I wanted you all to be the first to see my new book cover. So here is the first peek at the cover of The Song of Sourwood Mountain that I’ve been promising to show you for a couple of weeks. While the book won’t be out there for readers until May 2024, it is already available for pre-order at most internet booksellers. A great place to go book shopping for your favorite Christian reads is Baker Book House. On pre-orders for books like mine, you can get 40% off plus free shipping.
Back out here on the farm, I need to get busy and get information about this new story road I took back to the Appalachian Mountains on my website. So, you’re even ahead of my website visitors to see the cover. I’m sending out a newsletter next week to do a shout out about the book cover, but still you’re first. (If you’re not signed up for my newsletter, you can sign up right here on the form in the margin of my website.)
It can be fun to be first for some things. Like being first in the buffet line at a church dinner. My husband complains that I am always at the back of the line. That’s true at our church dinners. So now he doesn’t wait on me and gets in line before all the good pieces of chicken are gone. My problem is that I’d rather talk than eat. 🙂 And there is always a plentiful abundance of food at our church dinners. Last is line is still going to find a lot of pot luck goodness.
I suppose there are times when first in line or first to get the news is not always the best. Nobody wants to be first in line to get a shot. Some of you may remember back in the day when the county nurse showed up at you school, needle in hand to give us our inoculations. We all rolled up our sleeves and took those shots. That kept us from getting whooping cough, tetanus or various other illnesses.
But I am straying from the joy of showing you my beautiful new cover. I love the colors and the way my character’s skirt billows out behind her. That’s Mira, a schoolteacher, who is somewhat surprised to find herself on Sourwood Mountain. Turns out she has plenty more surprises waiting for her in Sourwood. I am excited about you all getting to walk along her story road with her as she gets to know Gordon and Ada June and Miss Nicey Jane and Elsinore and Selinda, to name a few.
Getting to show off a new cover is one of the fun things about a new book being published. Coming up with all those names for this or that character in a new story is a fun thing too. I’ve got the names for the story I’m working on now or most of them. Other characters will pop up and I’ll have to name them too. When I’m writing historical stories, I like using names that fit the time period of the book. When I’m writing stories set in the Appalachian area the way The Song of Sourwood Mountain is, I want to come up with names that fit the area.
I’ve named a lot of characters in the nearly 40 books I’ve published. I used to keep a list in one of my notebooks to try to keep from using the same names over. I should have kept that up. Now sometimes I have to look back at the character lists I keep for each book to remember some of my names. Maybe I should do a post about the names I’ve liked best for this or that character in my stories.
But back to my cover reveal.
What do you think? Does it make you curious about Mira and her story?
Comments 40
I LOVE your book cover! I can’t wait to get this book and read it; especially, since it’s about a teacher! Also, it’s fantastic that the story takes place in the Applachian Mountains!
I am anxious to get this very appealing book, love stories of that era and location. My ancestors probably lived there, my grandmother was a country school teacher from Abingdon, Virginia where she taught her own siblings. I have enjoyed all your books. Have you been in touch with The American Chestnut Society recently? I understand a new breed of pest free Chestnut trees has been developed, tested, now for sale to native Americans. Wish I could qualify! GOD BLESS YOU for blessing us!
Author
That’s great news – about the American Chestnut trees, Beth I do hope they can get started again in the Appalachian regions of our country. Oh, and it’s great news you’ve enjoyed all my books and are looking forward to going to the “hills of Kentucky” with some of my characters again. While I didn’t dwell on Mira’s job teaching school, I did do a lot of research on those early teachers in the Appalachians. Very interesting.
I loved the title even before seeing the cover. And that makes me want to read it even more! Can’t wait to read it but guess I’ll have to.
Author
So glad you liked the title, Ola. I know there will be plenty of readers who won’t know why in the world I wanted to use Sourwood for my community name. I wasn’t familiar with the sourwood trees that much prior to researching them.
And yes, it will be a while before the book is out there for readers. That’s good because I need to get another book written before then. I need to get busy!
I am quite taken with this cover. Yes, I like the billowing skirt, the flowers, the bright colors, the bird, the trees, yes — I like it all. I think the blue indicates problems that Mira will be facing …. that may make her blue but will give her an opportunity to become stronger. Sounds like an excellent read. I generally get books from Baker Book House and get publication notices from them. Looking forward to reading.
Your new cover captures some of my very favorite colors. Of all your wonderful books, I think I enjoy your “mountain books” the very best so I was happy to read the title & see the mountains on your new book cover. The only thing better would be if I could sit down and read the whole book in one setting…today!!!
May the Lord help the words to flow through you to bring an encouraging word from His Word that would bring life & hope through your characters into our world today.
I’m thankful that the Lord gifted you to write and you have not “buried it in the ground” (as the man with one talent did in the Bible) but you persevere…through writer’s block, looming deadlines, etc…so that we may enjoy the “fruits of your labor”. Thanks so much!
God bless you,
Connie
Author
Thank you for your lovely prayer, Connie. Definitely a perfect prayer for a writer delving into a new story idea. I do often think about the man with one talent in the Bible and how we all have a tendency to either bury our talents or not trust them to be good enough to accomplish anything.
I’m glad you liked the cover and I smiled about you saying the best thing would be to sit down and read the book without stopping. I have read books like that or at least wanted to.
Author
Baker Book House is a great place to shop for those wanted Christian fiction books, Loretta. I had the pleasure of visiting the store a couple of times and wish I lived close enough to shop there. Beautiful gift items. Fabulous selection of books. Neat that they send out publication notices.
Mira does have some challenges to face from page one to page last. I hope readers will be there with her though it all.
Looking forward to your new book!!
Author
Wonderful, Geri. Thank you. I’ll be sharing uch more about it as the publication date draws nearer next year.
The colors burst right in front of your eyes and readers won’t be able to resist. It’s absolutely beautiful! This is one of those “frame worthy” covers! Can’t wait!
Author
Frame worthy. That’s a nice thought, Margaret. I only have a couple of my covers framed, but I know some writers that do keep framed copies. Perhaps I should consider doing that too. 🙂
You had me at “Sourwood Mountain “! I can’t wait to read it. I love Appalachian stories, especially yours.
Author
I searched the Eastern Kentucky maps to try to pick the perfect place for my story, Sandra. I did pick a place but decided to fudge a little and come up with a new name. There are so many hollers that had names that may have been forgotten. Then I read about the sourwood trees and had my name.
I love the cover and can’t wait to read the story of Mira and all the surprises that come to her!
Author
Great, Pamela. I’ll be excited to hear what you think about the story when you get a chance to open up that cover and dive into the story inside.
Love this cover ! Mira’s beautiful billowing skirt and determined look on her face ; and the Bluebird of happiness perhaps waiting to bring some good news . Looking forward to reading this book . Appalachian stories are my favorite !
Author
I’ve enjoyed writing stories set in the Appalachia area, Nancy. I think since I’m a farm girl with a strong attachment to the land that I can just shift that feeling over to the mountains. It’s a great place to find stories.
I love the bright pink flowers with the bird. It is a very pretty cover, and I am looking forward to reading it. It seems a long time until the release date but the way the years seem to be flying by, it will be here before we know it!
Author
It is a while before the release date, Hope. That’s a good thing in one way. I need to have my current work in progress finished by then and I’m having a slow start. The months do fly by. Just look at us already here in November. I think with it so warm the last couple of week (not now) it was easy to forget that we were almost to cold weather.
Glad you think the cover is pretty and I will be eager to hear what you think of the story when you get a chance to read it.
What a beautiful, enticing, cover!
I’m looking forward to reading about Mira and all the other people who become part of her life on SOURWOOD MOUNTAIN.
Author
Wonderful, Marji. I’m always excited to know what you think about my stories after you have a chance to read them. Glad the cover adds some of that extra anticipation for the book.
Beautiful book cover! I’m eager to read about Mira and curious about what surprises are in store for her. I think you know how much I enjoy stories of Appalachia, so I’m very excited to read this one in May.
Author
I have loved writing my Appalachian stories, Lavon. I have another planned after the book I’m currently working on. I’m happy the cover has enticed you into the story.
Hope you are getting that Christmas sewing done.
Beautiful cover. I look forward to reading the story. 🙂
Author
Wonderful, Melissa. I’m so happy to have you as one of my readers and pleased that you think my story is one you’ll be anxious to read.
Thank you for letting us see the cover. I love the whole scene, especially the colors. I love 🐦 bluebirds, all birds really so that little bluebird makes it extra special to me. Yes, the cover entices me to read the story. I’m anxious to find out what Mira is thinking as she stands there with her skirt billowing in the breeze and to read about her story.
Author
Just the sight of a bluebird can cheer a person up, Lee. I guess that’s why we think of them as bluebirds of happiness. I use that thought in the story for Mira. So, I think you’ll like her when you have the chance to read her story.
Maybe she’s out searching for bluebirds in that scene on the cover or maybe for one of her students or maybe for love or maybe… Well, there are many possibilities. I’m so happy that you want to read the story to find out about those.
Love the cover Can’t wait to read your New Book !
This is an absolutely beautiful cover. I’ll sharing this with a purchase link on my social media as soon as you give the okay. I’ve already mentioned this as one of my “want to reads” for 2024!
Author
Thank you so much for helping spread the word about my books and that of other Christian writers, Connie. That is so helpful and appreciated. I love that you write reviews to help too. I’m so glad you liked the cover. A pretty cover like this one makes a book more fun to share, doesn’t it?
I am curious as to why the name of the mountain is Sourwood. The bird and flowers look anything but sour. Can’t wait to read another book about the area I am from.
Author
I was looking for a different name for my holler and mountain story, Mary. I thought about other trees to name my mountain, but if you know the area, you know there are some interesting names of places and creeks there. I’ll have to do a post about that sometime. Anyway, I came across the sourwood tree and although it has a “sour” name, the tree sounds beautiful with its fragrant blooms. Sourwood honey is very sweet, they say.
I hope you will love the story when you get to read it.
I love the cover! I agree that the colors are beautiful, and the scene is tantalizing! I’m eager to read this new one!
Author
Wonderful, Suzanne. I agree that the scene in an interesting one. Where is Mira going in such a hurry? And why?
I’m excited to have the story out there for readers like you and hoping you will like reading all about Mira and the other story people.
Very pretty cover. I like it and anxious to read your new book. Always enjoy your books.
Author
Thank you, Shirley. I appreciate you reading my stories and I hope you’ll like this one when it comes out next year. I had a good time getting to know the characters and writing their stories.
I’m looking forward to meeting Mira. The book cover is beautiful.I love you Appalachian books,I love all your books , though.
I was up in your neck of the woods today. My sister and I came through on the way back from Lexington.
Author
Love having you as one of my readers, Lisa. I hope you waved as you and your sister went by. It would have been fun to see you.