Flippin' Fabulous- A Reader's Record: Savita Kalhan

Let's welcome Savita Kalhan to the blog! She is stopping by while on her current The Long Weekend blog tour which is hosted by Melissa by I Swim For Oceans.

Make sure to check out my review HERE.

Also, make sure to read to the bottom for directions on how to enter to win a Giveaway to win your own copy of The Long Weekend.
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Hi Stacey! Thanks so much for inviting me here today. I’ve really been looking forward to it.

I know you enjoy reading about random facts about authors, so I thought I’d tell you and your readers lots of random things about me today!

I’ll start with colour and season. My favourite colour is green – any shade, but especially lime-green-in-your-face-luminous! If I could wear it all year round I would, but unfortunately it only looks good in summer.

That brings me onto my favourite season. A long time ago it used to be Autumn, a bit like Sam from my book The Long Weekend, but now, as autumn and spring have become wetter and winter has become colder, it’s definitely summer. I just love the long summer days and long evenings when it’s light until about 9.30 in the evening. I sit out on my deck, which has the most amazing view of the woods out back, with friends, food and wine and some music. It’s special. I’ll try and upload a picture of the view here. The winter view is bleak, the trees bare, the cold wind biting, and even the squirrels are shivering and chattering, “Bring on the summer!”

Autumn and Winter views from my back garden – beautiful in their own ways...

My favourite things to do in my spare time

I think I had more spare time when I was an unpublished writer! So a lot has changed. On top of writing and reading and editing ongoing work, I’m also writing a monthly blog for An Awfully Big Blog Adventure, (http://awfullybigblogadventure.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-library-and-me-savita-kalhan.html).

I’m also going to be blogging with an exciting group of authors. We’re called The Edge, and we focus on edgy fiction, like mine, for teens and YA! Look out for The Edge – we’ll be up and running soon, so watch this space!

Plus my book The Long Weekend has been going on lots of exciting blog tours, like this one! So I’ve got my hands full.

But when I do have spare time, I go to the gym – that’s one of my top priorities because I spend a lot of time sitting in front of a computer. It really energises me and sets me up for the day. I used to do Ju Jitsu, but I tore my hamstring when I was doing my brown belt and sadly had to give it up. I make do with boxing though, which I love. It gets rid of all my tension and leaves me on a high all day.

I play lots of doubles tennis, which is brilliant because it combines a social activity with working out!

I like gardening, but I have to admit that I am a fair weather gardener! I hate gardening in the winter when it’s a real chore just being outside. Spring, summer and autumn are when you’ll find me out there growing tomatoes and chillies always, and occasionally dabbling in other fruit and veg if I’m feeling adventurous.

My favourite meat is chicken, my favourite fish is salmon, my favourite vegetable is truffle (does that count as a vegetable?), but obviously I don’t get truffles very often as they are so outrageously expensive, but so mouth-wateringly delicious! One of my favourite meals is sushi, which my son introduced me to three years ago. Now, I can happily eat sushi a few times a week!

My favourite place to read is on a sun lounger, preferably somewhere warm and tropical with a view over a turquoise sea. That might happen once a year, so I make do with the sofa the rest of the year! But I’ll leave you with a picture of my favourite times – going out on a boat off the island of Tenerife to see these wonderful dolphins!

I try to keep my website, www.savitakalhan.com up to date with all my news and events. So please have a look around, and say HI! on my message board. Let me what you think of The Long Weekend!

You can also find me tweeting on random things over on Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/savitakalhan

Or come and join me on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Long-Weekend-Savita-Kalhan/117223691628538

For the international GIVEAWAY competition, I’d like your followers to answer a question that you asked me! In the comments section tell us a random fact about you: like your favourite colour or season, or favourite drink or meal! I’m looking forward to reading your responses.

Thanks so much for inviting me here, Stacey! It’s been fun!

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Thank You Savita for stopping by! You heard her...

To Enter the International Giveaway for a copy of The Long Weekend Please Leave a comment telling us a random fact about you!

-What is your favorite Color - What is your favorite Season -Munchies?

The Long Weekend by Savita Kalhan
Released: October 02, 2008
Published by: Anderson Press Ltd
Pages: 192, paperback
Young Adult
Source: Author, part of blog tour
Overall: Fabulous!

Sam knows that he and his friend Lloyd made a colossal mistake when they accepted the ride home. They have ended up in a dark mansion in the middle of nowhere with man who means to harm them. But Sam doesn't know how to get them out. They were trapped, then separated. Now they are alone. Will either of them get out alive? This gripping and hypnotic thriller will have you reading late into the night.

My Thoughts:
Savita Kalhan spares no time with The Long Weekend diving into the scary tale. Even written for the young adult audience, Savita Kalhan also spared no expense leaving an imprint just like its senior, thriller, counterparts.

One of the many facets that added to the creep-factor of The Long Weekend was how realistic the voice of Sam, the eleven year old main character, was. Sam's voice seemed to be genuine of any eleven year old boy, tugging at my heart, wanting to step through the pages and help him and his friend, Lloyd.

The accuracy of the characters was only the beginning. Savita Kalhan told a story which flowed beautifully and was painted eerily lifelike. Even though The Long Weekend was not insanely graphic, I saw it and it was all there, no pieces missing. I was provided with a strong book from start to finish.

I must say, even though I am not one for horrifying adventures, sum it up to the after affects these stories leave on me, Savita Kalhan drew me in with her unique style of choppy, yet gentle, writing and her ability to tell a tale. The Long Weekend was a gripping young adult thriller, that will tug at your heart and have you turning over your shoulder.