I’m excited to share that Little Kids, Big Adventures: Exploring the Cumberland Plateau, Tennessee Valley, and Great Smoky Mountains With Kids will be published by the University of Tennessee Press!
For some background, my wife Katie and I started to discuss writing a book that we wished existed—one about exploring the many outdoors options around Knoxville with kids. We put up a website (linked above) and worked on a few chapters, sharing them with friends and family and generally having fun writing about what we’ve learned, imagining someone new to Knoxville while doing so. In concert with receiving positive input from others, we reached out to the University of Tennessee Press, noticing that they publish academic titles of regional interest—and several books that are closer to what might be published by the popular press.
We wrote and shared a proposal with an example chapter (Abrams Creek) back in February, then received some feedback around six months later that included a request for a second chapter—which we sent a few weeks ago (on Seven Islands). We received some posiitve input and then waited a bit longer, learning today that they would be extending a contract.
We’re thrilled. Writing this feels like it draws on everything I know about and love most: family, the outdoors, history and the natural world, and our little kiddo. We’ll be sure to share more as the project develops.