Susan Gregg Gilmore is the author of the novel, The Curious Calling of Leonard Bush (Blair).

When twelve-year-old Leonard Bush loses his leg in a freak accident, he decides to give his leg a proper burial in the hilltop cemetery of his East Tennessee town. This event – somehow – sets off a chain of miraculous and catastrophic events causing the local Baptist minister to pass judgment and promise dire consequences.

Gilmore takes us along for this small town joy ride as the people of this small community on the banks of the Big Sugar move together toward awakening.

“Each fully developed character has a role to play in this moving and unusual novel, a homespun Pilgrim’s Progress set at a dairy farm on Big Sugar River in East Tennessee in 1961. Gilmore knows how to move the suspenseful events right along to its brilliant and moving conclusion. A big, generous novel, a really good read.” —Lee Smith, The Last Girls and Silver Alert

Susan Gregg Gilmore is the author of the novels Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen, The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove, and The Funeral Dress.

She has written for the Chattanooga Times Free Press, the Los Angeles Times, and the Christian Science Monitor.

Born in Nashville, she lives in Chattanooga with her husband.

NOTE: Susan will appear with Nashville songwriter Belinda Smith who has written music for Leonard.

Belinda Smith is a Dove Award winning songwriter based in Nashville, TN.

Belinda will accompany Susan Gregg Gilmore with songs inspired by Susan’s novel, The Curious Calling of Leonard Bush.

Originally from West Virginia, she has garnered three BMI awards and has written songs which have appeared on three Grammy-nominated records.

Secret Monkey Weekend – A family band from Durham, NC: Step-dad, Jeffrey Hart on guitar/songwriting/vocals with step-daughters Lila and Ella on bass and drums respectively.

Their new album is Lemon Drop Hammer. Their previous album was All the Time in the World.

“Reminds me of the time The Kinks had kids with The GoGos. Wait, did that happen? Ella, Jefferson, and Lila have created… songs that make me want to shout, dance, and shimmy up the flagpole!” – Don Dixon – (producer, REM, Smithereens, Marshall Crenshaw).

“The new album picks up where All the Time in the World left off in 2022, showing the kind of progress more veteran artists would be well advised to aim toward, Lemon Drop Hammer shows a band on its way to greatness.” – Peter Holsapple – (The dB’s, Continental Drifters).

The rock trio’s fascinating origin story is profiled in a 2023 Emmy-winning PBS documentary: My Home, NC | Secret Monkey Weekend | PBS NC.

Ally Durr is a singer songwriter from Jackson, MS. Her latest releases include the singles What You Livin For and Keep Fighting, which is included on the soundtrack of the film, I’m From You.

Durr’s soulful voice reflects her influences of soul, jazz, gospel, hip hop and R&B.