Oh my goodness! Do you need medical attention? That bruise on your forehead looks so painful!
I’m okay. You should have seen me a few days ago. The nurse who has been taking care of me told me it was touch and go for a while.
What happened to you, um… Sorry I don’t know your name.
Sadly, I don’t know my name either. For now, you can call me George. [chuckles hoarsely] George Ann Washington, in fact. That’s what little Presley calls me. She’s the four-year-old granddaughter of my nurse. She’s a sweet little kid. When I told her I was going out for a little stroll, she made me take Bibby with me to keep me safe. [Holds up a doll] It’s her favorite doll. When I first woke up a few days ago, Bibby was next to me on the bed and Presley was standing at the foot of my bed staring at me.
She sounds like a cute kid. But… are you telling me you have amnesia?
Yep. I have no idea what my name is or what happened to me. I have a feeling that whatever happened was purposeful. I have some stab wounds on my torso, and Mariah, the nurse’s daughter, found me at the edge of a ravine – in the middle of the blizzard. From what her son, Jordan, tells me, they barely made it home. He guided Mariah as she pulled my 200-some pounds all the way home through white-out conditions He was pretending to be a steam engine all the while. He’s only seven, and he says he was a blind steam engine because the snow was in his eyes. This guy here helped them find the way home too. [Motions toward the dog lying on the cafe floor beside him.]
Aww. [Pets dog.] What’s his name?
Nosy. [chuckles weakly] And it’s a good thing he lives up to his name. If he wasn’t nosing around, Mariah would never have found me partially buried in the snow.
Nosy, what a good boy you are! A little rescue hero. Wow! Amnesia stories are one of my favorite tropes – and a mystery/suspense to boot. Your novel is right up my alley.
I hope it will be a novel with a happy ending… I mean, for all I know, I might be a villain. It seems pretty strange that I have stab wounds and noone has come looking for me. Shouldn’t someone my age have a family? A wife? Parents?
Nah. Look at how much Nosy adores you! Aren’t dogs supposed to be able to sense whether or not characters are good or evil?
In other books, perhaps. But even if I am more hero than villain — what if whoever attacked me comes back after me and harms one of the lovely ladies or children who have been so kind to me? I would never forgive myself.
Well, I think you should have a quick bite to eat here at Character Cafe and then sneak back to your nurse’s home – and hunker down until you get some of your memory back. From what I know, the ladies know how to shoot guns quite well. If I remember correctly, wasn’t Mariah’s father in law enforcement?
I’m not sure about her dad, but their neighbor Rick is a retired cop, and I can tell you, he is determined to keep them safe and to get to the bottom of who I am. I’ve been warned a couple of times already. Not that he needs to warn me, I can’t help but feel that even if I discover I am a criminal, I could never harm women who have done so much for me. How can people be so caring even though they are still grieving the loss of a husband and father?
Maybe having someone to take care of is helping them get through some of their grief. I don’t want them to worry about you. I’m going to give Mariah a quick call while we prepare you a quick breakfast. Have you picked something from our menu?
Do you have pancakes? [Smiles endearingly despite being a big, bruised, brawny man] They are Presley’s favorite meal, and I think maybe they might be mine too. However, I can’t recall even what my favorite foods are.
We certainly have pancakes. We use a Cafe Delight recipe that is one of the highest-rated pancake recipes on the planet. You will love them! https://cafedelites.com/best-fluffy-pancakes/
I really don’t know if I like tea. [Rubs his temples as if trying to think]
Since you know you like pancakes, I’ll brew a pot of our blueberry pancake tea from Bird and Blend Co. It is delish! https://www.birdandblendtea.us/products/blueberry-pancake-tea
[Hurries back a few minutes later with a tree and an anxious look on your face.] As soon as you are done eating, I’m going to sneak you out the back door of the cafe to my car. Mariah seems pretty certain that someone up to no good is hunting for you. I’ll have you hide in the backseat of my car and drive you back to the Holzmans’.
Thank you. I’m fortunate to have good ladies watching out for me.
Don’t forget that God is watching out for you too.
[Nods head wearily] I hope so. I can’t seem to remember Him either.
Readers, if you like amnesia tales and suspense, you will love Penny Zeller’s novel, Forgotten Identity. From the very first pages, I was on the edge of my seat, wondering how Mariah would manage to get her son Jordan home safely in the middle of a blizzard while dragging a large, unconscious man. It just shows you the grit and grace Mariah has despite all she has gone through. I am a sucker for cute and funny kids in novels, and Forgotten Identity has two little cuties. You will chuckle as you read Jordan and Presley’s adorable dialogue. Check out this book from stellar Penny Zeller!
And guess what! Forgotten Identity is on tour right now with Celebrate Lit!
Blog Stops
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, March 19
Madi’s Musings, March 19
Melissa’s Bookshelf, March 20
Pens Pages & Pulses, March 20
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 21
Stories By Gina, March 22 (Author Interview)
Mornings at Character Cafe, March 22
The Important Things in Life: God, Books, & Chocolate, March 23
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 24
Texas Book-aholic, March 25
Blogging With Carol, March 25
The Sacred Line, March 26
Locks, Hooks and Books, March 27
For Him and My Family, March 27
Leslie’s Library Escape, March 28
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 29
Mary Hake, March 29
lakesidelivingsite, March 30
Cover Lover Book Review, March 31
Holly’s Book Corner, March 31
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 1
Pause for Tales, April 1
About the Book
Book: Forgotten Identity
Author: Penny Zeller
Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense
Release date: January 14, 2024
Who is he really? And why is someone after him?
Mariah Holzman never imagined a whiteout blizzard would sever all communication from the outside world—communication desperately needed for the injured man Mariah finds near her home. Nor did she imagine helping nurse the man back to health would lead to threats and intimidation. As danger escalates and questions rise, Mariah is left to wonder what kind of person she has allowed into her home.
Grant MacGuire never imagined he would wake up one day in a strange cabin, surrounded by strange people, with no memory of who he is or how he was injured. Nor did he imagine his presence would put the lives of those who saved him in danger. As Grant struggles with distorted memories, he wonders if his life is worth the price the Holzman family is paying.
The growing attraction between Mariah and Grant is hindered by Grant’s unknown identity. Is Grant, as the family’s neighbor assumes, a criminal on the run from the law? Or is there more to his identity—and the reason he was attacked—than they realize?
Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
Penny Zeller is known for her heartfelt stories of faith-filled happily ever afters and her passion to impact lives for Christ through fiction. Her books feature tender romance, steady doses of humor, and memorable characters that stay with you long after the last page.
While she has had a love for writing since childhood, Penny began her adult writing career penning articles for national and regional publications on a wide variety of topics. Today Penny is a multi-published author of over two dozen books and is also a fitness instructor, loves the outdoors, and is a flower gardening addict. In her spare time, she enjoys camping, hiking, kayaking, biking, birdwatching, reading, running, and playing volleyball.
Penny resides with her husband and two daughters in small-town America and loves to connect with her readers.
More from Penny
Hello, Reader!
Thank you so much for joining us for the Forgotten Identity blog tour. Enjoy the sneak peek into the book below.
Blessings,
Penny
Mariah bit back a sigh as they neared. While grateful Nosy stopped when he did, couldn’t the dog have chosen another place to investigate besides the ravine that could be deadly if someone mis-stepped and fell into it? At least the handful of boulders near its edge warned of the ravine’s proximity.
Nosy’s barking turned to a whine as he pawed at the snow.
No, not just the snow.
The snow covering a shoe protruding from behind a large boulder.
She reached for her son, Jordan, and slowed both of their paces even as her pulse quickened. Maybe the object just looked like a gray tennis shoe. Or maybe it was a shoe, but a discarded shoe Nosy found somewhere, brought home, and forgot about until now.
Still…
“Jordan, stay where you are, please.”
“Aww, Mom.” Despite his protest, Jordan did as she requested.
Mariah advanced. Better be safe than sorry, and on the one percent chance this wasn’t a shoe found, forgotten, and rediscovered by Nosy, Jordan did not need to see whatever, or whomever, was attached to the shoe.
“Mom?”
“Just a minute, Jordan.”
A few seconds later, she saw an image she’d not soon forget.
Partially obstructed by the boulders and surrounding dormant foliage, a man’s body lay face up in the snow, dangerously close to falling over the side of the ravine.
Giveaway
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