- PonderingTwo May 2016 ~ Pondering Two The title of your home page

Saturday 14 May 2016



About the Book:
Perfect for fans of JojoMoyes’s, Me Before You, My Last Love Story is a heartbreakingly romantic tale about the complexities of trauma and whether love can right a wrong.

I, Simeen Desai, am tired of making lemonade with the lemons life has handed me.

Love is meant to heal wounds.
Love was meant to make my world sparkle and spin.
Love has ripped my life apart and shattered my soul. 

I love my husband, and he loves me.
But Nirvaan is dying.
I love my husband. I want to make him happy.
But he is asking for the impossible. 

I don’t want a baby.
I don’t want to make nice with Zayaan.
I don’t want another chance at another love story. 

Book Links:

Conversation with Zayaan Khan from My Last Love Story.

Introduce yourself to our readers.

Hey! I’m Zayaan Khan—Zai to my friends. I have two younger sisters and a mother, and we live in London. I’ve come to Carmel-by-the-Sea to be with Nirvaan and also to finish my dissertation in Islamic studies.

You’re a nerd, huh. Then, this question is perfect for you: If you could do something dangerous just once with no risk, what would you do?

Zai: Nirvaan and I have pretty much covered all the risky and dangerous things men can do. As of this moment, I’d try any risky experimental medical procedure on Nirvaan to rid his head of tumors once and for all.

What’s the biggest lie you told in childhood?

Zai: That I love my brother. That he was redeemable in Allah’s eyes.

Which of your ancestors would you most like to meet?

Zai: My eight-times great grandfather who was a Sufi saint. I’d love to meet him and discuss philosophy.

Is it more essential to develop beliefs or gain knowledge?

Zai: Gain knowledge, of course. Belief without knowledge is a waste and an error. Knowledge is reason. Belief can be unreasonable.

Heavy. Let’s end on a fun note, shall we? What’s the most fun party you ever attended?

Zai: My—our—fifteenth birthday party. It was at Dandi Beach back home in Gujarat. It’s where we—Nirvaan and I—met Simi.

And that’s our five questions done. Thanks for being a sport. And I wish you find that experimental procedure for Nirvaan too.



Advance Praise:

At once heartbreaking, delightful and completely unexpected. A must read! 
~ SonaliDev, author of The Bollywood Affair

In My Last Love Story, Kothari examines love and loss, desire and desolation, with a deft, wry touch that kept me reading late into the night and moved me to tears. 
~ Julia Tagan, author of Stages of Desire


About the Author:


Falguni Kothari is an internationally bestselling hybrid author and an amateur Latin and Ballroom dance silver medalist with a background in Indian Classical dance. She writes in a variety of genres sewn together by the colorful threads of her South Asian heritage and expat experiences. When not writing or dancing, she fools around on all manner of social media, and loves to connect with her readers. My Last Love Story is her fourth novel.






Giveaway
1 Copy of My Last Love Story by Falguni Kothari
Paperback Copy if the Winner is US or Indian Resident / eBook for other International Winner.


Encounters
Someone's Always Waiting
by 
Sumana Khan

Blurb 
ENCOUNTERS is a potpourri of five sumptuous stories involving a motley crew of protagonists. Skating along the borders of fantasy and paranormal themes, the stories track incredible and poignant journeys of self-discovery, tracing the cathartic aftermath of fleeting encounters.






Review: I am reading Sumana Khan for the first time and I was left spell bound after reading Encounters - Someone's Always Waiting. There are very few authors which you read for the first time and fall in love with the writings and Sumana Khan is one such author. 

The book is a collection of five different short stories revolving around the themes of fantasy and paranormal themes and each one of them are unique in their own ways. Everything right from the stories, the characterization, the narrative and the climax with superb twists, left me spellbound. 

The author has narrated the story from the first person perspective which has provided that edge in all the stories. I, for once felt as if, I, myself am narrating the story and floating through the various characters mentioned in the stories.

All the five stories somewhere has managed to touch my emotions and that shows how wonderful the stories are. 'First Love' left me enthralled, 'The Storyteller' gave me goosebumps, 'Reminiscence' and 'Happiness Clinic' filled me with lots of emotions which did not subside easily and finally 'Best Friends' made me feel happy. Usually the readers tend to forget the story but with Encounters it is different as I simply cannot forget the stories, They are so nicely written. Kudos to the author for that.

Overall: Grab this book and get engrossed in the varied stories as you Encounter one thrilling ride of myriad emotions! A definite read for all the book lovers.



Grab your Copy @

You can get this book directly from the Publisher

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 



Sumana was born and raised in Bengaluru, Karnataka, where she went on to graduate with a BSc in Electronics, much to the surprise of her teachers, and relief of her parents. In what can only be described as a quirk of fate, she ended up as an IT consultant - a role she essayed for more than a decade. She then moved to the UK where she quit her job and pursued academic and literary interests. The result of this pursuit has been two Masters, one published book, quite a few manuscript drafts, and above all, being stone-broke perpetually.

She currently lives in the UK with her husband and several books.  

Stalk her @

               

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Monday 9 May 2016



Encounters
Someone's Always Waiting
by 
Sumana Khan

Blurb 
ENCOUNTERS is a potpourri of five sumptuous stories involving a motley crew of protagonists. Skating along the borders of fantasy and paranormal themes, the stories track incredible and poignant journeys of self-discovery, tracing the cathartic aftermath of fleeting encounters.



Grab your Copy @

You can get this book directly from the Publisher

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 



Sumana was born and raised in Bengaluru, Karnataka, where she went on to graduate with a BSc in Electronics, much to the surprise of her teachers, and relief of her parents. In what can only be described as a quirk of fate, she ended up as an IT consultant - a role she essayed for more than a decade. She then moved to the UK where she quit her job and pursued academic and literary interests. The result of this pursuit has been two Masters, one published book, quite a few manuscript drafts, and above all, being stone-broke perpetually.

She currently lives in the UK with her husband and several books.  

Stalk her @

               

Follow Us +Pinterest 




This Tour is Hosted by 


We Promote So That You Can Write 


Sunday 8 May 2016



Girls and dresses go back a long way! A must-have in the diverse wardrobe of a woman, dresses are available in a multitude of designs and prints. It’s that time of the year, when you heavily depend upon your dresses for cool and easy summer looks. You’d be aware of the different styles of dresses that keep doing the rounds; skater dresses, a-line dresses, maxis and bodycons to name a few, are popular choices. Taking a break from the conventional, let’s tap the versatility of the unique dress. The dress is not a standalone fashion staple anymore; there is a lot more you can do with it. Read further and discover how to ‘dress’ like you’ve never dressed before!

1.  Doing the split


Your nice long dresses can turn your world around this season, for the better! Wrap the sides of your dress around your waist in such a way that it creates a natural split; pair this exceptional DIY dress with your superb palazzos and feel the magic of this ensemble take hold of you. Your lowers won’t be deprived of the spotlight as they will be shown off to the maximum.

2. Coming clean with jeans



Soft cottons in the summer feel pleasurable against the skin. Choose a maxi shirt-dress that is slightly ruffled at the waist and is designed to drape your frame fairly loosely. Match this glorious dress with a pair of nifty boyfriend jeans and you will be enamored with this effortless style in no time. Nail this look in smartly strapped sandals and feel the love!

3. Layered on top



This style will give you a wonderful insight into how you to turn plain-old office shirts into enviable dresses. Yes, you heard right! Throw on a well-designed, sleeveless blazer over a smart semi-casual tunic and set out for the workplace in a self-assured pair of oxfords. We’d advise you to wear stockings beneath this bold dress-style, so that you can convey subtle tones of sensuality while keeping it cool during work hours.

4. Embracing the alluring lace top



Your dresses can do pretty well by themselves most of the times; but with a little help from friends you’d be sure to add a fantastic layer to the conventional dress. The market is flooded with interesting crocheted and lacy tops. Ever thought of trying an interesting mix and match? It’s child’s play. Pick a straight, short dress to go with your sweet crochet top and embrace the lovable tomboy in you.

5. The all-in-one



A conceptualized dress that embodies the best of everything is definitely desirable; but is it really feasible! It turns out that the crazy, hybrid dress does exist. This creation is a three-layered wonder that is clinched at the waist, and summarizes the best of womenswear. Top a curvaceous slip-dress with a diaphanous shirt dress; casually include a light shirt as an ingenious third layer and put on a belt as the ultimate master-stroke!


About the Author


Mallika Chakrawarti is a designer, writer, and travel enthusiast. She is currently working with Jabong.com as a writer and is passionately involved in curating and forecasting fashion trends.

All image courtesy: Pinterest