Author Jim Tinker to Speak on Historical Novel “Wills Valley”

On Sunday, Feb. 8 at 2 p.m., Jim Tinker, author of “Wills Valley,” will speak at Moon Lake Library about his historical novel, published last year by Christian Faith Publishing.

“Wills Valley,” set in DeKalb County, Alabama, is based on historical facts and real people who lived in the area. The novel tells the story of two men — one older, one young — living and working in north Alabama not long after the removal of the Cherokee. Today, both men lie somewhere in unmarked graves in Wills Valley, between Lookout Mountain, Georgia, and Sand Mountain, Alabama. Though written as fiction, the book is grounded in well-documented history and meticulous research, offering readers an immersive look at everyday life, family struggles, and cultural change in the region.

The story itself grew out of Tinker’s deep interest in history and genealogy. He has researched his family history for more than 45 years, tracing generations from New England through the Civil War and Reconstruction and into Alabama. “Wills Valley” begins with his grandfather, Calvin Tinker, who was raised in Deerhead Cove and went to work as a young boy at charcoal furnaces in Rising Fawn, Georgia, before later moving to Birmingham to work in the steel mills. Tinker notes that while the book is fiction, many of its historical details, even those that may surprise longtime local historians, are drawn directly from documented sources.

Jim Tinker grew up in Brighton, Alabama, near Birmingham, and spent much of his professional career with the Boy Scouts of America, where he worked in program development, fundraising, and training. He later continued with the organization as a consultant after his retirement in 1999. Over the years, he has also owned and operated a charter fishing boat, served on the staff of his local church, and worked in real estate. He holds a degree from Samford University and has received numerous awards for his service in his community, profession, and church.

Tinker has previously published “My Last Will & Testament,” a book reflecting on his faith journey. He and his wife, Judy, divide their time between their cabin in North Georgia and their condo on the Gulf.

The author talk with Jim Tinker is free and open to the public. Copies of “Wills Valley” will be available for purchase, and the author will be on hand for a book signing. Additional library parking is available in the grassy area beside the library or in the Moon Lake Campus parking lot off East River Road.

Anne McCleod is the librarian at Moon Lake Library.