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.
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When You Love a Dog…

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It’s never easy when a pet passes away. At least I can say that Gracie looked as peaceful and loving as she always did in life. Today I figured I would write a post about her since all my other animals have a blog post dedicated to them.

Gracie wasn’t a rescue like all of our other animals. She was a dog my husband wanted for a very long time. When the time to pick her out of the litter, I told my husband I wanted a female and a runt so that she would stay small because we never knew what kind of house we would be living in or the size of the yard. The moment we saw that friendly, squirmy ball of red fur, we knew she was the dog for us.

Anyone who has known us for any length of times knows that we have moved a lot. Not sure why, other than that is what God has allowed in our lives. The other day I was telling Dan the only two consistent things in my life apart from God have been my family and my pets. Gracie moved to four different states with us and lived in numerous houses. And she took in all in stride.

Not only that, she was always welcoming people into our home. If you came over to our house, Gracie would lick your face off if I let her, and she would put her foot on yours to show she didn’t want you to leave. She also thought she was a lap dog and would try and climb into people’s laps 🙂

After we had to put our dachshund down, Gracie was lost without her little friend. Eventually we adopted a Jack Russel mix to fill the void left behind. Our Bella loved her big sister. She was always playing with Gracie and Gracie was so gentle with her new little friend. Yesterday the two were frolicking in the backyard and chasing birds.

This morning Gracie was sleeping in the chair I bought for her at a thrift store years ago (Dan would poke fun at me that I bought our dog a comfy chair to sleep in. She loved that thing!). I started joking with her about getting old and sleeping so hard she didn’t even wake up to chase the cat out of the house when I realized something was different. I shook her and she never stirred. That’s when it hit me. She had passed on.

GracieI thought I had more years with Gracie, but sadly that wasn’t meant to be. We believe she died of a stroke, fast and quick, right there in her chair. I take comfort in the fact that she never had to fight cancer or come to a place where we had to make a decision. Instead, she looked as peaceful and loving in death as she did in life. The Bible doesn’t say what happens to animals when they pass on, but I do know that God loves his creation and knows when even a single bird dies. Because of his great love, I know Gracie is in the best hands possible now.

But we sure will miss her!

 

Christian Life

One Chapter Short

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I had a review come in the other day where the reader really struggled with where Daughter of Light was going. Eventually she gave up and put the book away. As I glanced over her review, I was struck by the irony that if she had just continued on to one more chapter, she would have realized the point of the book. She would have reached the chapter where Rowen finally meets the Word and finds her strength in Him. Sadly, all the reader saw was the darkness and the hurt and the anger that my characters were going through and never went far enough to see the light and hope.

Isn’t that how life is sometimes? Sometimes the paths God takes us down are dark and hard. There is a reason that David in Psalm 23 calls that place “the valley of the shadow of death.” As we continue down into the valley, everything becomes darker and darker until we come to a point where everything inside of us is screaming for us to turn back and give up. But it’s usually at that very point where we are almost through the valley. The light is just up ahead. We just need to take a couple more steps.

I’m writing this post to remind us not to give up. Many of my friends are going through some dark valleys right now: unemployment, the death of a child, sickness, and life-altering change. Those are some very hard paths to walk. Sometimes you wish you could turn around and run back to the way life was before the valley. Or you’re just so tired that all you want to do is collapse and cry on the valley floor.

Don’t give up! There is light ahead. It may not be the outcome desired, but there will be renewal. There will be strength. There will be hope. There we will finally see God and realize He’s been walking with us the whole time.

Don’t stop one chapter short. The next chapter may very well be the one that gives you light and hope.

DoL Dark

Christian Life

It’s Okay to be a Martha

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Martha or Mary

Every once in a while I run into blog posts that remind us Christian women that we need to be a Mary in a Martha world. In fact, I ran across it again the other day, and the hurt, and the shame, and disappointment welled up inside of me. For years I struggled with who I am. I am not a Mary. I am not a quiet and meek woman. My strengths are logic, calculations, tasks, and getting things done. And every time I ran across those articles telling me I needed a different personality, I would curl up in a corner and wonder why God made me this way.

It took a while, but I slowly began to see God did not make a mistake when he made me. People like me are needed in this world, and they are needed in the church. Our strengths shore up other’s weakness, just as much as our weaknesses are honed and made stronger by those different from us. We need friendly, outgoing people. We need kindhearted caretakers. But we also need people who are detail-oriented. People who serve behind the scenes. We need Marthas and Marys.

So why do so many of us elevate Mary and put down Martha? I think it’s because we don’t understand what Jesus was really saying in that passage. Not once does Jesus tell Martha to become Mary. Instead, he pointed out where Martha’s focus was. She was so busy serving Jesus that she forgot Jesus. She was worried, and that worry made her lash out at her sister. Instead, he wanted to direct her attention back to what would really last. That meal she was preparing? It would soon be consumed and done. But time spent with him? It would never vanish.

Now does that mean we never cook another meal again (hahaha! I wish!). No, it means while we serve, we keep our focus on the one we are serving. It’s not about being Mary or Martha, it’s about Jesus. Are you a Mary? Then in your quietness enjoy your Lord. Are you a Martha? Then in your service, enjoy your Lord.

If you are a Martha, God isn’t calling you to be a Mary. He is calling you to spend time with him, and serve him with the gifts, personality, and talents he gave you. Those are the moments he spoke of that can never be taken away.

How about you? Are you more like Martha or Mary? Do you ever struggle with the person God made you?

My Books

Heir of Hope up for the RONE Award

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Heir of Hope Rone Award

Hello friends! A month ago I found out that Heir of Hope is a semi-finalist for the Rone Award with InD’Tale Magazine. The award has moved onto the reader’s choice portion, in other words, readers get to vote! In order to vote, you will need to subscribe to InD’Tale (which is pretty easy), then vote.

If I can share my heart, yes, this a great award, but even more, this gives me an opportunity to place my book in front of readers who would not otherwise see my books.

So if you believe Heir of Hope is an “excellent book”, please consider voting for it during the reader’s choice phase of the Rone Award. Here is a link to the contest and there you can subscribe in order to vote: www.indtale.com/2016-rone-awards-week-six

Thank you!

 

Writing

I Choose to Write Dangerously

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A couple weeks ago I received a review that made me scratch my head and ask if this person really read the same book I wrote? The descriptions given seemed far out there. But as I had time to process what this person said, along with what other people had to say, it made me realize something: I choose to write dangerously.

I will never glorify evil, but I will write about it because there is real evil in this world. In a tactful way, I will write about abuse because there is abuse in this world. I will write about the dark places of the soul, gut-wrenching pain, and betrayals by loved ones because all of those are real.

I will also share hope, because without hope, the soul withers and dies. I will write about the hope I have experienced, that is, the hope I have found in Jesus. I will do this in a non-preachy, realistic way because Jesus isn’t a sermon or a moral, He is God, and He has touched my heart and changed me. He is the only light and hope at the end of all things.

To write about both the darkness and the light puts me in a place of tension. I told my husband the other day that sometimes I feel like I have a horse tied to each arm and the horses are running in opposite directions. On the one hand, I write about uncomfortable things. Why? Because life isn’t squeaky clean, and neither are the lives of my characters.

  • Rowen from Daughter of Light has the power to see inside people and see all of their sin. This has caused her to be exiled from her home, used for financial gain, and abused by her own people.
  • Caleb from Son of Truth was a previous murderer and womanizer and still struggles with lust.
  • Nierne from Heir of Hope struggles with faith. She grew up in a monastery, but comes to realize she really has no faith in God.
  • Stephen from Tainted is betrayed by his fiancée and allows his bitterness to cloud his judgement and place a friend in danger.
  • Kat from Tainted is abused by her father, and yet longs for a relationship with him as well. Because of her father’s experiments, she has uncontrollable power that has caused her to hurt others, and so she sees herself as a monster beyond redemption and love.

 

Four books

Even though I write about fictitious characters in worlds far from our own, their struggles, pain, and hurt are familiar to us all.

On the other hand, I write about God, and that just makes people uncomfortable or downright grouchy. Like I said, I do it in a non-preachy way ( I leave the preaching to my husband!). But I do mention a monotheistic deity and have gotten in trouble for it. But to not mention God in one form or another in my books is to bring my readers through a very dark story then offer no hope.

True love does not bring hope in the end. A happy ever after does not bring hope (and seriously, how many real-life happy ever afters actually happen?). There is only one who can heal the soul, and that is God. And after what some of my characters go through, they need more than a true-love bandage to heal what has shattered inside of them. I know there are readers who have also been shattered, and I want to help bring healing to them as well by showing them what God can do.

However, to write this way is to write dangerously. It means I’m not going to make everyone happy. I’m not going to make the person who wants the clean, light-hearted Christian novel happy. And I’m not going to make the person who hates any mention of God happy. It means I will always write with tension on either side of me.

There are readers out there who want—even need—the books I write. They know the darkness, and they want the light. And so I will continue to write dangerously because that is what God has called me to write and because of those readers.

How about you? Have you felt tension in what you write? Do you feel pulled in both directions? What is God calling you to write?

 

My Books

Release Day for Tainted!

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Tainted_Hi_ResIt’s finally here! After months of waiting,Tainted comes out today! The question is, do you have your copy? If not, head on over to Enclave Publishing and purchase your copy now! www.enclavepublishing.com

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What others are saying about Tainted:

“Wow! Wow! Wow! I loved everything about this steampunk novel, from the mechanical bird name Cricket to the description of the different modes of transportation. I didn’t think that Morgan Busse could exceed the excellence of her Follower of Word series, but she did. Tainted is amazing!”

“I am happy to tell you this books is AWESOME! I do not like science fiction and have never read any Steam Punk themed books but LOVED this story.”

“Steampunk is a genre that I’ve only recently come to appreciate. Tainted is one of the reasons it’s quickly becoming my favorite… The phrase ‘edge of your seat’ is overused. But it certainly applies to Tainted. The action scenes were especially well done. This book is a ‘must have’ on your shelf!”

“I really continue to enjoy Tainted. The more time I have to ponder it, the more meaningful it is becoming. Without a bunch of details, let me just say that I can relate to Kat on many levels and I know I will not be the only one.”

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Also, don’t miss out on a chance to celebrate the release tonight on Facebook! That’s right, there’s a party happening! There will be plenty of chances to win signed copies of Tainted along with other steampunk memorabilia. You don’t want to miss out 🙂

www.facebook.com/events

 

My Books, Writing

What is Steampunk?

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What is steampunk? I’m asked this question a lot, especially as the release date draws near for Tainted, the first book in my own steampunk series.

In a nutshell, the genre steampunk is a fusion of our history (usually Victorian or western) and science fiction/fantasy. For example:

  • London set in an alternate universe where magic exists.
  • A western city with sophisticated technology that runs on steam.
  • A Goth English setting with a character who hunts monsters with high-tech weapons.

What I love about steampunk is the possibilities. Steampunk isn’t just science fiction or Victorian. It can have magic if you want. Or you can borrow from the time period of your choice without being confined to it or to the technology that existed. So if you want to invent some kind of steam powered cell phone, go for it!

The thing that sets steampunk apart from other genres (both visually and in story) is the feel. Steampunk has a feel of fantastical inventions, adventure, and science/discovery. Usually cogs, clocks, corsets, goggles, airships, and alchemy are associated with steampunk stories. But you don’t have to have any of those if you don’t want to. Have fun and create your own technology, weapons, and culture.

My own steampunk series borrows heavily from the Victorian era and science. I also had fun inventing things such as mechanical animals, an airship that runs on solar panels, a sniper rifle hidden within a walking cane, and a prosthetic arm that functions as an electric cannon.

But like any other genre, the story cannot stand on just the genre underpinnings. What connects the reader to the story is the story itself, with characters the reader can relate to. So while you’re having fun inventing your steampunk world, remember to tell a story, one that will grip your readers by the heart and mind.

How about you? Have you ever heard of steampunk before? What do you like about this sub-genre?

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Tainted_Hi_Res

What Happens When Your Soul Dies?

Kat Bloodmayne is one of the first women chosen to attend the Tower Academy of Sciences. But she carries a secret: she can twist the natural laws of life. She has no idea where this ability came from, only that every time she loses control and unleashes this power, it kills a part of her soul. If she doesn’t find a cure soon, her soul will die and she will become something else entirely.

After a devastating personal loss, Stephen Grey leaves the World City Police Force to become a bounty hunter. He believes in justice and will stop at nothing to ensure criminals are caught and locked up. However, when Kat Bloodmayne shows up in his office seeking his help, his world is turned upside down.

Together they search World City and beyond for a doctor who can cure Kat. But what they discover on the way goes beyond science and into the dark sphere of magic.

Book one of The Soul Chronicles series.

Order your copy of Tainted here: www.enclavepublishing.com

Personal

Moving Again

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This week begins the crazy week of moving. Again. Yes, we are moving again. When I first found out we were going to have to move in a couple weeks, I cried. I thought we have to be the family with the worst luck in the world! (If you’ve known me for any length of time, you know we seem to move every 1-2 years for reasons usually outside our control). Even worse, I cannot seem to have a book release without moving.

So as I started to settle deep into my pity party, God gently nudged me and reminded me of something: yes, we’ve had to move a lot (like over 15 times over the last 15 years), and yeah, it sucks. But…He has provided a place for us to move to every single time. And not only has He provided a place for us to move to, each home has allowed us to keep our pets, which is hugely important to me. I would live in my van in order to keep my dogs 🙂

That’s a lot of homes that have taken a risk on us and allowed us to have our animals. If you’ve ever had to find a rental, it’s hard to find a place that allows pets. Especially 2 dogs and 2 cats. More than that, every house has had four bedrooms, which has been a blessing for a family of six. Within the amount we could spend on rent.

That’s amazing!

God changed my attitude that day. I no longer said woe is me, I have to move again. Instead, I watched as God—once again—provided us with a home that fit our family and animals.

It’s still not easy to move. You say good-bye to wonderful neighbors, familiar neighborhoods, and schools. And moving furniture is hard! But it will happen, and next week I will be exploring our new neighborhood while walking my dogs.

So if you think about me and my family, pray for us. And if you are in a similar circumstance of looking for a new home, remember, you’re not alone. God is with you and knows your needs, and He always provides.

*This time we are not moving to another city or state, just to a new rental for those of you worried we are leaving California 😉

 

My Books

More Book News

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TaintedSo I have more book news to share! I am holding a Goodreads giveaway for a chance to win a signed copy of Tainted. So what are you waiting for? Head on over now: www.goodreads.com

The second bit of news: after a lot of talk and much prayer, I am happy to announce that I am now represented by Steve Laube of the Steve Laube Agency. I wasn’t looking for an agent, but a great one came along anyway. Funny how God works that way!  www.stevelaube.com

My Books

Tainted Available for Pre-Order

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Pre-OrderIt’s finally here! Tainted, the first book in my steampunk series, is now available for pre-order! For those of you who don’t know what steampunk is, Tainted is a mixture of Victorian historical and fantasy/science fiction. In Tainted, I ask what happens when a young woman has the ability to manipulate the laws of science, but every time she does, a piece of her soul dies.

So what are you waiting for? Here is the link: http://amzn.to/20GXuuV

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What Happens When Your Soul Dies?

Kat Bloodmayne is one of the first women chosen to attend the Tower Academy of Sciences. But she carries a secret: she can twist the natural laws of science. She has no idea where this ability came from, only that every time she loses control and unleashes this power, it kills a part of her soul. If she doesn’t find a cure soon, her soul will die and she will become something else entirely.

After a devastating personal loss, Stephen Grey leaves the World City Police Force to become a bounty hunter. He believes in justice and will stop at nothing to ensure criminals are caught and locked up. However, when Kat Bloodmayne shows up in his office seeking his help, his world is turned upside down.

Together they search World City and beyond for a doctor who can cure Kat. But what they discover on the way goes beyond science and into the dark sphere of magic.

Book one of The Soul Chronicles series.