Tasha Suri
Writing Coach
Tasha Suri is the award-winning author of The Books of Ambha duology (Empire of Sand and Realm of Ash) and the epic fantasy The Jasmine Throne. Empire of Sand was rated by TIME magazine as one of the best fantasy novels of all time.
Tasha Suri is the award-winning author of The Books of Ambha duology (Empire of Sand and Realm of Ash) and the epic fantasy The Jasmine Throne. She won the Best Newcomer Award from the British Fantasy Society (2019).
Tasha is the winner of the World Fantasy Awards 2022 for the best novel with The Jasmine Throne.
When TIME asked leading fantasy authors such as George RR Martin, Neil Gaiman, Tomi Adeyemi, NK Jemisin and Sabaa Tahir to compile a list of the 100 most fascinating fantasy books of all time, dating back to the 9th century, they chose Tasha Suriâs Empire of Sand for their list.
Tashaâs genre is epic fantasy set in a secondary universe where big, world-changing events take place.
Tasha creates her magical worlds from the physical reminders of Indiaâs past. Her books also have a large element of romance. She likes to focus on the lives of women: their experiences, the relationships they build, and the people they fall in love with. Her beautifully written and absorbing debut, Empire of Sand, won rave reviews from fellow fantasy authors such as S.A. Chakraborty and R.F. Kuang, and its Mughal India-inspired setting gratified fans hungry for non-Eurocentric fantasy. The Jasmine Throne (2021) begins the powerful Burning Kingdoms trilogy, in which two womenâa long-imprisoned princess and a maidservant in possession of forbidden magicâcome together to rewrite the fate of an empire.
Tasha studied English and Creative Writing at Warwick University. When she isnât writing, Tasha likes to indulge her passion for reading about South Asian history. She is an occasional librarian and cat owner, and lives with her family in a mildly haunted house in London. If youâre writing a big, bold magical story or a series, youâll find Tasha an amazing tutor.
I love how escapist fantasy fiction is, and also how it gives us ways to explore real world concerns about power, choice, love, good and evil â through a new lens.