Andrea and the 5 day challenge by Cindy K Green

Blurb:

Dear Lord,
I need Your help and sooner would be better than later. Wouldn't you know it, just as soon as I decide to attempt the 5-Day Bible Study Challenge, my parents start heaping on loads of pressure to get me into Julliard. My friend Amy isn’t any better, urging me to ask Luke Ryan to homecoming. As if the cute, transfer jock would actually go out with me. I mean, we’re kinda friends, and I’ve enjoyed our Geometry study sessions, but in case Amy hasn’t noticed, I’m the invisible one at Aubrey Christian Academy, and I like it that way. On top of that, I have a feeling Luke’s concealing something behind those chocolate-brown eyes of his. I know I can be self-centered and a bit melodramatic, but I really do want to seek Your will for my life. Then maybe I’ll even figure out which direction points up.

Sincerely, Andrea Jamison
High School Junior
Change-o-phobic & complete neurotic

My Bio:

Cindy K. Green has worked as a middle school history & English teacher, a frozen yogurt server and a golf magazine employee. Today she's a multi-published, award-winning author, a mother, a wife, and a homeschooler too. This native Californian now resides in North Carolina with her husband, two boys, and two cats named Chloe & Kassey. Visit her website www.cindykgreen.com & her blog cindykgreen.blogspot.com. She's on Facebook (Cindy K. Green) and Twitter (@cindykgreen) too. Connect with her on Pinterest:https://www.pinterest.com/cgreen0224/ and Google+:https://plus.google.com/+CindyGreenAuthor/posts as well.

Excerpt:

Before she had a chance to answer, I heard my name called out. I pivoted, but I was totally unprepared to see Luke coming right up beside me. My face grew warm again. Oh, please, if only my skin wouldn’t turn all blotchy like it usually did when I blushed. “Uh, hi Luke.” I couldn’t say any more. If I opened my mouth, it would come out in gibberish, I was sure. Lord God in Heaven, if You’re listening, and I know You always are, please, please, don’t let him have overheard what we were talking about. When was that spaceship getting here, anyway? I’d settle for an invisibility cloak, too, just as long as I could disappear.

“Hi.” Luke smiled.

Why now did his smile make my heart do cartwheels? I’d seen him smile dozens of times, maybe even a hundred, and my heart had never done that before. OK, that’s not completely true. There have been a couple occasions when my pulse tripped upwards, but I just needed some more vitamins or something.

“I was wondering if we could go over that new proof from yesterday. I’m not sure I have it yet.”

Geometry? He wanted to talk about Geometry.

My heart fell. I don’t know why I thought it would be anything else. I mentally slapped myself in the head. Of course. He just wanted to talk about Geometry. The quiz today.

“Well, I gotta go,” announced Amy with a conspiratorial smile as she adjusted her glasses and walked off.

I turned to Luke. “You know, Geometry isn’t my strong subject.”

“I know.” He knew? His answer surprised me.

I stood staring at him for a second. His brown eyes looked a little sparkly as he grinned at me. I must have been seeing things. Yeah, I definitely needed some extra vitamin A.

“If I had to guess, I’d say history is your best subject.” Luke still smiled, in fact, I think it grew.

How did he know my favorite subject? “Uh, yeah, it is. How…”

He raised his expansive shoulders slightly. “I can tell by the way you speak up in class.”

Class. Oh, yes, because we also had U. S. History together. I wanted to run away, but I couldn’t. I wasn’t that much of a coward. I could stand here and look into his eyes…no, I couldn’t. They were somehow more fascinating than ever. I lifted my view to the doorway. “You know, I need to get to my locker and pick up my books for next period.”

“OK, me, too.”

So, I’m walking with Luke Ryan. He is suddenly very interesting to me and seems to know more about me than I do about him. Something is definitely wrong with this picture. Had I somehow walked through Alice’s looking glass without noticing, because this was unquestionably a wonderland.

Character Interview:

1. Tell us your name and a little bit about yourself?

My name is Andrea Jamison. There really isn’t much to tell about me. I’m like the invisible one at our school, and I like it that way. But if I must. I’m a sixteen-year-old junior at Aubrey Christian Academy. I play the piano and have a big recital coming up soon that may or may not get me into the performing art school. I don’t know if I care either way. My parents, on the other hand, are STRESSING ME OUT! I have three really great friends who go to school with me here: Amy, Angie, & Alisha. And this week I’ve taken up the challenge from our youth pastor to start this new Bible Study.

2. Tell us about where you live and why you choose to live there?

I live in Aubrey, NC which is about an hour from Charlotte (our biggest city). I’ve lived here my entire life. I didn’t choose to live here. My parents made that choice before I was born.

3. What is a quirk of your personality that most people wouldn't know?

I don’t tell many people this. In fact, only my best friend Amy knows. I am a total Superman fanatic. I have the comics, the films, even the animated series. But please keep it quiet. Everyone I know would think it’s weird.

4. Name two things you would hate people to know about you?

Well, we are getting personal now, aren’t we? Lets see, I guess for one, I’d hate it if people knew my favorite movie is Sleeping Beauty, you know, the animated one from Disney. I love the dancing prince. And for another, food is like my stress relief. And my mom is like this supreme cook and she knows exactly what I need. I have to keep it in check or I’ll totally blimp out.

5. Tell us about your special bloke. What makes him special?

His name is Luke Ryan. He’s a transfer student from California. He’s already more poplar than me especially since he’s like this awesome baseball player. But we’re friends and study Geometry together. He’s different from most of the other A-list kids. He seems older…wiser somehow. And he’s been nothing but nice to me. His brown-eyes make me sigh. Okay, I’ve said too much. Can we delete that last part?

6. The first time you saw him, what did you think? Did you like him immediately, or did he have to grow on you?

I was walking through the halls at school and dropped my books. He was the only one to stop and help me collect them. That’s how we met. Yeah, I thought he was pretty great after that.

7. What would he hate people to know about her?

He definitely carries a burden that he doesn’t share with others, but he did share it with me. His family has experienced a personal tragedy and it ripped them apart. Luke is the peacemaker and tries to keep it all together.

8. What is your favourite thing to eat and drink?

Desserts for sure. Like I said, my mom is awesome in the kitchen. (Did I mention she also has a law degree, but she doesn’t practice anymore? She’s like Martha Stewart with a Juris Doctorate.) Anyway, she makes the most amazing brownies and Danish. I love mom’s cherry Danish. Just make sure you have plenty of milk around. Delish!

9. If you had to fight, what would be your weapon of choice and why?

I really try to avoid anything physical especially in a confrontation. I’m so clumsy I’d probably just hurt myself.

10. Pepsi or coke

I’m not much of a soda drinker. I’d drink either if offered to me, but I probably lean a bit more on the Coke side.

11. Tea or coffee

Definitely coffee. In the town where I live, there is a little coffee house called the Coffee Cup and I hang out there with my friends. In fact, Luke and I have had some great conversations there with a coffee mug in hand.

13. Roast dinner or burger and chips (fries for our US readers)

Oh, back to food. I’m a foodie so bring it all on! Remember—my mom-great cook. I love comfort food meals with mashed potatoes, etc. But when I’m out with my friends a good burger can’t be beat.

14. Classical music or pop

With my classical piano training, I do love classical music. Music from the Romantic period and early Modern (like Debussy) are my favs. But I live in a modern world so, yeah, I listen to pop too. Luke turned me on to this new Christian band called Requisition Believer and they are AWESOME!

15. Sunrise or sunset

Sunrise for sure. I am an ‘early to bed early to rise’ girl. My friend Amy thinks I’m odd in that way, but I just get tired and hit the sheets early. And then in the morning, I like to take runs before school. It’s when my mind is the most at peace.

16. Walk or run

Like I said earlier, I love to run. I take early morning runs in my neighborhood. We have lots of trees in the subdivisions around here and it’s very peaceful. Sometimes when I have a lot on my mind, I stop by Amy’s house, knock on her window and wake her up before her alarm. She’s always cranky but there are these moments when it is an extreme emergency!

17. Chocolate or crisps (chips for our US readers)

Chocolate for sure! I need the sugar to keep me sane. I have emergency chocolate stashed in my bedside table in my room. You know, just in case.

18. What would you like on your epitaph?

“Neurotic but in a good way.” (Luke said that to me once.) 

Read more excerpts on Cindy's blog: http://cindykgreen.blogspot.com/ 

Buy Links:

Pelican Book Group

http://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37_61&products_id=652

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Andrea-5-Day-Challenge-Christian-Academy-ebook/dp/B00TJAG8P8/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425086552&sr=1-1&keywords=andrea+and+the+five+day+challenge

ChristianBook.com:

http://www.christianbook.com/andrea-and-the-day-challenge-ebook/cindy-green/9781611164046/pd/75286EB?product_redirect=1&Ntt=75286EB&item_code=&Ntk=keywords&event=ESRCP