Sarah Holman's Blog, page 63

J. Grace Pennington and the Purpose for the Firmament Series

By J. Grace Pennington

I have a dream...

Or rather, I had a dream.

The Firmament series began about six years ago, not with the first words penned, but with Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.  It was my fifth exposure to Star Trek, and I was already a big enough fan to be having dreams based on the series.  In this particular film, Doctor “Bones” McCoy (my favorite character) begins acting strange—almost crazy—because he's [spoilers] carrying Spock's soul around in his head (don't ask).  That night, I had a dream—a dream about a doctor going crazy on a starship in the future.

And his daughter was worried.

What if...?  Is the question that begins every piece of fictional storytelling. For me, the question was, “What if the starship doctor had a daughter, about my age?  What if the story was about a young woman with little authority, rather than the captain or the first officer or the engineer?  What if, rather than focusing on carnality and humanistic ideals, there was a StarTrekesque series that trumpeted family values and a biblical worldview?”

My imagination began spinning.  I went to the computer and wrote the sentence, “He always said that I had the measles when he found me on his doorstep back in 2299, and he also said that I was less than a year old.”  And the tale kept spinning.  Mutiny reared its ugly head, family secrets came to play, and a plot rather too complex was woven.  I later had to make significant rewrites to make the story more logical—but the core idea of a father and daughter navigating the unique challenges of the twenty-fourth century remained.

Planning out the entire series (originally twenty-four books, and now eighteen) helped me to stick to that premise as I wrote, and hopefully that will continue.  While I try to give the tales a distinctly deep, complex, philosophical bent (much like Star Trek), I also try never to lose sight of the two central values of the series—family, and faith.

Family is a thread that runs through every book.  In the first story, it's Andi and her adoptive father against the world, and she likes it that way.  But slowly, as the years go by, she connects with more and more of her family, both biological and adoptive, and the ramifications aren't always to her liking.  She doesn't care for change.  But she does care for those close to her.  And as time goes by, her heart opens to more and more relatives, whether they are connected by blood or not.

Her faith, too, plays a central role.  Andi is far from perfect.  She can have an attitude problem.  She's a people pleaser, and gets confused.  She's often stubborn.  She makes many wrong choices.  But at the end of the day, she puts her faith in her creator, albeit imperfectly, to get her through the trials of the life that she's been dealt.  And she wouldn't have it any other way.

So the purpose behind the Firmament series?  I want to take ideas and stretch them further than gravity will take them here on Earth, and throw them to the stars to play out their course.  Whether it's loving one's family or solving complex ethical dilemmas, I want readers to see Andi constantly reaching beyond the universe for answers.

There's a God who loves her, no matter what happens.

I want my readers to understand the same.


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.
Buy it here

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 asadult 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.
 


Tour Schedule







Friday, October 7

Bookish
Orchestrations
-Tour Introduction

Fathers
and Sons-Sports and Life
-Guest Post

The Destiny of One-Guest
Post

Perpetual
Gardener, Writer, and Mormon
-Excerpt

Rebekah Lyn Books-Author
Interview



Saturday, October
8

Shout outs-Guest
Post

Author Franky A Brown-Excerpt

Shire Reviews-Book
Review



Sunday, October 9

Letters
from Annie Douglass Lima
-Excerpt

Zerina
Blossom's Books
-Excerpt



Monday, October 10

Rachel Rossano's
Words
-Excerpt and Guest Post

In the
Bookcase
-Excerpt and Book Review

Writings,
Ramblings, and Reflections
-Book Review



Tuesday, October
11

The
Abrahamic Adventures
-Book Review

The
Overactive Imagination
-Excerpt and Guest Post

Morgan Elizabeth
Huneke
-Book Review

Lisa Swinton
Queen of Random
-Excerpt



Wednesday, October
12

Bookish
Orchestrations
-Giveaway Winner

J. Grace Pennington and the Purpose for the Firmeant Series

By J. Grace Pennington

I have a dream...

Or rather, I had a dream.

The Firmament series began about six years ago, not with the first words penned, but with Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.  It was my fifth exposure to Star Trek, and I was already a big enough fan to be having dreams based on the series.  In this particular film, Doctor “Bones” McCoy (my favorite character) begins acting strange—almost crazy—because he's [spoilers] carrying Spock's soul around in his head (don't ask).  That night, I had a dream—a dream about a doctor going crazy on a starship in the future.

And his daughter was worried.

What if...?  Is the question that begins every piece of fictional storytelling. For me, the question was, “What if the starship doctor had a daughter, about my age?  What if the story was about a young woman with little authority, rather than the captain or the first officer or the engineer?  What if, rather than focusing on carnality and humanistic ideals, there was a StarTrekesque series that trumpeted family values and a biblical worldview?”

My imagination began spinning.  I went to the computer and wrote the sentence, “He always said that I had the measles when he found me on his doorstep back in 2299, and he also said that I was less than a year old.”  And the tale kept spinning.  Mutiny reared its ugly head, family secrets came to play, and a plot rather too complex was woven.  I later had to make significant rewrites to make the story more logical—but the core idea of a father and daughter navigating the unique challenges of the twenty-fourth century remained.

Planning out the entire series (originally twenty-four books, and now eighteen) helped me to stick to that premise as I wrote, and hopefully that will continue.  While I try to give the tales a distinctly deep, complex, philosophical bent (much like Star Trek), I also try never to lose sight of the two central values of the series—family, and faith.

Family is a thread that runs through every book.  In the first story, it's Andi and her adoptive father against the world, and she likes it that way.  But slowly, as the years go by, she connects with more and more of her family, both biological and adoptive, and the ramifications aren't always to her liking.  She doesn't care for change.  But she does care for those close to her.  And as time goes by, her heart opens to more and more relatives, whether they are connected by blood or not.

Her faith, too, plays a central role.  Andi is far from perfect.  She can have an attitude problem.  She's a people pleaser, and gets confused.  She's often stubborn.  She makes many wrong choices.  But at the end of the day, she puts her faith in her creator, albeit imperfectly, to get her through the trials of the life that she's been dealt.  And she wouldn't have it any other way.

So the purpose behind the Firmament series?  I want to take ideas and stretch them further than gravity will take them here on Earth, and throw them to the stars to play out their course.  Whether it's loving one's family or solving complex ethical dilemmas, I want readers to see Andi constantly reaching beyond the universe for answers.

There's a God who loves her, no matter what happens.

I want my readers to understand the same.


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.
Buy it here

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 asadult 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.
 


Tour Schedule







Friday, October 7

Bookish
Orchestrations
-Tour Introduction

Fathers
and Sons-Sports and Life
-Guest Post

The Destiny of One-Guest
Post

Perpetual
Gardener, Writer, and Mormon
-Excerpt

Rebekah Lyn Books-Author
Interview



Saturday, October
8

Shout outs-Guest
Post

Author Franky A Brown-Excerpt

Shire Reviews-Book
Review



Sunday, October 9

Letters
from Annie Douglass Lima
-Excerpt

Zerina
Blossom's Books
-Excerpt



Monday, October 10

Rachel Rossano's
Words
-Excerpt and Guest Post

In the
Bookcase
-Excerpt and Book Review

Writings,
Ramblings, and Reflections
-Book Review



Tuesday, October
11

The
Abrahamic Adventures
-Book Review

The
Overactive Imagination
-Excerpt and Guest Post

Morgan Elizabeth
Huneke
-Book Review

Lisa Swinton
Queen of Random
-Excerpt



Wednesday, October
12

Bookish
Orchestrations
-Giveaway Winner

Adventure Between the Pages: Here we Come

*Review written in 2014*
Buy it Here
Age Appropriate For: 13 and up for mild romance, mild peril, and reading level
Best for Ages: 13 and up
Description: In the hubbub of wedding preparations, Christmas celebrations, and a house full of lively children, Aggie is feeling overwhelmed and unappreciated. Add to that two puppies who are growing faster than she can replace chewed shoes and fix dug fences, it seems like things just can’t get any worse. Then, as she should be enjoying the most exciting time of her life, she’s faced with her worst nightmare.

I have now completed the Aggie’s inheritance trilogy, and it has been one of the most satisfying series I have ever read. Havig’s books always feature down-to-earth characters who deal with everyday issues, yet she manages to keep things interesting.

My only complaint in this entire series is that Aggie was getting a bit irritating. I think the author wanted to show that motherhood was a real, full time job. She did this by showing how hard it can be. While I do not dispute the fact motherhood is a full time job, I think the author was a little over dramatic at times with how hard she made it.

I loved this book as Aggie and Luke get ready for their wedding. They were such a sweet couple, and I hope we get to read more of their story in a future book. They have fights, petty arguments, and lots of fun together. They truly care for each other and look out for the other one.

As with the other two books, I was impressed with how well the children were done. It is hard when writing about eight kids to give them different personalities, but Havig did.

I highly recommend this whole series to anyone who loves books about everyday people, stories with high moral standards, or anyone looking for a relaxing read.

Was this helpful? Please vote it up on Amazon.

Another Month, Another Revision

I neck deep in another revision of Courage and Corruption. I was supposed to be on my way to publishing, but I found out from my amazing advanced readers that this story needed some tweaking. So, I am busy expanding Jacob's role in the story, adding tension, and trying to make sure the heart of the story is not lost.
This has been hard for me. Once I send a book out to my advanced readers, my brain moves on to the next story. Going back is very hard, even if it is necessary.  However, I am already seeing good come out of the story.
The whole theme of the book is surrender to God. One of the things that is coming out more is the effect an unsurrendered heart has on those around them.
The writing life is not for the faint of heart, as even our dearest books will have to be changed. However, it is worth it.
“That is the secret,” Lady Grace said with a smile, placing her hands on the girl’s shoulders. “None of us deserve kindness in exchange for the corruption, yet Jesus came and suffered the worst this corrupted world had to offer to give us the greatest blessing: the forgiveness of our sins so we could spend eternity with God."

Classics, Christmas, and The End

It is sad to see you go and the party to end, but I know that we will see each other again. You can always keep up-to-date through my newsletter. Also if you take this survey about the blog party, you will get a free short story of your choosing. Before you leave, I would love to share both my favorite classic books and some books to help you celebrate the upcoming Christmas season.

Top Five Favorite Classics:Christy: This book is a Christian Classic and God really used it in my life. This book is about a young girl whose faith is weak and must learn to stand on it in a harsh environment.Little Woman: This is an all-time favorite. Having a lot of sisters of my own, this book felt sometimes like it was about us. I loved how they grew, changed, and still remained a close family.
Little Pilgrim's Progress: While I disagree with some of the thology of this book, it did impact me. It was a powerful reminder of all the things that can distract a Christian.
Emma: This story is very dear to me. I want to marry someone like Mr. Knightly someday and I am too much like Emma sometimes. This book is fun, witty, but also has a great message.
Swiss Family Robinson: Dad read this aloud to us and I have such fond memories. It is better than the movie by far. Rose and I did a whole homeschool project based on the things we learned from the book.

Top Five Favorite Christmas stories:The Swaddling Clothes: This is one of my favorite Christmas stories ever. It is a story that ties many biblical stories together in a neat what-if story.
The Christmas Bride: Grace Livingstone Hill being a favorite, I had to include one of her very sweet Christmas stories as part of this book. I have reread this a couple of times around Christmas.
The Father Christmas Confession: I read this last year and loved it! It felt like a Hallmark movie with a Christian twist. It was awesome!
A Victorian Christmas: I loved this collection. These stories were sweet, historical, and just fun.
Some Christmas Camouflage: This is a beautiful and powerful short story that touched my heart.),
Thanks for coming! Remember to check out and see who won the big prize.

Books, Kids, and Littler Kids

Dear me, did I forget to mention that there is a big prize you can win on Read Another Page? As in you could win a few paperback books? Check it you here.

As you can see I have a lot of books in my room



As a writer, books have become even dearer to me. Today, I would like to share some old favorites and then allow you a chance to win a digital copy of one of my books, you get to chose which one.

Top Five Favorite Middle Grade: In Grandmother’s Attic: I read and reread this series over and over as a kid. I still think it is about the best thing out there.
Home on Stony Creek: Between the time I was 11 and sixteen, I reread this series about five times. It combined my love of history, faith, and stories into one.
Looking for a Home: This series is not your typical orphan story about they trying to do everything on their own. Based on a true story, this story is a wonderful story of children finding a family and adventure.
The Boxcar Children: This series was so much fun as a kid. I loved the how the siblings looked out for each other and survived. The writing was solid and engaging. It was one of the few secular series that I liked as a kid.
Patty Fairfield: I am going to let you in on a little secret; I still love reading Middle Grade books. This is a recent discovery of mine that I love.

Top Five Favorite Children:All the Places to Love: This book is beautifully illustrated and made for parents to read to kids. Mom read it to me all the time. I loved it and read it to my younger siblings when I was old enough.
Tell Me the Secrets: Dad read this book to us when we were younger. Wow, these stories are powerful and hard, but the lessons stuck with me. The final story had us all crying, but left us with joy and hope.
I’ll Love You Forever: This is a sweet story of the love between a mother and child. This was my youngest sisters favorite so I have many fond memories.
The Story Bought Doll: As a girl who loved dolls, this book was one I loved to look at long before I could read. The pictures always drew me in and I liked the story too'
Amelia Bedilia: As someone who loved words from an early age, this story was a hit. I still love the play on words.

Just for those of you who have showed up today, I would like to offer you a digital book of your choice. Enter to win and the choice is yours of all my published works.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bushels, Westerns, and Inspirational

There should be bushels of produce coming out of our garden at this point. But as you see, it is very neglected.
However the garden has been neglected because God had other things he wanted us to tend to. He wanted us to sow into the lives of some of the people around us, which meant neglecting our patch of garden.

Harvest and fall go hand in hand. Cotton is being harvested on many farms around us. It always puts me in a pensive mood to think about what this year has reaped. This year, I have sown a lot into the people God placed in my life. I am reaping the results of that planting, and for the most part, that has been a good thing.

Now that we have been all pensive and thoughtful, here are some books from a time when more people farmed...

Top Five Favorite Westerns Never : If you haven’t read this book, you are missing out. This book is well written and reminds me of the old westerns in some ways, but much stronger story telling. Although I found it very hard to drink water while reading.The Rach Next Door and other stories: If you like old western movies like Roy Rogers and Lone Ranger, you will love this.Wanderlust Creek and other stories: If you like old western movies like Roy Rogers and Lone Ranger, you will love this.Love Comes Softly: I read this years before the movie came out and I am glad. The movie was a travesty and a horrible refection on this wonderful book about a young woman finding God. The romance in this book was sweet and secondary to finding faith.Becoming Lucy: Martha Rogers is one of my favorite Western romance writers. Her faith messages are never weak and her characters are so memorable. Jake and Lucy are such a memorable couple)
Top Five Favorite InspirationalThe 30 Day Praise Challenge: This devotional book was not only inspiring, it was life changing. It caused me to change how I thought about things to align more with the Bible.The Remarkable Woman of the Bible: Elizabeth George blesses me every time I open one of her books. This one blessed and inspired me so much in my walk toward biblical womanhood.Tales of the Heartily Homeschooled: I laughed through this whole book and was so blessed and inspired by it. If you grew up in a large homeschool family, you need to read this book.Your Sacred Yes: In a time when I was struggling to keep up with the demands on my time and keep my word, this book really helped me. It continues to spur me on.Beyond Waiting: This book made me stand up and cheer. It was saying so many of the same things my parents had taught me, but it was a blessing to hear it from someone else.

Blankets, Bogaphies, and Fantasy books

Welcome to my room! This is where I write, read, and sleep. Pardon my unmade bed, I am not very good at making it. As you can see, I have lots of blankets but allow me to show you two of my favorites. This is Big Fluffy:
This is fluffy, big, and warm. On many crisp mornings, I will wrap myself in Big Fluffy and cuddle a sibling while we sit on the couch. Another one I love is this lovely lap quilt that Mom and Dad made me.

On cool days, I will often wrap this around my lap as I read.

Top Five Favorite Biographies A Chance to Die : One great woman writing about another. This may be a big, thick book, but it didn’t feel like it. The words are beautiful and draw you into the life of this flawed saint who was a powerful force for the kingdom of God. Joseph : Yes, this is about a Bible character who happens to be my biggest hero. Joseph was one of those people who stood for what was right even when it cost him greatly. This biography was wonderful and never dull,  John Adams : John and Abigail are two of my heroes. John Adams gave up so much so that our country is free today. This Biography was in-depth and never boring. The Siege of Boston : This may not be a biography but this is a history book that is near and dear to my heart. It painted such a vivid picture that I felt prepared to write A Different Kind of Courage.Dear Abigail: While I did not appreciate a few of the opinions that the author tried to force into the book, this was a wonderful biography, told through the letters of Abigail Adams and her sisters. )

Top Five Favorite Fantasy The Heart of Arcrea : This is my favorite fantasy series ever! This has lots of adventure, hint of romance, and a whole lot of quotable lines. It is devoid over magic and gore that seem to be the norm for the genre. The Horse and His Boy : This book had a huge impact on me. While there are aspects I dislike about the Narnia book, God used this book in my life in a powerful way.)  Resistance : This book and the series is also devoid of magic and is amazing in every way. I follow this series and the author closely. The characters are ones you can cheer for, inspire you, and also break your heart. Truth: This book and series are wonderful, they are an allegory as well as an inspiration to live for God. Annabeth’s War : This list would not be complete without this book, which feels more like history than fantasy. The characters are lovable. I loved how Annabeth was strong, capable, but also very girly.
Enter to win a great prize hereSee what the other bloggers that are part of the party chose: Read Another Page, With a Joyful Noise, Count your Blessings, Once upon the Ordinary, and Reveries

Benches, Romance, Historical Fiction, and More

Before we go inside, I want us to show you one of my favorite benches.
This bench is tucked into our wooded area, and I love coming here to read. Now that the weather is turning cooler, you will find me here often in the mornings. But come inside, I have another bench I would like to show you.


It is my piano bench. I am starting to practice music for Christmas. I teach piano once a week and am trying to get back into the habit of spending some daily time practicing after a few years of sporadic playing. Of course sometimes I get distracted by reading…

Top Five Favorite Romance  Noble Pursuits: This is not your typical romance. This is not one of those insta-love books or kiss-till-the-reader-gages books. This is a romance that goes deeper than attraction and deals with the harsh realities of life and our amazing God who works all out for good. If you haven’t read it, do so.  Beauty for Ashes: This is one of my all-time favorite books. The romance is pretty light, as with most Grace Livingstone Hill books, but this one had a message that really touched me. I also loved the main guy as he was a man of great character.
Stealing the Preacher: I really like this authors books, but this is by far my favorite. The guy is one of my favorite heroes ever, as he stands up for what is right and confronts others in a godly way. The romance was sweet.
Into the Whirlwind: This book has two things that I normally hate in a story; a girl trying to make it in a man’s world, and a love triangle. However, it all felt so real, believable, and I could not stop reading. The romance ended just as it should.
A Distant Melody: This book came at a time I needed it. I was having a very hard week, and this book was a wonderful distraction, a reason to cry for both sadness and joy, and a wonderful reminder of Christian principles.

Top Five Favorite Historical Fiction From the Dark to the Dawn: This book…There just aren’t enough words to tell what this one means to me. It touched me so deeply at a time I needed it and has continued to bless me. Read my full review to understand.
The Messenger: What do you get when you mix a Quaker and a spy? Most books I would consider it a disaster, but this one was amazing. There was no throwing out all the beliefs, or overdone romance. This book was just amazing both in history and characters.
A Home for My Heart: There are some books that are just so beautiful, this is one of them. This was so against the norm that the ending was nothing like what I expected at the beginning which was a good thing. It is just beautiful.
The Abolitionist: I think of this book where Jane Austen and Amazing Grace meet. This is a beautiful story that pulls together both history and endearing characters. This is written by my all-time-favorite author.
Just Jane: Speaking of Jane Austen, this fictional book about her life  was very cool. I loved how it really felt so much like the historical character, pulling from her letters and such. I loved Moser’s whole series, but this remains my favorite.

Check out more at Once Upon the Ordinary, Counting your Blessings, With a Joyful Noise, Reveries, and Read Another Page.

Fun Fall Favorites: Bonfires, Mysteries, and Christian Fiction

Welcome to my home! Let me show you to one of my favorite places, the place where bonfires happen and the entrance to the woods begin.

This is my Dad, he is the bonfire master in our house. After all, he is an Eagle Scout after all. Can you make out the path behind him? It leads to the woods where I dream up stories. I have also spent some time there reading some of my favorite books. Speaking of books...

Five Favorite Mysteries

Read my full review here


Read my full review here
Five Favorite Christian Fiction
Read my full review here.

#3 While the first book in this series was good, this one was amazing at showing how to show Christ's love to others.
#4 This series is amazing! I loved how this showed hard situations in a godly way.

#5
This is a tale that tugged at my heart. It is the story of four people who face hard choices.