What if the path never travelled is taken by an altruistic, young blind lawyer, Arjun, using road humps and sidewalks as sign posts, in a fight against a devious and cold blooded pharma company, totally oblivious to the perils of the nasty clash? As thousands fall prey to a deadly viral infection, a dedicated team of doctors succeed in their quest for a treatment option. But their achievement is short-lived, as the unscrupulous multi-national Berminger Pharmaceutical Corporation, deliberately creates artificial scarcity of the drug by using their patent to profit from the situation. Exasperated with the mighty corporation’s stone-cold attitude to loss of lives, coupled with the government’s reluctance to intervene, doctors take the fight to the court with Arjun’s counsel. Set in Hyderabad, the pharmaceutical capital of India, Arjun clashes in the courtroom with India’s leading patent lawyer and outside – with goons and assassins. The battle turns nasty as dirty tricks and devious tactics pervade each party’s desire to win. Brilliant arguments and crafty legal reasoning enlighten, while gripping sequences add flavour to the fire of genius. Amidst craftsmanship and thrilling encounters, Arjun’s banana- obsessed assistant, his strong, but not so well mannered dog and romance with the enemy entertain. In the tradition of John Grisham and Scott Turow, the intricacies of patent law are woven into an action packed legal thriller in Road Humps and Sidewalks.

Meghna, a computer professional turned housewife, is one year into her marriage and already repenting giving up a high-salaried job with an IT form. To make matters worse, her husband Ashutosh takes her for granted. Meghna tries to adjust to her new life, fails miserably, and gets depressed. Ashutosh is struggling with his own set of problems. He loses his job to recession and is forced to move out of his house with Meghna. His troubles begin to adversely affect their marriage. Meghna finds an opportunity to once again prove her capabilities when she joins ‘Infinite Helpline’ a Dial-in service for the aged and lonely. Here, unknowingly she gets friendly with the most wanted underworld criminal, Mallinath aka Malli. Malli gets along with her, who he knows as ‘Angel’, as if she is his long-lost friend. Angel understands him and genuinely wants to help him deal with his loneliness. Malli is smart enough not to give away his identity. Soon, it’s time for Malli to move on with his life. But first, he has to get the diamonds he has kept hidden from his boss Don Zuber. But Zuber gets to know about the diamonds and sends his men after him. Malli is on the run, so he chooses Angel to do the dirty work for him. Malli knows he will need a full-proof plan and so he kidnaps Ashutosh. Now Angel is his ‘Muse’. Will Meghna get the diamonds for Mallinath? Will she be successful in rescuing her husband from the gangster’s clutches? Will she make peace with herself after his ordeal is over?

Set in the tiny village of Pilerne, Bardez, Goa, the three Furtado brothers move to Pilerne from Carambolim, their ancestral village. Noted engineers, they have been given the project of building a dam and dykes to control the saline waters of the creek, to save the rice fields from turning into wasteland. Like the famed food and drink of Goa, this family saga is redolent with earthy and piquant flavours it is the story of three generations of a family who uproot themselves to forge a new life in a new land, along with their fears of moving; the tensions of setting up home; and how they finally turn into gauncars (members) of Pilerne.The Furtado family could be any Goan family that has emigrated to a different part of the world in modern times. All Goans are proud of their roots and share a strong Portuguese influence in their cuisine, music, and way of life. And they always love to come back to Goa no matter where they live. This wonderfully human story makes for a compelling read. Here is the real Goa, no longer hidden behind the camouflage and trappings of a world famous tourist destination. There are no beaches, food shacks, luxury resorts and Kashmiri shops just an unvarnished peek at village life. The traditon of diving into wells, enjoying lavish meals, and looking at life and love steeped in typical Goan susegad, is all there for the reader to enjoy.

Spinning Top is a collection of short stories based on the very real dilemmas, worries and joys that colour the lives of children, but which are often trivialised by grown-ups. Nitya Satyani, a firm believer in the power of story-telling as the most effective yet untapped resource every adult is armed with, embarks upon a fascinating journey into the world of innocence…. where grown-ups are allowed entry only if accompanied by a child! Each story is joyful experience in learning and understanding the lessons life offers while allowing the imagination to wing free.

The Snake Charmer narrates the poignant and passionate story of two brothers in Afghanistan, during the time of the Russian invasion. The elder, a writer and poet, is a modernist, who joins the Communist movement. The younger, a traditionalist, adheres to Islamic religious beliefs. The conflict between their values threatens to tear asunder their family ties and loyalties. Set against a backdrop of violence and war between foreign powers, acid-throwing against women who adopt Western dress; brutality and rape in police prisons; and political revenge under the Communist regime, the brothers live to see their lives dramatically changed and yet manage to retain their deep love for each other. This deeply moving story, told with uplifting humour, sears into our minds the tragedies that haunt present-day Afghanistan – the importance of Islam as a controlling force; the upheaval and destruction caused by the Russian and American wars; the rise of the Taliban and global terrorism. Bashir Sakhawarz’s writing captures the political and philosophic lyricism of the revered Afghan mystic poet, Rumi. It is the story of a society little known – passionate and bold, beautiful and erotic, courageous and daring, richly human and deeply tragic.