Host: Tarah Scott

I met Anju at a local Romance Writers of America chapter meeting and was immediately captivated by her work—and her.  Her writing is so charming, so warm, one can’t help but be enthralled. Her first book Duty and Desire was just released. Yay! This cross-cultural novel offers a poignant insight into Indian culture that is exceptional. I really can’t say enough about Anju and her work. She is a unique writer. But don’t take my word for it. Read on and see for yourself.  

A Kaleidescope of Christmas

Christmas with the Gattanis can be anything from confusion to chaos as we – our four member team- debate over how to pack it all in 24 hours. 

The buzz every Christmas is: how do we put up the ‘Gingerbread House’ – a skill my husband is now proficient at after perfecting the art for 6 years.  Then how do we bake together as a family – Christmas cookies and other high-cholestrol delights?   How do we figure out what Christmas movies to watch – considering they continue to roll over from last year like our cell phone minutes?    How do we decide what to eat for lunch and dinner? – we’re vegetarians and Hindus by religion but any Western / European celebration means mandatory non-Indian food day, as different and diverse as can be.  Then, the icing on the cake is Christmas music (and carols) which have to waft from somewhere in the background all day long. 

These are the Gattanis’ ‘must-haves’ so that Christmas is different from Halloween, Easter (yes, we celebrate them too with costumes, colorful eggs and imaginary, fluffy bunnies).  And of course it has to lighten up the atmosphere… like our sacred Hindu festivals: ‘Diwali’ (in Oct/Nov) – The festival of Lights, ‘Holi’ (in March/April) – the Festival of Colors, ‘Janmashtmi’ (August) – the Birth of Krishna, and so on…

So this is the plan:

Since my husband’s a pro with the Gingerbread House now… he’s going to do a Gingerbread Train this year (which he doesn’t yet know and will freak about!)  In addition we’re going to split into 2 teams (1 parent with 1 child) and he and I will compete. – BTW… I’ve been baking and icing since I was 13 and he hasn’t; so we can all guess who’s not going to be in their comfort zone.

For the baking bit we’re planning a bake-off.  Making a cake from the pre-prepped cake-mix box and using pre-prepped frosting because if we do it from scratch we all know who’s going to lose. 

We haven’t yet narrowed down the Christmas movie list but there’s still ‘Smurfs’, ‘Cars 2’ and ‘Sherlock Holmes’ – OK… I know that’s not exactly a Christmas movie, but it’s the perfect time to sit back and relax – or should I say tighten in suspense?  And ‘The Muppets’!  How can I forget what I grew up watching – an absolute must! 

The Christmas carols won’t be a problem either since we’ve been blasting the radio station that plays Christmas music 24/7 – 24/7 !

Now for the meals… I’ve figured out a ‘Vegetable Wellington’ from one of the Vegetarian magazines we subscribe to and my husband’s thinking of the ‘Greek Lasagne’ Rachel Ray whipped up on Food Network not so long ago.  Should we compete on that round too?  Hmmm…..  let’s see…. Let the kids – 15 and 11 – be the judges!

I’m guessing our Christmas will be different from what everyone else does in America… but we’ve learned, after having lived in several countries and adapting to so many cultures… to do the best we can with what we have… one celebration at a time. 

Merry Christmas everyone and have a Happy New Year! 

DUTY AND DESIRE:

How Can Happiness Survive When Duty Clashes With Desire?

Sheetal Prasad has it all: youth, beauty, wealth and education. But when this modern Indian woman surrenders love for honor and marries into India’s most glamorous ‘royal family’, these very advantages turn against her and she is stripped of her freedom.

Meet the Dhanrajs — a powerful family bound together by a web of lies where infidelity, greed, secrets and hidden identities lurk beneath the lush tapestry. The Dhanrajs have plenty to hide and will do what it takes to mask the truth from the world.

As Sheetal peels back the layers of deceit, she confronts a haunting reality and is threatened by the blazes of passion she ignites.

Genre: International Women’s Fiction

Debut novel in Anju’s ‘Winds of Fire’ series

Publisher: Greenbrier Book Co. www.greenbrierbooks.com

ISBN: 978-1-937573-01-0

Available in trade paperback at Peerless Bookstore, Atlanta, and online at Barnes & Noble and Amazon

Also available in trade paperback via order at most local book stores. 

Available in eformats for: Kindle, Nook, Sony, Apple, Kobo

Author Bio:

Anju was born in India but grew up in Hong Kong. Her Indian upbringing and British education worked together to strongly influence her writing.

Anju’s fiction explores how the distinct mindsets and traditions of different cultures permanently shape people’s values, thinking, and behavior patterns—for both good and evil—despite the “leveling” effects of 21st century communications and travel.

Anju earned a Bachelors degree in English Literature in India and a teaching degree in the United Kingdom. She has also studied creative writing.

Anju has lived in Singapore, Australia, India, New Jersey and Connecticut. She now makes her home in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband and two kids. Anju is a columnist for a multicultural magazine in the USA. She is also an avid guest blogger, who loves to share her experiences in health and fitness, food, self-empowerment and great fiction reads.