Chapter 16
A Community of Tennessee Writers, Readers & Passersby

Faye Jones

A Real Fine Place to Start

With her new novel, country star Sara Evans tries her hand at collaborative fiction

Sara Evans‘s debut novel, The Sweet By and By, written with Rachel Hauck, is a story of faith, forgiveness, and redemption. While inspirational, the novel is never preachy, and the characters, no matter their faults, are treated with sympathy and even-handedness. In an interview, Sara Evans talks with Chapter 16 about the book, the writing process, and the role faith plays in her own life. She will be performing and signing copies of The Sweet By and By at Davis-Kidd Booksellers in Nashville on January 11 at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

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From Memphis to Montpelier

Lisa Patton’s novel leads a Southern Belle into a wintry hell—where, to her own shock, she thrives

Lisa Patton‘s debut novel, Whistlin’ Dixie in a Nor’easter, is a calorie-free popsicle of a story about a Southern girl out of the pool and into the snow. Vermont might as well be a foreign country to Leelee Satterfield, who has moved there from Memphis with her husband, daughters, and a Yorkie named Princess Grace.

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Beyond Belles

Cathy Holton’s novel delivers another sharp look at the interior lives of aging debutantes

Four college roommates reunite some twenty years later for a beach trip where old wounds resurface, secrets are revealed, and decisions get made that will change their lives. Sound familiar? It should. This is not remotely a new plotline for so-called “women’s novels,” but Chattanooga resident Cathy Holton brings a depth, humor, and warmth to Beach Trip that make this novel more than just a beach read.

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