An epic American Civil War literary saga that explores the intimate relationships between folk of diverse cultures during an era of suffering and hate; spanning cultures, continents, and generations.
Shay is an orphan. A young Asian boy with no link to his past – except for a mysterious jade amulet – and no idea what fate has in store for his future. Not until an American merchant captain raises him to be a man, who becomes a valiant Union Army scout during the height of the American Civil War.
Across the oceans, a young girl is ripped from her homeland and tossed aboard a ship set sail for America. She is sold to an Alabama plantation like livestock; her name, her identity, and her life stripped from her. Now, she is considered nothing more than a slave.
When their two paths cross ten years later, they immediately intertwine, driven by a connection so strong it could only be forged by destiny. But love is forbidden, and darkness surrounds them. Written in the Antebellum tradition with spoken dialects characteristic of the period, the reader is invited to view the perspectives of each character and the decisions they make, leading to life, love or loss.
About the author
Author C.J. Heigelmann is a writer and multi-genre novelist of Contemporary, Literary and Historical fiction. Heigelmann's style of writing is marked by cultural and social diversity and inclusion. His focus on perspective and realism separates him from other mainstream contemporary authors.
Comparable authors: Charles Martin, Robert Whitlow, Denise Hildreth Jones, Therese Anne Fowler.
"I express my characters in their pure flawed form because all of us are flawed. I don't shrink from using stereotypes whether positive or negative. Instead, I promote them and in the next breath completely shatter them. This exposes the error of subjugating individuals to intellectually lazy social labels, compelling the reader to confront the empirical nature of a character while lending insight into true understanding. I write to expand the perception of one's self, the human family, and the world around us."
C.J. Heigelmann
