Graham began writing with children’s books for his own kids. He’d experimented with novels in his late teens but discarded the efforts. Fantasy is the genre he has always read himself, and though his tastes are eclectic, this is the genre he always returns to. The Riven Wyrde Saga is a fantasy series which begins with “Fae – The Wild Hunt”. Book two in the series was released in December 2014 with the final book expected in 2015.

Fairies… The Fae… The stuff of bedtime stories and nursery rhymes. But sometimes the fairy tales are true. Sometimes they hold a warning… For a hundred generations the Fae have been locked away from the world, in the cold, the Outside. They have faded out of sight and mind into myth and folklore, but now the barriers are weakening and they push against the tattered remnants of the wyrde as they seek a way to return. As a new religion spreads across the world, sweeping the old ways and beliefs away before it, a warlike people look across the frozen ocean towards the shores of Anlan, hungry for new lands. War is coming, even as the wyrde of the Droos is fading. Only by realising the truth lost in a child’s tale will the world hope to withstand the wild hunt.

Me: Ok before we start talking about the books can you tell me which authors, if any, have influenced you?

Graham: I think we’re all influenced by every book we read. If you’re asking for my favourite authors I’d say Patrick Rothfuss, Mark Lawrence, Hugh Cook among others… I think I probably take the most inspiration from Lawrence, his writing is simply beautiful.

Me: Mark Lawrence . I will have to take a look but at first sight I won’t say it. So let’s see the first book of the wyrde saga starts with the story of Miriam and Devin, you said her story is a glass of cold water in the face, it is indeed, but you depicted it… perfectly, and the solidarity between women. Where did the story come from? it is not something we are used to see in a fantasy book.

Graham: Miriam started out as a means to an end to be honest. The story of her and Caerl was inspired by real life events to a certain extent but once I started it just flowed. A lot of my writing is like that, I don’t really plan, I just see where things take me. Me: Characters… once you write a line they came alive. I know the feeling. Míriam and Devin escape, but the price they pay is very high. Oh but no spoilers, then we change sides in a forthcoming war, and we find the stronger character in the book Ylsriss , I can’t help but see a bit of Vim in her from the mistborn saga, anyway, what i like more is they are strong without superpowers, just they will, so it’s difficult to break what is supposed to be, I mean, for example in mark lawrence books women aren’t there and seems strange in a society that only lady Katherina has a little place in the story, that doesn’t happens in your books Graham: It’s interesting you say that because I can’t see Vim in Ylsriss. Vim was broken, beaten down. She was steel made stronger by relentless pounding in the forge. Ylsriss was never broken, she’d certainly had a hard life but she lived by her own choices even before meeting Kloss.. Me: She needed help, which maybe is what kloss needed, role reversal? Graham: Kloss was naive… she showed him the world beyond the protective little bubble he lived in. Me: And the strength of Tiffany Achings, Lords and ladies, I think this vision of fae, is the most forgotten but traditional one when children had to run from the dark in the night. What I wanted to say is later in the second book fae and a religious cult works together… tell me about religion in your books: Warning spoiler coming… Graham: Ahh now you see we’re going into the range of a serious spoiler here. I’m okay with putting it in the interview but you’ll have to mark this section up as having a major spoiler in it Okay so religion. Early on in book one the reader is introduced to a new religion, that of the Lord of New Days. The religion most focuses upon pushing away the old superstitions and pagan beliefs of the past, prior to this religion then beliefs were much more primal, the Lord of Midwinter is a good example of this. People in Anlan prayed to gods that affected them directly. Winter is long and hard and so by Midwinter they are praying for it to end.The New Days religion is much messianic… the promise of a greater future. It is a lie, as it turns out there is a MUCH darker side to the religion but then you’d have to read the books to see that part. Me: so it’s not a reflection of our society?Here in spain we had the same issues with some crossed religion. And there is no way of prove it… Graham: Not at all. I’ve had this a few times, people thinking the new religion is based upon Christianity. It isn’t in any fashion. Book two gives some pretty heavy hints about the religion. The final book makes everything clear. Me: So what can we expect ? I’m waiting to see the end Graham: To be honest there is a lot to tie up. You can expect to see a resolution to the Bjornman invasion. More information about the Wyrde and just what it was. There is a lot more about the fae themselves in the final book as well. In terms of characters well not everyone is going to get a happy ending. Me: George R.R. Martin syndrome I see Graham: Not really. Despite the fact my books are fantasy I do try to make them as true to life as I can. Life doesn’t always have a happy ending for everyone. You can follow him: http://www.grahamaustin-king.com/the-riven-wyrde-saga.html On facebook: https://www.facebook.com/graham.austin.507?fref=ts On Twitter: https://twitter.com/GrayAustine