I am happy to announce that the audiobook version of Turkey Trot is now available through Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books. In case you missed it in my last newsletter, Turkey Trot was named the 2026 Professional Outdoor Media Association Pinnacle Award Honoree in the Book category. The Pinnacle Awards recognize outstanding achievement across the full range of outdoor communications, and the ceremony is sponsored by Safari Club International. I was honored to receive the award and believe the audiobook really brings the story to life. If you haven’t tried the audiobook versions of my books yet, Turkey Trot would be a great one to start with.

Over the summer months, I tend to miss one of my monthly newsletters. This year proved to be no exception! Not only are we in the middle of a move that will get us back closer to my and my wife’s hometown (and families), but I’ve also been busy setting up a new office/shipping center for Jimmy Tidmore Books. This is a big improvement over my old home office, which was bursting at the seams with book inventory.

Things are still a mess inside—so much so that my wife wouldn’t let me share any interior pictures yet. But once it’s straightened up, organized, and decorated to her satisfaction, I’ll share more pictures in a future newsletter.

We still have numerous balls in the air, and things are a little crazy right now. But we are excited to get back “home” after decades of being away. Like most small towns, not much has changed—which is the way we like it.

I have some exciting news to share.

This past Thursday evening, the Professional Outdoor Media Association held its annual Pinnacle Awards ceremony at the POMA Summit in Hugo, Minnesota. POMA’s membership consists of writers and other creative professionals who produce traditional, outdoor sports-focused content—books, articles, photography, and other media. The Pinnacle Awards recognize outstanding achievement across the full range of outdoor communications, and the ceremony is sponsored by Safari Club International.

I wasn’t able to be there this year—life is a little crazy around here right now (we’re in the middle of a move)—but I received word that Turkey Trot was named the 2026 POMA Pinnacle Award Honoree in the Book category.

I honestly don’t take this for granted. To have my writing recognized by professionals within the outdoor industry—twice now—is something I’m deeply grateful for. Last year it was Sticks and Strings. This year it’s Turkey Trot. I couldn’t be more honored.

It was my privilege to visit with two amazing schools this month—Bulloch Academy in Statesboro, GA, and Whitesburg Christian Academy in Huntsville, AL. During these visits, I was able to share with hundreds of students about the importance of reading and writing.

The response has been great. Here’s what one teacher had to say:

The feedback has been phenomenal. It was a wonderful presentation, and the school has been quite a buzz ever since… our school librarian came to me requesting that I hurry up and get those books into the library because she was getting so many requests for them. I told her that we were definitely going to need to order a few more sets, and she agreed.

My own class had a writing assignment the day after, and I could tell that they truly were inspired as the creativity is definitely more than in the past! I have no doubt that other teachers are having similar experiences in their own classrooms. 

If you’d like to have the same sort of experience at your own child’s school, please direct your librarian/media specialist to the school visits page on my website. I still have some spots available for this school year.

Does your child’s school use the Accelerated Reader (AR) Program to encourage students to read? If so, I’m happy to announce that Turkey Trot is now available within their program. That brings the total to six of the seven books in the series.

If your child is trying to rack up those AR points, Turkey Trot will give them five more toward their goal. Combine that with the other books in the series, and they can really pile up the points!

The short version: I’m now a full-time author. If you want the longer version, I’ve added it below.

Writing books was never on my radar screen. It certainly wasn’t something my wife and I ever set out to pursue. It’s something we genuinely feel God dropped into our laps—and over time, we’ve come to see that He may have a bigger purpose for it than we first realized.

As that became clearer, we also became convinced that refusing to walk down the path God had laid out for us would have been disobedient. It would have been pretty ironic—and pretty hypocritical—for a pastor to constantly encourage others to follow God’s leading while being afraid to do so himself.

But, it wasn’t only concern about disobedience that led us to take this step. It was also the slowly growing recognition that through these books God was opening bigger doors of ministry for us—doors of ministry we never expected. Some of the opportunities are within the Church itself. Others fall into what I would describe as “common good” ministry—work that strengthens families, schools, and communities.

For example, helping a child get excited about reading may not feel like traditional ministry. But we all know that becoming a confident and capable reader can change the direction of a young person’s life and ultimately that of his or her family—both now and in the future. God has helped me to see this sort of work as an important ministry as well, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to pursue it in this new season.

And so, after much prayer and careful consideration, I followed where God was leading and made a transition from full-time pastor to full-time author at the beginning of 2026. Again, this doesn’t mean I’m stepping away from ministry. I fully expect to continue serving in churches for the rest of my life—just not in a vocational role at this moment. I will now be ministering in a variety of new ways, thanks in part to these books that were never on my radar screen, but were always on God’s.

What this change means for you: Well, first, it means more books and a faster release schedule. With writing now my full-time focus, I’ll be able to write more often and thus publish books more regularly—including a new devotional series many have requested.

Second, a less hectic weekly calendar means I now have greater availability for school visits—something I see as important for getting kids excited about reading, which is a big part of that “common good” ministry work I was speaking of earlier.

And third, this transition also opens new possibilities for visiting and speaking at other churches, whether these visits are related to my books or me simply filling a pulpit for a worn-down pastor who could use a break. Just like with school visits, this new season gives me more freedom to say “yes” when those opportunities arise.

This was a difficult decision and one we wrestled with for a while. But we are beyond convinced this is where God has been leading our family. I’m thankful to each and every one of you for your continued encouragement and support as this new chapter is written. We are excited about what’s ahead!

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to visit with students from three elementary schools in the Northern Tioga School District in Tioga County, Pennsylvania. There were over 600 third to sixth graders in attendance, whom I was able to speak with about the importance of reading and writing, and even about how becoming an author is no longer a far-fetched idea. I had a great time, and from their reactions, I believe they did too!

If this is something you would like to see at your child’s school, fill out the form on my school visits page. We’ll see if we can make it happen!

I’m very excited to be able to tell you about a uniquely designed Bible I have known about, used, and personally enjoyed for nearly fourteen years. It also thrills me to be able to offer a Hunt Club Kids version to my readers.

When I handed Jet his copy yesterday afternoon, he said, “That’s awesome!” over and over again. Of course, that’s exactly what we all hope our kids will say when we put a Bible in their hands. But Jet is right, this Bible really is awesome—especially for those of us who love the outdoors and want to take God’s Word with us.

Let’s face it, the Bibles we are used to carrying aren’t designed for what a hunting trip might subject them to. They don’t stand up well to being crammed in a backpack, dropped in a creek, or smeared with mud. But there is a Bible that’s made for those very things. It even floats! And you can now get a Hunt Club Kids version for the young hunters in your family.

I really think this is a great Bible. Because it contains only the New Testament along with the Psalms and Proverbs, it’s compact enough to take with me every time I enter the woods. And I can’t think of a better birthday or Christmas gift for the young hunter in your life.

Does your child’s school use the Accelerated Reader (AR) Program to encourage students to read? If so, I’m happy to announce that Maine Mission is now available within their program. That brings the total to five of the six books in the series.

If your child is trying to rack up those AR points, Maine Mission will give them six more toward their goal. Combine that with the other books in the series, and they can really pile up the points!

Have your kids tried audiobooks? If not, the audiobooks I have available from The Hunt Club Kids Series really bring the stories to life. I recently heard from a teacher who was getting audiobooks from my series for a couple of students in her class. She was hoping these versions could spark a love for reading in these two students of hers who already love hunting. I hope so, too!

Well, I’m happy to announce that with the recent release of Maine Mission, there are now five books from The Hunt Club Kids Series available in audio format. I really think your kids will like them. They are great to listen to together while traveling to and from school or on your next hunting adventure.