Child of the River is not my only book coming out in 2024. I also have a short story in an anthology: ‘Queens in Wonderland’—an LGBTQ+ Alice in Wonderland themed collection.
My short story is set in contemporary California. Don’t worry, though; Medieval India makes a guest appearance. I am looking forward to sharing this story with you next month.
I am excited to share the cover of Book 1 in the Prophesied Prince series: Child of the River. I love this cover. From the tree motif in the crown to the golden-tipped feather swan, this art brings together the elements in my novel in a beautiful way. Please let me know your thoughts on this cover.
Child of the River:
When an exiled prince seeks refuge in their land, Malla dispatches emissaries to Kashgar. In a declaration of war, the men they had sent as envoys to Kashgar returned as corpses on a ship.
Prince Atul travels to Kashgar to route out the rebels and seat the exiled prince on the throne. When he arrives, Prince Atul is prepared to wage war against men. What he encounters are curses and spells. How does he defeat what he does not understand? Especially when he hears voices urging him to protect a girl he has never met. A girl named Sugandha.
I will be publishing this novel in serialized form on Kindle Vella. This will offer an interactive experience for my readers because you will get to read my notes for each episode and comment on them.
For busy readers, Kindle Vella allows you to access stories conveniently, reading episodes in bite-sized portions, perfect for breaks or commutes.
You can provide immediate feedback on each episode, helping me shape the story. You can read the first three episodes for free. Please follow the story so you can get notified when I post the next episodes.
I am excited to share the title of Book 1 in the Prophesied Prince series: Child of the River.
A year ago, a ship arrived on the shores of Magadha. In a declaration of war, the men Magadha had sent as emissaries to Kashgar returned as corpses on that vessel. King Jay sends Prince Atul to route out the rebels and seat Aggabodhi on the throne. Atul is prepared to wage war against men. What he encounters is curses and spells. How does Atul defeat what he does not understand? Especially when he hears voices urging him to protect a girl he has never met. A girl named Sugandha.
On that dreary day, the sea was choppy and gray. Powerful waves crashed against the rocks, spraying water in a mist. The tall and steep cliffs at the ocean’s edge loomed large and dark. All day, her grandfather had seemed weary and distracted. Sugandha had wondered what troubled him. When he cautioned her to stay home and left hurriedly, Sugandha followed her grandfather to the beach and now stood partially hidden behind a sandstone boulder. She wriggled her toes, wishing she could be home, eating her meal. Her fingers grazed the rough edge of the rock. She shifted to one side to view the bumps on the surface and found a carving of a boat. It had weathered in time, but the image remained clear. With the sails fluttering in the wind, she could almost imagine the raft afloat. Did the sculptor use his imagination, or did a real craft loom in front of him like the one before her eyes? A large ship tossed on the waves, and she could see people moving on its deck. The howling wind sounded like a cry for help from the ship’s passengers.
Continue reading the prologue.
This is the first book I am reading by S. M. Gaither, and I thoroughly enjoyed this fantasy novel.
Protagonist Cas survived fading sickness, an illness that killed nearly everyone else. The reason for her survival is a mystery, though the disease leaves its mark on her with her colorless hair and eyes.
She and her outlaw friends are returning from a mission when she meets Elander. Sparks fly between them.
Elander is the king’s captain and captures her in another encounter and seems intent on protecting her from the king. Cas, who is plenty capable of protecting herself, agrees to help the king find a way to cure fading sickness.
I loved all the world-building and the magic system. Powerful and mysterious God and Goddess are always a draw, and the author paints a dark and intricate picture of this empire.
The author peels the layer of mystery one by one, leaving the readers wanting more. The ending was a nice twist.
I enjoyed this book and looking forward to reading the other four books in the Shadows and Crown series.
I am excited to introduce Prophesied Prince, my debut historical fantasy series. I have written 30,000 words so far, in book one of the Prophesied Prince trilogy.
Writing books set in medieval India, I don’t know why I have not written a scene involving a crocodile before. Good news for crocodile fans in the fiction world. There is a crocodile scene in book one of The Prophesied Prince trilogy. And no, I don’t have a title yet.
Atul, a familiar character from my Land of Magadha trilogy, is one of the lead characters. It has been fun to write chapters in his voice.
The other lead is a brand new girl called Sugandha who is mired in mysteries. I cannot wait to share this book with you next year.
I cannot believe King in Hiding has been out for more than a month. This is my first historical romance novel. King Dushyant captures Princess Lalitha’s father on the battlefield, but finds himself captivated by her. Without revealing his identity, he offers to escort her on the journey home to her kingdom — and Lalitha feels an undeniable pull towards her mysterious escort. But what happens when the truth comes out?
That first meeting sets the tone for the rest of the book
Princess Lalitha is riding alone on a horse while she encounters King Dushyant and the ground. But this damsel in distress does not want to be rescued.
I use Goodreads as my virtual bookshelf. A good book recommended by a trusted source goes into my TBR pile. I use Goodreads to track the books I have read, and I am doing great against my 2023 Reading Challenge. Reading brings me joy, so I don’t see these Reading Challenges as a competition. I see it more as an accomplishment.
I have several fiction and non-fiction categories to shelve a book into. I find this organization useful to find books I have read, especially when friends ask for book recommendations. I create new shelves when I read a book that does not quite fit on my existing shelves, and I decide it needs its own space. I recently made a new shelf called women-in-stem for novels that featured female protagonists working in the stem field. I have three books filed under this, and I am sure I will be adding many more.
My newest novel, King in Hiding, can be shelved under Historical Romance, Medieval Romance, and Romance. If you have more create shelves for a novel like this, please let me know in the comments.
My first historical romance novel is now live. Princess Lalitha wanted a husband to obey her commands as she ruled her kingdom. King Dushyant wanted a wife that would not touch his heart while producing heirs. What neither wanted was to fall in love.
Read here.
This book will linger in my memory for many years. I read Crime and Punishment as a teen. There are echoes of Dostoevsky’s writing in this novel.
There are some tales where the pursuit of happiness is a given. In others, penance and suffering are the norm. This book falls into the latter category.
Sasha, the protagonist, is a stubborn, wilful, and short-tempered creature. Her raw emotions drenched me as I read this book. Her anger and guilt come in waves, and kudos to the author for giving us a realistic portrayal of a girl, human and flawed. This book follows Sasha’s journey from eight years to twenty-five, and what a roller coaster ride.
I loved the glimpse into Moscow and Leningrad in the 50s and 60s. I enjoyed the sprinkling of Russian in the novel. Andrei, the boy she loves, what a heart-wrenching story there. The last two chapters, narrated from his point of view, were magnificent.
When it comes to reading, I crave a literary feast: a blend of awe-inspiring tales, a sprinkle of poignant sadness, a generous helping of courageous journeys, and a dose of happily ever afters.
Highly recommend this book to meet your quota of unexpected twists and heartfelt moments tinged with sadness.
My first historical fantasy, Prophesied Prince, featuring Prince Atul and Prince Aggabodhi from the Land of Magadha trilogy, is taking shape. I have written 10,000 words so far. While readers can read this series on its own, knowing the backstory of Atul and Aggabodhi adds a nice layer to the tale. A new protagonist takes center stage in this fantasy. Sugandha means fragrance, and she is a layer of onions at the start of the series. What will she reveal as the layers are peeled?
The book starts with a prologue, something new for me. It offers a glimpse into what happened at the end of Burden of the Crown. At the start of the book, there is a only a trickle of magic.
Prophecy revealed in the Land of Magadha trilogy plays a key role in this fantasy:
“Queen she will be one day, her name will be celebrated, near and far. Her son will rule the three kingdoms and beyond.”
Anna Bushi 