Sunday 29 April 2018

Corridors of Time by Vinay Krishnan

About the Book:
Corridors of Time tracks the story of a sensitive young man who grows from carefree childhood to eventful manhood - one who stumbles before learning to stride through those dark and dense passages.
Set in Bangalore - a city of paradoxes. of gardens and garbage heaps. of technology and traffic snarls. of friendly people and failing infrastructure. when bungalows had gardens and pavements were meant for pedestrians. this is a narrative of the human spirit.
Rohan, an idealistic young sports lover experiences rejection, dark dejection and isolation and hurtles down the path to self destruction.
Shyla, attractive and successful is everything his heart yearns for and his body desires, except, she is married!
Chandrika, simple and devoted fails to understand the man she loves.
The shuklas long for justice denied by the system.
And khalid fears nothing and no one ...anymore.

Buy the Book:

Amazon

Read an Excerpt:



Chapter 1

The raw, earthly smell of the first drops of rain signaled the onset of the monsoon of 1962. Ten year old Rohan watched it from his window and inhaled deeply. He felt like he wanted to draw in as much as possible of this place that he loved so dearly. The rain had washed clean the gardens and roads of Bangalore. A city of sheer beauty, it was like a large painting suspended in time, being restored to its original brilliance with one masterly stroke. Bangalore with flower-laden trees, small lakes and numerous gardens was wonderful to behold. All was quiet, calm and serene.

But even his love for Bangalore could not match his passion for playing outdoors. His face registered dismay when the drizzle turned into a downpour and sheets of rain hid the verdant trees and the glitter of the rocks beyond the playing fields. He would lose valuable time waiting for the rain to subside to play cricket with his friends.

Drizzly weather or what his dad called ‘English weather’ never hampered him like a monsoon onslaught did. It was as familiar to him as the streets and their English names – Lloyds Road, Cline Road, Hutchins Road and Davis Road. The English had definitely made Bangalore into a ‘Little
England’ and left behind a large community of Anglo Indians. A proud community of mixed cultures, they were concentrated in the northern part of the city called the ‘Cantt’ (short for Cantonment) along with a cosmopolitan mix of settlers from other states and countries.

The southern part, the original old Bangalore was known as the ‘City’ area. The Cantt area, extending from Richmond Town to Frazer Town, had spacious bungalows with servant’s quarters, private lawns and gardens. It was a township by itself, with lakes, gardens, theatres, restaurants, bars and exclusive clubs. The Cantt area was nothing without the Anglo-Indians whose exuberance and fun loving nature enhanced the charm of life in Bangalore. They lived for the day and never gave the morrow a thought. Romantic at heart, partying was their greatest pastime. A few couples, country liquor, lots to eat and they would dance till the stars drooped and went down under.

Rain, rain go away, come again another day,” Rohan whispered urgently, and was gratified to see the rain gradually stop. Now, he could go out to the beckoning playground and join his friends for a game of cricket, yet another legacy of the British.
“Ma, I am going to play”, he yelled.
“Come back on time, Rohan”, his mother warned. “Or you know how your father reacts!” Rohan ran out, looking back to wave to his mother at the door.

They were all there – Peter, Oscar, Roy, Philip, Akbar, Kiran, Akshay, Arun, Joe, Allan, Mahmud and Inder. The stumps were up, the teams chosen and the game was on. Cricket was an obsession with Rohan.
“Come on Rohan, we must win today”, urged Inder.
 “What high hopes”, teased Oscar.

Peter always red in the face, yelled, “Oscar, shut your bloody mouth and start batting.”

Praises for the Book:


The book is simple in style and content, for often it is this simplicity that bewilders and rouses

Interest.
~ Shri S . Rajendra Babu, Former Chief Justice of India

The book has excellent literary craftsmanship, passion humour and adventure. Highly recommended.

~ Mr. Namboodiri, former Asst. Editor, Deccan Herald

This charming book about old Bangalore is written in a racy easy-to-read style.

~ Deccan Herald, Bangalore.

About the Author:


Vinay Krishnan describes himself as a ‘complete Bangalorean’. A student of Clarence High School, he graduated in Humanities from St Joseph’s College. Earning a diploma in Business Administration, he began his career at Usha International Ltd and rose to a position of Senior Sales manager. Vinay has now set up a construction firm of his own. He also writes and devotes his time to an NGO assisting people with disability. The city of his dreams, Bangalore, where he stays with his wife and daughter, continues to inspire and exasperate him. He can be reached at – vinaykrshnn@yahoo.com.













Corridors of Time by Vinay Krishnan

About the Book:
Corridors of Time tracks the story of a sensitive young man who grows from carefree childhood to eventful manhood - one who stumbles before learning to stride through those dark and dense passages.
Set in Bangalore - a city of paradoxes. of gardens and garbage heaps. of technology and traffic snarls. of friendly people and failing infrastructure. when bungalows had gardens and pavements were meant for pedestrians. this is a narrative of the human spirit.
Rohan, an idealistic young sports lover experiences rejection, dark dejection and isolation and hurtles down the path to self destruction.
Shyla, attractive and successful is everything his heart yearns for and his body desires, except, she is married!
Chandrika, simple and devoted fails to understand the man she loves.
The shuklas long for justice denied by the system.
And khalid fears nothing and no one ...anymore.

Buy the Book:

Amazon

Read an Excerpt:


Chapter 1

The raw, earthly smell of the first drops of rain signaled the onset of the monsoon of 1962. Ten year old Rohan watched it from his window and inhaled deeply. He felt like he wanted to draw in as much as possible of this place that he loved so dearly. The rain had washed clean the gardens and roads of Bangalore. A city of sheer beauty, it was like a large painting suspended in time, being restored to its original brilliance with one masterly stroke. Bangalore with flower-laden trees, small lakes and numerous gardens was wonderful to behold. All was quiet, calm and serene.

But even his love for Bangalore could not match his passion for playing outdoors. His face registered dismay when the drizzle turned into a downpour and sheets of rain hid the verdant trees and the glitter of the rocks beyond the playing fields. He would lose valuable time waiting for the rain to subside to play cricket with his friends.

Drizzly weather or what his dad called ‘English weather’ never hampered him like a monsoon onslaught did. It was as familiar to him as the streets and their English names – Lloyds Road, Cline Road, Hutchins Road and Davis Road. The English had definitely made Bangalore into a ‘Little
England’ and left behind a large community of Anglo Indians. A proud community of mixed cultures, they were concentrated in the northern part of the city called the ‘Cantt’ (short for Cantonment) along with a cosmopolitan mix of settlers from other states and countries.

The southern part, the original old Bangalore was known as the ‘City’ area. The Cantt area, extending from Richmond Town to Frazer Town, had spacious bungalows with servant’s quarters, private lawns and gardens. It was a township by itself, with lakes, gardens, theatres, restaurants, bars and exclusive clubs. The Cantt area was nothing without the Anglo-Indians whose exuberance and fun loving nature enhanced the charm of life in Bangalore. They lived for the day and never gave the morrow a thought. Romantic at heart, partying was their greatest pastime. A few couples, country liquor, lots to eat and they would dance till the stars drooped and went down under.

Rain, rain go away, come again another day,” Rohan whispered urgently, and was gratified to see the rain gradually stop. Now, he could go out to the beckoning playground and join his friends for a game of cricket, yet another legacy of the British.
“Ma, I am going to play”, he yelled.
“Come back on time, Rohan”, his mother warned. “Or you know how your father reacts!” Rohan ran out, looking back to wave to his mother at the door.

They were all there – Peter, Oscar, Roy, Philip, Akbar, Kiran, Akshay, Arun, Joe, Allan, Mahmud and Inder. The stumps were up, the teams chosen and the game was on. Cricket was an obsession with Rohan.
“Come on Rohan, we must win today”, urged Inder.
 “What high hopes”, teased Oscar.

Peter always red in the face, yelled, “Oscar, shut your bloody mouth and start batting.”

Praises for the Book:

The book is simple in style and content, for often it is this simplicity that bewilders and rouses

Interest.
~ Shri S . Rajendra Babu, Former Chief Justice of India

The book has excellent literary craftsmanship, passion humour and adventure. Highly recommended.

~ Mr. Namboodiri, former Asst. Editor, Deccan Herald

This charming book about old Bangalore is written in a racy easy-to-read style.

~ Deccan Herald, Bangalore.

About the Author:


Vinay Krishnan describes himself as a ‘complete Bangalorean’. A student of Clarence High School, he graduated in Humanities from St Joseph’s College. Earning a diploma in Business Administration, he began his career at Usha International Ltd and rose to a position of Senior Sales manager. Vinay has now set up a construction firm of his own. He also writes and devotes his time to an NGO assisting people with disability. The city of his dreams, Bangalore, where he stays with his wife and daughter, continues to inspire and exasperate him. He can be reached at – vinaykrshnn@yahoo.com.











Friday 27 April 2018

#BookBlitz :: Lycenea (The Brotherhood of Merlin #2) by Rory D. Nelson

About the Book:
Merlin returns to Lycenea a hero, victorious over the Visi-Gauls in a gruesome and exhaustive campaign that claimed the life of one of his men and saw the annihilation of the Visi-Gauls’ Southern Army.
Merlin’s peaceful reprieve is cut short however, as he must now find and expose the corrupt Senator who initiated the war in the first place and plots to subvert the Empire for himself. He is aided by the powerful sorceress, Morgana and Felinius, a former disgraced and condemned knight who knows the inner workings of the Brotherhood.
Merlin must also protect two of the captives he rescued during the war with the Visi-Gauls, one of whom is a boy named Dante, whose power has been prophesized to defeat Herod Antipaz, the corrupt Senator, and his deadly allies who threaten to destroy Gilleon.
Herod makes plans of his own for eliminating Dante. The boy’s problems continue to mount precipitously- for not only is he being ruthlessly hunted down by Herod’s minions, but he must also face down a brutal training program in Round Table Academy, where he faces elimination on a daily basis. Should he be eliminated, he will no longer be under the protection of Merlin and his Brotherhood and his death almost a foregone conclusion.
His only hope, his only salvation is Merlin- as is the country of Gilleon.

Book Links:
Goodreads * Amazon

Check Out Book One: Gilleon
Five hundred years after the death of King Arthur, a sadistic tyrant of Visi-Galia, attacks unprotected and vulnerable townships in Gilleon, igniting a deadly chain of events. Because he was unfairly denied a proper chance to compete for valuable mine rights and outbid by a Councilman from Gilleon, he reasons that he can invade Gilleon's vulnerable townships and force the Council to negotiate with him.
Merlin, the lead knight in Lycenea, has foreseen just such a predicament. With the gifts of premonition, telepathy and intelligence, he and 9 of his most formidable knights go into battle against Jason and his force of nine thousand.
At stake is everything. The fate of the prisoners who are awaiting to be sold into slavery rests in the hands of the deadly knights. Specifically, two girls who were attacked in Missalia and are now orphaned, are at the mercy of the sadistic King. Will Merlin and his band of knights be able to rescue them in time?
Adele, the older sister, has plans of her own for escape. Will she prove successful or will her plans be foiled? If she is caught, what will become of her and her sister, Sylvia?
Dante, a boy from Coifen, is also now orphaned. He is the sole survivor of a brutal attack on his family. An unlikely heroine has come to his rescue- a mysterious white wolf. Unfortunately, the attack has left him blind. He and his guardian make their refuge in a remote cave. He clings desperately to the hope that God has spared him for a reason. Every night he goes to bed, he says a prayer to his talisman, the Merlin, a game piece that his father gave him before he was forced to abandon him. It was the last gift he received before all hell broke loose. Will he be rescued? Will he find a permanent haven? His fate also lies in the hands of the Merlin.
Merlin and his troupe lead the Visi-Gauls in a high stakes game of cat and mouse. Jason, though capricious, is not stupid. He uses every means at his disposal to eliminate Merlin. Who will prove the victor? Fighting a severe war of attrition, it seems at times that Jason will inevitably win; but don't count the Merlin out. He is beyond slippery. Every time it seems that Jason has the gifted knight, he is thwarted yet again.

Book Links:
Goodreads * Amazon


Get Your Copy of Book One: Gilleon for FREE!

Character Study - Felinius

     He was once a beloved knight of the Round Table, fellow brother to Merlin and his cohorts, but a treacherous deed against one of his fellow brothers earned him a death sentence. Merlin’s act of mercy( or cruelty depending on how you look at it) saved him from the cross. He was remanded to slavery at Cathrall, where he later escaped and was presumed dead for many years.

    Herod Antipaz, a corrupt senator of Gilleon and nemesis to Merlin and the Brotherhood, finds and recruits Felinius after his escape. At long last, Herod has one of the Brotherhood’s forgotten- the perfect weapon for waging a war against the hated Brotherhood.

    Though Felinius is now a wanted fugitive in his own land, Herod is a powerful man and can offer him protection from the authorities. Waving the promise of regaining his knighthood in front of Felinius like dangling meat in front of a starving dog, Herod manipulates Felinius like a puppet, conscripting him into service for foul deeds.

    But does Herod really have total control over Felinius? Unable to abide by such monstrous deeds, Felinius , at times, undermines Herod. What if Herod discovers his treachery? When Herod conscripts him into service for a ghastly deed in Visi-Gaul, the price on his head mounts exponentially. He is now a wanted man in two countries. It seems only a matter of time before Felinius is caught- by the law or Herod. Herod does, after all, have a sorceress at his disposal. Felinius is suffocating from the pressure. Like Renault, he too, feels the walls begin to close in on him. 


About the Author:

Author Rory D Nelson is an accomplished actor and has been seen in several high school productions of “Oedipus Rex,” “My Fair Lady,” and “Little Shop of Horrors.” He owns a window cleaning business in the Sacramento area, enjoys wine tasting, snowboarding, traveling and working out. Rory D Nelson is an eclectic and prolific writer, having written numerous comedy skits, commercial parodies, and ghost-written many humorous t-shirts. He has the most unusual imagination of any fantasy author, since he also brings his deranged sense of humor into play in his books.


Contact the Author:
Website * The Brotherhood of Merlin * Facebook * Twitter 


Thursday 26 April 2018

The Brotherhood of Merlin: Book Two - Lycenea by Rory D. Nelson

About the Book:
Merlin returns to Lycenea a hero, victorious over the Visi-Gauls in a gruesome and exhaustive campaign that claimed the life of one of his men and saw the annihilation of the Visi-Gauls’ Southern Army.
Merlin’s peaceful reprieve is cut short however, as he must now find and expose the corrupt Senator who initiated the war in the first place and plots to subvert the Empire for himself. He is aided by the powerful sorceress, Morgana and Felinius, a former disgraced and condemned knight who knows the inner workings of the Brotherhood.
Merlin must also protect two of the captives he rescued during the war with the Visi-Gauls, one of whom is a boy named Dante, whose power has been prophesized to defeat Herod Antipaz, the corrupt Senator, and his deadly allies who threaten to destroy Gilleon.
Herod makes plans of his own for eliminating Dante. The boy’s problems continue to mount precipitously- for not only is he being ruthlessly hunted down by Herod’s minions, but he must also face down a brutal training program in Round Table Academy, where he faces elimination on a daily basis. Should he be eliminated, he will no longer be under the protection of Merlin and his Brotherhood and his death almost a foregone conclusion.
His only hope, his only salvation is Merlin- as is the country of Gilleon.

Book Links:
Goodreads * Amazon

Check Out Book One: Gilleon
Five hundred years after the death of King Arthur, a sadistic tyrant of Visi-Galia, attacks unprotected and vulnerable townships in Gilleon, igniting a deadly chain of events. Because he was unfairly denied a proper chance to compete for valuable mine rights and outbid by a Councilman from Gilleon, he reasons that he can invade Gilleon's vulnerable townships and force the Council to negotiate with him.
Merlin, the lead knight in Lycenea, has foreseen just such a predicament. With the gifts of premonition, telepathy and intelligence, he and 9 of his most formidable knights go into battle against Jason and his force of nine thousand.
At stake is everything. The fate of the prisoners who are awaiting to be sold into slavery rests in the hands of the deadly knights. Specifically, two girls who were attacked in Missalia and are now orphaned, are at the mercy of the sadistic King. Will Merlin and his band of knights be able to rescue them in time?
Adele, the older sister, has plans of her own for escape. Will she prove successful or will her plans be foiled? If she is caught, what will become of her and her sister, Sylvia?
Dante, a boy from Coifen, is also now orphaned. He is the sole survivor of a brutal attack on his family. An unlikely heroine has come to his rescue- a mysterious white wolf. Unfortunately, the attack has left him blind. He and his guardian make their refuge in a remote cave. He clings desperately to the hope that God has spared him for a reason. Every night he goes to bed, he says a prayer to his talisman, the Merlin, a game piece that his father gave him before he was forced to abandon him. It was the last gift he received before all hell broke loose. Will he be rescued? Will he find a permanent haven? His fate also lies in the hands of the Merlin.
Merlin and his troupe lead the Visi-Gauls in a high stakes game of cat and mouse. Jason, though capricious, is not stupid. He uses every means at his disposal to eliminate Merlin. Who will prove the victor? Fighting a severe war of attrition, it seems at times that Jason will inevitably win; but don't count the Merlin out. He is beyond slippery. Every time it seems that Jason has the gifted knight, he is thwarted yet again.


Get Your Copy of Book One: Gilleon for FREE!


Book Links:
Goodreads * Amazon

Character Study - Renault

     Deadly. Volatile. Vengeful. Sadistic. Cruel. Compassionate. Courageous. Heroic. He is a dedicated and loyal brother to the Merlin and a champion to the innocent and defenseless, but he also enjoys killing and watching his targets suffer as he inflicts agony on them before he finishes them off.  He is a walking contradiction and the right hand of the Merlin. When faced with an impossible mission, Merlin knows that he count on Renault to achieve his goals.

     Like Merlin, he is cunning, calculating, manipulative, resourceful and a master at strategy and logistics. He is also a telepath and can glean information from his targets. He should be a Godsend to Merlin but nothing is so simple.

     Living in the relatively peaceful town of Helganon with his family, Renault clings to his peaceful reprieve in between his deadly missions for the Merlin. But with his volatile temper and his urge to protect the innocent at all costs, his demons push him closer to the brink, alienating himself in the process.

     When Renault’s temper pushes him past the threshold of composure, he lashes out and makes enemies not only among his own trusted brethren but also on both sides of a dangerous feud between the Ostra-Gauls and the Sene-Gauls. And so he finds himself in a desperate circumstance with the walls beginning to close around him.

     Will Renault’s demons push him too far, making him a liability among his brethren? Will his dire circumstances invade his own peaceful refuge at home with his beloved family? When Merlin’s own dire circumstances necessitate the need for Renault and his skill set, will he be ready?

About the Author:

Author Rory D Nelson is an accomplished actor and has been seen in several high school productions of “Oedipus Rex,” “My Fair Lady,” and “Little Shop of Horrors.” He owns a window cleaning business in the Sacramento area, enjoys wine tasting, snowboarding, traveling and working out. Rory D Nelson is an eclectic and prolific writer, having written numerous comedy skits, commercial parodies, and ghost-written many humorous t-shirts. He has the most unusual imagination of any fantasy author, since he also brings his deranged sense of humor into play in his books.


Contact the Author:
Website * The Brotherhood of Merlin * Facebook * Twitter 


Wednesday 25 April 2018

The Phoenix Cycle: The Best Shall Rise by Bob Collopy



The Phoenix Cycle: The Best Shall Rise
by Bob Collopy
Genre: YA/Adult Dystopian
Release Date: July 21st 2017
The Department of Smoke

Summary:

The Best Shall Rise

New San Francisco is the last city standing on a world ravaged by storms of ash and debris. The city survived by putting the ideals of the American dream on steroids and inspiring its people to persevere, though they have become ruthless in the process. Its citizens are ruled by the General, who has made sure that his people understand that gentleness and pity have become weaknesses that nature no longer tolerates.

Now Steve and Leslie must choose whether they will apply for the General’s once in a lifetime opportunity to “Rise from the Ashes” and join the Inner Circle that rules the city. If they don’t, they will be damned to spend the rest of their lives in the ghettos of Edingburg, a place where virtual reality has become a government-subsidized addiction.

For Steve, the choice is easy. His loyalties lie with the IRA, a revolutionary army led by a voice only known as “Mom.” They are trying to overthrow the General and free the people of New San Francisco from the cruelties of the City Guard. Steve’s mission is to broadcast a recording of a speech that a famous philosopher died to tell. Many thousands have and will perish to get this message out, but is anyone willing to listen?


TRAILER:


About the Author
Bob Collopy was raised on southern values. A world of rigidity and blind faith. He was then moved to Sedona. A near cult­like world, grown from 1960's flower children. He was then moved to Scottsdale. A world of extreme wealth and vice. He then went to college and joined a fraternity so notorious it was on national and world news multiple times. 
Due to these shifts, Bob always found himself the the semi­lucid observer; constantly confused and adjusting to new and opposing sets of norms few cultures would ever call normal or even acceptable. 
The city Bob has created is a blending of these intense and opposing cultures and the people trying to survive and conquer them.

Author Links:
    

Tuesday 24 April 2018

The Sweet Life by Dakota Star


Contemporary Romance (with erotica)
Published Date: April 3, 2018
Publisher: Limitless Publishing

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My job is everything to me, and climbing the corporate ladder is my one and only goal. Now that I’ve landed an important account for a popular dude ranch, I’m more determined than ever. There’s just one problem I didn’t count on…Mitch Johnson, the tall, hot-tempered, brown-eyed cowboy with the potential to bring my career crashing down around me. He’s a distraction I can’t afford—and a temptation I can’t ignore. But the real kicker? He also happens to be the ranch owner’s son, which means I’m about to saddle up more problems than I can handle.


About the Author


Dakota Star likes worn-in cowboy boots, a well-trained horse, a cold beverage, and trails to ride in the woods. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and two daughters. Both her daughters have finished college and moved away so her dogs, cats, and retired horse now keep her busy. When not outside hiking or horseback riding, she loves to read and travel.




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