Wesley King is a Canadian author of young adult and middle grade fiction books. Both novels he co-authored with the late Kobe Bryant debuted at No. 1 on The New York Times Bestseller list.

Wesley King was born in Ajax, Ontario. An accomplished high school athlete, he often incorporates sports into his novels. After graduating from Carleton University with an honors degree in journalism, he published his first novel, The Vindico, about a group of teenage super villains. Later, OCDaniel won both Edgar and Silver Birch awards, and was named a Bank Street Best Book of the Year. It addresses mental illness in children based on King’s own experiences with the disorder. King has spoken publicly about his ongoing struggles with anxiety disorders.

His 11 novels have won or been nominated for a variety of awards, including two Official Junior Library Guild Selections and a Red Maple.
He and his wife Juliana live in on the ocean in Port au Port, Newfoundland.

In 2016, King was approached by Kobe Bryant to collaborate on a new children’s series. The first instalment, Training Camp, was released in 2019 and became a New York Times bestseller. The second instalment, Season One, was released in March 2020 after Bryant’s death.

His most recent novel, Hello (from here), was co-written with New York Times Bestselling author Chandler Baker and follows two teens as they fall in love during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. His website is https://www.wesleytking.com/

Q: What’s your favorite genre as an author?
A: As an author and reader I have always gravitated toward sci-fi and fantasy…it was always my authorly dream to write a big, sprawling fantasy epic (a dream yet unrealized lol). That said, I always love working sports and humor in contemporary fiction, particularly around issues of mental health. OCDaniel and of course The Wizenard Series both center on that particular combination.

Q: You often blend categories together. What drives that, and what are the tricks to doing so?
A: I think it’s a reflection of what I like to read, but also my own disparate interests…I love magic, but I also like shooting the ball around and, hey, I also have anxiety disorders. So, like any other author, my work is just a manifestation of those interests. The trick is to balance everything and read your own work with a critical eye…does the book need a laugh after pages of dour realism? Is a non-sports loving reader going to get bored after a page of sports descriptions? It’s simply a matter of letting the book breathe a little, and it becomes natural when you don’t overthink it.

Q: Can you talk about the high of Kobe Bryant approaching you, the devastation of losing him, and the experience of working with him?
A: I’ll never forget the first day when I received the notice from my agent. It didn’t make a lot of sense back then, but from the moment we hopped on the phone, it was effortless. He had read The Vindico and OCDaniel and loved them, which was pretty awesome, and he thought I would be a good fit for the project. The process of working together was frenetic, wildly creative and some of the best times of my life. He was a good friend and a fantastic mentor. Losing him doesn’t feel real, and probably never will, but I am grateful for the time we had and the books we released.

Q: Were you always a keen reader as a child, and if so, who or what encouraged that?
A: Absolutely. My parents are readers, and so are my brothers…reading time was a nightly ritual. By primary school I was reading adult books and have spent most of my life devouring everything I can get my hands on. Ironically, I probably read a bit less now than ever before, though I have recently really gotten into audiobooks which are fantastic if you are always on the run!

Q: What are your hobbies?
A: Well, I play a lot of sports, and of course reading, and these days I am usually renovating something as well (we have a new house in Newfoundland that we are currently working on). My sailing was certainly curtailed by Covid-19, but the idea had always been to attempt a circumnavigation one day. So far it has largely been Mediterranean sailing, but if all goes well, perhaps I will get another shot at it!

Q: What are you working on now?
A: I am working on a couple of things, but largely a partially illustrated new fantasy series (as above, it centers on sports and humor). I also have another middle grade book coming out next year, and then I am open to writing another YA romcom as I loved the process as well. So, in short, I am sticking with what I am doing by and large, mainly because I love writing middle grade and young adult, and the best writing advice I can give is to write what you love.