The mind of 20-year-old Steven Maus is often adrift in faraway realms populated by humans past and future and fantastical creatures. But you can’t call it daydreaming; with his first book already widely available online and more on the way, this young author is channeling his flights of fancy into physical reality.

“For me, writing stories is like architecture,” Maus says. “You have a blank page, that’s your foundation. Words are the building materials. The story is the structure. You have an unlimited budget and complete freedom to build whatever you want.”

Steven Maus - Fantasy Man

As for Maus, his constructions generally fall in the fantasy genre. Previously relegated to Dungeons & Dragons role-play gamers and back-of-the-bookstore status, fantasy has recently come to enjoy massive crossover popularity due to some silver screen magic. Cinema series films such as Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, The Golden Compass and The Chronicles of Narnia have opened up the genre to a wider audience of readers, redefining the type- and age, of the typical sci-fi/ fantasy follower.

“I think there’s something for everyone in fantasy,” Maus says. “I want as many people as possible to enjoy my stories, junior high kids through high school, adults, closet geeks…. Just because something is kid-friendly doesn’t mean it isn’t quality. I hope that people won’t be dismissive just because [my writing] is approachable.”

Maus’ first novel Branchwater explores an alternate world where humans and their guardian-creations, the Mantliks, struggle to survive against a breed of lizard-like creatures under the watchful eyes of a powerful religious regime. Like C.S. Lewis, in Branchwater Maus weaves religious themes and symbolism throughout the story. Home schooled until age 15 when he enrolled at Chandler Gilbert Community College, he credits much of his religious influence to his upbringing.

In a February interview with EzineArticles.com, Maus says, “I was raised on the Bible and so it influences me in many ways, including my writing, my stories, etc. There are plenty of great tales about war in the Bible, as well as tyrants being dethroned, whole peoples being wiped out. It really is great inspirational material.”
Whether formulating the sequel to Branchwater or focusing on the soon-to-be published Madeline City, Maus maintains a daily commitment to his writing amidst a busy work, school, family and social schedule.
“My goal is at least an hour a day. If it’s less than that then I try for a page,” says Maus. “Sometime constructing a story results in making additions along the way, or even tearing down complete sections. Even if an idea doesn’t end up panning out, if it’s up there, I’ll try it.”

Madeline City, which Maus hopes will be available by the end of the year, is a slight departure from the surreal Branchwater. Inhabited exclusively by humans, Madeline City fits into a popular subcategory of the genre: historical fantasy. Walled cities, gunpowder weapons and a powerful religious oligarchy are central to the story’s action. Although his newest endeavor takes place in a parallel past far removed from the Mantliks, Maus promises that we haven’t seen the end of Branchwater.

“I envision it as a four book series,” Maus says. “Timing, whatever you want to call it, it hasn’t been right yet. But I’m not finished. There’s definitely more to come.”

Branchwater is available online through any major bookseller. For more information about the author and his work, visit www.humansandmantliks.com.

Written by Lori Archibald

Photography provided by Steven Maus

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