“I travel the way of truth, even if I’m the only one. I travel the path of light, even if I’m the only one. I travel the path of hope, even if I’m the only one. One giving truth and hope and light to those who think there is no truth and hope and light left to hang onto.”
-James L. Rubart
Southern Fiction Author
Jennifer Hallmark
Jennifer Hallmark writes Southern fiction with a twist. Her website and newsletter focus on her books, love of the South, and favorite fiction. She creates stories with unforgettable characters—her stories are a little eerie and otherworldly but with a positive turn.
Jessie’s Hope, her first novel, was a Selah Award nominee for First Novel. Her latest novel, Smoking Flax, will be released on January 16th, 2024.
When she isn’t babysitting, gardening, or exploring the beautiful state of Alabama, you can find her at her desk penning fiction or studying the craft of writing. She also loves reading and streaming fantasy, supernatural stories, and detective fiction from the Golden Age or her favorite subject—time travel.
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Favorite Friday Fiction: Sprouts of Love by Valerie Comer
By Ginger Solomon I’ve read a lot of Valerie Comer’s books, and so far, I haven’t found one I haven’t liked. Sprouts of Love touched me because it’s about service—giving of time and resources to someone who needs a little help. In this story, Ben and Evelyn seem to be...
Sharing Creations From The Garden
By Ellen Andersen I love to garden. I REALLY love to garden—flowers, mostly. I have several friends who do too. We enjoy seeing each other’s creations for the year and often share plants with each other. We talk about what worked and what didn’t, and the surprises we...
Favorite Friday Fiction: Forever After by Deborah Raney
By Ellen Andersen The second book in a trilogy in Hanover Falls , Forever After tells the story of two people whose lives are connected by a tragedy causing their family members to perish. Lucas and his father fought to put out the fire at the homeless shelter. While...
Jessie’s Hope Has Arrived!
Finally. Nine years after writing the original story. Four years after pitching it to an editor who showed interest. And twenty months after I signed a contract. I should now have a "major" in patience. But like the long pregnancy is mostly forgotten after the...
Newspaper Photos Spark a Drive for Revival
By Nina Keenam In 1975, a darkroom technician at the newspaper where I was community editor noticed an old frame church while driving around in rural south Alabama. He was trying out a new camera. It was obvious from numerous broken window panes and a dangling door...
Favorite Friday Fiction: Jessie’s Hope
Wow! I can hardly believe it is June 14th. On Monday, the 17th, my debut novel, Jessie's Hope, will be released, a lifelong dream realized at last. This dream began in the 8th grade when I won a school wide poetry contest. Seeds were planted then of a possible writing...
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