Shadows

by A.V. Arms

Her life has turned into a nightmare. Her wedding is nearing, and Crystal is petrified of the future she sees lurking around the corner. Keith Dean is a dashing young man with cold eyes and a colder heart. If a future with Keith isn’t terrifying enough, sharing a life with his mother and sisters is. Her attempt to remove herself from the engagement has dire consequences. As war nears, Kentucky and its citizens find themselves caught in the middle. With fine horseflesh and a lifetime of experience in the saddle, Crystal’s cousin Bobby is convinced war will bring him glory. He joins the cavalry led by John Morgan and settles into the life and chivalry of a cavalryman. For Crystal war brings destruction, death, hunger and hope. She is faced with a life she could never imagine. The price she must pay is high. Crystal loses herself and the life she had known so she can survive the present. Her future has no place in this new world that sweeps across the land. As the war wears on reality sets in, and the horrors begin to haunt those who survive. Justin is a member of Morgan’s cavalry and he knows the war is turning against the South. His endless nights and days are haunted by the past and fear for the future. Destruction spreads, lives are lost as the Civil War rages. Supplies diminish, and the haggard armies continue pushing through the battles, hunger, and illnesses. After years of tenacious fighting can the darkened souls of the survivors find peace?

268 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 16, 2018

About the author

I love historical fiction!!!
I like to write about strong women trying to overcome extraordinary odds. Though women have been repressed in history, it does not mean they were not strong and outspoken. They found ways to have a voice, whether whispering in a man’s ear or taking up the sword herself. Women shaped history even more than men because those men would not exist without the strong woman that brought them into the world.
Historical fiction is a great way to honor those who came before us. Our ancestors built great civilizations. They had to experience pain, lose loved ones, and survive countless adversities and suffering that most of us cannot imagine. They were fighters, males and females alike. Through their suffering, despite betrayals, murders, and corruption of one another, they carried on. Significant figures have led humanity while staving off those who might have led society into hell. These stalwart ancestors are my inspiration for the characters I create.
Without stories, ghosts of our ancestors would be exorcised. Those who fought, good and evil, have lessons to teach. We should not judge the people of the past to today’s standards. It is unfair to view how people reacted to situations around them within the constraints and prejudices of their time. I try to remember this while researching the past and recreating it.