short story

#Bookblitz #FindingHerWay by Ruchi Vasudeva #TheBookClub

Summerita Rhayne Author interviews and spotlight, Book spotlight, The Book Club Posts , , , , , , , ,
Book Blitz: Finding Her Way - An Indian Girl's dilemma by Ruchi Vasudeva

 

Book Blitz: Finding Her Way - An Indian Girl's dilemma by Ruchi Vasudeva
Print Length: 16 pages
Publication Date: February 12, 2018
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
Available on Kindle Unlimited 
Genre: Short Story 

 

 

What does marriage mean for an Indian girl? Whether she marries for love or by arrangement, she’s forced to obey unreasonable demands. But she also wants to live her life on her own terms.



Avni is such a girl. When the man she loves and cares for wholeheartedly, throws her a curve ball, she chooses to walk away. What comes next for Avni?

 
 
It would be great if you can add this book to your TBR


About Ruchi Vasudeva in her own words:
 
I’m a doctor by profession, a teacher by vocation and an author by destiny. The writing bug has long resided in me and a contest held by Harlequin for Indian authors gave me a golden opportunity to have my dream realized. I debuted in August ’13 with my book ‘Bollywood Fiancé For A Day’. I write romantic fiction with conflicted characters who come into their own in their quest of reaching out for love. I love to write about spirited heroines getting hurtled out of their daily life as soon as they cross paths with their rather challenging heroes. 
 
I keep busy juggling writing with my medical job and family life with my doctor husband and two wiser-than-thou teens. When not bent double over the laptop, I might be found with my nose in books or munching nachos at the movies or glued to the telecast of Team India or Chennai Super Kings in action. Sometimes I drag myself for walks and surprisingly discover they are rather good for brewing story ideas! 
 
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Happy Valentine’s Day – a short read for #Valentines #microfiction

Summerita Rhayne Excerpts, short story , , , ,

​Romance is something you can’t have enough of, especially on Valentine’s day. So here’s a short romantic read for you. Happy Valentine’s! Do leave a comment if you like it and feel free to share the pic.

#

She was waiting outside the shop, pacing. ‘Oh, you’re half an hour late. Been with your friends again, I’ll bet. Decide what you want, me or your friends?’

   He said, ‘I choose friendship.’

   She turned away, ran and hailed a cab, crying all the way home.

   At the door, a bouquet of roses was propped up, with a card.

   It read, ‘To my best friend, Happy Valentine’s.’

She heard a step and turned. He smiled,      ‘Darling, I had to get your cell phone from the office…forgot it again, didn’t you? Your office called and told me…hey, don’t hug me that hard, you’ll break my ribs…!’

Short story – a craft in itself

Summerita Rhayne What I'm learning about writing ,

When we say short story what is the length of the work of fiction do we refer to? In current times, it should be 1000 to 20,000 words or 5 to 20 pages. However, magazines and contests usually demand 2000-5000 words. So that has become a more popular length.

While in a novel, a writer has time and space to build the characters, setting and the course of story, in a short piece this luxury is denied. One has to bring the focus of readers quickly to the story idea and hold their attention while still delivering a satisfying conclusion. So what things should be kept in mind while writing short stories?

First thing, is to have short, pithy descriptions so that excessive words are not wasted. For example, instead of describing in vivid detail a sunset, one might say simply ‘the sun crept past the horizon, splashing peach hues across the sky.’ While describing a character, instead of giving too many details, stick to one or two important characteristics. ‘An old and bent figure shuffling along’ this gives as much impression as ‘the thin man walking with painful slowness looked shrunken. His back was curved with the burden of age…’ you get the idea. A short story isn’t the place to wax poetic about your ability for description.

The second thing to be careful about is the theme or the idea your story centers on. Choose one and one idea only for one story. Keep it limited to one incident if possible. You cannot fit a long timeline into a story with effectiveness. It may be done but for shorter length, immediate effects and consequences work better. Give your character one problem and center the story around that. It may be resolved or not but it should say something about your story world and character. Too many threads will act as too many spices in a dish and will spoil the art.

Remember even if the length is short, you must not sacrifice the depth of your main character for it. You have to still know your character inside out. So do work on your character. Her past and present. Her hopes and dreams. The more you know your character, the more depth you can bring to your story.

In a story, the final punch is important. So try to achieve a revelation in your ending. Something the reader wants to find out and will race to the end to get. The denouement. The realization. The hit or miss of the goal you have set at the beginning.

For example, in the short story I wrote for Harper Collins India, the heroine Raina finds herself being ignored by her busy neurophysician husband. So, her goal is to find her sense of worth and be appreciated. Can she find those goals with him or someone else? What twists and turns occur before she reaches an important conclusion in her life is the subject of this short read called ‘Right or Wrong.’ It is set to be released in an anthology very soon!

Remember short descriptions, a singular theme, strong characters and tight conclusion. These ingredients and your particular spice, your writing, will help you stir up a savoury and sweet short story dish!

Spotlight on The Siege – A Short Story Collection by Esther Newton

Summerita Rhayne Author interviews and spotlight , , , , , , , ,

 

 

 

Let me introduce you to The Siege, a collection of short stories from author Esther Newton.

My Book Cover

Esther Newton: The Siege and Other Award Winning Stories: Blurb

 

 

Freelance writer and The Writers Bureau tutor, Esther Newton brings twelve of her award winning short stories together in a collection for the first time. Prepare to be on the edge of your seat one moment as a woman is held hostage at gunpoint, smiling the next at a tale of a Fairy Godmother with a difference, before rooting for a young girl who’s cornered by a school bully and then reaching for the tissues, along with a mother whose daughter has been missing for days.

‘The Siege and Other Award Winning Stories’ whisks you away on an exciting expedition of ups and downs. There’s drama, action, humour, intrigue and plenty of emotion to take you from one story straight into the next.

 

The collection includes prize winning short stories from Writing Magazine, Writers’ News, The Global Short Story and Ouze Valley Writers competitions, amongst others.

Author Profile: Esther Newton

 

 

 

My love affair with writing came about as a result of an accident, where I could no longer carry out my job working in a bank. That accident was the best thing that’s happened to me!

 

I’ve now been working as a freelance writer for fifteen years, regularly writing articles and short stories for magazines and newspapers such as Freelance Market News, Writers’ Forum, The New Writer, The Guardian, Best of British,  The Cat, Woman’s Weekly,  The People’s Friend and My Weekly to name a few.

 Winner of Writing Magazine, Writers’ News and several other prestigious writing competitions and awards, I have also had the privilege of judging writing competitions.

 

I have just finished a series of children’s books, which I’m now in the process of editing.

 

As well as working as a freelance writer, I have branched out into the exciting world of copywriting, providing copy for sales letters, brochures, leaflets, slogans and e-mails.

 

I love writing but equally, I enjoy helping others, which I achieve in my role as tutor for The Writers Bureau. I have also recently started a blog, designed to provide writers with support, market information and advice: https://esthernewtonblog.wordpress.com

Here’s an extract from The Siege to tantalize you

The Siege

I didn’t think sieges happened in libraries. Banks and building societies – yes. I could understand a jeweller’s, too. But not a library. And it’s all my fault.

We’ve been in this little room for ages now – him and me. The phone has rung twice, but he won’t let me answer it. He just shakes his head and waves his gun around. I feel I should say something, but I don’t know what to say.

I look at him – at his eyes flitting from side to side and lips, white where he keeps chomping on them. His brows dance up and down, seemingly unsure whether to rise into the shock of a surprise or to furrow into a frown. He sniffs, sucking in his nostrils and then they flare out like a dragon about to unleash a flurry of flames.

I swallow. This is the first time I’ve been afraid of him.

Here’s where you can buy the book

Links:

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Siege-Other-Award-Winning-Stories-ebook/dp/B00LCCG9S2/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406029046&sr=1-1&keywords=Esther+Newton+The+Siege

 

Amazon UK:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Siege-Other-Award-Winning-Stories-ebook/dp/B00LCCG9S2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404116760&sr=8-1&keywords=Esther+Newton

 

Book spotlight hosted by Summerita Rhayne, author of Against All Rules