Chasing Kismet

Life as a young, modern Indo-Canadian woman is not as simple as it may seem. Tara Sidhu knows this firsthand. She's doing her best to accept that women of her culture are treated differently than men, but her mother's cold demeanor and her father's alcoholism leave her feeling truly alone. Although trying her best to run toward a different future-one far removed from the societal expectations of her community-Tara finds her past relentlessly catching up with her. Sent to India to put a loved one to rest, Tara ends up ensnared in an arranged marriage. The darkly complex web of her family history entangles her, and Tara must tap her inner strength to combat the emotional horrors inflicted upon her. Chasing Kismet tackles deeply convoluted human issues that will particularly resonate with Indian and South Asian readers. From the intricacies of family and community dynamics to the lack of mental health support, Tara's experience is one that will feel intimately familiar to many. Written with dazzling emotional depth and profound cultural insights, Chasing Kismet will remind you that family roots have a way of following us-no matter how hard we pursue a new destiny.

These poems are the echoes of a soul that lives a life at one hundred miles and hour always. A soul that has traveled continents and back, overcome heartbreak, experienced the purest of love, is steeped in luck for the family and true friends she has around her and is humbled from the majestic experiences of being a parent. This book was written to be a reminder that there is passion in every corner of life, there are unexpected days of true happiness yet to come and that even the toughest of times do not remain forever. The collection contains varying styles and themes, but the majority aim to read to you a story wrapped in the verses of poem which can relate to each and every heart and mind. You and I may not take the same message from a poem, we may not read it in the same way, yet we will all relate to the words on some level and be catapulted back in time to a memory or in years to come, the words may tiptoe into your thoughts and a smile may threaten to turn up the corners of your lips.

A. R. Bey resides in Pennsylvania. She has earned her BA in Communications from Wesleyan College and her MFA in Creative Writing from Rosemont College. A multifaceted artist, she is also a professional songwriter and an associate member of the Recording Academy. Her additional creative works include a poetry chapbook and four feature-length screenplays.

[Siren Menage Amour ManLove: Erotic Romance, Alternative, Paranormal/Shifters, Magic, Fae, Fantasy, MMM, HEA] Marylou, a guiding fate, didn’t say why Qismat needed to go to Milson Valley, just that it was important he did. It wasn’t a wasted trip. Qis encountered not one mate, but two. Lawson Armstrong, a part human, part wizard with a soft heart and sweet tooth, and Desta Moon, a relaxed, creative wild dog shifter. Desta Moon was not averse to having a mate, and certainly not Qismat and Lawson. He preferred to go at his pace. He’d never really thought about a mate and he wasn’t a planner. Qismat had expectations that completely disrupted Des and within a short time, there was a wide disconnect between them. From the moment Lawson Armstrong learned there was really such a thing as a soul mate, he wanted one. Two was even better! While Qis and Des were at odds, Lawson got to know his mates and decided how to bring them all together, and into his bed.

“Rise Satyavadi Vasuprado, your life in the service of Sri Krishna has now begun...!” Bred in the cesspool of millennia old evil of Hindu caste disorder, feudal prejudices, and religious hatreds, die-hard Sri Krishna devotee, Trilokinath, through the power of Hindu Holy Scripture, injects molten steel into a gentle heart, and ripens, Vasuprado, an innocent, fun-loving boy, for a merciless pogrom. The story meanders through the twilight of colonial India and independence (1947) through the 20th Century and encapsulates the cauldron of simmering vengeful rancour and hate that is 21st Century India: Hindu hating, despising Hindu; Hindu hating despising Muslim; Muslim hating, despising Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Sikh… “Even if a man of the vilest conduct worships me with undivided devotion, he should be reckoned as righteous for he has rightly resolved.” - Sri Krishna.

In the middle of the night, Victoria Powell receives a distressing phone call from her friend Kayla. But when Victoria heads out to meet her, she's nowhere to be found. A month earlier, a file containing incriminating evidence disappears at a prominent hedge fund. Suspecting a connection with the her friend's disappearance and fearing for her life, Victoria escapes the city to Martha's Vineyard. Arriving during a dangerous nor'easter, she delves into her deceased mother's diaries - unaware of the danger that has followed her to the island.

On the morning of the first day of seventh grade, twelve-year-old Ezra Wallace dreams of a distant wasteland. Later that evening, he learns that his parents are separating. However, when his history class visits the local museum to observe a popular King Tut exhibit, he is intrigued by a small golden elephant that once belonged to the late boy king. When he discovers that the glass containing the artifact has been mysteriously left ajar, he is tempted to steal it. Shortly thereafter, his decision leads him on an unforgettable journey through the Netherworld of Kemet (Amenti), a magical dimension filled with wonder and splendor. There he encounters several famous pharaohs, queens, and many Kemetic deities as they continue their eternal existence. Yet he soon realizes that Amenti is not the paradise that it should be.

Bollywood film is the national cinema of India, describing movies made in Mumbai, distributed nationally across India and with their own production, distribution and exhibition networks worldwide. This informative screen guide reflects the work of key directors, major stars and important music directors and screenplay writers. Historically important films have been included along with certain cult movies and top box office successes. No guide to Hindi film would be complete without discussing: Mother India, the national epic of a peasant woman's struggle against nature and society to bring up her family; Sholay, a 'curry western' where the all-star cast sing and dance, romance and kill; Dilwale Dulhaniya le jayenge, the greatest of the diaspora films, in which two British Asians fall in love on a holiday in Europe before going to India where they show their elders how to incorporate love into family traditions; Junglee, showing how love transforms a 'savage' (junglee) who yells 'Yahoo!' before singing and dancing like Elvis, creating a new youth culture; Pyaasa, dramatically shot in black and white film with haunting songs as the romantic poet suffers for his art in the material world; Fans of Bollywood film can debate Rachel Dwyer's personal selection of these 101 titles while those new to the area will find this an invaluable introduction to the best of the genre.