Hello! I’m Kai Zeal (she/her). I’m a phd student, cat mom, wife, gamer, and author whose near two decade hyperfocus on a writing project has resulted in the Riyati series.
When I’m not writing or doing homework, I can often be found on social media, poking my cats’ bellies, or playing a game.
Author Links:
Bsky: @kaizeal.aquakatpublishing.com
X [Twitter]: @kai_zeal
IG: @kai_zeal
Threads: @kai_zeal
Author website: kai-zeal.com
Series website: riyati.ink
We’re spotlighting your Riyati series: introduce us to your books and tell us where the core idea came from!
Riyati is a new adult/adult contemporary, low, dark fantasy series focusing around the reincarnations of a fallen kingdom’s royalty, and how even from thousands of years later, generational legacies and traumas still follow them.
The core idea came from “how could two people fall in love over and over? what makes it so that in a different situation, with different circumstances and environments, they’d not only meet, but pick each other again and again?”
That said, Riyati isn’t a romance— I promise no HEAs! Rather, Riyati is focused on Kylie and Jordan growing up, living their lives, and how the past never completely goes away, even thousands of years later. The history of their original incarnations affects both the allies and enemies that they encounter in the present day.
What drew you to the concept of reincarnation, and what reincarnation-themed media (fiction or non-fiction) would you recommend?
The first ideas with reincarnation from this series actually came from engaging with Xenogears and how it handles reincarnation; particularly, what made these two characters fall for each other over and over?
What happens when someone dies over and over and never have the chance grow up beyond their early 20’s?
What happens if someone remembers them from a past life?
Do any of those memories from their past lives remain, even if only at a subconscious level? And if there were subconscious memories, how would that affect someone’s judgment?
These are the types of themes and questions I had when wanting to examine reincarnation, and ones that get explored throughout Riyati. For media involving reincarnation, I already mentioned Xenogears, of course. I was also heavily influenced by Xenoblade Chronicles 3, particularly when it comes to legacies and what it means to pass them generation to generation. And to stick with my game themed recommendations so far, both Nier and Nier Automata are great, of course.
Tell us about your MC, Kylie Rae. How does she develop through the series, and what was your favourite part of writing her?
One of the most disorienting (yet fun) parts of writing Riyati Rebirth was the difference between Siani and Kylie (along Jordan and Rotanu): Kylie starts very sheltered and well adjusted; her biggest problems are very minor in the grand scheme of things— appeasing her mother, hanging out with friends, being annoyed at people thinking she and Jordan are dating.
Siani’s immediately shown to be far more pragmatic, lethal, and manipulative; she’s willing to kill to get what she wants and shows little remorse doing so. Kylie’s future is Siani’s past, so one of the first questions the series asks is “What happens to where Kylie becomes Siani?”
We’re told very early in where Kylie is headed, it’s just a question of how she gets there— how she goes from a sheltered honors student in a small town to a woman that doesn’t flinch at killing or being kidnapped and tortured.
Found Family is a theme that comes through the series quite prominently – what drew you to this theme and why is it so important to the series and to you as an author?
I’ll definitely say up front that found family is a trope I love, and I think it comes down to what that trope means, especially if you’re from a less supportive household: it’s a choice of who you decide to associate with, open yourself up to.
Often, individuals in toxic situations have choice constantly taken from them, so it’s very powerful for that person to make a choice of what — who — they want to be defined with.
Choice (and agency) is another major theme in Riyati, from the first chapter of Kylie choosing to begin using magic.
Kylie, who has grown up with a relatively healthy social support system, befriends others fairly easily and typically makes decisions quickly. Comparatively, Jordan — who is from a significantly less supportive and stable household — doesn’t believe in his ability to have any affect in his life; he has no choices to make, in his mind. Therefore, when Jordan makes a choice — in who he associates with, in who he relies on for support —, it has a very different impact and definition of “family” than it does for Kylie.
How do you use the incarnations and future self of the MC throughout the series to tell different stories, and to show different aspects of your fantasy world?
In general, the series covers the current, modern day incarnations, in a relatively chronological order (there’s a bit of fun with Siani and Rotanu and how that places book wise).
The setting is overall pretty grounded in modern day southern US, with only some flashbacks and discussion about the fictional magical country of Riyati. That said, there is a novella prequel, Riyati Origins, following Kisate and Takite’s final days and how the reincarnation spell came to be— it’s free as a newsletter signup, and can be read anywhere in the series so if you’re interested, be sure to check it out!
For the remaining two incarnation cycles, I don’t have anything yet, but I’m not opposed to exploring their incarnations further in the future. For now though, outside of Riyati Origins, most of the previous incarnations are explored through echoes that affect Kylie and Jordan’s lives, whether its similar events or people they’d known in past lives.
Can you share some of your favourite reader comments and reviews with us?
There’s a certain scene in Riyati Rivals where when writing it, I was like “oh no, don’t do it!” For those that have read Riyati Rivals, you likely know exactly where I’m talking about as well. But feedback on that particular scene was both great and hilarious because I’ve heard others react the exact same with “don’t do it!” and it really validated that I’d landed that moment.
The other major moment that comes to mind was one of the first reviews I got for Riyati Rebirth. It was the first time that I felt like I had found “my audience”; Riyati as a series is fairly niche, so it was an incredibly special feeling, and something I’m still very proud of.
I’d love to write this series as my job, but in some ways even more so, I really want to share the story with others that resonate with it so when I see others review or comment in the ways that it resonates with them, it really touches my heart and encourages me to continue the series further.
Check out Vy Starlit’s spotlight and her book Don’t Destroy the World for more reincarnation-based dark fantasy!
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