Love and hate. Secrets and lies. Innocence and betrayal. Are we all just the sum of our conflicts?

A nine-year-old girl stumbles upon a terrible secret, a young maidservant is trapped in drudgery, children bear witness to adult transgressions, outcasts of society scramble to find a place for themselves.

These are six captivating short stories that take you on an Indian Odyssey. From the North to the South, from the rich to the poor, from children to adults, these tales traverse innocence and experience and the innate tragicomedy of life itself. The breathtaking and varied tableau of the Indian subcontinent is just as much a character in the stories as the protagonists themselves.

Prepare to be immersed in and become one with each of the characters, as they offer you a glimpse into a life and a landscape far removed from your own. Prepare to journey into a foreign terrain where heat and dust, passions and secrets, beget unforgettable narratives with themes universal and timeless.

ARE DAMAGED PEOPLE DESTINED TO INFLICT DAMAGE?

A young boy sidelined for being different, an artist unable to distance herself from her past, a famed actress past her prime, a Casanova who plays women but is acutely aware of his loneliness. These are some, amongst the various tales of damaged people seeking escape, fulfilment or acceptance.

Some long, some short, these sixteen stories have common themes of unhappy marriages; of secrets and lies, pleasure and guilt; of children letting down parents and vice versa; of women of a certain age, and whether they’ve still ‘got it’; of entitled and misogynistic men; and of the hypocrisy and double standards within Indian society.

With original and unexpected angles, these tales explore the darkness that underpins the often ordinary lives of people. Thought-provoking, intense and evocative, these stories will transport you into the heart of India where tradition and modernity collide, often with devastating results.

CAN HOPE BE FOUND AMIDST DESPAIR?

'Holi Moly! & Other Stories' is a collection of tales filled with optimism, laughter, grit and resilience. Stories about everyday people who refuse to let life’s adversities bog them down. From a woman rediscovering herself in unusual circumstances to an older man finding purpose in his twilight years; from four friends holding each other up as they navigate life's hardships, to a young girl determined to rise above her circumstances - these are stories about the indomitable human spirit.

Heartwarming, uplifting and bittersweet, the third book in the India series comprises eight stories that explore the more joyful aspects of humanity. Tales that reflect the many facets of a land and a people who, despite their circumstances, find that ultimately, a life well-lived is one that is replete with love and meaning.

Can people splintered by tragedy become whole again?

Puja is lost. Her past is filled with pain, her present is scarred by secrets, and her future seems barren and unwelcoming.

Unmoored, her only defence against the cruelty of life is retreat and isolation.

Until a chance encounter forges an inexplicable bond. A relationship that transcends the barriers of age, class and family. A mentally deficient sweeper woman, teenage friendships, early romances, adult dynamics and unforeseen circumstances weave together a story of love, loss and hope.

Can one heal and recover from grief? Can the void left behind by the departure of a beloved ever be filled? Can fractured relationships ever be repaired? As a teenager, wise beyond her years, Puja slowly comes to understand the profound and transformative power of love and sacrifice.

Choices. Life offers us plenty. How do you know you chose correctly?

From the streets of West Berlin to the lush tropical climes of Bali, from New Delhi to New York - these stories follow characters faced with choices that could send their lives in different and sometimes opposite directions.

A daughter who wants more from life, a father who contemplates ending his; a love lost, a love retained, a love forgotten. Regret, retribution, and remorse are liberally sprinkled through this diverse and eclectic collection of short stories. In surprising, vivid and thought-provoking journeys across continents, cultures and landscapes, an indubitable truth emerges - human emotions are essentially the same world over.

Savour this collection of tales that range from smooth to dark, nutty to silly, and bitter to sweet.

Which story would you like to bite into today?

Home. Is it a place or a feeling?

When Anu and her family move to a small village in the English countryside, she is desperate to put down roots in her new community. To her dismay, not everyone is welcoming. Is it her? Must she change to fit in?
In her quest for answers, she sets out to peel back the layers of her life, examining all that has made her who she is. Truth, she finds, is often uncomfortable and unpalatable. And rarely provides answers.

At a crossroads, Anu needs to determine which is the right path for her — acceptance from within or without?

What if… anything was possible?

What really lurks beneath the humdrum and the mundane, the ubiquitous and the familiar? And what if you came face to face with it?

Enter a world where goddesses descend to earth, mythical creatures materialise out of thin air, ghosts mean well, and limbs have minds of their own. In a series of tales that explore the fantastical and the surreal, lives of ordinary people are upturned by bizarre incidents and mysterious happenings.

Gloriously imagined tales of love, heartbreak, ambition, greed, hatred and revenge populate this book of stories set in countries like Argentina, India, Egypt, Germany and many more.

Are you ready for a slice of some fantastical cake?

A bond forged in childhood. A devastating betrayal. Can confronting the past expiate the damage?

Pari’s loneliness dissipates the day Samira enters her life. As eight-year-old schoolgirls, they become inseparable friends, their group expanding as time goes on. A motley gang of four, the girls believe they are invincible, convinced that their lives will always remain intertwined.

A series of catastrophic events change the trajectory of their lives forever. At the heart of it is a betrayal, perpetrated by someone they had trusted.

Two decades later, they are face-to-face again. Can they forgive and move on? Or will one person’s secret vendetta destroy them all?

Emotionally layered and richly imagined, Intersections raises profound questions about love, loss, forgiveness, and the deeply complex nature of female friendships.