Jonathan Miles is the author of the novel, Eradication – A Fable (Doubleday).

The book is the Indie Next List pick for February by the American Booksellers Association.

Reeling from tragedy, a former jazz musician–turned–schoolteacher named Adi answers a job listing advertising a chance to save the world.

The assignment: to spend five weeks alone on the tiny, isolated Pacific Island of Santa Flora righting an ecological balance that’s gone severely out of whack, with the aim of preserving countless bird and plant species from certain extinction. What follows, however, is anything but balanced.

“Incisive . . . An excellent storyteller, Miles leavens the grim material with moments of dark comedy and shepherds the plot to a series of poignant revelations… This one sneaks up on the reader.”– Publishers Weekly

Miles’ previous novels include Dear American Airlines and Want Not, both New York Times Notable Books, and the novel, Anatomy of a Miracle. His journalism, essays, and criticism have appeared in a wide variety of publications, including The New York Times, where he served as a columnist.

In 2024 he toured as a multi-instrumentalist in the band of the Grammy-winning artist Jon Batiste.

A former Oxford resident during the 1990s and adopted “son” of late author Larry Brown, Miles is a columnist for Garden and Gun and serves as Writer-in-Residence at the Solebury School in New Hope, Pennsylvania.

Tommy Womack is a critically acclaimed singer-songwriter whose latest album is Live a Little (Schoolkids Records) produced by Eric “Roscoe” Ambel.

“…all the rousing, irrepressible rhythm [with] vocals that are well-watered, rootsy & earthy.” – Americana Highways

A founding member of 1980s college radio staples Government Cheese, Womack’s book Cheese Chronicles (1995) is a cult classic memoir of road life in a band. In the early ‘90s he was a member of the Bis-Quits who recorded for John Prine’s Oh Boy! label. His side project with Will Kimbrough, Daddy, has made three albums.

A two-time winner of the Best Song award in the Nashville Scene year-end critics’ poll, he’s penned songs for Jimmy Buffett, Todd Snider, Jason & the Scorchers, David Olney, Dan Baird and others.

Womack’s previous release include, There I Said It! and its follow-up, Now What!

In 2021 he released, I Thought I Was Fine which critic Robert Christgau hailed: “never has this Nashville lifer made more of his knack for words and the tunes to put them across … so funny and humane that you can’t help rooting for him.”

Womack lives in Nashville Tennessee.

Peggy “Lady Trucker” Hemphill Lesueur is a member of the blues-singing Hemphill family that includes late patriarch Sid Hemphill (1878-1961) and the late Jessie Mae Hemphill (1923-2006).

Lady Trucker’s latest CD is the rocking blues, Rollin’ Up On Ya (Reverb Unit Records).

She often gigs with her husband, drummer Artemas “King” Lesueur, who received a Grammy nomination for his work with his global touring mate, Cedric Burnside.

Hemphill Lesueur is a retired long-distance trucker. Her two daughters have taken up the family business.

Lesueur is known for providing free school supplies to students in her communities in North Mississippi and the Delta.

Her latest project is fundraising for a “love van” to provide transportation to youth arts programs in the region.