I love it when I get the chance to feature wonderful friends who are also prolific authors! Ladies and gents, please give it up for the fabulous Deepti Menon and her acclaimed novel The Shadow in the Mirror!
About the Book
Excerpt
Vinny bubbled over with excitement. Roma was coming home finally. They would relive the old days. They would be the Siamese twins again. Her friends tried to curb her enthusiasm, secretly a wee bit piqued, but nothing could quell her high spirits. Her mind bubbled over with plans of what they would do together. How wonderful it would be to have Roma back in her life again! This time nothing would separate them!
Roma appeared, resplendent in a dress that seemed to have all the colours of the rainbow on it. Her eyes sparkled as she gave Vinny a bear hug. She was taller and slimmer, and the kohl in her eyes made her look older. As she moved, the various bangles on her wrists jingled, and with every coquettish shake of her head, her long earrings grazed her shoulders. She had acquired new mannerisms… a way of fluttering her eyelashes, a well practiced pout which twisted her lips into a perfect bow, all of which signified that she was on the threshold of womanhood. As she looked at her, Vinny suddenly felt gauche. Roma seemed alarmingly different. She felt she had been left far behind. She was not too sure she liked this change in her old friend.
“Vinny, here’s something I picked up for you!” smiled Roma, as she handed over an expensive perfume that would have suited Roma to a nicety, but looked out of place in Vinny’s bedroom ensconced with Bugs Bunny and Donald Duck, both of whom adorned her walls, along with the other stuffed toys strewn around.
The next day Vinny went over, and Roma welcomed her into her room. Roma’s room? Roma’s room had always been special because it was so much like her own, cute and girlish. But now her stunned eyes took in the changes. Gone were the flowery curtains, replaced by satin drapes edged with gold braids, her desk was cleared and on it lay a mountain of glossy magazines. Her dressing table might have belonged to a film star with its dazzling array of cosmetics… lipsticks of every hue, make up kits, numerous brushes and bits of cotton. “Well, Vinny, what do you think of the new ‘me?’” Roma’s query made her smile as she replied flippantly, “Well, the butterfly emergeth!” but the irony was lost on Roma who laughed huskily. “Always the magician with words, aren’t you?”
Vinny sank into the worn out armchair which was the only link with the old Roma. “Vinny, you haven’t changed a bit! You are still the little innocent you were when I left!” Vinny raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Roma continued, “I didn’t want to come back here. My friends in school were forever convincing me about how I was meant for better, bigger things!” She raised her slim arms gracefully over her head and struck a pose. “The boys felt I have gypsy blood in me. Do you know I have a lust to travel and see the world? I fancy my name is derived from ‘Romany’, the ancient gypsy tribe!”
Vinny giggled. “Roma, you were named so because Mayi liked the name!”
Roma pouted artfully. “Now don’t try and take the romance out of my name, Vinny!” She clapped her hands with a sudden switch of mood. “ROMANCE…ROMA! It symbolizes allure and mystery! I love my name!”
Vinny shrugged in impatience. “Come on, Roma! Stop this nonsense! We have so much to catch up on, for old time’s sake! Don’t you want to know about our school and your old friends?” She leaned forward expectantly, all set to pour her heart out and bring Roma up to date.
Roma wrinkled her nose. “Vinny, we have outgrown those days, and thank God we have! The past is so tedious!” For a moment, Vinny gaped at her and then her mobile face revealed a glimmer of understanding, as something broke deep within her. “You have changed, Roma. The past is the only bond between us… our friendship is based on the past! Is it possible to discard those memories and still remain friends?” Roma was obviously bored. “Hey, let me show you my new wardrobe!” She proceeded to pull out yards and yards of shimmering silks and chiffons, as Vinny watched in silence, struggling to put their new relationship in focus.
Links
Availability: The book has been published by Readomania and is available on Amazon.in and in major bookshops, like Starmark and Odyssey.
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.in/Shadow-Mirror-Thrilling-Quest-Redemption-ebook/dp/B01M4JL112?ie=UTF8&btkr=1&ref_=dp-kindle-redirect
Genre: Shadow in the Mirror is a psychological thriller.
Editor: Dipankar Mukherjee - [email protected]
Vinny bubbled over with excitement. Roma was coming home finally. They would relive the old days. They would be the Siamese twins again. Her friends tried to curb her enthusiasm, secretly a wee bit piqued, but nothing could quell her high spirits. Her mind bubbled over with plans of what they would do together. How wonderful it would be to have Roma back in her life again! This time nothing would separate them!
Roma appeared, resplendent in a dress that seemed to have all the colours of the rainbow on it. Her eyes sparkled as she gave Vinny a bear hug. She was taller and slimmer, and the kohl in her eyes made her look older. As she moved, the various bangles on her wrists jingled, and with every coquettish shake of her head, her long earrings grazed her shoulders. She had acquired new mannerisms… a way of fluttering her eyelashes, a well practiced pout which twisted her lips into a perfect bow, all of which signified that she was on the threshold of womanhood. As she looked at her, Vinny suddenly felt gauche. Roma seemed alarmingly different. She felt she had been left far behind. She was not too sure she liked this change in her old friend.
“Vinny, here’s something I picked up for you!” smiled Roma, as she handed over an expensive perfume that would have suited Roma to a nicety, but looked out of place in Vinny’s bedroom ensconced with Bugs Bunny and Donald Duck, both of whom adorned her walls, along with the other stuffed toys strewn around.
The next day Vinny went over, and Roma welcomed her into her room. Roma’s room? Roma’s room had always been special because it was so much like her own, cute and girlish. But now her stunned eyes took in the changes. Gone were the flowery curtains, replaced by satin drapes edged with gold braids, her desk was cleared and on it lay a mountain of glossy magazines. Her dressing table might have belonged to a film star with its dazzling array of cosmetics… lipsticks of every hue, make up kits, numerous brushes and bits of cotton. “Well, Vinny, what do you think of the new ‘me?’” Roma’s query made her smile as she replied flippantly, “Well, the butterfly emergeth!” but the irony was lost on Roma who laughed huskily. “Always the magician with words, aren’t you?”
Vinny sank into the worn out armchair which was the only link with the old Roma. “Vinny, you haven’t changed a bit! You are still the little innocent you were when I left!” Vinny raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Roma continued, “I didn’t want to come back here. My friends in school were forever convincing me about how I was meant for better, bigger things!” She raised her slim arms gracefully over her head and struck a pose. “The boys felt I have gypsy blood in me. Do you know I have a lust to travel and see the world? I fancy my name is derived from ‘Romany’, the ancient gypsy tribe!”
Vinny giggled. “Roma, you were named so because Mayi liked the name!”
Roma pouted artfully. “Now don’t try and take the romance out of my name, Vinny!” She clapped her hands with a sudden switch of mood. “ROMANCE…ROMA! It symbolizes allure and mystery! I love my name!”
Vinny shrugged in impatience. “Come on, Roma! Stop this nonsense! We have so much to catch up on, for old time’s sake! Don’t you want to know about our school and your old friends?” She leaned forward expectantly, all set to pour her heart out and bring Roma up to date.
Roma wrinkled her nose. “Vinny, we have outgrown those days, and thank God we have! The past is so tedious!” For a moment, Vinny gaped at her and then her mobile face revealed a glimmer of understanding, as something broke deep within her. “You have changed, Roma. The past is the only bond between us… our friendship is based on the past! Is it possible to discard those memories and still remain friends?” Roma was obviously bored. “Hey, let me show you my new wardrobe!” She proceeded to pull out yards and yards of shimmering silks and chiffons, as Vinny watched in silence, struggling to put their new relationship in focus.
Links
Availability: The book has been published by Readomania and is available on Amazon.in and in major bookshops, like Starmark and Odyssey.
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.in/Shadow-Mirror-Thrilling-Quest-Redemption-ebook/dp/B01M4JL112?ie=UTF8&btkr=1&ref_=dp-kindle-redirect
Genre: Shadow in the Mirror is a psychological thriller.
Editor: Dipankar Mukherjee - [email protected]
About the Author
Short Bio
Deepti Menon is the author of two books, ‘Arms and the
Woman’ and ‘Deeparadhana’. She has worked as a
journalist with several publications, and is now a freelance
editor. Short stories with deft twists and tongue-in-cheek
articles that tickle the funny bone are her forte. Deepti
lives with her family in Chennai.
Deepti Menon is the author of two books, ‘Arms and the
Woman’ and ‘Deeparadhana’. She has worked as a
journalist with several publications, and is now a freelance
editor. Short stories with deft twists and tongue-in-cheek
articles that tickle the funny bone are her forte. Deepti
lives with her family in Chennai.
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