My debut literary crime novel,”You Beneath Your Skin,” published by the fab team at Simon and Schuster IN is slowly making its way into the world.
It is available in India here.
Worldwide, here.
Reviews are appreciated–please get in touch if you’d like a review copy.
This blog has always kept things honest. I may not have shared all of my life, but there have been no untruths in what I have written about here.
This is one reason why I have hesitated to blog in the new year. You don’t want to talk about burnouts on your blog–you’re supposed to be perennially overflowing with energy, but sadly, that’s not the case.
All of last year has been a bit of a trial both in my personal and professional life. There have been triumphs too, of course, You Beneath Your Skin is still an Amazon bestseller, but all of it has come at a cost. Less sleep and all the other usual crimes against health.
The book has done its own thing throughout. Here are a few snippets in the media:
Damyanti Biswas says she finished writing her thriller in 15 drafts – The Hindu
A layered perspective – Metro Plus, The Hindu
You Beneath Your Skin – Opinion Express
Book review | You Beneath Your Skin unearths the misogyny, corruption and injustice – Financial Express
How I Wrote My Novel Using Index Cards – The Literary Consultancy
You Beneath Your Skin Is An Engaging Psychological Thriller: Excerpt – SheThePeople
3 Exciting Fiction Launches – eShe
Books to check out this week – Deccan Herald
Racy murder mystery has dollops of bitter realism – The Asian Age
Interview: ‘To Be a Woman in This World Is to Cope with with Some Form of Violence’ – The Wire
Books of the week – Firstpost
Going Strong – The New Indian Express
Beneath the veneer of a crime novel, ‘You Beneath Your Skin’ is a study of problematic relationships – Scroll.in
TLC Mentee becomes Amazon Bestseller – The Literary Consultancy
Working with NGOs inspires author Damyanti Biswas to pen a crime thriller – News Today
I seek to make the familiar extraordinary – Life and More
Novel talks of crime, corruption and power struggle – Press Trust of India
Delving Into Dark Themes Of You Beneath Your Skin, One Wonders What One Would Find – Womens Web
Bookmarked: What you should read this September – The Indian Express
Implementation of Posco Act needs scrutiny: Outlook India
5 Indian Fiction Novels Of 2019 That Are Intense Page-Turners
Getting Beneath Skin Of Delhi Where She Once Lived – Odisha Bytes
Book Review I Colour of Crime – The Indian Express
Ten Must-Read Thrillers By Women Authors That Will Blow You Away: ShethePeople TV
Tackling issues of misogyny and heinous crimes against women through fiction: News Now
These have led to more coverage for You Beneath Your Skin on social media, which seems to helped the book sell well in the home market.
I’m not going to be doing too many offline events now, though online efforts will continue. I’m still hustling for the nonprofits Project WHY and Stop Acid Attacks. In the meanwhile, I’ll take a little time off and celebrate 12 years of this blog.
I’ll give away things I love best to bloggers (whose support has brought this blog and my writing to a wider audience)–books.
So 12 books will go out to 12 bloggers, from a random selection of names of bloggers I’ve put in a box, and given a huge shake-up.
I started blogging here on the 6th January, 2008 as a daily-writing-ritual of sorts, and on 6th January 2020–there will be time enough to pause and reflect. I’ll do my anniversary post on the 8th—to coincide with the first IWSG post of the year.
In the meanwhile, connect us to a post from last year that you’d like us to read:
I’m adding a Linky list, open for a week, till the 12th of January, and invite you all to add your old posts from last year. I’ll delete spam and keep the list tidy, so if you want to browse through the list and visit other blogs and make friends, you’re most welcome. The link will remain up, till further notice.
In the linky, please do the following:
- Link to the Blog Post you want read, and not to your blog. I’ll delete links that lead to home pages and websites.
- In the Blog Title part of the Link form, add your Blog Post Title. If your post title is intriguing, others might want to click through as well.
Do NOT do the following:
-
- Do not add spam links.
- Do not add homepage links to Websites/ Blogs.
- Do not add more than one post.
- Do not ask me to edit/ make changes to the list. (I edit typos without being prompted, don’t worry).
How was your blogging journey last year? If you added a blog post on the list, why choose this particular one? If you’re a writer, tell us about your book promotion efforts!
Happy 12 years blogging. And Congrats on the growing success of “You Beneath My Skin” too! When I fist started blogging I wrote one blog post and didn’t write anything else for almost four to six months. I started blogging as a contingency plan of sorts after I got back into writing. Now it’s been almost seven years (unthinkable when I first started) since I’ve started blogging.
Thanks so much for your kind words, and congratulations on seven years of blogging! Hope to see you around more often.
Congratulations on the anniversary and on You Beneath My Skin awesome book. Wishing you much more success, rest and health in 2020. So late making rounds. Thank you for visiting my blog. Happy IWSG!
Thanks for your kind words on You Beneath Your Skin–and your constant support. Can’t thank you enough. I haven’t been very good with the IWSG rounds this time, trying to rest and recoup as much as I can.
Congratulations for “You Beneath your skin” and Congratulations on Twelve years of blogging. I admire your efforts in blogging regularly for all these years. For me, blogging took a backseat last year and I didn’t write as much as I would have loved to. For this year, I plan to write regularly – hopefully at least one post per week.
Reema, I have taken blogging breaks as well in the last 12 years, so I understand what you say about your past blogging year. I believe in enjoying blogging, doing it when I can, and letting it go when I can’t. Let’s hope you get all the time you need to stick with your blogging goals this year. Thanks so much for stopping by!
I’ve been trying to post… trying a different browser (I see my effort to join the hop didn’t go through, either). Congratulations on 12 years, and on the impressive and well-deserved success of your book!
Picking a post to share is hard 🙂
Rebecca, so sorry the site has been giving you trouble. If you have a post you would like linked up, please just email it to me at atozstories at gmail dot com, and I’ll add it in.
Damyanti, I see that my link worked… in fact, both of them did. So I have 2 posts on the list, and if you want to remove one, that’s fine. I think the problem was my browser, since when I changed browser it worked just fine.
Oh that’s a relief, Rebecca. I’ll check the list, and if these are links to two different posts, I’m happy to leave them both up. Thanks for being patient with this–the internet glitch is a mysterious thing.
12 years! Wow. Happy birthday to your blog.
Thanks, Patricia, it has been a while. Thank you also for your support of this space.
Twelve years is a long time! Congrats!
Thanks, Yvonne!
This post has such a softness about it, an ease that is comforting. I’m beyond thrilled for the success of your book. You so deserve it! But I also understand the need for self-care. The writing life (before and after publication) has so many layers to it, so many that folks don’t talk about often. I started blogging in 2010, and I remember blogging with you back then. I kind of lost track of lots of my fav blogging peeps during the past two or so years when life kept kicking my family down. It is what it is. So glad you’re doing well.
Sheri, so good to hear from you after a while, and thanks so much for looking me up. I’m sorry life has been contrary, and you were not able to blog as much–I hope things are much better now, and I’ll see more of you and often. The writing life has to be a balance between work and self-care, and so much of it has to do with the nature of our jobs–we write alone, but must take it to the world. Take care of yourself, and see you again soon.
I’m so happy every time I see reviews of your books or see it on bookshelves! I can imagine the toll book promotions would have taken, though. I hope you get to rest, and come back refreshed to the blog and the book writing. Hugs, D!
Hugs right back, Shinjini. Love that the book is seen out and about now. Let’s hope it helps the causes just a wee bit.
I’m so happy to see those positive reviews Damyanti. Seeing the amount of promotional work you had to do when the book was launched its no wonder you feel burned out. We all rejoice at your talent and success but please look after your health too.
Thanks so much, Ian. You’ve been a huge source of support and inspiration over the years. I do not know about talent and success, but I sure do have great friends!
Congrats! 12 years. I laugh a little about how we are suppose to blog with perennially overflowing energy. It’s so true.
Thanks so much. 12 years is a tad exhausting, isn’t it ? 🙂
Congrats, Damyanti. I enjoyed the book, by the way!
Thanks so much, Mitch, both for the wishes as well as the read! Really appreciate it.
Hearty congrats on what you’ve achieved with your first book. And your two causes are commendable. Best of success in this new year!
Thanks so much Jacqui for all your help with the book, and the causes! Wish you a great new year ahead.
Congrats on turning 12 and much hugs and wishes for the book doing so well. I have been seeing your posts and keep wondering how are you doing so much running around!! Take care and replenish now! Wish you a very happy and fulfilling 2020 ahead! 🙂
Thanks so much, Shalini! Have a lovely year ahead.
Congratulations on your upcoming 12th Blogiversary and the success of your debut novel! Burnout is a real problem for many of us, but it must be even worse for you, given your recent travel schedule. I hope you are able to get some R & R soon. Best wishes for 2020! And thank you for offering a link up to share our posts.
Thanks so much for the kind wishes and your support for YBYS, Debbie! Thank you for sharing your link, and here’s wishing you a wonderful 2020.
Oh I understand burnout so very well. It’s okay to not always be brimming with energy. Congratulations on your 12-year journey. Here’s to many more years of blogging with plenty of books thrown in too :-). Glad You Beneath Your Skin is doing well. The kudos in the media are well-deserved.
Thanks so much, Tulika. All I want to do right now is sleep, but am sure will get around to blogging and books as well. Have yourself a great new year, and thanks for all the support!
I am just recovering from pneumonia – only enough energy to stop on by and wish you a wonderful New Year. I hope this new year is much less stressful!
Oh dear! Hope you’re feeling loads better and keeping warm. Thanks for stopping by, and sending you good wishes and hugs!
Happy anniversary!
Thanks so much, Pam!
Happy blogiversary (as of tomorrow)! That’s another great accomplishment under your belt, good for you!
I know what you mean about being reluctant to admit you’re feeling stressed or burned out. It’s like on Facebook: aren’t we all supposed to be having shiny happy perfect lives at all times? If I admit I’m having a bad day, won’t people think I’m a whiner? No! Well, to be honest, I have some Facebook friends that I do think are whiners because seriously, all they ever do is solicit sympathy… But admitting once in a while that you’ve had a hard time just makes you more honest and more human. Especially when you’re talking to other writers — we feel your pain! You’ve had so much to deal with over the past year, you’d have to be superhuman not to feel burned out. And yeah, it’s okay to be just normally human. 🙂 Sending big congratulatory hugs!!!
Thanks so much for the kindness and the understanding, Joy. My year has been full of blessings, and I’m not ungrateful, just a wee bit tired. Here’s hoping I’m able to take it easier this year :). Thanks as always for all your support.
Oh, and please take care of your health.
Love!
So so happy for you, Damyanti! I remember hearing your worry and anxiety over the phone and today when I see you and your book going places, it feels awesome! You totally deserve every bit of these good moments. Savour them all.
Hugs, tight hugs, for the moments that are scary and tiring. But, that’s life, right? Uparwala balance toh maintain karega na!
Wishing you a very happy blogversary! May your blog keep inspiring and spreading love and warmth all over.
Thanks so much, Shilpa. Big, tight hugs to you too, and thanks for the kind wishes! Have a great new year ahead!
Hi, I have a Kindle edition of your book as he hope to post on it within a month.happy new year
Wow! thanks so very much. Really appreciate it.
Hi Damyanti – congratulations on all you’ve achieved to date … I feel there’ll be a lot more achievements for you with this book … and the generosity in supporting the two charities through the sales made. I think you just have go forward as gently as you can, making sure you look after yourself … I love the idea of your blog posts … and am looking forward to more.
The blogging community is quite amazing … you, Alex and all our supporters give us joy and help us forward with our thoughts and ideas. All the best and with lots of thoughts and hugs for more success in 2020 … cheers Hilary
Thanks, Hilary, for being as kind as ever. Supporting the nonprofits has been a far more enriching experience than i could ever repay.
Alex and you have been some of the most supportive in the blogiverse, and I’m so grateful to have known you all these years. Huge hugs and lovely wishes for the new year!
Damyanti, a pleasure to connect with you via your blog. I have started to blog again last year, and I must say, blogging fred me from a difficult time I was going through in 2013. I had the pleasure of waking up to so many comments on blog via Google + (sadly, the comments are gone now when Google discontinued G+). I feel so happy to see new subscribers to my blog last month, some of them I don’t even know. Some read my blogs during their lunch time and they come back to me saying they feel connected to what they read.
My blog is the reason why I resort to writing when I feel low. Been a while since I used Linkytools. I have entered the blog hop. Thank you and happy new year!
G+ lost me many subscribers as well—I had about 3k of them.
WHile blogging can be an excellent de-stressor, I hope you also get to blog when not feeling low. Thanks for adding the link!
On the blogging front, I sucked bad the past year. But I managed to do good reading with 93 books from varied genres and authors. So that kind of uplifts my mood a bit. I did start my youtube channel and now totally focused on it.
That’s absolutely wonderful, Asha! I didn’t read many books last year and hope to improve on that this year.
Thanks for the opportunity to share posts, and congratulations on your best seller. I read it recently and enjoyed it.
Thanks so much. Huge thanks also for the read and review–that will support the causes towards which the book proceeds are directed.
Congratulations on your bestselling book! To complete and publish a novel is a real accomplishment–I know. I read excerpts and was intrigued. And I enjoy your blog. Now get right back on that horse and keep writing!
Thanks so much, Martha. I’m so pleased the excerpts of my novel intrigued you. Would love to know your thoughts if you read the w ole thing some day :).
Congratulations on twelve years! (I hit ten last November and totally forgot.) I understand the drain. Between books and the IWSG, it started taking its toll on me.
Honored to have known you all of these years, working with you on the A to Z Team, and finally seeing your dream come true of a bestseller. Well done, Damy!
Thanks so much, Alex. My blog owes so much to you–thank you for being such a pillar of support down the years.
Sure I’ve already shared a comment, but v it didn’t show up, so sorry if you get two from me! Just wanted to say congratulations on the buzz surrounding your new novel – fantastic to have so much positive interest. I was in your blog the other day and saw you support those two causes – fantastic. Truly.
Thank you for giving us all the opportunity to share and meet new people. Always great.
As for my blogging year, stats were lower but then I didn’t post as much, too busy writing for a women’s magazine, entering short story competitions. I chose that post to share because it’s a conversation between two many characters in the book I’m currently writing. They keep talking to me so I thought I’d better write down what they say.
Have a great year, Damyanti, and I wish you huge success with the book
Thanks so much Lynn. Have rescued your other comment and replied to it.
Congratulations on the publication of your novel! That is such a huge accomplishment!
Thanks so much, Amanda. I wish it were an easier process, (both the writing and promoting) but at least it was for a good cause. 🙂
Thank you for sharing!!.. hope you had a wonderful holiday and the holiday, and every day in the new year, were filled with peace, love and happiness and life was all that you wished for it to be… 🙂
My journey (of which writing is just a part of) had a few bumps from time to time but it were a great adventure and looking forward to new adventures in the new year!.. 🙂
Until we meet again..
May dreams you hold dearest
Be those which come true
And the kindness you spread
Keep returning to you.
(Irish Saying)
Wishing you all the fund adventures you can think of, Larry! Thanks for your kind wishes–I’m going to take it easy this year. So far, so good!
Wow, that’s a great lot of press you’re generating, Damyanti. I was looking at your blog the other day and saw you supported those causes – what a wonderful thing to do. Just amazing. I wish you every success with the book and will look out for it closer to launch date.
Thank you for the linky list – what a lovely idea!
As for me, I posted less last year than the couple of years previously but that was because I’ve been writing for a women’s magazine, entering short story competitions and developing a novel idea. The post I chose uses a couple of the characters from the novel. They keep whispering in my head, so I thought I’d better listen. I wrote a scene to see how they worked together.
Again, all good luck with your novel and thank you for your many ‘likes’ over the years!
Thanks so much, Lynn, for this comment and your support over the years. The book has been out since September–I’m sorry the post did not make that clear–would be happy for you to check it out because that will help the two nonprofits towards which my proceeds are directed.
You have perfectly valid reasons for posting less. Looks like your writing journey is truly taking off! Will check out the scene from your WIP–thanks for posting the link!