‘If You Let Me Go’ is a finalist in Amazon’s Pen to Publish Contest

They say “third time is lucky.” Well, it seems true for me.

My first two books have been well-received (that is euphem-speak for “they got rave reviews but so-so sales” [and I’ve understood the reasons for that too but that’s a topic for later]).

‘If You Let Me Go’ is my third book and from Day One it has been receiving lots and lots of love from my readers. In fact, I’d done a FB post about it having 1 lakh reads even before the middle of the month.

And this baby is going places. Yes, and not just to the US, UK, France, Canada and Australia (with sales n page reads in all these amazon stores).

*Drumroll* Superthrilled to announced that ‘If You Let Me Go’ is a FINALIST in Amazon KDP’s prestigious Pen to Publish contest.

QUICK LINK: mybook.to/IfYouLetMeGo

Yes, IYLMG has come a long way. Like all books that are written this too has gone through its fair share of tears and joys and pain but then nothing that’s worthwhile is gained easily.

And to have come this far, I have to say thanks to you: my readers, my friends, my family and last but def not the least, dear Universe, for guiding me in this path of being a writer that I have chosen for myself.

About IF YOU LET ME GO:

What happens in Paris…

Shivalika is a brilliant interior designer who attracts suitors like bees to honey. But she will have none of that. Shivalika has her life mapped out. She does not believe in love at all and is only focused on her career the reason for which is a secret she has nursed since she was a teenager.

But when billionaire Vikramarya Kumar aka VK aka “the most eligible bachelor in the country” enters her company as the new boss, sparks fly and she finds all her beliefs getting shattered, one by one.

Shivalika’s secret has already created havoc once in her life. Will she be able to overcome it to find her happily-ever-after with VK or will the pain of it destroy every chance of finding true love and healing?

‘If You Let Me Go’ is a standalone sweet romance novel (First Love Billionaire Romance novel).

FIVE STAR REVIEWS:

Sapna says, “Be ready to fall in Love again.”

Jenii says “The book is as sweet as the cover.”

Shalini KJ says, “As yummy as chilli paneer.”

Read ‘If You Let Me Go’ by Sonia Rao on #kindleunlimited or get your copy here:

India:https://www.amazon.in/dp/B08X4PFJHS

USA: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08X4PFJHS

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08X4PFJHS

France: https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B08X4PFJHS

Canada: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B08X4PFJHS

Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08X4PFJHS

(Top pic courtesy: My dear friend Dola Basu Singh; Cover pic: courtesy Self)

Spotlight: The Magician by Sonia Rao

 

THE MAGICIAN 

(The Tarot Trilogy Book 1)

by 

Sonia Rao

 

Blurb

Fashion designer Sasha Kapoor always felt she’d missed out on love as she had an arranged marriage. And when her husband turns up at their 15th-anniversary party with a strange woman, she knows that her marriage is dying. With constant surprises and disasters to contend with, will Sasha ever get a chance at true love?

Shantha is much sought after for her tarot card readings on love, but can’t seem to help her own love life with a string of broken relationships behind her. Now, sparks are flying between her and a sexy bartender but will this relationship fizzle out too?

Young professionals Nilima and her husband are so besotted with each other, they give the word ‘soulmate’ a complex. Theirs is a match made in heaven…till tragedy strikes.

The Magician is a heart-warming story of these three dynamic women as they discover the meaning of true love through loss and longing.

 

Thoughts from the Author, Sonia Rao

 

Who is a Magician? If it is a Tarot Card, then it the Major Arcana card in the deck and symbolizes life-changing issues.

But if it is a person, then it is Sasha, the main protagonist of my novel, The Magician. In this urban, contemporary romance, fashion designer Sasha, who caught within a loveless marriage, now seeks true love. It is also Shantha and Nilima who face their own challenges in love and try to rise above them.

It is also every woman. This is because, as Shantha says to Sasha in the book, “Imagination is your strength. You have the power to visualize and then manifest what you want. You are the Magician.” Each one of us is The Magician because we hold within ourselves the power to create the life of our dreams.

But how did this cover happen? There is a lovely story behind it. While researching the many tarot decks online, I saw this card on the Attic Shoppe website and I knew at once that this was my “Sasha.”

Go back and have a look at the cover again. Doesn’t it just grip you too? Part practical, part whimsical, part traditional, part digital, this card, like the book, is a labour of love.

The designer, Bethalynne Bajema, created this card for her Black Ibis Tarot card deck.  The love she put in is very evident in the vibe one gets from it. Every time I see it, I am inspired to bring a touch of magic to the everyday routines of mundane life.

Carrying on the serendipity, Bethalynne immediately and graciously agreed to my request to make this card my book cover. Such generosity is hard to come by and I believe it is the Universe’s way of saying “you’re right on track.”  
(Bethalynne can be contacted here: Instagram)

 

Read an excerpt

Grab your copy @

Amazon.in | Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk 

About the author

 

 

“Sonia Rao is a writer, editor, and award-winning blogger. Her fiction has appeared in many prestigious anthologies such as Voices Old & New and Jest Like That (edited by renowned editor-writer Shinie Antony).

As NaNoWriMo’s Municipal Liaison for all-India and founder of the Wrimo India group on Facebook, Sonia has motivated thousands of people in India to write a novel every November since 2011. She has also curated and edited the first Wrimo India Anthology, Vengeance—A Sting In Every Tale.

Sonia likes to believe she is ‘high-minded’ but strangely, her fave hobby is thinking up torture devices for those autorickshawallahs who consider the roads to be their personal spittoon. Who knew?“

You can stalk her @

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Catch Sonia Rao’s latest release, a sweet romance titled If You Let Me Go, here: mybook.to/IfYouLetMeGo

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Book Blitz: ASHERAH by Rubina Ramesh

Love to read romance? Click here to read The Magician by Sonia Rao

 

 

ASHERAH: THE WARRIOR PRINCESS

A FANTASY ROMANCE

(The Goddesses Trilogy Book 1)

by

Rubina Ramesh

A personal note: Editing Asherah: The Warrior Princess has been an extremely rewarding experience. I recommend this book highly for the fabulous story that Rubina Ramesh has penned down in her absolutely unique and gripping voice. A must-read.

 

Print Length: 257 pages

Publication Date: May 21, 2020

Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC

Language: English

Genre: Romance, Fantasy

 

Blurb

 

Bound by duty…Longing for love.

 

Asherah…

Warrior Princess Asherah’s mission is to destroy the cruel godling, Sandor, who was feared both by men and gods. She is forced to seek the help of the ancient God and her husband, Lord El, whom she married at a young age. But there she falls in love with Lord El’s stable hand, Hanish.

 

Hanish…

Hanish knows his limits. He knew falling in love with Asherah was forbidden.

 

The Love…

They’re both bound by duty – one to her kingdom and the other to his master – and so they try their best to fight the growing attraction between them.

 

Will this forbidden love ever reach fruition? When Asherah discovers the truth about Sandor, will it sabotage her love for Hanish? Or will the truth about her marriage to Lord El destroy her forever?

 

Caught between three men, Asherah has to travel to her past to know her present. Will her heart finally recognize her true love? Grab a copy of Asherah now to find out.

Grab your copy @
Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk |  Amazon.in

 

 

Rubina Ramesh is an avid reader, writer, blogger, book reviewer and marketer. She is the founder of The Book Club, an online book publicity group. Her first literary work was published in her school magazine. It gave her immense pride to see her own name at the bottom of the article. She was about 8 years old at that time. She then went to complete her MBA and after her marriage to her childhood friend, her travel saga started. From The Netherlands to the British Isles she lived her life like an adventure. After a short stint in Malaysia, she finally settled down in the desert state of USA, Arizona. Living with her DH and two human kids and one doggie kid, Rubina has finally started living the life she had always dreamed about – that of a writer.

Click here to check out all the titles by the author…

 

You can stalk her @

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This Tour is Hosted by 

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We Promote So That You Can Write 

 

 

Book Blitz: Self-Editing, Editing & Editors by Inderpreet Uppal

Love to read romance? Click here to read The Magician by Sonia Rao

SELF-EDITING, EDITING & EDITORS

by 

Inderpreet Uppal

 

 

BLURB

Self-Editing, Editing, and Editors will help writers and authors demystify the nitty-gritty of editing.

The Writer’s Toolkit covers the basic steps needed to ensure that you have a well-edited book.

Editing Simplified!

Easy to follow, step-by-step instructions on :

How to search for an editor, and how to negotiate and finalise the right editor?

Do you need self-editing?

How can self-editing help you?

How to ensure that you have the best editor?

Why does every writer need an editor?

How to negotiate, find the right editor and have the best contract?

How to ensure your work is safe and edited as per your needs?

All your questions and doubts answered.

The Writer’s Toolkit is for Self-Editing, Editing, and Editors for a polished book and a calm author.

Editing explained and why you need it.

Grab your copy @

 

Amazon.com |  Amazon.in | Amazon.co.uk

About the author

Inderpreet writes for her love of writing, edits manuscripts and reads endlessly.

A sprinkling of fiction, a dash of books, and a bit of opinion add to the eclectic mix that is Eloquent Articulation, her blog.

Books, editing, writing, and blogging keep her busy whenever she gets a breather from mothering her ‘too tricky to handle son’.

An Army brat, she now joins her adorable Army hubby across the country.

Click here to check out all the titles by the author…

You can stalk her @

    Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 

This Tour is Hosted by 

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We Promote So That You Can Write 

 

 

BOOK BLITZ: A Diary Of Crime Stories By Sonia Rao

I’m so excited to present to you my second offering – A DIARY OF CRIME STORIES – a collection of 3 gut-wrenching crime stories with colourful characters and shocking twists. Hope you enjoy reading them (If you do, pls do feel free to share it with family and friends and drop off a couple of sentences on Amazon too.

Get this book on Amazon or read them for FREE on Kindle Unlimited.

I’d like to give a very special thanks to Rubina Ramesh and The Book Club for featuring my book in their Book Blitz and thus helping my book baby reach out to a much wider audience of readers and fans.

Here are presented some details about the book.

 

A DIARY OF CRIME STORIES: 

GUT-WRENCHING STORIES OF COLOURFUL

CHARACTERS AND SHOCKING TWISTS

by

Sonia Rao

 

 

Blurb

• Did or didn’t a 5-year-old boy, who cannot hear or speak, witness a murder? And if he did, how dangerous can it become for him?

• CCTV cameras prove that a robbery was committed by a young analyst. But if she didn’t, then who did it?

• Love brings together hearts, true! But did you know it could destroy lives too?

What is a diary? It can be described as a personal book or even a safe space in which one can record one’s experiences, thoughts and ideas of both one’s outer and inner worlds. What is around us affects us. One aspect of outer world includes crime. This can take many forms: assault of all types, murder, and even fraud. Be it a differently-abled child or a woman undergoing domestic abuse, obsessive love that can lead to fraud and breakup of lifelong friendships or then honour killing – because you are not allowed to decide whom you can love and marry. Be it a modern world, urban or rural, every crime story affects us collectively.

This Diary Of Crime Stories is a collection of 3 gut-wrenching crime-reads that will leave you on the edge of your seat, with their colourful characters and shocking twists & turns, asking for more.

Grab your copy @


Amazon.in | Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

About the author

 

“Sonia Rao is a writer, editor, and award-winning blogger. Her fiction has appeared in many prestigious anthologies such as Voices Old & New and Jest Like That (edited by renowned editor-writer Shinie Antony).

As NaNoWriMo’s Municipal Liaison for all-India and founder of the Wrimo India group on Facebook, Sonia has motivated thousands of people in India to write a novel every November since 2011. She has also curated and edited the first Wrimo India Anthology, Vengeance—A Sting In Every Tale.

Sonia likes to believe she is ‘high-minded’ but strangely, her fave hobby is thinking up torture devices for those autorickshawallahs who consider the roads to be their personal spittoon. Who knew?“

You can stalk her @

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

 

This Tour is Hosted by 

Facebook | Website | Blog Tours | Twitter | | Linkedin

We Promote So That You Can Write 

 

Book Blitz: Love In Agartha by Sundari Venkatraman

Click here for a contemporary romance by Sonia Rao

Print Length: 213 pages

Publisher: Flaming Sun (Indie published)

Publication Date: January 2, 2020

Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC

Language: English

Genre: Romance, Fantasy

 

When Sanat Kumara usurps the job that Naavya Batra has been coveting for a long time, her instantaneous attraction towards him turns to intense dislike.

 

But soon, she’s all in admiration for the man. When she finally decides to give herself to him, Sanat insists on telling Naavya something about her…

 

…something she has absolutely no memory of.

 

What does Sanat know about Naavya that she herself isn’t aware of? And what secrets are her cousins holding back from her?

 

Read this tale of fantasy which takes you to three different realms on the earth, to find out if Sanat Kumara is really what he appears to be on the surface. But what about Naavya? Will her love for Sanat hold up under the circumstances?

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

Sundari Venkatraman is an indie author with forty-plus titles to her credit, which have sold more than 1.5 lakh copies around the world. Her books consistently feature in the Top 100 Bestseller Lists on Amazon in both Romance and Asian Drama categories. Her latest romance novels have all been on the #1 Bestseller slot in Amazon India for over a month.

 

As a child, Sundari loved to read books with ‘lived happily ever after’ endings. They were all about good triumphing over evil. As a teenager, her favourite books were romance novels from Mills & Boon. She was fascinated by them, so much so that she began to visualise the stories set in India.

 

Sundari was forty when she began her writing journey, completing the first draft of her first novel in thirty-five days. She has not looked back since.

Click here to check out all the titles by the author…

You can stalk her @

        

Grab Your Copy From

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We Promote So That You Can Write 

 

Claustrophobia

It’s Day 3 of the A-Z Blogging Challenge! What is this A-Z Blogging Challenge all about? An Aries new moon always inspires disruptive action of sorts. And A – Z Blogging Challenge was staring me in the face. As it is, it’s been a long time since I’ve really written fiction. I was missing my true love *wink,wink*. I attempted & completed A-Z Blogging Challenge in 2013 and partly, the following year (check out the A-Z posts by clicking on the A-Z in the category cloud). The past 2 years, I’ve been traveling up and down by the Mumbai local, 5 days a week. So, it’s inevitable that most of these stories – flash fiction – will be inspired by that daily commute. Drop in here, then, for your daily fix of sweet&spicy stories (from different genres) based on the 26 letters of the English Alphabet.

Read the previous stories here and here.

Read Claustrophobia below:

CLAUSTROPHOBIA

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Hugging the doorway pole tight, she stood on the footboard of the Mumbai local which was her favourite place inside the train. Like the breeze that blew her hair all over her face, the train rushed forward, carrying its load of busy people.

She looked down. The adjoining track sped along in the opposite direction. Clumps of dried grass, bleached in the sun, dotted the ground between the tracks.

The strip of dry mud called out to her in tune with the wheels. Clang, clang, come, come, clang, clang, come, come. It looked so inviting: to just jump out and fall splat on the ground. The euphoria of freedom. All ties broken and unbroken, now redundant. Just one step forward.

She looked up. A fleet of birds fluttered upwards breaking free into the sky. The train slowed down as it entered into the station.

Women, keen to be an entrepreneur? My friend Cashmere has broken down the entire process into easy steps. Helpful for all. Check out her blog https://cashlash.blogspot.com/

Binary Of Pain

It’s Day 2 of the A-Z Blogging Challenge! What is this A-Z Blogging Challenge all about? An Aries new moon always inspires disruptive action of sorts. And A – Z Blogging Challenge was staring me in the face. As it is, it’s been a long time since I’ve really written fiction. I was missing my true love *wink,wink*. I attempted & completed A-Z Blogging Challenge in 2013 and partly, the following year (check out the A-Z posts by clicking on the A-Z in the category cloud). The past 2 years, I’ve been traveling up and down by the Mumbai local, 5 days a week. So, it’s inevitable that most of these stories – flash fiction – will be inspired by that daily commute. Drop in here, then, for your daily fix of sweet&spicy stories (from different genres) based on the next 24 letters of the English Alphabet.

Read the previous story here.

Read the Binary Of Pain below:

BINARY OF PAIN

GENRE: DRAMA

Vedana expertly patted the Avon concealer on the blueish red spot under her eye. Next, she applied it on the dark blue coin shape on her upper arm. Thank God for Nirmala, her trainmate, who kept up a regular supply of this natural-hued cream.

Sometimes, she felt like taking the knife from the kitchen and plunging it into her husband’s heart. Often, she fantasized about smashing his head in with the stone mortar. She fingered the black-beaded necklace she wore around her neck. A thread stronger than the Polycab wires in the ads on TV.

Almost impossible to snap.

Her marriage had begun with a hard slap and cut lip. The burden of young age and tradition had kept her tongue-tied at the pain. It moved from lip to eyes to arm to burns and whippings. In the other room, her in-laws listened but pretended not to. They’d rather have a home than be thrown out for speaking up for her.

She wanted to hate them for it but weren’t her own parents sailing the same sea with her brother?

She sought refuge in her job though her boss was less devilish than her husband by only a degree or two. A quick glance at the clock made her hurry. She picked up her bag and the S-hook.

In the tightly-packed-with-ladies compartment, Vedana sat in her usual seat next to the window, still fuming inside. Her bag hung down from the steel hook which she had suspended from the luggage carrier above. It swung sideways with every jerk of the train, hitting a standing girl on her cheek. Vedana day-dreamed about escape, oblivious to the wounded glances the young girl threw at her.

Add to your knowledge of foreign phrases & also read some beautiful poetry along with it, on my friend Prakash Hegade’s blog: https://itsphblog.wordpress.com/ 

 

Anahata – the Chakra of Love

What is this A-Z Blogging Challenge all about? An Aries new moon always inspires a disruptive action of sorts. And A – Z Blogging Challenge was staring me in the face. As it is, it has been a long time since I’ve really written fiction. I was missing my true love *wink,wink*. I attempted & completed A-Z Blogging Challenge in 2013 and partly, the following year (check out the A-Z posts by clicking on the A-Z in the category cloud). The past 2 years, I’ve been traveling up and down by the Mumbai local, 5 days a week. Most of these stories – flash fiction – are inspired by that daily commute. So, drop in here for your daily fix of sweet&spicy stories (from different genres) based on the next 25 letters of the English Alphabet. 

ANAHATA – THE CHAKRA OF LOVE

Genre: Memoir

One is not at the railway station at this hour except as part of the usual crush to reach home after a travel that has taken up a better part of the day. So, here I am, sitting squashed, back to a stranger on the opposite end of a narrow stone bench that can barely hold one in comfort.

Interspersed with the local trains are the outstation trains. They hurtle past the local stations, carrying thrilling expectation of a faraway destination. The local-train-warriors, waiting on the platform for their ride, eye with disguised envy those long-distance travellers. Munching on Mumbai’s second staple – roasted peanuts – vadapav being the first, their ears are perked for the announcement of their train, their minds already having raced home.

I am going against the tide, against the peak hours. Responding to the call of a friend. There’s an air of excitement about our first meeting. We met online and our energies jelled. When it was time to meet, a book launch seemed the best site. After all, weren’t we ardent readers and writers?

We are just a train ride away from each other. The distance seems never-ending. The train chugs along, carrying me to meet my destiny.

Yes, our friendship is not long but it is deep.

Or so I thought.

Also check out my friend Dola’s blog where she is writing about the art of self-editing (you’ll find amazing gems there): http://shiuli.com/blog/ 

 

How To Write A Novel In 30 Days – 5

 

 

    WRITER’S BLOCK

A writer’s eye looks at things in a different way than a layperson’s would. Hence her head is full of ideas and it would take lifetimes to actually use them all in the writing. But sometimes, this faucet seems to be tightly closed. And try as they might, the writer is not able to wrench out a single word. This situation is fondly called, Writer’s Block. But this need not be a permanent state of being.

(If you are a writing your first novel, the first draft would mostly flow out. As is popularly said, everyone has atleast one story within them. Make the most of this beginner’s luck).

 WHY THE BLOCK 

The most common reason for a block is not knowing enough about the subject you’re writing on. If it is fiction, then perhaps you are not completely clued in to your characters, their likes and dislikes and their propensities. Going deeper into their psyche could give you enough matter to break any blocks in your mind about them.

Yet another reason for the Block is not believing that you have a story to tell, especially when you read the books written by the writers whose writings you idolise.

But the fact is that if you felt within you a spark (to write a novel)that wanted to burn bright then that is a sure sign that your story is worth writing.

Sometimes the writer gets into the rut of misconception that every word that flows out of his pen into the page must be brilliant and final.  Every writer knows that words have to be written and then re-written a number of times before they flow and you know you’ve got the best words that will work for you story. This is VERY HARD WORK. So avoid the self-sabotaging thoughts and behaviour which prevent you from writing, and blaming ‘Writer’s Block’ for it.

Stop thinking about what the world will think of your story, whether they will like it or not, whether they will approve of it or not, whether they will still respect you after you write your story or not (hey, do you really need such people in your life?).

 BREAK THE BLOCK

Just write the words that excite you, that want to be written by you.

Write like no-one is going to be reading what you have written.

 FREE THE WRITING

A practical way out of the Block is by free writing. Set a timer for 15 minutes and write whatever comes to mind about a subject of your choice, perhaps the character who’s causing you distress or even your story. Write uninhibitedly and soon you might find gems that could give you a breakthrough.

 What are the methods you use to get over Writers Block?

 (Read How To Write A Novel In 30 Days – 1, 2, 3, and 4.