DELAYED MONSOON BOOK GIVEAWAY

Title :Delayed Monsoon

Author : Chitralekha Paul
Publisher: Cedar Books - Pustak Mahal (2011)

About The Book

After a prolonged dry spell, dark clouds loom over the horizon. The rain drops hit the parched earth with a vengeance…..the aroma of soaked mud fills the air. A sense of rejuvenation spreads around, as new life springs out, transforming the barren landscape into a thriving oasis. Abhilasha, the mother of a grown up girl felt the same when she finally meets the love she had longed for. A union in the most unusual of circumstances and in the most unusual of places –the internet. Abhilasha was caught in a dilemma whether to listen to her mind or to follow the beats of her heart.

       But this conflict served as an impetus which pushed her to a new height. Going through an emotional roller-coaster, finally she reached a stage where her passion turned into compassion, the most powerful form of love, where all conflicts appear trivial, finding their way into a harmonious homogeneity. In this new scenario none of her loved ones was left behind. A strong conviction bonded and inspired everyone to undertake life’s journey where the rough edges were smoothened by the healing touch of love.    

        A story woven around the life of an Air Force officer’s wife with a glimpse into what goes on behind the closed gates, guarded by vigilant men in uniform. An insight into the life of Abhilasha and her dilemmas, the seemingly ordinary incidents but  which are interwoven into a complex puzzle that she must solve.

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DELAYED MONSOON BOOK GIVEAWAY

We have 4 copies of this novel to be given away.

This giveaway will consist of two questions in all.

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Time for Question 2

Fill in the blank  "Her loneliness draws her towards the ..........." 

To locate the answer, read the book review given below.

Send your Full Name & Answer to bookreaderslounge@yahoo.com

Contest begins Aug 15, 10am & ends on Aug 18, 10am

BOOK REVIEW (Courtesy -  Tribune India)

THE way to a woman’s heart is, well, through her heart. You can shower her with gifts, get her the moon and do all that you can think of and more and still be nowhere close to her heart. This eternal mystery has a simpler solution. Listen to her, hold her hand, lend her your shoulder to cry on and love her and truly mean it. It will probably win you more brownie points than all the riches in the world put together. 

Delayed Monsoon is the debut novel of Chitralekha, wife of an ex-Air Force officer. Her academic particulars are impressive; she holds a Post-graduate degree in Philosophy and has also done her LLB from Calcutta University. She has also taught at various educational institutions before pursuing Law. She is a member of Supreme Court Bar Association and practices in Delhi. Her foray into writing is another feather in her cap. Her writing is simple and but not devoid of depth.

Abhilasha, the central character of Delayed Monsoon, is a very real person, just like you and me or at least someone we know. Her life is plain and ordinary but the choices that she makes are not. She rises above the mundane, follows her heart and finds peace. For some her sense of loyalty may seem skewed but life is not black and white, it encompasses the various shades in between with aplomb. Her loneliness draws her towards the internet, a medium she had known nothing about previously. It is there that she finds companionship. Though it seems an unlikely place, she strikes up friendships that mean something in her otherwise empty life. She learns to deal with the fleeting nature of certain relationships. It also teaches her that there is no point in brooding over things that can’t be undone. She finds love in all its variants and cherishes it.

The book gives one an insight into the life of an Air Force officer. It is not for those who shy away from change; nor for those who hanker for stability. On one hand there is the romanticism of new places and newer avenues opening up with each posting, but on the other hand it also means leaving behind good friends and shaking up a routine. In Abhilasha’s story, spanning three generations, there is but one constant – the bonding of mother and daughter. When people are faced with dire circumstances there are always choices to be made. The choices that you make define you. You can let the negativity drown you or you can emerge a winner by channelling all you have and turning it into a success. Abhilasha takes the road she feels makes her life easier and worthwhile. She has a spirit that is not easily defeated and finds her hope in the happiness of others.

The author tells her story without judging Abhilasha for the choices she makes and doesn’t necessarily defend her. She keeps her characters rooted in reality; neither singing paeans for Abhilasha nor painting the husband as a totally negative character. The only thing that grates is the inclusion of many sub-plots that seem out-of-sync. At times it feels more like reading a blog.

Correct Answer for Question 2 is Internet

WINNERS FOR QUESTION 2 ARE ANJIT SHARMA & SONIA SAFRI

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Time for Question 1

Who was the friendly looking guy with a warm smile?

To locate the answer, read the excerpt from the book given below.

Send your Full Name & Answer to bookreaderslounge@yahoo.com

Contest begins Aug 04, 11pm & ends on Aug 08, 11pm

EXCERPT:

It was altogether a different story now. Abhilasha started coming out of
the cold aloofness which had become her second nature, while for Arvind,
it was like ‘fiddle found a melody’. He was in love with his life again.
With their growing intimacy, came the desire to meet each other. And at last
it materialised when they fixed a date for meeting. The long awaited day
came. A sleepless night of nervous apprehension, culminated at dawn, as
Abhilasha could no longer lie down. While there was much excitement at the
prospect of meeting him but the possibility of a probable mismatch between
the real Arvind and the virtual one, loomed large on her mind, making her
feel nervous.
 
She dressed up in a casual yet elegant way. Bugged by middle age
syndrome, Abhilasha took extra care to look attractive. She started off
from home well in time. Reaching his place, she paused for a while, before
pressing the door bell. Her heart pounded against her ribs and sweat beads
appeared on her forehead, even in that cold winter morning. She could hear
some foot steps approaching the door from the opposite side, which were
followed by a metallic sound, as the latch was lifted off the catch. The
tension was unbearable now, as she saw the door opening slowly. And
there he was! A friendly looking guy with a warm smile. He was not exactly
handsome but still looked pleasant.
“Abhilasha ?” the man enquired.
“Yes," she nodded.
“Hi …this is Arvind,” he extended his hand for a handshake.

If you liked what you just read, then click here to read more - DOC

Correct Answer for Question 1 is Arvind

WINNERS FOR QUESTION 1 ARE POOJA SHARMA RAO & DEBOLINA RAJA GUPTA

THUNDER DEMONS BY DIPIKA MUKHERJEE

Title : Thunder Demons

Author : Dipika Mukherjee

Publisher: Gyaana Books 

Genre: Literary

 

About The Book: 

Set against the backdrop of conflicting cultures, political turbulence, and a deep sense of belonging to the contradictions that form Malaysia, Agni is struggling to comprehend her relationship with the land she calls home. Abhik - her childhood friend and new lover, is supportive of her quest to unbolt dark secrets from her past about her mother's death, but the only man who can answer her questions is Jay Ghosh - for he still wears her mother's demon's teeth around his neck. Jay had been there with Shanti the evening she died. When Jay lands in Malaysia after thirty years - summoned by Colonel S, his mentor and father figure - Jay realises, as does Agni, that nothing is as it seems. Each must fight larger demons, for there are greater things at stake.

 

Facebook :

Join the publisher's group

 

On The Web:

Official Website 

Further Details on - www.gyaanabooks.com

Reviews:

'With astonishing honesty, Dipika Mukherjee's 'Thunder Demons' exposes modern Malaysia's ugliest secrets in a page-turner of a tale about loyalty, love, family, memory, and the role of politics in the lives of ordinary human beings. This book will open the eyes of non-Malaysians and break the hearts of Malaysians by forcing us to confront what our country has become.' -- Preeta Samarasan, winner of the Hopwood Novel Award 2006

'With a strong cast of characters, 'Thunder Demons' unveils Malaysia as it grapples with 

tradition in the face of globalization,  especially over the issue of who is a “bumiputra” . 

Combining themes of communal violence, religion and identity, this is a racy and dramatic story of love and betrayal.' -- Kishwar Desai, winner of UK Costa First Novel Award 2010

About The Author:

Dipika Mukherjee's debut novel,Thunder Demons, was long-listed for the Man Asian Literary Prize 2009, and she won the Platform Flash Fiction competition in April 2009. Her most recent work has appeared in the Asia Literary Review (Hong Kong), The South Asia Review (USA), Flashquake(USA), Freefall (Canada), Del Sol Review (USA), Pilot Pocket Books(Canada), Quarterly Literary Review of Singapore (Singapore), New Writing Dundee (UK), Asiatic (Malaysia) andMuse India (India). She has edited two anthologies of short stories: Silverfish New Writing 6 (Silverfish, 2006) andThe Merlion and Hibiscus (Penguin, 2002) She is currently a professor at the Department of Linguistic Studies at the Shanghai International Studies University, China, as well as Affiliated Fellow at the International Institute for Asian Studies in Leiden, Netherlands.

POET INTERVIEW - SONNET MONDAL

We Interviewed noted Poet Sonnet Mondal recently. 

SHORT BIO:

Sonnet Mondal is a widely read and acknowledged young poet who has authored seven books of poetry including a translation work and has been published in over hundred international literary publications. He was awarded Poet Laureate from Bombadil Publishing in 2009, Doctor of Literature from United Writers' Association in 2010, Azsacra International Poetry award in 2011 and was inducted in the prestigious Significant Achievements Plaque in the museum of Bengal Engineering and Science University, Shibpur. He was featured in Famous Five of India Today magazine and as an Achiever in the Herald of India and United Magazine. He has also been a featured poet at World Poetry Reading Series, Canada, The Single Hound Journal and Asian American Poetry project, U.S.A.  He has been invited at the Struga Poetry Evenings 2011 to represent India in their Golden Jubilee celebrations.

Latest Books:-

‘Diorama of Three Diaries’ to be released from Authorspress, New Delhi.

‘Easterlies-Selected Poems of Sonnet Mondal’ to be released from Cyberwit publication, Allahabad.

So here goes :

1. When did you start writing poetry? How did you find the poet in you?

I started writing poetry from the year 2005. I remember a day when I tried writing a rhyming verse just after coming back home from school. That was my first trial which ended with a fourteen lines poem named “My Western Friend”. Perhaps that was the day when I deciphered my hidden love.

 

2. Can you talk about your hometown and how it serves as a backdrop to your life and work?

I was born and brought up in Sripur village, a coal belt area near Asansol though, I used to pass much of my time at my maternal house which was in a village named Jahidpur, covered with dense forests all over. Perhaps the contrasting flora and fauna between industries and forests kept me oscillating with thoughts which I pen today.

 

3. How did you get the inspiration to write?

For me Poetry itself serves as inspiration for further writing.

4. I feel getting published for poets is a lot tougher than writers. Tell us something about your publishing journey.

Getting traditional/commercial publishers for a first time poet is indeed difficult. The sole reason is less sales of poetry books as compared to fiction and this has little to do with quality of the verse.  If we look around we will see that the big names in the publishing industry have published poetry books of mostly those who have established their fame as novelists or story writers.

 

About my publishing journey, I feel a bit lucky to get traditional publishers almost from the beginning though I started off with the help of the a non profit publishing house named Underground Literature publication which is based in Kolkata and belongs to the avant-garde underground literature movement in Bengal guided by Prof. Dr. Ramesh Mukhopadhyay.

5. Do you have any advice for aspiring poets?

Keep a perfect balance among feelings, diction, language, imagination and truth. I think it can bring out good pieces of poetry. Also, it is necessary to keep an eye over the publishing scenario in the country and abroad to get a perfect publisher who can do justice to the poet’s work.

6. How do you deal with The Writers Block?

The world is too big with its land, water and air and what is even vaster is the arena of our thoughts. So, I think one life is insufficient to complete penning on each thought individually. Hence the question of writer’s block doesn’t arise. For those who face it, I must say that it is not the end of their imagination but perhaps a marginalization of their literary prowess due to other occupations. 

7. What is your dream project?

Write an epic poetry like Mahabharata.

8. Poetry in India & in Foreign countries. What is difference in terms of recognition and scope?

In India, lovers of poetry are there but buyers are less. In foreign countries strangely both lovers and buyers of poetry are more. Also if we carry on a survey we will see most of the poetry journals and magazines are concentrated in foreign countries than in India but the previous decade has shown a considerable rise in the taste for poetry in India which can be treated as a hopeful sign.

9. Do you have a favourite poet, someone you look up to and admire?

No one in particular. There are too many whom I admire.

Know more about Sonnet & his poetry at this website - http://sonnetmondal.synthasite.com/