Devika Fernando's Blog, page 29

Featured - Book Club Spotlight for "Ponni's Beloved, Volume 1: New Floods" by Sumeetha Manikandan

Blurb
Kalki Krishnamurthy’s Ponniyin Selvan is a masterpiece that has enthralled generations of Tamil readers. Many authors have written phenomenal books in Tamil literature after Kalki Krishnamurthy, but Ponniyin Selvan remains the most popular, widely-read novel. It has just the right mixture of all things that makes an epic – political intrigue, conspiracy, betrayal, huge dollops of romance, infidelity, seduction, passion, alluring women, unrequited love, sacrifice and pure love.

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Excerpt


“I have brought important information for all of you. That’s why I asked the noble Sambuverayar to invite us all here. Maharaja Sundara Chola’s health has been steadily deteriorating. I secretly asked our royal physician, and he says that there is absolutely no chance of his health improving. His days are numbered. And it is up to us, to think about the future of the royal throne.”
“What do the astrologers say?” asked one of the noble men.
“Why ask the astrologers? Haven’t you seen the comet that has been appearing in the sky, for the past few weeks? They say whenever a comet appears, there will be death in the royal family,” said another.
“I have asked the astrologers as well, and they say that the king might live for some more time. Anyway, we will have to decide who should ascend the throne next,” said Pazhuvetarayar.
“What is the use of discussing that now? Aditya Karikalan was made the Crown Prince two years ago,” said one of the noblemen.
“True. But before he took that decision, did Sundara Chola consult any of us? We all have stood by the Chola Kingdom with loyalty and have sacrificed our sons and grandsons in the battlefield. Even now warriors from each of our clans have gone to Elangai to fight for the Chola Kingdom. Don’t you think we deserve the right to be consulted about who should be the next heir to the throne? Even King Dasaratha asked his council of ministers, before deciding to crown Rama. But our Sundara Chola didn’t think it necessary to consult anyone…”
About the author

"Sumeetha Manikandan is a top bestselling romance author whose novellas ‘Perfect Groom’ and ‘These Lines of Mehendi’ (which was published as a paperback novel called ‘Love Again’) have been on the top of Amazon India charts ever since its publication. A bookaholic, thinker, feminist and a daydreamer, she reads across genres and is a crazy fan of history, romance and science fiction novels.
An avid reader of historical novels, she has been translating Kalki Krishnamurthy’s classic Tamil novel Ponniyin Selvan for the past ten years and hopes to translate more of his novels to English.
Sumeetha is married to filmmaker K.S. Manikandan and lives with her nine-year-old daughter in Chennai."
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Featured - Book Club Spotlight for "Key to My Soul" by Probal Mazumdar

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KEY TO MY SOUL by Probal Mazumdar


Blurb
"When Siddharth, a lonely young man with a failed marriage gets a sudden phone-call from a mysterious person about his lost childhood lover, Hazel, and learns that she is battling for life, he is shaken to the core. He also learns that she had left certain letters for him fifteen years back that never reached him. It disturbs him so much that he rushes to the hospital in his old hometown. There he discovers an eclipsed past buried in time that is riddled with dangerous surprises, trauma, twists of fate, sacrifices that exemplify true love and the real reasons for the tragic end of their childhood love story. But will Hazel ever open her eyes to see him..."
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About the author

Probal Mazumdar works in an IT company. He is an NIT engineer by societal pressure, singer by accident, guitarist by love at first sound, poet by soul, writer by passion, a world class badminton player in childhood dreams, rebel by day, recluse by night, a samosa in a family of laddoos, a Jughead at the dining table, a shameless and congenital dreamer. 
Oh! An arsonist too – when his wife is not around, sets his own house on fire with his little son. 
He won the FIRST prize in the All India Poetry Competition, 2014, conducted by PSI (Poetry Society of India). Click on www.indianpoetry.org/awardsgeneral14.htm
His other poems have risen too from cold storage into literary journals like Indian Literature (Sahitya Akademi), Wasafiri (U.K. Vol. 67), Acumen (U.K.), OtherPoetry (U.K.), Chandrabhaga Literary Journal (Editor Jayanta Mahapatra), Dhauli Review, amongst others.
He writes short stories too. This is his first foray into writing a novel.
The Title of the Book is “Key To My Soul.”
The entire plot and story of the novel hinges on these words of the Title. Once the protagonist, Sidd, finds out the Key, he enters the Soul of his long lost beloved. The words, “Key to my Soul” is also a phrase used by his beloved in a letter to him which is the axis the story revolves around.
Click on the links below to check out the media mentions about this author:
Orissa Post Link MyCityLinks post
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Featured - Book Club Spotlight for "The Diamond Heist" by Sai Daksh

THE DIAMOND HEIST: A SEVEN AGENT ADVENTURE by Sai Daksh

Blurb
Life was all fun and play, with a few small adventures and mishaps, for Daksh, Arsh, Garv, Om, Swarit, Aditi and Simran till… 
They are recruited by the Indian Detective Agency. 
They are summoned to the headquarters and given a mission – to recover a lost diamond. 
With all the plans and props in place, they set forth to hunt down the diamond. 
By chance, they stumble upon a conspiracy that is connected to the theft. 
Do they succeed in foiling the conspiracy? What happened to the lost diamond?
Grab your copy @
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About the author
Sai Daksh Shetty, at the age of eleven, completed the book 7 Agents: The Diamond Heist. At the age of six, he had started writing short stories. At the age of eight, he used to draw comic strips and share it with his friends. Although this is his first book, he plans to write a whole series on the 7 Agents. Since early childhood, he has had a very creative mind and uses his imagination in all his activities. He is very interested in all forms of creative arts. He is very open-minded. The main characters of the book have been inspired by his real life friends. Om, Garv, Arsh and Swarit are his best friends and are in the book, while Aditi and Simran are fictional.     
                          
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Featured - Book Club Spotlight for "Finding Anya" by Sundari Venkatraman

Dear Book Lovers, 
This is the Book Blitz of Finding Anya by Sundari Venkatraman.  This is my stop and we have many bloggers who are sharing the love for this book. This tour is organized by The Book Club.
Name of the book: Finding Anya
Author: Sundari Venkatraman
Format Available: Kindle / Paperback
Also available on Kindle Unlimited 
No. Of Pages: 182 Pages
Genre: Romance
 
Blurb
Anya Chhabria wakes up in a hospital room with no recognition of who she is and where she belongs. In her troubled times, Anya finds her anchor in a handsome stranger. But is he really unknown to her? 
Dev Wadhwa's past finds him when he sees Anya lying unconscious in the middle of the road. Not willing to let go of her one more time, Dev takes her to the hospital and later to his farmhouse, where he helps her recuperate. 
Sparks fly and Dev and Anya fall for each other! But the feisty Anya refuses to commit herself to marriage as her loss of memory looms larger than life. 
Things aren’t easy with an ex-husband, not-so-understanding parents, and a jealous neighbour thrown into the mix. What if Anya’s memory never comes back? 
Will Dev and Anya get a second chance? 
Or will circumstances force them apart, yet again?
Grab your copy @
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About the author
Sundari Venkatraman is an indie author who has 15 titles to her name, all Top 100 Bestsellers on Amazon India, Amazon USA, Amazon UK, Amazon Canada and Amazon Australia in both romance as well as Asian Drama categories. Her latest hot romances have all been on #1Bestseller slot in Amazon India for over a month.
Even as a kid, Sundari absolutely loved the ‘lived happily ever after’ syndrome as she grew up reading all the fairy tales she could lay her hands on, Phantom comics, Mandrake comics and the like. It was always about good triumphing over evil and a happy end. 
Soon, into her teens, Sundari switched her attention from fairy tales to Mills & Boon. While she loved reading both of these, she kept visualising what would have happened if there were similar situations happening in India; to a local hero and heroine. Her imagination took flight and she always lived in a rosy cocoon of romance over the years. 
Then came the writing – a true bolt out of the blue! And Sundari Venkatraman has never looked back.
You can find all her books Listed here ....

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April Multi-Author Romance Promo - Free & 0.99

¸.·´¸.·´¨) ¸.·*¨) OVER 50 ROMANCE FREE & .99 BOOKS SALE¸.·´¸.·´¨) ¸.·*¨)

Celebrate #romance with all these AMAZING Free & .99 Romance books PLUS 4 - $25 USD Amazon GC.

Right in time for Spring! An awesome line of authors have come together to bring you over 50 “free” or “.99” books and have a book a day to read this warm Spring! With a cheerful collection of contemporary, historical, spicy, erotica, and more, you can take a break after all your yard work and relax with all your new books!
Quick, get all these awesome FREE and .99 books, PLUS enter for your chance to win one of 4 Amazon Gift Cards

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Get your books and enter the giveaway by clicking here: http://www.shannynleah.com/free-books-and-giveaways.php

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Featured - Interview with Rubina Ramesh, Author of "Finding the Angel"

Author Interview with Rubina Ramesh​
1) Did the title come easy?
Hi, Devika. Thanks for asking me this question. Actually for Finding the Angel –no. It was originally called You Stole my Heart but it was a part of an anthology and thus I could not keep it. I had mulled and mulled over it and then just before the book was to be published, I thought of Finding the Angel. It sounded so right and symbolic that I had to keep it. 

2) Will we ever get another 'royal romance' by you?
I seriously wish I had kept the sisters single :P But not that it’s done with I cannot do anything but why not? Maybe one day if a prince captures my heart and motivates me enough to pen his story?

3) What was most difficult to write?
The love scenes. I am not very comfortable with them But I took it as a challenge and I think did a passable job. What do you think?

4) Did you have to research the 'angel' and other things a lot?
Yes. Fabergé collection is something I had never seen anyone doing. But it has always fascinated me. I remember my mom telling me a story once where the Faberge was lost and never found again.  I did a lot of research in the lost treasures of India and The Angel really exists, though it has been lost in our history.  
5) Who do you love more, Shefali or Aryan?
Shefali. Somewhere she is me. Like every female character I create. They are me. Not their stories, but maybe a mannerism. Or something she wears. I have to have this connection with my female protagonist.
​
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FINDING THE ANGELbyRubina Ramesh


Blurb
All She wanted was love...
Shefali is a die-hard romantic. Having lost her parents at a very tender age, she is in search of a place which she can call home. Her passion for Art lands her a job as an art curator to the famous artifacts of the Ranaut Dynasty. When she meets the scion, Aryan Ranaut, she feels that her dream might come true until…
All He wanted was to trust…
Living the life of a modern day Prince is no easy task for the young and dashing Aryan Ranaut. Having lost his father to a rapacious woman, Aryan has severe trust issues. But upon meeting Shefali, he feels he could let down his guard. Until…
All They need is to find The Angel…
Just as Aryan realizes his love for Shefali, one of the most precious artifacts, The Angel, goes missing from the Ranaut collection. All fingers point towards Shefali—more so because she leaves the palace without telling anyone on the very night of the theft. 
Finding the Angel is a story where duty clashes with love and lack of trust overrides passion. Under these circumstances, can The Angel bring the star-crossed lovers together?
Grab your copy @
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About the author
Rubina Ramesh is an avid reader, writer, blogger, book reviewer, and marketer. She is the founder of The Book Club, an online book publicity group. Her first literary work was published in her school magazine. It gave her immense pride to see her own name at the bottom of the article. She was about 8 years old at that time. She then went to complete her MBA and after her marriage to her childhood friend, her travel saga started. From The Netherlands to the British Isles she lived her life like an adventure. After a short stint in Malaysia, she finally settled down in the desert state of USA, Arizona. Living with her DH and two human kids and one doggie kid, Rubina has finally started living the life she had always dreamed about – that of a writer.
You can stalk her @
                   

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Featured - Spotlight for "One Dark Lie" by Clare Chase

About the BookGenre: Mystery
Release Date: 12 December 2016
Series: London & Cambridge Mysteries #3)
Publisher: Choc Lit Ltd (Death by Choc Lit imprint)
 
The truth can hurt, and sometimes it leads to murder …

After becoming embroiled in a murder investigation, Nate Bastable and Ruby Fawcett have decided to opt for the quiet life. But crime has a habit of following them around.

When her work dries up, Ruby finds herself accepting a job researching and writing about Diana Patrick-John, a colourful and enigmatic Cambridge academic. Simple enough. But then there’s the small fact that Diana was found dead in suspicious circumstances in her home – the very place where Ruby has now been invited to stay.

As she begins to uncover Diana’s secret life, Ruby’s sleuthing instinct kicks in, leaving her open to danger and retribution. But can she rely on Nate to support her? Especially when his behaviour has become increasingly distant and strange, almost as though he had something to hide …

BUY LINKS
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NOOK Book
​
About the AuthorClare Chase writes mysteries set in London and Cambridge featuring crime-solving couples. She fell in love with the capital as a student, living in the rather cushy surroundings of Hampstead in what was then a campus college of London University. (It’s currently being turned into posh flats …)
After graduating in English Literature, she moved to Cambridge and has lived there ever since. She’s fascinated by the city’s contrasts and contradictions, which feed into her writing. She’s worked in diverse settings – from the 800-year-old University to one of the local prisons – and lived everywhere from the house of Lord to a slug-infested flat. The terrace she now occupies presents a good happy medium.
As well as writing, Clare loves family time, art and architecture, cooking, and of course, reading other people’s books.
She lives with her husband and teenage children, and currently works at the Royal Society of Chemistry.
One Dark Lie is her third novel with Choc Lit. Previous titles are You Think You Know Me and A Stranger’s House.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ClareChaseAuthor
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ClareChase_
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10204574.Clare_Chase?from_search=true
Blog: https://clarechase.com/blog/
Website: www.clarechase.com
​
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The Sinhalese New Year

​Sri Lankan Buddhists and Hindus celebrate the traditional Sinhalese New Year in April. The days are the same each year: the 13th and 14th of April. However, the times for certain ceremonies and many other details vary.

​Here's a look at all the intersting things I've learned and experienced since I moved from Germany to Sri Lanka (and wrote 'Saved in Sri Lanka')!

Why is the Sinhalese New Year celebrated in mid-April?
​The aluth avurudda (New Year in Sinhalese) adheres to a lunar calendar. According to Sinhalese astrology, the time when the sun moves from the house of Pisces to the house of Aries marks the New Year. It coincides with the end of the harvest season.
Before the New Year
​In the weeks and days leading up to event, Sri Lankans will do their own form of ‘spring cleaning’. Houses and homes are repaired, renovated, refurbished and redecorated, vigorously cleaned and painted. People buy themselves and each other new clothes during special sales. Old grudges are forgiven, forgotten ties renewed. In modern times, however, some of these traditions have been forsaken and it seems that shopping for clothes and presents is now the most important thing. On the days preceding the New Year, traditional sweetmeats like kokis and kevum are prepared. These vary in Sinhalese and Tamil households, though many prepare sweets from both ethnicities. The day before the New Year (13th of April)
​Almost everyone will take leave from work. Shops and offices close today or on the actual New Year day. The streets will be nearly deserted, although some people will use this last chance to run hurried errands or travel to their ancestral homes. On the last day of the old year, it is customary to bathe and to look at the moon at night.
 
Unlike the New Year celebrated all over the world according to the Gregorian calendar (with the old year ending on December 31st at midnight and the New Year dawning in the very next minute on January 1st), there is always a gap of a few hours between the end of the old year and the dawning of the new year. This time is called punya kalaya or nonagathe – neutral time – and is reserved for resting and fasting. For a certain amount of time, nobody will eat or drink anything (with the exception of infants, toddlers and sick people). Absolutely no form of work is allowed, be it housework or anything else. In the past – and still today in some villages and families – this time was used to socialize with the family and play traditional games, to listen to sermons and engage in religious activities or tell stories. Nowadays, everyone simply lazes around or is gathered around the television, as all stations will show live or pre-recorded programs pertaining to the New Year history and customs.

Depending on the auspicious times each year, this time period might begin on the 13th and end on the 14th or cover several hours on the 14th itself. ​Avurudu (the New Year on the 14th) ​At a specific time declared by the responsible astrologers (all the dates and times are known weeks before the event already, so that everyone is prepared), the New Year dawns. People welcome it with fire crackers and cheering, sometimes also with the beating of drums. They wish each other “ subha aluth avuruddak wewa ” (happy new year in Sinhalese) and light oil lamps. It is customary for children – whether they are already adults or still young – to offer their parents betel leaves and worship them. After having wished the family and settled down, phone calls are made, and the ‘neutral time’ is broken.
 
Several minutes or hours after the dawning of the New Year, there is a specific time when to light the hearth for the first time. Some choose the gas stove on which they cook, others prepare a fireplace out of stones and kindling. A clay pot is filled with milk and brought to boil over as an auspicious sign and symbol of prosperity. This is followed by enough time to prepare milk rice and condiments for the first meal of the New Year, with the first bite being taken at the preordained time. Often, the head of the household will feed the rest of the family a bite first. In many households, it is customary to go to the temple on the first day of the New Year. ​After the New Year ​Following the main event, there are several other customs and ceremonies associated with the Sinhalese New Year. There is a day and time to bathe for the first time after being anointed with a special mix of oil and herbs/leaves. There is also a day and time when to first go to office or start business again. In the days leading up to this, people will visit close friends and distant relatives as well as go on trips.
Interesting Facts ​For each important ceremony (welcoming the new year, lighting the hearth, breaking the fast, bathing, going to work), there is a designated auspicious colour to wear. It depends on the day on which the ceremony falls and could for example be white, gold, red, blue or green.Every time one of these rituals is performed, there is an auspicious direction to face (like north, east, etc.).For centuries now, Sri Lankans choose an avurudu kumariya, a New Year Princess. She has to look beautiful in traditional garments as well as know the customs and stand for respected values. This is done in schools and villages as well as at some workplaces and nationwide on the major television channels. An avurudu kumaraya is the New Year Prince, chosen in the same manner.In the days prior to and following the New Year, there are many games played on special grounds or in villages and at home. Some of them are: pillow fights on a horizontal beam, climbing a greased pole, eating dangling buns without using your hands, hitting filled hanging clay pots with your eyes closed, and sack hopping. Marathons, competitions and races are held before the festivities, with various (sponsored) prizes to win.  
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask me.

Featured - Character Interview with Alyssa from 'The Missing Piece' by Marie Lavender

Character Interview with Alyssa ​Devika: Welcome, Alyssa. I’m so excited to have you over. Please have a seat.

Alyssa:  Wow! Thanks for having me! Can I tell you a secret? I’ve never been interviewed, so this is fun! (Laughs and flips her mess of dark auburn hair over her shoulder.)

Devika: Alyssa, I’m curious to find out more about you. You’re still going to college, right?

Alyssa:  Yep, I’m almost nineteen, and attending California State University.

Devika: Okay. What about your family background?

Alyssa:   Well, my mom had to get married fairly young because she got pregnant. Since then, my parents’ relationship has been rather rocky, but I’m hoping my time away from them here will give them some space to work it all out.

Devika: I see. So how did you meet (hero)?

Alyssa: Oh! I sort of woke up outside Delta Chi the other morning. I guess I was at some party? The truth is I don’t recall what happened. Anyway, to make a long story short, Justin helped me out of quite a bind.

Devika: Wow. That sure makes for an interesting story. How did you know he’s the one?

Alyssa:  Trusting him took a little time, but I’m keeping my mind and my heart open to the possibility. We have a lot in common.

Devika: You strike me as a woman who’s facing some real issues. What gives you your strength? Would you say there was a decisive moment in your life that made you who you are today?

Alyssa:  My father taught me to be self-reliant, and my mom’s past experiences kept me out of trouble. At least until now.

Devika: Let’s talk about your dreams and goals in life.

Alyssa:  Oh, I want to be a teacher. And, of course, fall in love someday and get married, have kids of my own. The whole deal.

Devika: Okay. And what is your greatest fear?

Alyssa:  Finding out what might have happened at Delta Chi, that I took a big risk and did something really stupid.

Devika: Sorry, I didn’t mean to dampen the mood. Why don’t we finish off on a happy note? Tell me, if you could have anything in the world, what would you wish for?

Alyssa:  I wish I could let my guard down completely with someone, and just let good things happen.

Devika: I’d love to talk some more, but unfortunately our time is up. Thanks so much for stopping by. I can’t wait to see what adventures you’ll have in store for us in the future. *waves*
​
About the Book When Alyssa wakes up on the lawn of a local fraternity, she can’t remember what happened the previous night. A new friend and frat guy, Justin, offers to help her out. As she makes discoveries that force her to accept a different reality, she finds herself drawn to Justin for a number of reasons.

Can the biggest mistake of Aly’s life turn into the promise of new love?


Purchase Links

Amazon Universal book link:  https://bookgoodies.com/a/B06W5RYBD8
myBook.to/MissingPiece
Publisher book link:  http://solsticepublishing.com/the-missing-piece/
CreateSpace link:  https://www.createspace.com/6933779

Book trailer (for the Cupid's Arrow anthology the book appeared in on Valentine's Day):  https://youtu.be/Ofid6xs7fIM
​
About the Author Bestselling multi-genre author of UPON YOUR RETURN and 24 other books. March 2016 Empress of the Universe title - winner of the "Broken Heart" themed contest and the "I Love You" themed contest on Poetry Universe. SECOND CHANCE HEART and A LITTLE MAGICK placed in the TOP 10 on the 2015 P&E Readers' Poll. Nominated in the TRR Readers' Choice Awards for Winter 2015. Poetry winner of the 2015 PnPAuthors Contest. The Versatile Blogger Award for 2015. Honorable Mention in the 2014 BTS Red Carpet Book Awards. Finalist and Runner-up in the 2014 MARSocial's Author of the Year Competition. Honorable mention in the January 2014 Reader's Choice Award. Liebster Blogger Award for 2013 and 2014. Top 10 Authors on AuthorsDB.com. Winner of the Great One Liners Contest on the Directory of Published Authors.

Marie Lavender lives in the Midwest with her family and three cats. She has been writing for a little over twenty-five years. She has more works in progress than she can count on two hands. Since 2010, Marie has published 25 books in the genres of historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, fantasy, science fiction, mystery/thriller, literary fiction and poetry. She has also contributed to several multi-author anthologies. Her current series are The Heiresses in Love Series, The Magick Series, The Blood at First Sight Series and The Code of Endhivar Series.
Links:
​http://marielavender.com/
http://iloveromanceblog.wordpress.com/
http://marielavenderbooks.blogspot.com/
http://marielavender.blogspot.com/
http://www.ambrosiainnovations.com/
https://www.facebook.com/marie.lavender.58
https://www.facebook.com/MarieAnnLavender
https://twitter.com/marielavender1
https://plus.google.com/u/0/+MarieLavender/posts
​​http://www.linkedin.com/pub/marie-lavender/27/187/10a
Author.to/MarieLavender
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6938764.Marie_Lavender
http://authorsdb.com/authors-directory/1578-marie-lavender
http://www.pw.org/content/marie_lavender
http://manicreaders.com/marielavender/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJu8HjRVYCFOqcIoX6ZxdqQ/videos
​

Happy Women's Day - A tribute to my princesses!

​As in 2015 and 2016, I want to celebrate International Women’s Day this March 8th in my own special way. It’s all about honoring strong women and appreciating women in general, and my mind immediately went to my three princesses. One could think that in a romance novel about royals, the princes would be the main attraction and focus, but in the three novels I’ve released so far, a lot revolves around the leading ladies. Here’s what I love most about them.
​
​Marie from “The Prince’s Special Bride”

I loved writing this character because she’s actually a woman of color (not that I like that general term much, mind you, but that’s a different can of worms). With her African roots and as the child of mixed-race parents, I envision Marie as somewhat exotic compared to ‘regular’ heroines. But it’s her character that I love most. She’s sassy but kind, quiet yet cheerful. Once she gets out of her shell, she’s a riot. It’s easy to see how and why Prince Christian falls for her. I wanted Marie to be strong and independent but also have a vulnerable edge and be a bit overwhelmed by everything. I admire her courage in the face of secrecy, media scandals and a strict queen as a mother-in-law who doesn’t think too highly of her.
​
Olivia from “The Prince’s Stubborn Bride”
 
I think the title says it all… Olivia, who’s an actual princess already when the story begins, has a stubborn streak. It was huge fun matching her with Prince Sebastian who’s just as mule-headed. Both of them are also full of energy and really smart, and sparks fly whenever they meet. I loved writing Princess Olivia because she’s so full of determination and willpower. I could never do what she does, handle all the crisis and chaos so well and try to save the kingdom while falling in love for the first time. She’s one of the toughest heroines I’ve written so far but discovers a softer side to herself because of Sebastian.
​
Jessica from “The Prince’s Surprise Bride”
 
She’s another one of my heroines who I’d love to be friends with in real life. Maybe because she loves animals so much and works at an animal shelter although the pay could be better. Or maybe also because she’s a cautious yet inherently kind person, caught somewhere in the middle between being an introvert and an extrovert. She’s the one always taking care of everyone, so it’s a change for her to have Prince Erik want to take care of her now. She falls in love with him and discovers a new side to herself without losing her true self along the way. And she’s strong enough to handle the kidnapping and all the other challenges that life throws her way.
 
If you’d ask me to choose a favourite, I couldn’t. I love all three of these special women, as well as all other heroines of mine. In a way, each and every one of them carries a tiny bit of myself (or even more) inside her, and of all the wonderful women I’m blessed to call my friends.
 
HAPPY WOMEN’S DAY!