“The heart that loves is always young.” – Greek Proverb

February is the border month between winter and spring, and hopefully we can keep our thoughts looking ahead optimistically to spring and lovely weather again. My quote for the month of February is: “Believe in something beautiful again.” I believe a key to happiness in life is to look forward with hope, new plans, and optimism rather than looking back with regret or focusing too much on the small daily cares of life.

As February begins, J.L. and I look forward to our two new books coming out at the first of March, and we are spending the last of these winter days working on new books we hope to see take shape for the next year.  My new Mountain Home book WILDFLOWER HAVEN and J.L.’s and my new devotional SUNDAY THOUGHTS are both up for pre-order now at various retailers like Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Books-A-Million, Indie Bookstores, Fantastic Fiction, and through multiple international book sellers. If you come to visit in the Smoky Mountains, you will also find my books at Moon Pie General Store and Book Warehouse on the main Parkway in Pigeon Forge.

If you can come to any of our BOOK TOUR events, we would love to see and meet you in person and you can also get signed copies of our new books or any of our past books you’ve missed there. For our official BOOK LAUNCH, we are having a Book Launch Open House Party this year. We haven’t been able to host one of our party open houses since before covid … but this year we would love for you to drop by our Book Launch party any time between 1:00 to 4:00 for books, snacks, and entertainment! Tim Simek, a national hammered dulcimer champion, will be playing throughout the event… and we’ve scheduled this Launch Party at the beautiful First Cumberland Presbyterian Church’s large meeting room at 6900 Nubbin Ridge Drive in West Knoxville. The church is easy to find with lots of parking and easy accessibility … so come join us and help us celebrate our new books!

We have one event in late February you’ll see posted below, but I am also noting our March events so you can make plans to attend one of these first signing events if possible. We already have a full calendar for March, events set in April-May you can find on the Appearances page of my website… and we’re adding more daily.

We travel mostly around our own Appalachian region for events … but you can keep up with us via social media on my two Facebook pages.

Additionally, on my website you can follow my blog … which is also archived so you can look at past blog posts, too. This year I’ve been writing a “free” short story every month for my readers and you will find my new Blog Post story for the month, A CHANCE FOR PEACE, at: http://www.linstepp.com/blog/ …I hope you are enjoying these monthly stories. Note: I do not ask my readers to subscribe to read my monthly blog or my newsletter but you can click to “follow” the blog if you like so you will get a short email when a new blog posts every month.

Best to all this last month of Winter. Stay warm and safe.

See you again in March…. Lin

 

BOOK TOUR EVENTS FEB-MAR:

BOOK SIGNING EVENT – Sevierville area – Saturday, February 28, 9:00am- 3:00 pm – ROSE GLEN LITERARY FESTIVAL/APPLACHIAN WORD FEST, Event Center at the Ridge, 1250 Middle Creek Road, Sevierville, TN 37862

PUBLICATION DATE for Our New Spring Titles: MARCH 7th!!!

BOOK LAUNCH! – Knoxville, TN – March 7, Saturday, BOOK LAUNCH PARTY OPEN HOUSE HOURS 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm.  Everyone invited! First Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 6900 Nubbin Ridge Drive, West Knoxville, TN 37919.[ In the church’s beautiful gym and meeting room ]. We will have our New Books and our past titles at this Book Launch Event Party, plus snacks, drinks, and entertainment by Tim Simek, National Dulcimer Champion throughout the open house hours.

SIGNING EVENT – Lenoir City area – March 13-14 – Friday, 12pm – 6pm and Saturday, 10am – 6pm. Foothills Craft Guild ARTISAN MARKET, The Venue at Lenoir City, 7690 Creekwood Park Blvd, Lenoir City, TN. 37772

SIGNING EVENT – Cosby/Newport area – March 21- Saturday 1:00 – 4:00 pm, SONGBIRD MOUNTAIN COFFEE COMPANY, 237 Broadway, Newport, TN 37821 . To celebrate my New Novel set in Cosby, we’ll be in this charming lunch and coffee shop all afternoon. Thanks to owners Melissa and Corey Ackerman for inviting us!

SIGNING EVENT – Waynesville, NC, area – March 27, Friday, 2:00 pm- 4:00 pm. BLUE RIDGE BOOKS, 428 Hazelwood Ave, Waynesville, NC 28786 -[ A fine Waynesville independent bookstore you will love visiting!]

SIGNING EVENT – Waynesville, NC, area – March 28 -Saturday, 9 am – 3 pm, THE COTTON TAIL MARKET, Smoky Mountain Event Center, 758 Crabtree Road, Waynesville, North Carolina. … [A wonderful show right in Waynesville. Come enjoy all the crafters and vendors!]