Staci Morrison - Mystery, Suspense and Heartfelt Emotions

Posted on 16th of September, 2023 by Naomi Bolton

After finding a box of romance novels in her teens, Staci Morrison devoured them like candy. Raised in church, she hid the racy 80s covers from her dad and blew off her friends to get lost in a great story. An avid cross-genre reader and natural storyteller, she dreamed of writing a book that blended everything she loved, but listened to the naysayers who proclaimed, “You can’t do that!” Eventually, she did. The creative explosion was akin to a nuclear bomb and gave birth to the ground-breaking Millennium Series. As our Author of the Day, she tells us all about her book, M1-The Black Key.

Please give us a short introduction to what M1-The Black Key is about.

M1-The Black Key is the first book in the epic Millennium Series, which imagines 1000 years of paradise on the verge of man’s final rebellion. It follows a cast of characters as they fight evil and discover love, adventure, and redemption.

What inspired you to write this story?

Was there anything in particular that made you want to tackle this? I have been a student of biblical prophecy for twenty years, and the end of the Millennium always intrigued me. How could a people who have lived in a reborn Eden, with no sickness, injustice, or natural disasters rebel against the Lord? So, I wanted to explore that.

Why 1000 years of paradise? What fascinates you about this concept?

There are not many Scriptures that delve into the Millennial reign of Christ, so I had a bit of freedom to make up what this world might look like.

Have you always known you wanted to be an author?

And was there a particular moment where you felt like you had accomplished your dream? I was always a reader and started my first novel at 16. Over the years I wrote, but never finished. I had a client make a snarky comment to me 2017, “What are you, a writer? Just get me my f*&% shipment.” I replied to the email that I was indeed a writer, put him in my first book, and killed him.

Besides writing, what other secret skills do you have?

I am an amazing cook and dabble in art. I’ve designed all the images for the series.

What did you have the most fun with when writing M1-The Black Key?

Prince Peter… he just leapt of the page and stole my heart.

What was your greatest challenge?

Overcoming imposter syndrome.

How did you do the world-building for this series?

It actually evolved through writing and a particular beta reader who asked me a hundred “why” questions. M1-The Black Key grew much larger than the first draft as a result of answering all those questions.

M1 - The Black Key is book 1 of the Millennium series. Can it be read as a standalone?

How will the other books in the series tie in with this one? Yes, M1 can be read as a standalone, but none of the subsequent stories can. They world, events, and characters are all woven together like a tapestry, which each novel adding shadow, light, texture, and details to this vibrant world.

This book spans multiple genres. Why did you create it this way?

I don’t think life belongs in a box, and I like complex characters and stories. I really like detective novels, but I always miss a romantic element in those stories, so I thought it would be interesting to bring all sorts of genres to the series.

What do you hope readers will take away from this series?

I hope it nourishes their minds, their hearts, their spirits.

Do you have any interesting writing habits? What is an average writing day like for you?

I am a binger. When I am in a story I will write upwards of 18 hours a day. During M1, I had an ice pack tied to my wrist so I could keep going.

What are you working on right now?

The final edits of M6, reviewing the first draft of M10, and planning M11. Unfortunately, most of 2023 has been spent marketing, so I am dying to get back to my first love.