J. Grace Pennington Archives - Annie Douglass Lima : Annie Douglass Lima

Today we begin a countdown. To what? The release of J. Grace Pennington’s new book, October (available here). Yep, she named her book after the month we are in. Check out the great giveaway, and the other posts in this countdown!

About the Book

For Emily Baxter, life is simple. Her world is made up

completely of school, church, and the community in the small farming town she calls home. All that changes one fateful Sunday, when a new girl shows up at Pleasanton Baptist—a girl unlike anyone Emily has ever seen. A girl with long red hair, crystal green eyes, and style and posture like royalty.

A girl named October.

The months that follow are filled with magic—the magic of

ordinary things, of finding pictures in the stars, of imagination and a new sense

of beauty. But as time goes by, Emily begins to sense that her enchanting new

friend may have secrets that could break the spell. Is October really all she

seems to be?

About the Author

J. Grace Pennington has been telling stories since she could

talk and writing them down since age five. Now she lives in the great state of Texas, where she writes as much as adult life permits. When she’s not writing she enjoys reading good books, having adventures with her husband, and looking up at the stars.

Giveaway

Grace has generously offered a paperback book of her new

book as her giveaway prize. You can enter at this link or

the widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

October Blake

October is the central character of the story, and of course the title character. All the events within it coalesce around her. And she changes the lives of the other characters permanently.

So who is October?

She is a twenty-two-year-old girl who shows up one morning in Pleasanton Baptist church with her aunt and uncle. She stands out, but in a way that seems perfectly natural–long red hair, elegant posture, crystal green eyes, and clothes almost old-fashioned but modern enough to not seem anachronistic.

She is shy and quiet, preferring to keep to herself or be with very close friends. Yet she also shows unexpected boldness at times. It’s just one part of the puzzle that Emily can’t quite put together–an enigma of confidence and vulnerability. She is caring and deeply

thoughtful, but doesn’t seem to have any particular passion in life.

She loves stories, loves people, loves God, and loves nature. She doesn’t have a job or go to school. She never hints how long she’ll be in town or why she came.

She may be an anomaly, but she teaches Emily to find pictures in the clouds and in the stars, to revel in the magic of ordinary things, to find empathy for people who can sometimes go unnoticed.

She seems perfect. Except for those moments when Emily catches a glimpse of something deeper—a dark cloud over an otherwise glorious soul. Why? What is October hiding?

Tour Schedule

October 25, 2017

Bookish

Orchestrations

– Introductory post

God’s

Peculiar Treasure Rae

– Character Spotlight

Letters

from Annie Douglass Lima

– Character Spotlight

Lisa Swinton –

Queen of Random

– Book Spotlight

Audrey Rich

– Book Spotlight

October 26, 2017

Frances

Hoelsema

– Excerpt

Jaye L.

Knight

– Character Spotlight and Excerpt

Morgan

Elizabeth Huneke

– Review

October 27, 2017

Liv K. Fisher –

Author Interview and Excerpt

Opinions,

Thoughts, and General Rambling

– Character Spotlight and Excerpt

Leila’s

Bookshelf

– Book Spotlight

Britbear’s Book

Reviews

– Guest Post

October 28, 2017

Rebekah Lyn Books –

Excerpt

In the Bookcase

– Review

Roxbury Books –

Character Spotlight and Excerpt

J. Grace

Pennington

– Special author’s post

October 29, 2017

Bookish

Orchestrations

– Giveaway Winner

About the Book

You never escape your past

Andi Lloyd is more comfortable than most with interstellar travel, but she’s not prepared for the perils and peculiarities of a world she has all but forgotten—the planet Earth. As the Surveyor undergoes repairs, her brother August receives a message with news that will send both of them across the world to a place he never wanted to visit again.

Neither of them are prepared to be thrust into a world of political intrigue amid the tangled forests and crumbling ruins of Austria. They aren’t prepared to encounter wild animals and endure cross-country hikes. And they definitely aren’t prepared to face it all alone.

But despite the dangers they must press on into the unknown to find a way to save Andi’s life, to decide the fate of Earth itself—and to rescue a lonely girl who just happens to be their little sister.

About the Author

J. Grace Pennington has been telling stories since she could talk and writing them down since age five. Now she lives in the great state of Texas, where she writes as much as adult life permits. When she’s not writing she enjoys reading good books, having adventures with her husband, and looking up at the stars.

Excerpt

Even when I lived on Earth as a child I had never spent this much time outdoors. The Doctor was more the homebody type and I followed in his footsteps, preferring science and reading to camping or hiking.

Crash, while adventurous, preferred for his adventures to take place far above the ground, whether that was in the sky or outside our solar system.

This, though, was soothing to my soul. Over time a combination of the sun and the walking warmed me enough so that I no longer felt like shivering. Brown leaves crinkled beneath our feet. Detailed green foliage and gentle insect sounds calmed my nerves until again I was almost able to forget about Langham’s, Crash, Ursula.

Almost.

“This is nice,” I said after awhile.

He only nodded, the visible tension in his shoulders in no way relaxed by our surroundings.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“I’m fine.” He kept weaving his way through the trees, alternating between studying the map and focusing on the trail ahead.

“What’s wrong?” I persisted.

He stopped and turned around, surveying me steadily for a moment.

Then, “What’s the last place in the universe you want to be?”

I thought about this. “I don’t know… I can’t… really think of any place.”

“The last person you want to see, then.”

I instantly knew my answer, but hesitated.

“It’s okay,” he prompted, looking me steadily in the eyes.

“Our father,” I admitted, lowering my gaze to the leaf-covered forest floor.

“Okay. Well, think about how that thought makes you feel. That’s how I feel being back in Austria.” He shifted his backpack and turned

away to start walking again. “I always said I’d never come back.

Especially not to Vienna.”

I paused a moment, watching him shuffle away, then rushed to catch up. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

He shrugged. “What good would it do? We have to go. I don’t have to like it.”

Poor August. So polite, so timid, so ready to cave to others in everything, so silent about his own personal demons—because what good would addressing them do?

“Why?” was my next question as we crunched over the leaves.

He shrugged again but must have known I wouldn’t let him off that

easily, because after a second he said, “I… grew up here, you know.

Just outside Vienna. We’d go there sometimes, for errands, or just family outings. Me and Dad, you know. He was terrible, but… he was also good, sometimes. I don’t like to remember either one.” He glanced at me. “I know I’m pathetic.”

“You’re not,” I murmured.

He fixed his gaze on the way ahead again. “Maybe not. After all, nobody likes to face their gestern. I guess I’m not any different.”

“Gestern?”

“Yeah. It’s German for ‘yesterday.’ Something one of my philosophy professors used to say. ‘Nobody likes to face their gestern, but nobody can escape it.’”

Giveaway

J. Grace Pennington is offering three great giveaways! One is the CD she listened to while she wrote Gestern. The other two are a signed paperback of the winner’s choice. You can enter here:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule

August 25

Bookish Orchestrations-Intro post

Frances Hoelsma – Excerpt

shout outs – Book Spotlight

Laurel’s Leaves – Guest Post

The Destiny of One – Review

August 26

The Music of a Story – Review

Jaye L. Knight– Excerpt

Letters from Annie Douglass Lima – Excerpt

August 27

Writings, Ramblings, and Reflections – Review

Kelsey’s Notebook – Book Spotlight

Claire Banschbach– Excerpt

August 28

Morgan Elizabeth Huneke – Review

Rachel Rossano’s Words – Guest Post

Rebekah Lyn Books – Character Interview

August 29

Bookish Orchestrations-Giveaway Winner

J. Grace Pennington has published four science fiction novels. They each have a unique bent to them, but this one is very different. Each book is a standalone, but as with any series, you get more of the story if you read them all in order. In Reversal Zone, the main character, Andi Lloyd, becomes the only one who can save the ship and crew. Can she do it in time?

About the Book

Nothing is as it should be.

After weeks of boredom, Andi is excited when the Surveyor is called upon to rescue a freighter that mysteriously vanished in uncharted space. Excitement quickly turns to unease when the ship encounters an unknown phenomenon—a cloud that appears not to exist. But with the freighter’s crew in danger, the Surveyor has no choice but to venture into unknown territory.

As soon as they enter the cloud, its unstable effects wreak havoc on the ship. They’re flying blind. Every piece of equipment is malfunctioning. And every member of the crew is unable to think straight or act like themselves—except Andi.

Now she’s expected to guide them through the predicament with no previous command experience and no one to turn to for support. And with each passing hour, it becomes clear that if they don’t escape the cloud soon—they won’t escape it at all.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZV1ILB

Excerpt

When I reached the bridge, the whiteness of the windows startled me. There wasn’t a cloudy quality to it anymore—other than a couple of faint bright spots, it was just pure, milky white.

I was also surprised to find the Captain slouching back in his chair. I’d never seen him sit like that before, except in total defeat.

“Second medical officer on the bridge.”

The Captain sat up and turned around. “Need something?”

I stared at him for a moment. As with Crash, his posture was odd and so was his tone. But I went on.

“There’s something I need to tell you.”

“All right, tell me.” He sat back again.

I looked around at the other bridge officers, who were all staring at me.

“Do you… want to go to your lounge or something?”

“No, go ahead, tell me.”

I hesitated. I didn’t love the idea of talking about the radialloy in front of people I wasn’t close with. But an order was an order—and they all knew about it, anyway.

“Tell me, tell me,” he insisted, waving his hand as if brushing away a speck of dust.

“Well… you remember the radialloy, sir…”

“You might need to speak up a little.”

I cleared my throat and went on. “The… the radialloy, sir. You remember that?”

“The… oh, right. Yes, of course.”

This wasn’t right. I stared into his eyes and they looked—dull. Flat. Not alert and intent as they usually were on a mission.

“I… well, my knee started hurting a little when we entered the cloud.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

The silence around us was so thick that every system beep or blip seemed to slice it. I sucked in a deep breath. He was sorry? That was all?

“I thought… the Doctor thought… the cloud might be making it hurt. I thought you might be able to figure something out about it… I…” I stopped, feeling a little queasy from the attention and awkwardness. All seven pairs of eyes were fixed on me.

“Harrison! Can’t you see the girl’s trying to help? Why don’t you sit up and pay some attention?”

I froze. That could not be who it sounded like.

It sounded like Guilders.

Guilders never raised his voice, he never called the Captain “Harrison” on the bridge, and he had never, ever called me “the girl.”

“Mr. Guilders, I realize that Andi is trying to help. I’m listening to her. That should satisfy you.” The words were calm, slow, and casual.

“Captain!” I took half a step forward, willing him to understand.

He blinked, looked at me, and sat up a bit straighter. “Hold on… wait…” He held up both hands, fingers stiffly separated. “Wait now. Something’s wrong.”

He looked over at Guilders, who lowered his bushy eyebrows and relaxed his shoulders slightly.

“Something… something isn’t right.” He stared at me again. “Andi. The cloud is making your knee hurt?” His eyes were alert now, but confusion furrowed his eyebrows.

“Yes sir.”

“I… I think that…” He pressed a hand to his forehead. “Ugh. I think… that’s helpful. Thank…” He stood up and stumbled to one side a step.

“Captain?” Guilders jumped up but he also stumbled.

The Captain kept a hand pressed to his head. “I… Guilders, what’s…” He shook his head, hard, several times. “I can’t think, I don’t…”

The lights dimmed, then brightened, then dimmed again. I backed towards the door, watching as the Captain blinked and tapped his head with the palm of his hand.

“I… can’t… I don’t…”

The lights flickered again, and I looked around. Ralston and Yanendale both had their hands pressed against their heads, and August had gone even paler than usual. Whales and Mr. Orstin had both slumped back in their chairs and their eyelids were drooping.

“I…” the Captain said one last time, then he wavered and dropped to the floor.

“Captain!” I cried.

Guilders dropped next, falling into his chair and hitting his head on the console in front of him. I winced, and watched in shock as August collapsed, rolling out of his chair onto the floor. Yanendale slumped over his console, motionless, Ralston went limp and fell against the wall, and Whales and Orstin’s arms dropped and their eyes closed.

The lights dimmed, then flickered off, then red blinking lights illuminated everything, alarms sounded, and I was left on the bridge, alone, with seven unconscious men.

About the Author

J. Grace Pennington has been telling stories since she could talk, and writing them down since age five. Now she lives in the great state of Texas, where she writes as much as adult life permits. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading good books, playing movie soundtracks on the piano, and looking up at the stars.

You can find out more about her writing at www.jgracepennington.com.

Giveaway

Grace is generously offering three prizes. A signed copy of each of her three previous novels in the series. They are each standalone stories, but they are also connected. If you would like to read more about them, you can read about them here: Radialloy, In His Image, Machiavellian.

To enter the giveaway, please fill out this form.