Recreational Reading for Adults: From Day Job to Dream Worlds with Canadian Author Nisha J. Tuli

This edition of Hooked on Books takes a special turn, and it's one we’re especially excited to share. While this series typically focuses on children’s literature, helping parents and teachers discover stories to inspire young readers, today’s post is just for the grown-ups. Canadian author Nisha J. Tuli, who comes from the Canadian prairies, is best known for her romantic fantasy novels, and her work has quickly captured the attention of adult readers across the country and beyond. Set against richly imagined worlds with strong heroines and sweeping plots, her books offer the perfect literary escape,especially during summer and winter breaks from school, when many parents and educators finally have time to read for pleasure.  In this vlog-style interview, Teachers on Call President and CEO Joanne Sallay sits down with Nisha to talk about her journey, creative process, and what’s next.

This interview marks another first for Hooked on Books: it's a vlog edition, allowing our audience to experience the conversation in a different way. Our in-person and online tutoring team at Teachers on Call loves to celebrate authors and storytelling in all forms, and this conversation is no exception. In it, Nisha shares how she transitioned from a successful career in marketing and tourism to becoming a best-selling author — a journey that’s as inspiring as the stories she writes. For anyone looking for their next great read, or simply curious about how stories evolve from idea to publication, this conversation offers a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of a rising voice in Canadian fiction.

About the Author: Nisha J. Tuli

Nisha J. Tuli is an internationally bestselling author of romantic fantasy and rom-coms, best known for Trial of the Sun Queen, a BookTok sensation. Her upcoming titles include the 2025 contemporary romance Not Safe for Work and a YA dystopian romance set in post-apocalyptic Manhattan, coming in 2026. Based in Manitoba, Nisha lives with her husband, two children, and their fluffy Samoyed, and spends her time reading, working out, and braving Canadian winters in Manitoba - often with a hand-knit scarf. Fun fact - actress Katherine Heigl gave her stamp of approval on Tuli’s Artefacts of Ouranos romantasy series.

From Working in Marketing to Becoming a BookTok Sensation: How Canadian Author Nisha J. Tuli Built a Fantastical Literary Empire

Nisha J. Tuli is a debut and bestselling author from the Canadian prairies whose books have quickly captured the attention of readers around the world. In this vlog-style interview, Teachers on Call President and CEO Joanne Sallay sits down with Nisha to talk about her journey from working in marketing and tourism to writing novels that offer the ultimate escape. Keep reading for the inside scoop on how Nisha transitioned across multiple careers to become a bestselling author, what is next in her writing journey.

Want to watch the full interview? Watch it here.

Can you tell our community about how you turned a career in marketing and tourism into this incredible franchise of romantic fantasy?

Well, the pandemic was sort of where everything started in the summer of 2020. I was working for Travel Manitoba at the time, managing their marketing team and working from home, just like so many people were. And I don’t know — it suddenly opened up time I hadn’t had in a really long time. My kids were home, my husband wasn’t traveling, and I was reading a lot.

And I just thought, "You’ve always wanted to do this. You’re not getting any younger. Maybe you should try writing that book you've always wanted to write." So I sat down that summer and wrote Heart of Night and Fire, which was the very first book I ever wrote. Originally I thought it would be a YA fantasy romance.

I started learning how to publish — I had no idea. I began querying agents. Meanwhile, they say: write the next book. So I did. I wrote Not Safe for Work, which was a different genre, adult romcom (Romantic Comedy).

That’s also when I discovered indie publishing and how well “romantasy” was doing in that space. I published a novella first, then Trial of the Sun Queen in late 2022. That book did well — it blew up on TikTok — and publishers started coming to me. It was a total reversal. By April 2023, the second book was coming out, and things had totally changed. I eventually got a new agent, and the rest is history.

That's amazing! And given your background in marketing and tourism, I see so many parallels — your books are the ultimate escapism. Like a vacation in themselves.

Yeah! And having a marketing background really helps. I already knew social media and email marketing. I think a lot of authors don’t realize that writing the book is almost the easy part. The hard part is getting people to read it — getting the word out, marketing, building a platform.

At Teachers on Call, we’re a national tutoring company with certified teachers. So I’m going to throw some academic questions at you. First: as a student, what were your favorite subjects?

Good question! I always loved reading — so, language arts is what we called it back in the day. It wasn’t called “English” until high school. But fun fact — I actually have an engineering degree.

Wow! So you're strong in math and science too?

Yeah. I’m the immigrant daughter of a South Asian dad and a European mom — the expectation was to do well in every subject.

And actually, Not Safe for Work is based a bit on my own experience as a woman of colour in engineering. Some of the things that happen in that book — the misogyny in male-dominated workplaces — are things I actually experienced.

I've read the first three from the Artefacts of Ouranos series, and they’re so creative.I kept wondering what was going through your mind when you wrote it! What were you reading at the time?

A lot of what others in the genre read! The Plated Prisoner series by Raven Kennedy is so good. Kiss the Fae by Natalia Jaster — one of the first indie romantasy books I read. Also Karen Marie Moning — more urban romantasy with Fae elements. I read a lot.

I was thrilled to discover you’re Canadian — from Winnipeg, Manitoba! I didn’t notice obvious Manitoba references in your fantasy series, but is there any Canadian inspiration in there?

Yes — the aurora, the northern lights! Manitoba has amazing northern lights. I’ve been to Churchill several times through work, and that was definitely an inspiration for the Aurora Prince.

Actually, my second romcom, coming out next year, is set in Manitoba — in Churchill — at a polar bear lodge. 

For readers who may be less familiar with Churchill, it is a northern Manitoba community on the western shore of Hudson Bay, roughly 140 kilometres from the Manitoba–Nunavut border, and best known for its polar bears and distinctive landscape, earning it the nickname “Polar Bear Capital of the World” and supporting a growing tourism industry. Manitoba’s provincial capital, Winnipeg, is located approximately 1,000 kilometres to the south.

What’s it called?

No official title yet. But he’s the grumpy lodge owner, and she’s a photographer who needs the perfect shot. They get snowed in. Lots of tension. All the good stuff.

According to my homework, there’s a young adult (YA) novel coming in 2026?

Yes — that’ll be the other 2026 release. It’s part of a young adult (YA) dystopian romance duology. The first comes out in May 2026 — for older YA (16+). The characters are around 18 or 19.

It’s with an imprint that distinguishes 16-and-under from 16-and-over, which I think is smart — because a 12-year-old and an 18-year-old don’t read the same things.

Would that be set in Manhattan?

A futuristic version — New Manhattan, set in the year 3500. Very dystopian.

So YA will be set in New Manhattan, and the adult book will be in Manitoba. You're covering the map! As a fellow Canadian, I love seeing that representation. Honestly, I can’t think of many books set in Manitoba

I’m pretty sure it’s the first ever romance set there! That’s kind of fun. And I feel like Canada is hot right now. Carly Fortune has definitely helped that — made Canada popular in fiction.

For readers interested in learning more about Canadian author Carley Fortune, here is some background on her early life. She spent her early years between the suburbs of Sydney, Australia, and Barry’s Bay, a small lakeside community in rural Ontario located about two hours west of Ottawa on the shores of Kamaniskeg Lake. Home to just over 1,000 residents according to the 2021 census, Barry’s Bay serves as the setting for both “Every Summer After” and “One Golden Summer,” with a strong sense of place and connection to nature woven throughout her storytelling. Carley now lives in Toronto and is currently working on her sixth book.

If we were to start a family book club, what would you recommend for the kids, to pair with your adult titles?

My 10-year-old loves Diary of a Wimpy Kid. He’s obsessed — reads them over and over and loves explaining the plot to me.

My 13-year-old is into the popular YA series. She’s reading the Powerless series right now, which is great. I’d also recommend Legendborn — such a good young adult series.

Your fantasy series feels like it belongs on Netflix or a streaming platform. Any chance of screen adaptations?

Not yet. But maybe someday! That’s the dream, right? Fantasy is tricky though — it’s very high-budget compared to some genres.

So what’s next for Nisha J. Tuli? You’ve given us a sneak peek of two books — anything else we should be watching for?

Yes! So the two books for 2026 — the romcom and the YA — and then two more romcoms coming in 2026 and 2027.

Plus, I just accepted an offer for a new adult romantasy trilogy — the first book will be in 2027. It’s second-chance romance, faded mates, betrayal, longing — all the angst. I love it.

One last question! What are you watching on TV? Fantasy shows, maybe?

Honestly, I don’t watch much TV these days, I’m just so busy! But yes, I love Game of Thrones, The Witcher, Wheel of Time — I read those books too. Anything fantasy or dystopian, I’m in.

~

Whether you’re a longtime fan of Nisha J. Tuli or discovering her books for the first time, her story is a testament to the power of reinvention, creativity, and following your passion — even if it means starting over in a whole new chapter. From romantic fantasy to contemporary rom-coms and upcoming YA adventures, Nisha’s growing body of work offers something for every kind of reader. 


At Teachers on Call, we love celebrating Canadian authors who inspire us both on and off the page. We hope this special vlog edition of Hooked on Books adds something magical to your own reading list. Readers interested in more interviews with Canadian authors writing for grown-ups may also enjoy our past feature, Hooked on Books with Lily Chu, Toronto’s very own Sophie Kinsella. That interview was published prior to the passing of the beloved English author Sophie Kinsella, whose fun and engaging romantic comedies inspired the comparison. At Teachers on Call, we mourn the loss of Sophie Kinsella and celebrate the joy her storytelling brought to readers around the world.


May this interview inspire the adults in our community to carve out time for recreational reading, especially during stretches of downtime like summer and winter holidays, school breaks, and weekends, and to model a love of reading by curling up with a great book while encouraging your kids to do the same.