Author Talk with Terah Shelton Harris

Join acclaimed author Terah Shelton Harris as she discusses her newest novel, Where the Wildflowers Grow, a poignant story of survival and redemption that questions what it means to stop existing and start living.

Leigh is the last of the Wildes. She knows this because she watched them all die. Grief never truly fades and even as the tragedy haunts her, Leigh carries on, because survival is in her blood. So, when the transport bus taking her to Pr*son careens off the road, killing everyone onboard except her, she does what's in her nature. She survives. While searching for a place to hide, Leigh stumbles upon an unexpected sanctuary: a flower farm in rural Alabama tucked away from the world. What Leigh doesn't expect is the found family there who have built something from the wreckage of their own lives. Especially Jackson, the farm's owner, who sees through Leigh's defenses, offers her small moments of tenderness, and encourages her to face her own tragedies. Slowly, Leigh finds peace with the hard pace and soft nature of the farm, taking comfort in the life blooming around her. Maybe she's not beyond redemption, not too broken for something good. And maybe, just maybe, Leigh starts to heal. But the past isn't so easily buried. No matter how far she runs, the truth of who she is and the ghosts of the Wildes follow. And when those secrets catch up to her, threatening everything she's come to love, Leigh will have to truly face what she can survive.

Books will be available for sale and signing from The Book Cellar.

Terah Shelton Harris is an author and former librarian, who now writes upmarket fiction with bittersweet endings. She is the author of One Summer in Savannah and Long After We Are Gone. Her books have been chosen as a Target Book Club pick, LibraryReads pick, Kobo Best Book, Together We Read pick, Publisher’s Marketplace Buzz Book, and a Goodreads Choice Awards nominee for Best Debut. Terah was also named Target’s first Author of the Year.

Moderator Renée Hicks is a book lover and influencer who has fostered community in the literary space for nearly eight years. She founded Book Girl Magic, a virtual book club dedicated to celebrating and uplifting Black women authors. What began as her personal mission to spotlight underrepresented voices has grown into a global movement encouraging readers to explore stories beyond their own experiences. With a heart for connection, Renée uses the magic of books to spark dialogue and highlight our shared humanity.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Gwinnett County Public Library