Birmingham Authors You Need to Read

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You’ve probably heard of Rick Bragg’s All Over But the Shoutin’, Fannie Flagg’s Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, and Kathryn Tucker Windham and all her ghosts.

However, there are other authors that are currently publishing some amazing writings who live right here in the Magic City.

Being a writer myself, I also have an affinity for reading. I read a lot of books, mostly fiction with some sort of love story. Since the pandemic, I’ve found several new favorite authors that happen to live right here in Birmingham.

Here are a few of my favorites I think you should add to your reading list. 

Lauren K. Denton

I knew of Lauren because of her monthly column she writes for The Homewood Star. However, it wasn’t until last summer when I checked out one of her books from the library that she quickly became one of favorite authors!

I read every one of her books last summer, one after the other, and they were all incredible. 

My three favorites

  • The One You’re With
  • The Hideaway
  • Hurricane Season

I’m excited about her upcoming release A Place to Land coming out in October 2022. 

Sean Dietrich (Sean of the South)

My cousin Ken says that Sean Dietrich is to words what Normal Rockwell was to paint, and I completely agree. Sean moved from the Florida panhandle to right here in Birmingham in March 2022. He has a huge following on his daily blog, which he also shares to Facebook. Blogging every day for the past ten years, he’s also managed to publish 13 books and is working on even more. (That’s all in addition to his weekly podcast!)

My three favorites:

  • Will the Circle Be Unbroken?
  • Small Towns, Labradors, Barbecue, Biscuits, Beer, and Bibles
  • Sean of the South, Volume 1 

Patti Callahan Henry

This New York Times and USA Today bestselling author has written 17 novels and also hosts the Friends and Fiction live web show and podcast. Patti resides in both Mountain Brook, Alabama, and Bluffton, South Carolina.

Her writings include contemporary Southern fiction books along with historical fiction, all in a Southern setting. 

My three favorites

  • Becoming Mrs. Lewis: The Improbable Love Story of Joy Davidman and C.S. Lewis
  • Where the River Runs 
  • Driftwood Summer

    On my list to read
  • Surviving Savannah

Kari Kampakis

As a mom, and mom of a daughter, I enjoy Kari’s books in which she shares a wealth of incredible knowledge from raising four daughters herself. And, in her latest book, she focuses on helping moms prioritize their own wellness, which is something I definitely need to do!

My favorites

  • Love Her Well
  • More Than A Mom

Here are a few suggestions from other Alabama authors outside of Birmingham:

  • Rachel Hawkins- Her novel The Wife Upstairs was an instant New York Times and USA Today Bestseller
  • Beth Duke- Described as Southern fiction with a twist of sublime, her novel It All Comes Back to You is a #1 Amazon best seller.
  • Harper Lee- If you’ve never read her famous piece of American literature, I suggest you check it out!

Who are your favorite local authors? Please share so I can check them out, too!