Chip and the Book of Rose Leaves is releasing May 4th, as I’ve shared before, but now I have a couple other things to announce!
The cover reveal is next Thursday, the 23rd of March!!! I can’t wait for you to see the beautiful cover that Erica Richardson designed. For now, here’s a sneak peek of the cover!
For Chip, I decided not to do a launch team with ARC copies of the story. But I’m excited to share that that doesn’t mean you can’t help with the story’s release! If you love sharing cover reveals, release days, and all things bookish, I would love for you to join the 21:25 Books Street Team!
What all will be involved in the street team?
This team will be for my publishing company as a whole, instead of for just one book. There will be a group chat on Instagram where I’ll share announcements and posts with everyone. You’ll get a first look at covers for my new books, new bookish treasures for the Etsy shop, release dates, book titles, and all sorts of things!
All I ask is that you help me spread the word about my books and Etsy shop! The time commitment will be very small; all you’ll be asked to do is share some of my posts to your Stories on Instagram, or for a cover reveal/book release, make a post on the day!
It will be a fun chance to join other book lovers in doing what we enjoy most: spreading the word about good books! Along the way, you’ll be helping me pursue the calling God’s put on my heart with 21:25 Books 🙂
One day, my dream is to begin publishing other authors and open a physical bookstore, but until then, I’m really excited to grow this online, bookish community! I hope you’ll join me!
If you’d like to help with the cover reveal of Chip and the Book of Rose Leaves, be sure to join the Street Team before next Thursday!
*
What I’m Reading: The Dressmaker’s Secret by Kellyn Roth & The Pale Phoenix by Noah Lynch
What I’m Listening To: Birds by Anna Golden
How about you? What books and tunes are you enjoying now?
God gave me the most fun idea today and I’m so excited and grateful!
Like I mentioned in one of my last posts, my children’s book, Chip and the Book of Rose Leaves, is a storybook to color.
The book itself will have 18 illustrations for you to bring to life with colored pencils, markers, or whatever strikes your fancy. But how fun would it be if you could color these pictures outside of the book, too?!
So, each week, I’ll be releasing two illustrations in my Etsy shop as digital coloring pages that you can download and print 😊
I hope it will be the perfect way to pass the time on rainy spring days and that the illustrations will bring a spot of joy to you!
First up, are Nesbit the owl and Wilfred the fox!
Here’s a sneak peek of Wilfred and Nesbit! You can see the full illustrations and get the digital downloads right here!
I’ll be back later in the week with more updates! It feels like the countdown to Chip releasing has officially begun; I can’t wait to share this story with you and your families!
Happy Saturday, everyone! Is anyone else very grateful to have reached the weekend? This week was a good one, but pretty full, and I’m ready for a slower pace. This morning, that’s looked like sipping lemon green tea and reading my Charles Spurgeon devotional. I thought I’d share a few updates and random things with you (maybe this will become a weekly thing!)
This week, I finished the basic interior formatting for my children’s story, Chip and the Book of Rose Leaves, which is releasing on May 4th, and I sent all of the illustrations to my friend and fellow author, Erica Richardson, who designed the absolutely gorgeous cover and will be adding the illustrations to the interior for me!
One of the things I’m most excited about with Chip is that the illustrations can be colored as you read the story! It will be so fun to see everyone’s coloring creations 🙂 The cover reveal is coming soon, but I haven’t settled on an exact date. I can’t wait to share it with you, though; it couldn’t be more perfect!
I’ve also started writing the sequel to Chip. I wasn’t at all expecting to write it right now. Currently, I’m working on the first book in an epic Christian fantasy series, so as far as I was concerned, the sequels to Chip and Penelope Grace were on hold for the time being. God had different plans haha.
Even though it’s unexpected, I’m really grateful for God leading me to write Chip’s next adventure right now. As some of you know, Chip’s first adventure all begins because he wants to know if God hears his prayers or even cares about them at all. This next story is also about prayer, but in a different way. This time, Chip’s adventure begins when the answer to a prayer very close to his heart is, “No.”
My family and I have experienced several “Nos” and “Not yets” lately, in answer to our prayers, and I wasn’t prepared for how painful and hard it would be. I knew that this was the theme of Chip’s sequel months ago, but I didn’t know when God gave me the idea how much I would need this story for my own healing and faith. I’m only at the beginning, but I think this book will help me know God’s character better, and I hope the same will be true for you, too.
In the meantime, Chip’s first adventure will be available very soon, and it will be a joy to share that story with you 😊
Here’s a peek at one of the illustrations, featuring a persevering old owl named Nesbit. I’m thinking of adding the illustrations as printable coloring pages in my Etsy store! What do you think?!
Family History & Other Story Ideas
For a long time, I’ve been really interested in family history. Those of you who have been part of my writing journey so far will know the different family stories that became part of Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel. I have a few different stories in mind (some connected to Penelope Grace and some not) that I’m really passionate about writing, but I’ll need to do some digging into family history first.
One of the stories will involve my great-grandma, Mary McLean. She was born in England (in Manchester, we believe) and then married my great-grandpa, George Saris, who met her through a mutual friend after he left Greece and joined the Merchant Marine. Here are photos of the two of them (excuse the poor quality). This is the only photo we have of my great-grandma when she was young and it’s the only photo we have of my great-grandpa at all. I’m hoping to find more as I research.
My great-grandma, Mary McLeanMy great-grandpa, George Saris
Right now, I’m focusing on learning more about my great-grandma and her family. I believe her father’s name was Peter and that he was from Ireland. From stories, I know that he served in the army. My grandma told me that one of the family’s servants would cut up his old uniforms to make rag rugs. As far as my great-grandma’s mom, the only thing I know is that she worked as a hand model in England and that she died in a hotel fire. I don’t have much to go on, but I’m hoping to learn more, and I’ll share it with you here as I do! I’m excited to see how my story ideas take shape and change as I find out more about my family.
I’m on Ancestry, but if you know of any other good places to start researching, please let me know! And if you’ve done family research of your own, I’d love to hear about what you’ve learned about your family, if you’d like to share 🙂
Books & Tunes
What I’m reading:
Between Two Worlds by Cheyenne van Langevelde
& Morning by Morning by Charles Spurgeon
Favorite Song at the Moment: Sails – Live by Pat Barrett, Steffany Gretzinger, & Amanda Cook
That’s all I have to share for now! I’ll be back soon with more updates and writing adventures. In the meantime, feel welcome to share your own updates!
Life has been hectic lately, and I haven’t taken much time to reflect on all that’s happened over the last few months. I’m really amazed by how God has led me and provided everything I needed 😊
Last November, I had the joy of publishing my first novel, Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel. This winter tale, full of wonder and light, is inspired by my mom and grandpa.
I wrote it after we lost him to Parkinson’s and Dementia, and my hope is that it encourages anyone who struggles to see any light or hope in winter and times of grief.
Last year, I also got my Etsy store for 21:25 Books up and running! This is where I sell my books and other bookish goodies. Before I get to my news, here is a quick peek at some of the items you can find there:
I’m so grateful for the blessings and opportunities that God gave me, and it’s been so cool to hear how Penelope Grace has encouraged people who have read it 💙
But now, God’s leading me (and you, my fellow readers) to some place new.
Much as I love Penelope’s world and the land of Ellura, it’s time to say good-bye (though just for now).
Flowers are already beginning to bloom in a forest called Everleaf, and a young and curious rabbit is eagerly waiting for us there…
My children’s story, Chip and the Book of Rose Leaves is releasing on May 4th!!
This was a story that I never expected to write, and I am so thrilled to be releasing it in paperback this spring, on the National Day of Prayer!
The story will have a little something special, though 😊 This is a springtime tale to color and will include many illustrations that I hope inspire you to break out your colored pencils and add color to!
I’ll be sharing much more in the days to come, but now, I also want to announce something that I’m only sharing on the blog right now.
For many years, I have had a Christian epic fantasy series planned. This will be a nine-book series, divided into three trilogies.
Today, I want to share a little sneek peak of what’s to come. The photos below give a teaser of the aesthetic of each trilogy!
For the first trilogy, I’ve shared the name of the trilogy & given a separate aesthetic for each book, which may or may not offer a clue or two about what’s in store 😉
For now, that’s all my news! I can’t wait to share the cover of Chip and the Book of Rose Leaves with you! Erica Richardson has already designed it, and I can’t get over how absolutely stunning it is 😍
Kindle, Tad, Ella, and Andrew are continuing their adventure through Anelthalien, but things have never felt more dangerous. Everything they believed to be true about the Makers and stopping the evil throne now seems uncertain, and doubt claws at them until they even begin to question the faithfulness of their friends. Nevertheless, they carry on, fleeing from danger beneath the earth and in a strange city, only to find that it’s closer than ever. The four heroes have much to overcome, but in the darkest times — if they’ll only listen — they will remember that they are not alone.
Water Falling is such a beautiful continuation of the Anelthalien series. One of the things that H.A. Pruitt excels at is weaving meaningful heroic journeys for each of the main characters. Kindle and Tad, especially, experience character development in this book that was amazing (and sometimes, entertaining) to witness, and I’m excited to see Ella and Andrew grow even more in future books.
This book deals heavily with the inner turmoil of each hero as they navigate the next stage of their quest. Discerning between truth and lies is a major theme, and Pruitt explores it in an imaginative way that I’ve never encountered in another story. The descriptions, especially in the beginning of the book, are stunning, and when the characters find themselves in a strange, underwater world, I found myself getting lost right along with them. Stories that immerse readers in the fictional world like that are the very best kind.
There is plenty of action and adventure to balance the characters’ emotional journey, though. The end of the story flies by, and it’s obvious how much higher the stakes are getting. I absolutely loved this story. I’ll never be able to say enough to recommend the Anelthalien series or express how much the themes of faith, doubt, heroism, and truth mean to me.
All that’s left to say is that if you ever wanted something different, or if you ever wanted to know the truth, Anelthalien is waiting.
Please note: There is a very brief scene where unwanted physical attention is directed towards one of the characters. It passes quickly and is not, in any way, graphic, but I wanted to mention it in case it would be triggering for anyone.
*
You can find a copy of Water Falling and the first two books in the Anelthalien series on Amazon.
Water Falling is also available in a hardcover, special edition (pictured above) that is absolutely gorgeous! It’s full of extra content like a behind-the-scenes look at H.A. Pruitt’s creative process and a chapter from book four! I’m so glad that I chose to get the hardcover. Getting to see the process behind the creation of the story makes it that much more special 💙
Next week, it’s time for a writing update! I’ll be sharing a sneak peek into my next book. This story has been a long time in coming, so I’m really overjoyed that it’s time to start sharing this new world with you!
This week, they were kind enough to feature Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel, along with several other wonderful stories!
Please check out this week’s edition and grab a copy of Penelope Grace! The link to do so is right in the magazine 😊 And once you click it, explore the Etsy shop for some cute stocking stuffers 🎄
Hi everyone! It’s been a little while, but I’m excited to get back to the blog with a little tour of my Christian fantasy novel, Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel.
Join me?
Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel is a winter tale told in three parts 🎄❄🕯
Part One: Christmas begins just as the holiday season is starting. I chose to start there for two reasons.
First, my mom loves Christmastime, and the story is inspired by her, after all, so I wanted to fill it with things she loves!
I also chose it because the holidays, which are meant to be so full of light and hope, often feel dark for those who are suffering loss and loneliness.
My family knows the joy and sadness that can come with this time of year, and I wanted to write a story that acknowledges both.
Whatever your holiday season looks like this year, I hope this story inspires and encourages you in the midst of it ❤
“Fighting for Me” by Riley Clemmons is one of the songs that inspired me while I was writing Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel, especially once I got to Part Two: Winter ❄
Winter is a dark time of year for most and it’s a season that many dread.
But I have seen God show up for me and my family on the darkest of winter nights, radiant in all His power and glory, and I wanted to write a story that celebrated His faithfulness in dark times.
Whether winter is a season you love or one you strive to get through, I hope that Penelope Grace’s adventures through the world of Ellura shed a little warmth and light for you 💙
Part Three: Apricity is so special to me. 🕯 When I was thinking of the three parts of the story, Christmas and Winter came instantly.
But I knew that God was leading me to something a little extra special for the final part of the story.
I Googled words related to winter and God brought me to an article featuring a word that is now obsolete (or was, until I wrote Penelope Grace!)
Apricity means, “the warmth of the sun in winter,” and I knew instantly that this was the title of Part Three. I remember being unable to believe that this word was obsolete. It’s so beautiful!
And when I think about the meaning of it – the warmth of the sun in winter – I think, “What a necessary thing!”
Isn’t the time of year that can feel so dark and hopeless the time when we need the warmth of the sun most? Isn’t that the time of year when we need powerful reminders of God’s radiance and faithfulness?
Isn’t that when we need to remember that the dark and cold, the grief and depression that can grip our hearts at this time of year, aren’t frightening to God at all?
This is why I wanted to bring this word, Apricity, into the story. I wanted this final part to be a fresh reminder for everyone who needs it that God is not overcome by darkness. He obliterates every shred of it and, as if that weren’t remarkable enough, He then gives us the eyes to see the radiance He brings to take darkness’s place.
More than anything, I pray that you get to see that radiance for yourself this winter.
If you’d like a copy of Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel, it’s available exclusively in my Etsy store!
You can get a regular copy, one that is signed, or bundle a signed copy with a handmade ornament!
You can also check out reviews of the story on Goodreads! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed the book so far! I’m really grateful.
Next week, I’ll be sharing my review of Harvesting Hope by Lisa Howeler!
A winter tale of wonder is coming, reader. The fire is crackling in the hearth and the melody of a winter carousel is softly playing as its frost-covered animals begin to turn. The tale invites you to set foot in the land of Ellura, but it begins on a snowy November night in London, where a young woman is holding tightly to wonder.
Here is the prologue for you to read and enjoy, and I hope you will join me for the whole adventure…
Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel
Prologue
Penelope Grace was a remarkable girl.
Of course, that word – remarkable – can mean many different things, depending on whom you ask.
Upon entering the Saris household, you would first be taken to the kitchen for a warm cup of tea to fight off the early winter’s chill. There, Nurse Sasha – who oversaw everything – would happily offer you her opinion. She could hardly find it less than remarkable that a girl of sixteen could behave so like her nine-year-old brother as to be nearly indistinguishable.
Once welcomed and enlightened, you might continue to the living room and find a comfortable chair near Penelope’s mother, Mary, who is patiently mending the latest torn and dirt-stained dress. She would share with you how her daughter is remarkably and admirably unconcerned with what others think of her.
Over the years, her friends marveled to find that Penelope was just as likely to pick up an imaginary sword as an intricate piece of embroidery. Growing serious now, Mary would tell you of the many encouragements she has received to rein her daughter in.
But it is too rare a gift to see a child’s spirit endure into adulthood. As Penelope’s mother, she would ask, how could she do less than safeguard it?
But just then, young George would come bursting in, his great-uncle Alex not far behind, and insist on knowing what your conversation was about.
“Well, George,” Mary would ask with the warmest of smiles, “what do you think makes your sister remarkable?”
He would think hard about it for a minute or two but, his nose crinkling up as he grinned, would soon reply with a firm, “Two things.”
And then, leaning forward as if to share with you a very great secret, George would tell you a story. Just last week, Penelope had, remarkably, succeeded both in assembling an entire regiment of nutcracker soldiers in the foyer and in vanishing from sight before Nurse Sasha could certainly accuse her of having done it.
“And the second,” you would ask, sincerely eager to know.
“She is the only grown-up who isn’t only teasing me when she says she still believes in Father Christmas.”
Equally impressed by both these reasons, you might then turn to great-uncle Alex, whom you would find no less willing to join in the conversation.
He would have to say that Penelope was remarkable for her persistent delight in all things simple, yet extraordinary. Even now she remains as enchanted with his magic tricks as she was on the day he first arrived from Greece to share them with her.
But of all her family, acquaintances and friends, only her father, John – who has been listening by the crackling fire all the while – could tell you with absolute certainty what it was that made Penelope Grace genuinely remarkable:
“Wonder.”
*
Join me for the carousel ride and the fight for wonder. Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel releases this November!
I recently read the most beautiful story about Robert Louis Stevenson.
One night, when Robert Louis Stevenson was a small boy, his nanny called him to come to bed. Oblivious to her summons, he was staring at something outside his nursery window. The nanny walked over, stood at his shoulder, and inquired patiently, “Robert, what are you looking at?”
The little boy, without taking his eyes away from the window, exclaimed in wonder as he pointed to the lamplighter who was lighting the streetlamps, “Look, Nanny! That man is putting holes in the darkness!”
You and I may not be able to change the world, but surely each of us can put a hole in the darkness!
The Joy of My Heart, Anne Graham Lotz
As soon as I read this story, I started thinking back on all of the remarkable books I’ve read over the last few years by my fellow authors and how much their stories matter.
In Anelthalien and Earth Quaking, H.A. Pruitt invites us into a world that is altogether different, where the characters reflect our own struggles and strengths and unexpectedly remind us that no part of our story can erase the purpose that God has uniquely prepared for us.
Whether you’re reading The Cottonwood Chronicles, Peregrine, or Astrid and the Marble Tower, Erica Richardson’s books are full of stunning and much-needed reminders that you never go unnoticed or unseen by God, no matter how small, insignificant, or different you might feel.
Lisa Howeler’s books, like A New Beginning or The Farmer’s Daughter, remind us that grace is real and that the insecurities we feel and the mistakes we make don’t disqualify us from receiving it.
M.H. Elrich’s Daughters of Tamnarae series reassures us that our worth is set in stone and showcases the delight God takes in weaving us into His grand story of love and redemption.
The first book in the Hope on the High Seas series, Free by Careena Campbell, reminds each reader who picks it up that pure faith, though it might be scoffed at, is true strength, and that the more we walk in step with God, the more fully we’ll get to know Him and the hope He offers.
Effie Joe Stock’s books, like Child of the Dragon Prophecy or Aphotic Love, confront the most intense emotions with a courage and boldness that can’t help but inspire her readers. Each page is a reminder that, just like her characters, you are brave enough to experience anger, grief, and pain without being defeated by them.
In Starganauts, C.E. Stone takes readers on a journey through the most crushing grief and uncertainty and displays God’s faithfulness in the midst of it. The whole story is a beautiful reminder that hope is possible even in the most intense battle and that victory and joy are waiting on the other side of it.
There are so many more authors and stories that have inspired me than I have room to share in one post, but I am so grateful for the chance to experience each and every one of these stories.
With every word you type, you are all putting holes in the darkness, reminding us how fragile the night really is when it comes up against God’s radiance.
*
You can check out all of these wonderful stories at the links above! If you have any book recommendations, share them below. I’m always looking for an excuse to add another bookshelf to my library 🙂
That probably doesn’t sound too stupendous, does it? For me, it was a major victory. Over the last few months, I have fallen into the habit of reaching for my phone first thing in the morning. I check my email, look at the news, scroll for a long time on social media, check my email again, and by the end of this cycle, I’m left feeling exhausted and depleted before I ever get out of bed.
But this unhealthy habit also had another, unexpected (except in hindsight) consequence. I’ve written before about my struggle with discontentment and comparison. Naturally, spending my time on social media first thing gave me a full dose of both of those things, but I didn’t really realize it. While I was scrolling, I wasn’t actively thinking discontent thoughts, but that exhaustion that I was feeling afterwards should have been my first clue that that’s exactly what was going on.
I would go on with my day, get my writing done, and then feel so stymied, so lacking in passion or enthusiasm. There were things to do, but the energy just wasn’t there to do them. Have you ever been in a space like this?
Slowly but surely, I was caught up in thoughts that were so defeating. Things weren’t happening in the way that I hoped and the things that were happening, weren’t playing out in the specific way I thought they would.
All of this discontent was stewing, until, eventually, it turned into doubt. I began questioning if I were really meant to write, to start a publishing company. I wondered if all of this was really going to work out, or if I hadn’t heard God right all this time.
This isn’t exactly unusual in the writing journey, though, is it?
It’s a narrow road we tread. Sometimes, that road feels like a winding, twisting one. It disappears into a dark valley where we can’t see the next step forward. We’re stumbling and nothing seems straightforward or clear.
Other times, the road feels like a small path up a mountain. It leads you along a cliff edge, but it’s exhilarating and exciting, and the view at the end makes the peril and uncertainty so worth it.
I feel like I just came out of the valley this morning.
I sat down with my coffee, my phone remained far from my hands, and I spent time listening to the voice of my Savior. He led me to Psalm 23, and He reassured my long-exhausted heart that He sees what I don’t. He sees how all of this works out, how all of this is possible. He reminded me that He created me to be a writer, and He did it for a reason.
And we need reminders like this all the time, don’t we? We need reminders that we’re not crazy. That we were hand-crafted for this narrow road, to travel it with Him, and trust Him with the outcome.
So, here’s your reminder, my fellow word-slinging friend. You were made for this writing journey. You were given words that matter, and no moment of doubt, negative review, or roadblock can take that away from you.
We’ll take the narrow road of the writing journey together and follow our Creator’s lead. The view at the end is going to be breathtaking, isn’t it? 🙂
21:25 Books 