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 into 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.
Title: DUTY AND DESIRE
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.
KEEP AN EYE OUT, FOLKS. I'M GIVING AWAY A DIGITAL COPY OF ANJU'S DUTY AND DESIRE. (YOU MIGHT SCROLL BACK THROUGH THE DAY'S POSTS. THE GIVEAWAY MIGHT HAVE BEEN POSTED BEFORE ANJU'S APPEARANCE.)
0 COMMENTS
Fedora
13 years agoI love hearing about others' blended traditions! One of the beautiful things about celebrations in America 😉
f dot chen at comcast dot net
Joder
13 years agoI've done a Gingerbread House once before and it's a lot harder than it looks. I applaud anyone brave enough to try it. Thanks for discussing your traditions.
joderjo402 AT gmail DOT com
Darcy
13 years agoI love all things multicultural and the more diverse the better. what a great post! Thank you for sharing your Christmas events, and I have always wanted to build a gingerbread house…* I have grand daughter now and it's one of the wonderful things we have on our to do list as she grows older…*S*
Thank you for being part of the giveway Santa Watch…I live here in Alaska, north of Fairbanks, and the North Pole is my neighbor…*S*
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!
Darcy
pommawolf @hotmail.com
Teresa Kleeman
13 years agoAnju,
Thank you for sharing a little about your Christmas celebration. And psst! Good luck with your competion.
Merry Christmas.
Teresa K.
tcwgrlup41(at)yahoodotcom
June M.
13 years agoGingerbread trains sound so cute! Good luck! I love hearing about traditions and diffences in celebrations of various cultures & countries. Happy holidays!
manning_j2004 at yahoo dot com
Shadow
13 years agoYour story sounds awesome! Its been added to my wishlist! Thanks! And ive tried making a gingerbread bread twice…they didnt turn out so good. The first one turned into a frosting fight. lol Fun times! Merry Christmas!
shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com
Theresa Newbury
13 years agoMerry Christmas, Anju!
Anju Gattani
13 years agoHi Fedora,
Aren't celebrations even more fun when you can blend and do a fusion of the best from all around? Thanks and good luck! Hope you enjoy the read of DUTY AND DESIRE!
Hi Joder,
I'm afraid we're using the ready-kits… all we have to do is put the bits and pieces together and then decorate. Our cake-off went off with a riot today and the rest is for tomorrow…. and then we will rest zzzzzzzzzzzzz……….. 😀
NatashaBlackthorne
13 years agoMerry Christmas! 🙂
Anju Gattani
13 years agoHi Darcy,
I applaud you for living in Alaska and loving the cold… do you? We lived in Connecticut for 3 years and that was hard after the initial year. I truly missed the sun! It's fun to watch your kids grow older and be able to do things with you !! Hope you enjoy the read of DUTY AND DESIRE!
Hi Teresa,
Our cake-off was a riot and my 11 year old and I made chocolate cupcakes with Santa hats and a Santa belt. My husband and 15 year old made a carrot-cake with decoration that looked great! – in the bottles and boxes – and then did their own dance when they were layered on the cake! But they did awesome for a first time! And the FUN in the whole thing is one we'll always remember – especially rooting for our own teams!
Anju Gattani
13 years agoHi June,
Happy Holidays to you too and wishing you lots of luck! – and myself- in the New Year! I'll need all your support and encouragement to help more readers reach out to DUTY AND DESIRE and share the gift of being a woman and living your life! Good luck!
Hi Shadow,
we were very close to a frosting fight – then I reminded everyone they'd be responsible for cleaning their own mess!!! 😀 IT WORKED! Thanks for adding DUTY AND DESIRE to you TBR list… I wish you lots of luck and hope you enjoy the story and many more to come!
Anju Gattani
13 years agoMerry Christmas, Teresa N! Hope you enjoy the read of DUTY AND DESIRE!!
Michelle
13 years agoWhenever I hear/see people making gingerbread houses/trains, I get a little jealous……..I wish I was that creative and artsy!:-(
Zee
13 years agoThat is so awesome how your family makes Christmas your own. And I can only imagine your husband’s face as you break the gingerbread train idea to him. Lol. Have a great holiday.
Christy
13 years agoLucky woman : ) You have a man that likes to bake and make gingerbread houses. Sweet! christina_92 at yahoo.com
Darcy
13 years agoOh I love Alaska, and the cold is not too bad, but it last way too long for my taste….lol. I am a Pacific Norhtwest girl born and bred, and I love the mountains and the pine trees. In the interior of Alaska the pine trees are few as the growing and summer seasons are way too short and harsh for them to thrive. Instead the landscape is full of black pruce and birch. Whent he birch begin to turn gree in the spring it happens very fast, and it is amazing to witness the green sweep from dull brown to instant green with a week it a totally different view altogether. I loved living on the southeast coast of Alaska where the stunnning green, mountains, ocean and wildlife is utterly breath taking….*S* A totally different view…*S*
Darcy
pommawolf @hotmail.com
Darcy
13 years agoI'm sorry..miss type..I meant to type "black spruce".
Darcy
Anju Gattani
13 years agoHi Michelle,
I've learned that creativity is in everyone… it just takes a little time to understand where the *spark* is in you and let that go with the flow! We're doing a Santa sleigh with reindeers and everyone is a little antsy after seeing we have to 'pipe' and 'draw' our own reindeers on the gingerbread cookies! Oh boy!!! :}
Hi Zee,
Thanks for tuning in to our festive spirit and when I broke the news to him his reaction was: GASP! HORROR! "I'm not doing that!… How about we return it and get our $ back… I'll be happy with my cash return than trying to put that together!" But since he's promised the kids… he can't bail out now! Plus he's got to prove his 'manhood' to the boys and one is 1/2 a man too! 🙂
Anju Gattani
13 years agoHi Christy,
My husband was never a kitchen guy… but time and travel and so much else in our lives have taught us the value of each other's lives, the tiny details of what makes us who we are and we always try to step in the other's shoes to see what it's really like. Not only do we have a deeper respect for each other and understanding, we enjoy stepping out our comfort zones and giving it a try 🙂 I hope my books will encourage readers to step out their comfort zones and give another perspective a try too.
Susan Kohler
13 years agoMerry Christmas to all in your life.
Anju Gattani
13 years agoHi Susan,
Merry Christmas to you and hope your new year is just fab!