The Replacement

Author's note

This is my first full-length novel. I've written a lot of short stories before, but never knew if I had the patience for a full-length novel. Apparently, I do! Yaaay for me!

I had sketched the entire story and broken them into chapters and then wrote synopsis on them before I started writing, so it became easier to write them as individual chapters. Hopefully, that helped with avoiding plot holes and continuity errors. If you see any, please point them out to me.

I've said this before, and will repeat it here. I personally do not have the patience to wait for follow-up chapters, weeks or even months later. When a story catches my interest, and then its not completed yet, I get very antsy. And forget the plotline when updates take months to come in. So I have made a decision that I will only post complete storylines - one-shots, short stories, novels - whatever the format may be. No cliffhangers for my readers. Hence the delays in posting new material, since I was working on a longer-length story.

It also helps with continuity and loopholes when I can go back and edit names, timelines, etc. I try to avoid all my pet peeves. Do unto others and all that....

This is a full-length novel, 40 chapters, ~100k words. And to say I breathed a sigh of relief is putting it mildly. Its a 5 month effort, so I hope you like it. And don't say you have not been warned.

Now about the story - This one is based on characters from the romantic Indian TV drama, Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon? (What shall I name this love?). However, it has nothing to do with the show's story, I've just used the names of the characters - one, because I like the show, and two, because now the fans have an image in their heads. The romance is already inbuilt into the names and the characters, and makes my job a lot easier to sell the couple, since people already ship them. If you have not seen the show, it shouldn't matter, the story is independent of the show anyways.

Here's a brief synopsis of the storyline - Arnavand Lavanya are engaged to be married, but when Lavanya elopes, all hell breaksloose, and Khushi, her best friend, has to pay the price. Khushi is harboring asecret from the Raizadas, and when she enters the Raizada household, shestruggles with her conscience, since she really likes the family. Arnav wants to find out Khushi's secrets, while trying to keep his distance from her.A light-hearted, sweet tale about the journey two strangers take to get totheir very own romantic end.

Do send me your comments and observations, and any criticisms you might have. And vote and share if you like it.

I appreciate your time and feedback.

Happy reading!

---mssai7.

September 2021