Ekta R. Garg's Blog

Good evening, Write Edge readers! Yesterday on Instagram I shared in my #bookreviewpreview what I was reading, and now I’ve posted my latest review for you. This week I took a look at the speculative fiction book American Werewolves by Emily Jane. Here’s the opening to my review:

A young woman looking for revenge runs into a man with a dark secret: he’s a werewolf. Although terrified at first, the woman realizes he may be the key to getting justice for the countless who have died horrible, mysterious deaths—or suffered worse. Author Emily Jane is back with a novel that sparkles with her trademark wit, astute observations, and her stellar writing of children characters in American Werewolves.

Read the whole review now on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

Have a great night, readers!

E.R.G.

Hello, Write Edge readers! We’re halfway through the month. Where did it go? I feel like it was August just last week!

As the weather ping pongs and tries to figure out when it wants to settle into fall, I’m trying to figure out what to write for my next book. In my latest release, The Witch’s Apprentice and Other Stories, I put a call to action at the end of the book. If you’ve read it, enjoyed it, and want more stories like what I share in this small but mighty collection, let me know. That could help me decide what to write next!

In the meantime, for those of you with finished manuscripts and looking to next steps in your publishing journey, I have a great resource for you. If you’re thinking of going the traditional publishing route and are starting your journey toward finding an agent, here’s a look at some successful query letters that got offers of representation. A query letter has a very specific purpose and format. It’s the first formal look that members of the publishing industry will get at your work. Give yourself the best chance you can by making your query the best!

Tomorrow in my #bookreviewpreview on Instagram, I’ll share what I #amreading for this week’s review. Find that on the app with my handle, @EktaRGarg, and check out some other fun posts while you’re there, then come back on Wednesday to The Write Edge Bookshelf for the full review.

Speaking of Instagram, I’ll be back on the app throughout the week with other fun “bits and bobs” as the Brits say. Just little moments from my writing/non-writing routines. Keep up with me there, and have a great rest of the week, readers!

E.R.G.

Good evening, Write Edge readers! My apologies for being so quiet. We had family visiting from out of town, and between spending time with them, helping my second child with college apps (!), and working on promotions for The Witch’s Apprentice and Other Stories, my days were spread a little thin. All three of those activities were absolutely delightful, but they did leave me a little short on time. I’m back now, though, and ready to move into September with all of you!

Today I’m sharing a new story review of The Ex-Wives Club by Australian thriller writer Sally Hepworth. Here’s the opening to my post.

A famous restaurant owner and known serial cheater is found murdered in his own place of business, placing his exes under suspicion. The police must work against the long list of suspects if they want to find out who committed the crime, except there are too many alibis and not enough holes in them to pin anything on anyone. Author Sally Hepworth brings her sharp domestic thriller instincts to Amazon’s Alibis series in the witty short story whodunnit The Ex-Wives Club.

https://thewriteedgebookshelf.wordpress.comRead the whole review now on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

Have a great night, readers!

E.R.G.

Good evening, Write Edge readers! Yesterday in my #bookreviewpreview, I shared that this week I was #reading the women’s fiction novel Joy Moody is Out of Time by Australian author Kerryn Mayne. Below is the opening to my review on this second book from the author:

A woman hides a terrible secret in order to protect the twins she’s raised. When she dies unexpectedly, the twins must piece together the truth by sifting through the lies their mother told them and figure out what’s fact and what’s fiction—literally. Author Kerryn Mayne is back with likeable characters in a heartfelt drama that doesn’t quite hit the mark with its plot in Joy Moody is Out of Time.

Read the whole review now on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

Have a good night, readers!

E.R.G.

Hello, Write Edge readers! I got so caught up in things yesterday that I forgot to post my book review! [Cue head-slapping emoji here. :D] This week I read general fiction novel Loved One by Aisha Muharrar. Below is the opening to my post on it.

A woman learns of the sudden death of her former boyfriend, a rising music star, and is tasked with retrieving his possessions from people who knew him. When she runs into his last girlfriend, the woman goes head to head with the girlfriend who is just as strong-willed as she is…and has just as much at stake when it comes to the man they both knew. Television writer Aisha Muharrar debuts with a novel that takes a thoughtful look at first love but also goes astray from its main point in her brand new book, Loved One.

Read the whole review now on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

I’ve also posted the first two installments of this quarter’s Thursday R.E.A.D.s for you. During August, I’ll be taking a deeper dive into The Mysteries by Bill Watterson and John Kascht. Some people loved this little graphic novel; others were deeply disappointed by it. If you want to know how I felt and my thoughts on the book as a Reviewer and Editor, check out these first two installments now on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

Lastly, it’s Pub Week for my latest book, The Witch’s Apprentice and Other Stories, and the fun stuff keeps rolling along. My publisher, Atmosphere Press, is launching a brand new book club. Guess what book they’re starting with? You guessed it! And the best part is that anyone can join the book club conversation! Here’s the official announcement. Be on the lookout for more details to come!

That’s all for my Thursday. Have a great night, readers!

E.R.G.

Hello, Write Edge readers! I’m so excited — tomorrow is pub day for The Witch’s Apprentice and Other Stories! Initial reviews have been so warm and encouraging, and I’m thrilled that it’s getting so much love. Check out the reviews now, and order your own autographed copy directly from me on my author website!

We do have a full week ahead on The Write Edge. First up: today’s #mondaymotivation. I’ve been following the Writers in the Storm writing blog for many years now, and today there’s a post there that truly speaks to me since I’m looking for my latest writing project (I know it’s around here somewhere…) This one is about different ways to plot your novel. Check it out now on Writers in the Storm.

Tomorrow, as I said, is pub day for my newest book baby. I’m going to go around to some special places within my own community to celebrate the book. Find me on Instagram throughout the day with my handle, @EktaRGarg, to see how I introduce The Witch’s Apprentice and Other Stories to the world! Then come back to Instagram at the end of the day to find out what I #amreading in this week’s #bookreviewpreview (I’m an indie author, but I was a reader long before I got published!)

On Wednesday I’ll post that review for you; then, this Thursday, I’ll post the first two installments of this quarter’s Thursday R.E.A.D.s. I’m examining The Mysteries by Bill Watterson this month. See what I thought of it as a Reviewer and an Editor.

Finally, on Friday, it’s back to Instagram for more shenanigans and another trip down memory lane to Italy and more lovely memories from our vacation at the start of the summer (can summer really be over??).

Have a great day, readers!

E.R.G.

Hello, Write Edge readers! I’ve posted my latest book review for you. Earlier I shared in my #bookreviewpreview that I was reading The Magician of Tiger Castle by Louis Sachar for this week’s review. Here’s the opening to my post:

A royal magician in the mid-1500s is tasked with saving his kingdom in a last-ditch effort to also save his career. When the princess and heir to the throne is promised to a prince from a much stronger kingdom, the king orders the magician to brew a potion to make the princess fall in love. The problem? The princess is already in love with a kingdom underling. Newberry Medal-winner Louis Sachar, known for his quirky, delightful books for middle grade and young adult audiences, releases his first novel for adults in the equally quirky and delightful novel The Magician of Tiger Castle.

Read the whole review now on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

And if you enjoy fairy tales as a grownup reader, be sure to check out my own books. The Witch’s Apprentice and Other Stories releases next Tuesday, but you can get your own autographed copy now of my newest book by ordering directly from my author website now.

Have a great day, readers!

E.R.G.

Hello, Write Edge readers! I can’t believe it, but we’re EIGHT days from pub day for The Witch’s Apprentice and Other Stories. If you hang out on Instagram, you can see snippets of two new book reviews for the book. Kameron Brook for Reedsy Discovery says, “The author masterfully weaves unrelated characters into 5 cohesive short stories that will leave you questioning everything & wanting more.” For Feathered Quill, Alma Boucher says, “In The Witch’s Apprentice and Other Stories, writer Ekta R. Garg presents an enchanting and insightful collection that transports readers into richly imagined worlds, where themes of power, identity, and fate intersect.” Check out the reviews, and then click on the book’s cover below to order your autographed copy directly from me and get it before the official publication day of August 12!

Today is Monday, which means, writers, your Monday Motivation. I’m sharing an article by Victoria Strauss, founder of Writer Beware, to alert you to a new kind of scam. I’ve gotten many emails similar to what Victoria mentions in the article, and I’m sending all of them to my spam folder immediately. The short version of the article? Vet EVERYTHING.

I know some writers might say this isn’t exactly the first thing that comes to mind when we say the word “motivation,” but I’m motivating you to take your work and your publishing journey seriously. Guard them fiercely. Your writing dreams are not worth ruining your credit score or losing your identity over. Read “Return of the Nigerian Prince: A New Twist on Book Marketing Scams” now.

Meanwhile, I #amreading a new book for this week’s review. Go to Instagram tomorrow to see my #bookreviewpreview. Check it out with my handle, @EktaRGarg, and then come back to The Write Edge Bookshelf on Wednesday to read the whole review.

It’s another month of Thursday R.E.A.D.s, where I take a deep dive into a recent book and examine it as a Reviewer, Editor, Author, and Dreamer of stories and books. This month I’m examining The Mysteries by Bill Watterson, better known as the creator/illustrator of Calvin and Hobbes. There were many, many strong feelings when this little book released. I’ll chat about all that and more all during August!

Speaking of Instagram, I’ve started a new routine of peppering my profile with posts throughout the week instead of doing one big posting on Fridays, but you can still go to the app at the end of the week to catch up with a variety of writing and publishing shenanigans. I’m always up to something!

Have a wonderful week, readers!

E.R.G.

Hello, Write Edge readers! Just a quick note to tell you that my book review is now up. Today I’m sharing my thoughts on The Carpool Detectives: A True Story of Four Moms, Two Bodies, and One Mysterious Cold Case by Chuck Hogan Here’s the opening to my post:

When a group of friends get stuck at home due to the restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic, they find a new purpose: to solve a murder case that’s been cold for 15 years. With no law enforcement connections or backgrounds, they don’t let things like dead witnesses, threatening phone calls, or a worldwide epidemic stop them from going after their goal. Author Chuck Hogan traces the journeys of these four women in a narrative that is at times thrilling and gruesome, all while compelling readers to race through the pages in the true crime book The Carpool Detectives.

Read the whole review now on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

Have a great night, readers!

E.R.G.

Hello, Write Edge readers! It’s great to be back here on a Monday (I know, I know; I’m trying to get back on track, though, I promise!) For today’s Monday Motivation for the #writingcommunity, I’m sharing a great blog post by the amazing Nathan Bransford. In this post, he talks about how to tackle that first chapter in your new WIP. Check out the post now titled “Where to start in Chapter 1 in a novel.”

While my regular posting gets a little wonky at times during the summer, I’m still reading voraciously. Go to Instagram tomorrow to check out my #bookreviewpreview to see what I #amreading for this week’s review! Find me on the app with my handle, @EktaRGarg, or on my Facebook author page, and then come back for the full review on The Write Edge Bookshelf on Wednesday.

Speaking of Instagram, those of you who hang out there may have already seen this, but if you haven’t and you’re in the CU area this Friday, come say hello! I’m going to be selling copies of my new book, The Witch’s Apprentice and Other Stories, before the pub date (!!) and hanging out with some other amazing local authors.

On Friday it’s back to Instagram shenanigans to kick off a whole new month. This past week I posted more pictures from our Italy vacation this past week, and they made me (among other things) hungry for the people and the food. Let’s find out together what goes on the app at the end of this week.

Have a great week, readers!

E.R.G.