An International Guest

Please grab a donut and your beverage of choice, and help me welcome Shuchi Singh Kalra as today's Wednesday's Guest. She wrote the light-hearted romantic comedy Done With Men that I reviewed here on Sunday. Shuchi lives and works in India, and I am so pleased to have my first international guest. While we're visiting with Shuchi here, I am at the Blood Red Pencil today talking about romance and sex. After all, they do go together.

Welcome Shuchi and please tell us a little bit about who you are and what you write.

I like to think of myself as a thinker and a dreamer. I live in my own idealistic little world and am cruelly jolted back to reality every once in a while when earthly responsibilities beckon. I am a proud military wife and mother to a beautiful two-year old girl.

I have been writing professionally for over seven years now as a freelance writer and editor, and I also run a small firm that goes by the name of ‘Pixie Dust Writing Studio’. While I have contributed to some anthologies in the past, Done With Men is my first solo offering. It is essentially a romantic comedy and I had tremendous fun writing it. I am keen to see how western readers will accept a story set in modern, urban India.

Are you a romantic at heart? Is Valentine's Day special for you? Romantic yes, but not hopelessly so – I do have my moments of cynicism every once in a while. I am not really big on “days” as such, because they somehow don’t fit in with my idea of romance. In fact I find them very cliché and pointless. But this Valentine’s Day is going to be special – very special!

 If you could go through a wormhole, would you go into the future, the past, or stay right here? Why? I would choose to stay in the now because this is such a fabulous time in my life. My life-long dream of publishing a book is coming true and I would like to savor every moment of it.

Have you always wanted to be a writer, or have you come to writing after another career? What was that career? I have always loved writing but I never thought I would one day take it up as a career. Few people know this, but I was an Optometrist before I took to writing. I worked at a leading eye hospital in India and soon realized that peering into slit-lamps and prescribing glasses wasn’t my thing. My family thought I was crazy to dump a seemingly good career to become a full-time writer but looking back, I believe it was the best decision I ever made.

What is your fondest childhood memory? I spent my childhood in Libya, where my parents worked for some years before coming back to settle in India. We had this huge Spanish villa in a campus with a sprawling green belt around it. There I had my own make-shift tree house that I had built with palm leaves and some branches. It was pretty neat looking and quite sturdy too. I would sit in it all day with a bag of oranges and a pile of books.

How did you come to write in the genre you chose? I chose chick-lit/rom com for my first book because that is the genre I read and enjoy the most. Also, it was relatively easier to write about a theme that I identified with at a personal level. However, that does not mean I will never step out of my comfort zone – this is just my first novel and I would love to experiment and stretch my boundaries as I gain more confidence in my skills as a novelist.

What did it say about you in your high school yearbook? It says “The Tomboy”. As a teenager I always thought I was being all pretty and feminine (what with all the male attention) but I guess people didn’t see me that way (smile).
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Shuchi Singh Kalra is an internationally published writer, placing work in popular magazines such as Femina.in, Good Housekeeping, Home Review, Parent & Child, Vista, Investors India, Dogs & Pups, Women's Era and Time 'N' Style. Her short stories have been published in anthologies such as Love Across Borders and New Asian Writing's upcoming collection. She is the owner of Pixie Dust Writing Studio, a writing and editing firm that services a global clientele, and the Indian Freelance Writers Blog.

You can find out more about her at her website, read her blog, and meet her on Facebook and Twitter.

Book Blurb:

Travel journo, Kairavi Krishna (Kay) has had it with men. After a series of disasters (losers, philanderers, leeches, mama's boys and possessive psychos), she is all too tempted to walk out on the prospect of ever finding love. Accompanied by her best friend and flat-mate Baani, she sets off for Goa, hoping to get away from her miserable love life and vowing to stay clear of the male species.

Goa however, packs more surprises than she bargained for. Ricky, her pesky ex-boyfriend, is busy painting the town red with his hot new girlfriend. Now what is poor Kay to do other than overdose on vodka, smoke pot, get an outrageous tattoo and fall off the hotel balcony? She wakes up in the hospital to the tender ministrations of Dr.Vivian D'Mello--young, suave and handsome as hell. Will Kay stick to her guns or will she fall for his ridiculously sexy charms? And what's up with the mixed signals he's giving out?

BUY LINK

If you would like to ask Shuchi any questions, I'm sure she'd be happy to answer them. I'm hoping she might share what is going to be special about this Valentine's Day.

Monday Morning Musings

First off some book news. I'm about to re-release a mystery, Doubletake, that I wrote with a co-author a number of years ago. It's another police procedural, but not part of the Seasons Series. It was published by a small publisher, and maybe sold ten copies, other than those I sold at signing events or out of the trunk of my car. Hey, didn't Grisham start that way? I think he did, but he put a lot more miles on his car than I did.

Not the finished cover, but close. What do you think?

Anyway, I did all the formatting myself, and gained a great appreciation for those folks who do that for a living. It is the most tedious, eye-straining work I have ever done, and there is no way I am going to do the formatting for the ebook version. I will gladly pay Untreed Reads their nominal fee to do that for me and get the book into all the outlets for ebook reading.

An article in Sunday's Dallas Morning News written by Amy Chua and Jed Rubenfeld was titled What Drives Success. In it, the authors of  the new book The Triple Package: How Three Unlikely Traits Explain the Rise and Fall of Cultural Groups in America talk about the ethnic groups in America that are currently experiencing the most upward mobility. While doing the research for their book they discovered that some of the most successful ethnic groups in terms of earning power come from India, Iran, Lebanon and Chinese.

The couple noted that it is usually first-generation immigrants who have the most success, perhaps because of the three traits Chua and Rubenfeld identified:

It turns out that for all their diversity, the strikingly successful groups in America today share three traits that, together, propel success. The first is a superiority complex — a deep-seated belief in their exceptionality. The second appears to be the opposite — insecurity, a feeling that you or what you’ve done is not good enough. The third is impulse control.

In the article the authors explain the seemingly contradictory "superiority" and "insecurity" and how the two traits work together to motivate hard work, which is another ingredient of success. The authors believe that anyone can develop these traits:

It requires turning the ability to work hard, to persevere and to overcome adversity into a source of personal superiority. This kind of superiority complex isn’t ethnically or religiously exclusive. It’s the pride a person takes in his own strength of will.

The article is quite interesting and worth a read if you have a moment. Amy Chua and Jed Rubenfeld are professors at Yale Law School. Chua, one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world in 2011, is the author of Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, which unleashed a firestorm debate about the cultural value of self-discipline, as well as the bestselling World on Fire. Rubenfeld examined the political dangers of “living in the moment” in Freedom and Time; he is also the author of the international bestseller The Interpretation of Murder. (I'm tempted to buy this one as the write-up on Amazon intrigued me, but I really hate to pay almost $9 for an ebook. I do hope major publishers soon realize that prices should be a bit lower. I'm not the only consumer who does not buy an e-book priced over $5.)

Now a reminder about the special sale at Untreed Reads through Valentine's Day. All romance titles are on sale for 30% off. All categories of romance from sweet to sexy are offered, including my romance novel, Play It Again, Sam.  One of my favorites from Laura Parker, Rose of the Mists, is also part of this sale.

It is still so cold here that my hands don't always want to work. I'm tempted to get some of these gloves:

Available from Japan Trend Shop

Hope you are warm and toasty wherever you live.

Wednesday's Guest - Cupid

Since tomorrow is Valentine's Day, I thought we should visit a bit with Cupid today, if he is not too busy to answer a few questions. But before I flag him down, I want to let you know that my friend Slim Randles is sharing some of his thoughts on love and Valentine's Day over at The Blood Red Pencil. If you have a moment, hop over and see what love and fly fishing have in common.

Courtesty of Valentines Clip Art 

Hi, there Cupid. Can you stop just a minute so my readers can meet you?

Don't you know this is the worst day?

Sorry. I didn't know.

Well, I've got to fly all around the world and remind everybody that they need to get their candy and roses and diamonds for their sweethearts. You know those guys are always forgetting.

I don't think it's fair to single out the guys. Plenty of women forget, too.

Not as many as the men. Trust me. I've been doing this for centuries.

But you look so young.

Good genes.

Oh, I see. You know, I've always wondered.  Do you have a sweetheart?

Are you kidding. Who has time for their own love life when they are busy taking care of everyone else in the world.

The whole world? I thought maybe you had help. You know, a whole team of cupid assistants.

Nope. Just me, shooting arrows into every heart.

Wow, that's a lot of responsibility. I don't know how you manage it all.

Sometimes I don't know either. But a cupid's got to do what a cupid's got to do.   I'll tell you, though, I'm really ready for Valentine's Day to be over.

What are you going to do then?

I'm going to Disney World. 

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Since I won't be posting tomorrow, let me wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day just a bit early. Hope your day involves lots of chocolate. 

Happy Valentine's Day

Another surprise Tuesday post. Just so people don't get confused, I will be back to my normal schedule next week. I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to do something special for Valentine's Day to show my love for my followers and my readers. Here is a short excerpt from my one and only romance novel, Play It Again, Sam. For those who buy the book and come back with a link to a proof of purchase, I will put all the names in a hat and draw one lucky winner for a $25 Amazon Gift Certificate. The drawing will be done on Friday so there is plenty of time.

Enjoy the excerpt. This is from the scene when Sam and Frank first kiss:

Sam smiled as Frank fell in step beside her. They walked in companionable silence with the night sounds of crickets providing a dissident musical score. She paused when she saw the boat again.

“Do you like to sail?” he asked, following her gaze.

“Haven’t done it enough to know. But it’s always appealed to me.” She paused to consider for a moment. “I’m sure the real thing is much different from my romantic notions.”

“Nothing wrong with a romantic idea now and then.” He put an arm around to pull her close. “It’s what separates us from the beasts.”

“Now that's a real romantic thought.”

“Want to hear more?”

“Don’t think so.” She smiled at him to make sure he understood she was joking. “Why don’t we talk about something more interesting. Like why you came to Dallas. And whether you’re one of those Yankees who can’t appreciate the Lone Star State.”

“Do I sense a warning there?”

“I would pick my words with care. We Texans are mighty protective of our territory.”

Frank told her about the move from New York five years earlier, conceding the point that, yes, there was a lot to like about Texas. “I do sometimes miss the snow,” he concluded. “Although it  is nice not having to shovel my way to my car on winter mornings.”

“That’s why they invented ski vacations. All the benefits without the daily hassle.”

They paused where a little clearing allowed access to the edge of the water. The wind picked up, bringing a cool mist off the lake and Sam shivered. “Here,” Frank said, holding the jacket for her.

She slipped her arms into the sleeves, then he closed the front, pulling her gently toward him. The moonlight lightly touched his face, creating shadowed mysteries of his eyes. But his intention was crystal clear.

The touch of his lips was tentative, as if asking permission, and the very softness ignited a response. Briefly, Sam flashed on her moment with Max and wondered if deprivation was turning her into a harlot. But the concern was lost in the heat of Frank’s passion as he held her against the full length of his body, teasing her with a touch of his tongue.

She opened her lips, and he continued the tease with light, quick explorations that left her burning for more. Then he cupped her face with his hands and thrust his tongue deeper, filling her with a hot, seductive suggestion.

There was no room in Sam’s mind for conscious thought. Sensation and desire ruled. She wanted nothing more than for him to satisfy that deep aching need right here, right now. But he pulled back, sucking in a deep breath and looking at her for a long moment. “Better take you home before we get arrested.”

Not trusting her voice, she nodded and put her hand in his.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY to all my cyber friends - and yes I shouted that. LOL

You’re Never Too Old For Romance

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

I’m participating in a blog carnival today with other authors at the ClassicRomance Revival site, and the theme is Moments in Time. Authors will be offering prizes - winners drawn from visitors commenting on their blogs.

Grand Prize: An ARC hamper from participating authors. To qualify for the prizes you must be registered for the contest - so we can contact you when you win (a lot of prizes go unclaimed due to incorrect contact information) To join in the fun visit the Classic Romance Blog

There are lots of Moments in Time that I could write about, but I thought because this is Valentines Day, I should write about love and romance.

Some people dread the approach of what is billed as the most romantic day of the year. This can be especially true for some of us of a certain age.

There were times long ago that I could really get into the spirit of Valentines Day. I did special dinners with candlelight and music. I had a body that actually looked good in a slinky little thing with lace and silk. We discovered that whipped cream didn’t always have to be used in the kitchen. And we were still young and fit enough to spend more than fifteen minutes on bedroom activity that didn’t involve sleeping or reading. But after we had thirty or so years into this relationship, I thought those things were just history. That getting older meant we didn’t focus so much on the romance of the relationship.

That thinking changed when I wrote Play it Again, Sam, my woman's novel that features an older couple finding love again. One of the best Moments in Time for Sam and Frank was when he was making up for being a total jerk after their first date. It starts with Frank taking a quarter-page ad in the Dallas Morning News inviting Sam to a special event at the skating rink at the Galleria Mall the following evening.

The next day, Sam receives a single red rose and another message, “Please come.”

That evening, Sam arrives at the rink to discover that Frank has rented the entire rink, hired musicians and had a special dinner catered. Their “making-up” dinner is witnessed by shoppers who look down on the rink and cheer as Sam is seated at the elegantly set table.

As Sam’s friend, Margaret says, “I like the way this man says he’s sorry.”

So don’t ever make the mistake I did and think you are too old for romance.

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One of the fun aspects of this Blog Carnival is the opportunity to win free books by visiting the sites of the authors participating in the carnival. I'm giving away a copy of Play It Again, Sam, so overwhelm me with entries. LOL