Joshua Graham's Blog, page 15

TERMINUS Trailer Revealed

I'm thrilled to share with you the official TERMINUS book trailer.  Thanks to Book Candy Studios for putting this together!

The official release date for TERMINUS is April 1, 2013.

Enjoy!

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcrSD3v5Eo0

Be sure to sign up for my official newsletter by midnight, Friday April 29, 2013 to be entered for the giveaway prize: A signed paperback copy of TERMINUS.

Sign up here: www.joshua-graham.com/newsletter 

Giveaway! A signed Advance Reader Copy of TERMINUS

There are only three more of these in existence, and only one will be given away.  All you have to do to be eligible to win this signed copy is to sign up for the Official Joshua Graham Newsletter here:  www.joshua-graham.com/newsletter

If you've signed up in the past, you're already in the drawing.

So here's all you have to do:

1. Sign up for my newsletter HERE and in about 1 week

2.  Share this with everyone you know (not required, but it sure would be nice!)

In about 1 week I will select the winners and announce them here on my blog!  (Deadline for this giveaway is EOB Friday, March 29, 2013)

Good luck!

Josh

Early Praise for TERMINUS!

As the release for any book draws near, one of the most exciting parts of the process for me is when the early reviews start coming in.  For TERMINUS, I've been blessed to have received some nice endorsements from some well-known publications and bestselling authors.

I have to say, each time the endorsements arrived in my inbox, I got a little breathless.  But after reading them, my level of gratitude soared.  That busy people (like you) took the time to read and form thoughtful comments about my book is way up there on my list of great things you can do for a writer.

To all those who've reviewed and endorsed (below), and in advance, to all you who do so in the future by leaving your reviews and sending me feedback, I would like to personally thank you from the bottom of my heart.  You make this writer's journey worthwhile!

Here are the early endorsements for TERMINUS.

"Joshua Graham's TERMINUS is a fantastic read in every definition of that word. If Tom Clancy had written a novel of fallen angels and creatures that go bump in the night, this would be it: blisteringly paced, high-tension suspense, characters you bleed with. I can't wait to read more!"
—James Rollins, New York Times bestseller of The Blood Gospel

…Highly recommended!
… Powerful and fascinating…
…will keep you riveted while you’re reading and then keep you thinking long after you've turned the last page.

—International Bestseller, M.J. Rose

…A fast paced, adrenaline pumping, spiritual epic…

…Terminus will have you gasping for air, yelling at the characters, and questioning everything you thought you knew about angels…
—Suspense Magazine

What was the first childhood book you read cover to cover?

Not including cute picture books.  I'm talking about chapter books.   I'm not certain because it was almost half a century ago, but the one that I remember most from my childhood was Stuart Little, by E. B. White.  I'm not sure what it was about this, and Charlotte's Web, but I think it has something to do with animals--though technically, I'm not certain Stuart was actually a mouse or not.  I've always had a soft spot for God's little creatures, and ever since childhood I felt deep sympathy for them.  That's probably why you've seen so many pictures of my family's dog, cat, hamsters, turtles, etc.

The illustrations in Stuart Little enhanced the pathos of the story--little critters, personified, their plights.  It was enough to keep me reading for hours.  Way better than television, though I'll admit, I watched a lot of that as a child too.

I've found that if a book resonates with those things that matter to me, things that tug the strings of my heart, then I'll be glued to it, no matter the pace.  Action and excitement alone will only take me so far before I start yawning or thumbing through the pages.  Grip me emotionally, make me care deeply about the character, then you've got me hooked.

Perhaps this type of reading taste had been formed back when I was a kid, reading E.B. White and getting emotionally connected with stories like his.

What was the first book you read cover-to-cover as a kid?  I'd love to know what it was about that book that made it so compelling.  Please share in the comments section below.

Whispering Lies…

The devil made me do it!

I must admit, I haven't heard that one in the past few decades, unless spoken in jest.  Probably because it's too cliche or funny to use as a legitimate excuse for something we've done that we ought not to have.  But how often do we do things we shouldn't and perhaps more often than not, get away with it? Do we justify our actions by shifting the blame to others, pleading our own case of stress or distress which should make us more sympathetic before the judge and jury of our conscience?

Let's take it a step back from the actual action.  How about the root cause? Sometimes when I've done something regrettable--if I've been able to come to a point of getting real about it--I ask myself why I did it, or what led me to do it.  Our actions come from our choices, obviously.  But from where do our choices stem? Habits, character, and core beliefs.  I could speak about each of the aforementioned pillars of our makeup, but today I want to discuss core beliefs.

Let's say someone cuts you off on the freeway.  They're driving like a madperson and cutting others off along the way, putting everyone in danger.  What do you do?  I've seen a few different responses to this including: leaning on the horn, a one-finger salute, actually chasing after the offender and threatening to ram them, catching up, rolling down the window and cussing...the list goes on (okay, I'll admit to only one of those and leave you to guess which.)

Initially, our anger comes from the surprise, and physical response to the threat of sudden danger.  But then, the next response comes from our core beliefs.  For example:  "That guy is a total jerk!  He's inconsiderate, stupid, and cares nothing about others."  So, while you might not have raced up to his bumpers and threatened to run him off the road at 80 MPH, you might be actually thinking or saying those words, right?  The same words/thoughts that at least make you want to shout all kinds of things at him, but because the kids are in the back seat, you refrain.  Which reminds me of this cute joke:  In the back seat of the car, while stuck in traffic, Billy says, "Mommy, how come the #$%$#% jerks only come out when Daddy's driving?"

Back to the whispered lies.

Imagine for a second that the @#$# jerk who just cut you off is actually driving his three year old daughter to the emergency room, as something awful has just happened.  If you knew that to be the case, would you react the same way as if you didn't?  Probably not.

This is a rough example of how our core beliefs affect our perspective and actions.  We might not actually know the truth about the guy who cut us off, but sometimes we believe certain things about ourselves and others that so shape our attitudes, thoughts, words, and actions towards them, and towards ourselves.

For example:

At 13, Kelly had always been a bit heavy as a child.  Her stressed out and depressed single mom, never missed an opportunity to criticize not only her appearance, but also blamed her for being lazy and therefore fat.  In her frustration, and during an argument Mom blurts out, "...that's why you're fat and will never amount to anything!  Your too lazy!"

Mom had forgotten that since Kelly was a baby, she'd been feeding her all the wrong kinds of food, never took her out to play or exercise, and most of all, Mom herself is extremely overweight and pushes her own despair onto her daughter.  And little did Mom know, though Kelly flipped her the bird and stormed out of the house, she never forgot those words.  In fact, deep down, she believed they were true.  I am overweight because I'm lazy.  I will never amount to anything.  I'm just like Mom.  So why bother trying to change?  It's my fate.

Kelly's core beliefs led her to all kinds of self-destructive habits, relationships, and eventual suicide attempts.

Now, imagine if the same Mom had not said those hurtful words, but instead said something like this.  "Kelly, let's start taking better care of ourselves.  I know it's tough, and we'll have to make some lifestyle changes, but we can do it.  We can do anything with the right mindset and determination.:  And if she's a Christian, she might say, "We can do all things through Him who gives us strength."  Do you think Kelly's life would have ended up differently?

Whether it's the devil, a friend or relative, or even our own deceitful hearts, we often listen to the wrong messages--lies, even--and allow them to define our mindset, the confession of our heart (words), and our actions--which determine our habits, our character, and ultimately our destiny.  In my book TERMINUS, some of my characters must deal with this very issue and deal with them in different ways.

What are some of the lies you've struggled not to let define you?  Please start up a discussion in the comments section below.

TERMINUS cover and back cover copy revealed!

I am able to share with you the cover art for TERMINUS, which I think really captures the essence of the book, its protagonist and some of its settings. The cover was designed by Cory Clubb of Go Bold Designs. And now, here is the full cover wrap and the back cover copy:

HOW FAR MUST AN ANGEL FALL TO FIND HIS DESTINY?

Having witnessed one too many senseless deaths, Nikolai, a disillusioned Reaper 3rd Class, resigns his commission with the Angel Forces after a tedious century of gathering souls.

Immediately, another division recruits him with the promise of a more rewarding career, and issues his initial assignments: To bring down a few very dangerous threats to the human race. In the process, Nikolai falls in love with one of his targets—Hope Matheson, a woman who will lead thousands astray.

Caught between conflicting agendas, Nikolai chooses to “fall” from his celestial state and become mortal in order to circumvent angel law and be with her. But for angels and humans alike, things are not always as they appear. Still a target, the threat against Hope’s life intensifies.

Now, in order to save her, Nikolai must rally the last remnants of his failing supernatural abilities to prevent her assassination, as well as the destruction of an entire city by a nuclear terrorist strike.

But his time and power are running out…

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Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

Okay, maybe it's not a chicken dinner, but as promised, 4 winners from the newsletter data base have been chosen to receive a signed copy of DARKROOM in this week's giveaway!

Congratulations to:

Jeffery M. Rose
Melinda Collins
Fred Dempster
Debbi Foss

Winners were selected using the  online.

I'll be getting in touch with the winners soon to send them their prize.  In the meantime, if you didn't win, don't fret.  There will be more giveaways in the near future.  And in the upcoming newsletters, there will be special and exclusive content, to which subscribers will be privy before the rest of the world.  If you haven't yet signed up for my official newsletter, please do so by going here:  www.joshua-graham.com/newsletter .

Thanks, and have a great weekend!

Courage, Duty, and Sacrifice

I just read about this:

HERKIMER, N.Y. - On Thursday morning, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Tactical K-9 "Ape" was killed in the line of duty while accompanying FBI agents who were attempting to arrest Kurt Myers, the suspected killer of four people in Herkimer Wednesday.

Read the full story here: http://bit.ly/WqH0dd

I don't think I can imagine losing a friend or colleague with whom I've worked closely, especially when done to help protect me.  But this dog gave his all, the best of his training, heart, and strength to do just that for his team members.  It kind of makes me think, would I have what it takes to do the same, if I were in such a situation?  After all, it is written:

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.

But let me ask you this:  What is more difficult, to lay down your life by dying for someone, or by living for someone?  My thoughts go straight to my mother who passed away in 2003 from ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) when she was just 65 years old.  For my entire life, she'd worked tirelessly to serve my family, raise and teach us--her children, and work as a registered nurse, until she'd been diagnosed, just a few years before she died.  She never got to retire until she was wheelchair bound, as the cruel disease slowly robbed her of all voluntary movement.  But one thing I know, she did everything for the love of her family and never hesitated to sacrifice, if it was for their good.

I know she's in a much better place now, reaping the rewards from the seeds of love she'd sown while here on Earth.  And whenever I think of her, I consider her lifetime of love, courage, duty, and sacrifice, just as honorable and moving as those who did this by dying for their friends and loved ones.

Has anyone ever laid down their life for you, in living or by dying for you? I know this is an emotional topic, but I'd love to hear from you in the comments section at the bottom of this blog post.

The Hunger Games Trilogy for just $5.00!

The wildly popular series THE HUNGER GAMES is on sale for Kindle on Amazon.com for just $5.00!  Not sure how long it will be on sale, but if you don't already own this, I'd recommend snatching up the bargain while it's specially priced.  Get your copy here! http://amzn.to/ZCKqHc

Do you think this is a promotional push to try to win even more fans into the franchise in anticipation of the sequel to The Hunger Games, "Catching Fire," which according to this article  on NBCNews.com is going to open on Nov. 22, 2013?

Also according to this article, "Catching Fire" was filmed in Maui, Hawaii.  Here's a photo they posted from the set with Jennifer Lawrence.

How excited are you about the sequel?

Did you love or hate the first movie adaptation, knowing that movies often differ significantly from the books?

Was there anything you wish they'd have done differently in the first movie?

What do you hope the get right in the second?

Share your thoughts in the comments below my bio!

 

Angels Watching Over You?

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In light of my upcoming book TERMINUS, I thought this might be a fun topic to discuss:

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What's your idea of an angel?

Do cute little images from "Precious Moments" come to mind?  Or would something like the angels from the movie "Legion" be more likely?

What we know about angels come from our cultural and religious backgrounds.  I'll have to admit that personally, I give the thought of angles most during times of air travel and violent turbulence.  I keep praying the very scriptures Satan tried to use to trip up Jesus and tempt him to prove his divinity by taking a leap off a cliff:

 

For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

--Psalm 91: 11-12

Whether you believe or not, I'm sure you have some idea in your mind about them.  You might even have had some experiences.

I'd love to hear about it, so please share about it in the comments section at the bottom of this page!