These are the bookmarks, art prints, and stickers that I have available in my shop! 😊📚 Please support my small business 💜💜
www.2125Books.com
These are the bookmarks, art prints, and stickers that I have available in my shop! 😊📚 Please support my small business 💜💜
www.2125Books.com
I'm having a Valentine's sale in my Etsy shop, if anybody is looking for some bookish treasures! 🥰📚
I have copies of my book available, handmade bookmarks, wax seals, & other goodies!
Use code BOOKLOVER10 💕
2125books.etsy.com
Today and tomorrow are the last two days to vote for my illustration in the character art contest!! If you would please consider voting for mine, it would mean so much! Thank you 😊
https://www.sunsetvalleycreations.com/vote
I entered my illustration of the Wilderbeast (a fantasy creature from my novel!) to a Character Art contest!! If you would consider voting for mine, it would mean so much 😊 You can vote once a day through 1/28!
https://www.sunsetvalleycreations.com/vote
@staycurious, @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks - thank you for my surprise Christmas parcel. I'm excited to read a book written by a fellow litten!
@KateReadsYA , @FromMyLectory , @Bookzombie , @jenniferw88 - thank you for the BEAUTIFUL Christmas cards ♡♡♡
I‘m really grateful to be featured in Sheep Gate Publishing‘s Digital Magazine! Each week, they feature Christian fiction authors and their stories.
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 😊
The magazine & Etsy links are in the comments! Thank you!
I'm so excited to be part of Shepherd, a website for readers that features authors, their books, & books they love!
I created a list of the best fantasy books to reignite your sense of wonder (after all, that‘s what Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel is all about )
It would mean so much to me if you would check out the list! Some of my very favorite books are featured & it was so fun to share more about why these stories are important to me.
Part Three: Apricity is so special to me 🕯
When I was thinking of the 3 parts of the story, Christmas & Winter came instantly.
But I knew that God was leading me to something a little extra special for the final part.
I Googled words related to winter & God brought me to an article featuring a word that is now obsolete (or was, until I wrote Penelope Grace!)
Apricity means... Head on over to my blog to find out 😊 (link in comments)
"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, & I wanted to write a story that celebrated His faithfulness in dark times.
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Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel is a winter tale told in 3 parts 🎄❄🕯
Part One: Christmas begins just as the holiday season is starting. I chose to start there for 2 reasons.
First, my mom loves Christmastime, & the story is inspired by her, 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 & hope, often feel dark for those who are suffering loss & loneliness.
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Explore my Etsy store with me! 😊
There are bookmarks, an art print, a bookish ornament, and my Christian fantasy novel, plus some other bookish treasures (with more to come 📚❤)
I'm running a sale of 20% off orders of $20 or more 😊
https://www.etsy.com/shop/2125Books?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=13292...
I can't show the whole image on Litsy, but someone made a map of Ellura, the fantasy land in my book, Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel, and it was such a fun surprise 😊
If you'd like a copy, I'm having a sale in my Etsy store right now (20% off orders over $20) I also sell some bookmarks, a bookish ornament, and an art print!
https://www.etsy.com/shop/2125Books?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=13292...
Delightful! A cozy winter read with a very uplifting message! Lots of picturesque, wintery imagery. A well-written protagonist with normal human flaws. I especially enjoyed the Princess-Bride-eqsue asides where the narrator directly addresses the reader. It makes it feel more like you're listening to a story someone is telling, rather than reading a book. Looking forward to the next book in the Chronicles of Wonder series. Recommend!
This showed up in the mail yesterday! I'm very excited to read a book by one of the authors I follow on Litsy. I suspect it will be a wholesome chaser to the James Bond that I'm currently reading. 😊
Also, the art is gorgeous!
My author copy of my book arrived today and I'm not doing the cover reveal until next month, but guys, that's my name on a book!!! I'm so excited!! 🥳🥳🥳
I haven't shared anything about my own writing for quite awhile on Litsy, but I'm too excited not to share this! My good friend, Erica Richardson (who is also an author), designed the cover for my first book, and I'm sharing a sneak peek of the cover elsewhere on social media, so I thought I would share it here, too!
She did such an amazing job, and I can't wait to be able to share the whole cover! 😊💙❄
Voting is extended! 🎉🎉
My first book, Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel, was nominated for Best New Release with The Indie Voice Awards, along with many other really wonderful books like Luna's Rescue and Anelthalien!
You can vote at this link:
linktr.ee/theindievoices
Thank you!!
Could this sudden cold snap & the reappearance of snow be a sign that you should read Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel? I think so 😉
If you agree, follow the link in my bio! A snow-covered winter carousel will be waiting for you ❄🎠
You can also listen to what author H.A. Pruitt thought of the story on her Youtube channel! (Link in comments)
A fellow author just reviewed my first book on her Youtube channel (and dressed up as a couple of the characters!!) and my heart is full 💙❄🎠 Please check it out! (Link in comments)
A friend of mine challenged me to do a writerly intro, so here goes 😊
🐉 What I write: Christian fantasy! But I also want to write a story about my grandma growing up in Madison, WV, and I'd love to write fairy tale retellings!
📚 Go-to genre I read/write: Fantasy. The more dragons, the better
⚔ My favorite type of characters: The ones who find their limits, who come to the end of themselves and realize it's not up to them to save the day.
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If you had to explain your book in ten seconds, how would you do it?
Here's my attempt!
When Penelope Grace and her family are attacked by an otherworldly force, she travels to the winter world of Ellura to fight for wonder & defeat those who would see it destroyed.
What about you? Will you join Penelope Grace & fight for wonder? ❄🎠 (link below)
Sometimes, it takes the words of family and friends to remind us of what wonder truly is.
For Penelope Grace, it‘s taken the child-like faith of a beloved uncle, the patience of a wolf led by grace and the Wind, and the fierceness of a bold arctic fox.
When you‘ve finished this winter tale of wonder, find the people who remind you of what wonder is and thank them.
They are more precious than we‘ll ever know.
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"For a moment, Penelope Grace stared into the fire before them, and Tilly waited, knowing they‘d yet to reach the heart of the matter.
'I was so relieved when we made it here, Tilly. But over the last two days, I find myself wondering. Our camp seems so large, and there are so many here who are willing to fight for Ellura.
'But having seen the darkness, having seen Denagon face-to-face, I can‘t help but wonder, is it enough? Am I?'"
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In a home nestled on a quiet, cobblestone street, a young girl is holding tightly to wonder.
Penelope Grace is looking out the window, breathing in the stillness of snow falling.
Christmas is coming, and as she lovingly places each candle on the windowsills, warmth and light transform her family's home.
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Allow me to introduce you to my main character, Penelope Grace (otherwise known as my mom) 😊
She is a strong and courageous woman of wonder.
A bold champion of the child-like and pure.
I have seen her bravely face grief and loss, and I have witnessed her hold onto faith when everything about her circumstances screamed that she shouldn't.
I'd love for you to get to know her better.
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🎉 Giveaway, Round Two! 🎉
I'm giving away two more art prints of one of the illustrations for my book, Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel!
To enter, simply follow the link in the comments to purchase a unique manuscript edition of this winter tale of wonder ❄🎠 Open through 2/26!
Please note: due to shipping costs, this giveaway is U.S. only (I hope to share my stories with international friends soon!)
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Are the heroes of our stories really the ones who save the day?
Penelope Grace must fight against Denagon if she hopes to save the land of Ellura and her own family.
She is all warmth and wonder, while he embodies everything dark and cruel.
The task seems hopeless and her strength insufficient.
So, tell me... do you think Penelope Grace has the strength to overcome him on her own?
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Do you love book illustrations (& fun giveaways 😉)?
These are two of the illustrations that I did for Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel!
I had so much fun creating fun and whimsical illustrations for this story ❄🎠
Through 9 PM tonight, everyone who purchases the manuscript edition of the story will be entered to win an art print of one of the illustrations!
Are you excited?! 😊
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Today, I'm binding copies of my first book, and my heart is full of joy for the chance to share this story with others 😊💙
If you'd like a copy, follow the link in the comments ❄🎠
Have you ever longed to escape to a winter world of wonder?
On a cold night, many months ago, I opened a small music box, given to me by my grandmother when I was a little girl.
This is the melody it plays, and when I heard it, I saw a winter carousel turning, taking me to a place where the snow was white and pure and wonder felt possible again.
Will you follow me there?
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This week, dangers abound and Penelope Grace and her friends are desperately seeking refuge.
Do you suppose they‘ll find it?
*
I would so love for you to embark on this journey of wonder with us. It‘s hard to believe wonder still exists in all the madness of the world right now, but I believe we need wonder the most when it‘s most difficult to feel.
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This quote is, hands-down, my absolute favorite.
These words are where the whole story began.
They perfectly sum up my mom, Penelope, the most courageous woman of wonder I'll ever know, and they show the delight it gave my grandpa, John, to have her for his daughter.
All that I love and admire most about my family is wrapped up in these words.
God used them to spark a desire for wonder in my heart. I hope He does the same for you.
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Are you longing for warmth & wonder in the midst of all this bitter cold & snow?
I wrote Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel at a time when everything felt dark & hopeless for my family, & this story became such an immense source of comfort for us.
I pray that it will be the very same for you & whoever you choose to share it with ❄🎠
To learn more & purchase your copy, follow the link in the comments!
Do you want to see Light illuminate darkness?
Do you want to see wonder sweep away the chill from even the most bitter days?
After a devastating loss, Penelope Grace longs for nothing more, but a persistent shadow clings to her family, draining them of hope and the desire to fight.
Desperately, she tries to revive their sense of wonder, until, on the bleakest of nights, she is robbed of all she holds dear.
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Do you feel like living in wonder today?
If I'm honest, I don't.
But I'm learning that we need wonder the most when we least feel like experiencing it.
We need wonder most at the exact moment when it seems most foolish or impossible.
We need wonder when others might label it unrealistic or childish.
Wonder isn't childish.
Wonder is child-like.
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Welcome to Installment Ten of Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel, in which the fight for wonder is nearing its end…
To read on, head to my website to read digital installments or send me a message if you would like to receive a unique manuscript edition of this winter tale.
Why do I write?
Well... I'm a sucker for a good journal ?
Now, for the real story! ?
I've always loved stories, and God planted the desire to write my own at a young age.
But it wasn't until a couple of years ago that I realized why I write.
God led me to John 21:25: "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written."
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Time to describe my book, Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel, in just 5 words (wish me luck 😂)
❄ Wondrous
❄ Whimsical
🎠 Child-like
❄ Fantasy
❄ Family
This story was inspired by & written for my mom, Penelope Grace, who so perfectly embodies wonder & whimsy, child-like faith, loyalty to family, & a love for the fantastic, the things deemed impossible by logical standards.
It was my greatest joy to write a story in honor of her ❄🎠
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The end of Part Two: Winter approaches, dear Reader. But, perhaps, it arrives with a little bit of light.
To see for yourself, head to my blog. Or, if you prefer print books, contact me for more information about a unique, manuscript edition of Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel ❄🎠
Whichever form you choose, this is a wintry tale sure to ignite your sense of wonder!
Have you ever longed for your sense of wonder to be restored? Have you ever longed to step into a winter world where everything we think is impossible suddenly lies within reach?
Then, I invite you to follow a white wolf down a cobblestone street, & enter the world of Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel.
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But, perhaps, what you're longing for is something quite different. Perhaps, you're desperate to know if your prayers are even heard ⬇️
Who are my readers?
This is really the question that sums up why I write in the first place.
My readers are those who are young at heart or those who are longing to be young at heart once again.
My readers are the adventurous and those longing for the courage to take the first step.
My readers are the people who recognize that something is missing and aren't content to let it stay lost.
So, what's missing for you?
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What genre do I write in? I'll give you one guess 😉
🐉When you open a fantasy novel, it restores your ability to believe, to wonder. It reignites your passion for the exciting, the bold, the adventurous, the brave.
🐉 When you step inside a Christian fantasy world, like Ellura, it reminds of the peace you hold because, at the end of the day, Jesus is the hero of the story, not you. He carries the burden and He makes a miraculous way.
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Have you ever longed for wonder when it felt impossible?
I started writing Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel at a time when everything about my family's circumstances screamed that wonder was foolish.
But wonder was something I craved, and it was something I'd watched my mother, Penelope, embrace all my life.
And so Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel was born, a story about defiant wonder and the fight to hold tightly to it.
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The maze seeks to claim her.
Will Penelope Grace ever find her way out?
A new excerpt awaits you, reader.
Will you brave the bracken and thorns for yourself?
Head to the link in my bio to join the fight for wonder ❄🎠
Welcome to Installment Eight, reader, in which a maze is entered and the way is lost.
Choose your next step carefully, and read on…
You can enter the maze for yourself by following the link in my bio ❄🎠
Or, if you'd like a unique, manuscript copy of this wintry tale, comment and let me know or contact me at 2125bks@gmail.com.
Hi everyone!!
Last year, I released a special edition of my first book, Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel!
This edition is done in beautiful manuscript form, printed on paper from @frenchpaperco, and bound with waxed thread imported from Northern Ireland, giving readers a unique, collector's edition.
If you would love to read the story, but prefer your books in print form or just love unique editions of your favorite stories, ⬇️
Working on a new illustration for Penelope Grace! You didn't think I'd let you see the whole thing, did you? 😉 #authorsofLitsy
A new excerpt of my book is here!
Dangers abound for Penelope Grace and her friends.
Only one question remains.
Will you brave the dangers with them, reader?
Follow the link in my bio for the latest excerpt from Penelope Grace and the Winter Carousel ❄🎠
I've been really blessed by the reading/writing community I've found on IG the last few months, so I did an intro post there! I know my Litsy family already knows me 😅, but I thought I'd share it here, too!
📚 I'm Alexandria, founder of 21:25 Books, a Christian publishing company!
📚 Two years ago, I read John 21:25 & knew God wanted me to start a publishing company that would be a home for writers & stories about Him & ⬇️
It's time for a new installment of my first novel, and I'm so excited to share it with you! If you feel like your sense of wonder needs reignited, this story is for you ❄🎠