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Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Book Launch “Empress” by Ruby Lal

 
Empress_Poster_final.jpgCanadian Community Arts Initiative is pleased to present Ruby Lal for a book reading session, in collaboration with University of Toronto Mississauga. Her much acclaimed new book “Empress” is a biographical account of Empress Nur Jahan of India. The only woman ruler in the long dynasty of India’s Moghuls, Nur Jahan, the 20th wife of Emperor Jahangir and his co-ruler, was 34 and a widow when they married in 1611. She was, Lal writes, “a wise and just queen, a shrewd politician, and an expert markswoman”. She hunted and killed tigers and led men into battle. She is immortalised in a portrait loading a musket. Upon the death of the emperor in 1627 his son, Shah Jahan, wrested power from her and wrote her merits out of history (she had transgressed traditional rules against women being involved in “matters of government and sovereignty”). Lal’s intriguing biography, with its chronology of Nur’s relatively swift rise to power and even swifter descent, restores Nur Jahan to her full splendour. 

The event takes place on Friday 15th of February, 2019 at the Rotunda theatre at the UTM campus at 6 pm. Moderated by Luther Obrock,Associate Professor of History and Religious studies at UTM, where the author Ruby Lal uncovers the rich life and world of Nur Jahan, rescuing this dazzling figure from patriarchal clichés of romance and intrigue, and giving new insight into the lives of women and girls in the Mughal Empire.
In Empress, Nur finally receives her due in a deeply researched and evocative biography that awakens readers to a fascinating history
 
“Lal has done a service to readers interested in the Mughal period and the many forgotten or poorly remembered women of Indian history. She has helped shine a little light on an enigmatic character many think they know but few actually understand,” Vikas Bajaj writes in a review published in the New York Times
 
Canadian Community Arts Initiative:
Is a non for profit organization promoting art and culture in Canadian community since 2005. CCAI is well known for its TD Mosaic Festival, Rock the Coliseum Independent Music Festival and MISAFF film festival. The organization has earlier presented William Darlymple’s book launch at Agha Khan Museum in Toronto.

 Author Bio:
Ruby Lal:
Ruby Lal is an acclaimed historian of Mughal India. Her previous books are: Domesticity and Power in the Early Mughal World (Cambridge University Press, New York, 2005), which won much acclaim, including numerous reviews in major international magazines, such as The New York Review of Books, The Economic and Political Weekly, Revue Historique, and The Times Literary Supplement. Her second book, Coming of Age in Nineteenth Century India: The Girl-Child and the Art of Playfulness (Cambridge University Press, New York, 2013) was reviewed extensively in academic journals and magazines with wider intellectual concerns. Her short stories have appeared in Indian Literature and in The Little Magazine. She teaches at Emory University and divides her time between Atlanta and Delhi.StarBuzzOnline

Monday, October 2, 2017

Children's illustrated book on Diwali making its mark in Canadian and American Markets

Ved and Friends Celebrate Dussehra and Diwali is a great children’s book which tells the readers of all the different reasons and religions, celebrate the same day. Diwali is one of the most celebrated Hindu festivals across the globe, but it isn’t celebrated for the same reasons even within the Hindu community!
    
  




The book Ved and Friends talks about these various reasons the festivities are celebrated, and it’s a great way to introduce children to South Asian Culture and literature. The book was officially launched at the Consul General of India Office on Monday September 25th 2017, by the Honourable Consul  General of India, Mr. Dinesh Bhatia. The book has been on Amazon’s Top 10 Bestsellers list since its availability in the market.

Ved and Friends is on the Top Ten Bestseller List on Amazon's Book on Indian Culture

Having moved to Ontario, Canada in 2009, Author Diksha Pal Narayan has worked in the Canadian and Indian Television industries before taking a sabbatical from work to be a stay at home mother to her child who she and her husband were blessed with in 2013. While trying to maintain a healthy balance between her cultural heritage and life in Canada, she was unable to find relatable content to read to her son which was entertaining, informative and attractive to a young child. So when you don’t see what you want, you create it yourself, and that’s exactly what she did! Coming from a culturally diverse family herself where she is originally from a small mountain retreat in the Himalayas, her husband hails from the southern province of Kerala in India. The couple were from the same country, had the same religion but that’s where all similarities ended as they spoke different languages and the same festivities had different reasons for celebrations for them. When they had their son Ved, they thought of going a step further and including ALL the festivities into their son’s life thus giving birth to the idea of the book- Ved and Friends Celebrate Dussehra and Diwali.

People have asked Diksha why would you need to write a book about these festivities, when there is so much information available about it on the net? She responds, “Why not? There probably is information about a lot of things on the internet, but the joy of holding a book in your hand, engaging with your children, talking to them, reading to them is a joy I was blessed with as a child and I would love to give today’s generation the same opportunity to experience. Dussehra and Diwali are festivals which roughly span for 20 days while the preparations make it a whole month affair, so why not teach our children the reason we celebrate it. Our Bengali friend celebrates Durga Puja during the time we celebrate Golu Festival while our Gujarati friends celebrate Navratri and dance the garba during the 9-day festival leading up to Dussehra. Why not tell our kids about the reasons why their friends celebrate the same day as we do?”

“Look around you, your neighbourhood, your place of work, the schools your kids go to- it’s proof of our diversity and multiculturalism is in the Canadian blood. With this book, I hope to teach children about the diversity we have in our culture too, and the short stories with morals in them hopefully when taught at an early age can help them make better decisions in life to come,” adds Diksha.


This year Navratri is between 19th of September until the 30th of September.
Dusshera is on the 30th of September.
Diwali is on the 19th of October

To know more about the book please visit www.dikshapnarayan.com
Phone: 647.990.7801

Diksha is available for interview to talk about the book Ved and Friends Celebrate Dussehra and Diwali, the festival of Diwali, and multiculturalism and diversity are seen in the festivities.
Thank you for your time.
Diksha

Diksha Pal Narayan
Author,
Ved and Friends Celebrate:
Dussehra and Diwali
Call: 647-990-7801 

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Saturday, June 24, 2017

Manbeena Bhullar Sandhu's debut novel, Layla in the Sky with Diamonds



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Manbeena Bhullar Sandhu's debut novel, Layla in the Sky with Diamonds (published by Archway Publishing), weaves 1960s and '70s-style hedonism, Indian culture, drug use, family and spirituality in a tale that illuminates how indulgence leads to suffering and suffering leads to wisdom and how generations can shape generations in that respect.

According to Manbeena, "We are far from the age of the flower power generation. Although the swinging 60’s were heady and exciting, nevertheless that generation made many mistakes due to over indulgence and by possessing unrealistic expectations.”  "Generations shape the following generations," she believes.

While writing her novel, Manbeena wanted to create Layla, her primary character as realistic as possible, including her flaws. Her most glaring flaw happened to be drug addiction and in the novel she’s a mother with children which also serves to put an added strain on her family life. The author is no stranger to the drug culture as she is an addictions counselor. She readily recognizes the many pitfalls of drug addiction.

Thursday, May 18, 2017

2nd International Women’s Conference on South Asian Women: Socio-cultural expression through literature, poetry, theatre, cinema, media and storytelling (daastangoi, talk)

Invitation to attend 2nd International Women's Conference on South Asian Women: Socio-cultural expression through literature, poetry, theatre, cinema, media and storytelling (daastangoi, talk)
The South Asian women living in the western hemisphere go through so many economic social and cultural issues in their adopted countries. Uprooting from the native place, patriarchal family structure, economic insecurity and problems in adapting to the new socio- cultural milieu expose the South Asian women to many hardships. Conservative approach of the South Asian communities renders women as mute sufferer and most of the time their issues go unaddressed.

DISHA feels that women's issues should be voiced, discussed and a mechanism should be devised to address them promptly and effectively.

On behalf of DISHA-Association of Canadian Punjabi Women, I invite you to attend our 2day International Women Conference on "South Asian Women- Socio-cultural expression through literature, poetry, theatre, cinema, media and storytelling (Daastangoi, talk) from 17to 18June, 2017 at 340 Vodden st., Brampton, Ontario, Canada. The experts  working on various women related issues will be  presenting papers at the conference.
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We would like you to share your thoughts and experiences on any of the genre mentioned above at the conference. Details of the program will be sent to you soon.

 We look forward to your confirmed presence in the conference.

--
Thank you.
Warm regards
Dr. Kanwaljit Dhillon 
Chairperson       
"Nothing will work, unless you do."- 
Dr. Maya Angelou                                              
 dishatoronto@gmail.com                  www.disha.ca              905-926-9559

Sunday, May 7, 2017

Author launches book campaign for ‘Keep Your Chin Up’



Linda Lendt tells true story on how positive thinking can empower
LONDON, Ontario — Based on her personal experiences and life lessons she has learned, Linda Lendt’s “Keep Your Chin Up” (published by Balboa Press) helps readers understand why it is essential to stay positive even in times of adversity.

A Book Launch ceremony was held at the Consulate General of India, Toronto on 2 May 2017.


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A Book Launch ceremony was held at the Consulate General of India, Toronto on 2 May 2017.  The Consul General of India, Shri Dinesh Bhatia released the book ‘Ootamini Ageekarinchanu’ (Oota-mini Agee-karin-chanu), Telugu translationby Prof. Lakshmi Prasad Yarlagadda of the book" Haar Nahin Manunga: Ek Atal Jeevan Gatha".  Haar Nahin Manunga is a biography of India’s former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee written by Vijai Trivedi.

Sunday, April 16, 2017

“A MATTER OF GEOGRAPHY,” by JASMINE D’COSTA, ELEGANTLY EXPLORES THE EVER-CHANGING HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE COSMIC FRAMEWORK,”


Displaying signing.JPGA MATTER OF GEOGRAPHY,” PUBLISHED BY MOSAIC PRESS ELEGANTLY EXPLORES THE EVER-CHANGING HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE COSMIC FRAMEWORK,” AS QUOTED BY TORONTO AUTHOR SYLVIA FRASER. THIS QUOTE APTLY DESCRIBES JASMINE D’COSTA’S NEW BOOK, WHICH WAS RECENTLY LAUNCHED TO A SOLD OUT CROWD AT THE HELICONIAN CLUB, IN TORONTO.




Image may contain: 1 person, indoorJasmine has indicated that the beginning of her novel opens in the early 1990’s in the heart of Bombay where young Peter and Anna are neighbours residing with their families.  They live in the Billimoria Building, ensconced in the Catholic ghetto. When Hindus destroy a mosque in the distant Indian state of Ayodhya, riots explode in Bombay, the worst the city has witnessed.

The primary characters in her book, Peter and Anna were just twenty one and sixteen years old as they are caught in the explosion while their families take on the task of sheltering a Muslim neighbor.  Amidst this turmoil and tragedy, Anna’s family migrates to Canada and she is separated from Peter, just as their love blossoms.

Sunday, April 2, 2017

A Matter of Geography by Jasmine D’Costa


Advance Praise for A Matter of Geography:

“They were neighbours - Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus - till Bombay’s religious violence tore their community apart. What is the meaning of ‘ home' to someone who has emigrated? Can love conquer geography? Jasmine D’Costa elegantly explores these ever-changing human relationships
-- Sylvia Fraser, author of Pandora and The Rope in Water

within the cosmic framework.”
“With a richness of details, Jasmine D’Costa, gently and insightfully, through the eyes of childhood innocence, lifts the veil on a tumultuous time period in India where violence and religious hatred swept through a peaceful, diverse and tight knit community, forever altering the lives of its inhabitants. More than ever and in difficult times, A Matter for Geography is a much-needed glimmer of hope.”
 -- John Calabro, author of An Imperfect Man and The Cousin 

“Jasmine D'Costa's A Matter of Geography is a brave commentary on the place many of us carry in our hearts as home. It leaves us with the question, is there a true sense of shared belonging or are some Indians more equal than others?
-- Shagorika Easwar, Editor, Desi News and CanadaBound Immigrant

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Pratap’s new book "Weather Permitting and Other Stories"


Displaying Pratap Mar 2011.jpgDisplaying Weather Permitting - Nov24 (14).jpgPratap Reddy likes to describe himself as an underwriter by day and a writer by night. He along with his family moved to Canada from India a little more than a decade ago. Like most of his compatriots he arrived with a lot of hope along with some anxiety. He went through the hardship and disappointment which immigration entails, and he has distilled these feelings into these stories, but never losing sight of the positive aspects of immigration. “Nothing prepares you for the uncertainties and challenges you encounter in the first fewmonth after you arrive. The difficulty in finding suitable jobs, made all the more difficult without Canadian work experience, the non-recognition of your educational credentials, non-availability of affordable daycare are just a few of the obstacles a new immigrant faces. To add to all these worries is the extreme weather of Canada which a new immigrant especially from a tropical country has to learn to grapple with. ”



AUTHOR PRATAP REDDY CAPTURES THE IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCE, HIGHLIGHTING ALL THE REWARDS AND FRUSTRATIONS FACING A NEWLY ARRIVED IMMIGRANT TO CANADA IN HIS NEW BOOK ENTITLED WEATHER PERMITTING AND OTHER STORIES. MEET THE AUTHOR AT CHAPTERS, 189 RATHBURN ROAD W., (NORTH OF SQUARE ONE), IN MISSISSAUGA FOR A SIGNING ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1ST, FROM 10:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Call for Writer in Residence of the Toronto Heliconian Club

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Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Vancouver, BC [March 21, 2016] – New Literary Award Recognizes the Best of Independent Publishing

This year’s Whistler Writers Festival, October 13–16, will include the presentation of the inaugural Independent Book Awards. The Whistler Independent Book Awards will be open to Canadian authors or permanent residents who have independently published a book or books in the last five years. There will be a single winner, with two additional finalists, in each of four categories: fiction, non-fiction, crime fiction and poetry. The shortlist will be selected by the Canadian Authors Association (Vancouver) and the three finalists in each category will be independently judged by a panel including a respected Canadian author or poet and an appointee of the Whistler WritingSociety. Judging the Fiction category will be author and translator Genni Gunn, whose most recent novel, Solitaria, was nominated for the 2011 Giller Prize. JJ Lee, whose debut book,The Measure of a Man, was a finalist for the Governor General’s Literary Award, will judge the Non-Fiction category. Crime novelist, journalist and publisher Linda L. Richards will judge the Crime Fiction category, while former Vancouver Poet Laureate Evelyn Lau will judge the Poetry category.

Eligible authors can submit their entries to the Whistler Independent Book Awards until Friday, June 3, 2016. Submissions can be made via www.whistlerwritersfest.com and www.tidewaterfestival.com. All entries will be evaluated and authors not longlisted will receive a written assessment from the nomination committee. The Canadian Authors Association (Vancouver) will select the shortlist, and the twelve finalists, three in each category, will be notified by July 22. Finalists will receive a significant prize packageand will be invited to attend several Festival events, including the popular Literary Cabaret, where winners will be announced. There will be a cash prize of $500 in each category, and winners will participate in a Festival event or reading and will have their books retailed by Whistler’s Armchair Books for three months after the conclusion of the Festival.
Jointly produced by the Whistler WritingSociety and Vivalogue Publishing, the Whistler Independent Book Awards mark the evolution of independent publishing. While the industry has grown dramatically in the last decade, there have been no juried Canadian awards recognizing exceptional quality in these titles—until now. “These awards reflect our ongoing commitment to inclusiveness,” said festival organizer Stella Harvey. “We are proud to welcome accomplished independent authors to the Festival and to celebrate their work.”
Media Inquiries About the Awards: Contact Lynn Duncan, lynn@vivalogue.com or 604-522-6222
Media Inquiries About the Whistler Writers Festival: Contact Stella Harvey stella25@telus.net
About the Whistler Writers Festival:Now in its 15th year, the Whistler Writers Festival has hosted more than 100 leading Canadian authors. This year, the event runs from October 13 – 16. The Festival is organized by the Whistler WritingSociety, which also sponsors a Writer in Residence and Authors in Schools program.

About Vivalogue Publishing: Vivalogue offers comprehensive print and online publishing and editorial services for individuals, businesses and non-profit organizations. In addition to its work with independent authors, Vivalogue partnered with Heritage House Publishing to create a new young adult imprint, Wandering Fox Books.StarBuzzOnline

This Thursday: Award-winning author appears at Brampton Library - starbuzz.ca@gmail.com - Gmail

Displaying Canadian Author Series-Iain Reid.jpgDisplaying Canadian Author Series-Iain Reid.jpgDisplaying Canadian Author Series-Iain Reid.jpgDisplaying Canadian Author Series-Iain Reid.jpgDisplaying Canadian Author Series-Iain Reid.jpgDisplaying Canadian Author Series-Iain Reid.jpgDisplaying Canadian Author Series-Iain Reid.jpgDisplaying Canadian Author Series-Iain Reid.jpg

Displaying Canadian Author Series-Iain Reid.jpgDisplaying Canadian Author Series-Iain Reid.jpgDisplaying Canadian Author Series-Iain Reid.jpgDisplaying Canadian Author Series-Iain Reid.jpgDisplaying Canadian Author Series-Iain Reid.jpgDisplaying Canadian Author Series-Iain Reid.jpgDisplaying Canadian Author Series-Iain Reid.jpgWho: Iain Reid, winner of the RBC Taylor Prize Emerging Author Award

When: Thursday, March 24, 2016 at 7pm

Where: Brampton Library's Cyril Clark Branch, 
20 Loafer's Lake Lane, 
Brampton, ON, L6Z 1X9 

Wrapping up this season's Canadian Author Series is Author Iain Reid, winner of the RBC Taylor Emerging Writer Award and one of The Globe and Mail's Fab Five: Canlit's Hottest Up-and-Comers. Iain Reid's first book, One Bird’s Choice: A Year in the Life of an Over-educated, Underemployed 

Twentysomething Who Moves Back Home, won the CBC Bookie Award for Best Nonfiction Book of the year. His second book, The Truth About Luck, is a travel memoir about an inspiring 'stay-cation' in his basement, sharing meals and music with his grandmother. His latest book, I'm Thinking of Ending Things, is expected in June of 2016. 

Peppered with self-deprecating humour, his writing has appeared on National Public Radio (NPR), CBC Radio One's Metro Morning, The Globe and Mail, and Reader’s Digest. Don't miss this opportunity to meet and chat with Iain Reid!
'via Blog this'

StarBuzzOnline

Friday, December 4, 2015

Jaipur Literature Festival 2016 as Namita Gokhale states on the Facebook.

Dear Friends, it’s wonderful to see so many familiar faces here and some new ones too. Every year I come up with a new...
Posted by Namita Gokhale on Thursday, December 3, 2015
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Monday, November 30, 2015

"Resilience and Triumph" provides readers with an eye-opening glimpse into 50 years of immigrant women's lives in Canada


A collection of true stories from 54 radicalized immigrant and refugee women create an eclectic mix of three generations of voices. Women in their 20s to those in their 70s provide snapshots that begin in the 1960s and go to the present. Together these vividly recounted entries capture historical and everyday moments that reveal striking similarities and differences. Resilience and Triumph provides readers with an eye-opening glimpse into 50 years of immigrant women's lives in Canada.

I really got a lot out of this rich, perceptive, varied collection dealing with very current and relevant issues -- immigration, identity, integration and barriers to it -- to name a few. And how women negotiate these realities. The last two sections touch upon feminist theory and activism, but in an accessible manner. I found the section that contains voices of 2nd generation women particularly interesting (section III). - Veena Gokhale
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Monday, September 21, 2015

Releasing “Real Justice Branded a Baby Killer” by Jasmine D'Costa



Jasmine D'Costa
StarBuzzOnline

Friday, September 4, 2015

eBook of Hindi and Urdu Poetry of Canadian Poets: रंग और नूर رنگ اور نور RANG AUR NOOR (Colour & Radiance) Read it here and now for free.

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Sunday, August 30, 2015

Mirror of Love, a time-travel romance"! by Samna G. Khan


"Ashton wants Emma to talk to Anne Boleyn. She doesn't want to be beheaded. Adventure, romance and loads of fun. Mirror of Love, a time-travel romance"! - Samna G. Khan
Posted by StarBuzz on Thursday, August 27, 2015
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Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Inspiration: A story writing workshop with Tejendra Sharma


https://www.facebook.com/meenachopra/media_set?set=a.10155903040590534.1073741948.882400533&type=3
Posted by StarBuzz on Monday, August 10, 2015
StarBuzzOnline

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Protest of Love By Samna Ghani

Mary Gardner is a successful career-oriented woman with a passion for work and books. She is part of The Monday Mystery Society at Acorns, the local bookstore in Oakville. Her life is perfect, in her opinion, till she meets Stefan. Things start going downhill as he infiltrates her work, her life and her heart. Stefan Larsson, a dashing European attorney fighting for the rights of the weak and downtrodden. He threatens everything Mary has worked so hard to achieve. He is smart but aggressive; passionate but dominating. He’s out to get Mary but the question is: will he remain unscathed?
Price $1.99 

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