The Assays of Ata received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with author K. I. S.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
The Assays of Ata was published on 1 March, 2024.
What’s the book’s first line?
“The fire in the oven jumped and danced wildly in tandem with the howling winds outside, the head cook swearing and sweating as he tried to save the baking delicacies from the consequences of the gales – whether by being burnt or sprinkled with ash swirling around within the massive hearth.”
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
My debut novel is The Assays of Ata, the first of a trilogy. It’s an epic fantasy with strong sociopolitical elements driving the plot, as well as containing elements such as multiple POV, complex, relatable characters, and a more contemporary language style. In it, the strong-willed female protagonist, Ata, is faced with the life-altering events of an invasion by beastly creatures and is put through tests of her physical endurance and moral fortitude. There’s a romantic subplot as well, with royal intrigues, violent battle scenes, and a prophecy that results in some difficult choices.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
No one thing in particular inspired me to write Assays, really – more a series of smaller domino events. Essentially, this book was a procrastination project to avoid working on the last chapters of my dissertation, and even though I hadn’t planned on publishing at all, I’d let my sisters read a few chapters. They in turn encouraged me to self-publish. So here we are – my sisters were as much the architects of Assays as I was.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
Fantasy is so many different things, simultaneously, and you can find any and every subgenre thereof to suit your tastes. My taste, it so happens, runs toward evocative and emotionally immersive fantasy with believable sociopolitical world-building and plotlines – hence, I wrote a book that falls within that particular framework. The main reason someone should read my book, therefore, would be to lose themselves in a realistic alternate world with relatable characters and an exciting plot that is balanced out with deeply meaningful themes. To my mind, nothing beats discovering a well-crafted fantasy, and I like to think that is what I have managed to write.
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
I knew I a) wanted a female lead (mostly because I feel more comfortable writing her complexities as a woman myself), and b) assumed she would be as strong as she needs to be to survive what she does and to achieve what she must in the book. I wanted her to be more than physically strong or emotionally resilient, though, and the Kirkus review of Assays describes Ata as “resourceful”, which is spot-on what I was aiming for. Strength, resilience, and even beauty, are laudable traits for a protagonist, but resourcefulness is an underrated and undervalued aspect of most women’s personalities, so I very much wanted to highlight that in Ata’s character as ‘every woman’.
When did you first decide to become an author?
Since I was able to read and never, at the same time. I still find it difficult to think of myself as such. I’ve always been an avid reader and wrote juvenile stories throughout my childhood, but shelved any dreams of authorship in my early twenties due to the realisation that my originality left much to be desired. I’m still adjusting to the idea that I am an author – the imposter syndrome is strong, I’m afraid.
Is this the first book you’ve written?
Yes.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
I’m an English teacher, but currently on a sabbatical till I’ve completed my masters.
How much time do you generally spend on your writing?
It’s ebb and flow, really, but I’m a night owl author – my bed is where I will be typing away to the wee hours. Although, unfortunately, I have a bit of what they call an ‘artist’s temperament’ and can become completely immersed in a project to the point of distraction from all else… Then, at other times, I lack the motivation to even start. I am thus very much a “when inspiration strikes” kind of author.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
The best? Being the captain of my own ship (or rowboat, in this case). I like being the one who decides how and why I write, and control over my creative endeavours is fundamentally important to me. The hardest? Learning how the self-publishing world works and adapting to the shifting sands of technology in this brave new world of self-promotion. The latter is my Achilles’ heel, because I’m not particularly keen on drawing personal attention online.
What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with fellow indie authors?
PLAN! Everything. Don’t focus all your mental acuity on crafting your book and then bungle the publication and promotion stage… It’s very hard to have committed yourself so thoroughly to your ink and paper offspring, only to have it orphaned on the metaphorical shelves of booksellers’ platforms.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
At this point, no. My family says my main personality flaw is extreme independence of purpose. And stubbornness (so, two big flaws amongst many lesser evils). Though I’m grateful for guidance, valuing my individual creative process (even if imperfect) means sticking to my stumbling, self-guided path for now rather than the meticulously curated and directed experience I’d potentially have with a traditional publisher. This might change in the future, however, at present I’m enjoying the indie experience.
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
Writing well, and being able to share my work with readers to enhance their reading experience. If my following remains limited to my two sisters and my mom, then it’s still worth it if the books I write are worthy of being read.
Which writer, living or dead, do you most admire?
Maybe a pat answer, but sorry: too many to choose from, and so I won’t.
Which book do you wish you could have written?
Again, perhaps I’m being prosaically cynical, but if I had written any of my favourite books then they wouldn’t be the masterpieces they are – they would be different books altogether.