Sacred and Shameless

a book project

by Lynn Ellen Queen with Harper Evans

I was not looking for this friendship. My life was full and comfortable. Then Harper – young, tattooed, pierced, queer – wandered into my path. Literally.

After almost running them over at the entrance to the church parking garage, I invited them to Ash Wednesday lunch. Our meal before us, they inquired what church and God was all about. I said, “About love.” “I don’t know what love is,” Harper replied. In that moment I committed to showing them what love is, unaware of all I would learn doing so.

As our friendship unfolded, Harper shared they were yearning for a different life. They wanted to learn to trust and love others and feel worthy of being loved in return. That is when I realized loving across our differences would require me to learn and grow beyond what I knew and felt comfortable with before. That love proved vital as Harper’s life became challenging beyond their expectations.

Our book intertwines my reflections with our emails, texts, and voicemails, so you experience the friendship from both Harper’s perspective and mine. I am considering publishing options now and will let you know how it goes!

Until then, please share your email address below for occasional updates and any “Sacred and Shameless” announcements. You can connect with me directly below as well; I would enjoy hearing from you, too.

– Lynn Ellen

Early Readers

experience connection and sing praise

“The story is gripping from the beginning to the end, is heartfelt and full of emotion – the full spectrum of emotions – with LOVE coming through as the strongest of them all. […] This book had that contemplative effect on me, making me re-evaluate my own sense of identity and my relationship with God, and relationship with the world around.” – V. V.

“The book was unputdownable. Harper is intriguing, their way of writing captivating. Their ability to express themselves is unique and leaves an indelible mark on my soul. Harper and LE, it is a Love story, a story of finding each other and completing pieces of Soul.” – C. J.

“I have just finished your manuscript. You are so beautiful, Harper is so beautiful, you two are so beautiful. Beautifully written. […] I was going to read it in chunks, and I have just read the remaining over 300 pages left to read without a break. Thanks for this magnificent journey of admiration, tears, sadness, disgust, solemnness, shock, joy, laughter, and truth. I will continue to think about it… so many emotions to parse.” – N. E.

About the Authors

Lynn Ellen Queen, writer and correspondent

I came to writing later in life. Well, that is not strictly true. My page count is in the hundreds for shareholder reports, special project documentation, and other work-related things. Once, out of curiosity, I counted all the papers I wrote during college: fifty-four in total.

So, it is not that I have not written. It is that I now get to write about experiences meaningful to me, and that people might actually enjoy reading.

All of my corporate work? It now informs my career as an executive coach. Both coaching and writing come from a deep place of caring about others, ongoing personal growth, and reflecting on life experiences. And my belief that we are each called to make a difference, whenever and wherever we can.

Harper Evans, correspondent and friend

Harper, a pseudonym, was a young adult when our paths crossed. They were unlike anyone I had met before, which tells you more about me than it does them. Crip, queer, intelligent, curious, fearless, resilient, vulnerable: Harper was all of this these and then some. They were determined to overcome a past life of abuse, addiction, and homelessness. While nearing the end of their undergraduate education, they hoped to continue studying, applying what they learned toward influencing a society they felt needed changing.

In searching for a life different than the one they were living they needed to experience love. To love themself. To love others. To let others love them. Curious about how faith might help them on this quest, Harper found that faith and love together became even more important as their body started working against them and their life took a turn they were not expecting.

Featured In

media and interviews about the project

Feb. 3rd, 2025 – The “Make Life Less Difficult” Podcast with Lisa Hope Tilstra