About the Book
Book: When Heaven Thunders (West Virginia: Born of Rebellion’s Storm #2)
Author: Kendy Pearson
Genre: Christian Historical Fiction
Release date: October 1, 2024
When the devil wears Blue and Gray,
doing the right thing can be a thorny matter.
His family is missing. Bushwhackers are sleeping in his bed. This war just got a heap more personal for Union Sergeant Fin Dabney.
Fighting guerillas in your own neck of the woods comes at a high price. Neighbors, kin, and even Fin’s best friend are on the wrong end of a rifle. But not all battles are fought amid smoke and blood. When Fin faces a murderer from his past, flesh and spirit collide, but only one can prevail.
Melinda Jane has waited a lifetime for Fin to declare his intentions. But now she has moved on to other interests—with disastrous results. Her choices have cost her Fin’s love and possibly her life.
Why was it he could draw down on the enemy and look death in the eye, but he could not bring himself to deal plainly with Melinda Jane?
He never told her how he feels. Now he may never get the chance.
Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
Kendy Pearson is a worship leader, Bluegrass fiddler, and Civil War reenactment enthusiast. As a veteran high school teacher, she loves to discover a pocket of American history missing from the schoolbooks and turn that pocket inside out. Her novels lead fictitious characters through historical events and settings, engaging with period personalities. And she always includes a romantic thread to warm the heart. Every story is a journey through tragedy, secrets, regrets, and God’s undeniable grace.
She has received multiple lit awards and enjoys public speaking and teaching writing workshops. When she’s not clicking away on the computer or scaling mountains of research, she relishes ice cream, snowy days, fireplaces, and maple trees. Kendy is the mother of four grown children and lives with her sweet hubby and two amusing miniature dachshunds.
More from Kendy
Research and writing are so much fun! I always have some kind of theme in mind for every book I write. In keeping with my brand, Heart of History, I am turning two history pockets inside out with this second story of the “West Virginia: Born of Rebellion’s Storm” series. When Heaven Thunders is the eldest Dabney sibling’s story and brings two factors to light that are not commonly known about the Civil War.
First, Fin, the hero, faces various moral dilemmas just trying to carry out orders. He witnesses historically accurate atrocities and unfair tactics perpetrated by both Union and Confederate commanders and soldiers. Fin is in the thick of rooting out bushwhackers and guerillas who bring the battle to not just the soldiers, but to civilian homes and families, including his own.
Fin is a moralist, working desperately to find a way to do the right thing even when all his choices seem so very wrong. Can you imagine meeting your best friend on the battlefield and he’s the enemy? I tried to wrap my mind around the idea of neighbor against neighbor and lawless vigilantes molesting plain folks in the name of a cause. “We are in a war, yes, but it needn’t strip a man of his humanity or God’s favor.” (Col. Joseph Lightburn, Fin’s commander)
Secondly, Melinda Jane, the feisty family friend (who definitely wants to be more than Fin’s friend) represents another little-known pocket from history. I took a bit of my own heritage to heart for her background. For most of my life, I definitely resembled my kin of Irish ancestry. However, like Melinda Jane, I have Native American and African American genes also. We don’t think much about mixed race nowadays—it’s the fabric of our wonderful country! Unfortunately, many folks were not as accepting during the Civil War period. At that time, a variety of ethnicities were actually enslaved, which we seldom see represented in Civil War movies and stories.
My second main character’s “secret” lends to her heart of gold and a compassionate nature that shines through everything she does. “Izzy taught me we’re all born into bondage. It matters not a whit what color a man’s skin is or the color of his horse or house—we’re all in shackles and only Master Jesus holds the key.” (Melinda Jane)
Oh boy, did I enjoy working with Fin and Melinda Jane—and watching sparks fly! I hope they’ll make you smile as well.
Blessings from the Heart of History, my friends!
Kendy
Interview with the Author
- How do you select the names of your characters?
I like to pick period appropriate names. I get them from old census reports and newspaper articles. Sometimes I choose names based on their social status. When I needed a name for a wealthy plantation owner’s son, I chose the sir name of the largest plantation in the area at that time from records. In one book, I needed a Chinese name that was easy to pronounce and had a meaning that worked for use in the story. My first book was a West Virginia farm family with all “B” names. Five children with a B name. The publisher’s editor would not go for it. “Too hard for the reader to keep the characters straight,” they said. Well, those names got changed, but they were such terrific hillbilly names. So sad.
- What was your hardest scene to write?
The hardest scenes to write are when someone dies. It has to be realistic in a physical sense. It must be emotionally realistic for each person in the scene, and I have to figure out a way to show all that to the reader. I don’t think I have ever killed anyone without shedding tears. I’ve shed tears in every book I’ve written. Even when editing for the 15th time.
- What is your favorite childhood book?
Hands down, it was Little Women. That is the first book I remember reading more than once and related to the character, Jo.
- What comes first, the plot or characters?
Plot comes first for me, definitely plot. Since my stories develop from research, the research forces the plot to take shape. It is so fun to develop the characters once I know what I will require of them.
- What do you like to do when you are not writing?
When I’m not writing, I enjoy reading an engaging book while sipping hot Irish Breakfast tea. I’m pretty much a home-body, but if you take me out, take me to the beach to walk and walk. The two in one day would be divine!
Blog Stops
Book Looks by Lisa, May 14
Stories By Gina, May 15 (Author Interview)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 16
Simple Harvest Reads, May 17 (Author Interview)
Artistic Nobody, May 18 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, May 18
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, May 19
Devoted Steps, May 20
Guild Master, May 21 (Author Interview)
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, May 22
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 23
Fiction Book Lover, May 24 (Author Interview)
Inklings and Notions, May 24
For Him and My Family, May 25
Blossoms and Blessings, May 26 (Author Interview)
Holly’s Book Corner, May 27
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Kendy is giving away the grand prize of a $40 Amazon gift card and a paperback copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.