Union Ave Books welcomes author and advocate Annette Valentine to Knoxville for a reading from her book EASTBOUND FROM FLAGSTAFF on Friday January, 31st at 6:30 pm. 

DESCRIPTION

1920s Southern historical fiction novel addresses the mystery of tragedy and the possibility of redemption.

Annette Valentine’s debut novel opens with the spotlight on a young man in transition at a time in history when men longed for adventure and aspired for something greater than themselves. This multidimensional story confronts bold theological concerns and existential worries, all while providing a compelling narrative about waywardness, grace, and returning home.

A novel blending Southern historical fiction with a classic bildungsroman foundation, “Eastbound From Flagstaff” portrays an individual who comes to recognize the significance of family, loyalty, and the richness of heritage. Simon Hagan is running from a lie, intent on believing his own efforts and perseverance can overcome anything. He abandons roots that offer him strength and hides behind his charm, living every moment as if life’s daring him to fail―again. He’s reckoning with his father’s God who could have delivered better outcomes for him in his youth but didn’t.

The first installment in an epic trilogy that begins in the 1920s, “Eastbound from Flagstaff” follows Simon’s return to the notion of forgiveness. This proves to be the catalyst for a new beginning as Simon reconnects with the place he once thought was an impossible dream.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Annette is an inspirational storyteller with a flair for the unexpected. By age eleven, she knew that writing was an integral part of her creative nature. Annette graduated with distinction from Purdue and founded an interior design firm which spanned a 34-year career in Lafayette, Indiana and Brentwood, Tennessee. Annette has used her 18-year affiliation with Toastmasters International to prepare her for her position with the Speakers’ Bureau for End Slavery Tennessee and is an advocate for victims and survivors of human trafficking and is the volunteer group leader for Brentwood, Tennessee. Annette writes through the varied lens of colorful personal experience and the absorbing reality of humanity’s search for meaning. Mother to one son and daughter, and a grandparent of six amazing kids, Annette now lives in Brentwood, a suburb of Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband and their 5-year-old Boxer.

More about Annette: https://annettehvalentine.com/

PRAISE FOR…

“A wonderful read, a well-fought redemption story.”

– Darrell Waltrip, author, American motorsports analyst, and former racing driver