Category: Journal

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Journal

Passion

passion

Many people fall in love slowly, often beginning with friendship and respect and then developing stronger feelings. A romance based on such love is both gentle and sweet. But for me, love must have a spark and that spark comes from passion. Passion is the emotion that fully engages one’s heart, mind and soul. It is all-consuming and with its power, can move mountains or melt stony hearts. A passionate couple truly engages—in anger, love and of course in bed. That’s what I look for in a relationship—that spark—the magic of passion. Without it, both life and fiction seem tame.

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Journal

Maine Tujhe Dekha

Lost deep in thought, he felt a sudden prickling on his skin, flesh raised in goose bumps.  He raised his head and scanned the crowded, smoky room. Near the front door, he saw a silhouette, a slim figure with long, silky hair, lifting her slender arm in greeting to their host. She hesitated for a moment, and almost as if she could feel the weight of his stare, she turned to look directly at him. Their eyes locked for long seconds…

And, they fall instantly in love! Can this be possible, or are we fooling ourselves? Do we really recognize our soul mates instantly, or is this just lust? Are we misunderstanding our own body’s signals?

There is no doubt that we all have an innate need to reproduce, and the law of natural selection means that we seek out the most compatible, the most superior and the strongest genes instinctively. ‘Survival of the fittest’ is a basic evolutionary concept, after all. And, when we fall for someone, perhaps it’s just our instincts telling us that this is our evolutionary partner—the most compatible match for our future gene pool.

Isn’t it possible then, that ‘love at first sight’ is simply a concept that is easier to grasp, and therefore more popular, than ‘survival of the fittest’; that the two are essentially the same thing?

So, when our parents select our mates for us (as they do in this part of the world), are they also selecting the ‘fittest’ mate for their child? Do our ‘survival’ instincts work just as well for our children?

Or have I just found a rational, scientific reason to step back from arranged marriages, and let more ‘love marriages’ flourish?

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Journal

My Cyber Superpower: Invisibility

invisibilityIt’s true that we don’t know who we’re talking to in a cyber-relationship. The person on the other end could be Dracula’s half-brother, or a pimply-faced teenager, for all we know. But, that cuts both ways. On my end, I could describe myself as a desi version of Angelina Jolie, or a rock-climbing daredevil. I could be a brain surgeon with a dynamic, full life, looking for a little light-hearted online affair, or I could be a high-powered businesswoman, with a staff of hundreds at my command.

Online, I am draped in a cloak of invisibility. Even if I present myself as the person I am, I can be witty and daring. I can be bold and attractive, cheeky and free. Online, with a computer screen shielding me from all comers, I am not bound by social convention, or stunted by awkward silences. I can have a Google tab open and ready to give me ideas for a conversation, or a cutting comeback to anything. I can have my Cyrano by my side, and be intelligent, sophisticated and articulate.

I can slice through the debacle of first impressions (which, for some of us, is an ordeal of stammering introductions and sweaty palms) and draw him in to who I really am.

And, if I am very lucky, on the other end of my technologically advanced tin can will be someone who uses the same cloak, and understands the need to pretend, just for a while, that we are glamorous, dynamic people, and we deserve to be together.

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Indiwords Journal

Tu Mera Hero

Movie heroes in the West have come a long way – today many of the heroes are flawed, making them at once more realistic and more appealing. Our South Asian heroes – in print and onscreen – are generally still larger-than-life depictions. They are good hearted and righteous with strong values and are also unashamedly romantic. This clearly works as box office domination by Shahrukh, Salman and Amir proves. To add to their long list of virtues they are also impossibly handsome, like Hrithik and the newest heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor. But are these heroes realistic? Should we be moving to more realism and depicting more nuanced characters through popular culture?

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Journal News & Events

Our Picks for the Summer of Love

So, phew! Thirty books to choose from, and the field is wide open. Where to start?

Well, let us give you a helping hand. Featuring a selection of books from across our three genres, we’ve got our recommendations. Once you’ve read them, come back and tell us what you would recommend.

From the Green Lime genre—fresh, fun and young love stories—we have Haveli and Against All Odds.

Haveli is a fiery romance set in the 1970’s in what was once a princely state, but which became part of Pakistan. A young girl chafes against the rules and regulations of her narrow world within her family’s old haveli and discovers love and a lot more than she bargained for.

Against All Odds introduces us to another feisty young lady—Sanjana is enormously talented and is making her mark in the world of interior designing. Her work puts her in the path of the rich and famous, in particular Abhimanyu, with whom she has had an unpleasant encounter. Caught between a world of privilege and practicality, the two will have to fight the odds to make their relationship work.

From the Golden Saffron genre—relationship based romance stories—we have The Journals of Geetanjali Rao, a poignant story about a thirty-something woman who has returned to India and unexpectedly finds love. Her experiences, narrated via the pages of her journal, chronicle a touching coming-of-age story.

And finally, from our Black Clove genre—romance combined with fantasy and mythology—we have picked The Gandharva. The story follows Dev, a fallen Gandharva warrior who cannot understand the intensity of his attraction to the human girl, Maya. Together, the two must battle a host of mythological enemies and unleash unknown powers, setting a chain of events in motion that cannot be turned back.

Enjoy our editor’s picks, follow the links to read the chapters provided for your reading pleasure and fall in love with the diversity and range of our new and exclusive Summer of Love reads.

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Journal News & Events

South Asia’s Summer of Love

summerofloveYou’ve all read and watched the love stories of the west: from Mills&Boons’ romances to Pretty Woman, romance is saturated with rich, debonair men falling for feisty women.

Day by day, however, South Asian culture and lifestyles have permeated the western world. From daily yoga sessions to a new breed of musicals, the subcontinent has already left its mark.

And opened a door for Indireads.

Indireads provides a platform for lovers everywhere to commune with, partake of and enjoy storytellers from the Subcontinent. This isn’t simply a matter of switching Nick and Diana for Nikhil and Daniya. Indireads has big ambitions and formulaic literature is not a part of that.

South Asia combined constitutes a sixth of the world’s population, and we know the world is curious. So we’ve built an impressive community of authors, and we’re bringing South Asia to you.

Our Summer of Love is just beginning. With thirty romantic novellas in our bookstore, Indireads has a wide selection of books for all ages, for women, for young girls, and even a couple for men. The books are affordable and easily read on a variety of devices.

On June 12, 2013, we’ll be announcing a series of promotions for our new readers. This will be your best chance to scoop up your favorite books and start a new collection of your favorite authors. Leave your reviews, rate the books, come back and try another.  Let us know what kind of stories you’re looking for, what you think of our heroes and heroines, and at the end of the day, subscribe to our newsletter so that you can keep up with our regular offers.

If you know nothing about your neighboring countries, about the cultures and traditions of South Asia, you’ll be richer for the experience.

See you on the 12th!

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Journal

Zeenat Mahal’s The Contract

“…We’ll get married, but I’ll pay you a monthly salary to behave and appear for all practical purposes as my wife…If you agree, the marriage vows can be taken on the phone on Saturday, since I have an hour free in the morning.”

Shahira, a young, divorced mother of a seven-year-old son, wants nothing to do with a man, ever again. But circumstances have forced her hand, and Hussain’s unusual proposition leaves her secretly relieved. As per their contract, she’ll have his name, will be paid to look after his ailing mother and motherless daughter and will be left well alone by him. Perfect!

Until her new husband decides to stop playing by the rules.

Hussain is suave and rich. He is nobody’s fool…and is not about to be bested by the ex-schoolteacher he is married to. He has Shahira in his sights and she has to have all her wits about her in order to hold him at arm’s length. Will she ever be ready for the kind of marriage he wants?

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Journal

Jazz Singh’s Only a Dream

Rhea can’t believe her ex-flame Varun has shown up in her life again as her new boss!  He was her first love, the man she gave herself to body and soul, thinking they would be together forever. But then, without warning or explanation, he dumped her and she was left with broken dreams and a broken heart.

Now he wants Rhea in his life again and won’t take no for an answer. But the hurt and humiliation of the past still rankle and Rhea is not ready to forgive and forget.

Can Varun convince her that his promises are for real? Should Rhea believe him?

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Journal

Hiba Khan’s Opposites Attract

What if you suddenly discover, to your amazement, that the person you thought you will hate forever was destined to be the love of your life?

Ayza considered Fahad a pest and was irritated by the pranks he played on her. Ten years later he has grown into a handsome and successful travel writer, but her opinion hasn’t changed.

Fahad has been unsuccessfully trying to get Ayza’s attention since he was five, and he is not about to stop now that she has grown into a beautiful young woman. Armed with his bag of tricks and an ulterior motive, he does his best to get through to her. To his delight, she rises to the bait, responding with ingenuity and beating him at his own game.

But then, as Fahad and his tricks begin to get underneath her skin, she is confused by her growing feelings for her previously despised neighbor.

Fahad and Ayza need to get their act together, because if they don’t, the biggest joke is on them.

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Journal

Yamini Vijendran’s Full Circle

Outwardly Malini is a contented, sixty-something grandmother with a loving family and everything a person could wish for. But Malini has lived her entire life with a secret confined to the deepest recesses of her heart.

Haunted by the past, she travels to Kumbakonam, her native town, which she had left years ago. There, she comes face-to-face with her long-lost love.

After forty years, will Malini be able to reclaim her own life, when love comes knocking at her door once again?