Now that I’ve finally been given the go-ahead to remove the “forthcoming” tag from There’s a Ghost in My PC, I feel it’s a good time to dangle a carrot. Here’s an excerpt from the book: Kumuda sat on the low wall separating the lawn from the apartment complex’s play area, swinging her legs and […]
Author: Payal
Some ghostly news
My new book, There’s a Ghost in My PC is almost ready for publication. Here’s a sneak peak at the cover and blurb: Twelve-year-old Madhu’s laptop houses a ghost. She keeps this a secret—after all, who would believe her if she told them? But her younger sister Kumuda knows something fishy is afoot. She fancies […]
A smile is all it takes
Is Delhi airport making a conscious effort to become a pleasanter place by asking its staff to be nice? I ask because yesterday, upon stepping up on the little platform during security check, I was met with a big smile and a greeting. I nearly fell off in shock, and actually started getting a little […]
Disappointed by Opera
I won’t deny that I have a soft spot for Opera (the browser, not the art form). We go way back—to the days when tabbed browsing was a novelty offered up only by them. Compared to the behemoths, Opera of that time was greased lightning, loading pages significantly faster. And when they came up with […]
Tiny Tower, big fun!
If you’re an Android or iOS device owner and you haven’t tried Tiny Tower yet, you’re missing something. Well, all right, I’m biased and a little bit obsessed right now. Yes, Tiny Tower, in all its pixelated glory, is my new addiction. The retro look is very deliberate and adds to the charm of this […]
Auto-rickshaw adventure
So much of my life is spent in auto-rickshaws that I figure I must have some stories to tell. Of course, being more of a homebody, I don’t travel quite as much as most other people—such as people with full-time jobs—but yes, any trip outside the house usually ends up involving an auto. And yes, […]
All about puppies… well, sort of
Over the past couple of years, a number of people around me have had babies. Thus, not only have I had to adjust to new people in my life and a changed relationship to their parents (not necessarily a bad thing), I’ve also got a closer view of something I never wanted to come close […]
Deus Ex Human Revolution: First Impressions
The original Deus Ex is one of my favourite games, though the sequel Deus Ex: Invisible War left something to be desired. Therefore, it is with mixed feelings that I have embarked on my journey with the last release, Deus Ex: Human Revolution (hereafter Deus Ex 3). I’ve only played it briefly and haven’t got […]
Another one bites the dust
Am now one year older and wiser, and back home after a great day and even greater dinner (with cake), attempting to reflect on the year that was and on hopes for the year that is to come. First, here’s what I’d predicted one year ago that I’d be doing during Year 36. Let’s see […]
Reginald Hill RIP
On 12 January 2012, one of my favourite authors died: Reginald Hill. He was, of course, best known for his 24 novels starring the redoubtable Detective Superintendent Andy Dalziel and his trusted sidekick Detective Sergeant/Inspector/Chief Inspector Peter Pascoe. Hill was 75 and succumbed to a brain tumor. He left a final Dalziel and Pascoe novel […]