When writing my first book, Home Again, the idea of writing a trilogy never entered my mind. The story was about two young boys who quickly became men. Both from Tennessee, each signed up to join the war, Luke for the South and Zach for the North. Near the end of the war, each of the young men returned home damaged: Zach had post-traumatic stress and Luke was near death from his wounds.

After its publication, many readers of Home Again asked me what happened to Zach. They were curious to know...