Img 2229 Edited Alabama, Alabama Authors, Alabama Books, Auburn, Auburn Authors, Auburn Football, Auburn University, Authors, Birmingham, Birmingham Authors, Birmingham Jazz, Booktok, Gordo, Harper Lee, Leslie Hooton, Local Authors, Macmillan, Montgomery, New York Times Bestselling, Penguin Random House, Rachel Hawkins, Roanoke, Roanoke Alabama, Turner Publishing — Auburn Oil Co. Booksellers in Auburn, as well as many other independent bookstores in Alabama, have sections for customers to peruse books by local authors. (Ella Walton / The Bama Buzz)

When many of us think of Alabamian authors, our minds often go to the literary greats like Harper Lee, Kathryn Windham + Fannie Flagg.

However, there are many authors in the state with amazing work you may not have read yet. We’ve complied a list of 4 authors, either born or raised in Alabama, that you may want to check out.

Keep reading to learn about these Alabamian authors (listed in no particular order)!

Leslie Hooton

Img 2100 Edited 1 Scaled Alabama, Alabama Authors, Alabama Books, Auburn, Auburn Authors, Auburn Football, Auburn University, Authors, Birmingham, Birmingham Authors, Birmingham Jazz, Booktok, Gordo, Harper Lee, Leslie Hooton, Local Authors, Macmillan, Montgomery, New York Times Bestselling, Penguin Random House, Rachel Hawkins, Roanoke, Roanoke Alabama, Turner Publishing — Leslie Hooton’s books are sold at Auburn Oil Co. Booksellers in Downtown Auburn. (Ella Walton / The Bama Buzz)

Leslie Hooton, a three-time published author, was born in Roanoke, Ala. A ’80 graduate of Auburn University, Hooton published her debut novel, Before Anyone Else in March 2020.

Her second book, The Secret of Rainy Days was published shortly after + takes place in a fictional Alabama town called Erob. After Everyone Else, Hooton’s third book + sequel to “Before Everyone Else,” was published in June 2022 + continues the captivating story of Bailey Edgeworth.

“Before Anyone Else is the romantic debut we have been waiting for, a coming of age novel that is both deeply moving and creatively beautiful. With wit and dazzle, Leslie Hooton takes us through both a love story and also the cut throat restaurant business. With charm to spare, this novel is a powerful story with a dose of hostess gold woven in for good measure.”

~ Patti Callahan Henry, NYT Bestselling author of Becoming Mrs. Lewis and The Favorite Daughter

Hooton currently resides in Charlotte, NC, but can be contacted here to request her attendance at book clubs + conferences!

Website | Instagram | Facebook

David Housel

Img 2131 Edited 1 Scaled Alabama, Alabama Authors, Alabama Books, Auburn, Auburn Authors, Auburn Football, Auburn University, Authors, Birmingham, Birmingham Authors, Birmingham Jazz, Booktok, Gordo, Harper Lee, Leslie Hooton, Local Authors, Macmillan, Montgomery, New York Times Bestselling, Penguin Random House, Rachel Hawkins, Roanoke, Roanoke Alabama, Turner Publishing — After David Housel spent decades in the Auburn athletics sports department, he decided to reflect on everything from football to politics + religion in his books. (Ella Walton / The Bama Buzz)

David Housel, born in Gordo, Ala., was the ’94 athletic director of Auburn University.

As Housel + friends made a habit of talking sports, politics + religion in the backbooth of Chappy’s Deli, Housel was inspired to write his most recent book: From the Backbooth at Chappy’s: Stories of the South: Football, Politics, Religion, and More (2021).

He has many other titles to his name, including Auburn University Football Vault: The Story of the Auburn Tigers, 1892-2007 (2007), Glory Days Auburn: The Greatest Victories in Tigers History (2008), + Alabama-Auburn Rivalry Football Vault (2009).

“Housel knows he’s been pigeonholed by some as the “Auburn guy”, and he’s fine with it. After all, it gave him a long career that took him far beyond the Plains. However, he wanted the book to show that he was more than that.”

~ Drew Taylor in a 2021 article written for CBS 42

Rachel Hawkins

Img 2077 Edited 1 Scaled Alabama, Alabama Authors, Alabama Books, Auburn, Auburn Authors, Auburn Football, Auburn University, Authors, Birmingham, Birmingham Authors, Birmingham Jazz, Booktok, Gordo, Harper Lee, Leslie Hooton, Local Authors, Macmillan, Montgomery, New York Times Bestselling, Penguin Random House, Rachel Hawkins, Roanoke, Roanoke Alabama, Turner Publishing — Rachel Hawkins’ 2024 novel *The Heiress* can be found in Well Red, a locally owned Auburn bookseller + coffee shop. (Ella Walton / The Bama Buzz)

Although Rachel Hawkins was born in Virginia, the New York Times Bestselling author grew up in Dothan, Ala. Her New York Times bestselling novel, The Wife Upstairs (2021), was dubbed “a gothic thriller laced with arsenic” by Entertainment Weekly.

Her 2022 thriller, Reckless Girls, also made the New York Times list. Hawkins’ second most recent novel, The Villa, came out in 2023, while her most recent, The Heiress, came out in 2024.

The gothic-thriller writer also pens paranormal romantic comedies under the name Erin Sterling. Among her long list of paranormal novels is The Ex Hex (2021), a New York Times + USA Today bestseller.

Other titles + series include:

“The reigning queen of the Gothic thriller.“

~ Entertainment Weekly

Hawkins currently resides in Auburn, where she obtained her English-literature degree from Auburn University. Her newest gothic suspense novel, The Storm, is set to release on Jan. 6, 2026.

Website | Instagram

Burgin Mathews

Img 2136 Alabama, Alabama Authors, Alabama Books, Auburn, Auburn Authors, Auburn Football, Auburn University, Authors, Birmingham, Birmingham Authors, Birmingham Jazz, Booktok, Gordo, Harper Lee, Leslie Hooton, Local Authors, Macmillan, Montgomery, New York Times Bestselling, Penguin Random House, Rachel Hawkins, Roanoke, Roanoke Alabama, Turner Publishing — Burgin Mathews is a writer, a radio host + the founding director of the nonprofit Southern Music Research Center. (Ella Walton / The Bama Buzz)

Burgin Mathews was born in Montgomery, Ala., but presently calls Birmingham home. His most recent book, Magic City, was published in November 2023 + explores how the city of Birmingham helped shape the jazz scene in America.

The book was built off Mathews’ 2012 book, Doc: The Story of a Birmingham Jazz Man, which follows the story of Frank “Doc” Adams, a jazz elder.

“One of the many virtues of Burgin Mathews’ fascinating and rewarding book is his examination or rather exhumation of the “Magic City” … Well-written, thoroughly researched and documented, with arresting photographs, Magic City is an original and valuable contribution to jazz historiography.”

~ Jazz Journal

Website