If you’ve followed me for even a day, you know just how special Riya Iyer is to me. We connected quite randomly, as South Indian women do, and now I refuse to let her go. Her debut—& Then They Met—made me go through all of the emotions and bonded us for life (please inform her, if she doesn’t know this yet). She’s just one of those people I can talk nonsense with and we seem to understand each other. Over the course of our blossoming friendship, she read my books and beta read my upcoming release, then I got to do the same for her and like I said…bonded for life.
All that aside, Riya’s stories are gorgeous. Diving deep into Indian culture with Bollywood references and drama galore, her books are one of a kind. Her writing is captivating and once you start reading, putting it down becomes a little difficult. But that’s fine, because it’s totally worth not getting a full night’s sleep or being able to function the next day. She tackles sometimes difficult topics and handles them with care. She also puts in the effort to give you such a wide view into the lives of these characters.
Can you tell I’m a fan?
Riya’s debut is available right now in Kindle Unlimited and paperback. The second in her Ampersand series releases in a few short days, so make sure you preorder it right now!
BEING AN AUTHOR
Who or what inspired you to write?
I’ve been a bookworm all my life, and think in stories more often than not. I have also consumed copious amounts of romance novels, but found the Desi/POC representation in romance decidedly limited. From there came the need to try and write Bollywood in books so that people who look like me can see themselves in these stories too.
What’s the best and worst part about being an indie author?
The best part about indie authoring is the absolute freedom and control over the content that you want to deliver.
The worst part, truly the worst, is that you have to do everything else also- editing, finding reviewers, marketing, paying for everything yourself. For someone who is firmly in her introverted phase of life and is social media shy, the marketing part of it has been the hardest lesson to learn.
Why did you choose to self-publish instead of going the traditional route?
I had a dream (borrowing words from Mr. Mandela here). I wanted to hold a book in my hands with my name on it. And I did not want to wait through years of rejections or worse, no responses, when the option of self-publishing existed.
When you’re not writing, what do you do to get the creative juices flowing?
I’m either trying to get through my TBR, listening to music or getting into the mountains!
If you were to recommend books to me (in any genre), what would they be?
Lisa Kleypas’s Devil in Winter (Wallflower 3, historical romance). Sebastian St. Vincent was the original morally gray man who turned into a green flag!
Sherlock Holmes (because he’s the smartest man and Moriarty is the absolute best villain ever).
Grimm’s Fairy Tales (because what is life without a little magic?)
What are your top 5 tips or pieces of advice for aspiring authors?
Keep writing! The more you write, the better you’ll get.
Sit on your first draft for a few months, go back to it with fresh eyes and finalize your story
Find a group of readers and authors in your genre who’d be willing to beta-read before you publish. Ask for constructive criticism and be prepared for someone to not like something that you do. That’s ok.
Invest in an editor. It’ll be worth it.
This part is hard, and I should be the last one to say this but learn from my mistakes: don’t jump to publish without figuring out your marketing approach, especially as an Indie author. Take the time to grow your social media presence, make authentic connections with other readers/authors, spend time understanding what will work for you and what your goals are. Then, publish!
ROMANCE AS A GENRE
Why did you choose romance as the genre to write in? What is your favorite thing about the genre?
I love love. The process of two characters falling in love has always brought me so much joy and escapism. The nervous flutters of newfound feelings, the little glances and crushes—I get giddy thinking about this. I couldn’t imagine writing anything else but romance.
If not romance/subgenres of romance, what genre would you like to write in?
Hardcore romance in this house! I might take a stab at a paranormal romance with rebirth/karma layers in it (ah, Bollywood influence coming through).
What are your most and least favorite tropes?
My favorite tropes have to be contract/marriage-of-convenience, enemies to lovers, grumpy x sunshine and slow burn
My least favorite: father’s best friend. I don’t get the appeal.
What are some tropes you want to write in the future?
The plan is definitely to write about enemies (rivals)-to-lovers in the near future. Then, hopefully, contract marriage and/or sports romance.
What are some topics (sensitive and otherwise) that you think should exist more in romance?
Widowers, and second chances after loss of a life partner. I don’t see nearly enough of this in romance.
If you write open door romance, why did you choose that and what inspires your sex scenes?
Sexual intimacy is one of the best ways to show the culmination of tension between two characters. The chemistry, the growth, the love and need of two people makes me invested in them as a couple, and open door is the best way to achieve that.
As for what inspires the sex scenes—it would be the characters themselves! I’m always in their head, trying to figure out what they would need or how they would react at that point in the story. The sex usually drives the plot ahead.
YOUR BOOKS
What inspired your published stories? How and when did you come up with these stories and plots?
The inspiration usually strikes randomly, and starts with a character or a scene. For & Then They Met, it was Kaya’s character that came to me first: a girl who felt dissociated with the people she should have been most connected to, and her determination to find her self-worth rather than settling for “just enough”.
Can you briefly tell me about your books?
& Then They Met is Arjun and Kaya’s story. These are two very opposite individuals who find themselves in an arranged marriage for the sake of their families. What follows is a very Bollywood-esque series of events where they are torn apart. Eventually, they find their way back to each other and fight for their HEA while putting to rest their own insecurities, but not before you’re treated to drama, banter and spice.
For those who enjoy character growth arcs, vibrant supporting casts, strong sibling bonds, multiple moments of soft romance and Cinderella-meets-Pride-and-Prejudice vibes, this book will cover it all.
One particular microtrope that made me giggle when I wrote it—piggyback rides for the FMC by the MMC!
Do you already have a favorite character from the stories you’ve written?
This is an impossible question. It's like asking to pick a favorite child. I love them all. However, the FMC from & Then They Wed—Aditi—I have had a hoot with her. She’s fun, smart, and has no filter. She’s the kind of woman who tries her best to live a life as true to herself and her feelings as possible, and I wish to imbibe that courage from her.
If you were to cast your book for a movie/television show, who would you cast in the lead roles?
I’m terrible with fan casting. My inspirations tend to be a mix of so many people, it is hard to pick just one person who best represents the characters.
How much of yourself do you put into these characters?
Each character has something of me in it. I think it is hard to write characters without finding some part of yourself through them- it’s the easiest way to connect to them.
Is there one common element that readers can find in all your stories?
A happily-ever-after! The realities of life can be exhausting and I want to provide a space for someone to sit, rest, laugh and forget their worries for a short time, which means my books come with an HEA guarantee.
Will there be drama? Yes. Will it be a slow burn? Probably. Will they fall in love and remain blissfully happy? Heck, yes.
What’s next on the bookshelf for you? Anything you can tell us about a future project?
I’m working on book 3 of the Ampersand series, the characters for which have been mentioned in & Then They Met.
Book 3 will be released early spring 2025.
When you write these stories, what are you hoping your readers will feel?
I hope they feel like they have been on a journey with these characters.
For the South Asian readers, I want them to find little things that they could connect with, that might make them feel seen or offer them comfort.
For the non-South Asians, I hope they get to see how similar people and feelings can be across cultures and cities. At the end of the day, all I hope to do is put a smile on people’s faces as they relive the heady rush of falling in love over and over again.
AUTHOR’S CHOICE
Paperbacks, hardbacks, ebooks or audiobooks
Contemporary, fantasy, historical or romantic suspense
Single or Dual POV (and third person!)
Standalones, series or Standalone in a series
Open door, ajar door or closed door romances
Music or silence when writing - music to set the mood, silence to write
Plotter, pantser or plantser
Water, tea, coffee or….wine?
Cold or warm weather
Write better in the morning, afternoon or night?
Illustrated or photo cover?
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