Tribe

I fully believe finding your tribe , sisterhood , found family is one of the biggest blessings God gives. Now, this doesn’t mean he’ll only bring you people exactly like you. We all need a bit of diversity and challenge in our lives. But he’ll always give you YOUR PEOPLE. The ones who understand you on a level no one else does.

I’ve had this kind of community several times throughout my life. Each time I thought I lost it, God was SOOO faithful to bring me a new one.

Growing up it was the other foreigners. The ex-pats. The TCKs. The ones who knew what it was to live outside your comfort zone. To always be learning a new language, a new culture, a new life. To never quite
belong. The Brit who comes to your 4th of July party. The Costa Rican who celebrates Thanksgiving with you. Because they know it doesn’t matter why you’re together, just that you are.

I largely lost that sense of community after moving back to the states at 16. I did have a great friend group in college, many of whom I still consider family, but didn’t quite find my people again ’til almost a decade later.

Four years ago, one of said college friends brought me into Realm Makers and Realmies quickly filled that gap in my heart. They come from all walks of life and all over the world, but they know what it is to write. To write for the Lord. And to do so in a genre that is often gravely misunderstood. Once again, to never quite fit in. The ones who admire your cat ears and handcrafted cloak. The ones who will skip class to talk life for hours on end. The ones who cheer their hearts out for the person who just beat them in an award.

Because this is not competition. This is the family of Christ. Laughing with those who laugh and mourning with those who mourn. Showing love and grace, not only to the outside world, but to one another. And I honestly don’t know what I’d do without it.

Now tell me, where is your tribe?

Seventh City Review

Suddenly realizing it’s been ages since I posted a proper book review! And what better time than Virtual Realm Makers to get back to it? So, today, I’m bringing you the award winning, Seventh City! I’m so proud of Emily for taking home not only the Best in Fantasy Realm Award, but also Best Book of the Year!

This book has a special place in my heart. Not just because it’s a great book and Emily is awesome, but because it’s the first book I got on a blog tour for! (If you’d like to read that character interview with Maki, you can find it here: https://writerraegraham.com/2019/08/24/guest-post-emily-hayse/(opens in a new tab))

Synopsis:

“Let me tell you a story that happened so long ago that only the hills and rivers can remember the time . . . .”

All her life, thirteen-year-old Maki has heard tales of the legendary city of gold, buried deep in the northern frontier. But when her village is burned and her brother captured by cruel invaders, the legend becomes desperately real.

Armed with a wolf-dog and a heart of courage, Maki sets out on a journey that will demand all her strength and cunning. She is determined to bring her brother home at all costs. Yet as her quest leads her deep into a wilderness of ancient dangers, Maki realizes that even for her, some prices are too high to pay.

What I liked:

Alaskan Fantasy: I’ve always been drawn to Native culture, so the Alaskan setting alone had me falling in love. It’s so vibrant and really makes you feel like you’re there, battling the elements with the characters. Throw in a dash of whimsy and you’ve got a perfect backdrop for a great adventure!

Maki: I absolutely love Maki! A thirteen-year-old-girl capable of sending grown men to the hospital? Really, what more do you want? 😉 She’s brave and loyal, if a bit hotheaded and too stubborn for her own good; but she’s got a will of iron, a heart of gold, and a wolf to back her up.

Sibling Story: I love the familial bonds! The whole story hinges on the lengths Maki will go to save her captured brother. Watching her struggle to balance the desire to be near him with the desire to keep him safe by concealing their relationship really did a number on me. And then there’s the surrogate-sibling relationship she develops with Willow. It’s so heartwarming. And Willow himself is pretty amazing: kind, honorable, protective. Great big-brother material … or, you know, crush material. Not for Maki, she’s far too young, but a girl can dream can’t she 😉

Forgiveness: I love redemption stories! And a key part of any redemptive arc is asking and/or bestowing forgiveness. Maki starts the story with justifiable hate for the invaders of her homeland, but as she spends time with them and sees that not all are monsters, she learns to forgive and begins to heal. It is truly so beautiful and I think a timely lesson for today’s social climate.

My Rating: 5/5

A superb adventure story for those who enjoy character centric fantasy with heartwarming themes!

Realm Makers 2019

I just spent an amazing weekend at the Realm Makers Conference! For the uninitiated, Realm Makers is a community for spec-fic writers of faith. The Realm Makers Conference has more the feeling of a con or family reunion of epic proportions than your typical professional conference. And I basically live for it!

A Few Highlights

The Awards Banquet: The banquet is always awesome and a perfect excuse for geeking out with costumes! Pretty much every fandom in existence can be found at some point in the night. I went as Katara from Avatar and happened to meet a Toph 😀

The Swag: I stocked up on all the things! Came home with some great new reads, specialty tea, and a handcrafted mug. I always spend way too much money at these things! But the books are all signed, so it’s worth it 😉

The Pitch: I pitched To Slay a Curse! It wasn’t nearly as scary as I was expecting. In fact it went really well, and a full manuscript was requested! I know it’s a long process and still might not work out, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed. More info forthcoming 🙂