Morgan J. Bolt died December 18, 2018, at the age of 27. In 2014, at the age of 23 (just a few months after graduating from college), he was diagnosed with desmoplastic small round cell tumors (DSRCT), a rare pediatric cancer.

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In October 2018, we rushed his young adult sf novel, The Favored, into print, in order to be sure he would have copies before the end. Such rapid publication would not have been possible without the help of the Corning Area Adult Writer's group, and especially members Melora Johnson, Christy Nicholas, and Patrick Thomas.

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Morgan and his wife had split their time between Corning, New York, and New York City, shuttling back-and-forth for Morgan's cancer treatments. Beyond that necessity, Morgan loved travelling and activities including skiing, snowboarding, hockey, and riding roller coasters. He is also the author of the memoir Cancer Just Is.

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The Favored, a far-future YA dystopian novel, tells the story of seventeen-year-old Kallam Gondwana. He doesn't care much for the thrice-weekly church services he's forced to sit through, but they're a minor annoyance in the life of luxury and privilege he enjoys as one of Kanda's Favored. Whether riding roller coasters or mountain biking with his best friend Kimble, Kallam fills his days with fun and relaxation. His greatest challenge is deciding which Vocational Classes to sign up for and if he should pursue a career designing coasters or serving as a pastor. But an accident throws him into a secret world he never dreamed existed. Much tougher choices with far greater consequences now lie before Kallam, as he realizes the utopian paradise he has always known is built on lies and oppression. As his eyes open to the truth that has always surrounded him, Kallam must decide what kind of person he is and which side he wants to stand on—no matter the cost.