Pages

Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Hooray for Bollywood!


A few years ago, my dad introduced me to Bollywood movies and I became hooked on the razzle dazzle: the music, color, drama, theatrics, romance and the sheer spectacle.

At the time I thought ‘wouldn’t it be great to recreate some of that Bollywood magic in a book?’  And that’s how Shari, Amrita, Rakesh, Drew, Anjali and the entire cast of BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD strutted into my mind, demanding their eclectic tale be told.

BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD is a mix of contemporary romance/ romantic comedy/ chicklit/ women’s fiction. A bit like a Bollywood flick, it has a little of everything: secrets, intrigue, romance, self-discovery, deception and colour, loads of local colour including Bollylicious Indian food.

When I read, I love getting swept away in a vivid setting. What about you?

To be in the running to win an e-book of BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD, share your favourite exotic setting here in the comments.

(I’ll be back to choose a winner in a week.)

In the meantime, I love chatting and you can find me:

Busted in Bollywood:
Shari Jones needs to get a life. Preferably someone else's.
Single, homeless and jobless, Indo-American Shari agrees to her best friend's whacky scheme: travel to Mumbai, pose as Amrita, ditch the fiancé her traditional Indian parents have chosen. Simple.
Until she's mistaken for a famous Bollywood actress, stalked by a Lone Ranger wannabe, courted by an English lord and busted by the blackmailing fiancé.
Life is less complicated in New York.
Or so she thinks, until the entourage of crazies follows her to the Big Apple and that's when the fun really begins.
Shari deals with a blossoming romance, an addiction to Indian food and her first movie role, while secretly craving another trip to the mystical land responsible for sparking her new lease on life.  Returning to her Indian birthplace, she has an epiphany.  Maybe the happily-ever-after of her dreams isn't so far away?

18 comments:

Rachel Lyndhurst said...

Oh wow!BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD sounds utterly fantastic!I'd love to win a copy, so ... my favourite exotic setting would be somewhere impossibly expensive and beautiful in Southern Europe. Lake Como would be nice. But then again I've never been to Morocco ...

XXXXX

Maria said...

I've got my copy and I can definitely recommend this book, it's all that Nicola says it is. Living as I do in India, I'm familiar with Bollywood and I have definite ideas about who to cast in a Bollywood movie version of this wonderful and hilarious story!

Romance, Rumours and Rogues said...

Rachel, isn't Lake Como where George Clooney has a holiday house?

I'm so there! :)

Romance, Rumours and Rogues said...

Oooh...now you have me intrigued, Maria.

Who would you cast in the movie version of Busted in Bollywood?

Natalie said...

Wow, where to start with my fav exotic location? I'd love to be in Venice for the Carnival. The colour, the sound, the mystique of the elaborate masks, the romance. Then again, Mexico for the Night of the Dead would be amazing....
Looking forward to reading your book, Nicola. I'll be buying a copy if I'm not lucky enough to win.

Maria said...

Nicola, here's my cast list for a movie version of 'Busted in Bollywood"

Shari - Sushmita Sen
Rakesh - Salman Khan
Drew - Hugh Grant
Aunt Anjali - Kirron Kher
Amrita - Priyanka Chopra

Sushmita would be great as Shari for her sheer chutzpah and character and she's a former Miss Universe so that doesn't hurt either. Priyanka was Miss World and is as gutsy and as beautiful as they come. Kirron Kher is a great comic actress. And Salman - well, you know about him! And Hugh? Need I say more?

Now what do you think?

Romance, Rumours and Rogues said...

Natalie, I've been lucky enough to visit Venice once and absolutely adored it!
Would love to return one day...

Romance, Rumours and Rogues said...

Fantastic casting, Maria!

You've put a lot of thought into this...let's hope the book gets optioned for a movie so we can use the suggestions :)

Maria said...

Fingers crossed Nicole!

Michele L. said...

Cool blog posting! Love reading Maria's comments above. It really sets the mood for me. I haven't seen any Bollywood movies but after reading your post, I am so there!

As for my favorite exotic locale it would have to be somewhere like Aruba or Bermuda. Oh, I was thinking of somewhere in Egypt also with all the cool landmarks and scenery. Singapore also jumped out at me after seeing shows on tv showing the beautiful landscape. There are so many places to choose from!

Romance, Rumours and Rogues said...

Michele, I highly recommend you check out a Bollywood movie, you'll be mesmerised!

Great suggestions.
Singapore is a personal favourite of mine, I've been lucky enough to visit several times pre-kids! Love it.

Anne said...

I'm not terribly picky about settings as long as the hero is hot. Europe and the mediterranean would probably be at the top of the list.

Romance, Rumours and Rogues said...

I often say the setting is a 3rd character, Anne, because it can be so vibrant and a vital part of a story.

But without a hot hero...he's essential! :)

Chrisbails said...

I love county settings. I love Australia, France, Great Britian, and Scotland. I love foreign settings, and learning about their culture.
This books sounds great and would love to win and read. Thanks for the chance to win.
christinebails@yahoo.com

Alison said...

I like settings that I can go to myself (given a dream budget), and ones that feel authentic. I'd rather a real town than a made-up one, for example.

pageturner345@gmail.com

Romance, Rumours and Rogues said...

Part of the appeal of reading about foreign settings is learning about them, Christine, I totally agree.

Romance, Rumours and Rogues said...

That's a good point, Alison, and it's why I now set my books in real settings rather than invented ones.

Romance, Rumours and Rogues said...

Hi Rachel,

you're the winner of BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD, congrats!

Email me nicola@nicolamarsh.com to organise collection of your prize.

Thanks to everyone for stopping by!
And thanks to Lee for having me.