A so-far-all-free source of writings and ideas for writings.
From my beloved late husband, Timothy Balraj (note he did not work on any of these ideas after 2014):
The Mughal Series: historical fiction set in 1400s-1600s South Asia; told from the point of a view of a companion of Babur; style of Bernard Cornwell
I. Babur (1483-1530)
II. Humayun (1508-1556)
III. Akbar (1542-1605)
(plus perhaps after Akbar, for more than a trilogy)
From my beloved late husband, Timothy Balraj (note he did not work on any of these ideas after 2014):
The Bell: fantasy aimed at young adults, using Indian mythology, set in southern India
Part 1 (2-3 chapters): Setup
Introduce boy, priest
A couple of incidents describing life in the temple set a little way from a village
Explanation of bells in general, some discussion of gods
Plan for THE Bell to be taken to city of temples etc etc (probably Kambakonam)
Laughing god-idol described
Part 2: Violence at the Temple
Temple and its priest is attacked by two men, one a bad man from nearby village, the other a stranger; bells are grabbed by the local villager man; boy sees all this from a hiding place
The local villager bad man is killed by the stranger; stranger leaves with bells
Boy finds THE bell left behind
Priest is dying; touches the bell before dying, which was his last wish
Boy grabs the laughing god-idol, but he/it is inanimate
Boy does priest's funeral pyre, but has to escape into forest with the bell and laughing god when villagers start to arrive
Part 3: Boy's Journey Begins
Boy starts travels through forest down to big river Cauvery
Boy finds kitten
Boy encounters snake goddess
Scenes of getting to know kitten
Signs of life in laughing god-idol
Part 4: Boy Meets Others
Meets a girl; kitten instrumental in bringing girl into story
Meets a man somehow…
Sighting of the evil stranger, with soldiers
Part 5: continues…
Arrive at River Cauvery and start traveling down it
Develop characters of girl and man…
(eventually do what priest wanted for the bell? meanwhile fight off evil stranger and soldiers with help from the laughing god and the kitten?? perhaps other mythological figures met along way?? ?)
...in South Asia. This is the first reliable -- as well as entertaining -- work on lifestyles in ancient South Asia. You can get your free copy over at my time travel -- um, history -- site:
http://associationoftimetravelers.blogspot.com/2018/09/get-your-free-volume-i-here.html
http://associationoftimetravelers.blogspot.com/2018/10/get-your-free-volume-ii-here.html
http://associationoftimetravelers.blogspot.com/2018/11/get-your-free-volume-iii-here.html
For more details, see especially the side column if you're looking at the desktop version.
From my beloved late husband, Timothy Balraj (note he did not work on any of these ideas after 2014):
An Online Detective science fiction novel
Detective lives in future New York City. No driver-driven cars below some street….USA has de facto split between red and blue states; detective needs a guide to go into a red state (he changes cars at border to avoid drawing attention etc). (Note this was not worked on after 2014.)…Detective's personality is interesting, not predictable, sometimes more like a computer because he has a computer interface with hard-wiring – a dangerous procedure, which is illegal in USA but detective able to have it done because origin is in India or Africa or other less regulated area….Could be series.
From my beloved late husband, Timothy Balraj (note he did not work on any of these ideas after 2014):
Karna & Sikhandin: fiction set in mythical times in India but told like a true historical story
I. Child of the Sun tells the story of Karna (a demigod hero in the myths) from childhood but mostly in the Mahabharata War. Told from point of view of younger stepbrother. Will need significant changes to standard storyline to make him a true hero. Introduces Sikhandin.
II. Woman of War sequel has Sikhandin (who in the myths is a warrior who was born female and was made male later) who here is truly a woman but is dressed as a male warrior
From my beloved late husband, Timothy Balraj (note he did not work on any of these ideas after 2014):
The Mauryans: historical fiction set in 300s BCE India; with a King Arthur flavor rather like Mary Stewart's Crystal Cave trilogy
I. Chanakya's life up to Nanda dynasty (Chanakya was a teacher, became Chandragupta's advisor)
II and III Find and train Chandragupta; goes through expulsion of the Greeks
IV. Ashoka (Chandragupta's grandson) from when he was a boy through young adulthood
V. Ashoka as king
From my beloved late husband, Timothy Balraj:
The Tiger's Boy: alternate history of at least 1799-1812 in an historical style rather than novel style. Uses historical events as guidepost.
Includes death of Tipu Sultan in 1799 if choose to have him die in this book; Tipu was called The Tiger of Mysore, this features a son of Tipu.
Would like to be able to go past 1812, including Napoleonic, US-Canada, oceans, and maybe Africa, maybe China and Japan. In Europe during the Napoleonic wars, and the US for the equivalent of the war of 1812. If the Napoleonic wars end up differently, as they might if Wellington is not the general, the war of 1812 might happen earlier. I want my protagonist to work with the Native Americans at that time.
May grow to series.
From my beloved late husband, Timothy Balraj:
World War I era historical novel, including the 1918 flu pandemic, told from the point of view of a soldier from India; the Indian is friends with a Native American "Indian" also serving in the war; also features the sister of one of them…Alternates between war experiences and letters from the sister detailing what is happening at home. (Note Timothy had an aunt who served as a medical professional during the 1918 pandemic and died as a result. Note this idea was not worked on after 2014, and that Timothy passed away before our current-as-I-write pandemic.)
Free for you at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CwUjwL-s7iR_GOyCiBTeOTNe08s_vmMq/view?usp=sharing , a short history of fascinating calendar houses, plus ideas for how to make your own! A screen shot:
