It's My Mama's Birthday
It's My Mama's Birthday
And Claim's ARC has been sent!
Mahalo,
I’m writing this edition of The Writer Gal Letter listening to one of my most favorite songs of all time - Train’s Let It Roll. It’s this soft, mushy, and jammy song that, almost always, makes me smile.
Today, I have TWO extra reasons to smile!
It’s my Mom’s Birthdayyyyyy, at the time of sending this letter in India. And I am BEYOND excited to celebrate it. Last year, my mom retired from working at a National Bank for close to forty years. Yeah, mom worked since before I was born and throughout my childhood.
But, she never, not for one day made me feel her absence. Sure, I missed hot lunches and morning cuddles back then, but ever since last September I’ve had the utter privilege and blessing of mom hugs and cuddles. It. Is. The. Best.
Anyway, since we couldn’t celebrate her birthday last year, it’s a double celebration at Casa Writer Gal. I’ll be posting a few pix on Instagram so be sure to check out what the cake looks like! :P
Btdubs, this is my Mama!
She’s my first and fiercest champion and the main reason I spread my wings so far and flew. I…I’m a little weepy when I think back on how much Mom has supported me and encouraged me while being a total DRAGON and not letting the rest of the family critique me for being the weirdest kid of them all!
If I write the best moms in Aarti V Raman stories, it’s because I was raised by one. :)
And now onto the BOOKISHEST news of them all!
CLAIM ARCs have been sent off!
Yep, you read that right. I have an ARC TEAM - Aarti’s Awesome ARCsters - and they have received the Advance copy of Drake and Anya’s epic love story. I literally was writing the epilogue (that is a 5000-word epilogue) till midnight so I can send the book out on time. (Okay, two days later but I had an epilogue to write!)
If you’re keen on joining the ARC team, please fill in the form below and tick the ARC button and you’ll be onboarded easy-peasy!
For those living on a planet NOT earth, CLAIM: Bastard Billionaires 1 comes out on August 31, 2021. That’s a few short days from today. And I just CANNOT wait for you guys to read it.
In anticipation of the release, I’m sharing a first-kiss snippet JUST FOR YOU!
Drake and Anya’s First Kiss
She didn’t resist him, which served as good as a yes to him in that hot, heady moment.
She just stared up at him.
A mute nymph he’d somehow caught in his arms, right when dawn met night. Her hair flowing like rivers of black ink on the white pillow, her body slight and pliant against his. Her curves fitting against his leanness as if they were two puzzle pieces of a whole.
His eyes burned, he felt them burn as he stared down at her.
Then she brushed his hair back from his cheek and he felt the slight brush of her fingers down to his toes. It was intoxicating.
When he bent down to kiss her, unable to help himself, she lifted her mouth. They collided, somewhere between dawn and night, soft against hard. He kissed her reverently, with gentleness he didn’t know he possessed. As if to soothe some wildness in her that he understood.
It made no sense to him. Save that he could do it forever.
Her lips weren’t just soft, they were petal-soft. Their taste wasn’t just sweet, it was ice cream left to melt in the sun. It was addictive. She opened her mouth and he was lost, cupping her shoulders so they were pressed together, torso to torso.
His tongue swept in, seeking, searching…when he found hers, he was lost. Lost in her taste and feel. Sucking it into his own as if he could somehow enfold the taste inside him too.
Drake changed angles, so he could kiss her deeper, take more. Their tongues tangling, their lips melded together in a deep, open, endless mating. Taking whatever he could take.
No sound emerged from him, as his breath was stolen, claimed…
Writer Gal Recommends
Watching Nine Perfect Strangers: Batshit crazy fun set on an exotic resort with water EVERYWHERE. That’s all Imma say. I haven’t enjoyed a mystery drama like this in ages! All the characters are weird and silly and with their own demons. Of course, my favorite character is a romance writer whose career is destroyed!
Watching Trainwreck: Amy Schumer and Bill Hader star in one of my most favorite chick flick of all. Especially, because once upon a time, I considered myself to be as broken as Amy’s character in Trainwreck is. :)
Reading The CLAIM preview by clicking on this link right here :P
Listening to the CLAIM Soundtrack. So you’re in full prep mode before the book comes out.
Writer Gal’s Writer Pals Present
For this edition, I have FOUR awesome recs and freebies from writer friends! And I am beyond excited to share them with you :)
Zoe Beth Geller’s Dirty Mafia series has a new release. I’m vested in this whole series because I’ve helped plot it to perfection. Let Zoe and I know if we did a good job?
Molly O’Hare’s Learning Curves is an extra special rec because it stems from Molly’s own childhood! And aren’t quasi-autobiographical romances with a guaranteed HEA, just the best?
Next is Lily J Adam’s dark and angsty Bones! This looks like a smash hit to me. I mean, just look at the guy!
Sara Whitney has a super-cute rom-com that I am DYING to read myself so I’ll be getting this freebie along with you, Postmate. It’s got a grumpy hero and a sunshine hero and CAKE! Need I say more? Tempting Taste is tempting as hello!
I also have a ton of sales and epic freebie events for you to check out. Most of these will be done by the 31st of August so I suggest you click on them NOW!
That is it from me for this time, Postmate! I’ll be checking in with you once I’m over mom’s birthday celebs and CLAIM releases. And FYI: Merril the magician is working HARD on Shane’s cover and we are so excited to share it with you.
Till then,
Stay safe and awesome!
Xx
Aarti