Welcome #RRBC “SPOTLIGHT” Author, Balroop Singh @BalroopShado

Hello, Friends!

Today, I’m excited to introduce you to an awesome member of the RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB, Author, Balroop Singh!

What makes her so awesome? I’m sure this question is front and center of some of your visiting minds here today. 

Balroop is one of the most honest individuals (in her reviews) I’ve come across in a long while.  (If you think I’m kidding, just head to Amazon and take a whiff of some of her reviews there.)  I recently caught wind of a couple of those book reviews, and instantly knew she was my kind of reviewer.  

In today’s society, many find being honest a really hard thing to do, especially when you become a target for those who you piss off in your honesty.  We all know that everyone doesn’t really want to know the truth about themselves, especially when it comes to their writing.  You may hear them say that the truth is what they’re after, but once you give it to them, you can almost feel their {virtual} door being slammed in your face … and slammed hard!  How dare you bring the truth to their doorstep! 

I’ve had some go to Amazon and post horrible reviews of my books, and even funnier, some have gone and changed the star rating that they’d given my books (but forgetting to change the glowing portions of their actual written review. LOL); some have even quit the RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB because I was honest about their writing.  Listen, none of this bothers me at all because I only want truth-seekers and those who truly aspire to be the best, in my midst.  {So, note to revenge-reviewers} What these acts of revenge do for me is they give me a really good laugh! Thanks!

Being publicly honest about the books you’ve read that weren’t at their very best, is bravery beyond measure, and for that I applaud Balroop. She is now in that very small group of people I call my favorite, honest reviewers!

I’m proud to be the first host of Balroop’s “SPOTLIGHT” Author tour, and I’ve one bit of advice for everyone here today who has books published on Amazon – you better make sure that your books are up to snuff before Balroop reads them. I know I will.  If you don’t, then don’t get upset when her review of your book isn’t to your liking.  

{Nonnie yelling loudly for Balroop to hear:  “Begin with “NO PEDIGREE”, Balroop – and from there work your way down by their publication dates.  That’ll give me time to take the others down and work on them!  Thank you!”}  Hahaha!

Seriously, I haven’t read any of Balroop’s books yet so I can’t comment on her own writing (I haven’t even read this post yet), but what I have noticed from her, just from a couple of reviews she’s written, is her honesty in what she’s read.  I wish more of my fellow friends/authors/readers would take a note from her book and become just as honest in their own reviewing.  I mean, c’mon people, cowardice isn’t cute at all.

Take it away, Balroop…

WRITING:  MY JOURNEY

Writing didn’t come naturally to me. Yes, I could put some alphabets together and slowly learned to form words and then started using them into small broken sentences but English is not my mother tongue and I have no memories of anybody reading any story books to me.

I have a vague memory about learning a given story and saying it in the class (which I couldn’t) and those were the days when teacher’s wrath fell in the form of rods on your small hands albeit those punitive actions of the zealous teacher didn’t contribute much to rote learning or writing well.

As I grew up, I discovered that writing is one of the most amazing gifts that we receive with life. Those who get an opportunity to develop and enhance this skill at an early age feel blessed when they can use it as a tool to deal with their emotions.

When I started writing a journal, I couldn’t write much as my emotions kept floundering in the sea of words, struggling to find the right waves. I started picking up quotes, which matched with my emotions to fulfill my desire of writing.

One day I happened to read what Aldous Huxley said about writing: “Words can be like X-rays if you use them properly — they’ll go through anything.”

I deliberated about this bizarre analogy…X-rays have always conjured up darkness before my eyes but I could understand the import of his words only now, when I can discern what role darkness plays in our lives, how it props us up to look for light, almost impels us towards it; how it raises our hopes!

My determination to write well got an impetus when I opted for English Honors after high school, along with two other majors. Writing critical anaylsis of poems and essays gave clarity to my ideas, which were confusing or blurred. It was not easy but very fulfilling. It led me to self-discovery. It gave me wings, which grew bigger when I studied literature for my Masters degree.

As a teacher I had to conduct many creative writing workshops, which provided ample opportunities to embellish my writing skills, as I had to accept the challenges of youngsters, edit their work and uphold the spirit of competition. My students have been my true inspiration and I have learnt many lessons of life while teaching them and interacting with them through discussions.

Now writing is my lifeline; it calms down my emotions. It is therapeutic, it makes me happier, it inspires. The elation of recording my feelings is so rewarding, so heartwarming that I can create my own world of fantasy, in which all the characters are mere puppets in my hands. Isn’t it a wonderful feeling?

© Balroop Singh.

“MOMENTS WE LOVE”

Moments of fragrant love that stand frozen in time, of dreams that dare not unfold, of passion that fleets by, of erratic joy that we meet at the crossroads of life; butterflies of time that add color to our dark moments to scare the demons away – I have gathered all of them in this book. Some of them whisper softly to create a magical aura while spring of life sings with them, trying to wipe silent tears. Mother Nature steps in with all her grandeur to breath quiet messages of tranquility.

Each poem would soothe your emotions with élan and add a dash of color to your life. Life – that doesn’t halt for your sad moments; it just floats by. You just need to dive in to soak in myriads of moments to discover how they could ignite positive tones. All the poems in this collection are imaginary but inspired from people around me, some of whom chose to share their frustrations and tremors with me. My imaginative muse transformed them into poetry.

Follow Balroop on Twitter @BalroopShado!

To follow along with the rest of Balroop’s tour and special month, please visit RRBC’S “SPOTLIGHT” AUTHOR forum!

How would you like this kind of support?  Well, JOIN the RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB!  Tell them Balroop sent you!

Someone dropped by my RRBC Author page recently and commented on something I’ve posted there, so I thought I’d add it here since it applies to what I’ve shared above about writing:

As a writer who values the (polished) written word, it is my mission to help my fellow authors understand that their reputation as a writer should be treated as a rare treasure and that the only way to be taken seriously in this business, is to ensure that your writing (no matter the forum) is impeccably written and well-edited.  If not, you’re just another “Joe” with a pen who was the first to raise his hand when Amazon asked:  “Hey, any old Joe out there wanna publish a book?  Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be good and there’s absolutely no hard work involved.”

FYI:  If you don’t care what you put out into the world, you’re just a laughing stock in the literary community … and your name is “Joe.”

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• Tagged: Amazon, authors, Balroop Singh, Books, Moments We Love, Nonnie Jules, Rave Reviews Book Club, RRBC, Spotlight Author, writing