'It’s given me a place to escape' : Alla Zaykova

Alla Zaykova is a self-confessed ‘second-generation science fiction geek’, and her debut novel lands squarely in that realm: Galaxy Grifter, released in June 2025 by market-leading international sci-fi publisher Orbit. After working for the New Zealand government for ten years, and being part of multiple writers’ organisations, Alla now lives in Australia with her husband, daughter and a bossy rescue cat. Galaxy Grifter took her six years to write and Kete caught up with her to ask more about it. What’s been the best part of writing and releasing Galaxy Grifter? Can you tell us more about it? Where did the story emerge from? 

Galaxy Grifter is a fast-paced space adventure about terrible people in worse situations. It features a smarmy con man protagonist, a brilliant programmer who loves to hate him, and a stolen alien blueprint with the potential to doom humanity. 

I had a lot of fun writing it and it’s given me a place to escape to during a very difficult time in my life (when my mum passed away). And in a way, it helped me find my way back to myself. 

I’ve read and watched a lot of sci-fi growing up and beyond, and wrote my first manuscript at 16. It didn’t go anywhere and then all these priorities and expectations came into my life: education, career, family. Writing for pleasure was put on the back burner for many years. 

Drafting Galaxy Grifter began as a coping mechanism, but as I joined writing communities online, I realised this was something I wanted to take seriously. The journey had many ups and downs—self doubt and rejection were tough. But having the book eventually picked up by Orbit is a dream come true. Still, the connection that comes from readers, author friends, and others in the book world is definitely the best part.

Who is your ideal reader for this book? Who needs to read it? 

Those who miss Firefly or those who enjoy Chaotic Orbits series by Beth Revis, as well as anyone who loves a fast-paced space romp with morally questionable characters and prefers snark over sweetness. 

Tell us what inspires you? An author, a book, a place, or whatever you like…

Everything from pop culture, to science, to stories my grandmother used to tell me about her childhood, to the places I’ve lived or visited… it goes through a blender of my perception and comes out as something else. Additionally, my mum was a huge bookworm and supportive of all my creative pursuits, so she was my number one muse. Galaxy Grifter is dedicated to her memory. What Aotearoa New Zealand book do you wish you’d written?

Maybe The Absolute Book by Elizabeth Knox? It’s wonderfully odd.

Also, I was a reader/judge for the latest SpecFicNZ anthology, and one of the short stories, In The Body Of Relatives by Octavia Cade, won’t let go of me even a year later. It’s cosy and spooky and uniquely New Zealand in the best ways. What’s been your best read this year so far? 

Hard choice, I have read some incredible stuff this year! The Deep by Rivers Solomon. It’s a novella about mer-people uncovering painful memories about being descendents of drowned African slave women. Heart-wrenching but important.

And last, but definitely not least, what are you writing next? 

I’m currently finishing the sequel to Galaxy Grifter, which is set to be released next year–watch this space (pun intended). I also hope to delve into some high fantasy in the future.  Galaxy Grifter is available now.