What's in your Voice?

Did you ever wonder why a few make an impact when they speak?
A few impress us with their expressions and emotions while they speak. A few bore us with their monotone or with their plain voice without any modulation. A few speakers motivate us to take some action and they make the best impression in our lives.

Did you ever think that our voice can be our brand? Yes, it is. We attend a lot of conference calls as part of our work, we make business transactions with people talking by phone without even meeting them. We assign work, run a business and work virtually a lot. We judge people by their voices, we trust or hate them by their voices and their conversations without even seeing them. So, in this virtual world, our voice is important and it can help in creating a brand for ourselves, Agree?

Recently, I have attended a training and got to learn different elements of voice which can help create an impression on others.

The main levers of Voice are:

1. Pitch
2. Tone
3. Pace and
4. Volume

Pitch is a range in which our voice can go in between. Some voices will be deep, who can talk very clearly in low pitch (Ex: Voice of Amitab Bachan, a Bollywood actor) and some voices will be shrill and they can talk clearly even in high pitch(Ex: Voice of Sridevi, An actress). Musicians practice a lot on maintaining proper pitch which is pleasing to ears. So, this element is unique for your voice and it might be difficult to change it or improve it and needs a lot of practice.

The Tone is an expression of our voice.  We vary our tone depending on the circumstances. Our tone is different when demanding someone when compared to that while requesting. People can make out when we talk sarcastic or appreciative just by listening to our tone, right? Motivational speakers vary the tone as per the circumstances to keep the audience attentive. A flat tone may sound boring.

The Pace is the number of words pronounced per minute. When we talk fast, the audience might not catch up with us and while we use a very low pace, they might get irritated. Keeping a proper pace makes our voice interesting. Speaking with moderate pace might need concentration, but not a very difficult thing to practice.

Volume is the loudness of our voice. Our voice is there to be heard. People might not give much attention to feeble voice and a very louder voice seems arrogant and showing disrespect. So, choosing a proper volume makes the audience comfortable in grasping our thoughts.

If we think and concentrate on all the above elements, we can surely make an impact on others when we talk. These elements also allow us to understand our voice, its uniqueness and enable us to create our own brand. Agree? Let me know your thoughts on this topic, I am all ears :-)

Until next time,

Image courtesy: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Your_voice_Matters_logo.jpg

Coke by Barun Chanda - Release day Blitz

Here comes the release day for the thriller novel from Barun Chanda.

Book details:
Title: Coke
Author: Barun Chanda
Genre: thriller

About the Book:

“Can you help me, please?”

Pradipta wheeled around.

Standing behind was an unusually attractive lady. She wore a dark blue, chiffon saree which set off her fair complexion even more. Other than a thin gold chain with a tear-drop pearl pendant on her neck, she wore no jewelery. Her lips were pale pink, with no lipstick. Only the dark make-up on her eyes made her look even more unfathomable.

 “You’re talking to me?”

Thus begins Coke, with this chance encounter at Kathmandu airport. But the plot thickens when the lady requests him to include her suitcase as part of his checked in baggage and then does a vanishing act, once the aircraft lands in Calcutta. What follows is a riveting page-turner, replete with unexpected twists as you encounter gangs warring over narcotics, policemen, functionaries, and a sinister master-mind who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. The furiously paced narrative takes you from the sleepy airport of Kathmandu to the packed streets of Calcutta, a mysterious mansion on the outskirts of town and an unforgettable chase-sequence through New Market.

From the author of the acclaimed Bengali novels ‘Kidnap’, ‘Shaaper Jhaanpi’ and ‘Robibar’ comes a high-octane thriller that’s seriously addictive and keeps you hooked till the end.



Read an Excerpt:


At the first ring, Rustam picked up his mobile. It showed Bob’s number on the screen. He put the mobile to his ear and listened.

“I’m speaking from the loo…there’s news for you.”

“Why from the toilet?”

“Because no other place in the house is safe to talk to you,” Bob whispered back.

“When can we meet, then?”

“In the evening, after my duty’s over.”

“Didn’t you say you have day-night duties from now on?”

“They are letting me go for now in the evenings. But not at your place. It’s too risky.”

“Okay. So, where and when?”

“Hello, someone seems to be knocking at the door.”

The phone call ended with the roar of the flushing toilet.



At eight-thirty sharp, Rustam met Bob at Girish Park.

“Why didn’t you get in touch with me the last three days?”

Rustam looked sharply at Bob.

“There were problems.” Bob let out a thick cloud of cigarette smoke.

“It’s getting increasingly risky to come out and meet you like this.”

Though they stood in close proximity, their faces looked away in diametrically opposite directions. Unless you looked carefully, it was difficult to make out they were actually talking to each other.

Rustam idly looked at the snarling evening traffic, his hands on the railing of the park.

“So, what’s the news?”

On a bench inside the park, a young couple took advantage of the darkness to get cozy with each other. Bob simply couldn’t take his eyes off them.

“The red suitcase…” 

Bob’s voice trailed off as his eyes were riveted on the frenetic activities of the couple on the bench, their bodies wrapped under a shawl. 

“Yes, what about the red suitcase?”

Rustam cast one sharp glance at Bob, before looking away.

“I know where it is.”

Bob’s face got hidden in a cloud of smoke.

“Good.” Rustam’s voice sounded relieved. “In which room?”

“Upstairs, in boss’s bed room.”

“What makes you so sure?” Rustam’s eyes narrowed as he watched Bob’s face intently. For some inexplicable reason, he had never been able to fully trust Bob right from the beginning.

“One of the middle rooms on the first floor…was kept under lock and key all this while.”

Bob’s eyes were still very much on the couple on the bench.

“Bob…why aren’t you saying anything?”

Rustam’s voice sounded impatient.

The couple’s bodies were locked in a tight clinch under the shawl.

“Bob?”

“I saw one of the sentries take the suitcase away from the middle room to boss’s bedroom.”

Rustam kept his eyes on the Central Avenue. A traffic jam was forming near the crossing, adjacent to the park. An eccentric man, with a wooden stick in his hand, was trying to regulate the traffic, in the process, making things much worse for everyone.

“Did you get to see where he hid it inside the bed room?”

“No.”

Bob watched fascinated what the couple was doing on the bench, underneath the shawl.

“Niyogi shut the door after entering boss’s bed room.”

For a while both stood facing away from each other, in silence.

At long last, a cop appeared on the road and was seen trying to control the traffic. Inside the park, the couple was still locked in a tight embrace. Bob puffed at his cigarette and blew another cloud of smoke from his mouth. Rustam fanned with his hand irritably, trying hard to keep the smoke away from his face.

“Anything else?”

“Yes, there is.”

Bob looked directly at Rustam for the first time in the evening.

“I think Harry is going out of town very shortly.”

“Outside Calcutta, or outside India?”

“How should I know that?” Bob answered irritably.

“Somebody came from a travel agency with a sealed envelope. I signed and received it.”

The traffic at the crossing had eased by now. The couple on the bench sat still, exhausted.

Rustam noticed Bob smiling at them. 

“What are you smiling at?”

“Nothing.”

 Bob took one last puff from the cigarette, flicked the butt end casually towards the footpath and walked away. After a while Rustam came and sat at the bench in the park.   The couple got up from the bench and walked away, each in a different direction. Rustam watched them leave, took out the mobile from his pocket and started speaking into it in a low voice.





About the Author:

In so far as the pursuit of any true vocation is a life in itself, Barun Chanda – advertising guru, actor and writer, may be said to have had three. Born in Dhaka, he did his Masters in English at Jadavpur University. Following a brief stint as a lecturer in English, he embarked upon a career in the creative department of advertising that spanned more than 30 years, won him numerous awards and culminated in his tenure as Creative Director at Clarion McCann.

Acting occupies the second of his three worlds. In 1971, he scorched the big screen as a high-flying executive, playing the protagonist in Satyajit Ray’s ‘Seemabaddha’, and winning a special President of India Award for his performance. After a hiatus that lasted over two decades, he returned to the screen during the 90’s, and has since then acted in numerous TV series and more than 35 movies. Tackling Bollywood and Tollywood roles with equal aplomb, he has distinguished himself in films such as Lootera, Roy, Chotushkone, Aborto, MIshor Rohoshyo, Nayanchampa-r Dinraatri , Bela Sheshe and Jogajog. Chorabaali, where where once again he plays the protagonist, is his latest venture.

Barun’s third passion is writing. A regular film reviewer and contributor of articles to major dailies, in the last eight years he has published four highly acclaimed and successful novels in Bengali. His work has played a major role in establishing the adult thriller genre in Bengali literature.

Coke is his first novel in English.

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Until next time,

Dussehra celebration in Telugu household

This post may contain affiliate links, clicking on those links may earn some commission to us without any additional cost to you.

Welcome to the festival season! Today is an auspicious day in Telangana as it is the starting day of Bathukamma festival. In October month, we have 2 more festivals coming up - Dussehra and Deepavali.

Dussehra festival is celebrated for 9 days.

Significance of Dussehra:
There are many stories about the significance of Dussehra celebration. One being the victory of good over evil. Goddess Durga fought with a demon Mahishasura for all these 9 days and killed him on Vijaya Dasami. There is also a legend that Rama fought with Ravana and killed him on Vijaya Dasami.

Celebration: We celebrate this festival for 9 days by performing puja to Goddess Durga in 9 forms. We offer different prasadams on each day and perform pooja. Many women read Lalitha Sahasra namam and do kumkuma Archana in the evenings.

Day	Avatara	Naivedyam (Offering)
1	Balatripura Sundari Devi	Salt pongal and Chickpeas
2	Gayatri Devi	Pulihora (Lemon/ tamarind rice)
3	Annapurna Devi	Kobbari annam (Coconut rice)
4	Lalita Tripura Sundari Devi	Allam Garelu (wada flavoured with Ginger)
5	Saraswati Devi	Dadhojanam (Curd rice)
6	Maha Lakshmi Devi	Ravva Kesari (sweet prepared with Bombay rava)
7	Sri Durga Devi	Kadambam (Vegetable rice/ Pulav )
8	Mahishasura Mardhini	Bellam annam (Jaggery rice/ Jaggery Pongal)
9	Sri RajaRajeswari Devi	Paramannam (Kheer/ Payasam)

Other than the puja, we also do Ayudha puja on the 9th day of Navaratri, which means, we perform pooja to machines, instruments, weapons and vehicles. Pooja is done for books and musical instruments also on that day.

Here are some books to explain Dussehra to Kids:

 Another important celebration is Boomala koluvu. Many idols of different colours and idols of Gods and Goddesses are arranged in a hierarchical way. Hosts arrange small gathering and invite girls and women. During this festival, a few also perform puja to small girls treating them as Goddess Durga and offer them bangles and flowers.

Here are some home decor items for the festival season!

5 piece Marigold garlands

Indian Background decor

Goddess Durga Face cutout

Rangoli Floor decor

So, this is how we celebrate Dassehra in our household. I hope, this Dussehra brings health and happiness in your households.

Until next time,

Coke by Barun Chanda - Cover reveal

I will introduce you to a #thriller Coke today. This is from an acclaimed Bengali novelist Barun Chanda.

About the book:

“Can you help me, please?”

Pradipta wheeled around.

Standing behind was an unusually attractive lady. She wore a dark blue, chiffon saree which set off her fair complexion even more. Other than a thin gold chain with a tear-drop pearl pendant on her neck, she wore no jewelery. Her lips were pale pink, with no lipstick. Only the dark make-up on her eyes made her look even more unfathomable.

 “You’re talking to me?”

Thus begins Coke, with this chance encounter at Kathmandu airport. But the plot thickens when the lady requests him to include her suitcase as part of his checked in baggage and then does a vanishing act, once the aircraft lands in Calcutta. What follows is a riveting page-turner, replete with unexpected twists as you encounter gangs warring over narcotics, policemen, functionaries, and a sinister master-mind who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. The furiously paced narrative takes you from the sleepy airport of Kathmandu to the packed streets of Calcutta, a mysterious mansion on the outskirts of town and an unforgettable chase-sequence through New Market.

From the author of the acclaimed Bengali novels ‘Kidnap’, ‘Shaaper Jhaanpi’ and ‘Robibar’ comes a high-octane thriller that’s seriously addictive and keeps you hooked till the end.

About the Author:

In so far as the pursuit of any true vocation is a life in itself, Barun Chanda – advertising guru, actor and writer, may be said to have had three. Born in Dhaka, he did his Masters in English at Jadavpur University. Following a brief stint as a lecturer in English, he embarked upon a career in the creative department of advertising that spanned more than 30 years, won him numerous awards and culminated in his tenure as Creative Director at Clarion McCann.

Acting occupies the second of his three worlds. In 1971, he scorched the big screen as a high-flying executive, playing the protagonist in Satyajit Ray’s ‘Seemabaddha’, and winning a special President of India Award for his performance. After a hiatus that lasted over two decades, he returned to the screen during the 90’s, and has since then acted in numerous TV series and more than 35 movies. Tackling Bollywood and Tollywood roles with equal aplomb, he has distinguished himself in films such as Lootera, Roy, Chotushkone, Aborto, MIshor Rohoshyo, Nayanchampa-r Dinraatri , Bela Sheshe and Jogajog. Chorabaali, where where once again he plays the protagonist, is his latest venture.

Barun’s third passion is writing. A regular film reviewer and contributor of articles to major dailies, in the last eight years he has published four highly acclaimed and successful novels in Bengali. His work has played a major role in establishing the adult thriller genre in Bengali literature.

Coke is his first novel in English.

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Until next time,

First brush on the Canvas - Anthology - Book Blitz

Here is an anthology comprising of selected stories by writersmelon.com in today's book spot light. #Anthology #Melonade #Shortstories

About the Book:

Graham, Daniel, their friendship, life and death.

Vampires, guardians' adventures at night. Coffee, love and a new couple. Imli and her mother in a complex web of darkness. A small town girl confused about virginity. Michael Jaikishen and his writing endeavours. Child adoption by a gay couple. Mahabharat - a modern tale in an epic form. The spine-chilling tale of Tina and Uncle Joe. A juicy love story by our guest author Sujata Parashar. These and many other unputdownable stories in this book.


First Brush on the Canvas is an anthology comprising selected stories from Melonade (2014), a nationwide writing marathon organized by Writersmelon.com.


Goodreads * Amazon

Melonade Authors’ Intro:

Uttiya Roy – Nourished with Bangla literature, he aspires to change the world someday writing in English. His days pass blending Life Science textbooks with poetry. 

Upasana Bhattacharjee – We catch ‘em as young as they get! Our youngest writer is still a student, but that doesn’t reflect in the matured story she’s written dealing with inconclusive logics and paradoxes. 

Stuti Chandra – She writes because she’s alive. This lovely lady is from Patna and has dipped her nose in English Literature at Delhi. 

Shaily Bhargava – A photographer, a logophile and an Equity Technical Analyst – all in one. She reads and writes in Noida, accompanied by beautiful clicks through her lens and lots of Coffee. 

Arunav Chowdhury – Have you met this Proletariat Axomiya before? He’s a movie buff and a news junkie rolled into one, who writes wonderful modern takes on the age old Mahabharat. 

Rafaa Dalvi – A Mumbaikar, an engineer, a blogger and a prolific writer. He’s already made his presence in three anthologies and likes to experiment with different genre. 

Diptee Raut – A quilter, a blogger, a quirky mom, an amazing writer and our co-winner of Melonade’4. She’s one bundle of positive energy who can spin stories and weave quilts simultaneously. 

Abhishek Mukherjee – Have you read his blog posts yet? Though he likes to believe he’s only a Cricket Historian, you have to read his humorous takes on Mythology to believe he’s the best. 

Anwesha Ray – An amazingly sensitive writer, she lives and works in Bangalore with her family. 

Avishek Basu Mallick – He’s the winner of Melonade’4. If you wish to laud him for more, he’s an engineer and an MBA, working in Bangalore and a featured writer on Sportskeeda.

Arijit Ghose – Blend Carnatic music with exceptional satire and the result is Arijit Ghose. Cheeky, expressive and vocal – we hope he becomes a great writer someday. 

Amit Nangia – For those working in MNCs for years, he’s your inspiration. Amit’s first novel has just released after facing many rejections, but that didn’t deter him from writing. Climbing the rocks, gliding in a parachute, bungee jumping or making cocktails; nothing could elevate his spirits as much as writing did.

Tnahsin Garg - Tnahsin often exercises his freedom by convincing other folks that ‘free will’ does not exist. His first novel ‘The Prophecy of Trivine’ is a science-fiction based in India.

Sujata Parashar – Author of the immensely popular ‘In Pursuit Of’ trilogy, and a wonderful poet. She contributes articles to various websites and magazines and is a social activist. She’s a guest author in the book. 

Until next time,

Prismatic by Sarah Elle Emm - [Book Review]

Here is my first sci-fi novel review and it's the first book in Harmony run series. I don't usually like Sci-fi  books due to many reasons and this is the first #dystopian novel that I am reviewing too.

Prismatic by Sarah is a story set in future. An imaginative attempt on how it would be getting ruled by some ruthless and cruel President who hates mixed races. This is the story of the youth who doesn't want to live in oppression but plan intelligently and fight for their freedom.

Book details:
Title: Prismatic
Author: Sarah Elle Emm
Genre: Young Adult, dystopian, Sci-fi
Publisher: Winter Goose publishing May 2012
Series: Harmony Run #1

Blurb:
Rare glimpses of birds are the only reminder of the freedoms Rain Hawkins once had. Now segregated into a mixed-race zone within the United Zones of the Authority, under tyrannical rule of President Nicks, Rain is forced to endure the bleak conditions set upon her. The possibility of a way out arises when Rain discovers an organized resistance called The Freedom Front, and learns that she, along with many other multi-racial people, has special abilities. Determined to overcome her situation, Rain sets out on a mission with the resistance that will fill her life with wonder, romance, and the undying hope for a better world.

Goodreads I Amazon

My Review:
As blurb mentions, in 2050, USA elects their new president Nicks, who segregates whole nation into zones based on races. She hates the mixed race and so, those were deprived of basic human rights. The worst part is that they have to work hard even to get good fruits and vegetables to eat and they are not allowed to marry and have children. Every small resistance is punished severely and they were cut off to the outside world.

Rain is a teenage girl who moved with her family to mixed race zone along with his brother Daktari. She joins the group of friends Zi, Zabari, Cole and Marcello. Story is about this group of teenagers planning a dangerous mission risking their lives and believing in their powers fighting for their freedom.

What I liked?
This plot itself  is interesting to me as it is different than a usual story.  It requires more imagination while reading as it is set in future and story talks about transporters, different skills like reading people's minds, healing by hand with thoughts, creating images on the fly etc., Subtle romance between Jabari and Rain is good in the perspective of a teenager.

Characterization is very good. The story shows real emotions even though most of the plot seems imaginative. I liked Rain's character the most, her spirit and her protectiveness towards her brother are very realistic.

Excerpt that i liked :-)

What I didn't like?
It gets boring when we reach the middle of the story. It might be because I didn't enjoy this genre as much as I used to enjoy other types. The story is about plans, revolution, execution etc., which is boring.
Other than that, there is nothing much negative about it.

I had one question in my mind - How Nicks could inspire the whole nation and get elected so easily and why she hates the mixed race that much? Not sure, if it's covered on the next books in the series.

My Rating: 3/5
I would recommend this to teenage readers and fans of Young Adult and dystopian genres.

About the Author:

Sarah Elle Emm is the author of the HARMONY RUN SERIES, a young-adult fantasy and dystopian series, released in May 2012 by Winter Goose Publishing. (PRISMATIC, May 2012, OPALESCENT, February 2013, CHATOYANT, September 2014, NACREOUS, August 2015) Her debut fiction novel, MARRYING MISSY, was published by Bird Brain Publishing in October 2011. Sarah is a graduate of The University of Evansville, she has lived and worked in Mexico, Germany, England, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and has traveled extensively beyond. Sarah lives in Naples, Florida with her family. When she’s not walking the plank of her daughters’ imaginary pirate ship or snapping photos of Southwest Florida scenery, she is writing.

Stalk the Author:
Website I Facebook I Twitter I Goodreads I Amazon Author Page


Until next time,

PS: Received the free review copy from the author via book r3vi3 tours and this is my honest opinion on this book.

Gratitude list - Sep 2015

I am loving this post and waiting to write my gratitude list every month :-)
So, getting habituated to recognize every small thing in my life that I am grateful for.

Quickly going to my gratitude list.. It's a small list.

1. Happy for being a mother. I realized, we shouldn't take anything for granted and I feel grateful to God to be blessed with healthy, happy kids who make my life bright and worth living.

2. Contributed one article for the great initiative by Vidya Suri for 'Collecting smiles' ebook. Yet to be launched in amazon.com.. waiting :-)

3. I am better balanced this month and learned to leave tension and stop worrying about past/ future. #Lifemantra for this month is Enjoy present :-)

4. Back to book reviews after some gap and could review 3 books this month.

5. Could spend some good amount of time with my son on crafts and other fun. We both enjoyed for sure..

6. Hey! this is the last day of September challenge. How fun it was! I published a post on every weekday, visited many blogs, read and commented on many blogs and learned a lot from blogger friends :-)

Until next time,

Linking this post to Gratitude circle hosted by Corinne and Vidya Suri.
Image courtesy: Creative commerce license image flickr search. 

Devilish laugh in the night

Shruthi slept quickly after finishing her favourite novel. She is habituated to live alone in her 2 bedroom flat after she got a job and moved to her dream city.

Exactly at 2 a.m she woke up suddenly by the devilish laugh. She tiptoed to every room switching on each light and searching for the source of that haunting voice. That sound stopped suddenly. She couldn't sleep for an hour being afraid.

When she is thinking about it deeply in the morning, her maid was leaving after cleaning the house.
Again that devilish laugh reverberated in the room from the kitchen and maid was relieved while leaving the house, "Amma, forgot my mobile yesterday in the kitchen and was worrying if I lost it!"

Shruthi is now scolding herself for her fear last night, thinking of the horrible ringtone of her maid's mobile.

Until next time,

Prismatic by Sarah Elle Emm - [Book Spot Light]

Today's book spot light is on a scientific fiction. The story is set in future around 2050, where USA is ruled by their new president Elizabeth Nicks who hates people born from mixed races. She divides US citizens and sends them to different zones and controls everyone. Read this book to know more on this Young Adult/ dystopian novel, which is the first part of harmony series.

Book Blurb:

Rare glimpses of birds are the only reminder of the freedoms Rain Hawkins once had. Now segregated into a mixed-race zone within the United Zones of the Authority, under tyrannical rule of President Nicks, Rain is forced to endure the bleak conditions set upon her. The possibility of a way out arises when Rain discovers an organized resistance called The Freedom Front, and learns that she, along with many other multi-racial people, has special abilities. Determined to overcome her situation, Rain sets out on a mission with the resistance that will fill her life with wonder, romance, and the undying hope for a better world.

Goodreads I Amazon

About the Author:

Sarah Elle Emm is the author of the HARMONY RUN SERIES, a young-adult fantasy and dystopian series, released in May 2012 by Winter Goose Publishing. (PRISMATIC, May 2012, OPALESCENT, February 2013, CHATOYANT, September 2014, NACREOUS, August 2015) Her debut fiction novel, MARRYING MISSY, was published by Bird Brain Publishing in October 2011. Sarah is a graduate of The University of Evansville, she has lived and worked in Mexico, Germany, England, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and has traveled extensively beyond. Sarah lives in Naples, Florida with her family. When she’s not walking the plank of her daughters’ imaginary pirate ship or snapping photos of Southwest Florida scenery, she is writing.

Stalk the Author:
Website I Facebook I Twitter I Goodreads I Amazon Author Page

Giveaway:

-                                 1 Winner will get a $10 Amazon GC

-                                 1 Winner will get Signed Copies of all the 4 Books in                       the Harmony Run Series

3                     3 Winners will get One Signed Copy of a book of their choice from the Harmony Run                       Series

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Until next time,

The First Life of Vikram Roy by Laxmi Hariharan - Release day Blitz

This is about the launch of #dystopian novel "The first life of Vikram Roy" by Laxmi Hariharan.
Have you read any of the earlier books in Ruby Iyer series? This is 2015 reader's Favourite YoungAdult fiction.

So read more about the book in Ruby Iyer series and also participate in GiveAway!

#dystopia #YoungAdult #Fiction

About the Book:

His family is being held to ransom by a deadly mastermind. 

Vikram never should have left his family, but when Vikram's father brings his half-brother Vishal home, life will never be the same. Vikram thinks things will be better now that he's gone. He's met the love of his life, his future looks bright and then everything is shattered. Now, his family's life is hanging in the balance, and only Vikram can do what needs to be done to save them. From the bestselling dystopian fiction author with over 200 reviews and ratings of her dystopia books across Goodreads, Amazon and other retailers. 

If you’re looking for books like Hunger Games, then this dystopia romance series, The Ruby Iyer Series is it.

Book Links:

Goodreads I Amazon

An exclusive excerpt and GIVEAWAY from The First Life of Vikram Roy

The Ruby Iyer Series—by Laxmi Hariharan

I hear the staccato of shots being fired, followed by yells and howls of pain. Then, the sound of something being smashed and everything goes quiet. The TV no longer chatters. I look to the open door. The recreation room is down at the end of the corridor. The sounds of shots get closer. Without giving myself a chance to think I make a run for the door slam it shut, lock it and it’s as if that’s a signal to the rest of the men to jump to their feet. Without a word, the ten of us scram to our bunks, pull on trousers and shoes.We get our hands on whatever weapon we can find. No guns, none of us have guns. So I grab my cricket bat. (As if that’s going to make a difference?)

 Around me the others too are grabbing cricket bats and hockey sticks. Neil grabs an iron rod. An iron rod? Where did he get that from?  We drop to the floor, crouch and wait. 

Should I hide under the bed? Nope, no way. Like, that is going to help. 

And then a crash as the door is broken down, hacked by what looks like an axe till it’s in pieces on the floor and through it step through two men. One holding a machine gun, the other wielding an axe which he drops to the floor and instead grabs the the gun slung over his back. They are both wearing balaclavas, so we can’t see their features. Of medium height, they are muscular and dressed all in black: Black jeans and sweatshirts, their hair covered by the hoods. Their backs are to the door. They point their guns at us, signalling to us to put our hands up. I hesitate, not looking around but sense that the others too are not sure what to do. The first gunman points his gun at the nearest recruit … a boy just out of his teens and shoots him in the head. 

There is a collective gasp from the room. A chill runs through me. Who are they? How did they break through the security measures of the force base? And then they are foolish enough to barge right into the heart of the training facilities of the force and shoot its cadets? Why? Why would they do that? The gunmen gesture to us and this time we follow their orders. We walk to the wall at the back of the bunkhouse and line up, hands on our heads, staring ahead.

An alarm rings out then. Finally! It’s been almost ten minutes since the shooting started. Still, the reinforcements should be here soon. Now all we need to do is keep these gun men distracted enough so they don’t kill us. As if reading my mind, the guy who’d shot the young recruit moves forward, his gun trained on us. I draw in a breath and hold it. The sweat trickles down my back. My heart is racing so fast I am sure if I look down I can see it leaping out of my chest. The gunman passes me, walks to the end of the line; then back to the middle where I am. 

"You have no idea what this is about do you?" He asks.

He sounds young, as if he is barely a man himself. And something in his voice … muffled as it is, it sounds familiar. A faint recollection  grabs the edge of my mind, And then I forget everything because he leans close to Neil who is next to me, and smashes the butt of his gun into his stomach. Neil falls to the ground, moaning, holding his middle. I firm up my stomach muscles. I know I am next, I must be. I want to squeeze my eyes shut, but don’t. The gunman leans to the other side, and shoots another man in the head. 

This chap collapses without a cry. What the fuck? I want to jump him right then, but that would be really stupid of me. I am not going to help anyone if I get killed will I? There are six of us left in the room now. One of the younger recruits lets out a sob, at which gunman no 2 holds his gun at him, so he shuts up immediately.

The gunman asks me, "Where are the plans?’

"What are you talking about?" I reply, trying to stay calm, struggling not to show how scared I am inside. 

He only grins and in response, and without taking his eyes off me, holds his gun up and I know what what he is going to do and I scream. "No!" But it’s too late. This time he’s shot two more guys in succession. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. These guys are desperate, or crazy or both. 

Besides me Neil stirs on the ground.  

The gunman takes a deep breathe, as if trying to calm himself and says, "Don’t pretend to be dumb. If you don’t get me the blue prints of the security arrangements being planned by the force for Bombay; the one that you and your team mates are being trained for, then all the rest of you die too."

Only six of us left now. Four young lives, gone just like that. I feel sick. What the fuck are these guys upto? And … and how do they know about the plans? This is top secret. The only reason I know about it, is because I’ve overheard the training officer speaking with the ACP about it on the phone last week. And only because I happened to be waiting outside his room then. And how does this gunman even know that I know the details?

Want to find out what
happens next? Clickhere

About the origins of Ruby Iyer:

Growing up in Bombay, my daily commute to university was inevitably nightmarish. It's just how public transport is here. The man behind you on the bus will brush up against you. You know you are going to be felt up on a crowded train platform. All you can do is accept it and get on. Or so you think. I did too, until, a

young photojournalist was raped in the centre of Bombay in broad daylight.  It made me furious. Nothing had changed in this city in all these years. Then, I had a vision of this young girl who would

not back down; who would follow her instincts, stand up for herself regardless of consequences. Thus, Ruby Iyer was born. Make no mistake, Ruby’s her own person. She leads. I follow. You can

download the RUBY IYER DIARIES, the prequel novelette in the series free HERE.

About The Many Lives of Ruby Iyer

2015 Readers' Favorite (Bronze) YA Action

 YA
Finalist 2015 IAN Book of the Year Award

Finalist 9th Annual Indie Excellence Awards
When her best friend is kidnapped, Ruby will stop at nothing to rescue him. 

Criminals run the streets of Bombay. Jam-packed

with the worst degenerates. The city is a shell of the pride and joy it used to be. Ruby knows something must be done, but it isn’t until her best friend is kidnapped by the despotic DrBraganza that she knows that she and she alone must save city, save her best

friend, save the world from total destruction. Armed only with Vikram, a cop-turned-rogue they are about to embark on a road they may never return from. If you’re looking for fast-paced books

like Hunger Games or dystopia fiction like Angelfall, the Ruby Iyer series is perfect for you. 

DOING MY BIT

All SEPTEMBER earnings
from the RUBY IYER SERIES will be donated to SAVE THE CHILDREN: SUPPORT
CHILD REFUGEES OF SYRIA. All the RUBY IYER books with their brand new
covers, are on SALE all this month at 99p/c & Rs 69/49. Click HERE to buy them. 



YOU can also donate to SAVE THE
CHILDREN directly HERE 

About the Author:

She almost died. But when dystopia romance author Laxmi Hariharan had a near death experience, she was told to write. Laxmi is the creator of dystopian romance series, RUBY IYER SERIES (The MANY LIVES OF VIKRAM ROY - FINALIST Indie Excellence Awards, the bestselling The RUBY IYER DIARIES , The FIRST LIFE OF VIKRAM ROY, The SECOND LIFE OF RUBY IYER & VIKRAM ROY, PANKY's FIRST LIFE), and the Amazon bestselling, eLit Gold winner, The Destiny of Shaitan (Bombay Chronicles, 1). If you're looking for books like Divergent and Angelfall, you'll love the RUBY IYER SERIES.

Laxmi writes books similar to Hunger Games while listening to electronica & progressive rock, and downing innumerable cups of extra sweet ginger-chai. She is also an avid photographer of street art and believes she was a tree -- a redwood -- in her past life. London is where she creates. Bombay is what fires her imagination.

Receive a free copy of THE RUBY IYER DIARIES when you sign up to her Newsletter 

GIVEAWAY

The First Life of Vikram Roy, The THIRD book in the RUBY IYER Series, launches this month. To celebrate the launch of the FIRST LIFE OF VIKRAM ROY I am giving away a $30 gift card. Winner will be drawn, Oct 1, 2015, and announced in my next newsletter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Until next time,