Category: Swayamvara Romance

Exclusive Preorder Discount for my Loyal Readers!

I am thrilled to announce that my upcoming historical romance novel, “King in Hiding,” is now available for preorder! As a token of my heartfelt appreciation for your unwavering support, I am offering an exclusive discount to my beloved readers.

You can preorder your copy of “King in Hiding” at a special discounted price. The price will go up after the launch on June 15, 2023. 

Amid a battle, a chance encounter between a young king and a spirited princess sets the stage for a passionate and unforgettable romance. 

With its compelling characters, captivating plot twists, and lush historical backdrop, this tale will transport you to another time and leave you breathless with every turn of the page.

As one of my loyal readers, I want to express my gratitude by extending this special offer to you. Seize this opportunity to be among the first to embark on this unforgettable journey. Preorder “King in Hiding” now at the discounted price and ensure you don’t miss a single moment of this enchanting romance.

Thank you once again for your unwavering support and for being a cherished member of my literary community. I can’t wait to share this extraordinary adventure with you!

PreORDER NOW

Have you ever experienced this fear?

“I am scared of marrying the wrong person”: This is a timeless fear. It is normal for such doubts to crop up when considering such a big decision. Unlikely they will turn out to be a vampire or werewolf, whether you desire or dread such an outcome. My characters have a real reason for such an apprehension.

During medieval times my stories are set at, marrying the wrong man could doom a woman’s life. In a culture where marriages last a lifetime, and a woman’s fate is tied to her husband’s, a cruel husband could physically and mentally assault his wife. And usually, there was no recourse for a woman. So my female protagonists are worried about marriage. How they navigate these challenges is a recurring subject in my books.

In the Land of Magadha trilogy, Princess Meera fears marrying Prince Amar. Her courage and ingenuity save her life, but she pays a steep price for that.

In King in Hiding, Princess Lalitha is offered a rare opportunity to choose her groom. After hearing her parents’ story, Lalitha worries about making a mistake. During the period of this story, there is no marriage counselor or divorce to rectify a wrong decision. She has to self-reflect on what she is looking for in her relationship. But the biggest question is will she trust her instinct? Or will she let that fear hold her back from experiencing love?

How do you celebrate Spring?

Spring was welcomed in many ways in ancient India. One such is the Vasantotsava festival. Poet Kalidasa describes the festival as a time when the “earth is fragrant with new flowers.” Ratnavali, the classic Sanskrit play by Emperor Harsha, has vivid descriptions of this festival, and I used them as my reference in my latest book, “King in Hiding.”

Excerpt:

Near the village square, sweet music rose to the accompaniment of a mellow drum. Young maidens wearing flower ornaments danced to the beat while men wearing Asoka leaf wreaths threw turmeric and vermillion powder on them. The spilled dust caused the women’s saris to appear like molten gold.

“It is the Vasantotsava festival,” he said in a strange tone.

This historical romance story is available as serial episodes in Kindle Vella. I will be publishing two episodes a week. The first three episodes are free to read. If you enjoy them, please give the episodes a thumbs up, so other readers can find them.

Read now in Kindle Vella

I am trying out something new with this book – Kindle Vella. This historical romance story is available as serial episodes in Kindle Vella. I will be publishing two episodes a week. The first three episodes are free to read. If you enjoy them, please give the episodes a thumbs up, so other readers can find them.

The ebook and paperback will be available this summer.

Read in Kindle Vella

Looking for a romance novel about medieval royal couples?

Look no further than Swayamvara Romance Series.

The series title is inspired by an ancient Indian practice in which a bride had the opportunity to choose her husband from the assembled suitors.

Book 1 has a title – King in Hiding

Princess Lalitha is on a quest to find her father, who fought in a battle against King Dushyant. When Lalitha is injured, a metalsmith rescues her. He accompanies her back to her kingdom, and there is nothing convenient about the feelings Lalitha develops for him. Her father had promised to hold a svayamvara, a groom-choosing ceremony, for her. With no male heirs, Lalitha cannot succumb to temptations if she wants to rule her kingdom.

King Dushyant was fighting to avenge his father’s death. He did not anticipate saving Princess Lalitha or escorting her to her kingdom. While he had hidden his identity from the spirited princess, his icy resolve to keep his heart untouched began to melt.

Neither can afford to surrender to the current of attraction sweeping them. Arriving in Summer 2023.

Here is a sneak peak

I am writing a Historical Romance series based on the ancient Indian custom, Swayamvara. During a Swayamvara, a bride chooses her groom from the assembled suitors. 

Here is how Kalidasa, a medieval Indian poet, describes a swayamvara in The Dynasty of Raghu, an epic poem:


The princess chooses.—The princely suitors assemble in the hall: then, to the sound of music, the princess enters in a litter, robed as a bride, and creates a profound sensation.

Dynasty of Raghu by Medieval Poet Kalidasa

Each book in my series will be a stand-alone romance novel about a royal couple. The series is tentatively titled Swayamvara Weddings.

I am close to completing the draft of the first book yet to be titled. Here is a scene between the protagonists, King Dushyant and Princess Lalitha:

He could see her silhouette against the deep blue sky. That foolish girl hopped on her good leg, grimacing with each step. As she tripped, he bounded to her, trying to catch her. Instead, she fell against him, causing them both to tumble to the ground.  

As they sped to the earth, he tried to shield her from the impact of their fall. He succeeded by landing on his back with her sprawled on top of him. Her face hovered inches from his, and her lips parted tantalizingly. For a moment, he imagined kissing her. She drove his imprudent thoughts away by pounding his chest with her fist. Curse her. She was a spirited princess. He tightened his grip on her. 

Anna Bushi

While waiting for this book, treat yourself to my completed Land of Magadha series.

Would you read this tale?

I have written over 50,000 words in my new tale of love. The series is based on an ancient Indian custom called svayamvara. In a svayamvara, a princess chooses a suitable groom from among the gathered suitors. Here is a sneak peek:

Princess Lalitha searches for her father, who fought in a battle against King Dushyant. When Lalitha is injured, a metalsmith rescues her. He accompanies her on the journey back to her kingdom, and there is nothing convenient about the feelings Lalitha develops for him. Her father had promised to hold a svayamvara, a groom-choosing ceremony, for her. With no male heirs, Lalitha cannot succumb to temptations if she wants to rule her kingdom.

King Dushyant was fighting to avenge his father’s death. He did not anticipate saving Princess Lalitha or escorting her to her kingdom. While he had hidden his identity from the spirited princess, his icy resolve to keep his heart untouched began to melt.

Neither can afford to surrender to the current of attraction sweeping them. But the author has different ideas for them.

If you are interested in reading my other historical fiction books, start here.

Are you a fan of Happily Ever After?

I love reading books with happily ever after endings. The ten romance novels I have read this year pay testimony to that. Reading a well-written romance novel can feel like drinking a cup of hot coffee while watching the sunrise. No one does it better than Jane Austen. Capital L love her books. Who is your favorite romance author?

However, writing a happily ever after story requires a different mastery. Unlike the Land of Magadha series, where death came without an announcement, the protagonists in my historical romance novel have to survive to the end to declare their passion. I have written over 50,000 words in this tale of love without killing my star characters, though I came close a few times.

The series is based on an ancient Indian custom called svayamvara. In a svayamvara, a princess chooses a suitable groom from among the gathered suitors. Sometimes, there might be a contest, and the prize for the winner is a wedding. In Ramayana, Rama strings a bow to win Sita’s hands.

The slender maiden glanced at him; she glanced
And uttered not a word, nor heeded how
The grass-twined blossoms of her garland danced
When she dismissed him with a formal bow.

The Dynasty of Raghu, by Kalidasa

Looking forward to sharing updates about my work in progress in the coming weeks.

A sneak peak

I want to share an update about my work in progress. I am writing a historical romance novel set in medieval India. She is impulsive, and he is calm, except where it concerns her.

Princess Lalitha rode along the narrow forest path, her heart hammering against her ribs. The wind rustled against the branches as she and her tired mare advanced slowly in the descending darkness. She had left her Aunt Chitra’s house two days ago and had journeyed nearly non-stop since then. Only finding the fate of her father kept her moving.

Sneak Peak of Anna Bushi’s WIP