For Christ's Glory, I Dream Devotions, advice, and book reviews from science fiction and fantasy author Andrea Graham

Dear Gentle Reader,

Since you’ve been so kind to put up with me while I disappeared into my writer’s closet, I’m offering you the chance to beta-read the reason for my recent absence: my 75,000 word romantic science fantasy, Daughter of Eve.

In the novel, a top-secret wormhole experiment strands a vegan feminist air force captain on a matriarchal alt-earth. Critically wounded in body and spirit, Captain Veritas Callaghan struggles to keep her heart safe from the men’s libber who shares her sanctuary in the house of a deposed queen. Unfortunately, she’ll need Havan’s help if there’s any hope of making it home alive.

I realize time is valuable commodity, so I am by no means asking for free editing or any extended critiques, only for your overall impressions and suggestions for improvement. Though, by all means, you may note anything in particular that stands out to you as desired.

If you do particularly enjoy the book, it would help me greatly if you could write me a 1-3 sentence book jacket/publicity package blurb. I know it’s early, but gathering these now will assure publishers I’m serious about marketing my work and that will greatly increase my chances of publication in the current market conditions.

So you have it in case you should need it, allow me to share my bio from the independent quarterly publication, Laser & Sword, where I am the assistant editor.

Andrea Graham created the universe that Rise of the Judge is set in and provides artistic input to that series and others. In edition to editing for Laser & Sword, she provides advice and book reviews from a Christian worldview at her blog, Ask Andrea. Her short story, “Frozen Generation,” featured in Light at the Edge of Darkness, details the birth of Laser & Sword hero A. L. Snyder. Andrea studied creative writing and religion at Ashland University . She and Adam are members of several writers’ groups, including ACFW and the Lost Genre Guild.

Thank you for your consideration. This is not a time sensitive project, so please keep me in mind if you do not have room on your plate at the moment.

Sincerely,

Andrea Graham

p.s. contact me to reply, or you can befriend me at facebook.com/alightchild

Hello, we’ve been tagged by Fantasy Thyme (ack! Pun! Run away! Run away!) in a game of blogger tag (otherwise known as a blog meme)

Here are the rules:
Check the list after my 6 THINGS to see if you’re it then
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know he or she has been tagged.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Some random things about me:
1. I edit my husband’s online magazine, Laser & Sword, which seeks to revive the old pulp fiction genre with a new generation of heroes (super and otherwise).
2. My husband won a trip to Cancun at his day job in 2005 and took me Mini golfing. The resort fed us nearly everything but Mexican.
3. I’ve never been to Disney World
4. My husband and I grew up 2000 miles apart and met over the internet. I nearly deleted his email.
5. I’ve been diagnosed with gall stones and struggle with infertility, but mothers who’ve had stones tell me I’m good to go for labor, after living through a few gall bladder attacks.
6. We don’t own cable or watch regular TV except the occasional baseball or political special my husband sweet talks me into.

You’re it:
Adam’s Blog
Steve Rice

Grace Bridges 

We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas
We wish you a merry Christmas
And a happy new year

Good tidings we bring, to you and your kin
We wish you a merry Christmas
And a happy new year!

Merry Christmas!

For more Christmas cheer, check out the Carnival of Christmas, and Adam Graham‘s reading of the Christmas Story on the Truth and Hope Report.

Gentle reader,

I wanted to share my husband’s thanksgiving thoughts with you:

The following was read on my on my podcast:

Yesterday at work, I began to think about my blessings and realized how much I truly have to be thankful for. So let’s begin.

I’m thankful for a God who gives Grace to me as I seek to follow him day by day. Many times I fail, but he lifts me up. He is gracious and forgiving. He feeds me through His Word and grants me inspiration. He is the giver of all good things and the one to whom thanks ought to be given.

I’m thankful for health. Other than needing more Omega 3′s in my diet and sleep apnea, I’m a fairly healthy guy with no major discomfort.

I’m thankful for my wife. She’s incredibly patient, understanding, and forgiving. She helps me in so many ways. She edits my blog and is there for every podcast. We have our moments like anybody else, but I wouldn’t trade her for anyone in the World.

I’m incredibly blessed to live in the United States of America. America is a land where freedom is possible. I can speak my mind and can expose the corruption and incompetence of officeholders without fearing for my life. Nor do I face long show trials for hate crimes for expressing my opposition to homosexual marriage, as would happen in other countries around the World. I’m still able to worship freely which itself is a miracle in a world where Christians are persecuted from one end of the globe to the other.

I’m thankful for men and women who volunteer to fight and die to protect our nation’s freedom, and sacrifice precious time with their family to do it.

I’m thankful for living in a land of economic opportunity. There’s an old joke that one man in a truly impoverished country told another, “I want to go to America where the poor people are fat and have cable TV.” Despite our government’s intrusiveness, incompetence, and foolish decisions, I’m thankful for those who keep the dream of economic prosperity alive .

I’m thankful for being homeschooled, as it’s really allowed me to chance to be myself and study areas of interest. It’s taught me personal responsibility and given me the ability to manage myself and work independently.

I’m thankful to be an Alumni of Flathead Valley Community College. While there were some poor instructors there, I was honored to sit in the classrooms of Blake Smith, Brian Bechtold, and Marita Combs, and am glad for the experience.

I’m thankful to have a great employer. While they’re not perfect, they do a good job of taking care of their employees.

I’m thankful for my house, a nice little place with affordable payments and low maintenance costs. I’m thankful for my car, which is perhaps the most dependable vehicle I’ve ever owned even though it’s a little old.

I’m thankful for our police, fire fighters and first responders. We’ve read a couple stories in recent days about bad cops, but I’m thankful that the vast majority of them are concerned about protecting us and put their lives on the line frequently in order to do it.

I’m thankful for friends and allies. People like Bryan Fischer, Brandi Swindell, Bill Sali, and other folks whose first names don’t even start with “B” provide me a great deal of hope and encouragement. They fight the good fight despite attacks, and their courage feeds my own.

I’m thankful for a pastoral staff at my church that tries their best to do what’s right for their people.

I’m thankful for the Blogosphere. Despite, it’s downsides, it’s not only given me a voice, but provided me with opportunities to find enlightening folks who express themselves well, even if I don’t always agree with them.

I know my mother and younger brother will read this, and I shouldn’t fail to mention them. Hello Mom and Josh. Okay, seriously I’m thankful for you guys, too.

I’m thankful for the folks at Comedy Sportz Idaho. It takes guts to start an experimental business on a shoestring budget, but they’ve done it. Their goal is to bring clean comedy to Idaho and they do a great job at it. I can always count on them to lift my spirits on Saturday night with some guilt-free laughs.

I’m thankful for those who’ve helped bring the world closer together. Without inventors of airplanes, computers, trains, and automobiles, the advantages of modern living wouldn’t exist.

I’m thankful for little modern conveniences: DVD Players, MP3 players, computers, e-mail, and all those little things we never really say thanks for, but sure complain a whole lot about if they stop working.

I’m also thankful for the tech-free world. I’m thankful for country roads and nature parks. For simple pleasures you don’t have to plug anything in for: like playing disc golf or throwing a football around.

I’m thankful for the other things that I can’t even think of, because I take them for granted. Email me if you’re one of those things, so I can be thankful for you too.

And my prayer is that I can carry the Spirit of Thanksgiving on throughout this year and every year.

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In Christ’s Blessings,

Andrea Graham

Where were you on the morning of September 11, 2001 when you heard the news about the attacks on America?

We should all have an answer to that.

Tonight on the Truth and Hope Report, Adam and I remembered where we were, and what most of want to forget–what we felt and how it impacted our lives.

I hope you’ll take the time to listen. If you’d rather not download it, you can play the  9/11 +6 podcast online at Adam’s Blog.

But if not:

I’d just gotten out of poetry class at Ashland University, where I was in my third year of studies, and I had an hour to kill before Advanced New Testament, which was in the same building, so I headed to my favorite spot: the second floor computer lab to chat with my then-fiance, Adam.

He’d just gotten back from his early morning class and asked me if I’d heard yet. I was like, “What? Is something wrong?”

That’s when he told me, “The World Trade Center is destroyed!”

Partly because I only knew it as “the Twin Towers,” it took me several minutes to fully comprehend what that meant.

It was shocking, to many of us it seemed like the end of the world. We all clung to our loved ones on that day. Those of us that could. My then-fiance was two time zones away, and my natal family eighty miles. But at least they were still alive, as frightening and confusing as that day was. Nearly 3000 families will never see their loved ones again.

The best way we can honor them is to remember what we felt that day, how our lives and our families were threatened, and to do our level best to make sure it never, ever happens again. On every front.

Remember 9/11!

Adam tagged me for The Meme of 47

So here goes, all the interview questions you never wanted to ask me:
1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
A song, actually, entitled “Adrienne.” Mom convinced him to spell it “Andrea” (that’s what it sounded like Tommy James was singing to Dad)

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?This morning, during Touched by an Angel

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING
It stinks. I can write pretty, but it takes forever

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Pepperoni, but we always buy plain old turkey.

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
I wish

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
Nah, I’d think I was weird and opinionated and too much of a perfectionist.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?
Never thought about it. Do I?

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Nope

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
Not even for $10 million

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
Shredded Wheat, South Beach Style or real oatmeal with real fruit

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
No,Mother

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
Strong how? I can move furniture (if it’s not too heavy.) Does that count?

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Mint chocolate chip, preferably the kind with caramel swirls or other goodies thrown in as well.

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? hair, eyes

15. RED OR PINK? Pink

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
Must I choose just one?

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
The nephew I’ve never met (stop squealing Sis I can hear you from 2000 miles away)

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO LINK THIS BACK TO YOU?
YES

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS (Or Kilt) AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
I plead the fifth

20. WHAT WAS The LAST THING YOU ATE? Spinach and shrimp salad with raspberry vinegarette

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
The Fan Whirring Beside Me and some weird Christian folk music Adam’s playing

22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Medium orchid (I mean the primary color of this website)

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Lavender, Ou de Adam, Parent’s House around Thanksgiving/Christmas

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
probably a telemarketer

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO LINKED THIS TO YOU?
I married him so I guess I do. (Kidding, I love you honey!)

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
Yuck

27. HAIR COLOR?
Auburn

28. EYE COLOR?
Hazel

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
Not often

30. FAVORITE FOOD(S)?
Pizza and ice cream, but they’re a no-no on our diet.

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Happy ending all the way.

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
In theaters? Nancy Drew. At home. Treasure Planet.

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
light pink

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Spring

35. HUGS OR KISSES?
Hugs

36. FAVORITE DESSERT?
Cheesecake or any incredibly rich pie with lots of whipped cream and preferably caramel but the closest thing we’re allowed right now is bland, boring, and certainly un-wild flavored Ricotta.

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
Don’t know

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND
N/A

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
If I were reading right now, I wouldn’t be typing this, would I? But this one’s no secret around here. Scroll around and you’ll figure it out.

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
Polar Bears

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT?
Nothin’

42. FAVORITE SOUND?
Adam: Andrea! (see his answers on his site) though “Sure, I’ll take care of the dishes/trash/clogged toilet” would be dreamy too.

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
I like lady bugs best actually. (Yes I know what they really meant)

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
Cancun, Mexico.

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
not unless you count making kilts

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Columbus, Ohio

47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK?
Any of them

Tag, You’re It:

Frank Creed Dan Weaver Grace Bridges Chad Lavender Susan Kirkland Write and Whine The Ink Slinger, Donna Sundblad A Christian Worldview of Fiction

Update:

Grace has her answers up at: A whole bunch of questions