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Kelle Z. Riley talks about her book ‘Counterfeit Commoner’

Dr. Kelle Z. Riley chatted about her latest book “Counterfeit Commoner: Riches & Royals Book 4.”

Author and scientist Kelly Z. Riley
Author and scientist Kelly Z. Riley. Photo Courtesy of Kelle Z. Riley
Author and scientist Kelly Z. Riley. Photo Courtesy of Kelle Z. Riley

Dr. Kelle Z. Riley chatted about her latest book “Counterfeit Commoner: Riches & Royals Book 4.” She also spoke about being a part of the digital age.

She is a multi-talented individual, known for her roles as a writer, bestselling author, speaker, globetrotter, published Ph.D. chemist, inventor, and a martial arts expert. Her rich and diverse life experiences have profoundly influenced her written works.

Background on Kelle Z. Riley

Riley has made notable contributions to the literary world, serving as a contributing author in the renowned book “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Living with Alzheimer’s and Other Dementias.”

In addition, Kelle Z. Riley has established herself as a talented fiction writer, specializing in the captivating genres of cozy mystery and contemporary romance.

Her bibliography includes the compelling series “Undercover Cat Mysteries,” comprising titles such as “The Cupcake Caper,” “Shaken, Not Purred,” “The Tiger’s Tale,” and “Studying Scarlett the Grey.” These novels feature a scientist-turned-sleuth who bakes cupcakes while unraveling mysteries.

Riley has also garnered acclaim for her award-winning “Riches and Royals Series,” encompassing captivating books like “Read My Lips,” “Royally Scandalized,” “Reluctantly Royal,” and “Counterfeit Commoner.” In this series, modern working women discover the challenges of loving a prince, surpassing their initial expectations.

Riley was a finalist for the prestigious Golden Heart and Feathered Quill awards. She is widely sought after as a speaker and actively participates as a member in esteemed organizations such as the Chattanooga Writer’s Guild, Sisters in Crime, and Romance Writers of America.

What inspired you to write ‘Counterfeit Commoner: Riches & Royals Book 4’?

A common theme that runs through my books is the “hero in disguise” theme. From classical mythology to superhero comics, the idea of a character hiding in plain sight is prevalent. Throughout the “Riches & Royals” series, we have characters in hiding. Not only physically, but emotionally.

As humans, we all tend to hide our vulnerable aspects and wear a mask that the world deems acceptable. That is why the hero in disguise theme resonates with so many of us – including me!

Early on, while plotting the series I wanted to have two characters switch places and try to step into one another’s lives. Sophia’s story in Counterfeit Commoner echoes the classic movies “It Happened One Night” and “Roman Holiday.”

In both of those stories, a high profile heroine runs away from her life only to be recognized and aided by a reporter who was once her nemesis.

One aspect I loved about the story was the interplay between Gracie (the American commoner heroine of Reluctantly Royal) and Lady Sophia (the heroine of Counterfeit Commoner) Several scenes of each book are identical–except that they are each told from the perspective of that book’s heroine.

I challenged myself as a writer to use the same exact words and physical motions, but give each scene a unique character. So, while in Gracie’s book, Sophia is somewhat of a mean girl, in her book you learn her motivations and find her sympathetic. It was a challenge to write these scenes, but I loved the result.

Can you describe Lady Sophia de Lyons and her journey in the book?

Lady Sophia starts her journey innocent in the ways of the world, but savvy to her political realities. She thinks she wants to break out of the repressive script her life has always followed, but she is fully unprepared for navigating the “real world.”

Her innate kindness and a steely gumption that she’s kept hidden for years keep her going in the face of uncertainties and adventure.

By the time she finishes her journey, she’s grown into a confident woman who knows her mind and is willing to fight for her principles, rather than a pawn to be used by her government.

How did you approach the development of the character of the tabloid reporter in the story?

Ah, the reporter. He was so much fun to develop. He had been a shadow character throughout the series, and not a nice one at that. Most of my heroes are in the “too good to be true” category, but with Mike, I wanted someone who had a good heart, but did bad things.

Someone who was down on his luck and at his wits end. I had such fun creating new troubles for him to overcome. And in the adversity, he rose to the occasion.

Looking back, it seems that a major theme of Counterfeit Commoner is “redemption.” People who did bad or selfish things in their past find a way to become better and end up with a new chance for happiness. And don’t we all want that in our lives?

How does it feel to be an author in the digital age now with technology being so prevalent?

Being an author in the digital age is a mixed blessing. First, it is easier than ever to publish a book. On the flip side, being “discovered” is proportionally harder. Once upon a time “large” publishers assured that the books met a minimum quality standard.

Today, an experienced author is, at first glance, largely indistinguishable from someone who put together a book without thought or editing. No wonder readers can be wary of new names!

Modern authors must wear many hats and work to build effective teams if they want to stay in business for the long run. It is critical to know what you can do well (in my case write compelling, immersive stories), what you can do poorly (I struggle with digital outreach), and what you are delusional about (I’m still working on this…).

Once you know what you do poorly or are delusional about, you outsource those tasks to professionals and manage your team.

To sum it up in one phrase: being an author in the digital age is exhilarating…and exhausting!

What was the biggest challenge you faced while writing this book?

The biggest challenge I faced was that much of the backstory and setting for the characters was already set in the other books in the series. So I had to work within those constraints.

One of the most difficult parts was arranging Sophia’s “escape” from the goodwill tour. I lived in the Chicago area during the plotting of this book, so I actually visited the Willis (then Sears) tower, and walked the distance to the train station to make sure the events I described were plausible (or at least so that a reader could suspend disbelief). I am obsessed with timelines in books so I wanted to get it right.

The Colorado location was also based on places I visited so that I could add as much realism as possible.

The most fun challenge (as I described above) was crafting the scenes where Gracie and Sophia interact. In Gracie’s story (Reluctantly Royal) Sophia comes off as spoiled, selfish, and manipulative.

In “Counterfeit Commoner,” I had to craft reasons for her seemingly bad behavior. Doing that while not changing events of the previous books in the series was like solving a giant puzzle – fun and frustrating all at once. I challenge readers to compare scenes where the two women interact to see if I missed anything!

How does the setting of the book impact the story?

The primary setting of the book had to be small-town, heartland America! Creating Morgan’s Outpost and filling it with loving, nosey neighbors who watched out for one another was perfect.

It created the family Sophia always longed for. It also made for a great fish-out-of-water plot, which is another favorite of readers of the romance genre.

Her book “Counterfeit Commoner” is available on Amazon.

To learn more about author, speaker, and scientist Kelly Riley, follow her on Instagram.

Markos Papadatos
Written By

Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News. Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 22,000 original articles over the past 18 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a 16-time "Best of Long Island" winner, where for three consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022), he was honored as the "Best Long Island Personality" in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times.

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