Writer by day and a mother by night, Morgan L. Busse has authored the epic fantasy Follower of the Word series and the award-winning steampunk series The Soul Chronicles. She kicks off The Ravenwood Saga with Mark of the Raven (Bethany House). In this interview, the author shares how the new series contrasts with her other series, reveals a bit about her leading character, and explains the challenges o writing a fantastic world infused with a biblical worldview.
Morgan, Mark of the Raven kicks off a brand-new fantasy series. What can you tell about the world of The Ravenwood Saga?
It’s a fantasy set in a world where seven Great Houses were given gifts to rule their people thousands of years ago. However, as the years went by, some gifts weakened, some were twisted, and one disappeared completely (or so people think).
Into this story comes Selene, oldest daughter and heir to the Great House of Ravenwood. On the day she inherits her gift of dreamwalking, she starts to discover how her family has hidden their gift from the rest of the world and uses it for hire, either to find out political secrets or to assassinate. Selene questions the use of their gift and searches for the real reason they were given the ability to dreamwalk.
How does this series compare/contrast with your previous series?
In this story I delve into family dynamics, politics, and the ultimate question of when we are given a gift, how do we use it? I’ve never written about families before, so that’s been an interesting twist, and later on I will have a married couple, which has been a fun perspective to write from.
What can you tell us about Lady Selene? What do you consider the essential qualities of a leading character?
Selene is an intelligent, determined, and thinking character. Her strength is in her desire to do what is right, especially when everything around her is wrong. However, there is conflict in her choosing that path. If she doesn’t fulfill her destiny, then it will be up to her younger sisters to fill her shoes, something she doesn’t want to see happen.
I think the essential qualities of a leading character needs to be someone who critically thinks, weighs the pros and cons of their actions, and is not satisfied with the status quo. Ultimately, the lead character is someone I want to be like someday, not perfect, but growing and learning.
How difficult is it for you to create a fantastical world infused with a biblical worldview? What are the challenges?
I am a finite human being, which means I will never be able to show God in all His glory and the facets of His being. That said, I always strive to present God in the most theological accurate way, and I want my readers to walk away from my stories with an overwhelming awe of God in their hearts.
I also portray sin as a brokenness in our lives, which only God, not ourselves, can heal. It is when we come to God and realize our need of Him that we can finally break free of our past and move forward as new creatures. That is how I infuse a biblical worldview into my stories.
What do you hope readers take away after reading Mark of the Raven?
Ultimately, I want readers to realize that it only takes one person to change a family, a city, a world. We are not destined to repeat the dark choices our ancestors made.
We each can choose, and God is there, a light in the darkness, who, when we come to Him in our brokenness, will make us new and use us to reach the world.
Visit Morgan L. Busse’s author page here:
https://www.familyfiction.com/authors/morgan-l-busse
Mark of the Raven
The Ravenwood Saga #1
Morgan L. Busse
Bethany House
Discover more about Morgan L. Busse’s books here:
https://www.familyfiction.com/authors/morgan-l-busse/books