Interview with K.A. Riley, Author of Seeker’s World Boxed Set

What can you tell us about your new release, Seeker’s World Boxed Set?

It’s the compilation of the first three books in Seeker’s World, which is a Fantasy series about a seventeen-year-old girl who’s living a pretty typical teenager’s life when strange, inexplicable things begin to happen to her. She meets a mysterious, extremely handsome boy, finds herself able to move between our world and one that’s far more magical, and in the process discovers that she’s gifted with powers she never knew she had.

As a reader, I love boxed sets, because they offer you the chance to sink your teeth into a massive number of pages and just escape…and I think we could all use a little escape these days, so I’m really excited to make this one available.

What or who inspired you to become an author?

I was a massive reader as a kid. I used to read long after my parents thought I was asleep, using the crack of light coming through my door to see the pages. I loved C. S. Lewis, Susan Cooper, Tolkien, and as I grew up, I discovered Philip Pullman, whose imagination is just staggering. When I read, I want to be transported, and as a result of that, I began to conjure stories in my mind at quite a young age. I wrote them down then, but didn’t become serious about writing until much later. Now, I can’t seem to stop.

What’s on your top 5 list for the best books you’ve ever read?

This one is so tricky! There are so many great books out there. I’ll say: Life of Pi, To Kill a Mockingbird, Fall on Your Knees, the Lord of the Rings trilogy (I know, I know, it’s 3 books), and Philip Pullman’s The Golden Compass.

Say you’re the host of a literary talk show. Who would be your first guest? What would you want to ask?

Jane Austen would be my first guest, assuming I could invite deceased authors. I’d love to ask her how difficult it was to be a female author in a time when it was such a massive uphill climb, and if she thinks society’s norms have shifted much since her lifetime.

What’s your favorite thing about writing?

I think my favourite thing is the fact that my characters surprise me constantly. I’ll be writing a scene, convinced that I know where it’s going, and then one of them will throw me a curveball and do something completely unexpected. I love the adventure of writing.

What is a typical day like for you?

I get up, make coffee, take the dog for a hike in the woods while my brain wakes up, then come back and work for a few hours. I have a focus app to remind me not to look at social media for long stretches, as I can be a news junkie. I’m usually done working by 5 p.m., when my brain shuts itself down and goes into relaxation mode.

What scene from Seeker’s World Boxed Set was your favorite to write?

I don’t want to give anything away, but probably the scene where Vega first discovers the Otherwhere. When I was younger, I always loved the idea of being transported to a magical world. Narnia, Middle-Earth, etc. So that moment of bliss when a character first realizes a secret place is something I really enjoy.

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

“Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.”

K.A. Riley is the author of the new book Seeker’s World Boxed Set.

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