Author Rrashima Swaarup Verma is a senior corporate analyst with over 20 years of experience in the corporate world. She is currently Senior Director with a leading US-based business research and consulting organization. Her organization works for most of the Fortune 500 companies on a global basis. 

Rrashima has worked across a very diverse range of industry and functional segments, and has tremendous experience in strategic research. She is also Chief Editor for her organization’s global newsletter, a multi-cultural publication, featuring news and human interest articles from across the globe. She is the Author of the book "The Royal Scandal". She has also written two bestselling books. 

INTERVIEW 

Conversation spotlight

(Rrashima Swaarup & Monika Singh)

Author Rrashima Swaarup Verma

1. Author Rrashima, please introduce yourself to our readers. They would love to know more about you.

Rrashima: Hi friends! I’ve been writing since the age of 7. I’ve written articles, poetry, stories and opinion pieces for leading national and international publications. I live in Gurgaon, love traveling around the world and absolutely adore Latin and Jazz music.

2. Your book cover - "The Royal Scandal," is interesting and says a lot. How did you get the idea about this cover?

Rrashima: Yes, I agree with you about the cover. It is mesmerising. So, the cover has been designed by my literary agency, The Book Bakers. My literary agent Suhail Mathur, my publisher Arup Bose, editor Stuti Sharma Gupta and I brainstormed for weeks before we finalized the cover design. We’re all perfectionists and wanted a cover that would effectively capture the heart and soul of the story. And then Suhail’s team truly did justice by successfully implementing what we had in mind. 

3. I am curious about the main reason behind the inspiration for writing this book - The Royal Scandal.

Rrashima: I am a self-confessed romantic. While there is some wonderful fiction out there in the romance genre, there is also a lot of romance and passion in real life. 

My literary agent Suhail watched a documentary film on the 10 greatest love stories from Indian history. The true love story of Lt Col James Achilles Kirkpatrick and Begum Khair-un-Nissa was one of them. He has an eye for stories that can be made into great books, and he discussed it with me. As soon as I heard the story I was instantly intrigued by the pathos and passion, and I decided to write this book. I have to say that it was one of the best decisions of my life. The Royal Scandal is a piece of my heart and writing it was a privilege for me. 

4. When reading, I came across a thought-provoking insight about the Hyderabadi Wedding, where Kirkpatrick sees Princess Khai-un-Nissa. Please share something about these characters. 

Rrashima: The two protagonists are from different backgrounds, religions and countries. Kirkpatrick was a Lt Col in the East India Company and Khair-un-Nissa was a princess from the ruling family of Hyderabad. But they had one thing in common. They had the ability to give up everything for love. They knew how much was at stake and how tumultuous the path ahead was, but they believed in love and stood by their decision. 

That chance encounter at the royal wedding was truly serendipitous. It was how they met for the very first time and both of them were oblivious to the fact that a single encounter can sometimes change the course of one’s life and destiny forever. 

5. Researching or even collecting so much from history is challenging. So, how did you collect the data you included in the book related to historical facts and characters? 

Rrashima: The research was as challenging as it was rewarding. I come from a professional research background, and I firmly believe that if the information is there, it can be attained. I spoke to noted historians with a specialization in that period of Indian history. 

I dug into archives both in India as well as in London. I managed to procure rare documents from London, old newspapers which contained vital information and spoke to Persian scholars and archaeologists.  

The Royal Scandal

6. How did you write the book as a Senior Director with a leading US-based business research and consulting organization, which is already a busy profession?

Rrashima: As I mentioned before, I have been writing since the age of 7. Writing is an integral part of who I am, and I simply cannot live without it. It is my means to express and emote. I try to maintain a structure which allows at least 2 hours of writing every day. If that means giving up on my social time, so be it. And yes, I do tend to write more at night which means that I get relatively less sleep.

7. Please highlight the three most important characters in your book.

Rrashima: It's difficult to choose since I always believe that every character in a book plays his or her own extremely significant role. Every character brings to the story a unique hue and pattern and the kaleidoscope that forms is what makes the story beautifully layered.  

8. Since you are an ardent fitness enthusiast, do you think the trend of going to the gym and doing a workout in a closed room is good for health and creativity? 

Rrashima: Fitness for me is a state of mind. I believe in variation. Some days I enjoy working out in a gym. The high energy atmosphere puts me in an upbeat mood and relieves me of any lethargy. Other days, when the weather permits, I enjoy going for a walk or run in the outdoors. Any passion is great for creativity and I’m definitely passionate about fitness and health. 

9. What are the key challenges you faced while writing this book? 

Rrashima: I think it was the emotional quotient of the story. There were several instances when even while writing, I couldn’t hold my tears back. Khair’s relationship with her children, the heartbreak, the struggles that the protagonists had to face, it was all extremely poignant and had a deep impact on me. So much so that I put my heart and soul completely into the process of writing this, because I truly wanted to do justice to this beautiful true tale of love. 

10. Since it's been a year, how this book has impacted your life? Did you feel something different as compared to your previous books? 

Rrashima: Absolutely. Even though I’ve been writing for many, many years, I can say that I have realized my true potential as a writer because of The Royal Scandal. A tremendous amount of hard work, patience and dedication has gone into writing this. The research was extremely intense and took a lot of perseverance. And yes, my readers have loved the story immensely. The reviews have been so gratifying. I am truly grateful to Suhail for bringing this story to me and giving me an opportunity to write this book.  

11. Can you share something about the book that isn't in the blurb? 

Rrashima: Well, then I would be giving things away. I would much prefer you and our readers to read the book because I know that you will love every character, every sub plot and every layer. But yes, there is one thing that I can tell you. The description of 18th century Hyderabad is so vivid in the book that readers will be able to easily visualize and imagine everything. You will feel one with the story, almost as though it is unfolding in front of your eyes.   

12. From where can the readers buy your books? (Like online platform links or some big bookstore names). Are you on social media, and can your readers interact with you? 

Rrashima: The Royal Scandal is available on major online platforms like Amazon, EBay and Flipkart as well as some of the biggest bookstores in the country like Bahrisons, Kunzum Books, W.H. Smith, Relay, Crossword. 

I am on social media and I love connecting with my readers. They can connect with me on Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram or drop me a message on my website. After all, the love, support and appreciation of readers is the most precious gift for an author.   

Love it? Stay connected and subscribe for more terrific, honest Interview conversations with people who are doing extraordinary in their lives. © Monika Singh and Rrashima.