For the first month of 2026, we're putting the spotlight on kkolmakov ! Her book was featured in the Humor Ambassadors' Picks Lists back in August 2025 (hey, better late than never). If you are a fan of humor mixed with Romantasy, you should definitely check her out!

1. Please tell us about yourself and to your story: Nottoofar || Book 1: Leaf & Paw {Humour + Romance Fantasy}

I'm Katya — a full-time working mum with a perfectly ordinary office job (in a company that furnishes daycare centres and works with licensing agencies) and a massive obsession with stories, crafts, and tea. When I'm not at my desk, I'm usually making something — ceramics, paper cuttings, tiny clay creatures — scribbling in one of my many notebooks, planning the next book in my shared universe.

*Nottoofar* is my romantasy series — a reimagining of my earlier stories through the lens of fantasy and gentle parody. It's essentially a fanfiction of my own work, which I realise makes me sound terribly vain — but really, I just wanted to spend a bit more time with my characters, and to 'talk' to my readers about them in a different way.

2. Can you describe a particular scene or moment in Nottoofar || Book 1: Leaf & Paw {Humour + Romance Fantasy, that you consider to be particularly funny? What was the inspiration behind it?

That's a tricky one — the first Nottoofar story (the one you so kindly picked for Book of the Month) isn't the most outwardly funny. I really started leaning into the Dungeons & Dragons tropes, online memes, and my own running gags in the later ones. Leaf & Paw is gentler, softer — it features two of my most beloved protagonists: Will, an SAS veteran, and Fiona, his eventual partner, who always gets the warmest welcome from readers whenever she reappears in later stories.

The funniest bit, I think, is the fact that in the original story, Fiona — who tends to get terribly chatty when she's nervous — once compared Will to a "wet, roaring bear." And in Nottoofar, he's quite literally that. As several readers have pointed out, it gives the whole "would you rather fight one man or one bear" meme a rather unexpected romantic twist.

3. Are there any particular challenges you face when switching genres and ensuring there's still lots of humor no matter which genre vou write?

I think, the biggest challenge is making sure the humour doesn't feel like it's been pasted on. In cosy murder mysteries, for example, the stakes are emotional and sometimes dark, but I still want a smirk or a wry twist to pop up. In modern romance, especially the psychological stuff, the humour has to be softer, more situational — a little sparkle that keeps readers smiling without undermining the weight of the story.

With Nottoofar, I got to lean into absurdity and D&D tropes, which is a joy, but it also made me hyper-aware of pacing: too many jokes, and the story loses tension; too few, and the parody falls flat. The trick is letting the humour grow naturally from the characters' personalities and choices — even in a different genre, the laugh should feel like something they would do, not something I forced onto them. And some days I'm still figuring out whether I've managed that or not.

4. What do you think makes Romance and Fantasy work so well with comedy?

I suppose it's because life itself is full of highs and lows, and humour is part of how we navigate all of it. Romance and fantasy crank up the stakes — hearts on the line, undead armies outside our gates — and humour sneaks in naturally, just as it does in real life. There are so many kinds of laughter, from the quiet, wry sort to full‑throttle belly laughs, and it turns out you can find some of it in any genre. It keeps the story alive, keeps the characters human, and reminds us that even when the stakes feel enormous, there's always a spark of joy to hold onto.

5. Do you think there are any tonics that are off-limits for humor, and it so, why?

There are definitely topics I wouldn't touch with humour — sexual violence, racism, or the well-being of children, to name a few. These sort of jokes are never funny, and I'd never want to make light of someone's pain. For me, humour works best when it celebrates life, human quirks, and the messy, complicated bits we can laugh about together.

6. What's a joke or a comedic premise you've heard recently that made you genuinely jealous you didn't think of it first?

Sarah Millican has this brilliant bit about how making friends as an adult is like dating but somehow more awkward — you can't just walk up to someone at the supermarket and say 'Will you be my friend?' even though that's essentially what you're trying to do. She talks about the absurd small steps: lingering too long in conversations, complimenting someone's shopping basket, hoping you'll run into the same person at the same time next week.

I can absolutely see this becoming a Fleckney story: two people who keep accidentally crossing paths at the village shop or library, both desperately lonely but too British to admit it. They have painfully polite, slightly-too-long chats about weather and biscuits until one finally blurts out 'Do you want to get a coffee?' — and immediately apologises for being weird. It would have that gentle, observational warmth, plus the inherent comedy of two perfectly nice people being terrible at reaching out.

7. What is a hilarious piece of writing advice you've received?

A friend once told me, 'If you're laughing while you write it, there's a 50/50 chance your readers will either love it or think you've lost the plot.' Turns out they were absolutely right. I've learnt to keep the jokes that make me giggle and make sense – and quietly delete the ones that only amuse me at 2 AM. (Though I'll admit, the butt of most of those deleted jokes is usually Rhys Holyoake. If you know, you know.)

8. How do you balance the need to be funny with the need to be authentic and true to the story or character?

Honestly, I'm still figuring this out as I go. I suppose the balance comes from writing what feels right in the moment — and then deleting the bits that make me cringe the next day. (There's a small graveyard of jokes that only I found funny, and they're probably better off staying buried.) The humour that survives is usually the stuff that happens when I'm not trying too hard: a character says something that surprises me, or I notice a tiny absurdity I hadn't planned. I'm not always sure if I've got it right, but I trust that if it makes me smile and feels true to who these people are, it might just work for someone else too.

9. If your writing desk could talk, what's the most embarrassing thing it would reveal about you?

As charming as talking furniture seems in a Disney cartoon, I truly hope my desk never develops speech. There are so many embarrassing things it could reveal. For one, I sing along to Negrita in my earphones — and I don't speak Italian. I also have absolutely no ear for music! Imagine the horror. I eat an ungodly amount of yuzu sweets while I write, to my dentist's despair. I discuss my plot with one of my cats (the other one is too much of a teenager to appreciate anything but short-form video). And I rock back and forth on the super-comfortable desk chair my partner sourced for me as an anniversary gift — despite the fact it's not actually a rocking chair.

That said, I'm in good company I don't remotely deserve. Many writers have confessed to equally ridiculous habits. Terry Pratchett, for instance, used to build entire cities out of cardboard and little model buildings on his office floor to help him visualise his Discworld scenes — and I can relate to that more than I'd care to admit. I draw my characters, sketch their cottages, and I'm almost done with a proper map of Fleckney (to say nothing of my obsession with miniatures and doll houses.) Perhaps my desk and I aren't so strange after all.

10. You're offered a chance to have a dinner party with three fictional characters from your favorite books. Who are they, and what chaos do they cause?

Miss Marple, Moominmamma, and Istvhan (from T. Kingfisher's Paladin's Strength).

I'd set out the best mismatched china. I've loved the Moomins since I was small — my house is full of the everything Moomin, so Moominmamma would feel quite at home, arriving with a jar that tastes exactly like last summer. Miss Marple would be kindness itself — and just a touch intimidating, noticing the scuff on the cake stand and deducing my entire week with a smile.

Istvhan would anchor the table: huge, warm, and shamelessly charming — a paladin who laughs easily and means every thank‑you. We'd pass him seconds, then thirds, and he'd keep eating with heroic cheer, as if accepting pudding were a noble duty. And — bless her — Moominmamma might be blushing!

Then the four of us would pop on our coats and set off to solve a neat little murder: Miss Marple the brains, Istvhan the muscle, Moominmamma the emotional support (and snacks), and me with my notebook, recording every useful clue.

11. What is your advice for new writers who want to try writing humor with different concepts in their stories?

Go for it. Truly. Follow the bit that makes you smile and let the rest catch up. Keep it light, keep it kind, and don't worry about being clever – being yourself is plenty. If a line gives you a small grin, you're on the right path. Then try it on a kind friend — the sort who will be gentle. You'll hear exactly where they smiled, which is all the guidance you need for the next pass.

12. Finally, what can readers expect from your upcoming works, and what are you most excited about in your future writing career?

Of everything on my desk, *Tenderly Exposed* is living rent‑free in my head right now. A frothy romance with sparkles, it fizzes with small‑town mischief colliding with a touch of showbiz polish — and one utterly gorgeous taciturn man on a motorbike. I actually giggled and kicked the air when the Big Reveal for Chapter 5 clicked into place. I'm halfway through drafting the next chapter – so expect the next spoonful of sugar tomorrow!

(Very short hook: Two gorgeous, identical Italian men; one very tempting bike; and a tidy English town about to discover it's not nearly as sensible as it thinks. Saucy farcical capers incoming.)

I'm also writing *Romance Test* — funny, healthy, and body-positive; but mind you, BDSM‑centred, hence very much NSFW (reader's discretion kindly advised)

And I'm still in my cosy mystery lane with the Fox & Oakby Murder Mysteries. Book 1 in the series has just been nominated for the Mystery Book of the Month, which is so very flattering!

So, my writing plate is happily full. I'm also putting the finishing touches on the Fleckney Wiki for readers, and I'm sketching a little line of Fleckney‑themed trinkets and art prints — small, pretty things to bring the world to your desk.