Morgan L. Busse's Blog, page 11

Signed Copies Giveaway

Hi Everyone! In celebration of the soon-to-be released Heir of Hope and the new covers, I am holding a giveaway for one signed paperback copy of Daughter of Light and Son of Truth in their new covers!

To enter, head on over to goodreads.com and enter the giveaway. I have provided a link for each book:

Daughter of Light

Son of Truth

Enjoy!

How Rescue Animals are Like the Gospel

Anyone who has known me for any length of time knows I love animals. Big small, I love them all (even the stinky ones and slimy ones). Because of my love, my house is filled with furry and wet friends and probably smells like the Ark!

Last week another critter joined our family. Whiskers, once one of the many poor goldfish pawned off at carnivals, is now part of the Busse family.

As I prepared his aquarium, it hit me how my animals are similar to how we join God’s family. Each one came from a different background: specially bred, pet store, abandoned, or destined for a life of misery followed by death. Each one wanted, no matter where they came from. Each one now a Busse (yes, we give our animals our last name).

Gracie is our dog. She came from a litter of 15 Vizslas. We went and chose her out and brought her home with us. She’s been with us since she was twelve weeks old and just celebrated her 7th birthday.

Grace, Rosie, and Rory (who has since passed away)

Butterscotch and Vanilla are our two long-haired guinea pigs. They were just one of many little guinea pigs waiting to be bought at a local pet store. Now they are seven years old and the most spoiled little pigs you will ever meet (or so my husband says).

Vanilla and Butterscotch

Our cat Rosie and her sister were left in front of a store and hit by a car, leaving her sister with a broken leg. A woman found them and searched for a good family for the two kitties. We were only able to adopt Rosie, but don’t worry, the lady who found the kittens went on to adopt her sister.

Vader, our black cat, was abandoned in a field and left to die. It was his pitiful little meows that alerted my children and me to his predicament. I took him home, fed him, and looked for a permanent home for him. After a month, I knew I had to take him to the local shelter. Then my husband text me and said he had found Vader a home. He wanted to keep the little guy for himself :). Vader is not so little now! He’s a sixteen pound tomcat and a big teddy bear that loves my husband.

Vader when he was young.

And now we have Whiskers, the carnival goldfish.

Just like my pets, each one of us has a back story: perhaps we were loved and from a good family, maybe we were abandoned, or forced to live on the street and fight for survival. Or maybe we felt small and insignificant, just one of the many swimming around in the cooler, waiting to be taken by the next winner, not knowing if life would get better or worse.

Then God came and invited us to be part of His family. He gave us His last name and a new home. I love my animals, but my love is nothing compared to God’s love for us. His love is eternal, and nothing can snatch us from His hands. What an amazing love!

Whiskers in his new home!

 

Daughter of Light on Sale

Hey! I just found out that the ebook version of Daughter of Light is on sale. Here is the link: Daughter of Light-Amazon

Enjoy!

Writing and Critique Groups

Hi everyone! Welcome to another coffee date with moi :) Here is the question for this month:

Maegen asks: “How do you go about finding a critique group or critique partner? How important is that in finishing your novels?”

When I first started writing, I wrote solo. I didn’t know a lot about writing, or that people met to share their work and help each other out. It wasn’t until two years into my writing journey that I discovered the Oregon Christian Writers  and attended my first “mini” weekend conference.

After that, I attended the Mount Hermon Writers Conference where I was part of a small mentoring group led by Randy Ingermanson. We shared our work online in a closed group for a year before we each slowly drifted our own way.

Those were the only two times I’ve been part of anything like a critique group. For the most part, I’m still a solo writer. There are benefits to critique groups, granted you find the right one. By that I mean a group that is open, kind, mature, and know how to critique gracefully. Fortunately I was never part of a “bad” group, but I heard enough horror stories to decide that I didn’t really want to be part of one.

However, I have always worked with beta readers: people who are not part of the writing world who can give me feedback on my story. Then I work with my editor who knows the in’s and out’s of fiction (plot, POV, etc…). And recently I have found a critique partner who worked with me on Heir of Hope. We met years ago at a writer’s conference, stayed in touch, and eventually our relationship evolved into one where we help each other out: she’s great at editing, and I’m decent at story content.

If you are interested in finding a critique group, there are a couple places to look that I’ve heard are good: ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) has a couple groups, Mount Hermon has a mentoring track which can turn into a critique group, and wherethemapends used to have a critique group for speculative writers, but I don’t know if that one is around anymore.

I think the best thing for a beginning writer is to learn the basics: read books on writing, go to conferences, and write, write, write! Randy Ingermanson once said you need to write a million words before you start writing something worth reading. I rewrote Daughter of Light a couple times before I hit that millionth word mark ;)

Here is a blog I wrote a year ago with the names of books, conferences, etc… that helped me as a writer: How to Become a Writer

Write your story first, then find a group, partner, or beta readers. A rough draft will contain your most original voice and the heartbeat of your story. Discover who you are as a writer, and your story, before you pass it on to others. And find those people who are invested in you first as a writer, not just in critiquing your work. Those are the people you hand your “baby” to.

I hope that helps. Good luck, Maegen!

If you have a question you want answered during next month’s coffee date, feel free to leave your question in the comments below :)

Parallels between Christian Leadership and Christian Writing

I was reading an article on Christian leadership the other day and realized how many parallels there were between the key points and my own writing. So I decided to share my thoughts (and a glimpse behind the philosophy of my own writing).

Carey Nieuwhof, the author of 21 Key Learnings from Andy Stanley and the Drive Conference, will be in bold; my own thoughts in normal text.

We don’t tailor content of our services for unchurched people, but we do tailor the experience.

Same with my writing. I don’t dumb down or take out the spiritual component of my stories. But I also don’t preach. I use the medium of fiction writing to tell a story with deep questions and wonder.

 

People learn best in emotionally charged environments.

What is more emotional than fiction? Words engage both our hearts and our minds. They are a way to reach inside a person and touch his or her soul. That is the goal of my writing.

 

We leverage common experiences and emotions, not belief systems.

When I write, I am not writing a paper on why you should believe what I believe, I am writing about common experiences and emotions like betrayal, fear, longing for love and acceptance, and forgiveness.

 

A goal is something you accomplish. A win is something you experience.

So true! A goal is to finish the manuscript. A win is when a reader writes to me and tells me how my story impacted her life. I am in control of my goals, but I cannot control my wins. However, I love to experience a win :)

 

Public loyalty buys you private leverage. Criticize privately, praise publicly.

I am a firm believer in this. Public humiliation never helped anyone (or at least me). But someone who cares about me (and I know they care about me), have the keys to privately criticize me. I had to learn early on in my writing career who to hand those keys to, and to not let in those people who did not hold those keys. I also apply this to how I approach other writers. Praise publicly and if I have that kind of relationship, critique privately.

 

The loudest critics in the church are people who have become missionally disengaged. Why listen to people who are missionally disengaged give you feedback on your mission?

This goes back to my previous statement. Everyone has an opinion in this day and age and they can post it everywhere. But that doesn’t mean they have earned the right for me to listen to them. A lot of people are only out to prove a point or to be right. So why listen to people who aren’t first invested in me as a human being?

 

Kids begging their parents to go to church beats parents begging their kids to go to church. Invest in your family ministry environments.

Change this to people begging the author to keep writing beats author begging readers to read their books. Invest in your craft, in your genre, in your skills. But don’t forget to dream and imagine. That is what the reader wants to share with you: your wild, crazy, amazing story.

One more thought to counterbalance this: remember you are not perfect and forgive the mistakes you make (whether that is a typo, grammar, whatever). Continue to strive to be the best you can be, but remember you are human ;)

 

So, yeah, I always find interesting parallels between two seemingly different things. I’m weird like that :) Hopefully you found some insight as well. And I would encourage you to look at the original article. Great ideas and thoughts on how Christians (and churches) can be effective and love people more.

Heir of Hope Cover Reveal

As you may have noticed, things have changed around my website. I am excited to reveal not only the new cover for Heir of Hope, but for all three books in the Follower of the Word series.

Why the new covers? My publisher decided to update Daughter of Light and Son of Truth so they matched Heir of Hope. Now the titles of each book are easier to see in thumbnail form and are definitely eye-catching. So without further ado, here they are:

Pre-order is now available for the paperback version of Heir of Hope. If you are interested, here is the link: http://www.amazon.com/Heir-Hope-Follower-Morgan-Busse

There was a glitch on the ebook pre-order, but as soon as it is available, I will let you all know. Thank you, everyone, for your patience as you waited for the last book in the Follower of the Word series. This book is definitely worth the wait!

Moving On

Today was our last day at our current church. During this next week, we will be moving halfway across the country to California and starting a brand new life and a brand new ministry. A friend today summed exactly how I am feeling right now: caught in midair between two cliffs.

We’ve just jumped and let go of our life here in Kansas, but we haven’t quite grabbed a hold of our new life in California. So we are in midair, praying we land on the other side. Or, as my son said later, we are at the top of a roller coaster and just starting the descendant and have that feeling of weightlessness in our middle (by the way, I hate roller coasters and that feeling, but it fits how I am feeling right now).

We are excited to start our new adventure, but will miss a lot of the people God brought into our lives here. It is a bittersweet feeling. But as another friend said during our good-bye potluck, we’re not really saying good-bye. For Christians, there are no permanent good-byes, just long time-intervals until we see each other again, most likely in a better place.

I like that idea.

In the meantime, I will enjoy these delicious cinnamon rolls given to us by a wonderful lady from our Kansas church. Cinnamon rolls help with weightlessness, right? ;)

Draven’s Light Cover Reveal

I am so excited to share with you the cover reveal for one of my favorite author’s latest novels! For those of you who are unfamiliar with Anne Elisabeth Stengl, she writes Christian fantasy with a fairytale feel (although none of her Tales of Goldstone Wood are actual fairytale retellings but stories from her own imagination). I love her work and I hope you will check out her stories. Now, onto the reveal for Draven’s Light!

In the Darkness of the Pit

The Light Shines Brightest

Drums summon the chieftain’s powerful son to slay a man in cold blood and thereby earn his place among the warriors. But instead of glory, he earns the name Draven, “Coward.” When the men of his tribe march off to war, Draven remains behind with the women and his shame. Only fearless but crippled Ita values her brother’s honor.

The warriors return from battle victorious yet trailing a curse in their wake. One by one the strong and the weak of the tribe fall prey to an illness of supernatural power. The secret source of this evil can be found and destroyed by only the bravest heart.

But when the curse attacks the one Draven loves most, can this coward find the courage he needs to face the darkness?

Coming May 25, 2015

Read an excerpt from Draven’s Light! dravenslightnovel

Want a chance to win an advance copy of Draven’s Light? Then follow the link to Anne’s rafflecopter giveaway!

Already know you want to ready it? Pre-order Draven’s Light today!

ANNE ELISABETH STENGL makes her home in North Carolina, where she lives with her husband, Rohan, a kindle of kitties, and one long-suffering dog. When she’s not writing, she enjoys Shakespeare, opera, and tea, and practices piano, painting, and pastry baking. She is the author of the critically-acclaimed Tales of Goldstone Wood. Her novel Starflower was awarded the 2013 Clive Staples Award, and her novels Heartless, Veiled Rose, and Dragonwitch have each been honored with a Christy Award.

To learn more about Anne Elisabeth Stengl and her books visit: www.AnneElisabethStengl.blogspot.com

My Writing: 2015

Every year I like to look back and see what happened, and look forward to what the new year will hold. So here’s a look at 2014 and a sneak peak at my plans for 2015.

2014 brought a lot changes, starting off with the sale of Marcher Lord Press. My publisher underwent a change in ownership and name. It’s different now, but not bad. I am looking forward to working more with Enclave Publishing in 2015.

A year ago I was finishing the last book in the Follower of the Word series. Heir of Hope took me almost a year to write, but it was a year well spent. I can’t wait to share with you the conclusion to Rowen, Lore, Caleb, and Nierne’s journey. Right now the projected release date is March 23rd.

On that note, I hope to reveal the new covers that were commissioned for the Follower of the Word series sometime this month. They are amazing, if I do say so myself ;). So be watching for a cover reveal!

I am now working on a new series. It is a Victorian steampunk (which is a definite change from fantasy). Steampunk is a genre that can be set in either a Victorian or western time period and usually involves steam-powered machinery rather than advance technology.

I’m about a third of the way through the rough draft of the first book, Tainted. I forgot how hard rough drafts are (especially when starting a new series), but I am also enjoying the new characters and settings. Right now the series is under consideration by a publisher, but I don’t know yet if it will be acquired. In either case, I plan on finishing this series :).

So that’s what 2015 is shaping up to look like for my writing, and what an exciting year it looks to be!

Story Settings and Capturing Real Life in Your Story

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a great Christmas :)

Since I missed my coffee date in November, I wanted to make sure I did one in December, so although it’s not Friday, today is a good day to answer a couple questions from my readers. So here we go!

Mary Jo asks: “I am always impressed by the way you describe the settings, places, surroundings in such detail. You make us feel as if we are right there with your characters. Do you see the settings you describe in your mind before you put them in print? Or do you use some other process?”

One thing my editor taught me was the importance of setting, especially in a fantasy book where you are introducing your readers to a whole new world. I actually have a list I follow of things to include and I establish the setting at the beginning of the chapter or scene so the reader can have the place firmly set in his or her mind. To find the list I use, here is a link to it (#96): www.wherethemapends.com

But how do I figure out what a place should look, smell, and feel like? One of my favorite sites to use is Pinterest. I love looking at pictures and figuring out what a place looks like, or the room, or the castle, or the person. I also use google a lot for research. And it doesn’t hurt to have an active imagination :). If you want to see some of my research on Pinterest or follow my boards, click here: http://www.pinterest.com/morganlbusse

Lastly, one of the secrets to a great setting is to use as many of the senses as you can. I have always had an very sensitive nose and pick up more scents than the usual human, which has come in handy with putting smells into my scenes. I also use all my experiences such as places I have visited, or the feel of something, or how something tasted, and use it to make a scene come more alive.

Thanks for the great question!

 

Camilla asks: ” I love to hear about situations in books that actually happened in REAL life! Your life or a family member’s, perhaps?”

In Son of Truth when Nierne realizes she doesn’t believe the Word will save her, that was based on an event in my life. I had always believed God would take care of me until the day came when I needed Him the most. In that moment, however, I did not believe He would come through. It was faith shattering for me (I was a young pastor’s wife at the time). How could I not believe God? But I couldn’t deny what was deep inside my heart. It was the truth. It is easy to believe in God when everything is going your way. But it is hard to step off the cliff and believe God will catch you. (Here is the post I wrote on that: No Faith, Know Faith)

Since then, I have come up again and again to that point of do I believe God will take care of me: When my husband was let go of a church, when we had no money, when my son was very sick. Each time it has been a battle of my own self-preservation versus letting go and believing God. I cling to the edge and cry. I don’t want to let go. But God gently helps me let go and carries me down.

He has always caught me. He has always taken care of me. That was what I wanted to share through the character of Nierne. She grew up as a scribe and knew everything about the Word, but she had a long way to go to where her faith was transferred from her head to her heart.

Thank you, Camilla, for the great question!

If you have any questions you want to ask, whether it is about my life, my writing, or my stories,  feel free to post it in the comments below or email me for my coffee date next month. I love interacting with my readers and this is one way where we can get to know each other :)