J.D.R. Hawkins

One bullet can make a man a hero… or a casualty.

Archive for the month “August, 2020”

Release Day Blitz – A Lifetime to Move On

~ Release Day ~

About the Book:

When Kumar finds out that his only daughter is in love, he has a tough time coming to terms with the fact that his Doll has grown up already. But his displeasure takes a different turn when he realizes who his daughter’s love interest is.

Sarika couldn’t have been happier at the news of her elder son having found the love of his life. She can’t wait to see him happily married. But the revelation about the girl’s parents numbs her as much as it shocks her.

What is it in their past that Kumar and Sarika need to make peace with, so that their children can find their ‘Happily Ever After’.  Will they be able to do so?

Book Links:

Goodreads

Meet Kumar

Kumar Malhotra’s life revolves around his work and family, especially his only daughter Pia.

At a top position in an IT firm in India’s Silicon Valley, he leads a life of blessed contentment. The only soar point in his life is that his daughter decided to go abroad to study and now even works there. He can’t help but brood for allowing her to fly away so far away from him. And now she seems to have found the love of her life.

In her mid-twenties, he knows he can’t hold it against his daughter to want to settle down happily in a relationship.  He is worried that his image of ‘Daddy Cool’ might come crumbling down if he didn’t stand up to the occasion and give this boy in her life a fair chance.

But now there is one more problem.

He might be a roadblock on the way to her happiness already. Something he did 30 years ago couldn’t be held against his daughter now, could it?  Never in his dreams he would have imagined that the ghosts of his past would come knocking at his door threatening to rob his daughter of her dreams and a happy future.

He hoped that ‘She’ would see reason. Or could he simply make ‘Her’ give in by making her feel guilty for a mistake he made 30 years ago?

About the Author:

Anupriya belongs to that generation of Idiots (the proud ones though), who did their engineering first and then decided on what they actually wanted to do. She completed her MBA in Human Resources and worked in the corporate world for 8 years, before taking a professional break. A mom by day and a reader/writer by night, Anupriya is a die-hard romantic. Yet she believes that love (in any relationship) is a part of life, not, the heart of life. And she aims to bring to the world, stories around this theme. She can be found in the dot com world at her blog http://www.mommytincture.com, which contains her ranting about her experiences in her various roles as a mother, daughter, wife and foremost a human being, all churned together. It is also her outlet to the world where she doles out loads of gyaan on self-improvement and relationship management.

~ Release Day ~

About the Book:

When Kumar finds out that his only daughter is in love, he has a tough time coming to terms with the fact that his Doll has grown up already. But his displeasure takes a different turn when he realizes who his daughter’s love interest is.

Sarika couldn’t have been happier at the news of her elder son having found the love of his life. She can’t wait to see him happily married. But the revelation about the girl’s parents numbs her as much as it shocks her.

What is it in their past that Kumar and Sarika need to make peace with, so that their children can find their ‘Happily Ever After’.  Will they be able to do so?

Book Links:

Goodreads

Meet Kumar

Kumar Malhotra’s life revolves around his work and family, especially his only daughter Pia.

At a top position in an IT firm in India’s Silicon Valley, he leads a life of blessed contentment. The only soar point in his life is that his daughter decided to go abroad to study and now even works there. He can’t help but brood for allowing her to fly away so far away from him. And now she seems to have found the love of her life.

In her mid-twenties, he knows he can’t hold it against his daughter to want to settle down happily in a relationship.  He is worried that his image of ‘Daddy Cool’ might come crumbling down if he didn’t stand up to the occasion and give this boy in her life a fair chance.

But now there is one more problem.

He might be a roadblock on the way to her happiness already. Something he did 30 years ago couldn’t be held against his daughter now, could it?  Never in his dreams he would have imagined that the ghosts of his past would come knocking at his door threatening to rob his daughter of her dreams and a happy future.

He hoped that ‘She’ would see reason. Or could he simply make ‘Her’ give in by making her feel guilty for a mistake he made 30 years ago?

About the Author:

Anupriya belongs to that generation of Idiots (the proud ones though), who did their engineering first and then decided on what they actually wanted to do. She completed her MBA in Human Resources and worked in the corporate world for 8 years, before taking a professional break. A mom by day and a reader/writer by night, Anupriya is a die-hard romantic. Yet she believes that love (in any relationship) is a part of life, not, the heart of life. And she aims to bring to the world, stories around this theme. She can be found in the dot com world at her blog http://www.mommytincture.com, which contains her ranting about her experiences in her various roles as a mother, daughter, wife and foremost a human being, all churned together. It is also her outlet to the world where she doles out loads of gyaan on self-improvement and relationship management.

Anupriya on the Web:Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest

New Take On An Old Song

I think it’s fascinating to find out backstories of old folk songs. Here’s one example. I used to sing this song when I first learned how to play the guitar, but never knew what it was really about. Come to find out, the story is quite sad. The song, Hang Down Your Head Tom Dooley, goes back to the Civil War.

Tom Dooley was in the 42 North Carolina Infantry. He was convicted and accused of murdering his girl friend after the civil war was over. He was a good musician in his unit. His friend let him be with his x girl friend in that area because he respected him this story is kind of crazy. I am filming the project called “Laura” based on his girl friend that was murdered either by him or her cousin who was jealous of him for being with her. I wen there last year with two of my friends we walked about half a mile to his cemetery and visited his other relatives near by. The photo of him on his find a grave is not of him but a reenactor posed in 1960’s. The music video was filmed by somebody else. We are filming a teaser for the feature film. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/2473/thomas-caleb-dula

Col. Thomas Charles Land (1828-1912),
who wrote the Ballad of Tom Dula (“Tom Dooley”) in 1868.
His brother Rev. Linville Land built Tom Dula’s coffin. Their second cousin, Col. James Martin Isbell, found the body of Laura Foster, Sept. 1, 1866, tracked her killer and captured Tom Dula.

What is Really Under Attack?

I was under the illusion that Confederate monuments were essentially the only statues under attack in the country right now. However, this article gives more insight about which monuments are really being targeted.

At least 183 monuments, memorials, statues, and major historical markers have been defaced or pulled down since protests began in May. While Confederate monuments have received the lion’s share of media coverage, they actually form a minority of the statues targeted.


By far the most popular target was Christopher Columbus, with 33 statues in total having been defaced and pulled down.


The next most popular targets were Robert E. Lee (9), Serra (8), and Thomas Jefferson (4).


The vast majority of the vandals were never charged, with 177 out of 183 instances having no arrests.


Most monuments torn down were not by protesters, but by city officials after pressure or threats from protesters.


By far the most common route for monuments being destroyed was for protesters to damage it, then the city quickly removing it as a “public safety” hazard, not to be returned.


For a majority of the statues removed, the fate of the artwork is currently unknown, while a minority have been moved to cemeteries and museums.
Here is the list as best as we can assemble it:


Monument to Marcus Daly, Butte, MT
Cemetery Monument to Confederate Soldiers, Savannah, GA
Memorial to Fallen Kansas City Police Officers, Kansas City, MO
Monument to Christopher Columbus, Chicago, IL
Statue of Jesus Christ, Miami, FL
Statue of Robert E. Lee, Antietam, MD
Union Veterans Monument, Saratoga, NY
Alexander Andreyevich Baranov Statue, Sitka, AK
Monument to Confederate Soldiers, Amarillo, TX
Confederate Statue, Oxford, MS
Numerous Religious Statues, Punta Gorda, FL
Statue of Ronald Reagan, Dixon, CA
Statue of Hiawatha, LaCrosse, WI
Statue of Thomas Ruffin, Raleigh, NC
Sampson County Confederate Monument, Clinton, NC
Statue of the Virgin Mary, Boston, MA
9-11 Memorial, Washingtonville, NY 
Statue of Sophie B. Wright, New Orleans, LA
Statue of Christopher Columbus, Buffalo, NY
John McDonough Bust, New Orleans, LA
Bust of Colonel Charles Didier Dreux, New Orleans, LA
Joseph Bryan Statue, Richmond, VA
Fitzhugh Lee Cross, Richmond, VA
Historical Marker of David Dodd’s Execution, Little Rock, AR
Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Statue, Richmond, VA
Courthouse Confederate Statue, Wadesboro, NC
Statue of Christopher Columbus, Trenton, NJ
Columbus’ Last Appeal to Queen Isabella, Sacramento, CA
Statue of JEB Stuart, Richmond VA
Statue of Andrew Jackson, Jackson, MS
Henry County Confederate Monument, 
Statue of Christopher Columbus, Bridgeport, CT
Statue of Christopher Columbus, Columbus, WI
Statue of John Mason, Windsor, CT
Statue of Frederick Douglass, Rochester, NY
Monument to Judah Benjamin, Sarasota, FL
Confederate Mass Grave Monument, Greensboro, NC
Three Mississippi Confederate Monuments, MS
Statue of Christopher Columbus, Waterbury, CT
Statue of Christopher Columbus, Baltimore, MA
San Junipero Serra Statue, Sacramento, CA
Statue of the Virgin Mary, Gary, IN
Statue of Private Benjamin Welch Owens, Hampden, PA
Jenkins Monument, Hampden, PA
United Confederate Veterans Memorial, Seattle, WA
Civil War Historical Markers and Statues, McConnellsburg, PA
Mt. Zion Methodist Confederate Statue, Charlotte, NC
Matthew Fountain Maury Monument, Richmond, VA
Christopher Columbus Statue, Philadelphia, PA
Statue of George Whitefield, Philadelphia, PA
Elk (wildlife statue), Portland, OR
Statue of Christopher Columbus, Austin, TX
Statue of Christopher Columbus, Columbus, OH
Robert E. Lee Memorial, Roanoke, VA
Stonewall Jackson Monument, Richmond, VA
Emancipation Memorial, Boston, MA
San Junipero Serra Statue, San Gabriel, CA
Confederate Cemetery Memorial, Fayetteville, NC
Confederate Monument, Orangeburg, SC
Rockdale County Confederate Monument, Conyers, GA
Nash County Confederate Monument, Rocky Mount, NC
3 Cemetery Statues, Frederick, MD
Lee Square Confederate Monument, Pensacola, Florida
Our Confederate Soldiers, Beaumont, TX
Statue of Columbus, Hartford, CT
Kanawha Riflemen Memorial, Charleston, WV
To Our Confederate Dead, Louisburg, NC
Statue of Christopher Columbus, Atlantic City, NJ
Monument to Fallen Confederate Soldiers, Fayetteville, AR
Ten Commandments (several locations)
Statue of Christopher Columbus
Loudoun County Confederate Monument, Leesburg, VA
Soldiers Monument (Union), Santa Fe, NM
Pioneer Fountain, Denver, CO
Denton Confederate Soldier Monument, TX
Statue of Christopher Columbus, Norwalk, CT
Monument to Confederate Veterans and Statue of George Wallace, Wilmington, NC
Statue of Christopher Columbus, Providence, RI
Statue of Christopher Columbus, Newark, NJ
Civil War Monument (Union), Denver, CO
Statue of Christopher Columbus, Philadelphia, PA
Statue of Christopher Columbus, New Haven, CT
Confederate War Memorial, Dallas, TX
Statue of Thomas Jefferson, Long Island, NY
Bust of Washington, Washington DC
‘Forward’ Statue (feminism monument), Madison, WI
John C. Calhoun Monument, Charleston, SC
American Receiving the Gift of Nations, Camden, NJ
“Obscured” at the Rutgers College 
Statue of Juan Junipero Serra, Carmel, CA
Statue of Juan Junipero Serra, San Louis Opiso Missionary, CA
‘To Our Confederate Dead’ Monument, Louisburg NC
Confederate Memorial Obelisk, St. Augustine, FL
Pitt County Confederate Soldiers Monument, Greenville, NC
Statue of Henry Lawson Wyatt, Monument to North Carolina Women of the Confederacy, Raleigh NC
Statue of Juan Junipero Serra, Los Angeles, CA
Pine Bluff Confederate Monument, Pine Bluff, AR
Gloria Victis, Salisbury, NC
North Carolina State Confederate Monument, Raleigh, NC
Statue of Albert Pike, Washington DC
Statue of Francis Scott Key, San Francisco, CA
Bust of Ulysses S. Grant, San Francisco, CA
Statue of Juan Junipero Serra, San Francisco, CA
Statue of Christopher Columbus, Houston, TX
Statue of Christopher Columbus, Columbus OH
Statue of George Preston Marshall (National Football League), Washington, DC
Statue of Juan Junipero Serra, Ventura, CA
Memorial to Company A, Capital Guards, Little Rock, AR
Statue of George Washington, Portland, OR
DeKalb County Confederate Monument, Decatur, GA
Kit Carson Obelisk, Santa Fe, NM
Captain William Clark Monument, Portland, OR
Statue of Diego de Vargas, Santa Fe, NM
Gravestone of Unknown Confederate Soldiers, Silver Spring, MD
Spirit of the Confederacy, Houston, TX
Jefferson Davis Memorial, Brownsville, TX
Vance Monument, Asheville, NC
Norfolk Confederate Monument, Norfolk, VA
Statue of University of Nevada at Las Vegas mascot, 
Statue of Juan de Onate, Albuquerque, NM
Statue of Christopher Columbus, Columbus, OH
Statue of Christopher Columbus, St. Louis, MS
Statue of Josephus Daniels, Raleigh, NC
Statue of John Sutter, Sacramento, NC
Confederate Mass Grave Marker, Clarksville, TN
Equestrian Statue of Juan de Onate, Alcade, NM
Bust of Christopher Columbus, Detroit, MI
Statue of Thomas Jefferson, Portland, OR
The Pioneer, Eugene, OR
The Pioneer Mother, Eugene, OR
Bust of John McDonough, New Orleans, LA
Christopher Columbus Monument, West Orange, NJ
Stand Waitie Monument, Tahlequah, OK
Stand Waitie Fountain, Tahlequah, OK
Delaware Law Enforcement Memorial, Dover, DE
Equestrian Statue of Caesar Rodney, Wilmington, DE
Statue of Christopher Columbus, Columbia, SC
Statue of Christopher Columbus, Wilmington, 
Statue of Phillip Schuyler, Albany, NY
Richmond Police Memorial, Richmond, VA
Statue of Christopher Columbus, New London, CT
Statue of Christopher Columbus, Camden, NJ
Statue of Christopher Columbus, Boston, MA
Gadsden Confederate Memorial
Statue of Jerry Richardson (National Football League), Charlotte NC
Statue of Christopher Columbus, Minneapolis, MN
Statue of Jefferson Davis, Richmond, VA
Confederate Monument, Jacksonville, FL
Monument to the Women of the Southland, Jacksonville, FL
Cemetery Grandstand for Confederate Soldiers, Eight Historical Markers, 23 Informational Signs, and 53 Tree Signs, Jacksonville, FL
Statue of Christopher Columbus, Richmond, VA
Confederate Monument, Portsmouth, VA
Statue of Sam Davis, Nashville, TN
Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument, Indianapolis, IN
Statue of John Breckinridge Castleman, Louisville, KY
Frank Rizzo Mural, Philadelphia, PA
University of Kentucky Mural, Lexington, KY
Statue of Orville Hubbard, Dearborn, MI
Robert E. Lee Memorial, Roanake, VA
Statue of Raphael Semmes, Mobile, AL
Sacred Heart Statue, Wasco, CA
Statues of Jesus Christ (numerous Catholic Ccurches), 
Texas Ranger, Dallas, TX
Athens Confederate Monument, Athens, GA
Statue of Thomas Jefferson, Birmingham, AL
Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument, Birmingham, AL
Robert E. Lee Bust, Fort Myers, FL
Statue of Robert E .Lee, Montgomery, AL
Bentonville Confederate Monument, Bentonville, AR
Statue of Charles Linn, Birmingham, AL
Statue of Edward Carmack, Nashville, TN

(Article courtesy of Dixie Heritage Newsletter, July 31, 2020 ed.)

Book Blitz – Truly Madly Crazily in Love

~ Book Blitz ~

Truly Madly Crazily in Love by Esha Pandey 

BLITZ BANNER copy

About the Book: 

Truly Madly Crazily cover copy

What happens when you can’t let your first love go? What happens when you keep hoping that the one that got away, will be yours again…forever?

Sue is short, vivacious and dreamy. Viv is tall, spirited and focussed. Dressed to the nines on School Social, she bewitches him. He kisses her. She kisses him back. They fall in love. But the kiss that should have sealed their love, becomes their undoing.

Sue is truly, madly and crazily in love with him. There is no one like Viv. She pines for him, but he can’t be hers. Days go by and she is still head over heals in love with him.

When she finally lets him go and is ready to start over, he walks into her life again.

Hearts are broken. Promises are shattered. Lives are wrecked. Love is tested.

In a tale transcending time, Sue and Viv weave a story of love like none other. Will hope, trust and love win the test of time? From Lucknow, to Delhi to London, will Sue finally have her happily ever after? Read this sweet romance to find out.

Book Links:

Goodreads * Amazon

Read an Excerpt from Truly Madly Crazily in Love by Esha Pandey

That smile was his undoing. He had fallen madly in love with Sukirti, the girl with a golden heart and the prettiest eyes. He couldn’t dare to lose her friendship, so he never complicated their relationship. It was difficult to believe that it had only been three months since they knew each other. They were inseparable. Their classmates and friends teased them, and boys even made kissing sounds when they were alone with Vaibhav, but he maintained that they were friends. In fact, Sukirti had never given him any reason to believe otherwise. She was a perfect friend and never lead him on to believe that she felt more for him. Once, when they were talking on the phone and somehow the conversation had moved to friendship and love, he had come very close to confessing his feelings to her, but his mother’s knock on the door had saved him just in time.

“Of course, we will talk on the phone Sue, but practicing like this is much better na,” he said, hiding his disappointment at her not being as affected as he was. All he could do was hope that she would come for the farewell. He had something special planned for her.

About the Author:

profile pic copy

Esha Pandey, is an author and a police officer. She made her debut as an author with her book I Will Meet You There, a collection of short stories.

Esha is an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the 2010 batch. She has a Masters in International Relations and Masters of Philosophy in American Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. Before becoming a civil servant, she dabbled with the idea of being a journalist and worked with Times of India as a copyeditor. She has won a United Nations FPA Award for Excellence for the “Best Short Story”.

Esha has kept her passion for writing alive through her tough assignments in policing because writing is music for her soul. Her TDH hero is her partner for life, her husband Rajiv, who supports her in all her endeavors. When she is not doing either, policing or writing, she is busy dealing with her two bundles of naughtiness, her sons.

Esha on the Web:

Twitter * Facebook * Instagram

Book Blitz! Truly Madly Crazily in Love

~ Book Blitz ~

Truly Madly Crazily in Love

by Esha Pandey 

BLITZ BANNER copy

About the Book: 

KINDLE MOCK copy

What happens when you can’t let your first love go? What happens when you keep hoping that the one that got away, will be yours again…forever?

Sue is short, vivacious and dreamy. Viv is tall, spirited and focussed. Dressed to the nines on School Social, she bewitches him. He kisses her. She kisses him back. They fall in love. But the kiss that should have sealed their love, becomes their undoing.

Sue is truly, madly and crazily in love with him. There is no one like Viv. She pines for him, but he can’t be hers. Days go by and she is still head over heals in love with him.

When she finally lets him go and is ready to start over, he walks into her life again.

Hearts are broken. Promises are shattered. Lives are wrecked. Love is tested.

In a tale transcending time, Sue and Viv weave a story of love like none other. Will hope, trust and love win the test of time? From Lucknow, to Delhi to London, will Sue finally have her happily ever after? Read this sweet romance to find out.

Book Links:

Goodreads * Amazon

Read an Excerpt from Truly Madly Crazily in Love by Esha Pandey

Sukirti lingered on at the gate a bit longer than necessary. She wondered if her mother had noticed how she was lost in her thoughts when she walked in. She certainly didn’t comment on it. Sukirti went directly to her room. She had never experienced the kind of rush she felt with Vaibhav. When she was pressed to him on impact because of the speed breaker, it was as if her whole body had exploded. She was tingling wherever her body had touched his. She knew this was different than anything she had ever known. She remembered her elder cousin Garima telling her about her boyfriend and how he made her feel. At that time, she had not thought it was possible to feel like you were on fire. That day, she understood.

Was she developing a crush on Vaibhav?

About the Author:

profile pic copy

Esha Pandey, is an author and a police officer. She made her debut as an author with her book I Will Meet You There, a collection of short stories.

Esha is an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the 2010 batch. She has a Masters in International Relations and Masters of Philosophy in American Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. Before becoming a civil servant, she dabbled with the idea of being a journalist and worked with Times of India as a copyeditor. She has won a United Nations FPA Award for Excellence for the “Best Short Story”.

Esha has kept her passion for writing alive through her tough assignments in policing because writing is music for her soul. Her TDH hero is her partner for life, her husband Rajiv, who supports her in all her endeavors. When she is not doing either, policing or writing, she is busy dealing with her two bundles of naughtiness, her sons. 

Esha on the Web:

Twitter * Facebook * Instagram

 

Book Tour – Ready for the World

Banner copy

About The Book Series

Ready For The World – Driver’s Education:

All Brandon Delacruz is asking out of his young life is popularity, riches, and the girl of his dreams. But what he does have are good grades, a ten-speed bicycle, and his two lifelong friends, Josh and Ally, at his side. And together, they’ll navigate their way through the rigors of high school life.

But unlike high school, real life doesn’t come with study guides. Brandon realizes that the girl he’s always dreamed about has been there all along. And as he untangles his feelings for Ally, something tragic happens to her family that changes everything. Now, Brandon will spend the rest of the year balancing his romantic feelings for Ally and his life-long friendship with her while also dealing with tough teachers, classes, and toughest of all, meeting the Filipino parental standards.

Brandon will learn that the world moves pretty fast, whether he’s ready or not.

Ready For The World – Superstar:

He has the girl, the grades, and now, a calling. Brandon Delacruz is going to write the next great novel and he isn’t even sixteen yet. It looks like 1987 is going to be his best year ever.

But his best year quickly turns into his most confusing. Because instead of one special girl in his life, there are two. There’s Ally, his childhood friend, and first love who has turned into the biggest enigma in his life. And then there’s Rachel, a brash and beautiful girl that’s as good a photographer as she is a pool player.

Brandon will learn that life can’t be easily rewritten or edited like a novel. But like mystery novels, things in life aren’t always what they seem. Like comedic books, life is often funny and hilarious. And like the best love stories, life has its share of twists and turns, ups and downs, that are filled with beauty, grace, and sometimes heartbreak.

Book Cover copy

Purchase Links

Ready For The World: Driver’s Education 

Amazon India | Amazon USA

Ready For The World: Superstar

Amazon India | Amazon USA

Book Excerpt from Ready For The World: Superstar

The rat-a-tat-tat of my typewriter was as soothing as waves crashing on the beach. Every keystroke meant another letter, word, or sentence on the page. Every whoosh of the rollers meant another layer added to what I called The Leaning Tower of Paper. Hey, it‘s a working title. My ideas flowed so fast I should‘ve had a radar gun on me. I was in, what athletes like to call, The Zone.

It was in early January 1987 when I realized that it was my destiny to be a writer. I was good at it, I liked doing it, and when I wasn’t writing, I found myself thinking about it. Taking hold of your destiny when you‘re six months shy of your sixteenth birthday is no easy task. For one thing, you have school five days a week with homework assignments every night. If you play a sport, belong in a club, or play an instrument, then that takes up more of your time. When you finally do get home, your Mom and Dad hand you a long list of chores. It‘s not like when you‘re an adult and you have way more time to fulfill your destiny. It‘s way harder when you‘re a teenager.

The rain fell like Niagara Falls outside. Jacob worried that at any minute the giant window would shatter and send shards all over his room. The leaves on the giant oak tree in his yard that hadn‘t fallen in the downpour blew away in the howling wind. His unlucky neighbors caught in the rainstorm scurried for shelter. Their makeshift umbrellas of magazines and newspapers dissolved away in their hands. Jacob‘s ears perked up as thunder echoed in the distance.

Jacob imagined Lindsay‘s car pulling up to her darkened driveway. He would grab his coat and step outside. He‘d hurdle the chain-link fence surrounding his yard. Lindsay would be there waiting for him, flashing that brilliant smile of hers that he knew so well. He imagined walking up to her, standing face to face, with each of them feeling the heat of each other‘s breath…

Of course, that was when my phone rang and I dropped out of The Zone. Normally, I would have pulled the phone out of the wall. But after a quick glance at the clock, I picked up the receiver before the first ring even finished. “Right on time,“ I said.

“How‘d you know it was me?“ Ally asked.

“Because you are nothing if not punctual.“

“Am I that predictable?“

“I prefer to say reliable,“ I said. “It makes you sound more put together.“

Ally and I talked on the phone every night at the same time since she left for vacation. Our, I guess I‘d call it a relationship, had moved along great. Better than great. We weren‘t having those awkward pauses and silences like other people did. We talked like we always did: about the Lakers, about neither of us being ready to go back to school, and about life.

She cleared her throat. “How‘s the book coming along?“

I banged my elbow against the typewriter and the “Z“ key popped off. “Hold on,“ I said as I grabbed the Super Glue. “I‘m listening, I swear.“

“You sound busy,“ she said.

I held the phone with my shoulder and tried not to glue it there. “No, no. Tell me about your vacation. How‘s the weather? Did you go skiing?“

“Cold,“ she said. “And no, I‘m not up for it.“

“Why? Did you break your leg or something?“ I laughed. When she was silent on her end, I tossed the glue down. “Oh God, did you break your leg or something?“

Ally let out a soft chuckle. “No, I‘m packing for home.“

“Cutting the trip short?“

“My dad has some things to do here and Vince wanted to get a little more skiing in,“ she said. “It‘ll just be me.“

A drop of sweat fell onto my glasses. “So, you‘re coming home…by yourself?“

“Uh-huh.“

I cleared my throat. “Um…when?“

“Wednesday,“ she said.

I dug through my hamper for my best dress shirt and saw the giant smear of mustard across the front. “I can pick you up at the airport. I mean, if you want.“

“I couldn‘t ask you to do that,“ she said. “I can just catch the bus home or take a taxi…“

“Ally,” I said. “I’d be happy to help. Don’t worry about it.” I scrambled for a blank sheet that I wasn‘t going to turn into a paper airplane. “What time is your flight?“

“Five o‘clock.“

“Airline?“

“TWA. Flight 1789.“

“Got it,“ I underlined the flight info and circled it twice. “Why are you coming home so early? I mean, I‘m happy you are, but I was curious.“

It was silent on her end. “I want to see you.”

A church choir belted out the “Hallelujah“ chorus in my head. “You do?“

“Yes,“ she said.

“Wow,“ I said. I strummed my fingers on the typewriter as my mind raced with images of Ally in a slinky red dress. “I… I guess I‘ll see you soon.“ I winced as I heard the crack in my voice.

“Brandon?“

“Yeah?“

The line crackled and hummed. “Nothing,“ she said. “I‘ll see you Wednesday.“

“See you then,“ I said. We said our goodbyes and hung up. I felt my heartbeat thumping in my ears. Did I actually hear what I heard?

*****

“She actually said that?“ Josh asked. “Alyson Paige McCartney actually told you, Brandon Jo-Jo Delacruz…“

“That‘s not my middle name,“ I interrupted.

“‘I want to see you,’“ he said. “She used those exact words.“

“Yes,“ I said as I tried not to have the biggest smile on my face. But in my head, I was bouncing up and down like a pogo stick.

Josh smiled. “You realize what this means, don‘t you? You need to step it up.”

“Totally step it up,“ Robbie said.

I took off my hat and scratched my head. “Step up what?“

“My God, do you brush your hair with a fork?“ Robbie asked.

I quickly put my hat back on. “Is it really that bad?”

He bridged his fingers and held them in front of his face. “Brandon, you‘re a six and a half or a seven on your best day. But Ally‘s tall, gorgeous, athletic, and has that half-Filipino, half-white complexion. She‘s like, a ten. You are way, way out of your league here. If you want to be with an angel, you gotta learn how to fly.“

“Hold on a second, if I‘m a seven…“

“Six and a half,“ he said as he stared at my head. “Remind me to give you my hairdresser’s business card later.”

“If I‘m a seven, then what are you?“

“Hey! I‘m not saying that I‘m perfect! I‘m like an eight…and a half.“

“Out of what?“ I asked. “A hundred?“

Josh put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “You know you and Ally are my best friends in the world, right? I‘m pulling for you two crazy kids. So believe me when I say this: if you want this to be the best night of your life, do not, under any circumstances, be yourself.“

“Excuse me?“ I asked.

“He‘s right,“ Robbie said.

“You have to be an even better version of yourself,“ Josh said. “A version that Ally‘s never seen. You want her to think of you as a man and not the kid from down the block. You gotta look the part, sound the part, and hell, you gotta smell the part!“

“Get a bottle of Polo Cologne. Or Drakkar. And for God‘s sake, no Old Spice,“ Robbie said as he flapped his tie at me. “You should come by my store. Our coats are 25% off. With my 20% discount, that‘s like 45%!“

“I see that math tutor you got has done wonders for you,“ I said.

“Look, B,“ Josh said. “We‘re not asking you to change everything.“

“Just the things that matter,“ Robbie said. “Your hair, clothes, and personality.“

Clearly, their idea of pep talk was tossing a drowning man an anchor. But I guess wearing a sweatshirt with coffee stains doesn’t make the best of impressions. “Fine,“ I said. “What do you idiots have in mind?“

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About the Author

Charmeljun Gallardo is a former Radiologist and author. His first book is Ready for the World young adult book series. He graduated from San Francisco State University with a Creative Writing degree in 1996. He is a writer, photography enthusiast, sports fan, movie geek, stroke survivor, and an adventurous foodie. He lives in San Diego, California with his wife and son.

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Release Day Blitz – Love, Truth, and Taking Chances

Love, Truth, and Taking Chances
(The Kapoor Brothers #2)
by Shilpa Suraj

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About the Book:

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Losing his wife to breast cancer has left Arjun Kapoor a broken man. He vows to never risk his heart again. Until the day Vihana Luthra turns up on his doorstep. Vivacious, optimistic and bursting with life, she believes in taking each day as it comes.

Unwilling to love but unable to resist the force of nature that is Vihana, Arjun finds himself drawn into the manic chaos that is her life. And he starts to believe again; in hope, in dreams, in love…

But Vihana has a secret… one with devastating consequences. Will they be able to survive it or will it tear them apart?

Buy Links:

Goodreads * Amazon

Check out a few Quotes from Love, Truth, and Taking Chances

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About Shilpa Suraj:

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Shilpa Suraj wears many hats – corporate drone, homemaker, mother to a fabulous toddler and author.

An avid reader with an overactive imagination, Shilpa has weaved stories in her head since she was a child. Her previous stints at Google, in an ad agency and as an entrepreneur provide colour to her present day stories, both fiction and non-fiction.

Shilpa on the Web:

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

 

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