Steven Morris chatted about his fantasy novel “The Guardian of the Palace.”
He also opened up about being an author in the digital age, at a time when technology, streaming and social media are so prevalent. He also addressed the role that wit and humor play in enhancing the overall reading experience of the book.
In “The Guardian of the Palace,” Steven Morris showcases his ability to weave intricate tales of magic and adventure. The novel’s characters and suspenseful narrative have earned him a following from all over the globe.
The concept of magic intruding on reality is one of the central themes in your book. What inspired you to combine magic and real-world elements in your storytelling?
My favorite stories involve fantasy and the real world—such stories make it easier to believe I could be involved in such a fantasy. Maybe it’s the next level of fantasy escape?
Red Hernandez is the protagonist of your book. Red is a security specialist, who struggles with disbelief and finds herself facing supernatural threats. How did you develop her character and what challenges did you face in portraying her journey from disbelief to action?
Red is a dreamer stuck in a pragmatist’s body. In the military, she had lofty ideals, but as you’ll learn in the story, those ideals smacked their shins on the coffee table and spilled scalding liquid all over themselves.
Once burned, twice shy. So as the story begins, she is trying to ground herself back in something that preceded the military – her family and their paradigms.
Of course, she abandoned those clothes in the first place because they never fit right, so her character is really ripe for a change. She’s fun, because she wants to be a dreamer, so it isn’t that hard to kick her back into action—she just has to get past some scar tissue.
Could you tell us more about the world-building process and the magical elements that readers can expect to encounter in ‘The Guardian of the Palace’?
The magic system and world are fairly complex, but you only get a whiff of it in Book 1. I defined the story, and the magic system, from the end-point backwards. The ultimate story is very much about magic and how people (people being a very loose term) use it.
The next series I’m working on, a prequel, digs into the guts of why magic is the way it is, but The Guardian League focuses on Earth’s learning and reacting to magic. What you’ll see in Book 1, “The Guardian of The Palace,” is traditional Tolkien-esque creatures intruding into our modern world, along with Gandalf-like wizardry.
Manhattan plays a role in the story, particularly with the engineering project Red is tasked to protect. Why did you pick Manhattan? How did you approach incorporating real-world locations and blending them with the fantastical elements of your narrative?
I can’t answer that without blowing part of the plot. There’s a good bit of globe-trotting in Book 1, but there is a very solid reason Manhattan was chosen. Frankly, once you understand the reasoning, there are even more ideal locations, but I leaned on the author’s need to write about things with which they are familiar.
I’ve been to Manhattan, so of my options, it seemed the best choice. The cover of the book is actually from a photo I took in Central Park. (Minus the claw… there was no dark, taloned, monstrous claw in Central Park).
How did you balance the action and fantasy elements with comedic moments, and what role does humor play in enhancing the overall reading experience in the book?
I’ve always enjoyed a bit of snarky humor. I love Terry Pratchett. I loved Douglas Adams back in the day (I’m told that if I read it again, as an adult, I’m likely to see it as a much darker book than I remember).
I was shooting for something more along the lines of Kim Harrison’s Hollows series. The Guardian League is serious, but the characters have that snarky attitude that brings humor to many of the situations.
Red, as the lead, uses it to diffuse her angst, sometimes relying on her old and new companions to add the absurdity (minus at least one stick-in-the-mud).
How does it feel to be an author in the digital age now with technology being so prevalent?
I love it. I’m not saying it was easy, but with self-publishing, one can be as creative as one wishes. I added pictures in my books; about four per book. I’ve received one review that hated the pictures, but overall, folks have enjoyed them. I don’t know what arm-twisting I would have had to do with a traditional publisher to accomplish the same.
Technology also makes it easier to share with others for editing, feedback, and ultimately, creating a better story and book. I’m sure it’s not the same for every author, but I’m a huge geek, so the tech pieces were fun for me.
“The Guardian of the Palace” is available on Amazon by clicking here.
To learn more about author Steven Morris, visit his official website.
