Meet the Author
K.R. Galindez lives in Santa Cruz, California where he is pursuing a PhD at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He enjoys reading and writing epic fantasy. On the rare days and nights he’s not writing his dissertation or the next book in his series, he’s exploring beaches, playing video games (especially RPGs), or stargazing.
Debut Novel: The Spirit of the Rising Sun
Rebellion is always right.
Oyza yearns for revolution—an impossible dream with her lifetime prison sentence. Fueled by the destruction of her home and years of servitude, she reads the smuggled texts of the Ungoverned and dreams of a future that can never be. But the arrival of a new prisoner, Yars, reignites Oyza’s courage. She finds herself capable of more than she ever imagined.
To fight their way to their own freedom, they must fight for something bigger: freedom for their homeland. Between an invasion by godless gunwielders, a heartless commander who’s determined to kill Oyza, and webs of secrets and lies woven through their world, it will take all their strength and wits to survive. When blood is spilled, how much will be their own?
The Interview
What inspired you to write this story?
There were lots of different things that inspired me to write this story. First, I’ve always loved epic fantasy—think big, exciting stories with tons of characters. But I wanted to highlight more political themes that could challenge fantasy’s usual reliance on monarchy, empire, feudalism, and so on. I had this idea for the Ungoverned, a kind of egalitarian community of rebels borne out of a lost kingdom, in this world that’s being invaded by outsiders, taken over by an empire, and dealing with a powerful church. It’s a turbulent world! So, I think that was a big inspiration for me, just thinking about writing a fantasy story that plays with these political themes.
I also felt inspired to write a story that thematically addresses questions like, how do we make change in a world that’s falling apart? How do you inspire others? Where do you find the space for hope? What kinds of new solidarities can be built across traditional divisions? And I wanted to show all of this through particular perspectives of the characters, and how their own backgrounds influence their stance on how political change is made. I wanted to show two different ways through contrasting the protagonist, Oyza, and the antagonist, Liviana, and the ways they approach leadership and change. I think I was partly inspired to write this story based on my own experiences of grappling with these sorts of questions.
I also felt inspired to write fantasy because, well, I also just love fantasy themes! Knights and wizards, magic and religion, castles and dragons—it all just seemed like an interesting context to consider these broader themes and questions, which are not very typical for fantasy.
Are you a plotter or pantser? Tell us your process?
I’m a little of both. I outlined the entire plot of TSOARS in one night, but as I was writing the story, it changed considerably as new characters, themes, or plot twists emerged. I like to have a general idea of what the story is leading towards and how it’s unfolding, and I do write chapter-by-chapter outlines, but I also try to leave plenty of room for new things to surface while writing. A real part of the joy of writing is stumbling upon ideas you didn’t foresee! So, I always do a lot of thinking and outlining before writing anything, but at the end of the day, it’s really an ad hoc process.
What’s next for you?
I’m working on the second book now! It’s outlined already and I know how it ends, but it’s a struggle to find the time to write. But I think I can have it out in 2023. In the meantime, I hope to update my blog every now and then (including with scenes and material we cut from TSOARS), and keep thinking about what the rest of the series is going to look like. How far is Oyza willing to go for revolution? What other surprises will come up? I guess we’ll wait and see!
Where to find Galindez