Steve Morris, the imaginative and captivating author behind the spellbinding fantasy novel, “The Guardian of the Palace.” With a profound love for storytelling and a passion for creating enchanting worlds, Steve’s work transports readers to realms of magic, adventure, and wonder. Through his richly crafted narrative and vivid characters, “The Guardian of the Palace” showcases Steve Morris’s talent for weaving gripping tales that leave readers eagerly turning the pages, making him a true standout in the world of fantasy literature.
During the day, he wears the hat of an engineer, devoted husband, and caring father to three lovely daughters. Yet, when the sun sets and even during those fleeting moments between his many responsibilities—whether chauffeuring kids, tackling household chores, assisting with academics, coaching soccer, renovating rooms, or walking the dogs—he seamlessly transforms into a fantasy fiction writer. Juggling various roles, he weaves captivating tales during those cherished moments when the world around him falls silent, creating magical worlds beyond imagination.
‘The Guardian of the Palace’ explores the themes of belief, skepticism, and the power of imagination. How did you approach delving into these themes and their impact on the protagonist, Red Hernandez, as she navigates a world where everything she believed to be true is challenged?
Red starts the story just having had all her ideals bashed to hell. She’s trying to figure out who she is and how she fits into the less-than-ideal world. So, while in one sense, she’s trying really hard to lock down on something ‘normal’, she is also ripe for a change. You’ll see her question what she’s seeing, question herself, but ultimately be more open to possibility than she would have been before fate burned the bridge she’d intended to travel.
The protagonist, Red Hernandez, transitions from a military career to a civilian security job. How did her background and experiences shape her approach to the challenges she faces in the story?
There’s a very tight connection between her past and her future. She literally pulls in her old military team for help. Her biggest internal struggle is overcoming her fear of being tricked again, of trusting her own perceptions and instinct. I do a good bit of time-hoping in Book 1, and the stories from her past are thrown in to explain her choices as she works through the puzzle before her – very tight connection.
Can you give us a glimpse into the types of creatures or beings readers can expect to encounter in the Guardian League series? And what was your inspiration for their creation?
In the series, not just Book 1, there are trolls, dwarves, elves to start with. And big, ominous bad guys of course. You’ll get a major connection with goblins, but beyond that, there are many magical creatures to fight or overcome. I didn’t follow exact traditions for any of the species (including humans… we’re a little more than we realize). I made up my own stuff, and the inspiration was really trying to get all the jigsaw pieces to fit. One of the fun things about fantasy is seeing how much a story opens up when you try to create the backstory for a species or world.
‘The Guardian of the Palace’ is described as the first book in The Guardian League series. Can you share any insights into what readers can anticipate in future installments of the series without giving away too many spoilers?
Sure. We (Earth) get a fair idea of what’s going on in Book 1. But in order to do anything about it, we have to figure out how to strike back. So the future books are about getting off-world, and then more problem-solving to get to the root of the problem. So think of Book 1 as a reverse portal story (a portal story for creatures from another world), and then Book 2 through 4 are a true portal story, with lots of magic and mayhem along the way.
As an author, what drew you to the genre of action-packed fantasy and magic? Were there any specific authors or books that influenced your writing style or the direction you took with ‘The Guardian of the Palace’?
Absolutely there were authors and books that influenced me. I realized, after writing The Guardian League, that all of my favorite stories are portal stories, specifically where someone travels from Earth to another world. Mordant’s Need, by Stephen Donaldson, is my all time favorite series. The Darwath Series and the Windrose Chronicles by Barbara Hambly are next. But I love the snarky humor by some of the other authors I’ve mentioned – those also influence my writing. But why action-packed fantasy and magic? Because it’s the best! I mean, sometimes I’ll read something in another genre, but it’s more of a palette-cleanser so that I don’t drag my last fantasy-read into my next one.
Upon completing the writing of a new book, do you have a preferred celebratory beverage or ritual that you indulge in to mark the milestone?
I typically drink IPAs (India Pale Ale, not IsoPropyl Alcohol… I used to work in a lab where the distinction was important), but I consume it to celebrate “completion of a day”, rather than completion of a book. I don’t have a book completion tradition, but I need something to stop the twitching and murmuring so that my family knows they don’t have to back away slowly and carefully when they unexpectedly encounter me outside of my cave. That’s a joke of course. We had to blockade my cave ages ago to keep the Others inside.
Download “The Guardian of the Palace” here!
