About the Book
Book: A Penny Saved
Authors: Terri Gillespie & Cynthia L. Simmons
Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy & Mystery
Release Date: May 27, 2023
A Move, A Mess, A Mystery
Mason’s world turns upside down when he, his little sister, Olivia, and their mother move into their grandfather’s house.
Mason misses his cool friends. Unfortunately, R.B., the weird kid down the street, thinks he’s Mason’s new best friend.
Mason’s grandfather, a retired professor, stays in his office filled with musty, dusty books. Never realizing there’s a magical treasure hidden in plain sight. An 1860 Indian Head penny, named Penny, who is alive!
When Penny goes missing, Mason helps his grandfather look for her.
Will Mason find Penny and learn her secret?
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About the Terri
Terri Gillespie is a multi-award award-winning author and speaker and YouTube personality. Terri lives with her hubby outside Atlanta. They have one adult daughter, who lives in Chicago with her husband and son. Terri was one of the managing editors of the bestselling Tree of Life Version of the Holy Scriptures.
More from Terri
My grandson, DJ, loves to read, but there is a lack of inspirational and clean books with Black protagonists. DJ loves fantasy and mysteries, and as his safta (grandmother), I wanted a book that gives even more, a sense of legacy with a theme of looking past the exterior to the value underneath.
When the strange, awkward R.B. offers to pray for Mason’s grandfather and then brings over his granny’s tuna casserole, Mason is touched and wonders if he has misjudged R.B.
After tasting this recipe, would you change your mind?
Widow Savier’s (R.B.’s granny) Tuna Casserole
2 (5 oz.) cans chunky-type tuna in water (drain well)
1 cup frozen peas
1⁄2 cup milk
3⁄4 cup butter-Ritz-like crackers, crushed or crushed potato chips (R.B. prefers the chips)
4 oz. (about 2-1⁄2 cups) thick egg noodles
1 can (10.75 oz.) cream of mushroom soup
1⁄4 tsp. garlic powder
Bit of butter (it is the south after all)
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Cook noodles according to package instructions, adding peas during the last 2 minutes of cooking; drain in strainer.
- While noodles are cooking, in a separate bowl, mix together soup, milk and garlic powder.
- Stir in the noodles and peas, then add the tuna.
- Transfer to a 1-1⁄2 quart lightly buttered casserole.
- Bake 15 minutes; top with cracker crumbs OR CHIPS. Continue baking 5 – 10 minutes or until heated through.
Serves 4, so Widow Savier doubles the recipe for Mason’s family so they have leftovers.
Author Interview
Can you share 5 random facts about you that we will not find in your bio?
- I was one of the managing editors for a bestselling Bible translation, the Tree of Life Version of the Holy Scriptures (TLV).
- I wrote radio spots for the Restoration of Israel which aired over twenty stations in fourteen states.
- I’m related by marriage to Frederick the Great of Prussia, Vincent Price, and Rush Limbaugh.
- I negotiated barge freight and managed shipments of over one million tons of petroleum coke and coal on the inland waterways annually.
- I organized and managed an Israel tour of over ninety people.
When did you first discover you had a passion for writing?