I wanted to get a blog out there and wasn’t sure what to post. So I found this sermon I wrote for our church’s Grand Opening, and edited it down to fit here. I hope it encourages you. When Jesus walked the earth, he wasn’t loved by everyone. Sure, he had a large following, made up … More Love Like Jesus
Over the last year, and especially in the last few months, I’ve been trying to learn as much as I can about myself and how I can relate to the world as an autistic person. At this point, I’ve only read books written by people who are autistic, as I’ve much more interested in people’s … More Books on Autism
The things about being on the spectrum is that I always have a special interest that consumes my thoughts and it’s the only thing I want to talk about. Over the years I’ve rotated between a couple—some times it’s work related, some times it’s just a hobby. Transitioning between special interests is hard for me. … More Special Interests
I’m excited to announce that my short story “The Priest and the Robot” is a part of the Outcasts audio book! You can purchase it on Amazon or Author’s Direct This was a joint endeavor between the Ohio Writers’ Association and the Ohio Audiobook Narrators. I was honored to have Becky White narrate my piece—she … More Outcasts Audiobook Released
The summer after my college graduation, I had the opportunity to live on the Northern Cheyenne reservation in Montana. In honor of Indigenous People’s day, I wanted to share a few reflections from my experience. #1 – I’m not an expert First and foremost, I lived on the reservation for a summer. It would be … More Happy Indigenous People’s Day
I’m excited to announce that I have a flash fiction published on 365 Tomorrows! It will be up on the front page today (10/3/21) and then available in the archive after that. As a pastor, I’ve done my fair share of funerals. I’ve grown frustrated with the amount of money tied to a burial. I … More My Take on Space Burial
Two months ago, Allyssa and I sat down and watched Hannah Gadsby’s new special on Netflix, Douglas. Much like her Nannette special, she mixed vulnerability and comedic observation so few others can. In Douglas, instead of talking about her sexuality, she delved into her experience living on the autism spectrum. I remember thinking, this sounds … More It Turns Out I’m Autistic
One of my goals is to get published in Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine. I submitted a story last year, and they rejected it. They said: “We appreciate your taking the time to send it in for our consideration. Although it does not suit the needs of the magazine at this time, we wish you luck … More Rejection
I’m offering a special discount on signed copies of the anthology “Outcasts” from Ohio Writers’ Association. If you’re interested in getting a copy directly from me, let me know! Not only will I sign it, but I will include a personal note and access to an exclusive essay on the theology surrounding my short story … More Get Signed Copy of “Outcasts”
We are refinancing, which means we are getting an appraisal, which means we did some cleaning and patching. We bought this house four years ago and put two years of sweat-equity into it. Then, we refinanced, and hired Joshua Calderone to do major work, which got completed (minus finishing) right before COVID hit. Then we … More 2021 House Update
Joe Graves 