More about “Who is T. M. Brown” comes out in this extensive interview? Susan Crutchfield, Director of the Newnan Carnegie Library, hosted T. M. Brown on August 22nd for an up-close and personal look into his writing and background. Here is the broadcast to learn more about Mike, as his friends and family know him.
All three of T. M. Brown’s Souther fiction novels are available at the library as a set for only $49.95 with 25% of the proceeds benefiting the library. Visit https://www.newnancarnegie.com for more information.
Do You Have Other Questions About Who is T. M. Brown?
What else would you be interested in learning about T. M. Brown? What questions might you like to ask? Email Mike directly and he’ll be glad to answer them and add your inquiries to a future post, and may also use them in a future online live video.
Which Shiloh Mystery Novels Do You Need to Order?
For quick links to where you can purchase the Kindle or Paperback editions, please visit T. M. Brown’s Bookstore link
Thank you for taking the time to visit my webpage and I hope you’ll subscribe to future newsletters and email updates. During these unprecedented and uncomfortable times, we all need a reprieve from the daily news and uncertainty in our lives. Whether you venture into Shiloh for some welcome respite, please know there are a host of great novels out there to escape the daily chaos and confusion we all face.
Trust God and know better days are ahead. Stay safe.
Mike… a.k.a. T. M. Brown, Southern Inspirational Author
P. S. Watch for news of what’s next now that the Shiloh Mystery Series is completed. Hint: I am not sure Theo and Liddy Phillips are through finding their way into another mystery or two.
Visit TMBrownAuthor on Facebook. They began on August 1st and each Saturday in August at 11 AM. Five consecutive Facebook Live broadcasts provided weekly chances to win a book. Each broadcast started at 11 AM from venues throughout Georgia, but you got to enjoy them from the comfort of your home.
CAN’T WAIT AND YOU WANT TO PURCHASE ONE OR ALL THREE BOOKS – VISIT THE BOOKSTORE PAGE TO ORDER TODAY! AND SUPPORT YOUR LOCALLY-OWNED INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE.
Five Chances to Win a Free Book: A Signed Copy of the Shiloh Mystery Story of Your Choice
August has been a month of virtual appearances with FIVE chances for viewers to win a free book each Saturday throughout the month. Each fo the 11 AM Saturday broadcasted events will be on Facebook Live, except for a special Zoom interview at the Newnan Carnegie Library of August 22.
Information about the three Shiloh Mystery Novels will be the topic of each broadcast. Or what’s in the works next!
August 29th, 11 AM – Horton’s Books and Gifts, Carrollton, GA is the oldest bookstore in Georgia, celebrating over 125 years in business. The owner, Dorothy Pittman, has been a fantastic godsend for book lovers in West Central Georgia. Her store stocks all my books along with many other notable Georgia authors, and national bestsellers.
I celebrated National Independent Bookstore Day at the oldest bookstore in Georgia.
Theo and Liddy invite you to join them as they enter and engage the folks in time-lost Shiloh…
Here are the three links to take a sneak preview at each of the Shiloh Mystery novels. Each holds its own unique mystery/suspense story while allowing you to experience the development of the main characters throughout the series. Theo and Liddy invite you to join them as they enter and engage the folks in time-lost Shiloh…
Here’s a bonus link to an engaging and mind-probing interview hosted by Linda Shenton Matchett, a fellow ACFW and Sisters-in-Crime author. This is the second she has done with me over the past two years. Enjoy and feel free to share it with your friends.
Sisters-in-Crime (and a few brothers too)
Preserving Inspirational Stories for All Audiences
Thursday, August 6, 2020
Talkshow Thursday: Welcome Back Mike Brown
Linda: Welcome back! Thanks for joining me today. Congratulations on your latest release Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest (Shiloh Mystery Series, Book 3). What was your inspiration for the plot of this book? Did you already have it in mind at the beginning of the series?
TM: Each of the three stories blossomed independently, although I capitalized on “bread crumbs” within Sanctuary to feed Testament’s story premise, and similarly, Testament to Purgatory. Otherwise, my characters progressed and developed throughout the series as would be expected over a course of three years. Still, I only knew how they would change as I began to write each story. In fact, I enjoyed looking back at each character from being introduced to the end of Purgatory—many experienced intriguing transformations.
LM: Are any of your characters based on you or people you know? How do you come up with ideas for your characters?
TM: Yes, in some ways, Theo Phillips and his wife Liddy are much like my wife and I, according to many readers who know us. And yes, we have two sons who have given us five beautiful grandchildren who happen to coincide in age and personalities with their counterparts in the stories. Otherwise, my characters were birthed from my fertile imagination. I went through great pains to give them their initial personalities with their flaws and strengths. However, they all went through some methodical changes as the stories came together—some more noticeable than others. All my characters were works in progress, just like we all are in real life.
LM: What is your writing routine? (E.g., do you listen to music, set up in a certain place, etc.)?
TM: My writing is usually accomplished in isolation with barely audible mood music breaking home’s silence. My wife generally fills her day with work or social activities to allow me to work uninterrupted when working on my manuscript. When she is at home, she usually stays busy in her craft room at the other end of the house. After dinner, she lends an ear to listen to me read whatever I wrote during the day—an excellent exercise for writers. However, what I described only occurs when I am actively writing a manuscript. Otherwise, outside of working on a story, my writing routine is rather willy-nilly and catch-as-catch-can.
LM: What is one thing you wish you knew how to do?
TM: Keep up with some of the ever-changing writing and grammar rules. The rules have changed quite a bit since I paid attention in high school six decades ago. Thus, I have relied on a talented and patient writing coach/editor over the past six or so years. Otherwise, Oxford and Chicago are just great places to visit in my mind.
LM: What was your favorite book when you were growing up?
TM: This covers many years and a host of books I have consumed throughout my life. Since this is about my novel writing, I venture to say, Nordhoff and Hall’s “The Bounty Trilogy” (Mutiny on the Bounty-1933, Men Against the Sea-1933, and Pitcairn’s Island-1934) stands out; a gift from my mother. Though I read it in high school, it remains my number one response whenever anyone asks this question. I have to thank my mother for providing me with the thirst for reading I have enjoyed over my lifetime.
LM: Here are some quickies:
TM: Coffee or Tea? Coffee is the fuel of my inspiration each day. Walking, biking, or driving: I prefer driving in the country, but engage in walking once I arrive at my destination. Ocean or mountains? Oceanside vacations edge out mountain cabin retreats.
LM: Can you tell us about Hometown Novel Nights and how that came about?
TM: When I first began creative writing from my home in Georgia, I found all the networking with other authors required trips into Greater Atlanta and beyond. Even ACFW’s closest chapter is two hours north of my home. I still find myself venturing up I-85 for many conferences and book events to this day for the lion’s share of my author activities. Then I walked into the Lewis Grizzard and Erskine Caldwell Museum in Moreland, Georgia—a short five miles from my home. There I began to learn of so many other talented authors who suffered the journey into Atlanta for attention and activities. A few of us decided to see if we could get a local audience interested in meeting and listening to some local authors I had met. Our first program proved promising for all concerned. A handful of us got together and discovered plenty of nascent and experienced authors of various genres who were interested in signing up for a monthly series of events that featured three-author panels. Two years later, sans the recent disruption of public events, The Hometown Novel Nights program has introduced over forty authors to monthly audiences in now four venues covering west-central Georgia below Atlanta. Our most significant and prestigious host site has been the historic Carnegie Library in downtown Newnan, GA. As soon as this COVID crisis subsides again, we are eager to gear right back up.
LM: What’s your next project?
TM: I want to stretch myself with a story I have envisioned writing since studying Church History in seminary years ago. An enigmatic New Testament character is Joseph of Arimathea. He is mentioned in each Gospel but only briefly as he plays a significant role in the burial of Jesus before he suddenly disappears in history, except for legends and lore. He even acquired sainthood in the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Anglican churches, yet the Bible nor history more about him. My story will be a speculative fiction account covering shortly after Calvary until the Siege of Jerusalem—forty-years. It will be a mind-provoking, what-if tale of a man who finds himself sought after by the Jews, Christians, and Romans. He has been linked to the legendary Holy Grail. Yet, was it the chalice Jesus used at the Last Supper, rumored to have held the blood of Christ? I guess you’ll have to wait to find out what my research has stirred up.
After Theo and Liddy retired to the small Georgia town of Shiloh, they expected a quieter life, but when Theo becomes the investigative reporter for the local Sentinel, he discovers that small towns can be just as dangerous as big cities for people devoted to seeking the truth. Having narrowly escaped a brush with death in Purgatory, Theo tackles what he hopes will be an easier investigation: helping the orphaned Pepper come to grips with her scandalous mother’s past. But when an armored limousine purchased by Theo’s friend and neighbor Zeb brings another spate of shady characters to Shiloh, Theo finds himself in the middle of unexpected danger, building to an explosive conclusion days before the town’s Independence Day celebrations.
First of all, thank you to all who have already grabbed your copy of Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest.
However, the best-laid plans to launch the third and final story in the Shiloh Mystery Series has been turned upside down thanks to our unwelcomed COVID Bugaboo. BUT like the characters in my Shiloh stories, the word has gotten out about Purgatory’s availability. I hope you’ll also share the GOOD NEWS with your friends and family members on how to get their copies. Visit HERE for a personal video from T. M. Brown
Do you know who the young girl is that ventures into Shiloh during the Lightning Bug Festival and then gets introduced on Theo and Liddy’s doorstep in Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest? Life will never be the same in Shiloh with her arrival.
You also might enjoy what’s happening in the coming days, in-person and online.
Will you join me for a live radio interview, Wednesday, July 15th at 9 PM EDT? Click the image for more details. Or the blog talk radio image below to listen to the show after the live broadcast.
Saturday, July 18th at 1 PM EDT, if you’re in the neighborhood, come by Pretty Good Books for some casual, laid-back book talk and signing time in Lagrange, GA. Click the image below for more about Pretty Good Books.
Come enjoy a casual, laid-back time for book talk & signing in Lagrange, GA
For all my hometown folks, watch for news about the rescheduled Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest Book Launch Party, coming in August. Originally scheduled for early May, the Newnan Carnegie Library in historic downtown Newnan and I are working on firming up a Saturday date as soon as the pesky COVID Bugaboo allows us to set the date. Follow me on Facebook and/or Instagram for all the latest news and event updates.
Follow me On Facebook & Instagram for the latest news and event updates.
NOTE: I plan to offer periodic video announcements in the coming weeks. In them, I would like to respond to some of your questions and comments. Please contact me on social media above or email mike@tmbrownauthor.com
More reasons to grab a copy of Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest
The long-awaited finale of the Shiloh Series doesn’t disappoint. With barbecue, lightning bugs, and delightful dialogue. T.M. Brown delivers a gem of a southern novel to his faithful followers.— Renea Winchester, Outbound Train
Small-town shenanigans, Southern style. Theo Phillips and his wife Liddy live in Shiloh, Georgia, a town graced with a mess of colorful characters and a passel of predicaments. Whether he is writing an article about the Miss Shiloh contest, advising a friend on fatherhood, pondering the political future of the town’s mayor, or struggling with how to best help an orphaned teenager, Theo faces all life throws at him with his wife Liddy by his side and his faith to guide him. — Christopher Swann, NeverTurn Back and Shadow of Lions
If you cannot get to your local bookstore, here’s where you can help them and order from the convenience of your home…every book you order through BookShop benefits your local bookstore. Click the BookShop link above to learn more. Otherwise, all three of the Shiloh Mystery Novels are available wherever books are sold, in paperback and eBook.
With Fathers Day right around the corner, I thought it apropos to share an excerpt from my latest and the final story in the Shiloh Mystery series — Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest. Although “fatherhood” is important throughout all three Shiloh novels, in Purgatory it is a central theme. Here is an excerpt from Chapter 25 as Shiloh celebrates Father’s Day from Chapter 25:…
After the choir marched down the center aisle and took their places behind Arnie on the platform, Hillary, Judy, Megan, and Pepper escorted the children into the sanctuary. Arnie stepped from his pulpit chair and sat among the youngsters on the platform steps. Jessie wriggled in Megan’s arms and cried out with his arms extended toward Andy sitting beside Pete on the front row. Pete smiled while Andy appeared caught between his urge to respond and Megan’s effort to distract Jessie.
Lizzie and Lucy Arians sat on either side of Arnie as he addressed the congregation. “The Bible declares that children are to obey and honor both their parents. Only last month we honored the mothers in our midst. So today it’s the fathers who are being so honored.” Arnie glanced at one-year-old Jessie and smiled at Andy. “Some fathers are just beginning to understand the daunting challenge ahead of them. For others here today, your children are now honoring you because they now have developed a growing appreciation of the love you have invested in them over their lifetime.”
Arnie winked at Hillary. “On this Father’s Day, I’d like to express as best as I can, as a father myself, why living up to the expectations our Heavenly Father has placed upon us isn’t always easy. To begin with, I believe it’s safe to say, there’s not a father in this room today who can declare they raised their children without any regrets along the journey. However, the love that grows between a caring father and his children serves as the salve that heals all wounds inflicted along the way. It’s also true, fathering a child does not make you a father. Becoming a father is one of choice, not a consequence.”
Liddy nudged me with her elbow and whispered, “Is Pepper crying?”
Arnie then said, “I’d like to take this time to suggest, if it’s possible, talk to your father today. Thank him for loving you. For those who are unable to talk to their father, remember that God’s your Heavenly Father. He promised to stand in the gap for those who lack a father’s love in their life. During our fellowship time, parents, please make room for your children to sit with you this morning. This is not a day to be separated.”
Marie Masterson stepped to the pulpit microphone. While she sang How Deep the Father’s Love for Us as Mary accompanied her, the children followed the choir members as they stepped off the platform and found seats with their families. When Marie finished, Arnie shared an embrace with her before she sat beside Pete at the end of our pew.
While Arnie reminded the church about the Cooperative Fellowship Music Jamboree next Saturday evening, I looked at Pepper who had squeezed in between Hank and Phillip. She hung onto every word Arnie said, holding Hank’s and Phillip’s hands.
When Arnie said, “Amen” to close the service, Pepper left her seat and gave Liddy and me hugs. During our embrace, I said, “Thank you for your special gift and card.”
Pepper’s eyes watered. “I may never know who my real father was, but I hope you don’t mind me saying that you’ve been an excellent father for me since I arrived.”
Hank offered his arm to Pepper and said, “We need to catch up to Hal across the street in City Hall. He’s waiting for us to go to dinner.”
WHAT DO YOU HAVE PLANNED FOR FATHER’S DAY THIS YEAR? HOW WILL YOU REMIND YOUR FATHER OR FATHER OF YOUR CHILDREN HOW VALUED AND IMPORTANT HE IS TO YOU?
Thanks for investing in the Shiloh Mystery novels.
With my book launch tour to begin officially Saturday, June 6th at 1 PM on historic Court Square in downtown Newnan, GA, I figured y’all might like a peak into the quintessential downtown of a county-seat town in Georgia. Newnan also was the inspiration and model for Shiloh in my three-book series. Please enjoy.
Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest releases May 26th and is the final chapter of the Shiloh Mystery Series
Want to know more about Purgatory, the capstone novel of the Shiloh Mystery Series? Effective May 26th all three will be available for your reading pleasure this summer. Visit my Amazon Author Page or if possible, visit your local book retailer and request your copy of any of the three Shiloh Mystery novels.
Or, email me directly at mike@tmbrownauthor.com and I can arrange for you to order a signed copy of any of my books.
(follow the above link to my @T.M.BrownAuthor Facebook page for more specifics on any particular event)
In light of recent events caused by the unexpected health crisis–aka coronavirus–we all have had to adjust to the canceling of many March, April, May, and even other future planned events. I remain hopeful that the stringent and unprecedented actions by government officials will enable all of us to return to a renewed business-as-usual status as we enter the summer. As soon as we get a handle on this COVID “bugaboo”, I will update my schedule of events as it is revised with venues reopening for pubpic engagement again. You can also watch for additional virtual promo videos regarding my third and final book in the Shiloh Mystery–Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest.
Watch for news about all the Shiloh Mystery books published through Heartstone Press (Southern Fried Karma, LLC).
Books offer an escape we all need–a reminder of what life could and should be like–and, I pray folks will enjoy Theo’s stories about Shiloh handling and coping with challenges and threats to their community in that light.
God bless. Stay safe, and trust that life will return to business as usual soon. Our sacrifices today will save lives and expedite our recovery.
Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest Book Launch Events
Corner Arts Gallery & Studio Launch Party, Saturday, June 6th, Noon – 4:00 PM, Court Square, Newnan, GA, sponsored by Hearthstone Press (Southern Fried Karma, LLC) and Corner Arts Gallery & Studios. Come and enjoy their newly expanded Local Author Book Nook as well. There will be plenty of tasty vittles and sweet tea.
JUNE Book Events:
06 Sat Purgatory Book Launch Kick-Off, Corner Arts Gallery & Gifts, Newnan, GA Noon-4:00 PM
13 Sat Lines Between the Wines, Warm Springs Cellars, Warm Springs, GA 2:00 – 5:00 PM with Paul Sinor
18 Thu Hometown Novel Nights Author Panel (G. Weinstein & T. M. Brown) Roger’s BBQ Restaurant, Hogansville, GA, 6:30-8:30 PM
19-21 The Book Loft – Three Day Book Signings: Fri 2:00-5:00; Sat 1:00-5:00; Sun Noon – 3:00 PM, Fernandina Beach, FL
27 Sat Book Signing, Horton’s Books & Gifts, Carrollton, GA, Noon – 4:00 PM
JULY Book Events:
18 Sat Purgatory Book Signing – Pretty Good Books, Lagrange, GA 1:00 – 4:00 PM
Please visit my Facebook Author Page @TMBrownAuthor for the up-to-date latest about my coming book tour and many of the independent book retail locations where you can purchase any of the Shiloh Mystery Books. I will be updating my webpage with additional information that you might enjoy, i.e. character lists for each story and recent reviews. You can also contact me with questions, comments, or inquiries about visiting your local area or book club group.
“As always, author T.M. Brown does not fail in making his reader feel right at home in his novels. Opening up this book, I was transported right back to where I was last time I visited Shiloh in Testament.” Helene Furst
If you’ve never treated yourself to a novel by T.M. Brown, I recommend you start turning the pages of Purgatory, which in my estimation is pure literature. This story unfolds once again amid the patchwork of furrowed cotton and peanut fields of the South Georgia Christian community of Shiloh, where the townsfolk are getting ready to celebrate the annual Lightning Bug Festival — ol’ downhome country fun at its finest. But a storm is about to erupt. While folks fret they might lose their mayor to the Congressional swamp-water intrigue of Washington, an orphaned teenage girl appears on the scene in search of a mother who is long dead. But when one of Shiloh’s citizens purchases an armored limo with a checkered history at a Sheriff’s used-car auction, the town’s tranquility is shattered by the accumulation of dead bodies and broken hearts. Here’s a story that will keep you reading throughout the wee hours. Jedwin Smith, author of I AM ISRAEL, Our Brother’s Keeper, and Fatal Treasure
“Purgatory, a Progeny’s Quest is the third novel in the excellent Shiloh Mystery Series and I think it is the best one yet. I’ve enjoyed reading all of T.M. Brown’s books, but I think he really knocks it out of the park with Purgatory. It’s a stunning blend of mystery, inspiration, and authentic characters and settings. The setting is a southern town named Shiloh (this fictional town is based on Newnan, Georgia) and I thought the author captures a very realistic feel of time and place. I also liked the way the author weaved Christian religious inspiration into the mystery plot of the book. I highly recommend this novel.” Lee Gimenez, Award-winning author of 15 books and Finalist for Author Academy Award
“The passage atop the day’s journal page came from Proverbs…’good people detest the darkness of evil; the wicked abhor the light of goodness’.” Theo’s morning devotions, Pg. 90 – Purgatory- A Progeny’s Quest
Having read the first two books, this last in the Series exceeds all expectations; and as expected, many of the delightful characters so carefully described before have returned. Theo and Liddy have become trusted residents of Shiloh, frequently called upon for advice and guidance. Barbequed brisket, coffee from grounds carefully measured into a pot, and celebrations such as the Lightning Bug Festival, brighten their days. Just when you think it all a little too perfect, a founding family’s bloodlines are redefined and a new resident arrives. Your heart begins to race when two mysterious strangers intrude and skulk around town. When their plan escalates and lives are threatened, the town joins local deputies to discover their identities and motives. Of course, Theo is smack dab in the middle; where else would he be? There’s more than sweet tea and moss-covered oaks to this tale and Mike Brown has done Shiloh proud. Linda J Pifer, author of Ohio Girl
Mysteries beset the citizenry of a small southern town that exudes “contagious, country-fried wholeness.” T. M. Brown peels back the layers of those mysteries like one peels an onion. As you approach the finale, better hold on to your hat! Jameson Gregg, Georgia Author of the Year, author of Luck Be A Chicken, a comic novel
T.M. Brown writes with subtlety, compassion, and understanding. His characters are rich, the story is compelling, and the denouement is more than satisfying. The story is funny and sad, the language is clever and poetic, and the book is nothing less than a gem. With skill and finesse, Brown moves the story forward at a measured pace as he introduces believable and sympathetic characters, and each of these brings depth and sometimes gentle humor to this finely crafted story. Purgatory—A Progeny’s Quest is a story of growth, and change, and hope, and renewal. It is a story of forgiveness. It is an extraordinary tale written by an exceptional author. I will read this book again. Raymond L. Atkins, author of Set List, Sweetwater Blues, Camp Redemption Georgia Author of the Year
In Purgatory – A Progeny’s Quest, book three of the Shiloh Mystery Series, T. M. Brown delivers another satisfying read of Southern Fiction with a strong sense of place and memorable characters. Theo and Liddy Phillips right the wrongs of broken lives and hearts with Christian hope. – Johnnie Bernhard, author of Sisters of the Undertow and How We Came to Be
The long-awaited finale of the Shiloh Series doesn’t disappoint. With barbecue, lightning bugs, and delightful dialogue. T.M. Brown delivers a gem of a southern novel to his faithful followers. Renea Winchester, Outbound Train and Farming Friends and Fried Bologna Sandwiches
TM Brown explores the intricate web of deception and family bonds in his new novel, Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest. Purgatory is the third book in Brown’s Shiloh Mystery Series.
Like his previous novels, Sanctuary, A Legacy of Memories and Testament, An Unexpected Return, his newest novel Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest is set in the small town of Shiloh, Georgia. Since moving to Shiloh, Theo and Liddy Phillips have learned this small town has its share of buried secrets and mysteries. When an unexpected visitor with a dark secret shows up on their doorstep asking for help, the two are catapulted into another Shiloh mystery. As Theo begins to unravel the first mystery, a strange turn of events brings danger to their town putting lives in peril.
Purgatory explores forgiveness and the true meaning of family. The heart of this novel is the character development. The author has the ability to make you fall in love with his colorful characters. I found Purgatory both entertaining and refreshing. It is a page-turner suitable for all audiences. – Dana Ridenour, award-winning author of Behind The Mask, Beyond The Cabin and Below The Radar.
Small-town shenanigans, Southern style. Theo Phillips and his wife Libby live in Shiloh, Georgia, a town graced with a mess of colorful characters and a passel of predicaments. Whether he is writing an article about the Miss Shiloh contest, advising a friend on fatherhood, pondering the political future of the town’s mayor, or struggling with how to best help an orphaned teenager, Theo faces all life throws at him with his wife Libby by his side and his faith to guide him. Thanks for the opportunity to read Purgatory.Christopher Swann, author of Shadows of the Lions and Never Turn Back
As always, author T.M. Brown does not fail in making his reader feel right at home in his novels. Opening up this book, I was transported right back to where I was last time I visited Shiloh in Testament. Those of you who have not yet stopped in to Shiloh for a visit may want to retrace your steps and begin with Sanctuary, the first novel. Make sure that you have Testament on order, and prepare for a long, comfortable visit with Theo and Liddy, the Archers and the rest of the locals in Shiloh.
“Believe with all your heart that God alone is the master of your life and then reflect that belief each day through every word spoken and deed performed even when it means unconditionally caring for the needs of others above your own.” -Theo Phillips, TM Brown
In Purgatory, familiar characters fill the pages, coming together to support and assist the young and orphaned Pepper. Knowing only who her mother was, and reeling from the loss of her beloved grandmother, this stoic and lovable freckle-faced teen will slide right into your heart. Throughout the novel, various characters we have heard of or met briefly in the past, show up to worry the townsfolk after Zeb, one of Theo’s good friends, purchases an armored limo at auction. Shady people start hanging around town amidst the summer celebrations, and we once again find retired, mild-mannered Theo at the center of a high energy plot. The story unfolds as smooth as silk, words turn to images as you flip page after page, lost within the grip of a master storyteller’s tale. Theo’s devotional journal will bring clarity to your own life, as well his, as you ponder the daily events afoot in this small town. The plot twist comes when you least expect it, adding a mix of suspense and real worry for the characters you have come to adore. I’d say more, but then you’d get the whole story – this is a MUST READ for the summer!
You will not be disappointed in this heroic tale set in the fictitious, rural town of Shiloh, Ga. Heroic actions and steadfast devotion keep the plot moving and you on the edge of your seat. I honestly could not put this book down. Five stars!
Thank you Mike for the note that Theo and Liddy will return once more, although outside their hometown of Shiloh. I’ll be patiently waiting!🥰
Publisher: Hearthstone Press
Release Date: May 26,2020
ISBN: 2370000752710
Third & Final Novel in the Shiloh Mystery Series. May 5, 2020 ReleaseVisit TMBrownAuthor’s Author Page on Facebook for more insight on all three of his Shiloh Mystery Novels.
Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest NEW official launch date is May 26th, and stay tuned as the book tour is adjusting thanks to the COVID calendar detours. Book launch events will begin Memorial Day Week. We are waiting on the “green-light” from Gov Kemp in Georgia to firm up and adjust the book tour schedule. WATCH FOR THE ADVANCE REVIEWS THAT WILL ADD TO THE EXCITEMENT OF PURGATORY’S BOOK LAUNCH.
I invite you to fall in love with little old Shiloh. Though the stories are set in contemporary times, there’s a time-lost feel throughout that will assuredly draw your curiosity as to where Shiloh would exist if it were real today.
When I began researching my fictional South Georgia town, aptly named Shiloh, I wanted to understand how a county seat with a beautiful antebellum courthouse could lose its status. How could a revered courthouse become merely a symbol of the town’s past but become only a city hall as the power in the county shifted eastward to a more thriving and successful town full of tourists, shopping malls, and sprawling neighborhoods?
History revealed the political wrangling during the routing and building of the highways in Georgia decided the fate of many Georgia small cities and towns. The demographic of counties shifted within a decade or two after the highways snaked their way South a century ago. And, later again when in the 50s-70s, the Interstate Highway System sped tourists down its concrete corridors. Progress is most often welcomed without considering its long-term impact on the greater population left behind. Shiloh reflects such a left-behind community–scarred by the changes of its past–yet comfortable remaining a step or two behind all the changes of the 21st-Century. Understandably, the residents of Shiloh embrace time-lost traditions while creeping forward in time.
I invite you to fall in love with little old Shiloh. Though the stories are set in contemporary times, there’s a time-lost feel throughout that will assuredly draw your curiosity as to where Shiloh would exist if it were real today. Visit the bookstore for quick links to all three of the Shiloh stories. Fall in love with not only the colorful and memorable characters wrestling with deep secrets, conflict, threats, and of course modern changes creeping into their sleepy rural community but also discover how Shiloh also becomes a key character in each story.
Sanctuary, A Legacy of Memories (2017) – April 2020, Hearthstone Press release
Testament, An Unexpected Return (2018) – April 2020 Heartstone Press release
Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest (revised release, May 26, 2020) – Hearthstone Press
Purgatory Kindle & Paperback editions coming soon… In the meantime, check out a couple of advance blurbs regarding the best and final book in the Shiloh series. Subscribe for advance purchase information and links.
Third & Final Novel in the Shiloh Mystery Series. May 5, 2020 Release
If you’ve never treated yourself to a novel by T.M. Brown, I recommend you start turning the pages of Purgatory, which in my estimation is pure literature. This story unfolds once again amid the patchwork of furrowed cotton and peanut fields of the South Georgia Christian community of Shiloh, where the townsfolk are getting ready to celebrate the annual Lightning Bug Festival — ol’ downhome country fun at its finest. But a storm is about to erupt. While folks fret they might lose their mayor to the Congressional swamp-water intrigue of Washington, an orphaned teenage girl appears on the scene in search of a mother who is long dead. But when one of Shiloh’s citizens purchases an armored limo with a checkered history at a Sheriff’s used-car auction, the town’s tranquility is shattered by the accumulation of dead bodies and broken hearts. Here’s a story that will keep you reading throughout the wee hours.
Jedwin Smith, author of I AM ISRAEL, Our Brother’s Keeper, and Fatal Treasure
Mysteries beset the citizenry of a small southern town that exudes “contagious, country-fried wholeness.” T. M. Brown peels back the layers of those mysteries like one peels an onion. As you approach the finale, better hold on to your hat!
Jameson Gregg, Georgia Author of the Year, author of Luck Be A Chicken, a comic novel
The first two books are now available wherever books are sold, and advance orders for Purgatory will be soon available. Subscribe to my newsletter and then watch your email for exclusive offers or go on my Facebook or Instagram accounts for the latest news.
In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed Shiloh’s relevant history lesson and trust this current health crisis will end soon and business will gradually return to normal. I am presently praying for every small business and especially the bookstores struggling through this nightmarish calamity. I look forward to my upcoming book tour with optimism that will begin in early May (hopefully).
An excerpt from Testament, An Unexpected Return – written in 2016 but the message in the preacher’s homily to the folks in Shiloh is so relevant today…
Chapter Three -“Tug-of-War Sermon” (Testament, An Unexpected Return)
Arnie draped his navy blazer across the chair behind the pulpit, rolled-up his sleeves and loosened his red, white and blue tie. Undaunted by the church’s aging air conditioner, he plunged into the sermon. Twenty minutes in, Arnie paused and took stock of the sanctuary aflutter with bulletins flapping. He motioned for Mary to ready herself at the piano.
Arnie sipped from his water bottle, yanked a monogrammed handkerchief from his hip pocket and dabbed the nape of his neck and forehead. He closed his black leather Bible and stepped to the edge of the platform.
“As much as I’d like to complete my holiday homily, I’ll conclude early today.” He slid his finger from holding his place in the Bible as he gazed upon our relieved faces.
Arnie took another long swig of water and cleared his throat. “My dear friends and church family, we have enjoyed a wonderful Independence Day weekend. But lest we forget, even in our beloved Shiloh we cannot escape the mounting crisis America faces. Our country and community are being yanked and pulled in a tug-of-war not much different from what we witnessed at the Jubilee, except on a grander scale with far-reaching significance. On one end, staunch traditionalists clinging to the past stubbornly hunker down straining against the opposing end of the rope gripped by determined progressive visionaries pursuing changes for a brighter future. How can such a struggle be good for all of our people? Without God’s indubitable blessing, the America we know and love, and the Shiloh we likewise know and love, will surely stumble and succumb to the infighting.”
Arnie lifted his Bible over his head. “Our future rests in God’s hands alone. Each day, God proves that we can hold fast to our past while envisioning a better tomorrow. God uses our tug-of-war battles to safeguard the quantity and velocity of the inevitable changes. Thankfully, God has twisted the strands of the tug-of-war rope to withstand the back and forth strain of our fickleness.”
Arnie waved his Bible from side to side. “Regardless of which side you choose to stand on, rest assured our struggles are for the good of all who love and trust God. May all of us embrace the struggles caused by our differences as God’s way of making us stronger for the challenges that lie ahead for our country and community.”
Modest relief arrived as we entered the main foyer. The wide-open doors at each end provided a slight breeze as we mingled among the few people not ready to venture into the sunshine.
Stationed at the main entrance, Arnie clutched his handkerchief in one hand and greeted members as they filed past with the other. Judy stood beside him in a blue and yellow, sleeveless summer dress and showed little ill effects from the uncomfortable, humid conditions. She kept the line moving, smiling and whispering to each person as they exited and sometimes used a slight, gentle nudge to prevent anyone from lingering too long.
As I appreciated the teamwork of my pastor and his wife, Martha grabbed my elbow and looked at Liddy. “How about y’all meet us at Bubba’s? Sam and Susanna are going. We’re about to invite Arnie and Judy as well.” Martha then eyed me. “I know you’re game. What do you say?”
This is not a blue or red, progressive or conservative, issue — it’s an issue with the nature of all folks. We innately argue over whether our glass is half-full or half-empty, although the same amount of water resides in the glass. Maybe little old Shiloh can teach us all a lesson on how to move on from wanting to be right to do what is right for the good of everyone. T. M. “Mike” Brown
I welcome your feedback. Thank you, and I pray our country will recover long after we move on from the current health crisis we face.
Third & Final Novel in the Shiloh Mystery Series. Now Available wherever books are sold!
Click the book image below to gain access to the reader pdf docs of your choice for Testament, An Unexpected Return.
Click on the image to get your complete character list for Testament, An Unexpected Return
Please take a few minutes to leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads, or email me directly. Go to the bookstore tab to find out how to get your copy of Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest and if you have not yet read Sanctuary, A Legacy of Memories.
JESSIE MASTERSON, BELOVED COACH AND TEACHER, SACRIFICED HIS LIFE SAVING THE LIVES OF TWO OTHERS THE NIGHT OUR HISTORIC COURTHOUSE BURNED TO THE GROUND…
JESSIE MASTERSON, BELOVED COACH AND TEACHER, SACRIFICED HIS LIFE SAVING THE LIVES OF TWO OTHERS THE NIGHT OUR HISTORIC COURTHOUSE BURNED TO THE GROUND…
After Sanctuary, A Legacy of Memories, read Testament, An Unexpected Return as Theo and Liddy attempt to sink deep roots in their new hometown only to discover their house has a link to the past they get drawn into the middle of a plot aimed to tear the Archer family and Shiloh apart.
Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest –the third and final book in the series is coming May 5th. Theo and Liddy meet Pepper, a young girl on a quest to find the last member of the only family she has ever known only to discover family she knew nothing about.
Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest will be the third in the Shiloh Mystery Series. It offers a twist as key characters in Shiloh adjust to the changes in their lives and new additions to lil’ ol’ Shiloh.
Stay tuned to learn more in the coming weeks leading up to the release of Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest. As my publisher affirmed, this is the best of the three books. You can wait to read Purgatory, a suspense-filled mystery on its own, but you’ll only want to read the first two books after reading Purgatory… Subscribe today and be kept up to date as the launch date nears and the book tour dates are set!
Refreshments and Door Prizes, plus lots of valuable news and information for authors and book lovers alike. Limited seating still available, reserve your free ticket today! Click the image above.
Also, put Sunday afternoon, January 26th, on your calendar for Hometown Novel Nights – Fourth Sunday at The Monarch House in Newnan.
Come join the residents, their friends, family members, and guests like you. Cozy library setting with door prizes and refreshments served.
Jedwin Smith, Larissa Reinhart, and yours truly, T. M. “Mike” Brown enjoyed sharing our writing stories.Scott Ludwig hands-down provided the most laughs during his unique monologue as the moderator.
https://www.facebook.com/T.M.BrownAuthor/
Find more photos and videos from HNN Holiday Event at the Carnegie Library in Newnan.
2020 Already Offers a Busy Calendar of Events
With one more visit to the Monarch House, December 22nd, Sunday, 2:00 PM, Hometown Novel Nights is blessed to present Mike Nemeth and Holly Moulder to put the final close to our 2019 Calendar of events. Residents, family, and friends at the Monarch House, as well as, guests are welcome to join the audience as Mike and Holly talk about their writing stories and present their books.
To kick-off 2020, January 16th, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM, come out to Southern Fried Books, 29 Jackson Street, Newnan, GA for an informative introduction to what 2020 will bring to authors and book-lovers alike. Steve McCondichie will talk about publishing trends and book events in the coming months, George Weinstein will be talking about networking as an author and upcoming writer conferences, and Angie Gallion, Scott Ludwig, and Mike Brown will talk about what Hometown Novel Nights has on tap with new venues and workshops.
29 Jackson Street, Newnan, GA
Want to join a future author panel or know more about an upcoming event? Visit Hometown Novel Nights
Hometown Novel Nights will host a holiday-themed event Dec. 12 at the Newnan Carnegie Library
Hometown Novel Nights will host a holiday-themed event Dec. 12at the Newnan Carnegie Library
A special holiday-themed Hometown Novel Nights will take place at the Carnegie Library on Dec. 12 at 6:30 p.m.
Scott Ludwig will moderate the panel of authors, which include T.M. “Mike” Brown, Jedwin Smith and Larissa Reinhart, according to Brown, founder and coordinator of Hometown Novel Nights…
Brown will be speaking on his first two books, “Sanctuary: A Legacy of Mysteries” and “Testament: An Unexpected Return” on the panel… For the rest of the article click image above or here (Laurel Huster, Newnan Times-Herald)
The first HNN Fourth Sunday Afternoon at the Monarch House, November 24. The next one will be held on December 22 with Mike Nemeth and Holly Moulder. More scheduled for 2020.
2020 Hometown Novel Nights Preview hosted by Southern Fried Books, 29 Jackson Street, Newnan, GA, January 16th beginning at 6:30 PM.
Guest speakers will be Steve McCondichie, owner of Southern Fried Books and SFK Multimedia LLC; George Weinstein, President of Atlanta Writers Club, Founder of the Atlanta Writers Conference, and author of five novels, including the latest release by SFK Press, “Watch What You Say.” Mike Brown, Angie Gallion, and Scott Ludwig will share the HNN monthly panel lineups already committed for 2020. All authors, writers, and book enthusiasts are invited to attend this informative and interactive program night. Learn what is the latest in the publishing world, author networking, and options to connect with agents and publishers, as well as, Hometown Novel Night vision going forward in 2020. A special event update will be provided at the January program that will impact everyone in attendance… you will want to be on hand to hear the news!
Direct inquiries about future Hometown Novel Nights programs by going to the HNN Facebook page or email. You can also reach HNN through its Instagram link as well.
Remember to catch the HNN Radio Program on WQEE Rock the Key 99.1 FM in Newnan, broadcast live the second Tuesday at 9:30 AM and rebroadcast throughout the month. YouTube podcast link of the radio show will be posted on the Hometown Novel Nights Facebook page.
How time flies when you are having so much fun creating and sharing memories with family! A year ago my family gathered together and visited Rock Ranch in The Rock, GA — Truett Cathy’s family resort which transforms into a winter wonderland for Christmas. (My oldest son is taking the photo)
I have so many memories and thankful moments over the past year to look back upon. hat about you? What are you thankful for?
With all the societal distractions invading our country lately, it may be more challenging than ever to look back on the memories we should focus upon this holiday season. Yet, that is my heartfelt wish for all of my friends and fans of my Shiloh Mystery Series. May we all find “Sanctuary” in the memories which bring us together with our families and friends this holiday season. We cannot choose how others react and behave, but we can choose how we may behave with others. May we leave a lasting “Testament” to a better way of treating others.
Finally, I look forward to 2020 with a cheerful heart full of optimism. I pray outside of a football outcome that may not have been to your liking, may the contagious gift of a genuine smile be the shared with all you greet and meet this holiday season. And, never forget to tell your family and dearest friends how important they are to you.
Flashback memories from a family-filled year of adventure and travel. For the smile they give Connie and me, I am most thankful.
Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas from Mike and Connie! We have so much to be thankful for in 2019 and smile at the prospects for 2020. Another busy year lies ahead…
As Cornelia, Santa’s Elf shared during my recent author event, “Merry Christmas! And don’t forget to read about Santa’s parade during Christmas in Shiloh in T. M. Brown’s Novels.“
Why Newnan is so special as my hometown and so much more…
Whenever and wherever I travel outside the local area to attend book events, folks inevitably ask where I’m from. I quickly respond, “Newnan, Georgia is my hometown.” Then I explain, Newnan’s small enough and rich enough in history to remind us of time-lost days, yet big enough to attract visitors from all over. We love it also because Newnan thrives just beyond the shadows of Atlanta where country living is cherished, appreciated, and preserved, yet close enough one can scoot up the interstate to enjoy all Atlanta offers.
Thank you, Newnan.
For those not familiar with historic Newnan, GA, enjoy the recent promotional video about my hometown. For those who have read my Shiloh stories, watch it carefully and you might recognize a few images that you find in my novels…
Just a reminder: Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest is in production and is coming May 5, 2020!
In the meantime, have you read Sanctuary, A Legacy of Memories (9781641110730) and Testament, An Unexpected Return (9781641110846)? Stop in at your local independent bookstore or anywhere books are sold otherwise for your copies. Get them in time for Christmas and enjoy the “Christmas in Shiloh” settings the books provide at the conclusion of each novel.
Otherwise, stop in at my hometown bookstore: Southern Fried Books in downtown Newnan, GA and they will gladly provide you signed copies of my Shiloh Mystery Novels. They also will ship my books or any of the other myriad of current bestsellers directly to you as well.
Also, subscribe to my newsletters to receive updates and insights into Purgatory’s story as it prepares to come out. “A teenager arrives in Shiloh and discovers she has lost all the family she ever knew only to find her real family.”
Meeting the growing audience of avid Souther Mystery lovers inspires my busy schedule with book three looming in the coming months (2020).
Meeting the growing audience of avid Souther Mystery lovers inspires my busy schedule with book three looming in the coming months (2020).
Aug 8, 2019 6:30 PM Newnan, GA Newnan Carnegie Library Hometown Novel Night – Newnan Carnegie Library with Paul Sinor, Angie Gallion, and Toby Nix, TM Brown, Moderator Aug 31 – Sep 1, 2019 Noon – 2 PM, Decatur, GA – Decatur Book Festival, Atlanta Writers Club Tent Book SIgning; Sep 1 Labor Day Weekend. Moderator of Non-Fiction Author Panel (T.B… Sep 7, 2019 12:00 PM, Atlanta, GA Ponce City Market – Posman Books – Author Book Signing Sep 14, 2019 1:00 PM, Woodstock, GA Book Warehouse – Author book signing Sep 15, 2019 3:00 PM, Canton, GA R. T. Jones Memorial Library – Inklings, Creative Expressions – Greet and Eat Fall Event Author Book Discussion and Signings Sep 19, 2019 7:00 PM Hogansville, GA, Rogers Barbeque Banquet Room – Hometown Novel Night – Hogansville. Melba Moon/MJ Flournoy, Chellie Woodham Phillips, Ann Rhodes, Mary Marvella, T. M. Brown, Moderator Sep 20, 2019 5:00 PM Newnan, GA, Southern Fried Books – Author Book Signing – Newnan Fall Art Walk Sep 21-22, 2019 12:00 PM ATLANTA, GA, Cobb Galleria Center – Broadleaf Writers Conference Sep 28, 2019 10:00 AM – Harrison (OH) Craft Show Oct 4, 2019 5:00 PM Newnan, GA, Southern Fried Books – Octoberfest Oct 5, 2019 9:30 AM Canton, GA, Canton Farmers Market – Inkling Creative Expressions Oct 10, 2019 6:30 PM Newnan, GA, Newnan Carnegie Library Auditorium – Hometown Novel Nights – Newnan, Roger Johns, Kim Sullivan, D. K. Marley, T. M. Brown, Moderator Oct 12, 2019 12:00 PM McDonough, GA, Story on the Square Bookstore – Author Book Discussion & Signing Oct 19, 2019 (Rained Out- See November 16th) 12:00 PM Carrollton, GA, Horton’s Books & Gifts – Book signing at Georgia’s oldest bookstore. My favorite local bookstore venue. Oct 26, 2019 4:00 PM Newnan, Ga, Artisans Heritage Guild Fall Bazaar & Pumpkin Toss, 1st Ave Park Nov 2, 2019 Noon Sale City GA Fall Festival, Book Signing at Lost Creek Resturant Nov 8, 2019 2:00 PM Fernandina Beach, FL, The Book Loft – Christmas in Shiloh Book signing Nov 9, 2019 12:00 PM Fernandina Beach, FL, The Book Loft – Christmas in Shiloh Book Signing Nov 14, 2019 6:00 PM McDonough, GA, Story on the Square Bookstore – An Evening with Two Georgia Mystery Authors: Our Enduring Fascination with Mystery & Suspense, Roger Johns & T. M. Brown Nov 15, 2019 6:00 PM Newnan, GA Santa at Southern Fried Books – Enjoy mulled wine and hot cocoa for the kids while Santa (or one of his elves) reads from T’was the Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore! Shop for the bibliophile on your holiday shopping list! Nov 16, 2019 11:00 AM Carrollton, GA Holiday Book Signing at Horton’s Books and Gifts on Adamson Square. Until 4 PM. Nov 21, 2019 7:00 PM Hogansville, GA, Rogers Barbeque Banquet Room – Hometown Novel Night – Hogansville Holidays Book Panel with Mark Wallace Maguire, Tim Miller, Laurs Johnson, T. M. Brown, Moderator Nov 23, 2019 2:00 PM Thomasville, GA, The Bookshelf – Christmas in Shiloh Holiday book signing Nov 30, 2019 Noon Newnan, GA, Southern Fried Books – Bookstore Anniversary Celebration Dec 7, 2019 12:00 PM Atlanta, GA, Ponce City Market – Posman Books – Author Book Signing – Christmas in Shiloh Dec 12, 2019 6:30 PM Newnan, GA, Newnan Carnegie Library – Hometown Novel Nights Christmas Celebration – Larissa Reinhart, Jedwin Smith, and T. M. Brown. Sponsored by Southern Fried Books
Booking 2020 events with book clubs and organizations in preparation for the upcoming book launch of Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest (May 2020). Email or message.
Schedule updated regularly, stop back for updates or email T. M. Brown for information.
FOLLOW THE LINK TO PBS HOMETOWN GEORGIA PROGRAM ABOUT NEWNAN, GA.
NEWNAN IS MY HOMETOWN AND I AM PROUD OF THE “SMALL-TOWN FEEL” THAT MAKES ITS ANTEBELLUM HOMES AND DOWNTOWN COURT SQUARE A MECCA FOR THE MOVIE INDUSTRY AND TOURISTS ALIKE.
PLEASE ENJOY THE PROGRAM AND I HOPE IT EXPLAINS MORE ABOUT MY LOVE FOR WRITING ABOUT LITTLE OLD SHILOH WITH ITS COLORFUL, MEMORABLE CHARACTERS.
Fictional Towns and Settings are inspired by REAL PLACES.
Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest is coming May 2020. Will you be ready for the further adventures of Theo Phillips and his wife, Liddy?
Follow the link to my CoachBrown.org devotional site. Not only will you find the answer to the question about my writing motivation, but also much, much more.
How you plan to promote and bring your book to market is paramount to your book’s ultimate success. What may appear upfront as profitable may more than likely prove very costly?
How you choose to market your books matters. Books don’t sell themselves.
POD codes on the final page of your book matter.
To the everyday reader, they may mean little, if anything, but to the discerning bookseller, it may determine the extent of your relationship with them. There’s a growing swell of pushback with book retailers against Amazon/KDP. That attractive royalty rate from Amazon/KDP may, in fact, cost you lots of potential sales. Choose wisely, whether self-publishing or through a small press that takes advantage of POD production. There are two prevalent POS print options, Amazon/KDP or Ingram SPark/LSI.
Working with Ingram is necessary for selling through bookstores, which, more often than not, will not order books from Amazon/KDP. Amazon/KDP will not allow bookstores to return unsold books, something the trade has accepted for a long time and is a crucial option to independent bookstore owners. Without going too deep into the micro-economic considerations of a book retail business, floating the enormous expense of a book inventory forces book retailers to be acutely attuned to Amazon’s less than favorable retailer program. Under the best circumstances, it is not easy to make a profit in the retail bookstore marketplace. Authors should not promote their books with a blind eye to the plight of the book retailers today, thanks to Amazon.
“Learn the printing codes on the inside final page of your books for Kindle and Ingram. They are usually there, but they can be blank, making the printing source agnostic. Don’t accidentally walk into a bookstore with consignment books that show some Kindle-manufactured volumes, as marked on the final page. We wouldn’t want a homicide to occur.” (An excerpt from The Book Designer)
Know what the last page of your printed book says to a book retailer.
Your author-income depends upon not just the royalty rate but also the sales reach (volume of books sold). After you have decided upon where to publish your book, knowing how your printed book arrives on the market is now even more imperative. POD book production had gotten to be a most welcome, cost-effective means to get books printed. Quality has vastly improved and certainly reduces your upfront costs and associated risks of investing in and maintaining a book inventory. Know your publisher’s and/or your marketing strategy for getting books to readers. Convenience can cost you far more than you are led to believe.
My two-cents on the subject of POD sources
Consider Amazon as a necessary book retailer, but a retailer none-the-less. If you desire to engage the retail reach of brick-and-mortar bookstores, then understanding their profitability is paramount to building a win-win relationship. Would you walk into two competing book retailers in the same town and expect a warm reception from both store owners? Probably not. Well, Amazon is every book retailer’s primary competitor. And, Amazon/KDP printed books offer less profit for the book retailer and do not allow the retailer a book return option. Thus, if you, as the author, agree to a consignment arrangement on the backside of an author event at the store, your book will not find prime shelf space after you are long gone.
“Penny-wise, dollar foolish.”
You may have written a well-written, compelling story, and even have an eye-catching, well-conceived book cover, but no book sells itself. How you plan to promote and bring your book to market is paramount to your book’s ultimate success. What may appear upfront as profitable may more than likely prove very costly? Treat Amazon as the retailer you cannot ignore, but don’t ignore your other retail outlets and consider them as less important. Unless you have built up a huge name as an author with an enormous audience panting for your next book, your books will not sell themselves while you are glued to the world-wide-web and stuck in your comfortable chair at home.
News flash: Authors must invest in and actively engage in the marketing of their books to be successful.
POD book production is a gamechanger
I repeat–POD book production is a gamechanger and is here to stay, but do not overlook which POD printer you choose to use for your books. Amazon is a profit eating leviathan and plays both book printer/publisher and retailer, which for some may be convenient, and that is fine if that meets your book’s expectation. But, they have stirred up a lot of animosity by their voracious greed. Do not expect their retail competitors to provide you with a warm welcome if you carry into their store books printed by their most lethal competitor.
What about the reading audience? Should the reading audience care?
To all those you avid book-lovers whose money is spent in exchange for all the books that are behind this discussion: Please realize your pivotal role in this mortal competition. I hope you’ll patronize your locally owned bookstore and use online retailers only when necessary. Convenience costs more than you might think. Internet convenience influence affects so many others in your own community. Besides, your local bookstore should offer you an irreplaceable experience that engages all your senses whenever you walk into their brick-and-mortar confines. They should also help you discover new bestsellers in the making for your reading enjoyment.
Don’t know where all the quaint indie booksellers are located near you? Follow the link by clicking the image.
I sure hope to see you at some future book event at one of the many independent bookstores that are a part of the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance. And if you’re ever in Newnan, GA, my local bookstore is Southern Fried Books. Stop in and say, “Mike sent me.”
How is it Margaret Mitchell, Flannery O’Connor, Harper Lee, William Faulkner, Robert Penn Warren, Erskine Caldwell, James Dickey, Pat Conroy and the legacy of so many other great Southern authors have endured long after they left us? And, today Southern authors like Fannie Flagg, Alice Walker, Kathryn Stockett, Jeswyn Ward, Charles Frazier, Greg Iles, Charles Martin, Rick Bragg, and even John Grisham are still securing their legacy for future generations.
Let’s not forget the endless stream of fresh literary voices beckoning us with new Southern-laced literary works that supply the timeless and borderless demand for memorable flawed heroes, victims, and villains depicted in colorful Southern settings dealing with 21st-Century challenges and changes.
The South offers fuller moons and windier back roads for a reason.
What constitutes a great Southern story?
First of all, truth be told, I don’t know how to write the next best-selling Southern Novel. Of course, if I did happen to know how, I’d be too busy writing it and more than likely have my eyes cast on writing at least three. Three best-selling Southern novels would leave the kind of legacy that any writer would only dream about. But at least I know one when I see one. That’s because really great best-selling Southern novels are discovered, not written. In fact, none of the aforementioned authors began writing the next great Southern novel. They merely wrote what resided within them to write.
The indelible mark of Southern Author
Being reared in the South leaves an indelible mark on one’s soul where inspiration and motivation sprouts from fertile memories, the good and the bad, to write compelling stories. Aspiring writers with souls stained and strained growing up in the South cannot write anything else worthwhile. Southern stories are written experientially. An author might learn the mechanics of creative writing, but no classroom can replicate growing up and experiencing life in the South. There’s no better fodder for storytelling than lending an ear to the tall-tales of folks spinning yarns in the South. Such tales may be heard eating dinner, attending church, getting a haircut at a local barbershop, or at a beauty parlor for the women-folk, but let’s not neglect sitting on a neighbor’s porch.
So much of the South is found any evening on the front porch.
The Southern Author Is Too Polite to Name Names
I have learned one thing in my sixty-eight years, fiction is just the truth and reality wearing a mask and being stretched a might to be more palatable, and often more plausible. You see, more than not, the truth just ain’t as believable as the tall-tales that follow.
Now there are certain trademarks of any Southern story, they revolve around food, family, friendships, faith, and football. Right off, if any story fails to mention the sipping, swallowing, or gulping of sweet tea, consider it suspect right away. Also, in the South, a coke may not mean a Coca-Cola, and whiskey didn’t originate here, but it was perfected here. In fact, the tales of Cooter Brown’s perpetual drunkenness is a Southern-rooted legend.
Grits, gravy, and greens are menu staples, morning, noon and night. Anything else worth eating is also usually fried. Peaches, pecans, and peanuts are the foundation of many epic desserts too.
In the South, Change Arrives Reluctantly
It may be the 21st-Century, however, “Yes, ma’am” and “No, sir” are not derisive retorts but words of respect to our elders. Boys and grown men instinctively grab the door for a woman or young lady. Now, that’s not saying Southern gals don’t have spunk. Lord, just rile a Southern girl and you’ll learn right quick they invented sass. They also know, you know, you likely deserved it.
The 21st-Century Southern woman exited the confines of the kitchen and no longer remains in the shadows cast by men. She forges her own identity in society and dares men to catch up to her.
Some Traditions Linger
Of course, when someone approaches on a backroad, there will be a casual exchange of raised fingers atop their respective steering wheels. It’s an evolution of the tradition that declares in the South no one stays a stranger for long. Handshakes and howdies transform strangers into friends whether visiting or just passing through. What has changed is the inclusion of women in those customary exchanges.
But Some Traditions Remain Steadfast in the South
Last but not least, it’s downright hard to distinguish faith from football conversations. They both can offer the same fervor. In the South, the Lord’s Day is Sunday and everyone agrees that God graces every church, small or large, but Saturday, God sports our team colors, sits on our side of the field and favors our victories.
Now there’s a heap more we could wrangle back and forth about on this subject, but I reckon you’ve got the gist. We may not always be able to plainly define it, but we sure know when we have read a great Southern novel. When we come to the last page and close the book we feel sad because it ended.
T. M. Brown
Two books linked with their unforgettable setting and colorful characters
Coming May 5, 2020, Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest, book three in the Shiloh Mystery Series. Watch for more news about book three in the coming weeks. But I can tell you, Theo just can’t seem to avoid being in the middle of the threats to the peace and tranquility of lil’ ol’ Shiloh. Some family trees get shaken and familiar characters face life and death decisions in the next story.
September kicks off a busy Fall season of author events. My wife and I will be touring not only various venues in the Greater Atlanta area but also returning for a two-day author event with The Book Loft in Fernandina Beach and then back to my friends at The Bookshelf in Thomasville in the coming weeks. In the midst of it all, Hometown Novel Nights allows me to enjoy introducing and talking with new local authors before a growing curious audience in Hogansville and Newnan, Georgia. I also will be teaming up with my author-friend, Roger Johns in November for a discussion about “Our Enduring Fascination with Mystery & Suspense” at the new Story on the Square Bookstore in McDonough, Georgia.
My newest bookstore addition is right in my hometown of Newnan, Georgia with Southern Fried Books. and I’ll be signing books there September 20th during the Newnan Fall Art Walk. They have the largest inventory of my books too… Well, they are my exclusive hometown bookstore too. You can order signed copies from them to mailed to you as well.
From panelist the last two years to moderator. I am grateful to three talented authors of Inspirational Non-Fiction books for making me look good! We had a blast in front of a large audience in the Marriott Conference Center Auditorium Sunday afternoon.Giving back to the Atlanta Writers Club for all the excellent benefits it affords to authors. With over 1,000 members it is not only the oldest but also the largest author organization in the South. I am always amazed by all the published works that flow out from the members with many national best-sellers. We have a banner day recruiting new members during the festival. Atlanta Writers Club updated brochure. AWC offers so much for every member. Grab a copy or click the image to go online to learn more.Of course, you get to promote your published books too! Decatur Book Festival is always a great venue to begin the Fall book-selling season. With this being my third festival since the launch of Sanctuary, it always amazes me to be greeted by readers who are wanting to know when the next Shiloh Mystery Novel is coming out. I got stopped twice during the weekend without my author badge on–I’m still not comfortable responding to impromptu encounters, but it feels good afterward.
Here’s my updated and latest schedule of Fall Author Events which gets fast and furious from here until Christmas.
HUGE NEWS! Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest coming Spring 2020! Theo Phillips gets drawn once again into the midst of the fray as a young girl drives into Shiloh during the town’s annual Lightning Bug Festival. Lives will never be the same for several characters in lil’ ol’ Shiloh.
Are you ready to join the hundreds of others who are eagerly waiting for book three?
Order both Shiloh Mystery Novels and save. Follow Theo and Liddy as they arrive in Shiloh and get thrust into dark secrets and scandals only lil’ ol’ Shiloh can fester, and then join them as they get caught up as victims when the past returns to haunt their new friends in town. “Things get curiouser and curiouser…” as one reviewer said about the Shiloh Mystery Series.
Sanctuary, A Legacy of Memories = Fiction Finalist, American Book Fest “Best Book” Awards 2018Sanctuary: A Legacy of Memories by T.M. Brown Award Finalist: 2018 Best Book Awards Fiction: Religious Newly retired publishing executive, Theo Phillips, and his wife, Liddy, decide to leave the shadows of Atlanta behind and return to their South Georgia roots in time-lost Shiloh. While making new friends, Theo’s interest in a memorial launches him smack dab in the middle of scandal and dark secrets. As Theo digs deeper into the mysterious fire that stole the town’s landmark courthouse and a town hero, he and Liddy’s retirement dreams take a turn that could unravel both them and the idyllic life they and many others look for in Shiloh.
Sanctuary also was a Finalist for the 2017 Book of the Year Award with Interviews and Reviews.
Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest will be the third in the Shiloh Mystery Series. It offers a twist as key characters in Shiloh adjust to the changes in their lives and new additions to lil‘ ol’ Shiloh. Coming 2020.
Summer Sale of Shiloh Mystery Novels for Kindle Readers! Remember book three coming 2020! Will you be ready? Hurry though, this is a limited time offer to grab them at $.99 price. Regularly $3.99 each unless you’re a Kindle Unlimited subscriber.https://www.facebook.com/events/340683710182182/
Decatur Book Festival – Labor Day Weekend
I am moderating the Inspirational Author AWC/DBF panel on Sunday, Sept 1 at 3:45PM in the Marriott Conference Center. Three awesome and very gifted published authors will be on hand to discuss their motivation and messages in their books.
Saturday, Aug 31st, I will be at the Atlanta Writers Booth from Noon until 2 PM to talk about the benefits of AWC and to sign copies of my Shiloh Mystery Series books as well.
T. M. Brown is devoted to supporting locally-owned, independent bookstores. I pray they are your first choice when looking for your next good book to read.
Southern Fried Books is my local bookstore in my hometown of Newnan, GA. You can order signed copies of my books from them directly. Visit https://www.facebook.com/southernfriedbooks/
Moments later, the shrill piping of a fife and a rhythmic drum cadence quieted the crowd before a voice barked, “For-ard harch!” Pete, Jay, and Jim marched abreast in step to the lead of the teenage fifer and drummer, all wearing Minutemen costumes. Jay and Jim held shouldered muskets on either side of Pete, who carried the American flag with both hands. The crowd came to its feet as the color guard approached the makeshift stage until Jay shouted, “Color guard, halt!”
Hal Archer stepped to the podium and invited Miss Phoebe Thatcher, the high school’s music director, onto the stage to sing the Star Spangled Banner. Arnie Wright followed with a prayer of thanks for our nation, community, and today’s Jubilee. Hal then welcomed everyone to Shiloh’s one-hundred-and-fifteenth Independence Day Jubilee and added, “Before we enjoy all this scrumptious food and the activities planned this afternoon, I’d like to introduce my father, our Mayor Emeritus, the Honorable Harold Archer.”
Latest updates on Hometown Novel Nights activities and scheduled events that bring local authors and book enthusiasts together in an interactive and informative format to increase awareness of the literary legacy in our communities South of Atlanta.
Good writers engage their audience so well, scenes calling for sex, violence, or vulgarity communicate through the actions and attitudes of the characters.
Sex, Violence and Vulgarity
According to recent statistics, novels replete with explicit sex, violence, and vulgarity continue to thrive as the flavor of the month in book sales. However, should authors kowtow to gratuitous content just to increase book numbers?
Good writers engage their audience so well, scenes calling for sex, violence, or vulgarity communicate through the actions and attitudes of the characters. This is the real show-don’t-tell opportunity for authors. Otherwise, allow the story to unfold without all the possible explicit sordid details.
I believe an author’s responsibility is not only to entertain but also engage readers, so they sense they are witnessing the story as it unfolds. Share enough details to activate and invigorate the reader’s imagination as they engage the story.
What images race through your mind that depicts anger and rage? Do you picture contorted faces and threatening gestures, or do you need to be explicitly told?
Excerpt from Sanctuary
Consider this scene from my book Sanctuary: Hank gritted his teeth as the veins on his neck swelled, and his eyes glared through me. “Well, I think you’re putting your nose into places you’ve no business being.” He uncrossed his arms and pointed at my chest. “I’m warning you. Stay away from me and my wife!”
“Hank, I’m sorry if I’ve said or done anything to upset you. Have you spoken to your father?”
“This is between you and me. Stay out of our lives.” Hank’s effort to be more composed fell apart.
… Hank pressed his finger into my sternum. “This is all I’m going to say to you about Jessie or John…” He thumped his finger against my chest adding emphasis to each word. “I’m truly sorry about what happened to Jessie, but John got what he deserved. And you can quote me on that. Now back off! I’m warning you.”
Pete stepped out from the shadows, unceremoniously interrupting Hank’s exchange with me.
“Mister P, is everything okay?” Pete asked as he glared at Hank. “Hank, who’re you warning about what?”
Hank surveyed Pete and the four remaining shadows just out of the light. His finger fell to his side, but his distended veins on his neck swelled even more. “Pete, this has nothing to do with you or any of you guys!”
…Pete extended his finger just shy of Hank’s chest. “How in the blue blazes do you know it don’t involve us? If you think you can flex your muscles and intimidate one of my friends, you just made it my business.” His stern warning and unflinching stare froze Hank.
Granted a few expletives could’ve been heard, but did the scene work anyway?
Don’t Take My Word on This…
John Grisham achieved his decades-long success capitalizing on his uncanny knack of drawing his audience’s attention upon his colorful characters and settings. Doing so, he exited scenes involving sex, violence or vulgarity using innuendo. In fact, Grisham’s Theodore Boone YA mysteries found a broad new audience without much of an adjustment in his storytelling to do so. Neither should we to reach a wider audience to sell more books.
What is your opinion on the matter?
I would love hearing back from you. What is your opinion regarding the portraying of sex, violence, and vulgarity in novels? When is enough, enough and it becomes gratuitous? Who are some of your favorite authors?
How important is the book cover, first page, and first chapter of the books you choose to read?
The First Page Matters in the Sensory Appeal Test
Right after a potential reader sets their eyes on your book cover, the next critical test to pique the interest of the reader is page one of the story. Does it beg the reader to read more?
For this reason, I begin and end writing and editing with the first page. Like in real life, “first impressions matter” in establishing relationships. We don’t often get many second chances. Neither do our books should the first impression fail to pique a curious reader’s interest.
As an independent author, my books do not have the advertising and promotional blitz advantage afforded by the top publishers hawking their stable of best-selling authors. T. M. Brown does not have the name recognition of best-selling authors, such as Grisham, Patterson, Baldacci, Karon, Blackstock, etc. Like the myriad of other new books published this year, the majority lacking the deep pockets and name recognition, success boils down to passing the sensory appeal test.
What is the sensory appeal test? Does the book cover stand out when on display amongst the notable NYC published best sellers, or does it shrink almost unnoticed, overshadowed by more noticeable book covers?
Maybe its the competitive nature within me, but I desire my books to compete among the notables, the best-sellers. I prefer my books to be on the eye level front shelves in the bookstore; not relegated to shelves set aside in the back of the store. Why is that important? Okay, T. M. Brown is not a household name in the literary world, but when my book covers are displayed beside notable names that readers seek, Sanctuary, A Legacy of Memories and Testament, An Unexpected Return are exposed to more potential readers. BUT, now the sensory appeal test begins.
When either of my book covers catches the eye of a perusing reader and they pause to slide the book off the shelf for a closer look, the reader’s keen senses in the next few seconds decide the fate of my book. Without the notoriety of the more familiar author Dan Brown, it is the front cover which then earns an extended feel of the book.
My publisher utilizes heavier stock paper to print its books, and it is noticeable to the feel. The reader then flips to the back cover and peruses the carefully edited snippets about the book. If the book cover has passed the initial sensory appeal test the reader invests another critical moment and thumbs through the pages before eyeing the first page. Those first 200 or so words reign supreme over the next few seconds as the reader weighs the quality of the content of this interesting new author’s novel. Should by chance the reader flip the page or closes the book but runs their hand over the cover once again, chances are a decision is underway. In that brief moment, the weight of the first page matters.
Now It’s Your Turn
Now it’s your turn. What do you think? How much time do you give to selecting out a good novel to read? Are you narrowly focused on tried and tested bestsellers? Are you a reader who more often than not feels dissatisfied by the novels being hyped and peddled by the big New York City publishing houses. Sadly, there is more and more pressure for the assembly production of novels by notable authors. They are easy to recognize because the author name takes up the top half of the front cover. They are promoting the author’s reputation, not the story inside.
So how do my books stack up? Do the first pages cause you to consider reading more?
Looking forward to what lies ahead for the Shiloh Mystery Series with Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest underway, and the audible versions of the first two novels in the series in production.
The following link is to an interview I enjoyed providing on WUTC with Dante’s Old South program last Fall. It includes a brief six-minute reading of the opening chapter of Sanctuary, A Legacy of Memories.
The audible versions of both Sanctuary, A Legacy of Memories and Testament, An Unexpected Return are in production for release this Summer for those who prefer to listen to their novels.
Looking forward to what lies ahead for the Shiloh Mystery Series with Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest underway, and the audible versions of the first two novels in the series in production. Anniversary Book Tour 2019 has begun. Visiting local bookstores, literary festivals, and libraries. Hope to see you soon. Head over to @TMBrownAuthor on Facebook for the latest news and updates.
Are your ears attuned to those just like you who are being inspired by you and have piped in to cheer you on? Is it your tenacity and stubborn refusal to not give up …to not quit that has spurred them to your feet?
Georgia Writers Museum, Eatonton, GA
Are you ready to accept the Indie Author Challenge to never quit? Though Indie Authors must bear an enormous handicap to publish and then market in the growing sea of books on the market today, are you up to the challenge?
As an Indie-Author there are days when I feel like Brock from the movie, Facing the Giants. In this inspirational scene, Brock is challenged to bear crawl blindfolded toting a huge handicap on his back. Like Brock, I have no idea how far I must push myself to reach the goal line. I also share trying to heed the two voices screaming to determine my fate. There are the encourager’s persistent external urgings that compete to be heard above that inner voice screaming within my head, “I can’t do this! It’s too painful. It costs too much. I can’t possibly succeed.”
Then that encouraging voice pleads even louder, “Don’t quit! Don’t you quit! You can do it!”
Which voice will win the day within you? Do you believe in your heart that the goal line lies just beyond your grasp though you just can’t identify how much further it lies?
Are your ears attuned to those just like you who are being inspired by you and have piped in to cheer you on? Is it your tenacity and stubborn refusal to not give up …to not quit that has spurred them to your feet?
It is an undeniable fact: Indie Authors must carry a handicap to compete in the publishing world, and the amount of sacrifice and effort to reach the goal line is not always visible, BUT you gotta believe there are encouragers all along the way rallying you to not quit.
So for me, I will be like Brock and keep on, keeping on until I can’t go any further. And when I finally succumb and take off the blindfold, I pray the “blood, sweat, and tears” was worth it, and the goal line rested beneath my exhausted body. Because by overcoming the enormous handicap I began the Indie Author challenge carrying, others will be emboldened to accept the same challenge.
Can I count on you to encourage me and other Indie Authors to reach the goal line?
Visit AMAZON for some crazy prices on both paperback editions! Both books are celebrating their anniversary release dates. Sanctuary, A Legacy of Memories — Finalist American Book Fest “Religion Fiction” 2018! https://www.amazon.com/T-M-Brown/e/B06Y17WSJ3
Five years ago, my wife urged me to retire from the nine-to-five daily grind to write a novel that our grandchildren would enjoy reading. The first weeks entailed countless hours of investigating the basics — the what and how — of creative writing. Eventually, my inquiries led me to a God-sent relationship with a writing coach and editor, Kari Scare from Three Rivers, Michigan.
Thankfully, technology bridged the 900 miles that separated us. With Kari’s guidance and ample supply of red ink, I nurtured the original premise of a story. Word after word, page after page, revision after revision, Sanctuary, A Legacy of Memories emerged thirty months later. Though a few painful bumps and bruises left their mark along the way, I now proudly enjoy sharing about my legacy of love to my grandchildren.
Of course, one book is never enough. Thanks to the insistence of my earliest readers and my new author-friends, a year after my first novel launched, Testament, An Unexpected Return, the sequel, continued the saga begun in Sanctuary, A Legacy of Memories, and the third and presumably final installment is being written. Each features Theo Phillips, a recently retired publishing executive, and his wife, Liddy. Their journey began after they vacated their suburban home near Atlanta seeking to return to South Georgia, near their small-town roots. However, Theo and Liddy discovered their inquisitiveness, as they seek to settle into their Shiloh home, thrusts them into the midst of scandal and dark secrets surrounding a tragic death. In the sequel, Theo and Liddy become unlikely victims of a former resident’s mysterious return and reckless scheming.
Now what? Over the holidays as I began writing the third installment, I pursued a vital third question about crafting novels – why. An author must come to grips with the motivation and internal message that each story tells. After some soul-searching, I realized the events surrounding one of my characters had played out a true-to-life, relevant role within the main story.
Without revealing too much of the story, Megan succumbed to being coerced into making a choice only a woman can make, but she learns in the story choices have consequences, and most often unintended and far-reaching too. No matter how hard anyone buries such a dark secret, eventually it surfaces to the light. I tried throughout the story to reveal a truth we should all realize, God knows all our secrets. He knew we would make the decisions we did long before we created them. Megan comes to realize that one can compound a lousy choice with more poor decisions that hurt others, but more often than not, God exposes our secrets to begin the healing process of a broken and contrite heart.
So why did I write the stories I have written and likely will continue to write? To inspire my grandchildren and readers alike to examine their choices in life and how those choices have impacted their relationships with family, friends, and most importantly with God.
To emphasize this message, throughout February, all my royalties for books sold in Coweta County, GA — where the inspiration for Shiloh began — and on Amazon so others can participate, will benefit Coweta Pregnancy Services, Newnan, GA. The campaign is duly entitled, “Megan’s Pledge.” Below is a link to find out more should you wish to take part.
So, why do you write your stories?
I pray you may agree — “The testament of a man lies not in the magnitude of possessions and property left to his heirs, but the reach of his legacy long after his death.” Theo Phillips
T. M. Brown is a Southern boy at heart, although he’s lived and traveled in many states far removed from his beloved boyhood roots in Georgia and Florida. He returned to North Florida several years ago while his two sons were still in school and enjoyed traveling throughout the South for business. After his youngest son went off to college, he ventured to New Orleans to complete post-graduate studies. The last fifteen years, he has preached, taught and coached in Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida until his wife and he relocated outside of Atlanta where they have since retired to write, travel, and spoil grandchildren.
Presenting author at 2017 & 2018 Decatur Book Festival, 2017 Milton Literary Festival, 2018 Dahlonega Literary Festival. Suspense Book 2017 finalist, Reviews & Interviews. Member of the Atlanta Writers Club, Georgia Writers Association, Chattahoochee Valley Writers Club, Georgia Writers Museum. and Broadleaf Writers Association (ATL). 2018 Best Book Award Finalist from AmericanBookFest.com for Sanctuary, A Legacy of Memories. Shiloh Mystery Series: Sanctuary, A Legacy of Memories (Jan 2018); Testament, An Unexpected Return (March 2018); Purgatory, A Progeny’s Quest
362 pages, paperback
Publication Date: January 19, 2018
Sanctuary: A Legacy of Memories introduces newly retired publishing executive Theo Phillips and his wife Liddy to the time- lost South Georgia town of Shiloh. They leave the shadows of Atlanta and move into a quaint home of notoriety. While making new friends, they discover twenty-first-century challenges threaten the town’s laid-back lifestyle. Theo’s interest in a memorial launches him into investigating tragic events that have left Shiloh unsettled. Retirement dreams face twists and turns that could unravel both them and the idyllic life they and many others look for in little old Shiloh.
This first novel in the series with the sequel, Testament: An Unexpected Return (ISBN 978-1-64111-084-6) published March 21, 2018, portrays God’s providential nudging of Theo into facing the reality that he and Liddy did not choose Shiloh, but Shiloh beckoned them to reveal the scandals and dark secrets haunting their community. And, “as those good ol’ boys like to say, things get curiouser and curiouser . . . ”
Sanctuary: A Legacy of Memories is available for purchase through local book retailers and online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and TMBrownAuthor.com.
About the Author
T. M. Brown embraces his Georgia heritage thanks to the paternal branches of his family tree. Retired since 2014 from the nine-to-five life, Brown and his wife, Connie, reside near Newnan, Georgia. When not writing or traveling, the couple enjoy sharing time with their two grown sons and their families.
What Southern stories rest on your bookshelves at home as a testimony to their lasting imprint on our lives?
Margaret Mitchell. 1900 – 1949
A Southern Novel Nearly Gone With the Wind
After a broken ankle immobilized her in 1926, Margaret Mitchell began developing a manuscript that would become Gone With the Wind, ultimately published in 1936. The success of Gone With the Wind made her an instant celebrity and earned a Pulitzer Prize for Margaret Mitchell, and the famed film adaptation released three years afterward. Over 30 million copies of Mitchell’s Civil War masterpiece have been sold and translated into 27 languages. Tragedy struck in 1949 when Mitchell was struck by a car, leaving Gone With the Wind as her only novel.
Born and raised in Atlanta, Mitchell experienced tragic twists and turns; with the loss of her mother in 1918 and then four years later and four months after her wedding, her first husband abandoned the marriage. She wrote nearly 130 articles for the Atlanta Journal Sunday Magazine during that troubled time. By 1925 with her first marriage officially annulled, Mitchell married John Robert Marsh who encouraged her writing during her recovery from a broken ankle in 1926. By 1929, she nearly finished her thousand page Civil War and Reconstruction era story – A romantic novel, written from a Southern woman’s point of view, steeped in the history of the South and the tragic outcome of war.
Rest of the story lies in what happened next…
However, the grand manuscript remained tucked away until 1935 until she reluctantly out of fear showed it to a traveling book editor, who visited Atlanta in search of new material, and the rest is history.
What motivated the book editor to leave his ivory-tower office in New York City?
Southern authors during the decades since earned a warmer reception from the dominant publishing houses as the appeal for Southern stories grew.
What Southern stories rest on your bookshelves at home as a testimony to their lasting imprint on our lives?
Besides capturing the pace and feel of a small Southern town perfectly, Brown peoples it with well-developed characters. Readers will look forward to Theo’s further adventures. (Booklife)
Click the image to find the complete review at Publisher’s Weekly.
We returned August 20 with our first virtual live author panel event thanks to the Newnan Carnegie Library. More will be added to the calendar in the coming weeks bringing more Georgia authors to our local audience that continues to grow daily.
Here is the August 20 video–learn more about the HNN program. Sign up to learn more about future author events — in-person and virtual in the coming months.
October 10 Warm Springs Cellars T. M. Brown, Angie Gal lion
October 15 Carnegie Newnan Sharon Marchisello, Angela McRae, and “Sisters in Crime Panel” others (In-person event, subject to the local health crisis limitations)
November 19 Newnan Carnegie Library T. M. Brown hosts Martha Boone, Ane Mulligan, and Holly Moulder (Virtual Zoom Event)
December 17 Carnegie Newnan ALL HNN Authors & Local Audience
“Christmas Special” (details to be advised)
NOTES:
Warm Springs Cellars – Lines Between the Wines with added possibility of adding author at the Goose and Hog location (bikers outdoor burgers & beer)
Pretty Good Books, Lagrange – good bookstore venue for limited book talk and then take advantage of a 2-3 hour time slot to meet and greet patrons at the store.
Rogers BBQ, Hogansville –take advantage in a good sense of their receptive support and banquet room space. Replacing June Carnegie event with Rogers BBQ as host.
WQEE Radio Program –Suspend until further notice until confirm new sponsors.
Monarch House Fourth Sunday Program – Suspend until further notice.
AUTHORS & BOOKSTORES: Contact us about scheduling an event with us. Virtual programs allow us to bring together broader audiences with more talented authors.
Georgia Writers Museum — A Timely Reminder of Our Past
In light of our country’s ongoing strife to defeat racism in America, there is an institution that embraces the giftedness and contributions of ALL Georgia authors. Inside the Georgia Writer’s Museum, you will discover three diverse featured authors associated with this Eatonton, Georgia landmark — Joel Chandler Harris, Flannery O’Connor, and Alice Walker. Many other noteworthy Georgia writers adorn the walls and exhibits of the museum, each selected for the body of their writing as the only criteria.
The streets of our country need to resemble the camaraderie and mutual respect that reside within the publishing world. Where else might you find the diversity of thought among the stories of our country’s checkered past.
In my humble assessment, the vast diversity of voices found on bookshelves that adorn our homes, fill our libraries, and flood our community bookstores more than not reflect this truth:
We should never attempt to erase the regrets of our past, nor censure the hopes of a better future. Change can only be nurtured and shaped in the present where regrets ignite the flames of hope.
Acceptance of new thought and story opens eyes and minds to the possibilities that reside in the hearts of our society. Every voice should be free to be heard without fear of being drowned out by the intolerance of others. We may not all agree with one another, but we can respect the value of diversity in our Country–it is the very fabric that binds us as a nation.
We need more institutions like the Georgia Writers Museum to remind us of this truth.
(Portraits by Lake Country Artist Chris Cook)
Look! Virtual Mini Tours! Learn more about our featured local writers, Harris, O’Connor and Walker. Filled with facts and stories, the tours are informative, fun, but not too long! Check back each week as we add new episodes. Current videos available for viewing:
