Published by The Overmountain Press, "Southwest Virginia Crossroads" ($29.95) explores hundreds of places with original photos, maps and text - from the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Cumberland Gap, including Caylor, Ewing, White Rocks, Elydale, Stone Face Rock, Natural Tunnel and the Natural Bridge of Lee County.
"It's all about how places took their names and stories behind communities and places to see. It's a history book with road directions," said Tennis. "Some places were named for moonshine, the devil, the Bible, weird rocks or even mistakes."
Spanning 17 counties, "Southwest Virginia Crossroads" points out canoe launches, trout streams and lakes and tells where to discover dozens of waterfalls, museums, historical sites and roadside oddities near Abingdon, Blacksburg, Big Stone Gap and Meadows of Dan.
The Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk, Va., calls Tennis's book "a jewel box of wayfaring treasure" that "makes a reader want to pack up and roll out on the roads less traveled."
The large-format book's cover features Pine Mountain's Towers formation, as seen from the Garden Hole at Breaks Interstate Park on the Kentucky-Virginia border.
Photos in "Southwest Virginia Crossroads" include Cudjo's Cave, Stone Face Rock, Martin's Station replica at Wilderness Road State Park, Abingdon's Barter Theatre, Mabry Mill, Mount Rogers and Mountain Lake Hotel.
Tennis, 36, has written about the Cumberland Gap for Blue Ridge Country, Bristol Herald Courier and Kingsport Times-News.
"Southwest Virginia Crossroads" is available at bookstores and online sellers.
On Saturday, Oct. 8, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tennis is signing copies of his book, "Southwest Virginia Crossroads," at the exhibit area of the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park Visitors Center in Middlesboro. The book signing is part of Wild Mountain Mania, a nature festival. For more information, call (606) 248-2817.
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