All posts by Morgan L. Busse

Morgan L. Busse is a writer by day and a mother by night. She is the author of the epic fantasy Follower of the Word series and the award-winning steampunk series, The Soul Chronicles. Her debut novel, Daughter of Light, was a Christy and Carol Award finalist. During her spare time she enjoys playing games, taking long walks, and dreaming about her next novel.
Christian Life

Bullet Wounds

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Have you ever been shot by friendly fire? Many of us have. It comes from behind, hits you in the back and the next thing you know, you’re down on the ground bleeding out. Obviously these are not real bullets, but the damage is real. They are relational shots, the kind that comes from a person we trusted. Be it family members, friends, those we worship with or a coworker. You believed you were both on the same side and now you are deeply wounded.

So what do you do? You feel like everyone is walking by. No one sees you there; no one knows you’re in pain. And you have a bullet stuck inside you.

A)   Hide the bullet wound. Cover it up. You don’t want anyone to see that you were hurt. So you pick yourself up and quickly pull your shirt over your wound. Then you go on as if nothing happened. The problem is, you were shot. And you still have that bullet inside you.

I see a lot of people do this. They hide the pain. They are embarrassed that this happened or think the right thing to do is to forgive and forget. The problem is, the bullet is never dealt with. It’s just covered up. And someday that bullet will come back in a painful way.

Just like real bullet wounds, this is no way to treat a relational bullet wound.

B)   Get up and shout that you’ve been shot. Let the world know. Lift up your shirt and show them your bullet hole. You have a reason to be angry and hurt.

I think we’ve all seen people like this. They can’t wait to show you their bullet wound and tell you every gritty detail of how they were shot and left to die. And if you look closely, you’ll see the bullet wedged inside. The the bullet is never taken out and dealt with. It becomes a painful festering wound for the whole world to see.

If a doctor ever saw a bullet wound like this, they would immediately take you to the operating room and pump you full of antibiotics. Real bullet wounds are a serious threat to your health and need to be dealt with. So are relational bullet holes.

C)   Let God, the Great Physician, take the bullet out. Is it going to hurt? Yes! Probably more than you can endure-which is why so few choose to really deal with the bullet. Is it going to leave a scar? Yes. Will you bleed? Probably. But afterwards the bullet will be gone. You will have life again.

I’ve felt His hands as God has operated on my own bullet wounds. Some of those bullets were deep. I cried out as God began to remove them. I struggled to love those who shot me. But as God removed the bullets and tenderly bandaged me up, I found healing. I found forgiveness. And with God’s help, the festering infection of bitterness did not have a chance to set in and grow.

Do I have scars from those bullet holes? Yes. But I use them not to show that I was shot but to show how God healed me.

My friends, this is the only healthy way to live again from wounds received by intentional (or unintentional) emotional shootings. Don’t let the bullet stay inside. Don’t let an infection set in. Take your pain to God and let Him perform surgery on you. It may take weeks, even months to recover from such a surgery. But the resulting health is worth it.

Personal

The Things We Do for Love

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I was struck the other day how many things we do for love. Now I’m not talking about heart pounding, hands clammy infatuation. What I’m talking about is true love. Everyday love. The kind that shows up in little ways.

For example, I love my pets. I have two dogs, two longhaired guinea pigs, and a cat. There are things that they cannot do for themselves, so I do it for them. Like cleaning out the cat box. It’s a messy, stinky job, but someone has to do it. And I love my cat, so I do it without complaint.

Same with my little guys (aka guinea pigs). They are stuck in a cage and depend on me for food, water, and a clean place to live. I love those little fuzzballs so much that I have no problem doing that for them (ask my husband, you won’t find 2 more loved pigs in this world that Butterscotch and Vanilla :)).

I also love my kids. I have changed more diapers, wiped more bums and noses, and held a bowl beneath queasy tummies than I can count. But it is a labor of love. I give my time to hear their stories, laugh at their jokes, and play video games. I give up my house and yard so that they might have a place to play and grow up. My hands cook and do laundry. Little things I do everyday because I love my children.

With Dan, it’s holding his hand or rubbing his back. I love surprising him with chocolate from the store or with a quick text that says “I love you.” It’s making homemade chicken noodle soup when he’s sick in bed. Wearing his favorite shirt, laughing at his quirky jokes, making him a cup of coffee.

I also forgive him and say I’m sorry. I put my own habits aside and do things Dan’s way (like close the cap on the contact lens solution). I don’t put vegetables in the casserole and never buy Folgers coffee :). Its what I do because I love Dan.

Little things. Everyday things. Things we would not knowingly for anyone else, but we do without thought for those we love. Why? Because they mean more to us than inconveniences and messes, more than money, or time, or stuff. Its love shown in the details. The kind of love that glues people together.

So what do you do for love?

Personal, Writing

Daughter of Light

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Have you ever seen inside the human heart?

I have.

I have seen the darkness that hides within, I have felt the feelings of hatred and lust, heard whispers that still haunt my mind. With one touch I see what no one else sees: the very soul of man.

I am a mirror. I reflect the darkness within. I rip away the lies and deceit wrapped around the heart until all that is left is darkness and light. I expose the truth. And am hated and feared for it.

Why would the Word give me such terrifying power? Why must I see the darkness in others?

I never wanted this. I tried to rip the mark from my hand. I tried to hide it. I even ran away. It worked for a time. But a power like this cannot stay hidden forever.

And so I have been banished from my village. I run from those who wish to kill me. And hide from others who hope to twist my power.

Only a few stand beside me. But even they cannot follow me down the long dark road that lies before me. Only one can. The One who gave me my power.

Someday I will pay the price for my gift. For men do not want light, they want darkness. But until that day comes, the Word will stand with me and by his power I will shine.

Daughter of Light.

Personal, Writing

How I Became Part of Marcher Lord Press

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Last week I shared how I became a writer. Later that night, after I wrote my post, I received a surprising email. Here is the story…

I first heard about Marcher Lord Press through a blog interview a few years ago. By then, I knew enough about the writing industry to know that publishing a Christian fantasy would be difficult. Hardly any Christian publishing companies were taking those kinds of books. They wanted romance, historical, Amish. Not a fantasy set in a different world. Not my kind of book.

Then I read Randy’s interview with a man named Jeff Gerke. Jeff was starting a new publishing company that would only produce Christian science fiction and fantasy. He saw a market out there that no one was reaching. So he was going to reach it.

After reading that interview, I turned to Dan and said, “My book might have a home someday.” I never realized how true those words would become.

I watched Marcher Lord Press with interest. I watched the books produced. I read the books. And they were good. Really good. I was still finishing my own book at the time, but I knew when I was done, I wanted to submit it to Marcher Lord Press.

Later that spring, I went to the Mt Hermon Writing conference with a finished book in hand, ready to show it to agents and publishers. I also met Jeff there. I told him about my book. He seemed interested and told me to submit it. But he also warned me that it would take 12-18 months for him to get back to me about it. That was fine with me.

I went home and sent off my manuscript. I also sent it off to a couple others who were interested. Then I started writing the second book. I heard back from the others. The message was the same: good book, but not for us. I didn’t lose heart. I knew I suppose to write. But that didn’t necessarily mean I would be published.

Then life happened. Dan and I found ourselves at a crossroads a couple months ago after he was let go from the church we were serving at. All thoughts of publishing disappeared from my mind. Instead, I found myself in God’s crucible. I was being reshaped and reforged by grief and heartache. Dan and I clung to each other and God as we sought what we should do next. We came out of that time with a strong love and desire to reach people with God’s love. So we decided to church plant.

But how did publishing fit in with that? I didn’t know. We were beginning a whole new way of life with me working full time and Dan taking care of the kids, going to school, and planting Living Grace Church. I finally knelt down one night and gave my writing to God. I was willing to give it up if God so chose.

After work last Friday, I received an email from Jeff. I waited until the kids were in bed. Then I did the dishes, all the while praying. Then I sat down and opened the email. His first words were would I like to be a Marcher Lord?

I ran to Dan’s office crying. Poor Dan, he couldn’t figure out if they were good tears or sad tears. I finally said he wants my book. Then we both came running back to my computer and finished the email. Then I sent off my reply. Yes, I wanted to be a Marcher Lord.

I couldn’t believe it. I walked around the house the next two days in a daze. I felt that gut twisting sensation you get when the roller coaster reaches the top and you’re looking down right before the plunge: excited and terrified. The contract came in. I read over it a couple times, had Dan read it, then signed it.

Monday, the news broke and life has not been the same since.

So what now? you might be wondering. Do I get to sit back and wait for my book to be published? Hardly lol. I have some big revisions to do per Jeff’s request in the next three months. Then probably more.

Am I making tons of money and going to retire? Um, no :). Most authors hardly make anything with their writing. But that’s not why I write.

When is your book coming out? Not sure yet. Need to get through those revisions. But I’ll let you know when I know.

How many books are you writing? I am contracted for 3.

What is your book about? Click on the tab labeled Daughter of Light (right hand side) to read a blurb about my book.

So that’s my writing journey. There have been a lot of people who have supported me, encouraged me, and pushed me to the next level the last few years. To name them all here would take a lot of space. You all know who you are. Thank you my friends!

To find out more about Marcher Lord Press, click here.

If  you have any other questions, feel free to ask in the comments below :).

Personal, Writing

How Did I Become a Writer?

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How did I become a writer? Most authors I know begin their story with something about when they were six they knew they wanted to be a writer. Not so with me. When I was six I wanted to be a pegasus unicorn 🙂 (probably explains why I write fantasy now).

I never dreamed of being a writer. In high school, I loved science and math, not English and certainly not writing. So how did I start? It began when I walked into a Christian bookstore and asked if they carried any Christian fantasy. The woman gave me a strange look and pointed to a lone Frank Peretti book at the end of the book aisle.

I went home stunned. That’s it? Just Frank Peretti? (by the way, I like his stuff, but I wanted more). After talking to Dan, he suggested maybe I should write. Yeah right. But the thought stuck with me. Then on a long car trip to Seattle, I had my idea for a book. I went home and wrote. I was naïve back then. I thought a writer sat down, wrote a book, found someone to publish it and that was that. Eight years later, I now know there is a whole lot more to the writing process.

I wrote for two years, just writing out the story in my head. Then I discovered there was a writing group in Oregon and that they were having a one-day conference in a couple weeks. I signed up. That one-day conference changed my writing life.

I met Randy Ingermanson (who was the guest speaker that day). For anyone who is thinking about writing fiction, you need to check out his website here. I went home and immediately signed up for his ezine and began to follow his blog. A couple months later, I followed Randy’s advice and signed up for the Mt Hermon Writing Conference.

Mt Hermon was another pivotal point in my writing life. For five days I met with hundreds of other Christian writers, learning how to write better, how to seek publication, met some great agents and publishers and came home ready to take my writing from a hobby to an earnest pursuit.

I spent the following year just writing. Next week I will share how I write a book (from idea to final draft), but let me just say now, it takes a loooong time (at least for me). By the end of that year, I had a finished, polished manuscript.

In 2010 I was able to attend Mt Hermon again and this time had a manuscript to share with publishers and editors. At this second conference, I ran into Rebecca Luella Miller, another pivotal person in my writing life. It was Becky who told me I should blog. Once again my thoughts were yeah right. How? When? And what would I write about? But with her gentle encouragement, I jumped into the blogging world.

It is now 2011 and I am still on my writing journey. Writing is a long, patient process. It requires self discipline, a willingness to learn the craft, and lots and lots of time. I’ll admit if I had known eight years ago what it took to be a writer, I would have been overwhelmed. But here I am and I love it :). I thank God for this medium by which I can share my life, my creative ideas, and His truth.

Next week I will share the ins and out of how I write a book (and no, its not just sit down and write, at least not for me lol). So don’t forget to stop by!

Book Reviews, Personal

Top Ten Books I Love

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It’s Friday and I’m coming into the weekend after my first full week of work. To celebrate (and because my brain is recharging), I thought I would do a light fluffy post today. This post is also the kickoff for my next three posts where I will talk about what it means to be a writer (and why you should find a more sane hobby :)). So here we go!

These books are like comfort food. When I want something to read and have nothing new, I grab one of these. I have read them over and over again. These books are old friends who live on my shelf (you know what I mean?).

1)   Anne of Green Gables. L. M. Montgomery’s books take me to a time and place filled with unique characters. If you haven’t read the series (past the first book), I would highly recommend you do :).

2)   The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings/The Silmarillion. It was The Hobbit that first sparked my love for the fantasy genre. I also love the Silmarillion. Basically it’s the history book for anything Middle Earth.

3)   Pride and Prejudice. Personally I think this is the best romance written. Girl meets boy. Girl hates boy. Girl realizes she was wrong about boy. Boy does everything to win girl back. Love it!

4)   The Scarlet Pimpernel. I read this book for the first time a couple months ago and absolutely loved it. It takes place during the French Revolution (fascinating time period) and revolves around a mysterious man who, with the help of a group of young English noblemen, smuggles French nobility out of France.

5)   Jane Eyre. A darker tale of love, but beautiful as well. It is about a young woman who has to choose between the way of love and the way of virtue. She chooses to stand by her convictions. At the end of the book, she is finally free to marry the man she loves who by then has paid the price for his past wrongs. A wonderful book about enduring love.

6)   Mark of the Lion Series. Excellent three book series that takes place during the Roman time period right after the fall of Jerusalem. The story follows a young Jewish woman who is sold as a slave into a roman household. Great historical fiction.

7)   Star Wars: Heir to the Empire series. There are many Star Wars books out there written by many different authors, but my all time favorite is this first series written by Timothy Zahn. If you want to read Star Wars, start with this series.

8)   Harry Potter. I first began reading this series after the teens in my youth group were asking about Harry Potter. This post is not the place to discuss the controversies surrounding Harry Potter (instead, go to this link* where I friend of mine discusses why Harry Potter is important to Christian discernment in reading). I love the books. J.K. Rowling has written an amazing world and deep characters.

9)   Sherlock Holmes. Yep, I love the man of deduction. It always fascinates me how Sherlock Holmes is able to solve each mystery by seeing what we all see, but in a different way. Classic mystery.

10)  Chronicles of Narnia. I could not end a post like this without mentioning C.S. Lewis and his stories about Narnia. I will say the books are better than the movies. So go read them.

So there’s my list. I would love to hear from my readers what are your most favorite books, those books whose covers are worn and pages dirty, but you read time after time after time again. Please share in the comments. Maybe I’ll find a new love amongst your lists :).

 

*http://www.speculativefaith.com/2011/07/07/harry-potter-and-the-issues-beyond-fiction-part-1/

Christian Life, Personal

A Day of Rest

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As a mother, I work seven days a week. I have twelve to fourteen loads of laundry to do, same amount of dishes. There are bathrooms to clean, floors to clean, counters to clean. Then there are 3 meals to prepare each day, baths to be given (both to kids and pets), and vacuuming. And that’s just my cleaning load :).

For years (if not all my life) I have worked every day. Sure, I would take the occasional afternoon off or vacation time, but it was not consistent and certainly not every week. When I would read the Ten Commandments, I would skim over the one that talked about keeping the Sabbath. Confession time: I didn’t believe it really applied to my life. It was an Old Testament thing, not as applicable as the other commandments like do not lie or do not murder.

Then two things happened this year to make me rethink that. I read a book that talked about the Sabbath. Not in an overtly religious way. Just the need in our fast paced gogogo world to slow down, be quiet, and hear God. I began to rethink the Sabbath after reading that book.

Then a few weeks later, it was the topic preached at church: our need to slow down and rest, to keep the Sabbath.

Another confession: I had some preconceived notions of what it meant to keep the Sabbath. Such as all you do is sit around and be quiet all day. Or… you can’t do any kind of work or you’ll be “breaking the Sabbath.” Or… be at church all day and listen to 3 hour-long sermons. The idea of keeping the Sabbath seemed too religious to me, too “works” oriented, archaic. Not applicable to a modern day Christian.

However, the book I read, the sermon from a couple months ago, and my dawning realization that with working 40 hours a week on top of being a mother and wife was going to radically change my life made me pause and rethink the Sabbath.

Could I do it? Did I really have time to take off every week? Would I fall behind in my housework? And what did keeping the Sabbath really mean?

It means a day of rest. Something I needed already in my life and would need even more once I started working.

So I decided to give it a try. A couple weeks ago, I took Sunday off. No, I didn’t just sit around and be quiet. I certainly did not spend the entire day at church and listen to three-hour sermons. I just chose to do nothing but spend time with my family, spend time with God, and write a little. That’s all. Well, I put one load of dishes in the dishwasher :). But I didn’t even cook. We had cereal and sandwiches, meals that didn’t require much from me.

And I loved it.

I felt energized and ready to face Monday. I enjoyed my family. I was able to finally quiet myself enough to share my deepest fears and worries with God about my future. And found peace.

And you know what? I didn’t fall behind in my housework (like I thought I would). I ceased to worry about keeping the Sabbath “the right way” (whatever that way is) and just rested. I found the world could still revolve without Morgan.

So I decided to do it again. I took the next Sunday off. Then the next one. And now I’m wondering why I didn’t start doing this earlier in my life.

I will admit I have to work a bit harder on Saturday, like making sure I have sandwich makings or a frozen meal so I don’t have to cook (I love that part! the no cooking part on Sunday). But it is worth it. And I will need this day of rest even more as I start my 40-hour job next week.

Are you afraid to take a day of rest? Afraid everything will crumble like a house of cards if you’re not on it everyday? Or are you afraid of turning the Sabbath into a religious obligation? Those were my fears. But I’ve come to realize God knew what He was doing when He gave us the Sabbath and rested Himself as an example.

A day of rest. Permission to enjoy life, take a nap, play Uno with the kids. And leave the laundry for the next day :).

 

Writing

Hoosier Ink: God, the Author of our Lives

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Good Saturday morning everyone 🙂 I have another post up at http://hoosierink.blogspot.com . If any of you are writers (or are aspiring to be one), Hoosier Ink is a great writing resource.

Book Reviews

Book Review: The Healer’s Apprentice

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Yes, I judge a book by its cover. What can I say? I’m a visual person. A well done cover appeals to me. It says, “pick me up and read me.” When I first saw the cover for The Healer’s Apprentice, I was intrigued. When I read it was a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty fairytale (one of my favorite fairytales), I knew I had to read it.

The main character, Rose is the adopted daughter of a woodcutter who is apprenticed to the local healer to learn a trade. Of course, as the story goes, she catches the eye of Duke Hamlin who is engaged to a mysterious noble woman that no one has ever met. And… well, you guys know the story, right?

Here is what I liked about this particular retelling of Sleeping Beauty: Melanie Dickerson places it in a real place during a real time, namely medieval Germany. The architecture, the food, the customs are real. Also, there is no magic. No three good fairies, no Maleficent, no naps for everyone until loves true kiss shows up. It’s a “what if” Sleeping Beauty were a true story.

I enjoyed reading this kind of “what if” take on this fairytale. It is a well-written, sweet, innocent, clean read. For anyone who enjoys fairytales, or is just looking for a good read this summer, I highly recommend The Healer’s Apprentice.

 

For more about the author Melanie Dickerson, go to www.melaniedickerson.com

Personal

Why isn’t Marriage Romantic Anymore?

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Dan and I were watching The Event one night. Afterwards, I turned to Dan and told him they should have had two of the main characters married instead of just dating. I would have pulled for them more. Then Dan pointed out something: most of the world does not see the romance or permanence of marriage anymore.

Dan’s words saddened me. I guess I’m one of those that still believes marriage can be the strongest human relationship in the world. Where a man finds a woman and chooses to love only her the rest of his life. Where a woman stands beside her man as his lover, friend, and ally. The kind of bond that if the woman went missing, the man will go to the ends of the earth to find her (cue music “I’ll Always Find You”).

I have a hard time believing in that kind of permanent love between two people merely dating. And even harder time believing that of total strangers. Yet that is the romance we see on the big screen or read about in books.

I know, I know, you’re saying that kind of romantic marriage is more fairytale than reality. And considering the amount of divorce, infidelity, and disrespect in marriages nowadays, it’s easy to see why. But isn’t the heartthrobbing, I-will-throw-myself-in-front-of-the-monster (even though I’ve only known you two days), let’s kiss (and do more) but I may or may not be here tomorrow kind of love just as fairytalish?

Why is it that marriage has to be unexciting, unromantic, or the big problem in a movie/book? Why can’t it be the romantic element? That together, the hero and heroine are stronger than they would be apart?

I love the opening scene to Star Wars: Survivors Quest by Timothy Zahn. We watch Luke Skywalker and his wife Mara Jade totally clean out the bad guys. But not just in that scene. They do that through the entire book. And Star Wars series. Apart, Luke and Mara are pretty good jedis. Together, unbeatable. They are a fictional example of a great husband/wife team. They love each other exclusively, watch each other’s backs, powerful in their own right, but even more so together. Why can’t we have more romance like that?

Or how about Spy Kids? The movie starts out with two international spies assigned to take out the other. Of course, they fall in love instead and choose to embark on the “greatest journey of all”: marriage (and kids :)).

I would love to see more of this kind of romance when I read or watch a movie. A romance where marriage is a good thing, something to be desired. It reinforces my own desire for a good marriage, one worth fighting for.

How about you? Would you like to see more of this kind of romance? What books or movies have you seen marriage portrayed as romantic?