We recently connected with Mike Brown and have shared our conversation below.
Mike, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?
Wanting to highlight local authors south of Atlanta in the Fall of 2018, I talked an author-friend, Tim Riordan aka Judah Knight (author. name) into doing a local author event in Senoia–the home of the Walking Dead television show. After a sell out event, I had no problem discovering local authors wanting to take part in local author programs. Entering our fourth year of monthly author programs, Hometown Novel Writers Association, Inc. has featured over 200 books by mostly Georgia authors. Even during the pandemic, we worked with Newnan Carnegie Library to present our author programs virtually, which expanded our reach in 2020 – 2021. In 2021, we also began “writers helping writers” virtual critique and in-person support groups for aspiring local authors. This past August, we co-hosted the inaugural Sharpsburg Book Fair along with the Town of Sharpsburg; 43 authors shared their books with a non-stop crowd during this one-day event. We raised enough money to fund four scholarships for selected high school students to attend the prestigious Atlanta Writers Conference. Likewise, we made a donation to the Coweta FERST Readers Foundation, who provides free age-appropriate books each month to children from the cradle to age of four. 2023 will mark our fourth season of author events and programs with even a greater reach of programs and events in surrounding counties south of Atlanta.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?
I retired from the 9-to-5 life in 2014 to write Southern fiction as a legacy to my grandchildren. Since 2017, I have published three novels with my fourth, a historical novel due for release in August 2023. Along the journey, I found a growing community of local Georgia authors facing the same challenges I have faced with the ever-changing publishing industry. Newnan, Georgia (my adopted hometown) lost its long-time independent bookstore, Scott’s Bookstore, on historic Court Square in Downtown Newnan in 2009. However, in 2014 the historic Newnan Carnegie Library, across the street from the old bookstore, completed its renovation and returned as a landmark host for author programs. To replace Scott’s Bookstore (once Lewis Grizzard’s hometown bookstore), I worked with the owner of Corner Arts Gallery, Studios & Gifts located next door to the old bookstore to begin selling local author’s books. Today, the store has over 180 titles in their ever-expanding Local Georgia Author Book Nook. This summer, Newnan Book Company opened in downtown Newnan. Southern LitFest, June 3-5, 2022, sponsored by Newnan Carnegie Library Foundation, featured several well-known best selling authors along with a dozen local authors in their kick off event.
Is there a mission driving your creative journey?
The mission of Hometown Novel Writers Association, Inc. is two fold: “Introduce local authors to local audiences south of Atlanta”, and “encourage writers helping writers on their journey to writing, publishing, and promoting their books.” Building a interactive community of authors turns a solitary endeavor into a far less lonely venture.
We’d love to hear about you met your business partner.
Hometown Novel Writers Association, Inc. has grown well beyond my own vision. Today we have eight board members and a growing alumni of authors and aspiring writers that has made all we do possible. The original cadre of author-friends has remained in tact and encouraged the growth of programs and events we have added over the past four years.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tmbrownauthor.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/t.m.brown.author/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/T.M.BrownAuthor
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/t-m-mike-brown/
- Youtube: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCYu1Qq3NmSh5itFanXqdaYA
- Other: https://hometownnovel.com https://www.instagram.com/hometownnovel/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/979319765584924 https://www.facebook.com/WGAHometownNovel
Image Credits
Various activity photos of Hometown Novel Writers Association authors, T. M. (Mike) Brown, Sharpsburg Book Fair, Southern Lit Fest 2022, and Hometown Novel Nights author events, and Downtown Newnan author book signings.