Agnijashatadalam

Agnimalya April 2019 Critique https://patreon.com/sharmishthabasu By Troy David Loy @ https://www.amazon.com/author/troyloy Fairy Bride: An unnamed fisherman spies fairies from the Moon playing with mermaids in a lake, and in a fit of desire, plots to make one of the beauteous fairies his bride. But his plan goes awry as his chosen bride outsmarts him and returns one last time, with a parting gift from the fairies. I enjoyed this one, well-told even without naming the characters. The Bungalow: Mahesh and Manjusha have just bought their new home after returning to India, a home with a forgotten past, one which catches up to Majusha one stormy, horrific night! This one was enjoyably spooky, and would make for a quick reading on Halloween. The Tribe: A greedy warlord seeks the kingdom of his nearby rival, and hires a witch to arrange matters more to his liking. Soon, apsaras from the heavens are enlisted to his aid, and things look dire for the riv

Agnimalya March 2019 Critique https://patreon.com/sharmishthabasu By Troy David Loy @ https://www.amazon.com/author/troyloy Solitude: Tapti lives alone, but meets a handsome stranger who plays heavenly music, Korak. As a bond forms between them, he tells his tale, and reveals Tapti’s previous existence as her past comes crashing back. I liked this one. As romance, with the fantasy elements combined in it beats anything I’m competent to write hands down! The Dark Lands: Ghanshyam and Kavita have bought a new property, well, new to them, but old for the mysterious cult that haunts it! What happens to the loveless pair during a night’s stay there? This one was chilling, with interesting main characters adding value to the story yet those same characters who did not evoke sympathy from the reader. She: This is a cute little gem, of a dog being fed by his mistress! Short, sweet, to the point! Heart: The occupant of an old mansion is fl

Agnimalya February 2019 https://patreon.com/sharmishthabasu Critique By Troy David Loy @https://www.amazon.com/author/troyloy Return Young Rumi’s father works away from home, and one day, as her mother worries for his well being he returns, seemingly replaced by a lookalike who relates the tale of the man whose face he wears, his last dying wish to protect his family. I don’t cry often, but I did just a bit for this story. Secret Lover A young man is in love, but the woman he loves has a…secret he cannot know without consequences–She’s a werewolf! It’s a short story, but told very well. She A man falls in love with a young woman at a railway station, but they never speak. He finally resolves to speak with her, too late, for after one absence from their usual encounters, only a week later, she marries another. The Attacks A newly opened mineshaft is plagued by violent attacks, and a team of paranormal monster-hunters is sent to investig

Agnimalya January 2019 Critique https://patreon.com/sharmishthabasu By Troy David Loy https://www.amazon.com/author/troyloy Efiles: Detective Agni gets briefed on her target, and having gotten the testimony she needs, quickly brings down the villain. A fitting conclusion to this serial! It seems a bit heavy on explanation and light on action in places, but then this is a detective story, not an action story, and that’s often common for the genre. The Scorpion Man: Deathstinger wants a wife, but not of his people, the scorpion folk, instead a girl of the tiny Inchlines. He takes one from her home, but soon becomes angry with his choice! His would-be bride grows despondent, listless, and is soon returned to her people by his own scorpion children. This one was interesting, and I’d like to see more of the Inchlines and Scorpion Folk in future stories. Surya: A young woman is traumatized, and kept in an orphanage after the death of her parent

Agnishatdal Chaitra 1425 Critique By Troy David Loy @ https://www.amazon.com/author/troyloy Agnishatdal Chaitra 1425, March 2019 https://shoptly.com/i/ext Namaskar! This month, the last for BS 1425, the eZine starts with a digital painting by the Authoress of a young woman in traditional garb on a swing. I like the color palette chosen for this, heavy with cultural symbolism, as well as the definition of shapes, but the thing that stands out to me is the way the nose can be “seen,” instantly “filled in” by the viewer’s brain, simply implied by the way the rest of the face is shown. That’s a skillful use of technique in a digital painting. Rajeshwari Datta & Rama Majumdar: The entries for these two performers of Tagore’s music here give valuable snippets of personal history, plus good music lists of the songs they performed. While this is good, and worth a close look each time, I also like the earlier entries on other famous figures of history who

Agnijaat Chaitra 1425 Critique By Troy David Loy @ https://www.amazon.com/author/troyloy Agnijaat Chaitra 1425, March 2019 https://shoptly.com/i/ex3 Namaskar. This month’s opening painting shows two lovers playing Holi, one of the festivals for Chaitra! This appears to be Radha and Krishna at play during a moment together, perhaps the very first Holi to be celebrated! Indie Author Speaks – Pocket Money or More 4 The Authoress discusses the difficulties of affiliate accounts and posting links for online retail sites! Especially with really big online retailers, keeping up profit flow and remaining in the good graces of the business are a must, or else! There’s a cartoon afterward of a rather lusty toad king who is a little too fond of human girls in his harem! Perhaps his status as a toad is not literal, but a metaphor for a human with the manners and seeming of a toad, and morals matching that seeming. Hinduism and India – 3: The Authore

Agnishatdal Falgun 1425 Critique By Troy David Loy https://www.amazon.com/author/troyloy https://shoptly.com/i/4jy Agnishatdal Book 8, Saraswatipuja 1425 https://shoptly.com/i/4xi Agnishatdal Falgun 1425, February 2019 https://shoptly.com/i/4jy Vanakkam. This Chaitra, I give you something on last month’s Agnishatdal, Let us begin…. Our virtual trip to India* This shows a girl in traditional garb in rural forest surroundings, maybe someone of an adivasi ethnicity? This pic has a nice balance of light and dark shades, particularly the light tones of dress contrasting with the dark shades of her skin. Malati Ghoshal: As a student at Bethune college, trained in classical and Tagore songs, and best in those, it’s no wonder she was mentioned by the mentioned in the poems of some of the leading poets of her day. I’m putting looking online for recordings of her songs on my list of things to do for the weekend! Pankaj Kr. Malik: What an amazing career this m

Agnijaat Falgun 1425 Critique https://shoptly.com/i/4jx By Troy David Loy https://www.amazon.com/author/troyloy Agnijaat Book 8, Saraswatipuja 1425 https://shoptly.com/i/4xg Agnijaat Falgun 1425, February 2019 https://shoptly.com/i/4jx Vanakkam. I hope this Chaitra sees you all well. I’ve this time critique of Falgun 1425’s Agnijaat, so let’s do this! Shubh Shivratri* Here’s a pic of Lord Shiva meditating, accompanied by one of his attendant ghosts while a girl nearby fasts, hoping for good husband. From the Quill of Femme Sole: Fight for my right!: Here’s cartoon using stick figures of women with misplaced priorities on both sides of a debate. Why the dichotomy? Why not both sets of rights? Hinduism and India – 3: The authoress notes that Hinduism’s history is one of flourishing by adaptation to create a rising tide that raises all proverbial ships, other religions in India, for benign coexistence rather than strife. Hinduism’s p

Agnishatdal Magh 1425 Critique: By Troy David Loy https://www.amazon.com/author/troyloy https://shoptly.com/i/86t Greetings, O readers! It’s Falgun, so here’s the latest in a not-so-new series of critiques, noting what stood out, what’s new or updated, and what I liked. I’ll even throw in some questions on these as well, as this is a critique after all! So, let us begin! Kanika Banerjee: A renowned student of Tagore songs, even with her most popular tune not actually from Tagore himself, she made a good career from her skills, though was taken from life in her seventies, too soon in my estimation. Along with Kanak Das , and the differing vocal styles they used, The Little Boy and the Tiger, P. 5 Brian ends this serial with more of the brief part of his life in Cambodia, and from years later the revelation of the baby tiger. I too hope Petite-Ami lives still, a survivor of the terrible regime that dominated his country! A fitting conclusion.

Agnishatdal Magh 1425 Critique: By Troy David Loy https://www.amazon.com/author/troyloy https://shoptly.com/i/86t Greetings, O readers! It’s Falgun, so here’s the latest in a not-so-new series of critiques, noting what stood out, what’s new or updated, and what I liked. I’ll even throw in some questions on these as well, as this is a critique after all! So, let us begin! Kanika Banerjee: A renowned student of Tagore songs, even with her most popular tune not actually from Tagore himself, she made a good career from her skills, though was taken from life in her seventies, too soon in my estimation. Along with Kanak Das , and the differing vocal styles they used, The Little Boy and the Tiger, P. 5 Brian ends this serial with more of the brief part of his life in Cambodia, and from years later the revelation of the baby tiger. I too hope Petite-Ami lives still, a survivor of the terrible regime that dominated his country! A fitting conclusion.

Agnijaat Magh 1425 Critique: By Troy David Loy https://www.amazon.com/author/troyloy Agnijaat Magh 1425, January 2019 https://shoptly.com/i/863 Salutations, O humans! This Falgun I offer the previous issue of Fireborn’s critique. I’ll not what stands out, what’s new or simply updated, what I liked, and questions that rear their heads, as this is a critique, after all! So, let’s do this! Indie Author Speaks – Pocket Money or More 2: The authoress here suggests a website for helping out new writers become more financially independent. I’ve bookmarked the website for a further look. From the Quill of Femme Sole: We are the big cheez! The authoress discusses the seedy side of guys who make remarks about female dress. it’s a common thing for guys to ‘mansplain’ morals to women through those remarks. Pathetic man-babies! Hinduism and India – 1: The authoress notes the ordinarily ecumenical character of Hinduism, as opposed to Hindu nationalism and the bullying