Stories Varied : A Book of Short Stories

By Murthy, BS

Book Id: WPLBN0004450875
Format Type: PDF eBook:
File Size: 3.07 MB
Reproduction Date: 6/18/2016

Title:	Stories Varied : A Book of Short Stories
Author:	Murthy, BS
Volume:
Language:	English
Subject:	Short stories, Love, Erotic fiction, Women's writing, General fiction, Indian fiction, , Romance, Erotic romance, Indian stories, Love stories, Love triangle, Women's stories, Love triangle,, Literature, Love jihad, Lesbian stories, Old flame, Autumn love,
Collections:	Authors Community, Short Stories
Historic Publication Date:	2016
Publisher:	Self Imprint

Member Page:	BS Murthy
Citation APA MLA Chicago Murthy, B. B. (2016). Stories Varied : A Book of Short Stories. Retrieved from http://gutenberg.cc/

Description
This is a collection of the author’s short stories that deals with women's dilemmas in the Indian social milieu accompanied with unique denouements. While 'Ilaa's Ire' contrasts woman's lot of the day with her eminence in the Vedic Age, '201' Qualms" depicts her predicament, torn between personal loyalty and citizen's responsibility. As "?" addresses woman's marital stress in an alien land, 'Cupid's Clue' is about her acting on rebound in her native place. Even as 'Autumn Love' lets woman discover the marital void in her life, 'A Touchy Affair' makes her amenable to her man's other woman. Just as 'Love's How's That' inflames woman's old flame, 'A Hearty Turn' brings her innate lesbian leanings to the fore. If 'Love Jihad' bridges lovers' religious divide with a secular plank, 'Tenth Nook' creates her marital gulf on the materialistic ground. While 'Eleventh Hour' is about woman's lust for love, 'Twelfth Tale' underscores her zest for power. Blurb - Book Review by Melissa Tanaka for Readers' Favorite: "Stories Varied: A Book of Short Stories is a wonderful collection written by BS Murthy. The stories focus on the avenues women must go through in order to succeed in a world that favors the male point of view, whether it is in regard to love, marriage, or simply a woman’s own sense of self and independence. Murthy utilizes both first person and third person points of view, extending the overwhelming emotions of the characters onto readers with varying degrees, depending on which perspective is used, and proving them to be successful in both. One thing I really liked about Stories Varied was that the stories were incredibly diverse, taking readers back in time to a small rural village called Sauviragram or staying more modern day with a drink at Starbucks. Although the influx of characters and settings that change from story to story can be somewhat confusing, Murthy’s rich descriptions help readers make an easier transition from one story to the next. Some of my favorite stories include Cupid’s Clue, which is about a woman who is afraid her husband is having an affair and seeks revenge by beginning an affair of her own. Murthy’s dialogue shines especially in this story, relaying the conversation in a way that is both entertaining and realistic. In addition, Eleventh Hour is about a woman who has fallen for a man, only to discover that he has a wife she knew nothing about, and the chaos that follows, even some years down the road."

Summary

Excerpt
‘Is it a point of no return?’ she thought involuntarily moving to the edge of the chair. Reading his ‘have you forgotten about the castration?’ message, she sank into the chair thinking, ‘is it a lighthearted joke or as a loaded message?’, and for a clue, began to recall the events of the year passed by. ‘Oh, how my life had turned on its head when I turned fifty?’ she thought in wonderment. ‘That’s when I immunized my heart against attractions and insulated my life from vacillations! So I believed, didn’t I? But when he enamored my heart to give a flirty spin to my life, didn’t it dawn upon me that I had only sterilized it for a ritual regimen, and no more. Oh, how his first glance pierced my heart to stir my life that very instant!’ Returning from a temple when she found him alone in the drawing room, she felt as if god had sent his angle to receive her in her own abode. The moment their eyes met, it was as if they began their joint search for a love ground to share, which they had to abandon as her husband entered the scene from behind the curtain. He was a friend of her husband’s childhood pal settled in the States. Having spent the best part of his life there, he came back with his wife for good, leaving their two children, who were US citizens. That was six months back and they had since settled in Hyderabad, where, incidentally, both her married daughters stayed. As he happened to be in their town alone, to explore some business opportunities there, that evening, he came to call on her husband at their common-friend’s behest. Introductions over, as her husband wanted her to prepare some coffee for them; she went into the kitchen with a heavy heart. ‘While my missing his sight had understandably irked me, didn’t the thought that he too would miss my sight inexplicably hurt me?’ she began reminiscing about that dream encounter. ‘But then, how the smell of the boiling decoction lifted my spirits for it portended serving him some steamy coffee with my own hands. When he said he never tasted anything better, how I hoped he would leave some dregs for my palate to share his satisfaction. What a disappointment it was seeing him empty the cup and how exhilarated I was when he said he had broken his life-long habit of leaving the dregs. Then, as he was preparing to leave, how depressed I was, but how relieved I was when my husband invited him to visit us again!’ She got up from the chair and as if to walk down the memory lane, she walked up to the compound gate. An excerpt from 'Autumn Love'

Table of Contents
Copyright page Dedication Foreword Short Stories - 1) Ilaa’s Ire 2) ‘201’ Qualms 3) “?” 4) Cupid’s Clue 5) Autumn Love 6) A Touch Affair 7) Love’s How’s That? 8) A Hearty Turn 9) Love Jihad 10) Tenth Nook 11) Eleventh Hour 12) Twelfth Tale