Lin Stepp

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After twelve Smoky Mountain novels, a new stand-alone series, The Mountain Home Books, began in 2020 with Happy Valley, followed by Downsizing in 2021, Eight at the Lake in 2022, Seeking Ayita in 2023, and Shop on the Corner in 2024 and then The Red Mill Bookstore in 2025 set on the quiet side of the Smoky Mountains in Townsend. The new 2026 Mountain Home novel is titled Wildflower Haven, set in the scenic Cosby and Newport area of the Smokies. I think you will enjoy meeting Valerie Gilliland, Patrick McNaughton, and all their friends and family in this new book. You’ll find this new story full of interesting places, hikes in the mountains, and a array of adventures, mysteries, and surprises set around the Wildflower Haven nursery and garden center to keep you entertained until the end.

New for 2026…

A New Mountain Home Book, Wildflower Haven:

The draw and pull of nature and a shared appreciation for the wonder of the Smoky Mountains may draw two very different individuals together initially but their fierce independence and the unexpected problems and secrets around them may soon pull them apart.

Valerie Merton always loved wandering the winding pathways of the Wildflower Haven, her family’s garden and nursery center in Cosby by the Smoky Mountains. Not everyone understood her love of this place, in her family since the 1800s, but she treasured their land and legacy. It annoyed her one spring day to see a man, ignoring all their caution signs, picking shoots off their plants. Of course she had to talk with him about it, but his responses were rude and arrogant. The man also made her uncomfortable, and she hoped he wouldn’t come back.

Dr. Patrick McNaughton, a biology and botany professor, enjoyed strolling through the pathways of the garden center near the rustic mountain home he’d recently purchased. As he explored, a woman called him to task for picking plant shoots to use in his teaching, an attractive and arresting woman he soon learned was part of the family who ran the nursery. Her grandfather, a more congenial sort, later friended him and invited him to dinner with all the family, making Patrick smile to realize he’d get to see the man’s interesting granddaughter again, too.

Discover a new guide book, Traveling Georgia State Parks:

This diverse, colorful Georgia state parks guidebook takes readers traveling the entire state from coastline to mountains, providing informational and engaging descriptions of all the state’s sixty-six parks and historic sites. Additionally including over seven hundred color photos in illustration, this is the ideal travel guide for outdoor enthusiasts, campers, hikers, history buffs, anglers, and all who are eager to explore the beauty and diversity of Georgia.

Bestselling authors and native Tennesseans, J.L. and Lin Stepp, love exploring the beauty of the Southeast region near their home. After publishing four successful guide books, The Afternoon Hiker, spotlighting hiking trails in the Smoky Mountains, and three state parks guidebooks, Discovering Tennessee State Parks, Exploring South Carolina State Parks, and Visiting North Carolina State Parks, the Stepps headed next to Georgia, visiting all sixty-six state parks and historic sites. In a format similar to their previous guides, this guidebook introduces travelers to the diverse and beautiful parks of Georgia to enjoy. Clear directions to parks are provided, along with details about amenities, practical tips, local history, suggestions for interesting and fun things to do and see and a rich array of color photos. The Stepps have compiled a remarkable portrait of the amazing diversity of Georgia state parks, each one unique and fascinating in its own way. The book is organized into six regional sections so readers can easily locate and read about parks in the specific area they wish to visit. Indexes list the parks by state region and also alphabetically by name. Through the detailed and personal accounts described, the book offers a joyous celebration of a fun, colorful state.

**A New 365-Day Devotional, Sunday Thoughts:**

An inspirational word from God can bless your entire day and feed your soul.

We need rich spiritual thoughts, or Sunday Thoughts, not just on Sunday but on every day of the week, to inspire us, lift our spirits, give us wisdom, and help us grow in our faith. This 365-day devotional guide, Sunday Thoughts, Inspirational Thoughts for Sunday or Any Day, will give you a rich, anointed inspirational lift every day and help to deepen your personal relationship with the Lord.

Each reading in the book—one for each day of the year—is built around a chosen theme or spiritual thought. The day’s devotion begins with the title or theme for that day, followed by two individual writings about this concept or theme for you to read, think, and pray about.

Studies have found two views on the same subject are always better than one, giving more depth and diversity of thought on a specific topic. These two writings on each day’s subject, prayed over and written individually by the book’s authors, will hopefully bless you “two-fold,” like reading two-devotionals instead of only one. Ecclesiastes 4: 9 confirms: “Two are better than one” as each lifts up and supports the other. Each entry offers a rich teaching layered with supportive scriptures and closing with an encouraging Bible passage.

Every day, we need time with God. God’s Word urges us to seek wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. There is something about seeking God with all the heart that draws Him to come and impart His love, wisdom, and words to you. A time each day to draw close to God in a daily devotional time is a good way to begin reaching and drawing nearer to the Lord. This book can help you in that goal.

“Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.” – James 4:8

Look for these and other books by Lin and J.L. Stepp online or in bookstores near you!