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  Featured Books: Civil War
 
BEYOND HIS MERCY
A Civil War Novel
By Johnny Neil Smith and Susan Cruce Smith

"A deftly written, entertaining, and ultimately thought provoking read, 'Beyond His Mercy' is unreservedly recommended..." --The Midwest Book Review

Order from Sunstone Press: (505) 988-4418

The American Civil War claimed and destroyed lives, stealing fathers and sons from those they loved. The horror caused many returning to cry out for death. They carried the festering scars of battle and were unable to overcome the torment of their souls. This is the story of Thomas Wilson, a soldier who returns home haunted by the destruction and devastation he both witnessed and caused. Although his regiment respects and reveres him as a sharpshooter, each man he has killed condemns him to a life of terrifying dreams and troubled days where forgiveness can never be obtained. Neither the love of his family nor the affection of a woman with sparkling dark eyes and soft black hair can chase his war demons away, for he is beyond mercy. Includes Readers Guide.

As a child Johnny Neil Smith often sat at his grandparents’ fireplace listening to stories of their parents’ struggles while pioneering south Mississippi in the eighteen hundreds. Now a retired educator with an ardent interest in early American history, Smith weaves the stories he heard as a child into all his novels. In Beyond His Mercy, he tells the story of his great-great grandfather, Lott Williams, who located the children of his murdered son-in-law and deceased daughter who lived in Cass County, Texas, and who then brought his grandchildren to live with him in Mississippi. In all of Smith’s writings, he captures the emotions behind the events that were passed down to him from his grandparents. His wife, Susan Cruce Smith, also a retired educator, takes his stories and brings them to life by adding spiritual meaning, literary style, and a woman’s perspective. They are also the authors of Beyond the Storm, and Johnny Neil is the author of Hillcountry Warriors and Unconquered, all from Sunstone Press.

Sample Chapter
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Hardcover:
6 X 9
ISBN: 978-1-63293-232-7
280 pp.,$28.95

Softcover:
6 X 9
ISBN: 978-1-63293-187-0
280 pp.,$22.95

eBook:
ISBN: 978-1-61139-523-5
280 pp.,$4.99


BEYOND THE STORM
A Novel of a Mother’s Faith and Her Son’s Trials
By Johnny Neil Smith and Susan Cruce Smith

The year was 1864. The freezing winds off Lake Michigan swept across the snow laden grounds and through the cracks of a building that held Southern prisoners in Camp Douglas, Illinois. Huddled with the other prisoners, John mulled over the reasons he had enlisted, even after his father had forbidden it. He knew the only real reason was to protect his best friend Frankie, who had enlisted first but never even bothered to show up at the station when the recruits left for war. Shivering, he wondered if he would ever see his family again or especially the girl he had loved since childhood. John realized that nothing but an act of God could deliver him from this hell on earth. Includes Readers Guide.

Johnny Neil Smith, a retired educator in Mississippi and Georgia, taught Mississippi, Georgia, American and World History. Smith has written three previous novels, Hillcountry Warriors which received praise from Publisher’s Weekly, Unconquered which was a finalist in the Georgia Writer Association’s Author of the Year, and Beyond His Mercy with Susan Cruce Smith. Four of his great grandfathers served in the Confederate Army, and he has long been fascinated with the Civil War. His knowledge of that war and Federal prison Camp Douglas in Chicago, Illinois has made Beyond the Storm true to the times. The main character, John Wilson, was named after his grandfather and many of the accounts of battle and prison life relate to his great grandfather, Joseph Williams, who lost an arm in the battle for Atlanta and was sent to Camp Douglas. Susan Cruce Smith, also a retired educator, has given the book a woman’s perspective and added many of the Biblical and scriptural insights.

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Softcover:
6 x 9
ISBN: 978-1-63293-233-4
250 pp.,$22.95

eBook:
ISBN: 978-1-61139-560-0
250 pp.,$4.99


A CIVIL GENERAL
By David Stinebeck and Scannell Gill

A novel based on the actual life and career of General George Henry Thomas, an American Civil War hero.

Order from Sunstone: (505) 988-4418

George Henry Thomas was once considered the most successful general in the Civil War. Now, however, he has been nearly forgotten by historians. Born and raised in Virginia, Thomas graduated from West Point and without hesitation fought for the North, only to be disowned by his Southern family and distrusted by the Northern generals above him. Yet in death, five years after the war, he was honored with a national cortege from California to New York; 10,000 mourners attended his funeral, including President Grant and his Cabinet. The dedication of General Thomas' statue in Washington, D.C., erected by his men in 1879, was the largest celebration in the Capitol's history. This cinematic novel brings Thomas to life in his relationships with his devoted soldiers, his friends, and his loyal, independent wife.

The story's narrator, a young colonel who became his confidante, absorbs the General's wisdom, grief, and commitment to carrying out the devastating battles which, he believed, would both end the war he hated and hold his country together. The novel pictures George Henry Thomas as the kind of leader America needs now, one who fights for and respects all human beings, and is determined to see America whole.

David Stinebeck, whose great-grandfather fought under Thomas and recorded the experience in his diaries, has a BA from Stanford University and a PhD in American Studies from Yale, and is the author of Shifting World: Social Change in the American Novel and co-author of Puritans, Indians and Manifest Destiny. Scannell Gill graduated from Union College, has an MS in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Rhode Island, and is writing an original analysis of the multi-faceted roles of women in society. Together they are working on a trilogy of novels based on the racial and economic history of Nantucket Island. After 40 years of marriage, this is their first novel.

Sample Chapter
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Website: http://books.google.com/books?id=vaVeuanohdIC

Softcover:
6 X 9
ISBN: 978-0-86534-663-5
160 pp.,$20.95

eBook:
ISBN: 978-1-61139-203-6
160 pp.,$4.99


THE CIVIL WAR IN NEW MEXICO
By F. Stanley

New Foreword by Marc Simmons.

Taking nineteen years of research by the author, this is the story of the Civil War as the Volunteers of New Mexico lived and fought it. One chapter deals with the scene in Washington, DC, ten years before the first gun was fired at Fort Sumter; another chapter deals with the Texas claim to all the area of New Mexico bordering the Rio Grande and the near war with the United States over Santa Fe County, Texas. The last chapter gives the alphabetical list of all the New Mexico Volunteers from A to Z as found in the records of the War Department. The author included this list in order to enable any relatives to trace the war record of the heroic men who fought at Valverde, Peralta, Santa Fe, Glorieta, Pigeon’s Ranch, and the Indian campaigns.

The march of the Colorado Volunteers and the California Column is completely covered as well as the work of these men during the war years. The New Mexico Volunteers were unjustly maligned by Edward Canby, the author said, and authors ever since have echoed his sentiments without investigating the facts. This book corrects many misconceptions that may be useful to all interested in the Civil War in New Mexico.

Includes bibliography.

“An easterner by birth but a southwesterner at heart, Father Stanley Francis Louis Crocchiola had as many vocations as names,” says his biographer, Mary Jo Walker. “As a young man, he entered the Catholic priesthood and for nearly half a century served his church with great zeal in various capacities, attempting to balance the callings of teacher, pastor, historian and writer.” With limited money or free time, he also managed to write and publish one hundred and seventy-seven books and booklets pertaining to his adopted region under his nom de plume, F. Stanley, The initial in that name does not stand for Father, as many have assumed, but for Francis, which Louis Crocchiola took, with the name Stanley, at the time of his ordination as Franciscan friar in 1938. All of F. Stanley’s titles have now reached the status of expensive collector’s items.

Website: http://books.google.com/books?id=m5D0-2Jgj3QC&printsec=frontcover&dq=9780865348158&hl=en&ei=NR_QTt-0

Softcover:
6 x 9
ISBN: 978-0-86534-815-8
544 pp.,$34.95

eBook:
ISBN: 978-1-61139-334-7
544 pp.,$12.99


CLAY ALLISON: LEGEND OF CIMARRON
A Novel of the Old West
By John A. Truett

SEE PRAISE FOR THIS BOOK BELOW.

Order from Sunstone: (800) 243-5644

After the Civil War, Clay Allison and his brother, John, leave their ravaged Tennessee home to start a new life in Cimarron, a little town in wild untamed New mexico Territory. Not only must they deal with iron-fisted wealthy landowner Lucien Maxwell and the notorious Santa Fe Ring, but Clay Allison's life is threatened by revenge-seeking Chunk and Steve Colbert, two psychopathic outlaws. With Clay Allison's unorthodox methods of defending himself while trying to bring fairness to others, he acquires the reputation of a cold-hearted gunfighter who will kill anyone who rubs him the wrong way. This intriguing story is based on fact and includes all the people who lived at the time--including beautiful Dora McCullough who, with her love, tries to save Clay allison from going to hell.

Chuck Parsons, editor of National Outlaw & Lawman Association said: "Clay Allison is a historical figure who never killed a man unless he needed killing. But he was so much more. John A. Truett has given the gunslinger Allison new life: he was a soldier, a friend, a lover. He was a young man on the frontier who wanted to contribute positively to a new land. He left a mark on that new land and should not be forgotten. John A. Truett's biographical novel will insure he is remembered!"

JOHN A. TRUETT, a native of Artesia, New Mexico, now lives in Roswell, New Mexico. He served with the U.S. Air Force in Japan and the Philippines during World War II, received his BA degree from Woodbury University, Los Angeles, and worked in the motion picture industry as script supervisor and film editor. He is a member of Western Writers of America and National Outlaw and Lawman Association. CLAY ALLISON, LEGEND OF CIMARRON is the third in John Truett's series of western historical fiction. The first two, TO DIE IN DINETAH, THE DARK LEGACY OF KIT CARSON and MONUMENT IN THE STORM, were also published by Sunstone Press.

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Website: http://books.google.com/books?id=o7KuppNxEpUC

Hardcover:
6 x 9
ISBN: 978-0-86534-276-7
288 pp.,$24.95 (A Few Left)

Softcover:
6 X 9
ISBN: 978-0-86534-308-5
288 pp.,$16.95


CROSS A WIDE RIVER
A Western Novel
By Paul R. Stevenson

See PRAISE FOR THIS BOOK below.

Order from Sunstone: (800) 243-5644

This epic novel begins in pre-Civil War Georgia and ends in New Mexico. It is a saga of free men, slaves and slave owners who settled their differences on the battlefields in this story of the westward expansion of the United States and the families who braved the hardships of frontier life.

Paul R. Stevenson, a native of Arizona, has based his novel on extensive research in southern and western history.

“An epic novel of adventure and family life that will keep you turning pages.” —Enchantment

“…an epic about the winning of the West. Entertaining.” —Albuquerque Journal

“…an historical novel, and the history is quite accurate, indicating considerable research by the author.” —Denver Westerner’s ROUNDUP

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Website: http://books.google.com/books?id=F1MMAAAACAAJ

Softcover:
5 1/2 x 8 1/2
ISBN: 978-0-86534-117-3
316 pp.,$24.95

eBook:
ISBN: 978-1-61139-997-4
315 pp.,$4.99


HILLCOUNTRY WARRIORS
A Novel that Exposes a Different Side of the Civil War South
By Johnny Neil Smith

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY called this "an above-par work of period fiction."

Order from Sunstone: (505) 988-4418

In the antebellum American South, a family who were among the first to enter east central Mississippi in the 1830s are forced into the Civil War despite their opposition to slavery. Many hardships in the unspoiled wilderness, their unusual friendship with the native Choctaws, and extreme trials following the crushing events of defeat in the war are woven into this story that takes the reader back into an era when a society that supported slavery as an institution was considered both moral and necessary.

JOHNNY NEIL SMITH has always been interested in history and as an educator in Mississippi and Georgia, has taught Mississippi, Georgia, American and World History. He is now retired as headmaster of Piedmont Academy in Monticello, Georgia. Over the years, he has spent numerous hours reading about the War Between the States and visiting battlefields where his great-grandfathers fought. The main character, John Wilson, was named after his grandfather and many of the accounts of battle and prison life relate to his great grandfather, Joseph Williams, who lost an arm in the battle for Atlanta and was sent to a Federal prison in Illinois. Smith has tried to recapture the emotion that existed during this time in history as was told to him by people who lived during that era. In one sense, this is their story.

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY said: "Smith creates some stirring Civil War scenes and details the conflicts between former masters and slaves. Incidents involving the Choctaw are equally compelling, especially when the tribe is forced to flee to the Oklahoma territory. Smith's command of the era's politics and history and his feel for Southern family relationships make his tale an above-par work of period fiction."

The ATLANTA JOURNAL reported that the "novel has everything a reader expects from an Old South Civil War story: love, war and adventure. It takes a different look at the period."

Sample Chapter
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Website: http://books.google.com/books?id=HzmqdBGt2MoC

Hardcover:
6 x 9
ISBN: 978-0-86534-247-7
288 pp.,$24.95 First Edition

Softcover:
6 X 9
ISBN: 978-0-86534-546-1
372 pp.,$22.95

eBook:
ISBN: 978-1-61139-060-5
372 pp.,$4.99


A PRIVATE AND HER FOES
A Novel of the American Civil War
By Mark Gallik

During the American Civil War, a young wife does everything in her power to keep close to her husband. (SEE MOVIE/TV TREATMENT BELOW)

By the late summer of 1863, the American Civil War has become entrenched into its third year, the bloody conflict raging far longer than could have been anticipated. The armies remain hungry for recruits in order to replenish their depleted ranks, the pressures being applied to all the corners of Union territory. The state of Iowa is no exception, here dwelling a certain newlywed couple, Susha and Sylvetus Potter. In no way do they wish to become separated. Nevertheless, Sylvetus succumbs to the persuasions and decides to enlist. However, Susha does her husband one better, concocting a scheme which would have her take on a manly pose, so that she might accompany him as a fellow soldier. That she has her arguments in perfect order makes it all the simpler for Sylvetus to acquiesce. Meanwhile, 800 miles to the south in Confederate Texas, Captain John Singleton is recovering from his severe wound under the care of his wife, Henrietta. Yet what she fears most is of his convalescence coming to an end, that he’ll return to the fight of which she and her husband have yet to embrace. John is torn between Henrietta’s gifted insights and intuitions and his own loyalties toward comradeship and duty. The war has too many campaigns waiting to be hatched, making it impossible to predict sure objectives. There is a good chance that Iowa will cross paths with Texas. The circumstances and encounters that may happen remain to be seen. So must trudge a private and her foes. Includes Readers Guide.

A native of the Lone Star state, with a B.S. in wildlife biology from Texas A&M University, Mark Gallik has merged his background with his lifelong passion for history and literature. The foregone conclusion is a penchant for research, to seek even the minutest of details. With that, the letters, journals and reminiscences of both military and civilian participants have been scoured, these discoveries exposing the treasures of regional tongues and varying mindsets. Naturally, the author fell into the trap of historical reenacting, from which not only did he learn the drill and rigors of campaigning, but also how to hand stitch period garments. It all provided invigorating and insightful experiences.

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Hardcover:
6 x 9
ISBN: 978-1-63293-517-5
384 pp.,$39.95

Softcover:
6 x 9
ISBN: 978-1-63293-332-4
384 pp.,$24.95

eBook:
ISBN: 978-1-61139-626-3
384 pp.,$4.99


UNCONQUERED
A Novel of the Post-Civil War
By Johnny Neil Smith

A creative nonfiction sequel to "Hillcountry Warriors" about the political and social aftermath of the Civil War in the deep South.

Order from Sunstone: (505) 988-4418

After four years of bitter struggles and immeasurable cost in human lives and property, the armies laid down their weapons and the country was reunited. But there was a magnitude of problems emerging from the rebellious and war-torn South and the now-freed slaves. The freed slaves, excited about their liberation, were led to believe that they would receive “forty acres of land and a mule,” but this didn’t happen. The politicians felt that freedom, citizenship, and the right to vote was enough for them. True equality was never pondered, and these people, emerging from servitude, were met with apathy and resentment. Who would represent these people, and who would mend the bitter feelings and destruction left by the war.

John Wilson, who first appeared in the author’s Hillcountry Warriors which was acclaimed as “an above-par work of period fiction” by Publishers Weekly, was such a man. Wilson had fought for the Confederacy and upon returning to his home in Mississippi, felt there was room for all races. In essence, he was a man beyond his time. As long as Federal troops were stationed in the South, some order existed, but when they were removed in 1876, an internal struggle for power erupted. As time passed, Wilson was eventually appointed a district judgeship and he felt that he could make his dream of justice for all a reality. This is his story, and the story of many who labored to mend the bitter feelings and destruction left by the Civil War.

Johnny Neil Smith, author of the critically acclaimed Hillcountry Warriors of which Unconquered is the sequel, is now a retired educator and has always had a deep interest in early American history. Since four of his great grandfathers served in the Confederate Army, he is fascinated with the American Civil War and has spent years of research on the subject.

Sample Chapter
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Website: http://books.google.com/books?id=06uDEL7Io2MC

Softcover:
6 x 9
ISBN: 978-0-86534-515-7
440 pp.,$26.95

eBook:
ISBN: 978-1-61139-061-2
440 pp.,$4.99


WHEN PHILOSOPHERS WERE KINGS
A Historical Novel
By Steven M. Best

"In a story based on author Steven Best's own family history, we see the bodies, minds and souls of a remarkable family tested in the crucible of battle. The results are unforgettable and thought-provoking." TRUE WEST Magazine

"...a compelling story that has been extensively researched by the author over a period of almost eight years...." DALLAS MORNING NEWS

As the Confederacy celebrates its victory over Fort Sumter, Socrates Best and his wife, Ellen, are living in Northeast Texas where Socrates has been teaching school for five years. Educated in the philosophy of Plato and the religion of Knox, Socrates hopes to ignore the war and continue developing ruler guardians who will help make Texas great. But two former students, Buck Malneck and Billy Morse, seize this chance to put their former teacher to the test. Join the conflict or hang--those are their demands.

Meanwhile, a thousand miles to the north stands Socrates' cousin Swift. Raised with Plato's Republican philosophies, but steeped in the passionate abolitionism of the Northern Methodists, Swift leaves law school to be part of the Second Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. Portage City explodes with joy as they send Swift's company off to war, but all the well wishing in the world could never prepare Swift for what awaits him at Bull Run.

Amidst the revelry, Socrates' youngest brother, Ed, watches with bated breath. This crowd will one day cheer him, he decides, and everyone will know that he is finally a man. Fighting with the Army of the Cumberland across the Southeast, he will learn there is a far greater challenge in life then being a man--staying alive.

This novel is based on the true story of a Wisconsin family caught up in the American Civil War, but it is also the story of the multidimensional human soul--spiritual, philosophical, and physical--and how it is affected by war. It is the story of man's ability to love, endure, survive, and find a meaningful purpose for life in a world turned upside down with hate.

STEVEN M. BEST is a former military intelligence analyst, and retired chiropractor. After being given an extensive letter written by his great grandmother detailing the family's experiences during the war, Best spent seven and a half years researching and writing his family story. He has visited every village and battlefield presented in this novel from Big Spring and Portage, Wisconsin, in the North, to Dangerfield, Texas, in the South; and from Perryville, Indian Territory (present day Oklahoma) and Devil's Backbone in the West; to Perryville, Kentucky and Chickamauga at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, in the East.

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Website: http://www.smbest.com
Website: http://books.google.com/books?id=f_Y9O585h38C

Hardcover:
6 x 9
ISBN: 978-0-86534-362-7
384 pp.,$28.95

Softcover:
6 x 9
ISBN: 978-1-63293-308-9
384 pp.,$24.95

eBook:
ISBN: 978-1-61139-602-7
384 pp.,$3.99


 
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