Her second novel, What Remains Is Grace, is a follow-up to the first novel, This Ain’t No Promised Land, checking in on Gracie and her sisters ten years later.

Gracie travels from Mississippi to Evanston, Illinois, for her first job out of graduate school, only to find that the offer has been rescinded because her addition would be one too many African-American teachers in one school. Now she’s without a home and has to figure out her next steps. She ends up going to the one place she didn’t want to go: back to her childhood home in Chicago, where she experienced so much loss and heartache. She has no idea the adventure she’s about to embark on will uncover an unexpected romance and secrets from her past that will unlock a rich heritage of reclaiming what was lost.

This is a book about forgiveness, the privilege and burden of caring for loved ones, and the myriad ways we fight to stay rooted and grounded on this earth from day to day.

What Remains Is Grace releases on October 20, 2026, and will be available in paperback and audio at bookstores.

Tina N. Shelton is the award-winning author of the debut novel This Ain’t No Promised Land, about three young sisters who are trying to manage life without their mother, who left them.

Tina will be at the National Black Book Festival October 22–24, 2026. Hope to see you there!

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