Hello everyone and welcome to my stop on the Escapist Book Co. virtual book tour for Troy Knowlton’s YA Fantasy novel Seekers: The Winds of Change! Today, I am excited to help kickoff the tour by sharing an interview with the main character of the book, Tyras!
You can find our interview below, along with all of the info about the book, the author, links to purchase a copy of Seekers: The Winds of Change for yourself, and a chance to win a copy in our giveaway! Also, be sure to take a look at the schedule here or at the top of the post and follow along to see the stops from our other awesome hosts!
Book Information:
Seekers: The Winds of Change by Troy Knowlton
Published: July 12, 2022
Series: Seekers Saga
Genre: YA Fantasy
Intended Age Group: 13 – 18, 13-35
Pages: 356
Publisher: Self Published
Blurb:
After an assassination attempt that could lead to an all-out war, Tyras and Oren, two young Seekers of the Argan Empire, are each given secret missions in an attempt to thwart the coming chaos. Both tasks require the Seekers to venture through the war-torn continent of Tiarna where the young men face mortal danger, horrible monsters, and hostile groups – all challenges Seekers are trained to combat. Luckily, the two Seekers also find guidance, friendship, and romance along the way. However, powerful and mysterious forces are conspiring behind the scenes and both Tyras and Oren will have to overcome a host of obstacles, including their own inner demons, in order to maintain a glimmer of hope for success. With war imminent and the unknown ahead, will the Seekers triumph, or will they be swallowed by the turbulent, relentless Winds of Change?
Set in a new, masterfully created high fantasy world, Seekers: The Winds of Change is perfect for fans of An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir and We Free the Stars by Hafsah Faisal.
See Also:
“It belongs in a museum.” • Carry on Wayward Son • “The stuff that dreams are made of.”
Book Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Seekers-Winds-Change-Troy-Knowlton-ebook/dp/B09VDBYBK7/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60737870-seekers
Character Q&A
Could you please introduce yourself to our readers?
Hello everyone, I’m Tyras, Senior Seeker of the Archive at Arga. If you’ve got a mysterious artifact that needs acquiring, I’m your guy. Pleased to make your acquaintance.
What music do you listen to?
Oh, I love when bands of travelling singers come through Arga, playing those upbeat songs with their Ciran drums. Although, my favorite musical experience was sitting back with a glass of wine while a Savarian girl sang a sad song as her Koterran partner slowly strummed on his sitar. That melancholic melody resonated with my soul.
What are 3 items you can’t live without?
- My faithful flask of Twincrest Liquor, most potent of all Argan spirits.
- A jade ring Squall gave me after we completed our first mission together.
- Oren’s old rubber handball we used to play with at the orphanage.
If you were stranded on a deserted island, what is one thing you’d like to have with you?
Enough wine to keep me drunk untill I’m rescued.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
I can’t stand when people see me the wrong way, or believe something about me that isn’t true. I’m the expert on myself, and I’ll let you know if you’ve painted me in an inaccurate light.
What do you do in your free time?
Squall and I like travelling through markets, sampling exotic foods, then getting drunk untill we both pass out. Oren and I like to spar, play games of Scrift, and wander the districts with our fellow Seekers. Sometimes, I like sitting on the Archive’s roof at night, just looking up at all the stars in the sky.
What makes you want to get out of bed in the morning?
People depend on me. My sovereign, Lunaris, and my best friend, Oren, expect me to always deliver. I am the Senior Seeker, after all.
What is the best advice you’ve ever been given?
Squall told me to find things in life that’ll bring me happiness, not the fleeting kind that ebbs away when the anxiety and depression sets in, but the kind that you can hold onto, the kind that’ll help you weather whatever storms life throws your way.
What do you carry in your bag?
The aforementioned flask of Twincrest Liquor, my coinpurse of gold boars, and, when I’m on the job, whatever artifact I’m tasked with retrieving.
What’s your favorite animal?
Either Savarian Stallions or North Empire Stags
What do you think about [other MC(s)]?
Oren? He’s my best friend, basically like a brother to me. He’s a little too apprehensive for his own good, and I’ve always have to dig him out of difficult situations, but I love him with all my heart.
Do you have favorite saying?
Not really. My snarky comments are quite varied. If you mean something that someone has said that’s stuck with me, there’s an unforgettable saying Squall told me: “Never trust a man who doesn’t like wine, even casually, for he has no taste and is most likely deranged.”
What is your favorite holiday?
For me, it’s definitely the Day of Dead Swords, the annual celebration of the end of the 300 Years War. Savarian fireworks light up the sky and the merriment brings people of all cultures together. I’ve never eaten so many different kinds of food as I did at one of those festivals.
If you could go anywhere in [the book’s world], where would you go and why?
From what I hear, the beaches of East Empire are particularly beautiful, and Costamere laywithin a few days’ ride form there, meaning the best wine in the empire is closeby.
What do you do to relax?
I’ll usually sit back in my chambers in the Archive and read a book, or go to the fancy, rejuvenating bath houses at the edges of the Manor district. Arga has something for everyone if you’ve got enough gold boars and know where to go.
What is your favorite food?
There’s nothing like a bowl of Savarian spicy noodles with slices of tender beef from the Southern Plains.
What is your favorite season?
Fall. The leaves of the trees around the Argan Heartland turn so many colorful shades, and the harvests ensure the Market district is full of all sorts of different delectable treats.
How would you define happiness?
I thought it was being the best, earning the praise of my peers and master. I’m not so sure anymore. That happiness fades so quickly. I hope I can find out one day.
What are you passionate about?
Doing the right thing. Lately, it’s become hard to tell what that is. I’m scared I’ll falter, terrified that I’ll become the monster my nightmares tell me I am.
How do you feel about your government?
There’s something off about the sovereigns. They’ve ruled for hundreds of years. Anyone who has been in power that long is seldom innocent, and should be treated with suspicion.
If you could change one thing about [the book’s world], what would it be?
I’d like there to be more harmony between the different kingdoms/empires. There’s no reason Koterrans should hate me just because I’m an Argan. They don’t even know me. Conversely, Argans shouldn’t despise or look down upon the other races just because Arga rules the world. We’re all just people, no better and no worse.
What’s your biggest secret?
I can’t tell you that. *Convulses with anxiety* I… have done things I’m not proud of. We’ll leave it at that.
What do you hate?
Those who prey on the weak/vulnerable. Also liars.
What’s your biggest fear?
I said earlier that I’m afraid I’ll become the monster my inner demons tell me I am. That horrid past and uncertain future fill me with apprehension. Not only do I have to safeguard myself from my own, personally-induced hell, I’ve gotta act as a pillar of strength for Oren, my sovereign, and for my fellow Seekers. Expectations and worries over the future certainly conjure an ugly, potent dread.
What do you think your best quality is?
I like to think I’m fairly quick-witted, sincere, and trusting. I can deliver a sarcastic quip better than most, and I have an unbreakable loyalty to my friends.
How would you describe the world you live in?
Scarred, hate-filled, and vast. I’ve travelled through the Biting Desert, along the World’s Spine, through the Golden Foothills, just outside the Great Forest, and even into the freezing cold of the Snow Lands. The people who live in Tiarna, though diverse, and often odd by my limited experiences, seem to beat with the same heart, though that heart has been filled with hate over the hundreds of years of war and bloodshed.
About the Author
Troy currently lives in Southern California, where he was born and raised, graduating from Crafton Hills College with an Associate of Science degree, later earning x-ray technologist credentials through Arrowhead Regional Medical Center. Many of the darker themes present in his work are inspired by his experiences with patients as a healthcare worker, especially during the pandemic. When not writing, he’s either working at the hospital as an x-ray technologist or in the classroom as a teacher for his hospital’s x-ray program. His hobbies include video games, anime, and Magic: The Gathering. His passion for storytelling led him to refine his writing skills to do what he loves most: telling stories.
Author Website: https://www.troyknowlton.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/troy_knowlton
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TroyKnowltonWrites
Giveaway
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