Can you believe it’s been a week since Marriage Unarranged was officially released?
It has been amazing, and I can’t thank everyone enough for all your support and encouragement though the week – as well as your patience wading through these daily posts, recounting all that has been going on.
I tried to relax a bit more today since we are back at school tomorrow, but it never quite happens, does it? I’ve done lots of reading and sharing posts on Social Media, as well as making several trips to the Summer House as Hubby Dearest was on a mission to rejig the furniture in there! A bit of cooking, some laundry and a smidgen of cleaning, and we are done!
Of course, I had to end the week with a little recap Tiktok video, too!
It was the final day of the blog tour organised by the lovely Zoe-Lee O’Farrell (Click here for the full details!) and, we have two more lovely reviewers featuring Marriage Unarranged on their blog or Instagram!
If you’d like to take a peek at them, here are the links:
Saturday has been and is pretty much gone now. It’s World Gin Day today, too, did you know that? Might have to raise a glass to me!
Today comprised of getting up earlier than anticipated as Sonu Singh insisted that he needed to be fed RIGHT NOW otherwise he was going to chew at anything that made a noise in the bedroom, cheeky feline! Then I ended up reading and having a tidy-up before dropping Lil Man at this week\s cricket match. Coming home, I had the joyful task of helping to get Lil Man’s revision folder up to scratch for him, as he isn’t the most organised young man. So, three hours of printing, sorting and labelling later, I realised that the binder he had was broken. Lil Princess and I paid an emergency visit to the local Sainsburys to get a new folder, dividers and more printer paper (which is so expensive now, due to another national shortage!). I know how to live, don’t I? We had a Chinese takeout for dinner and chilled out for the evening. I watched My Name is Leon on BBC Iplayer. What a sad film! Have you watched it?
I honestly thought that this week I would be able to balance the release and all it encompasses, as well as some school work, then add some new words to book two. I was a little overconfident in my ability to keep all the plates spinning, what with also being mum-taxi to the kids twice a day! So I made another silly Tiktok! Thought I would share it with you all!
It is day six of the blog tour organised by the lovely Zoe-Lee O’Farrell (Click here for the full details!) and, we have two more lovely reviewers featuring Marriage Unarranged on their blog or Instagram!
If you’d like to take a peek at them, here are the links:
It’s Friday already, so that means, amongst other things, that I only have a weekend between me and being back in school for work! EEK!
If I am being honest, though, I was actually in school today. I had a load of printing to get done, as well as sorting out a little bit of the classroom, and some errands to run in town, meaning it wasn’t worth the drive back home in the middle (plus, with diesel prices the way they are at the moment, I’d rather stay put, thank you very much!)
Though, I did have a bit of exciting bookmail, today. The author copies of Marriage Unarranged are still in the pipeline, and I am rather impatient, so I ordered one off Amazon, as I was so keen to see what it looked like compared to my self-published version. You interested? Please take a peek at the TikTok I created! There is a minor colour change, as well as slightly different formats to the colour banding at the bottom, and that special Call to Action sticker at the front. Oh, and it is bigger than before, too!
It is day five of the blog tour organised by the lovely Zoe-Lee O’Farrell (Click here for the full details!) and we have two more lovely reviewers featuring Marriage Unarranged on their blog or Instagram!
If you’d like to take a peek at them, here are the links:
Thursday has almost come to an end, marking four days since Marriage Unarranged was released by Spellbound Books. It has been lovely reading reviews, and one, specifically mentioned a book I really enjoyed, earlier this year, comparing the two, and let’s just say, mine came off extremely favourably!
So, today, the school run was the first job of the day, and once I got back. I was good, getting on the treadmill for a speedwalk and a read. (Doesn’t everyone read their kindle while they walk?) A quick breakfast was followed by a little more school work, then I reviewed one book, and finished reading another. Lunch eaten, I had a go at some house cleaning, so the weekend was freer for me, then I headed off, Mum -Taxi, to pick the kids up again. And here I am now, after making dinner for the kids (hubby and I are eating a little later) typing up this recap! Still no new words written, but I know they will come, I can feel it in my bones!
It is day four of the blog tour organised by the lovely Zoe-Lee O’Farrell (Click here for the full details!) and today, one of the posts is an extract, and another is an interview about my writing process!
If you’d like to take a peek at them, here are the links:
Day three, and I am still flying high, I have to say! The reviews are starting to pop up, and I think paperbacks will hit some doormats soon, too! I think we are teetering between #2 and 3 in the Hot New Release chart for Asian fiction, still, too!
Wednesday, during half term for me, looked like this: dropping the kids off to school, taking an unplanned visit to Lidl for bananas, and coming out with an airfryer, several other things, (and, of course bananas!) getting home, making more work related calls, making lunch (I mastered poached egg!) then reading, and scrolling on my social media! A meeting at my kids school was followed by two and a half hours sat in the car as Lil Man had his cricket practice. I could have taken my laptop, but I ended up reading, instead! A rushed dinner of Chicken Fajitas, and now here I am writing this as I catch up on Eastenders!
Today is the third day of the blog tour organised by the lovely Zoe-Lee O’Farrell (Click here for the full details!) and we have Bookstagram, as well as another lovely review! I was blown away by some of these lovely words people have written about Marriage Unarranged.
If you’d like to take a peek at the other posts, here are the links/posts:
It was a quieter day in some respects, but , there was still so much happening, which I had to balance along with doing a little school related work! (Day job is still there, Peeps, what can I do?)
As it is Tuesday, I popped my happy announcement on Twitter with the RNA #TuesNews hashtag and got so much love, there, too!
Today is the second day of the blog tour organised by the lovely Zoe-Lee O’Farrell (Click here for the full details!) and we have Bookstagram, as well as another lovely review! I was blown away by some of these lovely words people have written about Marriage Unarranged.
If you’d like to take a peek at the other posts, here are the links/posts:
Marriage Unarranged is available to purchase and download from Amazon in eBook and Paperback! EEEK!
Here is a little peek of the front and back as they will be on the paperbacks! Note the little green circle with the gorgeous Amanda Prowse’s quote!
It’s been a manic, but lovely day so far, posting about the release, receiving and responding to the numerous beautiful messages of support I have received for today, too!
Hubby Dearest and I are making the most of it and he took me out to lunch to celebrate!
The book tour also kicked off, and all four of the posts have been lovely, which has warmed my heart ❤
If you’d like to take a peek at the other posts, here are the links:
I have not been as active as I wanted on this blog, due to so many reasons. Mainly it was work-related. School has been quite mad, and with a bout of Covid in March that really set me back, and us fast approaching the end of the school year, things have been a bit manic! The last four days which are in my half term have seen me up extra early to get the bulk of my end of year reports written!
However, the big news is that Marriage Unarranged is officially re-released on Monday 6th June! That is 4 sleeps away!
Click image for buy link!
It has been very different this time around, as I now have a publisher who is doing all sorts of wonderful stuff, such as tweaking the cover for the paperback which will be out a week or so after the ebook release, to the fantastic ZooLoos Book Tours arranging an official book/blog tour!
Click image to see the tour details!
I’ve even been interviewed by none other than my favourite author, Amanda Prowse, on her Facebook My Book Friends group! (And there is a ‘call to buy’ quote on the new cover from her, too! (#Blessed!)
And just yesterday I attended my first ever author gathering, meeting my local chapter of Society of Authors members in Tunbridge Wells. It was so lovely to chat all things words and publishing with them. They were extremely encouraging about the release, and I hope to see them again in September with news of how the release and reception has been!
Just hanging out with the writers…!
We tweaked the blurb just slightly, from before to ensure all readers are aware that this book is not set now, but in 2000, when many things were different. It is almost a historical novel now!
It all s̶t̶a̶r̶t̶e̶d̶ ended with that box…
The year 2000 and Aashi’s life was all set. New Millennium ,exciting beginnings, new life. Or so she thought.
Like in the Bollywood films, Ravi would woo her, charm her family and they’d get married and live happily ever after.
But then Aashi found the empty condom box…
Putting her ex-fiancé and her innocence behind her, Aashi embarks upon an enlightening journey, to another country, where vibrant memories are created, and unforgettable friendships forged.
Old images erased, new beginnings to explore.
And how can she forget the handsome stranger she meets? A stranger who’s hiding something…
Coming Summer 2023 , book 2 in The Rishtay Series
And if you saw that little comment at the end, it is now officially part of a series, of which I am in the throes of writing the ending for Book 2!
The Rishtay Series – Rishtay means relationships from romantic, to friendship to familial ones. Quite an apt name, since my writing hinges around relationships of all sorts!
And, so we have it.
Monday, it is out, again! If you have had your interest piqued, please pop over to Amazon to preorder it!
Today, I have the pleasure of being a part of a very special release day!
Our very own, Sacha Black, has done it again with another cracker of a non fiction release, following on from her gems, 13 Steps To Evil, 10 Steps to Hero, and an absolute favourite of mine, The Anatomy of Prose.
This time we welcome 8 Steps to Side Characters!
Now, Sacha has guided us, in her inimitable way, through how to create the most evil kind of villains and those flawed, yet strong heroes, so it stands to reason that we need some guidance about how to handle all those other characters that make up the bones of our books… so here we have it!
Wanna know more about what it’s all about? Here’s the blurb:
Do your characters fail to bring your story to life? Are they flat, boring or have no depth? Is your story lacking a little cohesion or sparkle? In 8 Steps to Side Characters, you’ll discover:
+ A step-by-step guide for creating side characters that bring your story alive + The main types of side characters and what you should do with them + The key to crafting character depth that hooks readers + How to harness your character’s voice to deepen your reader’s experience + Tips and tricks for using details to enhance characterization + Methods for killing characters that will help deepen plot, theme and story + Dozens of ideas for creating conflict with your side characters + Tactics for differentiating characters and making them feel real to your reader + Character archetypes and functions + The most common pitfalls and mistakes to avoid
8 Steps to Side Characters is a comprehensive writing guide that will help you create the side characters your story needs. This book is packed with tips and tricks for polishing characters for writers at any level.
If you want to power up your characters, eliminate dull and lifeless archetypes, and perfect your characterization, this is the book for you. By the end of this book, you’ll know how to strengthen your characters to give your story, prose and plot the extra something special it needs to capture a readers and fans for life.
If you like dark humor, learning through examples and want to create better side characters, then you’ll love Sacha Black’s guide to crafting supporting roles with intention, purpose, and power. Read 8 Steps to Side Characters today and start creating kick-ass stories.
After I read my ebook arc, I was quick to get in there with my request for a signed hard copy of this beaut, too and it will be well thumbed, I can promise you!
Some authors, you just know you are going to read and enjoy. And one of those, for me, Sacha Black, has done it again with her next writing craft special, 8 Steps To Side Characters. I’ve loved her previous guides to writing Villains, and Heroes, and the Anatomy of Prose was just ENLIGHTENING! You know you’re reading a real (Sacha) Black beauty when the first chapter in the book is called F*ck The Rules! Her colourful language embodies all that is Sacha, ensuring a read full of laughs, snorts, and ‘A-ha!’ moments! There is so much in the book to help you craft your side characters into solid people that readers will understand, and how to use them to push the story forward. Side characters are fantastic literary devices, but you really do need to know the nuances of how to use them, and also, it’s important to know what kind of side character you are writing… yup, there are several types. Sacha has it all covered! What a fantastic resource that had me questioning all my side characters, past and present – in a good way. You can always count on Sacha for a dose of ‘Real-talk’ writing advice. And one of my favourite lines, which I can just hear her saying… (I listen to Sacha’s podcast, so her wonderful British lilt is ingrained in my mind!) “Don’t be an @sshole – they’re full of sh!t rather than words”. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
And… she doesn’t just have the Textbook available, as always there is an acompanying Workbook, too. She’s a whip-wielding task master, that Sacha…! But, honestly, if you want to hone your craft, what better way than to work through the exercises designed to strengthen your craft?
What are you waiting for? Get yourselves out there!
Oh, and if you want more, check out Sacha’s Social Media. There are a whole host of mini tip videos that have been posted over the last few days, and for the next few days, Sacha has some fantastic interviews lined up.
As part of the launch week, I’ll be interviewing nine authors all about their side characters, their favorite side characters from books and films as well as their tips for creating better characters. And I’ll be doing that all LIVE on instagram every night at 8pm from the 30th July to the 8th August.
Sacha Black
Friday 30th July – Mark Lefebvre from Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing Podcast
Saturday 31st July Jeff Adams from Big Gay Fiction podcast
Sunday 1st August Katlyn Duncan YouTuber and author
Monday 2nd August Daniel Willcocks, my Next Level Authors cohost, book coach and horror authors
Tuesday 3rd August Crys Cain, host of Write Away, cohost of TASM and author
Wednesday 4th August Kristina Stanley, CEO of Fictionary.co
Thursday 5th Helen Scheuerer author of fantasy
Friday 6th Miranda Bridges romance author
Saturday 7th Elaine Bateman urban fantasy author and staff writer at Indie Author Magazine
Sunday 8th August – if I haven’t collapsed, will be a solo show from me.
Ritu Bhathal 