S.L. Morgan is the author of the new novel series, Ancient Guardians: The Legacy of the Key. She enjoys living life to its fullest and his always ready for an exciting adventure. Her new hobby of writing has kept her extremely busy these days; editing her novels and continuing to write more stories in the Ancient Guardians series.
She’s currently living in Texas with her husband, Jason, and their three children: Caleb, Tyler, and Jaci.
Congratulations on the release of your latest book, Ancient Guardians: The Legacy of the Key. When did you start writing and what got you into fantasy?
Thank you so much! It’s very exciting to see that readers are enjoying this book and are anticipating the next books in the series.
I took on the challenge of writing my first book, Ancient Guardians: The Legacy of the Key, in October 2011. I decided to write in the fantasy realm because there are no limits as to where I can take my series. Fantasy is all about your imagination; if you can dream it, you can write it. I’m a very imaginative person to begin with, and I love not having a cap, so to speak, on how creative I can be. I’ve always loved getting lost in fantasy worlds such as “Narnia” and “Middle Earth,” and it really kind of morphed into me wanting to take on the challenge of playing in a fantasy world of my own.
Did you have a mentor who encouraged you?
I was encouraged by the other brilliant authors that have written the timeless stories that all of us readers love to be transported into. I did have a lot of encouragement from my family to write this, but none of them had ever attempted to publish anything; however, their advice was no less valuable to me than if they had.
Did you have any struggles or difficulties when you started writing?
I love writing. Writing was always the easy part for me. I saw the scenes play out in my head, and had them written in no time. It wasn’t until I went back to reread the manuscript that I realized that some of it was repetitive, over-described, or I had been rambling and not getting to the point. It was at that time that I realized if I wrote down every single detail of what I saw in my head, I would have the longest, and probably the most boring, book in history! The most difficult part was picking and choosing what stays and what gets cut. There were so many things I wished I could’ve kept in the book, but they didn’t help move my story forward, and that’s no fun for a reader.
What was your inspiration for Ancient Guardians: The Legacy of the Key?
After watching so many different movies and reading so many books, I felt it was time to use my imagination and come up with an idea of my own. I was excited to take on the concept of new dimensions and fabricate them into my favorite historical time period. It was very intriguing to me to play with the idea of the existence of other life-forms and blending them in with humans on Earth. Some threatening, some learning, and some protecting the humans that are unable to protect themselves.
What do you tell your muse when she refuses to collaborate?
When that happens, I’ve learned that it’s best for me to set my work aside and take a breather, for however long is necessary. The more I push myself and try to force it, the blander my writing becomes.
Many writers experience a vague anxiety before they sit down to write. Can you relate to this?
In writing, I must admit that I don’t. I just simply let the characters take over and they tell their story. My anxiety begins when my book is ready to go to my editor. There are so many revisions that go into a manuscript, and sometimes it can be extremely overwhelming. My editor gives me a lot of constructive criticism, which I am very grateful for, because without it I wouldn’t be able to deliver my best work. It doesn’t come without its share of sleepless nights for me, though.
Do you have a writing schedule? Are you disciplined?
I am a very structured and disciplined person by nature. Being a stay at home mom, I’m up at 6am every morning. I make my kids their lunches, set out their clothes for school, make sure their backpacks are all packed up, and walk them to the bus stop. After my husband leaves for work, and the house grows silent, I will sit down and get lost in my writing. I will write and edit until the bus shows up, announcing that it’s time to get back to reality.
How do you celebrate the completion of a novel?
When my novel was published and ready for the entire world to read, I really wasn’t in the frame of mind to celebrate. I’ll be honest, I was a nervous wreck because the reality was that I had just written a fantasy novel, and I had no clue as to how it would be received. I had never written anything before, and despite the fact that my family and friends loved it, I knew that not everyone might feel the same. It wasn’t until the positive reviews started coming in that I felt like celebrating.
How do you define success?
I believe that true success is defined by perseverance and never giving up on anything that you do, no matter how difficult the associated challenges may be. The rewards for seeing yourself through any given situation are priceless.
What do you love most about the writer’s life?
In my opinion, writing is the best therapy available. I absolutely love stepping out of reality and letting my imagination run wild. I especially love writing in the Ancient Guardians series, I mean, who wouldn’t? The dimension of Pemdas has a magical quality about it, and the characters are so enjoyable to be around.
Do you have a website or blog where readers can find out more about and your work?
My website is www.slmorganauthor.com
Where is your book available?
Ancient Guardians: The Legacy of the Key is available at Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com
Anything else you’d like to tell my readers?
This is the first book in my series, and is the back story to a lot of different, exciting voyages and adventures. I hope you read it, and love it… And I hope you stayed tuned in for the upcoming books.