73 Questions with Ruchi Chandra Verma

There is a distinct, luminous quiet that settles around Ruchi Chandra Verma before she speaks, the kind of stillness belonging only to women who build whole universes from scratch.

When she arrives, carrying the effortless poise of someone who turns feeling into high art, it is easy to forget the sheer arithmetic of her empire: a staggering 38 bestselling romance novels, a world record, and the LoveLit Writers Guild, the premier finishing school she founded for the next generation of romance authors.

Yet call her simply an author, and you miss the texture of the woman entirely. Verma moves through the world as an instinctive polymath: poet, painter, visual artist, and healthy baker, infusing every discipline with the tactile, intentional elegance that defines her aesthetic. Where traditional romance often settles for fleeting escapism, Verma’s signature is far more ambitious: sweet, achingly sensitive, and charged with an authentic, simmering passion, each narrative anchored by a sharp, socially conscious heartbeat. Today, she sits down to talk about the alchemy of desire, the architecture of a modern blockbuster, and why taking love seriously remains the most radical choice a woman can make.

What was the first story you ever told?

I don't remember the first story I actually wrote down, but I do remember being a child who was constantly making up stories in her head. I think my earliest stories were probably little dramas about people, relationships, and people interacting with each other on different levels. Apparently, I was always a storyteller before I knew I wanted to be a writer.

What is currently on your bedside table?

Yesteryear — the latest sensational book. I’m currently reading it.

Which book do you gift most often?

For a long time, it was The Alchemist. But recently, I’ve found myself gifting my own book, A Tryst with Feisty Princess, more often. It’s a romance, but at its heart, it’s about finding your voice and standing up for yourself. There’s comedy, jealousy, royal drama, twists and turns, and, of course, love — but beneath all the fun, I hope the story leaves readers feeling a little more confident about choosing themselves.

What does a perfect day look like?

A slow morning, good coffee, a few uninterrupted hours to write, meaningful conversations, some time with the people I love, and an evening when I don't have to rush anywhere. And ideally, a little rain.

What is the most beautiful sentence you’ve ever read?

“What is impossible if ‘impossible’ itself says ‘I’m possible’?”

Which city feels most like a novel?

Paris. There is something about its streets, cafés, old buildings, and sheer sense of romance that makes you feel as though you have wandered into the middle of someone's story.

What is your favourite smell?

Freshly brewed coffee and vanilla cake baking in the oven. Absolute heaven! One smells like the beginning of a day; the other smells like coming home (my mum used to bake the best vanilla cake I have ever had). Together, they remind me of the kind of ordinary moments that become our happiest memories.

What makes a house feel like home?

People, laughter, familiar things in familiar places, bright light filtering in through the windows, books lying around, and the freedom to be completely yourself without having to perform for anyone. The house should look and feel lived in.

Which fictional character would be your best friend?

Jo March. She is fiercely herself, ambitious, emotional, imperfect, and unwilling to squeeze herself into a shape the world has chosen for her. I think we'd have a lot to talk about.

What is one thing you never leave home without?

My phone and a hair clip. One contains my entire life; the other keeps my hair from taking over.

What is your idea of luxury?

Time. Time without an alarm, time to read, time to think, time with the people I love. The older I get, the more I realise that uninterrupted time is the most expensive luxury of all. Trust me, 24 hours a day is simply not enough!

Which book cover do you wish belonged to your own work?

My own covers are very special to me — because I paint every one of them. I see the cover as the first emotional encounter between a reader and a story. I try to capture not the plot itself, but its mood: the longing, the romance, the tension, or the possibility of what lies within. For me, painting the cover is almost like writing the first sentence of the book in

another language.

What talent do you wish you had?

To speak every language in the world. I would love to be able to travel anywhere and talk to anyone without needing Google Translate! More than that, though, I think language gives you a window into how people think and see the world.

Which season inspires you most?

Monsoon. There is something about rain that makes the world quieter and the imagination louder.

What is your comfort read?

A beautifully written romance. I don't necessarily need a complicated plot when I'm looking for comfort. Sometimes I just want two people finding their way back to each other.

What is the last thing that made you laugh?

Probably something completely ridiculous my son said. He is genuinely hilarious, and I think some of my best laughter comes from our completely ordinary conversations — especially when he isn't even trying to be funny!

What is your favourite place to think?

My own home, preferably at my desk or on the balcony. I find I think best when nothing is demanding my attention.

What is one habit that changed your life?

Writing things down. Ideas, worries, plans, lessons, questions — putting thoughts on paper has a way of turning chaos into clarity.

Which author would you invite to dinner?

Agatha Christie. She was one of the authors who made me fall in love with reading, so having dinner with her would feel like meeting someone who helped shape the reader — and perhaps eventually the writer — I became. I would love to talk to her about And Then There Were None, especially how she conceived such an intricate story and managed to keep the reader guessing until the very end. I think I'd have a thousand questions.

What would you serve them?

A good Indian dinner, followed by vanilla cake and coffee. I think food should be comforting when you're having a conversation that matters. And if I'm finally getting an evening with Agatha Christie, I'm definitely not letting her leave after just one course!

Which historical figure fascinates you?

Birbal. I'd love to know how much of the legendary wit was actually true. He seems to have had an extraordinary understanding of people — their egos, insecurities, ambitions, and absurdities — and the ability to make a point without taking himself too seriously.

What is your favourite bookstore?

I love bookstores in general, but I have a particular soft spot for the ones with stools or comfortable chairs. I love being able to sit down, open a book I’ve just discovered, and lose myself in it for a while. For me, that’s bookstore heaven.

What is your favourite word in any language?

“Jugaad.” There is something wonderfully Indian about a word that essentially says, there’s a problem, but we’ll figure it out. Honestly, I sometimes think half of India runs on jugaad!

What is something readers would be surprised to learn about you?

That despite being a romance writer and talking about emotions and relationships all the time, I can actually be quite private. Put me with my people, though, and I can talk endlessly! With everyone else, I'm usually observing — conversations, gestures, expressions, the little things people probably don't realise I'm noticing. I store them away somewhere in my head, and sooner or later, they tend to find their way into a story.

What do you collect?

Books, memories, and probably far more screenshots than any sensible person needs.

What is your favourite form of procrastination?

Doing everything except the thing I'm supposed to be doing. When I'm avoiding writing, suddenly the house needs organising, emails need answering, my phone gallery desperately needs cleaning up, my plants start looking sad, cupboards need attention… even things I've ignored for months suddenly become urgent. Apparently, deadlines are excellent at revealing all the things in my life that need fixing — except the manuscript.

What is the most memorable compliment you’ve received?

Someone once told me, even before I'd written a single chapter, that I had a way with words. I never forgot that. But today, the compliment that means the most is when a reader tells me that one of my stories made her feel understood. That's when I know the words have done what I hoped they would.

Which movie have you watched the most?

Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! I must have watched it more than a hundred times. I know the dialogues, the songs, the expressions — and yet if it comes on television, I will still stop and watch. I think what I love is that it makes ordinary family life feel magical. And, of course, there is romance, which means it was never going to stand much of a chance against me.

Salis: What is your guilty pleasure?

Romantic and rom-com movies. I can happily watch two people fall in love for the hundredth time, especially if there’s good chemistry, witty banter, and a happy ending. Apparently, knowing how the story ends does not make it any less enjoyable.

What are you endlessly curious about?

People. Why they love the way they do, why they stay when they should leave, why they leave when they still love, what they hide, what they want, and what finally gives them the courage to choose themselves.

What is the best view you’ve ever seen?

A sunrise seen from a plane window. There was something almost surreal about watching the sky slowly light up above a sea of clouds, with the world still hidden beneath me. It felt like being given a glimpse of the world before everyone else had woken up.

What song instantly transports you somewhere else?

“Woh Bhooli Dastaan Lo Phir Yaad Aa Gayi.” Some songs don't transport you to a place; they transport you to a version of yourself. This one does exactly that for me. It has that bittersweet quality of remembering something you thought you'd forgotten — and realising that perhaps you hadn't forgotten it at all.

What was your favourite childhood book?

Enid Blyton books. She was probably the first author I truly fell in love with. I devoured her books as a child and was completely fascinated by the worlds she created — the adventures, friendships, mysteries, and endless possibilities. She was followed by Agatha Christie and then many other authors, but Blyton showed me how powerful it can be when a writer makes you forget you're sitting in a room and feel as though you're actually living inside the

story.

What is your greatest creative fear?

Becoming repetitive. I never want to tell the same emotional story twice, even if I return to familiar themes. I want every book to reveal something new about people—and about me.

What is your favourite room in your home?

My writing space. It is the one place where I can disappear into my own head for a while.

What is your signature order at a café?

A good café latte — and enough time to finish it slowly.

What is one thing you’re learning right now?

I'm learning to build rather than chase. To focus on creating something meaningful and sustainable instead of constantly measuring myself against someone else's timeline.

What is your favourite museum?

I don't think I have one yet. I've visited some wonderful museums, but I'm still waiting for the one that completely takes my breath away. Perhaps that's a good thing — it means I still have plenty of discovering left to do.

Which country would you love to write in for a month?

Italy. I think I'd love to spend a month in a little Italian town, writing in the mornings, wandering through narrow lanes, sitting at outdoor cafés, people-watching, and letting the atmosphere find its way into my stories. Good food, beautiful surroundings, and nowhere I urgently need to be — that sounds like a very good month to me.

What inspires you outside of books?

Women. Their resilience, contradictions, quiet compromises, rebellions, ambitions, and reinventions. The way they support each other, the way they navigate life, and the many different ways they choose to live it. Real life is full of stories no novelist could invent.

What is your favourite way to spend a rainy afternoon?

At home, with a cup of coffee, a book, music in the background, and absolutely no obligation to go anywhere.

Which fictional world feels most real to you?

An Agatha Christie world. A beautiful country house, a dinner party, a group of interesting people, old secrets, and the uncomfortable feeling that absolutely everyone has something to hide. Thankfully, I'd want to be the person solving the mystery, not the person who gets murdered!

What object would tell your life story best?

My notebooks. My life has always involved writing things down — stories, ideas, plans, questions, dreams.

What do you notice first about people?

Their eyes. I think you can learn a surprising amount about someone before they say very much.

What is your favourite tradition?

The little family traditions that aren't particularly impressive to anyone else — favourite foods, familiar celebrations, repeated jokes, doing the same things every year. Those are the traditions that become memories.

What was your dream job as a child?

A pilot. I loved the idea of flying, travelling the world, and seeing everything from above. I suppose the dream didn't disappear completely — I just found a different way to travel. These days, I take people places through my stories.

What keeps you motivated?

The thought that I still have so much left to create. And the women who tell me that something I've written or taught made them believe they could do something they had been afraid to attempt.

What is your favourite quote?

“It's never too late to be what you might have been.” — George Eliot.

This one has stayed with me for years. Perhaps because I believe it more deeply now than I did when I first encountered it. Life has a way of convincing us that certain doors have closed simply because we didn't walk through them at the expected age. I love the reminder that we are allowed to begin again.

What do you admire most in other writers?

The courage to tell the stories that matter to them. I admire writers who aren't afraid to go into uncomfortable places, explore difficult human experiences, and ask questions that don't have easy answers. For me, that's when storytelling becomes more than entertainment.

What is something you’ve changed your mind about?

I used to think I needed to have life figured out before I made a big change. I don't believe that anymore. Sometimes you understand the next chapter only after you have the courage to begin it.

What is your favourite magazine?

I'm much more of a book person than a magazine person. I tend to reach for a novel when I have some free time — I love disappearing into another world and staying there for a while.

What would your younger self think of your life today?

She'd probably be surprised. And I think she'd be rather proud that I eventually found the courage to choose a creative life instead of simply choosing the safest one.

What is your favourite hotel you’ve stayed in?

A beach resort in Pondicherry, on my first trip there with my son. It had a beautiful pool, lovely gardens, and the beach just beyond them — the kind of place where you could happily spend an entire day doing absolutely nothing. I remember the hotel, but I think what makes it special is the memory attached to it.

What is the most unexpected place you’ve found inspiration?

In conversations. Sometimes one completely ordinary sentence someone says can stay in my head for days and eventually become the beginning of a character, a conflict, or an entire story.

What is your favourite way to travel?

By road, when I have the time; by plane, when I want to get somewhere. I love road trips for the freedom to stop wherever something catches my eye, watch the landscape change, and let the journey become part of the experience. But I have to admit, I love flying too — there's something wonderful about looking out of a plane window and watching the world from above.

What is one luxury item you treasure?

The pieces of jewellery I've picked from my mother's collection over the years simply because I loved them. They're not necessarily the most expensive things I own, but each one has a story and a connection to her, which makes it far more precious to me than its monetary value.

What is your favourite piece of art?

Van Gogh's Almond Blossoms. I love its simplicity and the feeling of hope in it — branches covered in delicate blossoms against that incredible blue sky. It feels like a painting about new beginnings.

Which famous person would you love to interview?

Sushmita Sen. I'd love to sit down with her and talk about independence, ambition, relationships, reinvention, and the courage to choose your own path. She seems to have lived her life on her own terms, and I'd love to know what she's learned along the way.

What is your favourite family recipe?

My mother’s Spicy Pharre and Besan Sabzi. I know the question asks for one recipe, but I genuinely can't choose between these two! They are both incredibly homestyle dishes that taste like comfort and childhood to me. I could probably follow the recipes myself, but somehow they would never taste quite the same as when my mother makes them. Some family recipes carry memories along with the ingredients.

What makes a conversation unforgettable?

When both people stop performing. The best conversations are the ones where you say something you hadn't planned to say and suddenly find yourself talking about something that actually matters. No pretence, no carefully constructed versions of ourselves — just raw honesty.

What is one thing you wish people talked about more?

I wish we talked more about women who want something more from their lives. Not because what they have isn't enough, but because people change, dreams evolve, and sometimes the life that once felt right no longer does. I think women should be allowed to acknowledge that without being made to feel selfish or ungrateful.

What is your favourite holiday?

Diwali. I love the lights, the warmth, the anticipation, the food, and that wonderful feeling of everyone coming together.

What does success mean to you today?

Having the freedom to decide what I do with my time, creating work that matters to me, earning from that work, and knowing that something I've created has made another person's life a little richer.

Which habit are you trying to break?

Overthinking. I can spend far too much time trying to find the perfect decision when sometimes the better answer is simply to make a decision and move on.

What is your favourite thing about growing older?

Perspective. You stop needing everyone to approve of you. You become more comfortable with who you are, and you realise that many things that once seemed enormous simply aren't.

What is the best advice you’ve never forgotten?

“Don’t wait for permission.” It took me a while to understand that I didn't need someone else to tell me I was ready to pursue something I believed in. Sometimes you simply have to take the first step and trust that the confidence will catch up with you along the way.

What is one thing you’re grateful for right now?

The freedom to choose what comes next. I'm grateful that life isn't a finished story. There are still things I want to create, places I want to see, people I want to know better, and stories I want to tell. Having something to look forward to is a gift.

What is a place you return to again and again?

My parents' home. I can go there after days or weeks and somehow slip straight back into being their daughter. There is familiar food, familiar conversations, and a feeling of being completely looked after — no matter how old you are, you never quite outgrow that.

What are you most excited about at the moment?

Building LoveLit Writers Guild and helping aspiring writers move from “I have a story in me” to actually holding a finished book in their hands. Watching someone discover that they are capable of creating something they once thought was impossible is incredibly rewarding.

What would readers find in your pockets or bag today?

My phone, keys, lip balm, probably a notebook and pen — always a pen — a hair clip, and at least three things I've put in there “just in case.” What those three things are changes constantly, but apparently I must be prepared for every possible emergency.

If your life had a soundtrack, what song would be playing right now?

“Tujhse Naraz Nahin Zindagi.” There is something deeply comforting about that song. Life can surprise you, disappoint you, take you somewhere you never expected to go — and yet, somehow, you keep moving forward. I think I'm at a point where I can look back at the unexpected turns with more acceptance and look ahead with curiosity.

What do you hope people remember about your work?

I hope readers remember that my romances were never just about romance. Love is often my way into conversations about things we don't talk about enough — rape and its aftermath, divorce, second chances, widow remarriage, child marriage, and the expectations society places on women. I don't want to preach; I want to tell a story that makes you turn the pages, breaks your heart a little, and perhaps makes you see someone else's reality differently. If my books can entertain a reader and leave her thinking, “I had never looked at it that way before,” then I have done what I set out to do.

What is one question you wish someone would ask you?

“What question haven't you asked me yet?”