Promo: The Many Lives of Ruby Iyer by Laxmi Hariharan

Buy the book at  FLIPKART (Paperback) / AMAZON (e-book)

Book blurb:

An angry young girl, desperate to rescue her best friend.A sexy cop willing to do anything to save the city he serves.A delusional doctor bent on annihilation.
The Many Lives of Ruby Iyer is a fast paced, gritty, thriller, with strong dystopian undertones and a kickass protagonist, taking you on a white-knuckle-ride through a disintegrating Bombay City.
When Ruby Iyer's best friend is kidnapped by the despotic Dr Kamini Braganza, she will do anything to rescue him. Anything, including taking the help of the mysterious Vikram Roy, a cop-turned-rogue on a mission to save Bombay. The city needs all the help it can get, and these two are the only thing standing between its total destruction by Dr Braganza's teen army. As Bombay falls apart around them, will Ruby be able to save her friend and the city? Will she finally discover her place in a city where she has never managed to fit in? And what about her growing feelings for Vikram?

Excerpt:

Normally, you trust people who come from backgrounds similar to you. In my case, it’s just the opposite. The nearer the blood, the bloodier—another of Dad’s famous sayings is stuck in my head. I left home, but they haven’t left me. I mean, how much of our parents do we carry around inside us? Do we even know?Then the car is flying up, shooting through the air like a jet at take-off, only to crash nose-down. Like a soccer ball, we bounce once on the front tyres, then the car overturns, turning cartwheels before landing on its side—Vikram’s side—in a sickening crunch.There’s a second screech as another car rams us again from behind, sending us into a tailspin. I look across to Vikram, seeing the world swirl around him. His eyes are still open with shock, staring straight ahead, his hands glued to the steering wheel, still trying to make a difference. The sword I tossed on the floor boomerangs through the air before hitting me on the back of my head. Grabbing it, I hold on.The car swirls once more, like milk lazily being stirred into chai, before jarring to a standstill. The shock jams me against the seat, the car belt still holding me back. Then, it's quiet. Except for a steady drip-drip-drip of liquid … It’s the petrol from the fuel tank.This vehicle is going to catch fire soon.Vikram is hunched over the wheel, his face towards me, eyes closed, and a cut over his forehead that is already bleeding a trail of red over his cheek.The creepy-crawlies inside me hit a new high, like a falsetto in a concerto. It’s really way too hot now, the flames consuming me. Then, cold violet liquid runs under my skin, making me shiver.The remainder of my car window explodes, the bang so loud I think we are being shot at. Shards of glass tinkle over me, feather-light flakes in a snow globe. They fall over my face, bouncing against my forearms, the whitened knuckles of my palms still clutched around the sword. My heart rams against my rib cage, beating so fast I think it's going to jump out of my chest. With trembling hands, I unsheathe the blade. Plunging it through the window, I scrape against the side all the way around the frame, shaking out the remaining glass pieces. The sharp edge of the steel cuts through the seat belt and I am free the next moment, folding over to hit my forehead against the dashboard. The jolt lunges through the haze in my head.
The overpowering smell of petrol draws me to the opening in the window. My sword goes first. Then, swivelling my back to the door, I push my hands onto the roof outside, pulling through so my head and shoulders pop out through the opening. As I slide through the frame, my back scrapes against some of the sharp edges. I can see the tips of the glass draw against my skin, carving through the soft flesh so drops of blood bead the shattered geometry. All the other parts of my body pale in comparison. There is just me now, and that straight line of red I see in my mind’s eye. And just like that, there are no longer that many thoughts running around my head.
I can breathe again.Think again.Concentrate.I jump onto the tarred surface, the broken glass slivers crunching under my sneakers. Picking up the machete, I hold it out in front of me with both my hands, and running around the other side—wham!—I slam it at the windshield, denting it a little. Raising it once more, this time over my head, I close my eyes for a second, concentrating on the trickle of blood creeping down my back. It cleanses all remaining thoughts. Everything else drops away but for that straight silver line of pain tearing down my back, slashing across the lightning tree.
I don’t have too long, for this high I am coasting on will crash. But before that, I bring down the broad side of the blade with so much force that it goes through the glass cleanly. I don’t feel the vibration spiralling out from the force of the blow. All I can think is get him out of this damn car!
Pulling out the blade, I bring it down once more—thwack!—in the exact same space as the previous blow.
This time, the glass shatters. Bringing the machete all the way up, I drag it with all the traction I can muster in my muscles all the way to the top of the windshield, and then around the edges, down to the bottom and centre. The right side of the windshield comes off.
A cloud of petrol fumes leap at me through the gap, almost gagging me. This car is going to blow. Soon!
 Dropping the sword, along with its scabbard, I take one end of the windshield and pull at it till it gives away some more. Leaning through the space, I push Vikram against the seat and undo his seat belt. He groans, and his eyes flutter open.Thankfully.There is no way I can pull him out singlehanded from of the car.

NEWS! 

For now, you can download The Ruby Iyer Diaries, a free prequel to The Many Lives of Ruby Iyer right here. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

A near life incident told Laxmi Hariharan to write. She never stopped. Laxmi  is the author of The Many Lives of Ruby Iyer, which debuted #1 Hot New Release Amazon Asian Lit. You can also download the prequel, The Ruby Iyer Diaries, FREE on Amazon US. She has been a journalist, and a global marketer. Now, she is the creator of Ruby Iyer. 

AUTHOR LINKS: TWITTER | FACEBOOK | NEWSLETTER

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