Interview today with author Morgan Busse

Morgan writes Christian fantasy and the first two books of her three-book series are already out, soon to be joined by the third one. For our giveaway, the winner will choose whether to receive book one, "Daughter of Light" or the second one, "Son of Truth." Enter by leaving a comment. Winner will be notified by email on May 21st.

Daughter of Light:
What if with one touch you could see inside the soul?

Rowen Mar finds a strange mark on her hand, and she is banished from her village as a witch. She covers the mark with a leather glove and seeks sanctuary in the White City. She lives in fear that if she touches another person, the power inside her will trigger again, a terrifying power that allows her to see the darkness inside the human heart . . .

But the mark is a summons, and those called cannot hide forever. For the salvation of her people lies within her hand.

Son of Truth:
Can a killer find forgiveness?

The war in the north is over, but the war for all the Lands has just begun.

As the Shadonae solidify their hold on the city of Thyra, Rowen Mar, the last Eldaran and savior of the White City, awakens to find herself hunted by those she has saved.

Meanwhile, the assassin Caleb Tala finds himself in the presence of the Word. The time of reckoning has come, and he must pay the price for all the lives he has taken. But in his moment of judgment, Caleb is given a second chance to change his life.

These two hold the power to save the Lands from the Shadonae. One must escape slavery, and one must choose to forsake everything before the world is consumed in darkness.

Okay! Here we go!

Hi Morgan, glad to have you on the Diamond Mine! Christian science-fiction and fantasy appear to be blooming, and in that genre, your books certainly stand out. Tell me what inspired you to write.

I never grew up wanting to be a writer. However, I always had a huge imagination and so the seeds to someday be a writer were there. As an adult, I had a lot of ideas and would share them with people, who in turn would say I should write. I would laugh, but inside I would say, “No way!”

Then one day I walked into a Christian bookstore looking for Christian science fiction and fantasy. I asked the lady working there and she gave me a weird look then pointed at the lone Frank Peretti book at the bottom of the shelf. What? That’s it?

I went home and my husband said I should write a fantasy. I still wasn’t convinced until we were on a long car ride to Seattle and I had this idea of a woman who could see inside people with a touch of her hand. As soon as I was back home, I found my husband’s old laptop and started writing. Eight years later that story was published and the title is Daughter of Light, the first book in the Follower of the Word series, a fantasy series.

         It’s always interesting to hear how an author begins this incredible journey into writing. I find it especially true with fantasy or speculative fiction, since the author is creating a world. I’m wondering, how much of yourself do you infuse into your characters?

All of my characters carry a piece of me inside of them. I know many authors who write characters apart from themselves, but I don’t know how you can dive deeply into your characters without firsthand knowledge of what they are like. That doesn’t mean they are all copies of me, but there is a quality, a fear, or a quirk that trails back to me.

         What aspect of writing do you enjoy most?

I once heard Jerry Jenkins say he doesn’t like to write, he likes to have written. I didn’t understand that at the time. Why write if you don’t like writing? But now having finished three books, one under a tight deadline, I get it. Sometimes you get so tired of writing and pushing yourself that you just want a break, but you can’t stop until you finish the story. So I love writing the end.

However, before you start to think I hate writing, I love it when the ideas flow, when everything comes together in a scene. It’s that aaaaahh moment! And it’s those moments that keep me going.

I also love the emails that come after the book is published. I love hearing how much people enjoyed my story and how it touched them or helped them through a difficult time (fiction can be such an encouragement during dark times).

         That’s so true. Good books and movies have given me many moments of inspiration and encouragement. What do you find is the least enjoyable aspect of writing?

Slogging through the wordcount each day. Sometimes the ideas flow, sometimes they don’t. But you have to keep pressing forward. However, it is very gratifying to look back after a couple months and see how far you’ve come and the scenes or chapters you didn’t think were good are actually quite good!

         Outside of your own books, if you were a literary character, who would you be?

Hermione Granger from Harry Potter. She’s smart, confident, and can be counted on through thick and thin.

         Good choice! How about describing your series in a single sentence for each book.

What if with one touch you could see inside the soul? Daughter of Light

Can a killer find forgiveness? Son of Truth

What would you sacrifice to save mankind? Heir of Hope

         Now describe each one of your main characters with a one-word attribute.

Rowen Mar: Hope

Lore Palancar: Loyalty

Caleb Tala: Strength

Nierne: Faith

         Admirable traits! What’s the most important thing you want your readers to know?

I write stories about how in darkness there is light. There is always hope, no matter how small. I have been through cancer scares, my husband has lost his job twice followed by months of unemployment, we’ve lost a house, and our youngest son almost died. Dark, dark moments in my life. But God was still there with me. That doesn’t mean I didn’t cry or wasn’t afraid. It means that even when I couldn’t see Him, He was still there, holding my hand. That is what I want readers to take away when they read my books: that God is with them.

         A message we all need to hear and remember, especially during the times of fiery trials and chastening that we all go through. Thank you for sharing some of your heart today. May God continue to bless you, your family and your writing. It’s been a pleasure to host you!

Morgan L. Busse writes fantasy for the adult market. She is the author of the Follower of the Word series, including Daughter of Light, 2013 Christy and Carol Award finalist. Morgan lives in the Midwest with her husband and four children. You can find out more about Morgan at www.morganlbusse.com

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To buy Morgan's books, here are some links: http://www.marcherlordpress.com/bookstore/fantasy/daughter-of-light-by-morgan-busse/

http://www.marcherlordpress.com/bookstore/fantasy/son-of-truth-by-morgan-busse/
http://www.amazon.com/Daughter-Light-Follower-Morgan-Busse-ebook/dp/B007R54JKI/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1400032155&sr=1-1&keywords=morgan+busse
http://www.amazon.com/Truth-Follower-Word-Morgan-Busse-ebook/dp/B00C438NAA/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1400032155&sr=1-2&keywords=morgan+busse