Chapter 16
A Community of Tennessee Writers, Readers & Passersby

Wrestling for a Blessing

Bestselling Christian writer Rachel Held Evans re-examines the evangelical teachings of her youth

In her new book, Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again, Dayton author Rachel Held Evans attempts to reconcile the simple religious instruction she received as a child with the complicated reality of life outside her faith community.

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Prowling Like Maggie the Cat

In a posthumous collection, poet Diann Blakely casts her lot with outsiders

Rain in Our Door: Duets with Robert Johnson is the last and most radical collection by the late Nashville poet Diann Blakely. The book’s title is taken from the Mississippi musician’s own lyrics: “You better come on in my kitchen, cause there’s gonna be rain in our door.”

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The Lights of Evil

A seven-year-old’s disappearance sets off a government cover-up

Nashville journalist Jeremy Finley’s debut thriller, The Darkest Time of Night, features alien abduction, forced amnesia, systematic murder, and vast government cover-ups. Finley will appear at Parnassus Books in Nashville on June 26.

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The Little Devil’s Advocate

In Emily Giffin’s All We Ever Wanted, Nashville parents navigate the perils of social media

The action of Emily Giffin’s new novel begins with a scandal that forces two sets of parents to find out how far they’ll go to protect their teenagers. Giffin will discuss All We Ever Wanted at Cheekwood Estate & Gardens in Nashville on June 23 at 4 p.m.

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First Look

What’s Next for Jack Ryan Jr. in the Clancy Universe?

In Tom Clancy Line of Sight, Knoxville author Mike Maden continues the adventures of Tom Clancy’s famous hero, Jack Ryan, through his son, Jack Ryan Jr. Maden will discuss the novel at Barnes & Noble Booksellers in Knoxville on June 16.

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From Heights Looking Down

Sybil Baker’s While You Were Gone renders Chattanooga in cinematic detail

With echoes of Shakespeare’s King Lear and Chekhov’s Three Sisters, Sybil Baker’s new novel, While You Were Gone, deftly explores family relationships—and family secrets. Baker will appear at Star Line Books in Chattanooga on June 22, and at the Chattanooga Readers and Writers Fair on June 23.

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