Three Roads Out

(NEW RELEASE)

GEOGRAPHIC SETTINGS:  Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina. Pennsylvania, Maryland, Oklahoma, Washington, D.C.

SYNOPSIS: The roots of this story run wide and deep, Written during the first outbreak of Covid. No pandemic is mentioned, yet there are signs of impending danger. The tale begins in the Shenandoah Valley, six months after epilogue to Along the Red Dirt Road concludes. The Civil War, Great Depression, WW2, the post war era,  and current times are crucial to story. Twists, turns, fear, hate, friendship, and revelation take center stage as Dr. KT Winslow, Larry Finler, the Wesslers, and others are barraged by new circumstances and excruciating choices. 
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The main protagonist is Annie's unmarried granddaughter, Dr. KT Winslow. It's been over eighty years since KT's enigmatic grandmother left town. Did Hillview forgive what she had done? What followed that autumn afternoon by the old stone wall? Annie is gone and now it's all on KT. Can she turn the page on Hillview and chart a new course as Annie had so long ago? 

As with Along the Red Dirt Road (the prequel), expect an uplifting story packed with twists, turns, fascinating characters, a wide range of emotion - plus an abundance of hints and sub-plots for readers with hungry imaginations.

AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION: Three Roads Out meets/exceeds key A.L.A. guidelines for book selection.

SPECIFIC GUIDELINES related to (a) community needs, (b) suitability of subject and style for intended audience, (c) importance to times, (d) representation of important movements/genre/trends, and (e) authenticity of history/social setting ARE ADDRESSED WITHIN THE HEADINGS BELOW.

BLACK & JEWISH HISTORY: The Hill family story (African American) is, in part, their patient, deliberate pursuit of the American dream - from Civil War days, through the Great Depression, WW2, and on to current times. The Wessler story (Jewish) is a long and winding one from Europe to small town U.S.A.  Is Hilllview different, or are there places just like it tucked away in other places?  Ultimately, both families showed, in great clarity, the power that comes with precious friendship and human decency. 

GENRE: This book features Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction, Mystery Fiction, Mainstream Fiction, Humor, Family Saga, Southern History, Black History, Jewish History, Modern Fiction - plus elements of Classic Literary Fiction and Young Adult Fiction. Not a romance novel.

AUDIENCE: Three Roads Out speaks directly to people of many cultures and circumstances – especially to baby boomers, mature teens, working adults, and socially conscious women (all ages). Book contains mildly colorful language and non-gratuitous violence, but no vulgarity, graphic violence, or sexual content.

THEMES/TOPICS: Alalia syllabaris (stammering), Anti-Semitism. Bullying. Bluegrass Music,. Civil War. Community. Corruption. Courage. Decency. Diversity. Dutch Resistance. Dust Bowl. Elitism. Ethnicity. Fear. Friendship. Fraud. Gender/Racial Equality. Generosity. Genocide. Great Depression. Homicide. Honesty. Hope. Interracial Friendship. Isolation. Jim Crow. Materialism. Mortality. Mystery. Peer pressure. Perseverance. Personal/Social empowerment. POWs, Public Health. Quakers, Rule of Law. Scandal. Secrecy. Slavery. Sundown Town. Tragedy. Truth. Underground Railroad. Upward mobility. WW2.

AUTHOR SESSIONS FOR BOOK CLUBS/LIBRARIES: Virtual (worldwide). In-person (Kansas City area).