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| A Note from the Book Witch: |
April is almost over and I have barely been active on this blog! This month flew by and I feel like I have been sleeping! I literally got stuck in a reading slump due to a few issues regarding my physical health. I am an over achiever and I take full responsibility for my pain today. What exactly led me to be on a temporary bedrest due to a strained abductor muscle? ME! I wanted to see if I could jog after training my body to walk for a month. I got walking down pat so I sped up my speed and was able to walk at a faster speed than I thought without my asthma getting in the way. So one brilliant morning I decided to see if I could jog and walk too. I wanted to see if I could shave my workout time in half and see exactly how much I could push myself. ( I love to challenge myself to the point of poor choices.) I got this brilliant plan to burst into random sprints during my walk/jog exercise that morning. I was fine the first three or four days after this fabulous idea. But on the fifth day I discovered I could not lift my legs for yoga without screaming in pain. I could not sit comfortably without feeling something stabbing me from the inside and a deep pain down the inner thigh on both left and right sides of my body. It is safe to say that I "over shot" my workout and my sweet husband is annoyingly correct...I did "over do it". So I have been out of the loop for a bit on my blog but I promise you I have wonderful things coming soon and I plan to get this back up and working! I want to thank all of my readers and family/friends who support me on a daily basis. I love you all very much!
Love,
Amanda Insco, The Book Witch
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| Author Shail Rajan |
You guys! It is already April 24th? Time is just flying by...and despite my short absence I have this month's Author Spotlight ready for you. I apologize for the delay due to physical reasons I was not able to get the Spotlight article to you sooner than I had planned. Nevertheless, you are in for a very special treat this month! The Month of April is all about the Author of the novel, "The Summer Breeze", Shail Rajan.
We had the pleasure of becoming Bookstagram buddies online a few months ago and I was more than happy to include her in the Author Spotlight section for this blog. She and I shared similar interests in like Motherhood and becoming stay at home moms. I was very impressed with her ability to continue writing even though she had little ones at home to tend too. Her book is one that I have found to be easy to read and refreshing. I intend on sharing a review for her book in a few short weeks as well, so stay tuned for that too!
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| "The Summer Breeze" |
Here is a brief summary of her debut novel,
(From her description):
Callie Williams is tired. Tired of her fast-paced life in New York City. Tired of the demanding hours of her successful career. And even more tired of her demanding fiancé. An unexpected visit and the discovery of a secret upend her life, and she is forced to make the decision to leave it all behind in search of something different...something more. Moving back to her parents' beautiful country home, Callie busies herself planning her younger sister's wedding and helping her develop a new reality TV show. But despite being surrounded by her loving family, Callie finds herself feeling increasingly lonely and aimless. She yearns to find a place for herself - a place where she can be her own boss .After months of self-reflection, Callie makes the life changing decision to open her own bed and breakfast...a decision that will bring her to the beautiful lakeside town of Seneca Springs and a major home renovation. Dealing with contractors and craftsmen, all while navigating the complexities of small-town life, will pose one of the greatest challenges she's faced. But, along the way, she begins to forge lifelong friendships, eats more than her fair share of delicious food, and tries not to meddle in the lives of her guests. As construction on The Summer Breeze Bed & Breakfast expands to include a spa, Callie meets Nick, a gorgeous, rough-around-the-edges construction worker who takes every chance he can to get under Callie's skin. Past experience has made Callie question her taste in men, but there's no denying the attraction between her and Nick. A late-night delivery will tear them apart, but a quintessential nor'easter snowstorm might just force them back together...
Now let us get to know our Author for this month!
How long have you been writing?
I started writing stories as a hobby back in 2003. It was just away for me to pass the time, and the stories were only for my personal enjoyment. I never told anyone about them and back then I never thought I would share them with anyone! The Summer Breeze and other partially completed manuscripts have waited patiently on my laptop all this time. Fast forward almost two decades to the end of 2020, when I finally mustered up the courage to send my first book baby out into the world!
What genre do you write?
I write contemporary women's fiction with just a hint of romance. My books focus on many of the things that are an important part of my life: family, friendships, food, and falling in love.
What inspired your book(s)?
Ever since I was a little girl, my mind had a tendency to create characters and stories just before going to sleep. When I was younger, it was a form of entertainment. As I got older, it became a great way for me to unwind from the day. One Day back in 2003, one of the characters I had been thinking about the night before, popped into my head during some downtime at work, and I started daydreaming about the character's life. And for some reason, on that particular day during my lunch break, I decided on a complete whim to type up some of the things I had been thinking. I never intentionally set out to write a book; I was just a little bored at work and there happened to be a laptop in front of me. That was the start of my journey as an Author. After that, I was hooked. Whenever I had some downtime, Id' open the word file and add to it. Writing the stories simply became the natural consequence of having created these characters who needed something to do, something to say, somewhere to go, and something to eat!
What is your favorite book?
This is a tough question for any bibliophile to answer! I think I have a different favorite depending on what's going on in my life. But there are always two books that I have on my nightstand. The first is Pride and Prejudice because I absolutely love everything about Jane Austen, from her writing style to her description of setting, her use of dialogue, and her wonderful female characters. And of course, Mr. Darcy. (On this, I cannot argue. I share the same love for Mr. Darcy too- The Book Witch)
The second is A Town Like Alice by Nevile Shute. I came across this book years ago and loved it so much that my husband managed to find a first edition copy which I have read and re-read numerous times. There is something so magical for me in the emotional journey of the main character Jean Paget.
Who is your favorite Author?
This is an easy one! Jane Austen. No question.
What or how did you decide to publish your book?
Like it has been for so many families, 2020 was an incredibly difficult year for our family. I wanted to do something to lift our spirits and bring some joy into our lives, but I didn't know what. One late Saturday afternoon this past December, I was cleaning out my nightstand and came across a bookmark under a pile of books. On the back of it, a friend had written " Go ahead Shail, chase those dreams." That was the moment I knew I would publish my debut novel and send it out into the world.
Tell us something interesting about yourself!
In the past 3 months, I feel like my brain has grown so fast as the Grinch's heart did! I've learned more about new technology and marketing than I ever thought possible. I've designed and developed my own website and am so excited to re-launch www.shailrajan.com with a great giveaway!
What other hobbies do you enjoy?
I am a diehard foodie, an obsessive (albeit not always successful) vegetable gardener and an avid DIYer.
Tell us more about your book or books that we should know!
I'm working on two new projects right now, and I am so excited about both of them!
The first is book #2 The Summer Breeze Bed and Breakfast series. In this book readers will be able to catch up wit hall their favorite characters from the first book in the series! Callie, the main character, will continue her unsuccessful attempts to not meddle in her guest's lives, eat even more mouth-watering food, and try to keep her head on straight when Nick, her love interest, is around. Two weddings and a catastrophe will be the backdrop to Callie's life in the beautiful lakeside town of Seneca Springs.
My second project is a romantic suspense novel that I'm having the best time researching and writing. Stay tuned for more info on how small town life takes a dark turn when a rock star comes to Sycamore Ridge!
All I can say is this Author is going places. She literally wrote her first book at work. Her ideas are endless and her motivation is nothing short of inspirational. As a Mom and writer myself I found her work and her devotion encouraging. I cannot wait to read the next installments, and to post a review for The Summer Breeze soon. Be sure to participate in the giveaway! (Information on her website)
To find out more information on how to purchase her books follow the link below!
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Follow the links below to keep up with all things Shail Rajan!!!
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