Books written by authors with Columbia connections

What’s better than a good book? A good book written by your neighbor. Brew up a batch of your favorite cup of tea or Indah coffee and get ready to meet your next read, because we’re talking about locally written books in Columbia.

Fiction

• “The Lower Quarter” by Elise Blackwell | Release date: Sept. 21, 2015 | Valuable art goes missing in this murder mystery set in post-Katrina New Orleans
• “The Stone Necklace” by Carla Damron | Release date: January 19, 2016 | Set in Columbia, four lives intertwine after a car accident. The story follows these characters and explores themes of grief, forgiveness, and compassion.
• “Let the Glory Pass Away” by James D. McAllister | Release date: Jan. 17, 2017 | Columbia comes to life in this novel with fictionalized characters some may recognize from the Soda City cultural scene.
• “The Forgotten Girl” by India Hill Brown | Release date: Nov. 15, 2019 | This ghost story for young adults begins when a young girl stumbles upon a crumbling gravestone in an abandoned cemetery.
• “The Dead Romantics” by Ashley Poston | Release date: June 28, 2022 | A supernatural ghost romance novel set in the fictional town of Mairmont, SC.
• “The Seven Year Slip” by Ashley Poston | Release date: June 27, 2023 | In this witty and wise novel by the New York Times bestselling author of “The Dead Romantics,” Clementine, an overworked book publicist with a carefully planned future, faces an unexpected challenge when she falls in love with her temporary roommate.
• “A Novel Love Story” by Ashley Poston | Release Day: June 25, 2024 | When Eileen Merriweather — an avid fiction reader — finds herself in a quaint town from a storybook, literally, she has to find a way to finish the book but finds that the town’s storybook ending may just be intertwined with her own.
• “Redwood Court” by DéLana R. A. Dameron | Release Day: February 6, 2024 | Set in a 1990s Columbia cul-de-sac, “Redwood Court” explores the highs and lows of life in the South through a Black Southern family’s eyes. Fun Fact: The novel was selected as Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club Pick earlier this year.

Part of a series

• “Bittersweet Motives” by Tyora Moody | May 11, 2019 | The first in a series, former reporter Serena “Rena” Manchester uses her investigative skills to solve murders.
• “Amari and the Night Brothers” by BB Alston | Release date: Jan. 4, 2022 | The first in a trilogy, this young adult novel tells the supernatural story and adventures of Amari Peters.
• “Heroes and Heroines of the American Revolution” by Idella Bodie | The series of twelve biographies portray the lives of individuals who lived in SC or in some way served in the 137 battles fought in SC.
• “Summoning Up Love – Heart and Soul Book 1" by Synthia Williams | April 26, 2022 | The first in the new series of spicy Southern romance novels, this book tells the story of Vanessa Steele’s recovery from losing her job and her fiancé.
• “Amari and the Night Brothers #3" by B.B. Alston | Release date: February 6, 2024 | This is the third installment in the Supernatural Investigations series from the Lexington-based author who was the No. 1 Kids’ Indie Next pick.

Learn something new

• “Hootie!: How the Blowfish Put Pop Back Into Pop Rock” by Mike Miller | Release date: Jan. 1, 1997 | Former music writer for The State, Mike Miller, takes you on a journey with local band Hootie and the Blowfish, from Five Points to one of the top-selling albums of all time.
• “University of South Carolina in Focus” by Chris Horn | Release date: Aug. 2, 2022 | This book paints a rich and vivid history of SC’s flagship university charted in 1801.
• “Kugels and Collards” by Rachel Gordin Barnett, Lyssa Kligman Harvey, III, John M Sherrer | Release date: August 29, 2023 | This book is a flavorful exploration of SC’s Jewish community through its diverse culinary traditions.
• “Play-by-Play From The Minors” by John Kocsis | Release date: October 10, 2023 | This is for those wanting to know what it’s like working in sports. This book contains the secrets and successes of minor-league baseball broadcasters.
• “The Essential Last Supper” by Ralph E. Jarrells | Release date: August 30, 2023 | This book discusses the famous art “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci and how it may not be an accurate representation of the biblical Last Supper event by exploring symbols, various theories, and other artist representations.
• “Injustice in Focus: The Civil Rights Photography of Cecil Williams” by Cecil Williams, Claudia Smith Brinson | Release date: January 9, 2024 | This book is a collaboration between Southern Black photojournalist Cecil Williams and journalist Claudia Smith Brinson, offering a firsthand account of SC’s civil rights movement.

For the family

• “Dear America: I Thought My Soul Would Rise and Fly” by Joyce Hanson | Release date: Oct. 1997 | Part of the Dear America series, this historical fiction is set in Mars Bluff, SC, and tells the story of a young freed slave after the Civil War.
• “Black Magic” by Dinah Johnson | Release date: Jan. 18, 2010 | This children’s book illustrated by R. Gregory Christie is a celebration of the African American spirit and paints a picture of the color black.
• “Sunday Week” by Dinah Johnson (Author) Tyrone Geter (Illustrator) | Release date: July 4, 2023 | The celebratory picture book takes young readers through the daily chores and activities of each weekday.

Personal stories

• “My Fondest Memories Never Happened, Volume 1" by Jay E. Raphael | Release date: July 1, 2019 | This book is a collection of personal, amusing, and honest tales from author Jay E. Raphael
• “My Vanishing Country” by Bakari Sellers | Release date: May 19, 2020 | This memoir tells the story of growing up in rural Denmark, SC, and the life lessons that shaped the local lawyer and CNN analyst.
• “Pops: Learning to Be a Son and a Father” by Craig Melvin | Release date: June 15, 2021 | This memoir from Columbia native + news anchor of NBC’s Today show is an exploration of fatherhood and race.
• “How to Be Human: An Autistic Man’s Guide to Life” by Jory Fleming |Release date: April 20, 2021 | UofSC grad, and Rhodes Scholar Jory Fleming examines what it means to be human through a series of conversations with writer Lyric Winik.
• “Swimming with the Blowfish: Hootie, Healing, and One Hell of a Ride” by Jim Sonefield | Release date: June 28, 2022 | A memoir from Hootie and the Blowfish drummer Jim “Soni” Sonefield, telling the inside story of the band’s humble beginnings, meteoric rise, sudden fall, and ultimate rebirth.
• “True Story: A Faith Journal” by Greg Adalane | Release date: May 29, 2023 | This heartwarming collection of stories chronicles Greg’s journey from an unlikely broadcasting start to everyday experiences. Originally shared on Facebook during the COVID-19 pandemic, the well-received writings inspired Greg to compile them into this book.
• “Dear Black Girls” by A’ja Wilson | Release date: February 6, 2024 | The WMBA star and Gamecock legend shares personal stories and writes what it means to be a Black woman in America today, uplifting Black girls everywhere.

Need more recommendations? Stop by Richland Library, All Good Books, or Ed’s Editions to get expert advice from Cola’s librarians and booksellers.