Hello, lovelies!! It gives me great pleasure today to host Anand Purohit and his new book, “XNOR,” here on FAB!! For other stops on his Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of the images in this post.
Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card!! Also, come back daily to interact with Anand and to increase your chances of winning!!
Thanks for stopping by!! Wishing you all lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!!
XNOR
by Anand Purohit
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GENRE: Fiction / Fantasy / Historical
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BLURB:
1759 was a defining year for the colonies that became Canada. It was also the year the British Empire rose to preeminence over other European nations and empires. All that changes when technology deployed in 2047 to shield Canadians from an escalating world conflict inadvertently teleports a group of scientists, engineers, teachers and medical people back to Nova Scotia, 1759. Despite their technological superiority, they, like many new settlers, struggle to establish a homestead, feed their community and deal with the constant threat from a violent world. Established empires with their large populations are not about to let a small group of upstarts interfere in their lucrative slave trade and subjugation of whomever they please.
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EXCERPT ONE:
May 15, 2046
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Chan Wei is skeptical anything important will happen. I’ve been here before. Scientists and engineers are always excited about their latest project or idea. I’m willing to take risks. Sometimes it pays off immensely, but I must avoid the duds no matter how enthusiastic the supporters are.
Peggy Doyle meets him as he walks to the AI & Physics lab. “Hi, Peggy. I hear we’re in for a really big show.”
“So says Neil!” she laughs. “In all my years, I’ve never met a more erratic yet brilliant individual. You’ve given him a long leash. I hope he hasn’t strangled himself with it.”
“Thanks to your sales team, we’re having our best year. We can afford a misstep. What will our revenue be this quarter?”
Peggy smiles broadly. “I predict we’ll pass the billion mark for the first time! Our laser and AI divisions are steady thanks to our military sales. Graphene power storage has really taken off. We’re the world leaders.”
“Fantastic! When we go public, we’ll all be very rich,” Chan boasts.
“I’m thankful for the share options. The salary and bonuses go down well too,” she replies as they enter the lab.
Neil Gargano is bouncing around in his usual style. His project partner, Dr. Wu, is seated, smiling, and displaying more emotion than usual.
Chan asserts a challenge as only a company owner can: “Gentlemen, I’m prepared to be amazed or issue a pink slip. What will you be showing us today?”
Neil can’t contain himself. “Space is alive! We’ll show you proof. Space is alive!”
Chan is amused. “Peggy, is this something you can sell?”
Peggy takes the cue. “Let me see. I don’t see a fit with our laser division. Maybe we can sell the military some Alive Space. They buy some of the darndest stuff and pay well for it.”
Dr. Wu surprisingly backs Neil up, somewhat. “if this demo goes as planned, I think you’ll be recalibrating your expectations.”
“Great!” Chan enthuses. “Blow us away!”
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GUEST POSTS:
Ways to Deal with Rejection as a Writer
My best technique for letting rejection go is to write a silly, short, usually very short story with a character that has been rejected and suddenly finds themself in a winning situation. Here is an example of one:
Green-grooved Dung Beetle at Cape Point, South Africa
It was a normal day, like many others.
I was stumbling home after having a few with the guys and what do I see? A big, steaming pile; I can't believe my luck!
People are walking around it, cursing its position on their path. Turning their nose up at some perceived slight. Ranting on about this and that. Their life is never what it should be. Someone is at fault. Someone should do something!
I know what I'm going to do. I'm going to roll me up a fat one and take it home to my wife. She never believed me when I said "someday my shit would come in". Wait till she sees me roll this baby through the front door. Who's the good for nothing layabout now?
Overcoming Writing Obstacles
Similar to dealing with rejection, writing obstacles drain creativity. While writing my first book, XNOR, I had a problem dealing with my desire to create a plausible scenario where a large community of professionals could be transported back in time to 1759 Nova Scotia. I’m not a fan of the usual magical events like special mirrors or glowing rocks that cause the time travel. They certainly free a writer to just get on with the historical fantasy but I wanted a scientifically plausible story while still keeping the reader engaged. A short poem like this helped me get out of my lock and freed my creativity:
Photo by David Code unsplash
I woke up early before the first light. The worms and other night critters were still out and about. Now I’m sitting on this branch chirp, chirp, chirping away!
I
chirp a happy tune.
Poop
will be here soon.
Poop,
poop, poop away!
It
happens every day.
No
need to sweat and fret.
Not me, I’ll not regret.
I go
when I go.
A car
you say, below?
Don’t
blame me,
It’s
gravity.
Mass
warping space,
In
every local place.
Or so
Einstein said.
Ideas from his head.
Others
did reply,
I
think it’s all a lie!
Spacetime
warp indeed.
Limits
to light speed?
The
truth is clear to me.
We’ll
never all agree.
No
one has the scoop.
I’ll just eat, chirp and poop.
My Favorite Scene in This Book
George Washington’s outhouse with three seats. OK, I admit to finding joy in bathroom humor. When my research of various eighteen-century characters turned up the odd fact of Washington’s outhouse, my writing demon couldn’t resist taking it into a flight of fancy. Outhouse, Whitehouse, hmm. Washington led the first government with three branches or seats of power as the British might say. His outhouse had three seats. Could there be a connection?
What would a cabinet meeting held in his outhouse look, sound and smell like? In the Whitehouse, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were, apparently, constantly raising a stink with Washington in the middle trying to clear the air. I try to be respectful toward historical characters, but this was too good to pass up.
Which Character was the most fun to write about? Why?
Cecile Dubois, the ‘Mad Moiselle’. I knew the original ‘Mad Moiselle’ many years ago. A tragic and loving person. She taught French immersion to young students. To her face, she was Mademoiselle X. Behind her back, she was ‘the Mad Moiselle’, an overly rigid teacher with a fixed scowl.
Cecile Dubois wants and needs to be loved while she pushes away the few suitors attracted to her. I created a lover for her, Jacques Hébert, a large, loud, burly eighteen-century woodsman. He announces himself as “Jacques Hébert spectaculaire!”.
She replies derisively, “Tête de chou, Monsieur” (cabbage head, sir).
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AUTHOR BIO:
ANAND PUROHIT was born and raised in a Caucasian, Christian family. After several years of inexplicable experiences, he travelled as young man to India for insight. The shocking immersion, alone in a chaotic and foreign culture, forever changed him. Wandering among the slums, always on the edge of death and disease, his perception was shattered. He returned to Canada with a new name and legalized it to cement his commitment to a life of mindfulness.
While enlightenment proved elusive, the quest for greater understanding remained strong. Forty years of software design and business ownership did not quell the thirst. Constant study of history, logistics, physics and metaphysics watered the desire to weld a nexus between analyst and mystic.
The days of designing complex software systems have passed. A new door has opened.
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CONNECT WITH ANAND:
Website:
Goodreads Author Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21824579.Anand_Purohit
Goodreads Book Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59223023-xnor
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BOOK BUY LINKS:
Amazon US Kindle eBook:
Amazon US Paperback:
Amazon US Hardcover:
Amazon CA Kindle eBook:
https://www.amazon.ca/Xnor-Anand-Purohit-ebook/dp/B09FQY5BBY
Amazon CA Paperback:
https://www.amazon.ca/Xnor-Anand-Purohit/dp/0228858232
Amazon CA Hardcover:
https://www.amazon.ca/Xnor-Anand-Purohit/dp/0228858240
Apple Books eBook:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/xnor/id1585704734
Barnes and Noble NOOK eBook:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/xnor-anand-purohit/1140158627?ean=2940165018329
Barnes and Noble Paperback:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/xnor-anand-purohit/1140158627
Barnes and Noble Hardcover:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/xnor-anand-purohit/1140158627?ean=9780228858249
The Book Depository Paperback:
https://www.bookdepository.com/Xnor-Anand-Purohit/9780228858232
The Book Depository Hardcover:
https://www.bookdepository.com/Xnor-Anand-Purohit/9780228858249
BAM! Books-A-Million Paperback:
https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Xnor/Anand-Purohit/9780228858232
BAM! Books-A-Million Hardcover:
https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Xnor/Anand-Purohit/9780228858249
The Bookshop Paperback:
https://bookshop.org/books/xnor/9780228858232
The Bookshop Hardcover:
https://bookshop.org/books/xnor-9780228858249/9780228858249
Amazon US Kindle eBook:
https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/xnor/9780228858256-item.html
Kobo US eBook:
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/xnor
Kobo CA eBook:
https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/xnor
Smashwords eBook:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1103304
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GIVEAWAY INFO:
Anand will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.
**This post contains
affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase is made, I may receive a small
commission to help support this blog.
This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those fabulous
community outreach projects and awesome giveaways on here**
Anand ~ Good morning!! Welcome to FAB!! It's great to have you here!! Congrats on your new book and good luck on the book tour!! :)
ReplyDeleteGood morning Ally. FAB looks like a site I will visit often. Thanks for including my story in your blog. The tour is going very well. Most important, it's fun interacting with new people.
DeleteThanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThis book is a must read for me! It is on my wish-list and I hope to purchase and read soon. Thank you for sharing your favorite scene from the book
ReplyDeleteHello Bea. You have a lot of friends on Facebook! They have been requesting confirmation from me daily. I get back to most but can be overwhelmed at times.
DeleteGood morning Ally. Thanks for making your blog available to my story. I know how much work it takes to maintain a site, often unremunerated. Your dedication is appreciated.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good read.
ReplyDeleteA bit of sci-fi, lots of history, some romance and a hint of supernatural.
DeleteHello Rita, it's not everyone's cup of tea. Hope you like it.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait!! Sounds super great!
ReplyDeleteThe guest post was great and I enjoyed the excerpt, and XNOR sounds like a fascinating read for my dad and brother! Thanks for sharing it with me and have a magical holiday season!
ReplyDeleteSounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great excerpt. This book sounds very interesting.
ReplyDelete