IT Professional, settled in Canada, earns a high figure salary.

These are credentials that would make any young man hot on the Indian wedding market, so it's no wonder that Parshuraman's family is inundated with matrimonial proposals. While so far all attempts to 'settle' him have gone kaput, he has bigger issues vexing him – such as Jennifer, his 'fireball' of a colleague, and their efforts to save Project Infinite. To top it all, as the credit crisis grips the global economy, the little world he's created for himself begins to fall apart. Will he be able to pull himself together to face the challenges posed by a tough economy? More importantly, will this Recession Groom be able to find his 'perfect partner'?

Book Trailer

Click the links below to purchase her book from:

Amazon.in: 

 Flipkart.com: 

Infibeam.com: 

Amazon Kindle: 

Amazon.com: 

Newshunt*:

Rediff.com: 

uRead.com: 

BuyBooksIndia.com: 

Crossword.in: 

Landmark: 

That is all for now folks!

Until next post,

On Writing: Shikha Kumar

Today on 'On Writing' we have the talented best selling author Shikha Kumar.

Shikha Kumar has a B-Tech degree in Computer Science from Bharati Vidyapeeth, Delhi. Professionally she’s as a Manager with top IT company. She has travelled to, and worked in different countries. She enjoys travelling, reading, writing and watching movies. 

Her first book - "He Fixed the Match, She Fixed Him" recieved huge appreciation amongst media, critics and readers. **** It will soon be adapted as major motion picture.***

Shikha is presently working on her next book. Details to be revealed soon.

Welcome to ‘On Writing’ Shikha Kumar.

Follow her: Facebook   Twitter    DailyO

  TOI Blog-Rightly Nailed    Website

Your debut novel “He fixed the match, she fixed him” is a national best seller. What according to you makes it so popular?

It feels very humble to know that you’ve managed to make a mark. I’m just doing my best in my capacity in every area possible – from writing to marketing. I think my book is being loved for its content, so everything else is working in its favor.

Your book is being made into a movie soon. Do tell us about it.

Yes, that’s dream come true for any author. I’m lucky that my angels smiled wide at me. It’s still in the infancy stage, and I’m actively looking for PR to take this news to the world. Let’s see how things turn out.

You have a regular day job as a manager with a top IT company. When do you find time to write?

Finding time is an unceasing daily battle, I hope to win each day, but still there are days I don’t write a word. So I guess it’s all credit to this shark after me to squeeze some time from the crazy schedule that keeps me going.

What kind of a writer are you? Do you plot the entire story or write it the way the story takes you?

I’m definitely the second one. I write scene by scene. I change many things to chisel story. I think my loyalty is always more with characters than story, for me their personalities drive the story.

Which part in the creation of a book do you find the most boring— writing, editing, querying, publishing or marketing?

I think editing. Not boring to be honest, but it excites the least. Making grammatical corrections, some re-writing, etc. are important aspects, but then I don’t really add value to your product. Having said that Editing is an important devil and can really take you down if not well-addressed.

 Is there any particular habit or belief or superstition that you associate with your writing process?

No really. In fact, I’m on a war against superstitions. And then with a handful of time to write, if I have quirks or superstitions, I’ll go nowhere. Having said that, I consider Thursdays lucky for me. So I prefer signing important deal or agreement on that day. Pretty much, that's it.

What other works are you currently working on?

Next book in December. And then I’m writing my third very actively. Then of course are my columns at DailyO, which I write a regular basis.

How important do you think marketing is for the success of a book?

 Unfortunately, most important. Even more important than writing a good book. To go out and convincing readers to grab a copy is the biggest battle of today’s ruthless world.

What are the three tips you have for readers of this interview who are aspiring writers?

1) Be fearless. Don’t follow trends, write what you can write the best.

2) Set a marketing budget

3) Don’t give up. Detach yourself to rejections.

Thank you Shikha. That was interesting! Wishing you the best for all your future endeavors.

Click the link below folks to buy her book.

Amazon

Flipkart

 That is all for now folks!

Until next post,

On Writing: Zeenat Mahal and Jazz Singh

Today on 'On Writing', we have the talented duo Zeenat Mahal and Jazz Singh, talking about their book 'Twice Upon a Time'.

A brief bio of my guests:

Zeenat Mahal was born in Lahore, Pakistan. She has published three novellas, and a short story with Indireads: Haveli, The Contract, She Loves Me, He Loves Me Not, The Walled City and The Accidental Fiancee. All of her books were in the TOP 100 BEST SELLING titles on Amazon, and two of them are still in the TOP 10 BEST SELLING titles. She Loves Me He Loves Me Not reached number 1 on Amazon Asia bestsellers. Her books were covered by Kitaab International, Bravebird Publishing LLC, Dear Author, The Sunday Observer, Readomania, and many bloggers and newspapers. She was also interviewed by the BBC and Sunday Observer Srilanka, among others. Her short stories have appeared in on-line literary magazines like Running out of Ink and The Missing Slate. Zeenat has a creative writing degree from London, and when she isn't writing, she's reading.

Click here to buy her books 

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Jazz Singh who lives in Delhi, India, started out by working in the fashion industry and ended up in media. Always a reader, a hidden desire to write resulted in her becoming a published author. Her stories are simply told and set in the milieu she is familiar with.

Click here to buy her books

FOLLOW JAZZ  SINGH: TWITTER AMAZON GOODREADS 

Welcome to ‘On Writing’ Zeenat Mahal and Jazz Singh!

JAZZ & ZEENAT: Thank you for hosting us. Happy to be here.

Both of you write under a pen name. Is there any reason behind that?

JAZZ: Well, I was looking for a name that would have recall. I figured Jazz is as jazzy as it gets! Initially, there was no intention of hiding behind it, but then I began to enjoy the anonymity. And I quite like it that way now.

ZEENAT: Lol. Mine was simply that I write more than one genre and readers tend to associate a certain kind of story with an author and if you, as a writer want to expand your oeuvre and write something different, they get disappointed because it’s not what they expect you to write. Look at it this way: Readers are ‘consumers’ and you can’t falsely advertise your ‘brand’ and expect them to stay loyal to it.

Do tell us about your writing journey.

JAZZ: Adiana Ray (Rapid Fall) introduced me to Naheed Hassan at Indireads who was looking for writers in the genre. Once I started writing, there was no stopping me. I fell in love with the whole process and find it’s something I enjoy immensely. My first two Only a Dream and Against All Odds are published online by Indireads.

ZEENAT: Well, it began with an old friend of mine writing to me about Indireads and how she remembered me scribbling away my first novel in school. So I wrote to Indireads with a sample of HAVELI and Naheed liked it very much. She published Haveli and The Contract in 2012. I was doing my MFA in creative writing when the two novellas were e-published.

Describe the differences in your styles of writing? I would like if you analyze each other’s style.

JAZZ: Zeenat has a more serious approach. She puts in so many details that I feel I should too in my stories. Her characters are more nuanced, her stories have many layers and there’s a nice balance between her plot and characters. Also, intentionally or unintentionally, her work is rich with social content.

ZEENAT: That sounds really wonderful, thank you Jazz. I actually always thought of Jazz as being a writer with a purpose. All her books so far have been about latent social issues. Class distinction, betrayal and forgiveness, and now Sunshine Girl in Twice Upon a Time is about materialism versus idealism. Jazz’s heroines are very modern, strong and independent women. Her heroes are practical and pragmatic. I’m a huge fan because she writes about everyday romance without frills and rainbows. That’s a difficult thing to do.

Why did you choose to compile two novellas in one book? What makes Twice upon a Time special?

JAZZ: We’d been chatting and Zeenat mooted the idea. I thought it was great. We both write furiously and love the whole process of writing and developing our stories and discussing each other’s work. This seemed like a natural progression and was born of those interactions. We decided individually which of our stories to put out there. Quite by coincidence, it turned out that both novellas are about orphans, but that’s not why we put them together in one book.

Twice upon a Time is special because it’s a labor of love! Both the stories are kinda cute if you ask me.

ZEENAT: They most certainly are! Jazz and I are both novices at self-publishing. This is our version of holding hands and jumping into unknown waters. Lol.

What kind of a writer are you? Do you plot the entire novel/story or make it up as you write?

JAZZ: I write around a theme and build the story around a central idea. Everything else comes after – the plot, the character, the setting…. Only a Dream was about betrayal, Against all Odds was about class divide.

In Twice upon a Time Aanya is an orphan. So then I asked myself: how did she get orphaned, how does she earn a living, where does she live, why and where does she meet Gaurav, what brings him back to her time and again. Her character and his, too, developed from the dialogue that I had no control over. The conversation between them took a life of its own.

ZEENAT: It’s always characters with me. Sometimes it begins with a conversation between two characters and I just start writing as they talk and then one thing leads to another. Sometimes it’s one character, and her/his thoughts and feelings that just come pouring out, like with Fardeen, in She Loves Me He Loves Me Not. It was his anger and feelings of bitterness after his accident that got me started on that story. With Yours Truly, in Twice Upon a Time, it was Zoya and Sheru’s confused feelings for each other.

Do you have a favorite place to write or a scheduled time to write every day?

JAZZ: No, not at all. I don’t have a particular spot or time for writing. I write when I get time. That can be any time and any place at home. By and large, it’s in the evening after I get home from work when dinner etc is done. When most people watch TV, I write.

ZEENAT: Sigh! I wish. My home is overrun by a six-year-old. He finds me everywhere, any time, any place. I try and get as much done as I can while he’s in school, which sounds easy doesn’t it? It’s not. Writing is a hard business and you need to be disciplined.

Apart from writing, what are your other passions?

JAZZ: Reading. Meeting friends. Travelling.

ZEENAT: I love cooking, travelling and entertaining friends and family at home.

Do share a favorite quote from your respective novellas.

An excerpt from TWICE UPON A TIME: Sunshine Girl by Jazz Singh, when Gaurav and Aanya meet for the first time.

She looked delighted at what she perceived to be a compliment but said woefully, ‘No, not a child anymore I’m afraid. I’m eighteen, almost nineteen. She squared her shoulders with pride. ‘I’m an adult now. That’s why I had to leave the orphanage.’

He groaned inwardly. A child. She may have turned eighteen and be deemed an adult officially, but she lacked the maturity for a business proposition. He was dealing with a child and she had stalled his project.

Twice Upon A Time: Yours Truly by Zeenat Mahal

‘You are not leaving me here all alone, Agha!’ Zoya exclaimed, wide brown eyes reflecting her disappointment.

Shehryar squinted against the afternoon sun. He needed to get back to his latest adventures which hinged on being seduced by the pretty girl next door and Zoya was being a pest as usual, hogging up his time.

‘Leaving you alone?’ he asked irritably.  ‘What are Baba and Moor Jan then? Decoration? I’d rather you leave me alone, though, Bambi? And while you’re at it, make it a habit will you?’

Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? What is it?

JAZZ: I can’t really answer that. But I’d say: never say never. There are some subjects that are easier than others, some that one enjoys reading and writing about, versus others that one ignores. Who knows when a mindset changes?

Zeenat: Ditto. Can’t add to perfection.

How important is marketing for the success of a book?

JAZZ: Vital. Unfortunately. It’s a pity that writers now have to be so involved with marketing their books, because most writers I know – genuine writers – would prefer to get on with what they love to do viz write and leave the marketing to those who have an aptitude and inclination for it. Some people are naturals at marketing and I’ve come to envy them.

ZEENAT: I totally agree with Jazz. Marketing is very important and how you do it even more so. I love to interact with people online. The best part for me is talking with my readers and fellow writers. I feel so blessed to have so many wonderful writers just celebrating each other and our love of reading and writing. It’s like a big support group and we tweet about each other’s books, and interviews and so on. I think that’s a sort of marketing too without having to virtually bludgeon people about our books.

What is different about your books?

JAZZ: I write romance. So there’s nothing different about that. My stories are about the world as I know it. This means there are more characters in them than most in the romance genre would have. My books are populated with interfering friends and family. This is typically the Indian way and my books are set very firmly in this milieu. Also, my stories have an urban flavor with the concerns and the attitude to life that working women have.

ZEENAT: I write sweet romance. I write what I would like to read, so my books are about Pakistani families, boys and girls falling in love forever after; Lahore; our wonderfully rich and diverse culture, our problems, our laughter, our idiosyncrasies, our history, and loads and loads of romance. Also, I like feisty, strong female leads and male leads who are tough enough to fall in love with intelligent independent women.

What are the three tips you have for readers aspiring writers?

JAZZ:  1) Write

  2) Just write

  3) Go on, just write

ZEENAT: That advice is pure gold. Follow it. Read books on writing. It helps, and I tweet a lot about the books that have helped me and other writing advice. Last, edit with a cold heart.

 Thank you, Jazz and Zeenat. That was quite interesting. Wishing you both success in all your future endeavors.

Thank you so much Preethi for having us!

I am sure, dear reader, you wish to grab their book now.

Get it here:

CLICK HERE to BUY

That is all for now folks!

Until next post,