Wednesday 7 July 2010

Guest Blog - Sarwat Chadda & Giveaway

Books by Sarwat Chadda

 Devil's Kiss (buy this book)

Synopsis
Fifteen-year-old Billi SanGreal never meant to make history. Dragged at the age of ten into the modern-day Knights Templar by her father, the Grandmaster, Billi's the first girl ever to be a Templar warrior. Her life is a rigorous and brutal round of weapons' practice, demon killing and occult lore - and a lot of bruises. But then temptation is placed in Billi's path - an alternative to her isolated life. But temptation brings consequences. In this case - the tenth plague - the death of all first borns and so Billi must choose her destiny. And as she soon discovers, death isn't even the worst.

Dark Goddess (My Review)(buy this book)

Synopsis
BILLI SANGREAL is a Knight Templar and has thrown herself utterly into their brutal regime, shutting herself off from everyone and everything. But when Billi finds herself at the heart of a savage werewolf attack, she knows their target - a young girl - must be rescued at all costs. For this is no ordinary girl. Vasalisa is an avatar with an uncontrollable force within - and it's not just the werewolves who want her.The Dark Goddess wants to sacrifice Vasalisa and use her powers to unleash unimaginable catastrophes and devastation. Can Billi protect Vasalisa from the ancient goddess - and at the same time stop her from destroying the world?


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Guest Post by Sarwat Chadda
 
The Power of Myth
The saga of Billi SanGreal is based on my love of mythology. I think the first books I ever read were about the Greek myths and the heroes like Hercules and Jason and the Argonauts. Since then I’ve read up on myths from Ancient Egypt, India, Norse, Russian, and Celtic and so on. Then there are the stories from Christianity, Islam and Judaism, perhaps the most widespread of them all.

We as a species, are defined by our stories. We take our identity, our belief in nationhood, in religion; by the stories we’re told. They appeal directly to our hearts and that’s why they’re so important. Stories, even if they are fiction, reveal a truth about ourselves.

DEVIL’S KISS is based on the Old Testament story of the Tenth Plague, when the Firstborn of Egypt were killed by the Angel of Death. I was always, even as a young child, horrified by this act. Perhaps as a firstborn I identified with the victims, then later as an adult, when I visited an intensive care unit for babies, I wondered at what divine being would allow such misery.

That was the spark behind DEVIL’S KISS, the idea that the Old Testament plague would strike modern Britain. It allowed me to subvert the idea of what it is to be a hero. The villain of DEVIL’S KISS sees himself as doing God’s work. Now we all know where that leads. He thinks he’ll create a better world but we know throughout history that such utopias are built on the bones of the innocent.

DARK GODDESS has a similar theme, a villain who truly believes they are right. For the second book I didn’t want to repeat the first, so I changed the setting, I took Billi out of her London home and to Russia. I changed the mythology, no longer Judeo-Christian but pagan, and prehistoric at that. I took the idea of the Great Mother goddess and twisted it. My villain, the ancient Russian witch, Baba Yaga, sees herself as the guardian of Mother Nature, she is part of the Great Mother who was worshipped by prehistoric man. She wants the world to return to its pure, uncivilized state. She wants to wipe out humanity so the forests will return to cover the world. She’s seen the damage mankind has done to the planet and has decided to stop him, once and for all.

And who’s to say she’s wrong?

I’ve had as much fun researching the myths as I’ve had writing the books. There was so much more material I could have used, the ocean of mythology is bottomless, but the book would have been a thousand pages long!

Plus I need to save something for book three...
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Thanks Sarwat for this great post....

Giveaway Closed = Winner Announced Shortly

Now for your chance to win Devils Kiss and Dark Goddess all you have to do is Follow my blog(if your not already a follower) then spread the word, leave a link to your post in the comments section.

This Giveaway is INTERNATIONAL
Giveaway ends Wednesday 21st July 2010

Good Luck All

25 comments:

  1. http://twitter.com/eurini/status/17944047937

    :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've heard so many good things about these books and it is very interesting to hear about the amount of research being done by the author. I'd certainly love to find out how good the books really are myself =)

    Tweet: http://twitter.com/shy8629/status/17944590257

    Sidebar: http://bibliophiles-journal.blogspot.com/

    Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/363625-win-books-by-sarwat-chadda

    Shelfari: http://www.shelfari.com/groups/14544/discussions/238416/Win-books-by-Sarwat-Chadda-%28Open-internationally%29

    Thank you so much!

    Shy
    shy8629(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  3. wow - I love all the research and what sparked the idea behind the books - fascinating :)

    I linked you in my side bar of contests :)

    www.inkcrush.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for the giveaway :)

    I tweeted about it:

    http://twitter.com/NTFancy/status/17952646326

    Kate1485 at hotmail.com
    http://ntfancy.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've heard such great things about both books! I'd love to read them. :)

    Tweet: http://twitter.com/cc9309/status/17957002934

    Sidebar & giveaways page: http://wordsonpaperya.blogspot.com/

    cc932005[at]hotmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great post, Sarwat! I'm big on mythology too so these look even more fascinating knowing the research that went into them. I've been wanting to get my hands on these for a while now.

    Thanks for the contest, Ayesha! :D And congrats on getting such a great guest post from the author!

    I linked to this in my sidebar, but what's the cut off for entries?

    http://acjblogger.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hey all im glad you liked the guest post!!!

    Amanda isnt it just fab im a huge fan....truly lve his books. the cut off day is now added to the post(i blame the mommy brain for forgetting ;o) ) its cut ff is 21st July :)

    Happy Reading all xx

    ReplyDelete
  8. Just found your blog through CM. Will be following!

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  9. I've seen this book in several blogs. It intrigues me more and more :) count me in !

    - A follower

    - i tweeted : http://twitter.com/becunique/status/18017300834

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Ayesha!

    I've read both book's review on a few blogs and some snippets from Sarwat Chadda himself. I like how he digs and do a lot of research on Egypts thingy and that really awesome. I wonder how the story goes. Please sign me in too in the giveaway!

    -I'm a follower

    -Twitted here: http://twitter.com/darlyn5/status/18024786019

    -Facebook share: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1604394184&v=wall&story_fbid=135265733163216&ref=mf

    -Linked to my blog sidebar: http://darlynandbooks.blogspot.com

    darlyn225 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks for the giveaway.

    please enter me

    mishamary@gmail.com

    I am a follower

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'd love to enter! I'm a follower.

    Tweeted:
    http://twitter.com/aikchien/status/18108499073

    Plurked:
    http://www.plurk.com/AikChien

    Sidebar:
    http://the-bookaholics.blogspot.com

    aikychien at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love your site, will also be posting about this giveaway, I've just started a book club on my blog... the first book is Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater... and we will all be blogging about it on the 27th if you'd like to join in :) Hazel

    http://hazellovesdesign.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'm a follower.
    Sidebar at:
    http://bookish-delights.blogspot.com/

    caliblue7 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  15. Follower!
    Posed Your Contest: http://morethanjustabook.blogspot.com/
    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  16. thank you! :D

    I'm a follower. and http://fionalevesque.blogspot.com/2010/07/thereadingsofabusymom.html

    feeyonachan at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  17. I'm a follower!

    I tweeted: http://twitter.com/maridalchico/statuses/18294775938

    ;)

    ReplyDelete
  18. i´m a follower! and i spread the word: http://concursos-de-la-blogosfera.blogspot.com/2010/07/giveaway-sarwat-chadda.html adn sidebar :D

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hello!
    Great contest!

    I´m follower ;)

    Link in the left sidebar: http://the-itzel-library.blogspot.com

    E-mail: itzel_library(at)hotmail(dot)com

    Cheers,

    ~Yelania

    ReplyDelete
  20. I'm Follower and I tweeted ther word ^^
    http://twitter.com/Lestat1203/status/18474577780

    mail: Lestat.12.03@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  21. Very nice blog and interesting blog posts, it's amazing how you get time to read as a mom! :)
    I am a follower now and have posted the contest on my blogsite.
    http://nadiamf.wordpress.com/2010/07/15/sarwat-chadda-books-giveaway/

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hi!
    Great giveaway
    I tweeted here..
    http://twitter.com/diana_LDV1/status/18724810742
    Thanx!

    librosdevida1@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hellos!

    I'm a follower (as Nimbu). I tweeted here: http://twitter.com/Nafizaa

    email: fizzlicious@gmail.com

    (And I added you to my blogroll on my blog.)

    ReplyDelete
  24. im going to tweet about this contest and post it on my facebook!

    twitter.com/jennzahling
    facebook.com/jennzahling

    i really want these books and haven't gotten around to getting them! :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. I have this series on my wishlist. Count me in, please!

    Tweet: http://twitter.com/Sparima/status/19221143127

    spav05(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete

Hey guys...feel free to leave a little love