You, I & Humm is an interesting story about Meera and Arjun. Meera is thirty-five years old and Arjun is thirty-seven years old. Both Meera and Arjun are smart and independent. Both of them love to travel. Arjun travels for peace of mind when he is over stressed after successfully completing massive projects. Meera travels to different places to shoot photos.
Arjun is a kind of person who doesn’t have time for drama. Meera on the other hand is a drama queen. When they were going to Gokarna, they both were in the same train, same hotel and same return train. Arjun’s mother talked to Aparna and his profile is there in the matrimonial database. Meera on the other hand isn’t sure if there is a place for a partner in her life.
Read this gripping story. I am sure you would enjoy it. Language used in the book is lucid. Even beginners could give it a try. Narration is smooth and I was easily able to follow the story. The title of the book is sweet. Pace of the story is a bit slow in the beginning. If you are looking for a book for light reading then go ahead with this one.
Q1. Hello Sir, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
Certainly! I grew up in the Chicago suburbs but now live near Denver, Colorado. I’ve been a reader for as long as I can remember, fatefully growing up in a house full of books and both parents avid readers. This lead to writing, naturally, though I guess you could say I didn’t start writing “professionally” until a few years ago.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing ‘Peaceful Meridian’ book?
I thought for a long time about how I wanted to structure the book. I tried a regular chronological narrative, but that felt dry when I read the results. I stumbled on this split narrative by realizing that my own memories were not chronological. Those four years of my life are just a series of impressions, so I wanted the book to be the same. I also had to decide where to circumscribe the narrative. Many biographies, even of a particular period of time like “Peaceful Meridian” include a recap of the subject’s early life. I decided to leave that part of my life out because I didn’t see it being terribly relevant to the political experiences that I wanted to concentrate on.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
“Peaceful Meridian” was heavily influenced by Robert Graves and “Goodbye to All That.” I read it while in the Navy and the droll, dry observations he made of the military were the tone I wanted for my own writing. I also love James Joyce for the quiet inner life of his characters, though that doesn’t come out much in this book. There’ll be more of that in my next book.
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
I moved to Colorado to live near the mountains. Any place that is natural and wild.
Q5. Is there lots to do before you drive in and start writing a book?
For “Peaceful Meridian,” I had to research my own life. This meant unsealing old journals to get the dates right and see what I was feeling at that time. My parents kept every email I sent them while in the Navy so that was an important resource, again not only for chronology but to see how or if my memory had drifted.
Q6. How long did it take you to write ‘Peaceful Meridian’ book?
From start to finish with all my editing done, about a year. It’s not a long book and I had a strong vision of it once I figured out what that vision was.
Q7. On what all platforms readers can find ‘Peaceful Meridian’ book to buy?
The book is available through Ingram so basically, walk into any bookstore and order it. Online, it is available through every bookselling platform, though I always say it’s best to buy from the independent bookstores. Jeff Bezos has enough rockets. If you’re an eBook reader, it’s available from Apple Books, Nook, and that aforementioned company named after a South American rain forest.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘Peaceful Meridian’ ?
Originally, the title was “War/Anti-War” but an editor at Atmosphere Press suggested another name, and together we came up with “Peaceful Meridian: Sailing Into War, Protesting At Home.” At first I was resistant, but it grew on me. I like the way it reflects the idea of navigation, sailing a course through something difficult to a better place. The cover was done by a close friend of mine, Chenoa Ellinghaus-Blair (Home – Split Mountain Studios). It’s fantastic and I can’t wait to work on the cover for the next book with her. We discussed the book a lot, the mood and tone, and I read her passages until her subconscious latched onto what “Peaceful Meridian” was all about, like a good artist does. The cover is fantastic and gets lots of comments.
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
Unlike the common writer’s advice, I don’t write every day. I wait until I know I have something good to get down on paper. I let it sit in the back of my mind, stewing, until the words that need to be recorded come to me. Then I just write. Unlike some writers I don’t mind editing. It’s better for me to get the words out first, then I actually enjoy the process of going through drafts and watching the work get better. That way, I know what I have written is genuine and not just filler to make a daily word quota.
Q10. Are there any secrets from the book (that aren’t in the blurb), you can share with your readers?
There were some stories about shipmates I decided not to share. Tales of crime, or disappointment, heartbreak, death. I never would have named names, and really don’t remember most of the names, but still I felt that those stories belong to them, not me, and to the moments we heard them.
“The Bridge of Now” penned by Alvagh Cronin is a beautiful story. The family tree at the beginning helped me in understanding about the characters and their relationship clearly. Story starts with a couple Laura and Peter. Laura managed to buy her own house at 26 years old. She got married to Peter who used to treat her well. But later Peter’s behaviour towards Laura changed. One day, Laura escaped her abusive marriage with her toddler son Daniel. When Daniel was ten years old, Peter came back into their lives. He took half of the house that Laura bought with her money.
When Daniel grew up and became 25 years older, one day on his train journey to work, he met an old woman named Elba who put her wisdom into Daniel’s heart by telling him stories with great lessons. As the story moves forward, Daniel was in head over heels with Anna. They got married and had their first baby Cal. Grab a copy of this book to know what happens next.
This is an insightful read. I loved the storyline. I am glad to get my hands on this book. It’s a perfect escape from reality for a few hours. Go ahead with it without any second thoughts. Elba had explained the meaning of “The Bridge of Now” to Daniel in the story This book has great lessons. Alvagh storytelling skills are amazing. I am looking forward to reading more of her work in the future.
Q1. Please introduce yourself so that the readers will get to know you better.
Hi, my name is Flora Ekpe-Idang and I am the founder and CEO of Corage Dolls; a multicultural doll and book company that helps to elevate, educate and encourage girls of color to be unstoppable.
Q2. What is the inspiration behind your book “Don’t Give Up, Aaliyah!”?
The inspiration behind my book “Don’t Give Up, Aaliyah!” is sparked by this generation of young girls and their creativity, fierceness, and boldness to change the world. From girls like actress Marsai Martin who is creating greater representation on screen and book activist Marley Davis who is amplifying diverse stories to Mari Copeny aka “Little Miss Flint” who is raising awareness about environmental justice, I’m amazed at how this younger generation is no longer waiting on adults to solve ongoing issues. I wanted Aaliyah to be a character that children, especially girls of color, could see themselves reflected in and instill cultural pride. Aaliyah is an everyday girl from Chicago, who’s creative, curious, and entrepreneurial at heart, and inspired by her community to create positive change. Also, there’s a bit of myself that’s reflected in Aaliyah’s personality. She carries her signature green notebook wherever she goes as a way to jot down her creative ideas, and similarly I’m always carrying around a notebook or using the notes section on my iphone to capture new ideas.
Q3. When did you realize you wanted to be an author of children’s books?
I realized I wanted to be a children’s book author when I decided that greater representation was needed in children’s literature. According to research, only 11.9% of main characters in children’s books are Black/African, 1% are Native/First Nations, 5.3% are Latino, 8.7% are Asian/Asian American, and .05% are Pacific Islander, while 41.8% are white and 29.2% are animal/other. This means that there are more children book characters that are animals than diverse characters across race/ethnicity combined! Additionally, as Aaliyah is also a doll I wanted to create a book that could serve as an accompanying narrative for children to dive deeper and relate more to her story.
Q4. Are you planning to release your next book soon?
I’m in the process of releasing new accessories for the Aaliyah doll this November with a goal to start developing a new book in the near future.
Q5. For which age group your book is suitable?
The book is most suitable for 4-8 years old, but is truly a great story that kids and adults can enjoy together. The book teaches values of perseverance, early entrepreneurship principles, and the importance of family which anyone can relate to.
Q6. The main character of your story Aaliyah is based on your product Aaliyah doll. What message do you want to give to readers through this book and Aaliyah doll?
No surprise here. To never give up!
Q7. What do you like the most about your country?
I love the city that I’m from. I’m originally from New Jersey and the community and family that I’ve grown up with has been a great source of inspiration to pursue my passions.
Q8. What suggestion do you want to give to parents of little readers regarding a reading habit?
Encouraging your kids to read stories that are diverse, spark curiosity and creativity, and build empathy are truly important to their development and how they perceive the world as they grow up. Make reading fun vs. a chore by asking what interests them and finding diverse stories to expose them to.
Q9. What does literary success look like to you?
Seeing more kids have equitable access to diverse stories and children of color having more opportunities to create more stories.
Q10. Lastly, who is your inspiration in life and why?
My mother, she is my role model and has been the one to teach me to never give up!
Book: Light And Darkness: One Person Can Change The Course Of The World
Author: A. M. Radulescu
Available On: Amazon
Language: English
Rating: 5/5
“LIGHT and Darkness: One person can change the course of the world” is a Spiritual Urban Fantasy penned by the author A. M. Radulescu.
Main character of the story is a twenty nine years old woman named Ana. She has a loving, kind and handsome boyfriend Andru. She is an employee of a multinational advertising corporation. Ana is a workaholic. One day, a gentleman came to her and introduced himself as Albus Greenwood. He told Ana that she is different because she can call upon a sword made of light. Albus told Ana about the two major forces in the world – Light and Darkness/Shadow. With their powers muted for a long time, agents of Darkness are restless. Albus is a Guardian of Light. Grab a copy of this book to unveil what will happen when the Shadows escape.
”One person can change the course of the world. Never doubt your worth.”
Story is intriguing. The author’s writing style is nice. Cover photo of the book is attractive. It’s a gripping story that hooked me from the first page itself. This book opened my eyes to focus on my personal development too. The way the author has set the environment and created an interesting world in the story is much appreciated. I enjoyed reading this story. Ana’s character is unique. I like to strongly recommend this book to other readers.
Tales of Zygorra by Aditya Shukla is a fantasy fiction.
This is a fantasy story written in a simple language. Readers who want to give a try to the fantasy genre should go ahead with this. World building is interesting and the storyline is intriguing. Story features a group of teenagers who are camping in New York and have been away from home for two months.
The world of Zygorra never fails to surprise. It’s a parallel dimension. The ten teenagers got transported from their summer camp to Zygorra. There, the teenagers started discovering the truths about themselves and they also developed their powers. The teenagers find out they all have different characters and personalities. It’s amazing to read about these different characters.
Language is simple and the cover photo is nice. Readers who love fantasy stories would enjoy this one. Writing style of the author is nice. I enjoyed reading every bit of it. Pace of the story is fast and I didn’t feel bored anytime while reading it.
Book: Who Are You Being?: Navigating The World We Live In
Author: U. R. Choix
Available On: Amazon
Language: English
Rating: 5/5
“Who Are You Being?: Navigating the World We Live In” penned by the author U R Choix is a wonderful book to read. In this book, the author has mentioned how our thoughts play an important role in determining our destiny. The author has also mentioned how we should focus on our inner being, our humanity instead of focusing on what we will do for a living or a career.
It is very important to choose where we put our energy and time. I totally agree with the author regarding – “We each have a powerful driving force inside of ourselves that can make any vision or dream a reality, as long as our beliefs support it”. This book will help the readers to realise that character plays an important role. It is an insightful read.
There are some thought provoking questions at the end of the chapters that could help the readers in becoming more aware of themselves. Writing style of the author is nice. Cover photo of the book is attractive and the title couldn’t have been better than this. I like to strongly recommend this book to everyone. It has great content and it’s a book worth reading.
“The Dawn before Christmas” is an interesting children’s book penned by David Pearson.
Story features the dawn before Christmas when Santa was about to take a small nap but he got to know that all his reindeers were gone. Read this fun filled story to know will Santa be able to bring back his reindeers or not? Readers will definitely love this story. Read this story book to know how Santa set all things in order to make Christmas Eve special for the world.
The story is unique. I enjoyed reading it from the first page itself. Cover photo of the book is attractive and the language is lucid so kids can understand it easily. Pace of the story is fast. Illustrations are pretty and will catch kids’ attention in the first look. This book is a great addition to the children’s bookshelf.
“Nymphomania: The Nymph Series” penned by the author Ka’ mooRe is a collection of erotic short stories.
“Remember The Time” is about the time when Monica was mad at her husband De’Vaughn because she knew that her husband cheats on her and he slept with her coworker. In Spite of being mad at De’Vaughn, Monica found herself attracted to him. His muscular body is something to die for.
Day Dreaming is a story of a woman who was daydreaming about lying on a beach. She has three men and each one of them occupied her one hole. The story is juicy and full of lust.
This book welcomes you to the world of nymphos where you are never judged. This book has mature content so it is only recommended for adult readers. I enjoyed reading this book. Language used in the book is lucid so I was easily able to understand it. Cover photo could have been more attractive. The plots are nice. It’s a book worth reading.
“Out Front The Following Sea” penned by the author Leah Angstman is a historical fiction. It is a novel of King William’s War in Seventeen Century New England. Main character of the story is a woman named Ruth Miner. Ruth Miner was accused of being a witch. After the murder of her parents, her townspeople were after her execution. She fled away from the town and met Sailor Owen who is well aware that she is innocent. Owen is Ruth’s childhood friend. The main question here is will they be able to survive?
This is a novel with great historical details. I must appreciate the author’s great research work in writing this novel. Language used in the book is medium so this book is not for beginners. Pace of the story changes throughout the novel. The rich historical details makes this novel attractive for historical fiction fans. Cover photo of the book is nice and the title is suitable. The images in the book will help you to understand the story better. It’s a book worth reading.
