Michaela Bush's Blog, page 2

OCTOBER SALES...(Like, a LOT of them)

 Hey everyone!

I have two pretty good sales going on right now and thought I'd pop in and let you know about them: one for writers and one for readers.

1) I have a handful of novel planning, word count tracking, and self-editing/marketing kits in PDF format on my Fourthwall page, and from now until November 30th, I'll be offering those at a 20% off discount! Check it out HERE.

2) So since the 'Zon is having another Prime deals thing in October, I decided to up the ante and offer almost all of my paperbacks on a 10-15% discount for the entire month of October! (Actually, they're available now, so...) 

These discounted paperbacks are all available straight through Amazon, not my Fourthwall. So if you're looking to grab paperbacks of the Legends of Lanaria series before the big finale this November, you can snag 'em now. 

Or if you're looking for a cutesy reads for your winter TBR, the Bethlehem Belle novellas are also on sale. 

And if you're following me because of my devotional chat at the Cookport Fair, those are available on a discount as well. Remember that profits from Sustain will be donated toward Fire Now Ministries. 

And if you have deep-seated frustrations with the governing systems that be, are anti-AI, and want to read a story of some plucky teens and young adults conquering it, my Makenzie Gray books are also available at a discount (except for the omnibus edition; it costs almost $27 to print the blame thing so you're already getting it basically at-cost when you order that one...)

Anyway, if you want a link, check them out below...

Michaela Bush HERE
Makenzie Gray HERE

That's it for now! Thanks so much for your support! 

REVIEW & RELEASE WEEK: BURIED SECRETS by S. F. Baumgartner

 Hey everyone! Today I'm thrilled to share a review for Buried Secrets by S. F. Baumgartner, a Christian thriller that immediately made me want to read the rest of the series!

BLURB

A hidden past. A deadly inheritance. A faith that must stand the test.

Dylan Roche has always lived a quiet life, far from the family his mother never spoke of. But when a lawyer shows up with a message from a wealthy grandmother he’s never met, Dylan is drawn into a world of privilege, secrets, and danger.

What begins as a chance to learn about his past quickly becomes something darker. Someone is watching. Following. And the more he searches for answers, the more perilous his position becomes.

To survive, Dylan must make an impossible choice: walk away and return to the life he knew—or claim the legacy his mother wanted for him, even if it puts his life on the line. Because someone is willing to kill to steal what should have been his all along.

If you like James Patterson’s pulse-pounding thrillers, Terri Blackstock’s faith-filled suspense, and Lynette Eason’s action-packed danger, you’ll devour this Christian suspense with psychological tension.

Follow Dylan on his journey to his ancestral home, starting with Buried Secrets.

Available on Amazon now:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FLQ6184V

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

S.F. Baumgartner crafts fast-paced Christian suspense thrillers, weaving tales of complex characters, secretive operatives, and relentless agents. Her gripping storytelling has earned acclaim, with Living Secrets—Book 1 of her Mirror Estate series—named a Top Pick in the thriller category at Killer Nashville, 2024. When she’s not plotting her next twist, she’s binge-watching crime TV shows, like NCIS or playing with her cats. Fans of James Patterson's style, especially those who appreciate short, punchy chapters, will find much to love in her work.

MY REVIEW

BURIED SECRETS was a thrilling story from start to finish, with interesting twists and turns that keep you reading. If you’re a crime show nerd, this one brought to mind "Chuck meets NCIS meets Psych." I loved Dylan's character, not to mention a surprisingly hardcore Father and just enough mystery to keep me going without getting lost. With believable characters and a compelling storyline, this is an action-filled, mystery-filled story that is perfect for a quick read. I can't wait to check out the rest of the series--and I'll be doing so ASAP.

*I read an ARC copy and my review is purely opinion! 

REVIEW & RELEASE DAY: MORLAVE'S QUEST FOR MAGIC by COURTNEY DENELSBECK!

 Hey everyone! Today I'm thrilled to share a review of Morlave's Quest for Magic, book 2 in the Morlave's Magical Adventures series by Courtney Denelsbeck! Check out more below. The book just released today, so make sure to catch up on the series if you haven't already!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Will the adventure of a lifetime destroy everything Morlave holds dear?

Cornelius Morlave and his loyal companions are on a daring quest, driven by a mysterious key left to him by his mentor, Professor Wormwood. After a grueling year at Yortsed Academy, Morlave is torn between the comfort of his parents’ shop and the thrilling adventure that awaits him.

But this key is no simple trinket — it holds the power to unlock secrets and lead them on a perilous journey through a magical forest and beyond. As they travel through the elven kingdom of Xanthia, they must navigate through dangers and challenges, all while unraveling the magical clues that the key is pointing to.

As the stakes grow higher and their lives are put on the line, Morlave and his friends must make a difficult decision — is the promise of magic and discovery worth risking their lives and their friendships for?

Join Morlave on his thrilling and heartwarming quest for magic in this adventurous YA coming of age story. Fans of beloved tales like Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Percy Jackson will be captivated by this timeless tale of friendship, love, bravery, and self-discovery.

AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

When she’s not stuck in magical worlds, Courtney is homeschooling her four daughters, chatting with her husband, drinking too much coffee, playing with her dog, or enjoying a sunset. Before she wrote books, she designed baby toys and stuffed animals. She’s always loved art and illustrates and designs her own books. Her focus is on creating immersive experiences that are whimsical and fun while weaving deeper themes and meaningful content throughout her stories. Her faith in Christ inspires and guides her content. Her debut novel, Red Fairy & Fox, released in 2024.

MY REVIEW

A thrilling and heartfelt continuation of book one, MORLAVE’S QUEST FOR MAGIC picks up right where it left off and delves deeper into the issues that began it all. It has great themes like forgiveness and fighting pride, reconciliation, and also some spiritual warfare as well, bundled up in such a way that it’d be easy for middle grade readers to understand appropriately. (And grownups can fall in love with the themes pretty fast, too!) I loved this series to start, but now I’m on pins and needles for book 3! Grab this book if you love the quests and camaraderie of LOTR, the magic of Harry Potter, and faith-based fiction! *I read an ARC copy and my review is purely opinion!

LEGENDS OF LANARIA VOL 1 & 2 COVER REVEALS

Well, here it is: the Volumes One and Two covers for the Legends of Lanaria omnibus! I kept the original design and just tweaked it a bit for Vol. 1, of course, but picked an appropriately moodier cover design for Vol. 2! The Kindle edition will still retain the original cover, since it will house all of the books in one huge file. (It's almost 1200 pages' worth...)

SO: When will these beauts be available? If you've preordered them from my Fourthwall, those will hopefully be shipping out before the November release dates. Vol. 1 paperbacks will formally release on Amazon on November 14th, with Vol. 2 going live on November 15th!
Between these volumes, there will be six short stories exploring various characters, which will be exclusive to the omnibus editions!
Kindle edition preorders: HEREAnd if you're not a Kindle person, I will have the file available soon on my Fourthwall page, since I won't be offering the omnibus on Kindle Unlimited.
Paperback preorders: HERE.



If you've read the series or have the original paperbacks already, TQOL is set to release November 11th on its own! Kindle preorders are HERE.
Whew. Did I miss anything?

ARC Signups now open: TO LOVE YOU

Hey everyone! I'm thrilled to announce that ARC signups are now open for the To Love You collection from Beyond the Bookery, by Jennie Marie Ryan, Kaleigh Whitford, and myself! There's a lot to look forward to from this collection releasing December 9th, but here are a few hints!

ABOUT THE BOOKBeyond the Bookery invites you to step into a collection of sweet, fun, and romantic contemporary fairy tale retellings.

To Love You coming from Michaela Bush, Jennie Marie Ryan, and Kaleigh Whitford on December 9th, 2025.
PREORDERS: https://www.amazon.com/Love-You-Collection-Contemporary-Retellings-ebook/dp/B0F9H7R493/
ARC SIGNUPS: They close October 21st, so make sure to sign up ASAP if you're interested in reading and reviewing! Click HERE.
If you want a sneak peek at my novella in this collection, check it out below:

ARCs AVAILABLE NOW: OF STORM & SEA ANTHOLOGY!

 

Hey everyone! So it's been almost two years since I wrote the poem--and I'm beyond thrilled to finally share it with you all! Of Storm & Sea anthology will be published soon, and Grace A. Johnson/Sky's The Limit Press is looking for ARC readers! 

Click HERE to sign up. 

More about the anthology: 

* Roughly 110k words
*PG/PG-13 rating
*ARC signups close September 30th; you'll have a couple months to read the book!
*Perfect for folks looking for no-spice pirate-y reads!

Stories & Poems: 

The Song of the Vessel in Love with the Sea by Anna Huet

This haunting and romantic villanelle captures the beauty of a ship upon the sea.

A Sea of Stories by Norah Case

Pirate captain Cassia Lockheart rescues a baby and raises him as her own, hoping to put her old life behind her. But when the stories she tells her surrogate son threaten to become her reality again, Cassia finds herself trapped between who she was and who she is. As the sea beckons to her once again, the choice of listening to the story she tells about herself, or the story the Creator wants to tell about her, becomes the hinge upon which their world rests.

The Ghost Ship by Bree Pembrook

Podcaster Marina, her twin brother Caspian, and their photographer Florian, set off to find a mysterious “ghost ship” that has been a village legend for decades. But, in a strange twist of fate, they find themselves captured by the most unusual people, who seem to be straight out of a history book and are taken to an island just as old. Will they escape in time, or will they be doomed to the same fate as hundreds of others at the hands of the Triangle’s mysterious inhabitants?

To Follow His Plan by Michaela Bush

In this narrative poem, a young woman is guided through a storm by strange man she's dreamed about since she was a babe. He gives her an important message, but is it just another dream or something more?

Fate of the Glowblooded by Rose Everille

Laikal, a cabin boy aboard a dragon-hunting ship discovers he is a member of a race that has been hunted to extinction because of their ability to communicate with dragons. This puts him at odds with his crew, including his father, the captain.

Will he find acceptance and regain the love and trust of his father?

Weather the Storm by Emma Thrasher

On the day of her wedding, Anya’s fiancé is tasked by the king to find a new homeland after a mysterious force threatens their community’s survival. Anya, hurt by what she perceives as abandonment, struggles to learn what it means to truly love someone while simultaneously fighting for the survival of her homeland—but she soon learns that the monsters that threaten them may not be so different from Anya herself.

Sunset’s Watch by Lilly Tanis

Tanis captures the beauty of a cliffside sunset as lovers are reunited beneath the sun’s last rays.

My Coworker Met the Dragon King by Linyang Zhang

After Lu Fei’s coworker Ren Guang disappears into the sea, Lu Fei is left to face dreary, gray days at the company alone. His grandmother thinks Ren Guang has gone to see the Dragon King, but Lu Fei believes the white funeral flowers on Ren Guang’s desk say otherwise. One day, Lu Fei takes a misstep down by the shore, and finds himself swept into the waves, where he comes face to face with Ren Guang again. Can the two of them escape the Dragon King’s palace and find their way back home?

Once Upon a Stormy Sea by M.C. Kennedy

Mer-queen Karyna has spent the past twelve years avoiding marriage by requiring all her suitors to undergo a series of impossible trials. But when a storm washes a ship into the city's port, the captain requests to take the trials, and Karyna has no choice but to allow him. Her discomfort grows as he progresses with startling ease. Even more disconcerting is the captain’s companion—a merman who bears a striking resemblance to Karyna’s long-lost betrothed.

The Storm’s Surrender by Jessica B. Brown

A naval captain clings to hope against all odds in the midst of a dangerous storm in this gripping poem.

The Vitalis by Jennifer G. Satnic

In a seaside shipyard, a ship is born. The Vitalis, a ship built for exploration, quickly learns just how wide the world is as it sets out to sea for the first time. However, as the years pass by and the Vitalis finds itself in changing hands, it becomes aware of the harsh reality of that world. People rise and fall, yet the Vitalis ever persists, and it is forced to consider the question of where its meaning comes from.

And Neither Can Floods Drown It by Grace King-Matchett

A girl moves to a small Alabama town in the height of summer, expecting nothing but the Gulf coast and hot weather to comfort her. But then she meets Dal, a magnetic boy who promises ice cream, laughter, and friendship... and maybe something more. They find themselves drawn back to the shore again and again as that sweet something-more unfolds between them. What could it possibly take to tear them apart?

Shattered Shells by Molly McTernan

This allegorical poem follows Lafina, a lightkeeper’s daughter who sets out to make her dreams of adventure come true, even if it costs her relationship with her father.

Check it out ASAP! Are you excited to read it?

August Writing Updates!

 Well, not much writing got done in the month of August, and I'm still a little discombobulated that, as I type this, it's almost the end of August. Like...huh? But here we are, and here's where my writing stands for this month.

August Goals: 

*Get the proof copy of The Queen of Lanaria ordered
*Get the proof copy of the Legends of Lanaria omnibus ordered
*Work on Rooted
*Work on QSAL
*Reveal QSAL's title, coming August 11th

August Accomplishments: 
I found out that my short story "Chasing Shadows" was the Historical Division winner for Clean Fiction Magazine's Fall 2025 edition! That was my big win for the month, because everything else dried up so totally. And that's okay. (I'm telling myself that, okay?) I also got the formatting done for TQOL and the omnibus, which took up the majority of my free time. (If you saw my last post about splitting it up into two volumes, you know why...) I also revealed QSAL's title on August 11, which was pre-scheduled. I did not get nearly as much work done for Rooted or QSAL as I had hoped. Here's to hoping for next month...

The Queen of Lanaria is still available for preorder! Check it out on Amazon: HERE

September Goals: 

* Finish up work on Omnibus and order copies for preorders
* Finish Rooted if it's the last thing I do 
* Work on QSAL 
* Work on TAOR/Project R

Current projects pending publication with anthologies: Between 3-5, I lost count
2025 goals: Publish hello is goodbye (DONE!)
                    Publish Where the Bridge Begins (DONE!)
                    Publish Project WHB (DONE!)
                    Publish Legends of Lanaria 5 (TKOTT/The Keeper of the Tower) (DONE!)
                    Publish my devotional, Rooted (GETTING THERE!) 
                    Write two novellas within the Midnight Hour series (#0.75 and #1.5)
                    Publish Project CL (BACKBURNER FOR 2026) 
                    Publish Super Secret Project MiT (WITH PUBLISHER!)
                    Write the first draft of a middle grade series
                    Write a sequel to A Dance of Rebels
                    Write Super Secret Project QSAL (STARTED!)
                    Plot thriller series--Project PRM
                    Start Legends of Lanaria 6, TQOL (READY TO ROLL!) 
                    Plot a horse-themed series, young adult
                    Write Project TTWL
                    Publish a short story collection, Esperanza (DONE!)                    Write Project R

UPDATES TO THE LEGENDS OF LANARIA SPECIAL EDITION OMNIBUS

Well. I bet you're wondering how I got here. 

Evidently, I have written well over 1100 pages in the Legends of Lanaria universe, no matter how much I reformat, tweak designs, delete special stories, and beg the little tech gremlins to help me out. KDP allows a ceiling of around 870 pages for paperbacks, and Ingram around 1,000. 

Over the past couple of weeks, I've come to the decision that I needed to make a big change in direction with this project, and the good news is we're back on track in a big way. The weird news that created  a LOT of work? I'm splitting them into Volume One and Volume Two, at least for print editions. 

The fun part? I'll have a cover reveal on my newsletter September 2nd, so click HERE to see it first!

How this affects preorders:

1) If you've already preordered paperbacks, you will receive both volumes instead of one book. No change needed!

2) If you've preordered a Kindle edition, there will be no changes and you will receive the full content from both volumes. There will be no volume one and two for Kindle, since it's digital space rather than print space. You get both for one price. 

3) If you have not yet preordered...well, I can't help ya there, but you can preorder signed copies on my Fourthwall OR preorder on Kindle! 

What this allows me to do: 
1) More exclusive stories that I wanted to explore and that readers have mentioned. 
2) Two exclusive covers instead of one.
3) I can actually make them both more affordable than what one huge chonker would have cost at a specialty print company.
4) Unfortunately, they're still too long for me to do hardcover editions, which some folks have asked me about. (Apparently, there DOES come a time when you have written *too much* and this is it.) 

REVIEW: GIRL LOST by Kate Angelo!

 Hey everyone! 

I was SO EXCITED to read this book by Kate Angelo, so I wanted to hop on here and share my review! 

BLURB

Luna Rosati found acceptance and a family during childhood, but when she became pregnant at seventeen, she gave the baby up for adoption and left without a word. Now a CIA counterintelligence officer, Luna wants to reconcile her fractured sense of self by finding the only blood family she has left--the teenage daughter she's never met. Her mentor, Stryker, promises to reveal her daughter's identity, but first Luna must meet him in the old neighborhood, the last place she wants to be. Then Stryker is captured.  
  
Special Agent Corbin King changed his surname to escape the shadow of his convicted father serving a life sentence. When he runs into Luna, the object of his failed teenage romance, the two must put their pasts aside and work together toward a greater mission. But when they encounter a kidnapping, missing bodies, and murder, the secrets Corbin and Luna are keeping from one another are only the beginning of the threat they face with more than their own lives at stake.

Preorder on Amazon HERE! It releases September 23, 2025.

REVIEW

Hard hitting. Twists, turns, and a story you’ll just keep reading. From the first chapter on, GIRL LOST pulls you in and keeps going with one thing after the next. The characters are real, messy, relatable, and have realistic character arcs that you’ll end up loving. Bonus points for the fantastic final few chapters, the fake-outs that left me second-guessing my assumptions about what would happen next, the redirects, and the cool futuristic angle with the bad guys. If you like faith based suspense, pick up this book (and really anything by Kate Angelo) asap!! 

*I read a review copy; my opinions are my own!*

GIVE UP THE GRUDGE MATCH: AND A WIP TITLE REVEAL

 A silent killer lives in the hearts of so many, infecting them, breaking them down, blocking them from moving forward in life: bitterness.

Taking a look around at our world, our relationships, and yes, even our churches, it’s easy to spot someone who just isn’t satisfied no matter what. Maybe they were hurt deeply by someone and held onto it. Maybe there’s a perceived wound that sprouted from a simple misunderstanding. Maybe it’s unforgiveness with a tap root in bitterness. I know people who have professed Christ and said they would never forgive someone who was long dead, over a misunderstanding that was cleared up decades prior. Their bitterness extended to the other person’s children and grandchildren who were not even alive when the original event happened. And I’ve known others still who don’t quite remember why, but they knew they had a grudge, an axe to grind, against another and held onto it like the air they breathed. And I’ve known others who severed ties with anyone and everyone because they were hurt one too many times and began to cut and run anytime they began to feel safe.

It hurts. And unforgiveness, bitterness, grudge-keeping, it all stems from a need for self-preservation that denies Christ’s protection and says, “I’ll take care of me better than You.”

I’ve been lured there, too, and drawn back out.

And I’m tired of seeing people break their own souls over grudge matches.

So very tired.

Which is where the new book idea emerged.

But who wants to read a contemporary or low-fantasy novel where everyone hates each other and learns to let go, love, and forgive others? We can look out the window and see that. So often, it’s easy to set a book aside and say, “Well, that’s because it’s fiction, and I’m in the real world where relationships are messier than that.”

Enter allegory.

Pointing Back to the Creator Creatively

In this book concept, I wanted to talk about generational curses. It is biblical (see this article from Focus on the Family) and I have seen it in real time. A generational curse is taking on the same mantel of sins your parents and grandparents took on (clear back to Eden), and you repeat them because in your eyes, you’re justified. This may stem particularly from abusive situations. But there is healing. All you have to do is accept Christ and give Him control over your heart and life. And forgive. Yet, so many hold onto that hurt and refuse to let go, even if it means healing and living a better life. And it’s an ugly story to witness, an ugly story to tell.

Which is why I believed allegory would be the perfect way to represent these struggles. Allegory reaches audiences who seek rich, deep moral stories. It helps break down hard theological discussion into simpler concepts readers can better connect to. Nobody wants preached at about bitterness and unforgiveness and how it kills. But if it physically poisons a character and displays the damage done to a person’s heart in a fantastical way—now that’s something that will stick with you.

Not only does allegory help us connect deeper issues with a palatable story, it also helps us portray not only the good, but also the evil, in a rich manner. Look at The Chronicles of Narnia. Aslan is the lion of Judah, or the Christ figure. The White Witch brings winter and decay with no joy or anticipation; she lures children with something that looks delightful but destroys the soul, and there is no Christmas with her reign. But once she’s gone, spring—or rebirth—can take place.

Allegory lets you go wild with symbolism and share truth that readers might shy away from in a different genre, different style, different story.

And in my story (you’ve known it as Project QSAL for awhile), a strange curse blankets a kingdom and sins are racked up via a black stain that works up your fingers through your veins and one day enters your heart, which will turn to stone. The prophesied Conqueror has yet to arrive. But Cove will stop the timeless war, no matter what it takes.

Why Write This?

I want to portay the decay that unforgiveness, bitterness, and generational problems create in someone’s heart and life. I want to show them Who breaks those chains, and that the power to overcome is near to them. All it takes is one name: Jesus. And a willingness to follow Him even when it hurts, even when it feels like you could do a better job protecting yourself, even when you wish the other person would get payback, even when you want to take matters into your own hands.

Because I’m tired of seeing people drink the poison of bitterness and watching for the other person to drop dead.

It’s a rallying cry to lay down your hurts and grudges and unforgiveness and bitterness and every last weapon satan has against your throat and to LIVE for the first time.

It’s an allegory showing how deadly those mindsets are and how deep those roots run.

It’s a book imploring you to shed what will hurt you and take hold of what is promised to you: wholeness, peace, strength, love.

It’s prose firmly rooted in the fact that your sharpest tool of bitterness here on earth is useless, and the unforgiveness and bitterness you think is hurting someone else or “getting back at them” or “giving them what they deserve” is actually poisoning YOU more than it is them.

Let go of your chains and be set free.

It’s a story called CONQUEROR OF SHADOW AND LIGHT.