I will be blogging about my books, characters and sharing tips with my fellow authors.
She asks him for help, but he can barely help himself. The more he sees her, the more his heart bends toward her. Yet, he fears she may become another person he fails to protect.
My first mistake?
Falling in love with a princess destined to be queen.
My second mistake?
After she married a prince, I agreed to be her guard, to protect her with my life, because I could not bear to be away from her.
I only hope she does not have to pay for my mistakes.
Will Prince Atul be able to guard what matters most?
When an exiled Kashgar prince seeks refuge, Prince Atul agrees to help—but their mission quickly turns deadly. A ship shrouded in shadows returns with lifeless emissaries, signaling a sinister war. Determined to restore the prince to the throne, Atul journeys to Kashgar, prepared for battle. But instead of soldiers, he finds a land cursed with arcane powers. How can he fight what he doesn’t understand? 🌀
Voices whisper to him, urging him to protect a mysterious girl named Sugandha—someone he’s never met. But why is she so important?
✨ Preorder Child of the River on Audible today and get ready to be swept into an epic tale of magic, mystery, and fate. Will Atul succeed in a world that defies all logic? Find out in this gripping fantasy adventure!
If you’re in the San Diego area, I’d love for you to come see me at two local events this month! Both promise to be fun-filled with amazing people, lively activities, and plenty of chances to chat about books, writing, and more. Whether you’re a book lover, a fellow writer, or just looking for a good time, these events are sure to deliver. I hope to see you there!
Remember King Dushyant, my protagonist from King in Hiding? I’ve written a novella about his parents, and I’m excited to share it with you later this year.
Princess Neela faces the unbearable prospect of marrying a man old enough to be her father. Desperate to escape her fate, she turns to the only person who can help—King Bhodar, a ruler drowning in sorrow and toddy. Initially repulsed by his drunken conduct, Neela discovers a kind heart beneath his troubled exterior and slowly begins to see the man he could be. As they draw closer, Neela becomes determined to heal his wounds and help him reclaim his strength. But time is running out, and she must discover if love can truly conquer all and set them both free before it’s too late.
Will Neela and Bhodar find salvation in each other, or will their pasts forever bind them to lives they never wanted?
The Caretaker is A.X. Ahmad’s debut novel, though I read it more than a decade after its release. Ranjit Singh, a disgraced ex-military officer from India, is living in Martha’s Vineyard during a cold winter, struggling to make ends meet while taking care of his wife and daughter. He works as the caretaker for a senator’s house. When the heater in his own home breaks down, he moves his family into the senator’s empty house, without his permission. They are attacked in the middle of the night, and so begins the adventure.
I love how the author intersperses Ranjit’s past on the Siachen Glacier with his present circumstances. Ranjit’s Sikh faith keeps him grounded as his life falls apart. The African American senator and his wife are written well; you can almost imagine reading about their lives in the newspaper.
The disabled veteran is another wonderfully fleshed-out character. My only nitpick with the story is regarding Ranjit’s wife, Preetham. I wish we saw more of her to better understand her depression and loneliness.
All in all, it’s a great debut thriller.
Thanks to your votes, I’ve chosen the title Broken King! I appreciate everyone who participated and shared their thoughts. Your input has been invaluable, and I’m excited to share this story with you.
Remember King Dushyant, my protagonist from King in Hiding? Broken King is a novella about his parents, and I’m excited to share it with you later this year.
Princess Neela faces the unbearable prospect of marrying a man old enough to be her father. Desperate to escape her fate, she turns to the only person who can help—King Bhodar, a ruler drowning in sorrow and toddy. Initially repulsed by his drunken conduct, Neela discovers a kind heart beneath his troubled exterior and slowly begins to see the man he could be. As they draw closer, Neela becomes determined to heal his wounds and help him reclaim his strength. But time is running out, and she must discover if love can truly conquer all and set them both free before it’s too late.
Will Neela and Bhodar find salvation in each other, or will their pasts forever bind them to lives they never wanted?
While waiting for this story, please read the first romance novel in this series. It is a stand-alone happily ever after tale, featuring a king who has captured an enemy on the battlefield and allows his heart to be captured by the daughter of his prisoner.
I have some thrilling news that I just couldn’t wait to share with you! The journey through the enchanting world of Child of the River is about to get even more immersive. I am excited to announce that the audiobook version, narrated by the incredible duo Nikita Mirpuri and Shawn Jain, is coming this November!
Stay tuned for more updates as we approach the release date. Thank you for being such a passionate part of my reader community!
This is the author’s first book in English, and I believe she has added richness to the language through her writing: “Auntie Mei dispensed the truth sparingly, as if it were a tube of toothpaste.” What a great way to describe someone who is used to a life of hardship when even toothpaste was a luxury.
This is the story of a mother and daughter, spanning China and Canada, and moving between the present and the past. We learn about the daughter’s sacrifices early in the book. The mother’s sacrifices, however, are revealed as the story unfolds, with the biggest revelation saved for the end.
The bottle the daughter finds in her mother’s memory box—what a shocking story lies behind it. And the photo of Meng Long… I loved how the author reveals this story piece by piece.
“For himself, the last bullet”—this quote appears early in the book, and only later do we discover the circumstances under which it occurred.
We have to wait until the very end to get to the bottom of the toothpaste. Recommend for fans of historical fiction who enjoy a slowly unfolding drama.
After watching the US Presidential debate, if you are panicking about the candidates, I cannot help you there. But if you want to know how to protect your memory as you age, I have an easy tip.
Read more novels to protect your memory.
One early indicator of memory issues, according to Dr. Restak, is giving up on fiction. “People, when they begin to have memory difficulties, tend to switch to reading nonfiction,” he said.
Over his decades of treating patients, Dr. Restak has noticed that fiction requires active engagement with the text, starting at the beginning and working through to the end. “You have to remember what the character did on Page 3 by the time you get to Page 11,” he said.
Here is the link to the NYT article that discusses this in detail. You can also read my earlier blog that describes other benefits of reading fiction.
It is not too late to start reading fiction. Start with a standalone novel like King in Hiding. Once you finish that, then move on to series like my Land of Magadha series.
Anna Bushi 