Tusculum College Bookstore to host book signing for author/professor Dr. Lin Stepp

stepp1Tusculum College’s Dr. Lin Stepp will be on the Greeneville campus Thursday April 22, from 2-4 p.m. for a meet and greet and book signing event at the Tusculum College Bookstore.

Stepp, who has taught developmental and educational psychology, as well as a research writing course at the Tusculum College Knoxville Regional Center, has released two of a 12-book Smoky Mountain Series, which have received positive reviews, including a glowing review from Dolly Parton.

According to Stepp, the series is set in the Smoky Mountains, with “The Foster Girls” set in Wear’s Valley. The second book in the series, “Tell Me About Orchard Hollow,” is set in Townsend and is the most recently released.

In the second book, the main character, Jenna Howell, hastily retreats to a rural cabin in Townsend from downtown Manhattan after several shocking events and heartache come her way. Having heard many happy stories about the Smoky Mountains from her friend, Sam Oliver, in New York, Jenna hopes escaping to Sam’s place will help her figure out what to do with the shambles of her life.

On Orchard Hollow Road in Townsend, Jenna meets many new friends, including local artist Boyce Hart. A quick attraction, unwanted by either, sparks between Jenna and Boyce, proving to be both exciting and confusing. With time and space away from New York, Jenna begins to heal and develop confidence and faith.  However, unexpected tragedy forces her to return to New York all too soon – where she has to try out her new-found strengths, resolve the problems in her life and decide on the direction for her future.  Choosing the right course proves to be more difficult than expected – as two very different lives vie with opposite allures for Jenna’s heart.

“The Smoky Mountain series are all contemporary southern fiction – with a generous sprinkling of romance, a dash of suspense, a touch of inspiration and a big dollop of Appalachian flavor,” said Stepp.  “Unlike many series books, each novel is a complete story in itself – with a warm, satisfying ending.  The link in the series is that each book is set in a different region of the Smoky Mountains, giving the reader a visit to those areas around the mountains with each read.”

She added that the books are interwoven in a way in which characters from one book might walk into another book.  For example, a minor character and social worker in “The Foster Girls” becomes the main character in the third book in the series called “For Six Good Reasons.”

“I am fortunate to have nationally-acclaimed artist Jim Gray’s beautiful art work on the cover of all my novels and very grateful to have the praise and support of Dolly Parton for my books,” said Stepp. “My national and regional reviews have been very good – such as the one from the well-known Midwest Review.”

For more information about Stepp and her novels, see her author’s Web site.