For Ken Baker, the path to becoming a fantasy author didn’t begin with a plan, it began with a feeling. Fresh out of college and working in a busy technology office, he quickly realized his future wasn’t in partner marketing. It was in the stories he had started years earlier on an old Mac SE with a 10MB hard drive. That early spark never left him. Instead, it grew.

He spent his days working full time and his evenings studying the craft of writing, attending conferences, and filling page after page with new stories. Over the years, those early efforts became full manuscripts, and each one brought him closer to the writer he knew he was meant to be.

Today, Baker describes his creative process as a mix of structure and instinct. He begins with the main arc of the story, outlines a few chapters, and then lets his characters take the lead. They grow, struggle, and make choices that surprise even him. But what excites him most is world-building. He creates entire civilizations history, culture, politics, mythology all shaped with depth and intention. His characters come from people he has known, blended with their own beliefs, flaws, and purpose.

At the heart of his work is a belief that stories matter. He sees writing as a sacred responsibility. Stories can uplift or discourage. They can help readers see possibility or close them off to it. His mission is to create worlds that inspire growth, courage, and resilience, without telling readers what to think. He hopes his stories expand their sense of what is possible.

His newest novel, Heaven’s Warrior, released in October 2025, marks a major milestone in his career. The epic fantasy follows a teenage girl who defies imperial law by praying to her village’s patron god, hoping to save her sister from being taken by an immortal emperor. The answer she receives sets off a chain of events that will change her world and her destiny. It is a story of bravery, sacrifice, and the power of a single courageous choice.

Baker’s advice to new writers is simple: read constantly, write consistently, and welcome honest feedback. Before Heaven’s Warrior reached publication, he had written ten full novels, each one sharpening his skills and preparing him for the next step.

Ken Baker has been writing professionally for more than twenty-five years as both a children’s author and a freelance content strategist. While Heaven’s Warrior is his debut epic fantasy novel, he is already well known for his picture books, including Old MacDonald Had a Dragon, Cow Can’t Sleep, How to Care for Your T-Rex, and Brave Little Monster. His love for story remains as strong as ever and his journey is just beginning.