Wes Moore: Don't miss him on Oprah

Writing can be a scary business. Writing a book and releasing it into the big bad world can be damn near terrifying. Years, months, days, even decades of planning, writing and re-writing all lead to this one moment—the moment of truth, when you finally surrender your book to readers. As another book finds its way onto bookshelves (and hopefully into our hearts), I wanted to give a big shout out to the amazing Wes Moore, author of The Other Wes Moore, released into the world tomorrow.

Moore is living every author's dream of going from edit to Oprah with his autobiographical tale of two men, both with the same name whose lives, not so different, are governed by very different decisions. One is a Rhodes Scholar, decorated combat veteran, White House Fellow and investment banker the other, a convicted murderer serving life.

Growing up in similar neighbourhoods, hanging out on similar corners with similar crews, this story is a real life Sliding Doors that is as gripping as it is moving.

Knowing the "Rhodes Scholar" Wes Moore, I can vouch for the fact that he has bared his soul in this novel. He has worked tirelessly to give the other Wes Moore a voice from behind bars and has never stopped working to make this story a cautionary yet inspiring tale.

An overachiever in every sense, Moore has been named everything from "the next president" to Crain’s New York Busi­ness’ “40 Under 40 Ris­ing Stars” yet he is as humble as he is talented. Don't miss The Other Wes Moore on Oprah tomorrow, Tuesday 27th, April 2010.

READ Shadow Princess: Indu Sundaresan

The latest addition to author Indu Sundaresan's unique brand of historical fiction, Shadow Princess provides the perfect escape. For those who enjoyed The Feast of Roses, The Splendor of Silence and The Twentieth Wife, you will find this book to have all the magic of a Sundaresan novel — suspense and intrigue, affection and betrayal, sibling rivalry and enduring love.

Returning to 17th Century India, the novel revolves around the lives of two princesses, Jahangir and Roshanara, daughters of the emperor Shah Jahan. After the sudden death of their mother, empress Mumtaz Mahal (yes, that Mahal), Jahangir finds herself thrust into the role her mother once occupied. However, power comes at a price and not wanting to see his daughters go, the emperor forbids both to marry. In the inevitable squabble for power — from both ambitious heirs and jealous siblings — a series of events are put into place that continue to have a long lasting effect on the world we know today.

With the creation of the Luminous Tomb (otherwise known as the Taj Mahal) providing a captivating backdrop, Shadow Princess is at times bittersweet, others, undoubtably moving.

Indu Sundaresan writes with such clear vision as to create an uniterupted movie in your mind. From the smallest detail to the grandest scheme, this story will remain in your memory long after you close the book.