T. M. Holt is a Southern fiction author, U.S. Army veteran, and founder of Black Dog River Press, an independent publishing house based in Decherd, Tennessee. Born and raised in the foothills of southern Middle Tennessee, Holt has lived a life filled with experiences that continue to shape her storytelling. She served in the U.S. Army in Central America and Germany, spent years driving long-haul trucks across America, and now works as a physical therapist assistant caring for older adults. An endurance athlete with a fondness for difficult challenges, Holt has completed an Ironman triathlon, ultramarathons, long-distance cycling events, and marathon swims. Her debut novel, Where the River Bends, draws inspiration from the people, places, and complicated family relationships of her Tennessee upbringing. Set in 1978, the novel explores childhood, addiction, forgiveness, and the enduring power of hope. Whether writing Southern literary fiction as T. M. Holt or mysteries as T. W. Hughes, her stories return to the things that matter most: family, loyalty, memory, second chances, and the places we call home. After years of traveling far and wide, Holt returned to her Tennessee roots, settling just a mile from where she was born. She lives with her spouse and their beloved dogs, who occasionally insist on supervising the writing process.