Do these names ring a bell?

ByTamera Alexander
14 Comments

Jack Daniel? What about Miss Mary Bobo? Or the town of Lynchburg, Tennessee? If not, hopefully they will soon. Tyndale Publishers is close to finishing the cover for my SEPTEMBER 2026 release In These Hills, my twentieth novel.

As soon as I have the cover, I’ll share.

Until then, here’s the back cover blurb . . .

A female suffragist on the run finds more than refuge in the hills and hollers of Tennessee in this gripping historical romance from USA Today bestselling author Tamera Alexander.

1905. Josephine Dunham is running for her life. After a suffragist rally in Atlanta turns deadly, she buys a one-way ticket on the first train out and lands in rural Tennessee. There, Dodge Coburn—a rough-edged stranger with undeniable appeal—begrudgingly offers her a ride to Lynchburg, a speck of a town where Josephine hopes to disappear.

Battered and desperate, Josephine has little say when Dodge delivers her to Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House. Hoping to work in exchange for room and board, she soon discovers the only job matching her skills is at Jack Daniel’s Distillery, an irony not lost on a suffragist committed to prohibition.

Dodge questions Josephine’s tale of running from an abusive husband. But between managing Jack Daniel’s cattle farm and raising his young niece, he has little time or reason to challenge her…at first. Drawn to Josephine’s convictions and compassion, Dodge begins to question the dreams he’s chasing, while Josephine is forced to reckon with a world far more complex than the principles she’s clung to.

As Jack Daniel’s Distillery gains national recognition, Josephine’s secrets resurface. In a place where whiskey making takes time but justice is too often hurried, Dodge and Josephine must decide what—and who—they’re willing to risk everything for, and whether faith will hold when the cost is high and time is running out.

I’m not just excited to share this story with you, I’m also greatly relieved to be at the final galley stage (the last time I’ll see the book before it goes to press). This one was tough to write. But oh the history. That part was wonderful.

In closing . . .

January marked 20 years since my first book, Rekindled, Fountain Creek Chronicles book 1 was published in 2006, followed by Revealed (book 2) and Remembered (book 3). I’m grateful for the chance to update these covers for this 20th year book birthday, and appreciate Ken Raney (husband to our dear Deb) for his expertise in making it happen.

Fountain Creek Chronicles novels—three critically-acclaimed novels about finding love and faith in the rugged Colorado Territory

Much love from Nashville, friends, where we’re finally beginning to thaw out after last week’s ice storm. Times like that always remind me of how fragile human life really is, and of how grateful I am that our Heavenly Father, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, is sovereign over all.

So tell me . . .

Have you ever visited Lynchburg, TN? Toured Jack Daniel’s Distillery? Or eaten at Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House? If not, we may need to arrange for a group meet-up there sometime this fall. Just sayin’. ; )

Tammy

HAVE YOU JOINED US YET? WE’RE JUST STARTING FEBRUARY’S BOOK—THE ENGLISH MASTERPIECE BY KATHERINE REAY

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Tamera Alexander is a USA Today bestselling novelist and one of today's most beloved authors of inspirational historical romance and women’s contemporary fiction. While being Gram Tam is her current favorite role, she’ll never turn down a stroll through an old cemetery or browsing through antique shops. In These Hills, her newest novel, releases September 2026.

14 Comments

  1. Oh wow. The new covers are stunning! Ken Raney knocked those out of the park! It looks like Lynchburg, TN is driving distance from Nashville… maybe we should take a group outing from Rendezvous this year since it’ll be in Nashville. Wouldn’t that be fun? And since your book releases in September, we’d all have plenty of time to read it beforehand.

  2. I’m a tiny bit prejudiced, but those covers are STUNNING! Makes me wish I wrote historical! I can’t WAIT for your new book to release! Big congrats on those 20 years and your 20th book.

  3. Congratulations on 20 years of publishing books! The new book covers are beautiful! Looking forward to reading your new release in September!

  4. Wonderful new covers for those stories. I remember reading and enjoying them! I’m excited to hear there will be a new story for us to enjoy in September!

  5. Wow! There’s so much in this post. Congratulations on twenty years and your upcoming release. The characters sound complex and interesting, as does the story. I love the history you reveal in your books. The new covers are beautiful, and since I don’t have these books, I will have to invest.

    No, I haven’t been to Lynchburg, Tennessee, so that would be interesting and doable. I am continually surprised at the number of cities in Tennessee that have the same name as Virginia cities, such as Franklin and Lynchburg.

    I have joined the Christian fiction challenge and am about ready to start Katherine’s book. I was a member of the What’s the Dickens book group she, Kristy Cambron, and Sarah Ladd hosted before recently needing to disband it.

    I have seen all of the ice and snow damage in Nashville. John Rich was interviewed from there. Hope you weren’t badly affected. We were just part of the snow bomb that came through the Carolinas and hit us here in Virginia Beach, but we were spared with only 3 inches of snow. The worst part was the wind, but all is well. Stay safe and warm!

    1. Thank you, sweet Betty! So kind of you, friend. Yes to the names of cities in both states. Crazy. I loved seeing that you’re in the challenge. You’re going to love Katherine’s book. She’s a wonderful writer.

      Joe and I actually never lost power and have no massive trees, so were just iced in for days. But compared to everyone else, we were golden—except for having to walk the dogs. LOL It was a slippery, freezing mess. But I loved every minute of being “stuck at home.” But so many are STILL without power, and schools have so much damage. It’s a real challenge and so sad to see all the damage. Praying you’re well and keeping warm up there in Virginia Beach.

  7. Great covers! And I’m soooo looking forward to the new book! 🙂 The only part of Tennessee I’ve ever been to is Nashville.

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