Author Interview: Kyrie Wang, The Thief’s Keeper

Don’t you love getting book recommendations from your favorite authors? The Thief’s Keeper by Kyrie Wang was one such recommendation for me!

I received the book for free from her newsletter, and I admit, I don’t always read through freebies the fastest since my TBR pile resembles the Tower of Pisa, but when I read through her first email, I just had to dive right in. I devoured the book (repeatedly telling myself I needed to go to bed, but I kept reading anyway). So now I would like to share that joy with you by introducing you to author Kyrie Wang in this interview!

About Kyrie Wang

Hailing from the unpredictable snowstorms of Quebec, Canada, she is a medical mystery detective (fancy words for “pathologist, MD”) by day and a dreamweaver of historical fantasy by night. Pencil on paper makes her cry and laugh, and every book she writes is living another life!

She has a PASSION for crafting stories that explore the humanity common to us all. Where people find their authentic selves, goodness prevails, and the forgotten and voiceless rise as heroes.

Somewhere between sleuthing with her microscope and crafting hamster toys with her girl, she sits down and types. You’d never catch her without (quality dark) chocolate in her bag, and she would bike in Canadian January to a froyo store. 

Just ask her best friend of 11 years- she was the cashier!

The Thief’s Keeper

Bound by fate, forged in friendship. Together, two orphans will defy destiny or fall trying.

1070 A.D., four years after the Norman Conquest.

In the aftermath of a rebellion against William the Conqueror, northern England lies in ruins, its people scattered and starved.

Aelfric, a 14-year-old thrall, flees from his master and breaks into a cache of stolen laundry. The thief? Aliwyn, a girl his age ostracized for being “cursed.”

Forced to cover each other’s secrets, Aelfric and Aliwyn form an unlikely friendship…and perhaps something more. They embark on a treacherous journey to Beverly Minster, where Aliwyn believes she’ll find the cure for her mysterious condition.

But time is running out. Aelfric’s master is on the hunt, and the shadows of death loom ever closer for Aliwyn. Will they find the courage to press on and defy fate, or will their journey end in capture and ruin?

Immerse yourself in a fast-paced tale of unexpected encounters and heart-stopping challenges. The Thief’s Keeper is a thrilling young adult novel that transports you to a world of adventure, where friendship and resilience shine in the face of all odds.

Review

I typically read two genres of books: full-on fantasy to escape real life, and non-fiction to improve my real life. While The Thief’s Keeper definitely falls in the first category, I realized pretty far in that the story had hooked me without any big, flashy fantasy elements. The characters—their relatable motives and hurts, their conflict with each other, the vivid setting—all captured me without the need for fancy magic systems or mythical creatures. The book reads more like a historical fiction novel in that sense, although it is technically alternative history (more on that later).

This clean young adult fantasy follows an escaped thrall (slave), Aelfric, evading his captor and a sick girl, Aeliwyn, trying to reunite a toddler with his parents—and hoping to find a new family as well—in England under the turbulent rule of the Norman invaders. Forced together by circumstance, the two must juggle their conflicting goals and their growing friendship while evading danger at every turn—from both the ruthless authorities chasing Aelfric and the ticking time bomb of Aeliwyn’s cursed illness.

The characters endeared themselves to me very quickly. The author did a great job of helping me understand and sympathize with their motives and convictions, even when it put them in conflict with each other. The stakes and constant danger kept me turning pages even when I should have gone to sleep. The world immersed me with its rich details that had a uniquely different flavor from a lot of the typical fantasy I read. All in all, it captured my heart as well as my attention, and I’m looking forward to seeing these characters again as the series progresses.

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Interview with Kyrie Wang

So what is the heart behind this heartwarming story? What exactly is the alternative history genre? Read on as Kyrie Wang explains inspiration!

1.) What do you love about The Thief’s Keeper that made you want to share this book with the world?

The whole story of The Thief’s Keeper sprang to life following the death of two of my friends, whose funerals were the same weekend. I grappled with existential questions and struggled with my faith in God. Writing the story was immensely therapeutic as I pitted my characters against incredible odds and watched them grow and triumph despite it all. Alwiyn’s happy ending also felt like I rewrote the ending for my friends. But not only was the story therapeutic to write, I also loved the character arcs for both my protagonists and the messages they convey to the world.

I wanted to present The Thief’s Keeper as a fast-paced and entertaining story, but most of all, as a comfort to anyone who may be downtrodden at the moment. I am so grateful that this is the excerpt most-quoted by my readers:

“The longer we live, the more sorrows we’ll face, but also the more blessings we’ll have. How you experience life depends on which you focus on.”  ~Sir Marcotte from The Thief’s Keeper

2.) What inspired the story as a whole or elements within it?

My story is set in an alternative medieval world where the last Vikings, Celts, Anglo-Saxons and Normans all lived in close proximity during the reign of William and Conqueror. I read that William abolished the selling of slaves (“thralls”) to non-Christians during his reign. Within a generation, slavery had vanished in England (although sadly, not forever). It was a stunning fact I never knew about 11th century England. I began to think about how simple peasants probably ran an underground movement to help slaves escape well before the official decree.

Then the idea of a runaway thrall accidently breaking into a thief’s cache was born. Aelfric was the thrall, and Aliwyn was the gravely ill thief who also adopted a lost toddler. Would Aelfric escape England or stay and help Aliwyn and the toddler? The idea would not let me go!

3.) What is the alternative history subgenre and what do you like about it?

Alternative history novels are like a game of ‘what-if’. They add a thrilling twist to our most memorable historical moments. Readers can experience an alternate reality in which revolutions were successful, wars never broke out, and political decisions had entirely different results by revisiting world-altering events.

In the sequels to The Thief’s Keeper, I explore what could’ve happened if gunpowder entered England during the reign of William the Conqueror. The last Vikings, Celts, and Normans in my book all struggle to control this dangerous and powerful substance.

The early entrance of gunpowder was entirely possible. It was already used extensively in China for civil war, and the Silk Road connected China with parts of Italy, which William the Conqueror also had control of. Here are amazing illustrations of gunpowder-based weapons from a 1044 AD Chinese military manual Wujing Zongyao:

Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wujing_Zongyao

Despite huge military complexes producing gunpowder-based weapons in China, the substance never makes it into Europe until the 13th century. My research shows that one knows why! In the Enemy’s Keeper series, I put a twist on history and throw gunpowder into the last serious rebellion against William the Conqueror. Who will obtain the substance for the upper hand in this war?

4.) What fuels your passion to write?

I believe that stories change people and offer immeasurable comfort. Roald Dahl’s books kept me company as a child, as my parents were distant and I moved so often that I lost my friends almost every year. I am currently writing book 2 of the Enemy’s Keeper Series (Traitor’s Heart). There’s a subplot where my male protagonist, Matthew, must decide whether or not to reconcile with his emotionally and physically abusive parents. Originally he wasn’t going to, but the possibility of reconciliation wouldn’t let me go. Exploring his struggles is changing the way I perceive my parents, with whom I remain distant. Maybe by the time I’m done writing this book, I’ll reach out to them more often.

5.) How do your personal beliefs/faith system shape your writing?

I’m a follower of Christ. Although I do not quote the Bible or market my books as Christian fiction, I express my beliefs more subtly, through my characters and the plot. Kindness, reconciliation, and love for the impoverished are championed everything I write and hope to write. 

6.) What is a fun fact about you?

I am fluent in 3 languages (English, Mandarin, and French) and am currently on a 241 day Duolingo learning streak for my fourth language, Portuguese! You can find me on Duolingo as KyrieWang88

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Many thanks to Kyrie Wang for sharing how her deep griefs and questions led her to create a beautiful story that now encourages others, and how historical tidbits led to a thrilling adventure! You can get The Thief’s Keeper, along with a gorgeous medieval coloring book, from her newsletter or check out the rest of her series at kyriewang.com.

What story really touched you in a time of hardship? Share in the comments below!

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Author Interview Series:
Carrie Anne Noble, The Mermaid’s Sister
Tara Grayce, Lost in Averell
Ariel Avelar, Influent
H.L. Burke, Ashen
Constance Lopez, Of Stormlarks and Silence
E.J. Kitchens, Wrought of Silver and Ravens
Ashley Bustamante, Vivid
L.A. Thornhill, The Prophetess of Arden
Sharon Hinck, Hidden Current
Emily Golus, Escape to Vindor
Kyrie Wang, The Thief’s Keeper
E.A. Hendryx, Suspended in the Stars

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