Anuja Varghese

Anuja Varghese (she/her) is an award-winning writer of literary fiction, fantasy, and erotica/romance – and combinations of all three – where women of color get leading roles!

Her debut novel A KISS OF CRIMSON ASH is the first book in a lush new romantasy trilogy inspired by medieval India, following a naïve young queen, a heartsick prince, a streetwise thief, and a courtesan with magic in her blood who join forces with an ancient goddess to challenge the empire’s most powerful men. Pitched as Dungeons & Dragons x Bollywood’s most epic love stories, AKOCA is forthcoming in early 2026 with Penguin Random House Canada, Orbit US, and Orbit UK.

Anuja’s short story collection titled CHRYSALIS (House of Anansi, 2023), explores South Asian diaspora

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