The 3 Whys Behind Writing Royal Romances Guest Post by Devika Fernando

Today we have Devika Fernando, one of my favourite romance writers, on the blog. She will answer one particular question her readers often ask her. Why does she write Royal Romances? Curious about what the answer is? 

Over to you Devika!

Thanks for having me on your blog, Preethi. Feels extra special because you write royal romances too.

Some people ask me why I chose this particular sub-genre of romance. I tell them that I didn’t choose it, it chose me. *wink* What I mean is that I suddenly had this idea begging to be written, and as I was aiming for a series anyway, I went ahead with it. Ever since, I’ve fallen in love with writing royal romance. Here are three reasons why.

1. Imagination meets reality

I love it when stories leave room for creativity but still read as if they could really happen. That’s exactly what’s so magical about a royal romance. These days, there are many real-life princes and princesses who find a partner among the ‘common people’. And somehow, that never loses its appeal. Perhaps because deep down, all of us want to believe that Cinderella’s dream is real.

2. Great potential for conflict

A book, even a romance novel, is only as good as its main conflict. And having a royal fall in love with a commoner is a great opportunity for conflict: What will the families think? Does the media get wind of it? Do they have dark secrets that could jeopardize everything? Will the rigorous rules ruin the budding love? Do they feel so out of their depth that they make grave mistakes? Can their affection and attraction withstand the burden of responsibility?

3. Fascinating settings

Royal romances give me the opportunity to make up a whole kingdom – or, as is the case with “The Indian Prince’s Scandalous Bride”, at least a palace and other settings. I get to decide on the rules, the landscape, the luxuries. Often, I imagine family members, histories and hierarchies for my royals too. It’s such fun, and I can let myself be inspired by real monarchies without being limited to actual facts.

Thank you, Devika! That was an intriguing post.

Have you checked out her latest Royal Romance?

Check it out here:

The purchase link is: mybooks.to/royalromance4 (universal Amazon link)

Cover Reveal: The Indian Prince's Scandalous bride by Devika Fernando

Today I have Devika Fernando on my blog to reveal the blurb and cover of her new book. 

Over to you for the details, Devika Fernando.

Dear Readers,

Ever since I started writing royal romances, I wanted to set one of the stories in India. Now I’ve made this dream come true. “The Indian Prince’s Scandalous Bride” is the 4^th book in the Romancing the Royals series, and I can’t wait to share it with you all. Here’s the cover and blurb. The book is due for release next month.

BLURB

Wedding planner Ashley Davies has left England behind to organize a royal wedding in India. She’s expected a cultural shock and lots of unforgettable memories – but never in a million years would she have thought she’d fall in love. When the mysterious and irresistible Vivaan turns out to be none other than an Indian prince, it’s time for her to make a decision: risk everything for the sake of what feels like so much more than a holiday fling, or resist their forbidden attraction and save her job as well as her heart?

Prince Vivaan of Yogeshpur certainly doesn’t want to get involved in the organization of his brother’s grand wedding, but then a free-spirited and smart redhead from England captures his interest. Suddenly he finds himself eager to get to know a woman who would never receive his mother’s royal seal of approval. Should he give in to his feelings or stay away from the ‘scandalous’ wedding planner?

THE SERIES

Have you read the other books in the series yet? The first three novels are each set in a fictitious kingdom as well as in a real country such as Maldives and Germany. They are sweet contemporary romances and can be read as stand-alones with happy endings. Click on the links to find out more. Book 1 is a free download in most countries!

The Prince’s Special Bride | The Prince’s Stubborn Bride | The Prince’s Surprise Bride

-Devika Fernando

Cover Reveal: A Royal Affair

When we begin writing a story, we have no idea how it is going to turn out. Sometimes, a story which begins as a short story might turn into a full-length novel.

I began writing 'A Royal Affair' as a short story and yes, it didn't remain one for long. I loved the characters I created and it turned out to be a novella on the borderline of being a novel.

I have always been fascinated by Indian royalty. You can find the wide-eyed wonder of a tiny girl, who visited the Mysore Palace first time during her school days, reflected in the pages of this book. I owe a lot to my parents who took me with them wherever they went and told me stories and answered my never-ending questions.

I was initially apprehensive about writing a foreign character, that too of a native English speaker as the main character. Taking a shortcut, I made her an Indophile, someone who loves everything about India. Also, love is universal, isn’t it? Soon, she took on the shades of a particular Indophile friend of mine. Thank you, Jean Spraker, I have not known another Indophile like you. I hope you like Jane.

And yes, the family I created has more stories to tell so it will be a series. There will be a new book in the series which will talk about yet another story from the same family.

I enjoyed writing this book as it required plenty of research. I read multiple books about Indian royals while researching this book, the main ones being ‘A Princess Remembers’ by Maharani Gayatri Devi, ‘The Ivory Throne’ by Manu Pillai, ‘The White Mughals’ by William Dalrymple and ‘Pataudi, the Nawab of Cricket’ edited by Suresh Menon. I am thankful to these authors for giving me a rough framework to create the Sravanapura Royals, a fictional royal family bearing the legacy of a 500-year-old dynasty, with a modern outlook towards life. 

The editing is in the final stages now and only proofreading is left. I guess, it is time that I revealed the cover and blurb of my new book to you all.

So here you go...

What would you do if your Prince charming turned out to be a Prince in real life?

Blurb: 

Jane Worthington, a reporter with a London based channel, comes to India desperate to find a long-lost relative.

The only person who can help her in her mission is Prince Vijay Dev Varman, the scion of the erstwhile royal family of Sravanapura, the man who broke her heart years ago.

 Vijay offers to help her but is determined to remain unaffected by Jane’s presence as he is engaged to be married.

Can the two former lovers put their past behind and embark upon a journey that is filled with roadblocks?

How can they succeed to find a missing man in a land of 1.3 billion people?

A gripping story about second chances and intrigue. 

Coming out on the first of next month.