Shadows in the Dark - An enigmatic thriller! - An Excerpt

                           Shadows in the Dark - An enigmatic thriller! 

(Recd. a 5 star rating at amazon.in. Do read the review at the end of this post.)

Its e-book will be available for just $ 2.99 at www.amazon.com from 12th to 16th September, 2023 under a Kindle Countdown Deal, at a whopping discount of 58%!

Do consider buying a copy. Enjoy reading it and post your invaluable review online at www.amazon.com. Your review will also be posted on this blog.☺

                           This collage was created by me with the help of Canva.com

Dear friends,

Often, the questions that niggle one are "Who am I? Where do I come from? Where do I go henceforth?"

Why these questions keep recurring in one's mind is beyond anyone! But when they do rear their heads regularly, the quest begins earnestly.

To find out more about the answers. To ensure peace. Not only with oneself but with one's milieu.

In this intriguing novel, Dr. Ajoy Mitra is one such troubled soul who is at great pains to unearth secrets. Of the past!

Caught willy-nilly in his life's mission are his clever protégés, Himesh and Shivani. And a host of other enigmatic characters!

Will they succeed in the mission?

Do purchase this suspenseful, thrilling e-book, read it and find out! In case you are a die-hard fan of a hard copy paperback, (Who isn't?), you could opt to purchase one so that you could keep reliving the excitement of reading this thriller all over again. And again...
And share your excitement with your friends too!

Your invaluable, online feedback is eagerly awaited. Your support is crucial and most welcome! Thanks in anticipation. 

Priya Ramesh Swaminathan

 YOU COULD EVEN PERUSE MY OTHER 26 E-BOOKS (22 PAPERBACK VERSIONS TOO!). 

Thanks. Happy reading! Have a great day ahead!

Priya Ramesh Swaminathan

Here's the e-book's link! Preview a sample of the book for free....

Shadows in the Dark

$0.00$0.00Free with Kindle Unlimited membership

Buy for $6.99

 

·         Books

·         ›

·         Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

·         ›

·         Mystery

Shadows in the Dark Paperback – Large Print, July 1, 2021

by Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan (Author)

---

See all formats and editions

• Kindle
  $0.00Read with Kindle Unlimited to also enjoy access to over 3 million more titles$6.99 to buy
 
• Paperback
  $9.99 
  1 New from $9.99

            

Paperback

                                                        Excerpt

                     Suddenly a thump landed on his back. It was Shivani. “Hey, why are you quiet, man? Say something. Isn’t it beautiful here?” Himesh looked around at the gulmohar trees slowly wobbling by, in full bloom and felt the cool breeze ruffling his hair. Shivani also looked very pretty in a cream tank top paired with black jeans. Her thick, shoulder-length hair blew around her face, making her look innocent and charming. Her lips had a hint of pale pink lip balm. Her eyes flashed brightly, further accentuated by an eye-liner. She had definitely dressed up to impress him!

                   “Yes, very pretty,” he drawled meaningfully. She blushed delightedly. “Me or the scenery?” she asked coquettishly. “Both” he said, with a slight grin. Shivani fawned at him obviously. Probably she was making some headway with him!

                    Then just to tease her, he remarked “But Mira is beautiful, you know what I mean!” She gave him a vicious look. “No need to rub it in,” she said peevishly. As tears stung her eyes, she impulsively grabbed the whip and reins of the horse from Sajjan after roughly pushing him aside. He was stunned. So much strength in a chit of a girl! 

                                                                  END OF EXCERPT

The copyright of this book is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.

Intrigued about Dr. Mitra and his quest? Do purchase a copy and read it to find about about what happens next! Don't forget to post a review at the Amazon website. Thanks in anticipation. Priya

https://www.amazon.in/Shadows-Dark-Priya-Ramesh-Swaminathan-ebook/dp/B098JPZNL3/

 Shadows in the Dark

by Priya Ramesh Swaminathan  | 1 July 2021

5.0 out of 5 stars 1

Kindle Edition

 

Free with Kindle Unlimited membership Learn More

Or ₹449 to buy

Top review from India

Rajni

 5.0 out of 5 stars

  Mystery novel at its best

  Reviewed in India on 31 August 2021

Dear mystery aficionados! You are in for a treat! Author Priya Ramesh Swaminathan has concocted a tale of an anthropologist researcher and his two dedicated assistants. The other characters in the plot add to the suspense and strange things happening at the site. The author has played with words and adds her inimitable style to the setting of the story. So what are you waiting for? It's time to read and unravel the secrets to fully solve the mystery woven in this gripping novel. Best wishes to the author and the readers.

*******************

Shadows in the Dark - Kindle Countdown Deal - September 2023

 Shadows in the Dark - An enigmatic thriller! 

(Recd. a 5 star rating at amazon.in. Do read the review at the end of this post.)

Its e-book will be available for just $ 2.99 at www.amazon.com from 12th to 16th September, 2023 under a Kindle Countdown Deal, at a whopping discount of 58%!

Do consider buying a copy. Enjoy reading it and post your invaluable review online at www.amazon.com. Your review will also be posted on this blog.☺

E-book

Dear friends,

Often, the questions that niggle one are "Who am I? Where do I come from? Where do I go henceforth?"

Why these questions keep recurring in one's mind is beyond anyone! But when they do rear their heads regularly, the quest begins earnestly.

To find out more about the answers. To ensure peace. Not only with oneself but with one's milieu.

In this intriguing novel, Dr. Ajoy Mitra is one such troubled soul who is at great pains to unearth secrets. Of the past!

Caught willy-nilly in his life's mission are his clever protégés, Himesh and Shivani. And a host of other enigmatic characters!

Will they succeed in the mission?

Do purchase this suspenseful, thrilling e-book, read it and find out! In case you are a die-hard fan of a hard copy paperback, (Who isn't?), you could opt to purchase one so that you could keep reliving the excitement of reading this thriller all over again. And again...
And share your excitement with your friends too!

Your invaluable, online feedback is eagerly awaited. Your support is crucial and most welcome! Thanks in anticipation. 

Priya Ramesh Swaminathan

*****

 YOU COULD EVEN PERUSE MY OTHER 26 E-BOOKS (22 PAPERBACK VERSIONS TOO!). 

Thanks. Happy reading! Have a great day ahead!

Priya Ramesh Swaminathan

Here's the e-book's link! Preview a sample of the book for free....

Shadows in the Dark

$0.00$0.00Free with Kindle Unlimited membership

Buy for $6.99

 

·         Books

·         ›

·         Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

·         ›

·         Mystery

Shadows in the Dark Paperback – Large Print, July 1, 2021

by Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan (Author)

---

See all formats and editions

• Kindle
  $0.00Read with Kindle Unlimited to also enjoy access to over 3 million more titles$6.99 to buy
 
• Paperback
  $9.99 
  1 New from $9.99

Paperback

Excerpt

                                   As if on cue, Himesh signalled a boatman who had been impatiently looking at them all the while, hoping for passengers.  As the boat touched the lowermost step of the ghat, Mira and Himesh raced down and hopped into the narrow canoe. Both were as excited as small children. When the boatman started laboriously rowing away from the shore, both revelled in the scenery around them. 

                                   Fascinated, they observed the ancient Mahakaleshwar temple slowly receding from sight, along with the ghats. Once in the middle of the river, they looked appreciatively at the hills and greenery all around them. The vast blue sky was reflected in the equally vast expanse of calm and clear water. The peaceful silence was overpowering. They too were under its spell, as they gazed alternately at the scenery and at each other. Only the rhythmic noise of the oars against the water, the slight puffing of the burly boatman and their heartbeats broke the spell.

                                     Himesh looked at Mira, devouring her trim figure clad in a long tribal-print skirt and plain white blouse, with her long and straight black hair pulled into a high ponytail that enhanced her high forehead and delicate cheekbones. Her no makeup look suited her. Her dark eyes now had a dreamy, far-away look. He felt like kissing her, but the grim boatman deterred him.

                                    Mira had also looked longingly at Himesh, appreciating his casual yet chic dressing style. He looked gorgeous in his navy blue jeans, sky-blue T-shirt and grey sneakers. As the breeze ruffled his thick hair, she longed to run her fingers through his hair too! But one look at the inscrutable boatman gave her jitters.

                                   Suddenly Himesh’s funny-bone peaked up. “Hey look, a crocodile!”

    END OF EXCERPT

The copyright of this book is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.

Intrigued about Dr. Mitra and his quest? Do purchase a copy and read it to find about about what happens next! Don't forget to post a review at the Amazon website. Thanks in anticipation. Priya

https://www.amazon.in/Shadows-Dark-Priya-Ramesh-Swaminathan-ebook/dp/B098JPZNL3/

 Shadows in the Dark

by Priya Ramesh Swaminathan  | 1 July 2021

5.0 out of 5 stars 1

Kindle Edition

 

Free with Kindle Unlimited membership Learn More

Or ₹449 to buy

Top review from India

Rajni

 5.0 out of 5 stars

  Mystery novel at its best

  Reviewed in India on 31 August 2021

Dear mystery aficionados! You are in for a treat! Author Priya Ramesh Swaminathan has concocted a tale of an anthropologist researcher and his two dedicated assistants. The other characters in the plot add to the suspense and strange things happening at the site. The author has played with words and adds her inimitable style to the setting of the story. So what are you waiting for? It's time to read and unravel the secrets to fully solve the mystery woven in this gripping novel. Best wishes to the author and the readers.

*******************

My best teachers - A heartfelt tribute on Teacher's Day - Part 2

 Mrs. Bharucha,who taught us English in the junior college at Nowrosjee Wadia College was another dynamic and savvy teacher who taught us the lessons and explained the poems in her inimitable style. She would intersperse her lectures with a peppering of worldly-wise wisdom. For example, when she was explaining a poem describing a love story, she suddenly said,"Girls, remember,when you will eventually marry, marry someone who is slightly lower than you in your status. That is the key to a happy married life!" We were dumb-struck.

 
Once before her lecture, I had drawn the picture of a skull with two cross-bones and written "Danger" beneath it. As an after-thought, I wrote 'English' on the top portion of the black-board, as I remembered that the English lecture was due, just then.

She swept into the class in a cloud of expensive perfume, after I had taken my seat. She took one look at the board and said in an amused tone. "So that is what you think about English!" The whole class roared with laughter as I squirmed and prayed that she didn't ask who was the culprit. She didn't!

She had the habit of asking synonyms of the difficult words as she explained the lessons. I was a front-bencher who would always raise my hand and immediately give her the expected synonyms. She once remarked, "You have a very good vocabulary." I was in the seventh heaven that day.

I often remember her for the easy-going way in which she dealt with the students, her perpetual grin, her mannerisms, her loud make-up and fashionable style of dressing and her strict sense of discipline. She made the lessons lively and interesting. Her class always had cent per cent attendance!

Another teacher who left an indelible imprint on my conscience is Mrs. Haimanti Banerjee. She taught us Film Appreciation in the Bachelor of Communication and Journalism, Post-degree, Degree course of Pune University, the classes of which were held at Ranade Institute.

She would be always dressed in elegant hand-loom saris with ethnic blouses. A huge red bindi would adorn her high forehead and her hair was always tied in a bun. She was tall, had an imposing personality and a booming voice. She would explain the finer aspects of Indian classic movies and world cinema with great intensity. She would show us the clippings on the projector and subject us to a running commentary about how a particular frame had been conceived and how the various genres of movies developed over the years.

 The history of Indian Cinema and World Cinema is still crystal-clear in my memory, thanks to her vivid description. In fact, while writing the exam paper, I had absolutely no difficulty in answering any question, as her lectures literally played in my sub-conscious mind like a live relay!

She accompanied us to New Delhi for the study-tour and was a very lively, articulate, witty and intelligent companion. She encouraged us to ask questions and gain knowledge, at the various places that we visited there, like the Press club, Bureau of Parliamentary Affairs, etc. She was very sympathetic and concerned when the frame of my spectacles broke and a lens slipped off. As we were staying in the Youth Hostel in the posh Embassy area where there were no shops around, I had to roam around for three days, nearly blinded, due to my myopia, hence she ensured that I got it repaired at the earliest opportunity, when we visited a shopping area.

 
She fired the students who blew up obscene amounts of money on shopping saying, "Please remember that it is your parents' hard-earned money!" When she asked me how much I had spent, I said, Rs.130/- She was pleased to note that I'd been frugal and praised me.

She even guided us in editing our news-magazine Vritta Vidya. She was friendly, accessible, supportive and very adorable.

(To be continued)
***********************************************************************************
The copyright of this write-up is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan

A testimonial by a student of the Online, Creative Writing Course-cum-Workshop conducted by Priya’s Vision Academy

 Review of the Online Creative Writing Course-cum-Workshop conducted by Priya's Vision Academy after the first month : – By Mr. Vinod Ghabade

                         My experience about the class - An enriching experience!

A few weeks ago, I was thinking about learning creative writing. Without looking at any other options, I decided to join Priya’s Vision Academy as I had completed another course in Business Communication Skills, with the same Academy; in the past.

I was impressed with Priya Madam’s teaching method as she conveyed the subject properly and explained the features and importance of each type of writing, along with its technique. I had only one concern about the class timings which she resolved by allowing me to attend the class at my convenience, on weekends.

 I have just finished one month of the course & have already learnt to write an essay, travelogue, content writing, a character-sketch, article, press release, review and a blog. Madam made me understand the importance of using appropriate words for impactful writing. She also taught me precis-writing to summarise the article to fulfil the requisite word count.

“I can write’ - this feeling itself gives happiness to me. I am eagerly looking forward to the next two months which I’m sure, will definitely be equally interesting. I now feel confident that I can express my thoughts on paper in a better way.

Thank you, Madam, for your efforts.

I highly recommend this Online, Creative Writing Course-cum-Workshop conducted by Priya’s Vision Academy to anyone who wants to make a career in creative writing or to enhance creative writing skills as a hobby.

Please contact Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan on nos. 9067138313 or 9850019553, if you wish to enroll for this excellent creative writing course.

***********************************************************************************

Thanks Mr. Ghabade, for your appreciation of our course. With your sincere hard work and natural flair for writing, it will not take very long for you to become a professional writer. We wish you all the best!

Priya's Vision Academy

My best teachers - A heartfelt tribute on Teacher's Day - Part 1

 Here’s a list of my best teachers. I owe them a lot and hence wish to remember and acknowledge their contributions to my life, this Teachers’ Day.

 The first on this list is my mother Mrs. Sharda Sharma. I learned selflessness, generosity, faith, giving unconditional love, values of kindness, humility and truthfulness, patience and fearlessness from her. She has shaped all my beliefs and actions. She taught in S.V.S.High School (it was a Primary, minority school then.) and completed her B. Ed alongside, spending the whole day in commuting from one end of the city to the other, looking after her home, studies and her duty with great aplomb. Then when she became Principal of that same school, she strived to get a new grade added to her school each year and brought it up to the Junior College level.

It proved to be a thankless job for her, even as she patiently and systematically went about the Government offices, (with myself as a small kid in tow!) struggling to get all the requisite sanctions with meticulous paperwork and lots of initiative and persuasion; because the school, in its golden jubilee celebrations, didn’t even acknowledge her unparalleled contribution to its growth, in a newspaper report. She had voluntarily retired by then. 

All the credit was hogged by the new Principal who was recommended by my mother for the post,before her retirement. The subsequent Principals (previously mentored by my mother) also never acknowledged my mother's invaluable contribution to the school and for bettering their working conditions. So much for gratitude!

 
Even the Facebook page dedicated to this school has no mention about her. My husband has provided the facts in his comment on that page today. I hope the folks there realize their blunder and at least have the grace to apologize to her!

When we told my mother that she should report this grave injustice and let the facts be known, she smiled and said graciously, “As long as I know what I have done for my school and my students acknowledge me, I don’t care! God is there!” 

Yes, it is this forgiving quality of hers and the ability to take everything in her stride; that make her not just a great teacher, but also a great human being.

No wonder then, that my brother has founded an N.G.O and built a school named ‘Sharda English Medium School’ after my mother. A fitting tribute to a wonderful woman who has shaped not only her children’s but so many other children’s lives!

                                        

Then comes the name of my beloved father Mr. Ramesh Sharma, the person who taught me and my siblings to be brave and confident, while struggling against all odds. He was a wonderful support to my working-mother. It is always said that behind every successful man there is a woman. In our case, my father was behind the success of my mother. He was like a rock of support for her, always helping her out with the chores, guiding us in our home-work, availing leave for our Board Exams to ferry us to and from our respective exam centres and attending to his work at his office. He ensured that we didn't only study, but had hobbies and other recreation too.

He was also a great multi-tasker and showed us how life must be lived and enjoyed. He was great pals with our friends too and they envied us for having such an easy-going and friendly father. We were never scared of him and always looked up to him for any advice, and he had never ever failed us. He was a living example of how a person can be a constant source of joy for everyone around him! He was very helpful, dependable and didn't thrive on any ego. 

He took equal pride in my mother's and our achievements. He never boasted about his accomplishments, which were quite a few! He had always encouraged us to be forthright and fearless, honest and just, in our dealings and interactions with others.

Thanks to these two great teachers, we children have become well-balanced individuals and always strive to make their souls feel proud of us. For them, we were three gems and for us they were our heart and soul! We owe everything to them.

The next on my list is Mrs. Kalpana Chatterjee. She taught us English in our school. One day she happened to ask me the answer to a question from our text-book. I repeated the answer that I had learned by rote. She asked another girl to answer the same question. She gave the answer in her own words. Impressed, the teacher remarked, much to my embarrassment that I had replied the answer only by rote and not like that girl who had used a lot of new words drawing from her enhanced vocabulary.

This criticism in front of the whole class humiliated me to such an extent that I vowed to better my vocabulary. I started writing new words and learning their meanings. I filled note-books with words, words and more words! I read all the books and written matter that I could lay my hands on! I became a bookworm!

Now I am proud to say that I have an impressive vocabulary, can speak and write English very lucidly and have many published writings to my credit in reputed magazines; as well as 27 novels. I've won several writing contests. If only I could show my published work to my teacher, she’d be so proud of me! I owe my success as a writer to her criticism. Indeed, as the saying goes, “A critic is a man’s best friend!” In my case, she was my best friend.

How can I not mention the name of the unforgettable Ms. Nalini Deshpande, who taught us Hindi in our school? She was often surprised that I wrote so well in Hindi. She appreciated my essays and told me that I must continue writing in Hindi whenever I could manage time in-between my studies. Thanks to her insistence, I read many Hindi novels and wrote a lot. I won many Hindi essay-writing contests at school and even when I worked in L.I.C of India. Now I am proficient in speaking and writing both in English and in Hindi!

To her credit, she made the lessons come alive with her insightful description of the characters and the stories. The manner in which she spoke fluent Hindi and her expressions as she taught; will always be fresh in my memory.
***********************************************************************************
(To be continued)

The copyright of this article is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.

God's Will - No one else can change our destiny!

 Dear friends,

          For the God-fearing people in this world, nothing in life occurs without His Will!

         

          They lead their lives with a song on their lips and a prayer in their hearts. They are hard-working folks of the soil who swear by their sweat and toil.

           Babu and Rojakutty are two such simpletons who lead a solitary existence in their village, till their paths cross.

          

           Will their destinies entwine or unravel?

Read on to find out, in my engrossing novel titled God's Will - (All the way...)

          This novel is available at www.amazon.com under a Kindle Countdown Deal from 28th August to 4th September, 2023, at a whopping discount of 67%; for just $0.99.

         Kindly peruse it and let me have your invaluable feedback. You could even have a free preview at the site.

 

         While you are it, you could even peruse my other 23 books at www.amazon.com.

 Thanks, 

Priya 

E-book's cover

Paperback's cover

Paperback's cover

                                                                            Dedication:

I dedicate this book to my dear sister, Prabha Ravichandran.

   Can anyone ever be closer than

   You, dear sister?

   Who’s a true friend and confidante

   A caring and giving person

   Whose heart bleeds when I am sad

   And who laughs when I am happy!

   Who goes the extra mile to ensure

   That I reach my destination!

   Who picks the thorns for me

   And makes me believe that life

   Is just a fragrant path of roses!

   Whose only wish is that I am

   Happy, safe and sound;

   Always and beyond!

 

Thanks, dear Prabha, for always being there for us and showering your affection on us, no matter what!

This beautiful collage has been created by me with the help of Canva.com. Thanks, Canva!

                                                                     An Excerpt

          God’s own country needed God’s help desperately. It had been pouring cats and dogs since the last 24 hours. The lights were out. All the roads were closed. The water levels in the lagoon were rising swiftly and dangerously.

          If only he wasn’t trying to save his life by precariously clutching on to his hut’s thatched roof, that was being pulled into the strong current underneath, he could have admired the lush greenery all around. As he drifted with the strong tide, he looked around him, as if with new eyes. Strange, he thought, how a calamity often gave one a new perspective in life!

          Kerala was so beautiful. He had only just discovered how much! Till now, he had only taken it for granted. He had been so caught up with earning a living. Now he had all the time to absorb the bounty of nature.

          Banana plants, with flowers and fruits, ripe for plucking, were dripping buckets of water, as if having a refreshing wash in the torrential showers! The rolling hills all around, were teeming with life. His arms glistened with droplets of water that sparkled and glittered like diamonds strewn all over him. Just reach out and choose your coveted rock. All the tall trees were fast approaching eye-level.

          Soon, Babu would be plucking coconuts straight from the trees! No need to climb twenty to thirty feet to get hold of the tenacious nuts, as he did every day for his livelihood, in Alapuzzha. But of course, he would have to be alive to get hold of them. His strength was fast running out. After all, how much could a thin and wiry lad fight against nature’s fury, in all her malevolent might?

             But fight he must, if he had to ever meet his beloved Rojakutty again. Ever.

                            End of Excerpt

The copyright of this novel belongs to Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.