Amazon Found Me! And Wrote About my Books!

amazon STC

Just thought I’d share this fun news with all my readers!

Last summer, I received an email from a guy who worked for Amazon. I must admit, I didn’t believe it was legit at first, even with “Amazon” in his email address. But the letter was long and sweet, thoughtful and very encouraging—and this Editor from Amazon read my first book, Swimming Through Clouds! And he loved it!

I boldly asked him if he read the sequel and he hadn’t. Yet. A few days later I received another email raving about Seeing Through Stones. He wanted to talk to me. So I dialed his number and we had a lengthy conversation about my short but exciting writing career. And he wanted to know more, so he asked if he could interview me formally and propose an article to his manager to be published on Amazon’s site.

He wanted to share my story with Amazon customers, and October came along and hubby had to travel to Seattle for business. I joined him, and at this point, four months had passed and no interview with the Amazon guy happened. I once again boldly emailed my new friend over at Amazon, and said, “You know, I’ll be in the neighborhood if you still want to do that interview. We could do it in person rather than on the phone.” He agreed.  And with Amazon headquarters right there in Seattle, he worked a few blocks from our hotel so we met downtown, and he showed me his Amazon badge, and even up to this point, I wondered if this whole thing was real.

Then he said, “It’s such a beautiful day. We should find a place that Talia and Lagan would want to go to do the interview,” and we walked a short distance to the only ‘park’ in the city. One that did not have a willow, and during the summer did have a waterfall, but it was turned off at this point. I was touched by this alone and then we sat at a table and talked for over an hour, his laptop and mic set up, and the backround of traffic off in the distance.

It was a sweet interaction and maybe I’m just used to being open, but I answered all his questions and felt comfortable to tell him the ups and downs of my publishing journey. When we rose to part ways, he walked me back half way to my hotel since it was on the way to Amazon and this is the part that I’ll never forget. The direction of the interview changed and he shared a very tough time that he had gone through. I was moved by his vulnerabilty, and I was reminded one more time why I write. Because this life is tough to navigate. The extremes of what we go through catch us off guard and we fumble and fall as we try to walk through another day of madness. These are the stories I want to write so that, maybe, together, we can learn how to walk these waters. And swim through the clouds of life, together.

Months go by, and as in most big companies, things take time, and there were certainly days when I doubted anything would come of the interview. But the story is now live and  ready for your reading and listening and sharing!

Thanks always for all the book love and support!

Stay true. Stay real. And love while today is called today.

-Raj

LINK to ARTICLE: https://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?docId=1002999561

Soaring Through Stars

Featured

Give me 10 Seconds, and I’ll give you the Stars!

STARS FRONT COVER FINAL APRIL 17_2015-2ORDER NOW from AMAZON! 

Did you read Swimming Through Clouds?

Did you try Seeing Through Stones?

Want to go Soaring Through Stars??

Leggo! BOOK THREE of the Swimming Through Clouds Trilogy! 

Released April 23rd

GirlsCovers

 

JUST wanted to share the News!!

Best,

-Raj

p.s. My Talented Niece, Deepa Paulus, designed the cover!

Spring Fling GoodReads Giveaway!! Signed Copies of Both Books!

FOUR MORE DAYS!!

 

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Seeing Through Stones by Rajdeep Paulus

Seeing Through Stones

by Rajdeep Paulus

Giveaway ends April 30, 2014.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

 

Tis the Season to Go Swimming!

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Looking for GIFT ideas for a friend or family member? Got any teens in your life who need a Good Read this Season? Want to stuff someone’s stocking with CLOUDS!! NOW AVAILABLE IN PRINT!! Just in time for Christmas!! 

AVAILABLE on Amazon! Less than $10. Tis the Season to go Swimming

Fall is for Falling in Love! Swimming Through Clouds-MEGA Giveaway!

stc_giveaway_contest-fall is for falling in love

My favorite season of the year is fall. Not summer with her hot sun and trips to the beach. Not winter with her sled rides and snow angels. Not spring with her rainy days and scent of blossoms.

But fall. With her reds and yellows and oranges swaying on and off branches. Sparkles of floating embers from bonfires in the evenings. And the crunch of leaves beneath my boots on early morning walks. Okay, afternoon walks. You know I’m not a morning person. 🙂

amazon STCTalia and Lagan, the main characters in Swimming Through Clouds, met in the fall of their senior year in high school. To celebrate their unforgettably sticky, Post-it love story, I’m declaring fall as the best time to fall in love. 🙂 And no better way to celebrate than with a MEGA-Giveaway with lots of Fun Fall Prizes including a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

Fifteen Winners will win over $150 worth in prizes. You could be one of them! So whatcha waitin’ for? The Swimming Through Clouds family invites you to jump into our pile of prizes and find plenty of ways to rack up your chances to be a winner. See you in November when the Lucky 15 will be announced! Happy Swimming, all!

Hugs,

Raj
CLICK ON a Rafflecopter giveaway 

To JUMP Into a PILE Of Prizes you won’t want to LEAVE behind!

**NOTE: Open to U.S. and Canadian Residents only.

**AMAZON $50 Gift Card Reserved for one Lucky Amazon Reviewer. Because I want to say thank you for sharing your honest take on my first book. AND your questions and concerns are actively shaping the sequel!! 🙂

***

Have you read Swimming Through Clouds? Have you told your neighbors? Facebook Friends? Mother, sister, BFFs, and teenagers at the park? They say #wordofmouth is still the best way to spread good news!! 🙂

Details BELOW: MAKE SURE TO ENTER on THE RAFFLECOPTER

UP TO 50 Chances to Put Your Name in the Hat! 

WHAT ARE THE PRIZES?

  • 1 $50 Amazon Gift Card (Only open to Amazon Reviewer Participants!)
  • 1 $25 Starbucks Card for all you Java Lovas!
  • 1 TALIA Blue GIFT Bag of nail polish, lip gloss, Peppermint Bubblegum and a Cloudy-Blue Rainbow-Loom Bracelet!!
  • 5 Winners will receive CANDY!! Treats no tricks! Chocolate, of course!!
  • 7 Winners will receive Swimming Through Clouds Post-its!!

HOW CAN PEOPLE ENTER?

  • +Tweet about the Giveaway
  • +Leave a Blog Post Comment
  • +Follow @rajdeeppaulus on Twitter
  • +Like Rajdeep Paulus on Facebook
  • +2 Like Rajdeep Paulus Author Page on AMAZON
  • +10~ Read the FREE Chapters of Swimming Through Clouds on AMAZON.~
  • +10~ Share your thoughts on Swimming Through Clouds with an Amazon Review!~
  • +10~ Post a Clouds PIC on Twitter of Facebook! With Amazon Link!
  • +10~ Show me some Pinterest or Instagram Love! With Amazon Link!~

WHEN DOES IT START/END?

All times are in Eastern Time (US & Canada). 

  
  

TERMS & CONDITIONS

NOTE: U.S. and Canadian Residents ONLY

Wow’d by Clouds

FBcoverFeetSoooooo…

If you’re wondering why I haven’t been blogging as much, the truth is, I have. Been blogging. Just not here at In Search of Waterfalls. These are the clouds I’ve been rolling by on as of late:

Chip MacGregor’s Blog with a fun little ditty on “A Newbie’s First Trip around the Marketing Block,”

Go Teen Writers with a colorful post on Diversity in YA Fiction with some kinda title like, “Bringing Rainbows to YALit,”

The Perfect Clouds Blog Tour which wraps up on June 27, which has two fun puzzle reveals and LOTS of fun Giveaways,

and

Reading Teen with a little fun facts’ reveal of my dating daze when the man I married did not pursue me with Post-its, but he did leave me a surprise card once. Find out all about it and the last three places actually give you a chance to win fun STC stuff or E-copies of Swimming Through Clouds.

Which brings up the reason why I’m not BLOGGING a whole lot, because I think it’s only fair to give readers a chance to read my book.

And let me just say, I don’t know what the process has been like for other first time authors, but I’ve been a bit over the top since June 1st. Because reviews, comments, FB messages and tweets have begun to come in and… they are so encouraging and affirming. I am beyond WOWed and humbled and very thankful for my first readers who are taking the time to give me their feedback. Even my parents jumped on and left me a short and sweet note! 🙂

So I just wanted to write this small note to say thanks for reading. Thanks for sharing. And most of all, thanks for SWIMMING. Through Clouds with me.

Blessed.

Loved.

Hope to keep the stories coming!

***

And you? Summer’s here! What do you have on your calendar for sunny days? Oh oh! Almost forgot. Have you heard of this girl on YouTube who is all about Post-its!?! She’s got the “nice” thing going on with a fun little use for sticky notes to brighten the day of strangers who will find them. If you know her, tell her I want to be her friend! 🙂

 

Perfect Clouds Blog Tour Giveaway Extravaganza!

PerfectClouds1Twenty-One Days!

10 Prizes!

Starting JUNE 1st!

Get your Summer YA Read ON!

You don’t want to miss this!

Follow the tour and you’ll uncover fun facts about the authors Laura Anderson Kurk, of the beautifully written Glass Girl and equally poignant sequel Perfect Glass, and Rajdeep Paulus, debut author of Swimming Through Clouds and their novels.

Each day, the amazing Blogger team will share fun facts, quote graphics and daily uncover pieces to two Story Puzzle Pictures that ultimately share lines from Lagan and Henry. Something the boys would want to someday tell Talia and Meg, respectively.

*JUST don’t forget to scroll down all the way so you DON’T MISS the Raffle!!  Continue reading

Chatting with YA Author Laura Smith Today!

 

 

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Wanted to introduce you to another Playlist Fiction teammate of mine. The other Laura! 🙂 Laura Smith is a natural-born leader. You can tell the moment you meet her that she loves life and she’s a take charge type of gal. We are both raising four kiddos. and we both love teen girls and long to tell them the truth—You’re beautiful. You’re loved. And You are so worth loving! 

 

In Laura Smith’s Status Update Series, she introduces readers to four college girls who are off to find their place in this world, define themselves, and navigate through life’s nitty and gritty. That space between teen and almost adult is a time when so many defining moments can and often happen in a girl’s life. Find out more about Laura and the heart behind her stories in this fun little interview below!!

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Raj: Laura Smith, when did you know you wanted to write for teen girls? Do you ever think, “I wish someone had told me this when I was teen” when you craft your stories?  Continue reading

Dive into Masala-Marinated YA Fiction

Featured

                                                  AVAILABLE NOW!!!    

 

 

                       Swimming Through Clouds Front Cover March24 2015SeeingThroughStones_Front_Cover_April2015

 

Awards for Swimming Through Clouds

B.R.A.G. Medallion for Young Adult Fiction

Finalist (2nd Place) NORWA (YA Fiction)

Finalist Women of Faith Full Manuscript
Finalist Wisconsin RWA Honorable Mention (YA Fiction)

“A work of art…”

-USA Today, Happy Ever After writer Serena Chase

 

“Tough and touching, resilient and raw…”
 -Tosca Lee, NY Times bestselling author of
HAVAH and The Books of Mortals series with Ted Dekker

 

 “A poignant but realistic tale ~Sheila Wray Gregoire, Syndicated Columnist, Canadian National Award-Winning Speaker, Blogger, and Author of  multiple books on Marriage and Intimacy

“…Characters who come to life in each page.Diana Mao, President of Nomi Network

“…Will leave you gasping for air, reaching for something  steady to lean on…”
~ Jennifer Murgia, author of the ANGEL STAR series & 
BETWEEN THESE LINES

 

“…Difficult to read but even more difficult to put down.”
~Brown Girl Magazine
GoodReads Book Review

 “Should be read by everyone … men and women, the young and the old.”~Masala Mommas Book Review by Angie Seth

“…This patient, subtle romance is intimate and enticing.”~Talking Cranes, Book Review by Viveka Kymal 

 “This is not a bubble-gum, high school sweetheart kind of story.” 
~Laura Anderson Kurk, author of
GLASS GIRL and PERFECT GLASS

  

                           

If You could “Revise” your Life, Would You?

Stephanie

 

Stephanie Morrill, Creator of GoTeenWriters, wrote a new book. Within a book. Sort of. Think Inception with a YA twist, but no one wakes up tied to a chair or sitting at a desk spinning a top. But her main character, Ellie Sweet, is a writer. And Ellie takes her “real” world and rewrites it into a fictional piece full of Lady’s, Princes, catty dames, sword duels and the whole nine yards. The people in her life, high schoolers in and out of her circle of friends, become fodder for her characters and scenes.

But the funny thing is her Prince Charming changes names. Because just when she thought she knew who she was falling in love with, at her high school, she finds herself drawn to another Prince, the kind whose crown isn’t apparent to the naked eye.

The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet is not your typical YA Read but I simply loved it. And I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but I can tell you this: For a writer/reader who tends to choose sides (Team Edward, Team Gale, and Team Sawyer *from Lost) within the first few encounters of a story, I can say that this is the first time I didn’t choose. Because I couldn’t. Until right near the end of the book. I totally fell in love. Twice! I guess there’s always a first time for everything.

Stephanie Morrill Low ResMorrill’s fun YARead is available to DOWNLOAD Tomorrow at www.playlistfiction.com – a clickity click away! And you can always peruse the first pages on Amazon to get a taste test! Reviews are up too if you’re interested. Excited for you all to meet Ellie. She’s Sweet, in the most wonderful way! 🙂

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Have you read anything good lately, Young Adult-Fictionally speaking? Do Share! Have you checked out the other selections at Playlist Fiction? The library is a’ growin! 🙂