John P. Ellington
Preorder Now!
Lily and the Mockingbird
(August 2025)
Is lost love worth clinging to, or must one embrace healing and the hope of new love, turning the page on a story they thought would never end?
​
Brenner Miles grapples with this question after tragedy devastates his marriage to Lily, leaving his world desolate and directionless. Unable to continue his work as a small-town veterinarian, Brenner sets out on a soul-searching trek along the Appalachian Trail with his loyal hound, Samantha, seeking solace in the high ridges and deep forests.
​
But as Brenner delves deeper into the mountains, he senses an ominous presence trailing him. Haunted by recurring dreams and the cryptic warnings of a mockingbird, he begins to unravel the threads of his past and confront the ghost of his love.
​
As the line between reality and the supernatural blurs, Brenner must decide whether to grasp at a fading past or embrace the possibility of a new beginning. His journey leads to harrowing choices and life-threatening encounters, testing the strength of his heart and his bond with Samantha.
​
Will the Appalachian wilderness heal Brenner’s fractured soul, or will it claim what little remains of him?
Preorder Now!
If any better writer of the wilderness exists than Ellington, I have yet to come across him or her. He makes the Carolina Appalachians come alive with descriptions in living color.
-Jon Michael Miller, Readers' Favorite
Lily and the Mocking Bird is a touching and beautifully rendered portrait of two people navigating love, loss, and the lingering echoes of what once was. It is both heartbreaking and hopeful, reminding us of how we try to hold on and how we learn to let go.
-Carol Thompson, Readers' Favorite
From the flawed yet unforgettable characters to the crisp writing and the well-drawn setting, this novel offers much that will delight readers.
-Romuald Dzemo, Readers' Favorite
