Everyone's Story welcomes Christian Fantasy fiction (also known as Speculative fiction) author Morgan L. Busse. I first met Morgan at an ACFW conference prior to her signing her first book contract. Now she has two novels out in The Follower Of The Word Series from Marcher Lord Press. Not only am I sharing a congratulations here with Morgan, that her first book, DAUGHTER OF LIGHT has hit the #1 bestseller in 3 different categories on Amazon and ranked #134 overall in Nook but that Morgan's first novel is now a Christy nomination in the Visionary division. Wow! Totally awesome, Morgan! So, did this going-places author always want to write Christian fantasy? Spend a little time with Morgan as she shares with you her inspiration. Plus, check out her Book Giveaway below.
Morgan is offering 1 copy of either of her novels, DAUGHTER OF LIGHT or SON OF TRUTH(choice between paperback or ebook format) to 1 randomly chosen commenter. The winner will be announced between 4-6 PM EST on April 26th. Don't forget: by leaving a comment for Morgan you also will be entered to win the Writing Is Not For Sissies T-shirt/Amazon Gift Card contest that I'm hosting to celebrate my 2nd-year Blog Anniversary!! Please leave your email address within the body of the comment.
Why I Write
Christian Fantasy Fiction by Morgan L. Busse
I
never set out to write Christian fantasy. In fact, I wasn’t sure what place
that kind of book had in this world. Sure, there was Lewis’s Narnia series and
Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. But with all the controversy over Harry Potter
years ago, I didn’t know what to think. I read Star Wars, Terry Brooks, and
such, but Christian fantasy? I don’t think so.
It
was actually the Harry Potter controversy that made me start thinking about
Christian fantasy. Could fantasy and Christianity mix? Could a good book be
written where neither the faith element or fantasy element were not
compromised? Like I said, I never set out to do that, but in the end that is
what I wrote.
Daughter of Light began as a story in my head. It was a place to
play with some interesting fantasy ideas. A fantasy book with a hint of faith.
But as the years went by and I found myself traveling down dark roads and
facing one crisis of faith after another in real life, Daughter of Light began to morph into an exploration of what it
ultimately meant to follow God.
Through
fantasy, I am able to explore what a Christian would look like if the
externals generally associated with Christianity were taken away: like church
attendance, bible studies, or Sunday school. Now I’m not saying those are bad
things (not at all), but sometimes our Christianity is defined by where we go
or what we do, not by who we are.
I
am also able to paint word pictures with fantasy that I could not do if I wrote
about the real world. For example: sin. In our world, sin is a hidden part of
our nature. We see the results of sin, but not sin itself. But in a fantasy
world, I can show what it would be like if we could actually see what we look
like with sin: naked, broken, with blood on our hands. Unable to heal ourselves.
Helpless and bound to darkness.
Of
course, there is a fun aspect to writing fantasy. I am able to write outside
the box, to ask “what if” questions. What if we could see people the way God
sees people, would we still love them? What if we could heal, but it would mean
taking on the hurt and pain, would we? What if you found out you’re really from
another dimension (that’s a fun question ☺). What if you
discovered you’re not human?
I
love writing Christian fantasy. It combines my weirdness, my creativity, and my
faith. Here is a quote by C.S. Lewis that best sums up why I write Christian
fantasy:
"I thought I saw how stories of this kind
could steal past a certain inhibition which had paralyzed much of my own
religion in childhood. Why did one find it so hard to feel as one was told one
ought to feel about God or about the sufferings of Christ? I thought the chief
reason was that one was told one ought to. An obligation to feel can freeze
feelings. And reverence itself did harm. The whole subject was associated with
lowered voices; almost as if it were something medical. But supposing that by
casting all these things into an imaginary world, stripping them of their
stained-glass and Sunday school associations, one could make them for the first
time appear in their real potency? Could one not thus steal past those watchful
dragons? I thought one could."
Morgan's Ah-hahs To Tweet:
“Could fantasy and
Christianity mix?” (Tweet This)
“What if we could see
people the way God sees people, would we still love them?” (Tweet This)
“What if we could heal,
but it would mean taking on the hurt and pain, would we?” (Tweet This)
Author Bio:
Morgan L. Busse writes speculative fiction for
the adult market. She is the author of Daughter of
Light and Son of Truth, the first two books in
a series from Marcher Lord Press. Morgan lives in the Midwest with her husband
and four children. You can find out more about Morgan at www.morganlbusse.com
You can also find Morgan at:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MorganLBusse
(@MorganLBusse)
