The Mysterious Basement of Summer City - Kindle Countdown Deal

Dear friends,

This year 2019 is about to bid us a fond adieu! We are on the cusp of another exciting new year 2020. What better way to usher in the new year, than to celebrate with a nail-biting, suspenseful whodunit; snuggling on your couch, with a delicious cake and steaming cup of coffee, for company!

The Mysterious Basement of Summer City is a prize-winning, thrilling whodunit that will keep you on the edge of your seat right till the very end!

A Kindle Countdown Deal will be on from 30th December, 2019 to 6th January, 2020 for my e-book titled The Mysterious Basement of Summer City. It will be available at a whopping discount from 30th December, 2019 to 6th January, 2020. 

The earliest birds will get the highest discount!

Here's the Kindle e-book promotion schedule:

Increment                Duration                              Price                        % Discount     

 1.                               

 December 30, 2019 at 8:00 AM (PST)           53h                  $0.99                 76%

2         

 January 1, 2020 at 1:00 PM (PST)                 53h                  $1.99                 51%

3         

 January 3, 2020 at 6:00 PM (PST)                 54h                  $2.99                 26%

End     

 January 6, 2020 at 12:00 AM (PST)   Original list price         $3.99

Hurry! Don't miss this golden opportunity to read my prize-winning novel. It was adjudged as the second prize-winner in a novel writing contest organized by Vishwakarma Publications, Pune.

Kindly peruse it and let me have your invaluable feedback! You could even peruse my other 15 e-books and paperback novels and provide your invaluable feedback online at www.amazon.com.

Thanks in anticipation.

Priya Ramesh Swaminathan 

Excerpt:

        The shrill ringing of his phone jolted him from his reverie.  Cheerfully, he said “Hello!”  His wife Meena’s voice flowed down through the line, loud and clear.  “Please send the driver here, along with the car.  We’ve been waiting since an hour for him!”  

        He was surprised.   Why hadn’t Hariprasad gone to pick his family?  He had told Dwarka Charan that he had an urgent errand to do, what was it…..?  Yes, pick up his daughter from her nursery school, return back to the complex, take the vehicle and ferry his family to the office for the function.

        

        Dwarka was also concerned, as the priest, being a busy man; was a stickler to punctuality and hated things disturbing his busy schedule.  He’d be hopping mad.  He was supposed to come along with the family too.  Hariprasad was going to bring all of them in 2 rounds.  And here, he hadn’t even started as yet!

        

        Over the intercom, he contacted the receptionist.  “Kindly ask the security whether they’ve seen my driver.  If you spot him, kindly ask him to contact me immediately.”

        

        The receptionist wondered why he couldn’t call his driver on his mobile immediately.  Then she got the answer.  “You see, I’ve forgotten my mobile at home.  My wife will definitely bring it,” he fibbed.  He was saving on his out-going calls.  He didn’t know how to send an SMS and was too embarrassed to ask anyone for the ‘know-how’!

        

        After 5 minutes, the receptionist promptly reported to him that no one, including herself had seen him.

        

        “Please ask the security guards to go and check in the basement!” he requested.

        

        “Very well, Sir.”  

        Accordingly both the security guards went to the basement to check it out.  They didn’t return, even after 15 minutes. Then the receptionist Sunita went to see what the matter was.  She was scared when she saw the rows of neatly parked four-wheelers and 2- wheelers in the deserted, huge and eerie basement.  She didn’t venture far.  She just glanced right and left from the bottom of the stairs leading to the basement and immediately turned back and fled.  There was no one there.  Not a soul!

Intrigued? Immediately purchase the book and read on to unravel the mystery!

Review/Feedback received from my brother-in-law, Dr. Ravichandran:

Well-written novel. Maintained the suspense till the end. Municipal Corporation should think twice before asking employees to clean gutters without proper protection. Same also - housing societies.

Congrats. Keep up the good work. (Sic)

Review/Feedback received from my father, Ramesh Sharma:

Chilling horror and suspense. (Sic)

E-book: Only for Rs. 70/- at www.amazon.in

Merry Christmas - Velankanni - In the Seventh Heaven!

Velankanni – In the Seventh Heaven!

Velankanni Church

       We had resolved to see the legendary Velankanni church, during our recent visit to Chennai. Hence, we visited it after we visited Chidambaram. Velankanni is situated about 130 kms. away from Chidambaram and the journey is akin to our Pune to Mumbai journey by the Asiad bus. 
       As we left behind the magnificent mangroves of Chidambaram, we passed by green fields, coconut groves and devoured the breath-taking scenery which sped past our bus. When we saw the blue ocean on both sides of the highway, with glimpses of fishing boats perched on the golden beaches, we knew that we were nearing our destination, as  Velankanni is on the Nagapattinam beach.  
       Nagapattinam town, on the southern-most tip of India, had been ravaged by the tsunami in 2004, as its epicenter was there. But now, a decade later, everything was peaceful and beautiful. Life was back to normal. Yet, I couldn’t avoid an involuntary shudder at the thought of that tsunami’s nightmare that the town’s residents would undoubtedly have, for the rest of their lives!

        The word stoic, played in my mind’s eye, as I observed the people going about their routine. Most of them, must’ve lost their beloved ones, livestock and property to the marauding waves of the tsunami, but now appeared to be determined to put their gloomy past behind and look forward to a bright future.

      Bright, would be an understatement, when I begin to describe the blinding white, with which all the churches there, have been painted, in the aftermath of that natural calamity which hadn’t spared them either. All the churches have been rebuilt and restored to their former glory.

       Thus, as soon as we got down at the bus-stand, the very first vision of the white, ethereal churches, bathed in the mellow evening sunshine; made us feel as if we had landed in heaven itself! (By bus!) We slowly walked to the main church of the divine Mother Velankanni, the sari-clad Madonna with her infant Jesus Christ in her arms.

'Miracle' tree!

           Legend has it that the virgin Mother Mary appeared in Velankanni first, before a shepherd boy and then later, before a lad selling butter-milk. After satiating her baby’s hunger, with their milk and butter-milk respectively, she requested them to hasten to a rich businessman there and inform him about her sighting. He was to build her church there! Thus this beautiful church has its origin in this wonderful, touching legend.

       It is customary to offer a sari, candles and a cradle at the Velankanni shrine. One may offer either or all of the above-mentioned items here. Generally cradles are offered by those desirous of having children. The cradle may be tied to the branches of a tree growing just outside the church or put inside the box of offerings kept inside the church. Similarly, there are other boxes for saris and other kinds of offerings. It is believed that all the wishes of the devotees are fulfilled by prayers at this shrine.

        The idol of the Mother Velankanni with her infant Jesus in her arms; is a beautiful one that evokes bliss and contentment. Devotees sit down on the floor or kneel down and pray and meditate in front of the altar. There is no formality here. Two bowls of the holy water are attached to the doors on either side, and devotees can dip their hands in them and seek blessings.

       The devotees may fill in a form by tick-marking their desired wishes against those mentioned point-wise in the form. This form must then be folded and put inside the box. This divine wish-list lists all material and spiritual desires such as freedom from debts, gaining wealth, marriage, children, peace of mind for self and family, etc. My husband and I filled these forms and meditated awhile, soaking in the divine and fragrant atmosphere there. We also lit candles at the altar.

       The candles and cradles can be bought at separate counters outside the church.

      We clicked some snaps and started our return journey. It was 6 p.m. Just then, we heard gongs and cymbals accompanying the chorus prayer song. The evening prayer procession had just begun. Though we’d have liked to join it, and also explore the Nagapattinam beach; we couldn’t, as we had a long journey of nearly 6 hours to reach Puducherry.

       We changed buses at Chidambaram, then at a bypass near Puducherry and reached Puducherry bus-stand at 11.15 p.m. We were surprised to see women traveling alone at that late hour, by bus, decked up in gold ornaments! It said a lot about the absolute safety there. Women are respected and there’s no eve-teasing or attempts at robbery.

      We hailed an auto and reached our guest-house, tired but happy. Our mission was accomplished and we had reluctantly returned from heaven to earth!

The copyright of this travelogue and photographs is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.

This review has also been published at www.tripadvisor.com.

St. Patrick's Cathedral, Pune

No Mother-in-law, Please! My latest novel on Wattpad

Dear friends,
                     
          My latest novel 'No Mother-in-law, Please!' is being published at www.wattpad.com. I have just published the first chapter. You could peruse it at this link:

<iframe width="500" height="280" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" src="https://embed.wattpad.com/story/208758401" ></iframe>

        You could even peruse it directly at www.wattpad.com.

        Kindly read, review and like it; if you like it! You could even keep guessing what happens next!

        Happy reading!

                                              Priya

List of books by the author, Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan

List of books by the author,

Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan:

1.     The Enigma and other stories

2.     The Obsession

3.     The Mysterious Basement of Summer City (Prize-winning, debut novel)

4.     Wow! Wrong Number

5.     You Compromise, I Won’t!

6.     Unconditional Love in Exchange

7.     Just Not Meant For Marriage!

8.     The Byline and other stories

9.     A Good Old Rumor! and other stories

   10.  The Celestial Souls of Khambetka

   11.  Of Siblings and E-Friends

   12.  Dad’s Great, Boys! (also published at www.draft2digital.com)

   13.  God’s Will

   14.  The Trophy Wife

   15.  The Love-addict (www.freeditorial.com)

   16.  A Suitor for the Princess                   (https://radiantpriyasvision.blogspot.com)

Apart from the last two, all the books have been published at www.amazon.com and all of Amazon's marketplaces.

The Trophy Wife

Dear friends,
                          Here's a link to a free preview of my highly entertaining e-book at www.amazon.in.
Do peruse it and see whether you'd like to read on.... This e-book costs just Rs.70/-

                          The Trophy Wife awaits you eagerly... Don't disappoint her, or else, in her words, "All Hell will break loose!"

The link:https://read.amazon.in/kp/embed?asin=B07YL8DHBV&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_xn08Db5M0XGG4 

Kindly copy and paste the above link directly on the address bar of your browser, to open the preview. Hope you enjoy it and decide to purchase, read and review the e-book! 

It is my entry to the 'Pen to Publish 2019 Contest' at Amazon as well as the

'2019 UK Kindle Storyteller Contest'.

Hope you help me win by writing honest reviews and posting them directly on the website at www.amazon.com.  

Thanks in anticipation.

Priya

E-book's cover

Paperback's cover

The Celestial Souls of Khambetka - Kindle Countdown Deal

Dear friends,

What happens when one's wishes are not fulfilled in one’s lifetime?

Read on to experience it in my thrilling ebook titled The Celestial Souls of Khambetka. It is a collection of paranormal stories that will surely capture your imagination!

This book has received a 5 -star rating at www.goodreads.com.
Here's the link:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44653148-the-celestial-souls-of-khambetka#

A Kindle Countdown Deal will be on from 6th to 13th December, 2019 at www.amazon.co.uk for this ebook. It will be available at a whopping discount, of 59% for just £0.99. You could peruse a free preview of the ebook on the site.

Kindly purchase the ebook, read it and let me have your invaluable feedback. You could even peruse my other 15 novels. 

Kindly post all your reviews directly at www.amazon.com. 

Happy reading!

Thanks.
Priya

List of books by the author,

Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan:

       The Enigma and other stories

       The Obsession

       The Mysterious Basement of Summer City (Prize-                                                         winning, debut novel)

       Wow! Wrong Number

       You Compromise, I Won’t!

       Unconditional Love in Exchange

       Just Not Meant For Marriage!

       The Byline and other stories

       A Good Old Rumor! and other stories
   The Trophy Wife
   Of Siblings and E-Friends 

       Dad's Great, Boys! (ebook only) 

                     (also available at www.draft2digital.com)

       God's Will

All these ebooks and paperbacks have been released worldwide, and are  available at www.amazon.com and Amazon's other marketplaces.

A Suitor for the Princess                   (radiantpriyasvision.blogspot.com)
The Love-addict (www.freeditorial.com)

Do not forget to read The Trophy Wife! (She doesn't like to be snubbed!)

This ebook is available for just Rs.70 at www.amazon.in. It is my entry to the Pen to Publish 2019 contest at Amazon as well as the UK Storytellers 2019 contest. Kindly post the reviews at www.amazon.com. Thanks in anticipation. ☺😊☺Priya

ABOUT ME

priyasvision- original articles 'n' writings

I am an ambitious, honest, hard-working and sincere educator who wishes to ensure that quality education is provided to everyone who desires to have the same. Besides providing regular school tuition, I conduct workshops for Creative writing, Spoken English, Personality Development, Public Speaking, Business Communication Skills and Hobbies. Currently, I am a regular contributor of poems, articles and stories to Woman's Era and Alive magazines, travelogues to Sakal Times newspaper, reviews to reputed travel-related websites like www.holidayIQ.com and www.tripadvisor.com. I have published 14 ebooks and paperbacks at www.amazon.com. I have also published a novel titled The Love-addict at www.freeditorial.com and a novel titled A Suitor for the Princess at https://radiantpriyasvision.blogspot.com. I maintain 4 blogs. I have an ad agency's experience too. The beauty of life inspires and motivates me to give my best shot to everything that I dabble in. I want others also to be captivated by my vision. Hence my motto is : Priya's Vision - Makes your life blossom!

View my complete profile

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