Visiting the heart of Civil War Virginia

I took a quick trip to Virginia today - the first in a long time thanks to high gas prices. When I was writing Shades of Gray, I used to go at least once at week (often more), but I have not touched the sacred soil there for months now.


For anyone who has never visited the Fauquier/Loudoun area, it is a landscape of rolling hills and scenic pastures, lined with stone fences that are more than a century old.

I am like a kid in a candy store when I drive down those dirt roads - a grin on my face a mile wide. I wish I could have stayed longer this time, but my work schedule dictated otherwise.

I did take a few pictures that I will share with readers in the coming weeks. One photo I did not get was a young fox feeding on a dead deer by the side of the road while a flock of buzzards waited patiently for him to finish. I did not want to interrupt his meal as he looked a little worse for wear.

When the grass gets a little greener and things are not so dreary I hope to take even more photos of one of the most beautiful places on earth - Virginia.

A Civil War saga of 'love, loyalty and honor'

Reviews for Shades of Gray are really starting to come in now (at last), and they are all very complimentary.

I especially enjoyed Kristen Pace's of bookpleasures.com, who says, "the intense sorrow, frustration, and ultimately love, seem to transcend the pages to settle in the very marrow of the reader’s bones. Jessica James has produced a tremendous and wonderful saga about love, loyalty and honor for which she must lauded."

Thank you, Kristen, for a wonderful review that I feel to the marrow of my bones!

The long-awaited review from the Historical Novel Society is also out. It is one of the few reviews that comments on the role the media plays in distorting history.

"Shades of Gray offers a more balanced and nuanced explanation of the Confederate cause that transcends the overly simplified view presented by today’s mass media."

She later says, "The novel will appeal to romance readers and Civil War buffs, especially those sympathetic to the Southern side."

I take the comment, "those sympathetic to the Southern side" as a true compliment as well, because I worked hard to show the choices and sacrifices made by those who joined the Confederacy. The reviewer was also kind enough to point out the efforts I took to make Shades of Gray read like a 19th-century novel, saying, "The style of writing reflects the Civil War era as much as the content of the story."

Wow! That's really nice, and means a lot to an author who took great pains to work and re-work the dialogue.

The reviewer concludes, "This is not a contemporary retelling of the Civil War as much as it is a sympathetic and loving portrait. Interpersonal conflict as well as battlefield conflict make the book a page-turner and quick read."

I hope others agree with the opinions of these reviewers. I'd love to hear from you if you've read Shades. You can email me at writefromthepast (at)yahoo.com.

Love and duty during the Civil War

I thought I'd continue my Civil War love letter theme, since it's hard to stop reading them now that I've started. They are so beautifully written and contain such poignant and moving words--especially when one considers the strong men behind those thoughts.

One would probably not think of Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson as a "softie," but letters to his wife reveal a romantic man--and a man of strong morals, determined to carry out his duty to God and country.

In this letter to his wife, Jackson conveys the sacrifices made by thousands of men during the Civil War. "In answer to the prayers of God's people, I trust He will soon give us peace. I haven't seen my wife for nearly a year--my home in nearly two years, and have never seen our darling little daughter; but is important that I, and those at headquarters, should set an example of remaining at the post of duty."

Jackson did finally get to see his little Julia when she was five months old. It is said that he barely put her down. "During the whole of this short visit, he rarely had her out of his arms, walking her, and amusing her in every way that he could think of. ... When she slept in the day, he would often kneel over her cradle, and gaze upon her little face with utmost rapt admiration..."

Of course, this story does not have a happy ending. Jackson was killed as a result of a friendly fire incident at The Wilderness in May of 1863. Likewise, the story of a member of his staff, young Sandie Pendleton, is no less tragic. Pendleton's heart was captured during the war by a young lady, near whose home he was stationed for a time in winter-quarters. "He had some rivals among his brother officers, but was successful in winning the prize, and, obtaining a furlough, was married, and spent a few blissful weeks with his young bride, when duty called him into the field, and they never met again."

Pendleton followed Jackson to the grave in less than a year, slain in battle in his youth.

Many were the similar tragedies thrust upon the hearts and homes of those on both sides of the war. It is difficult to imagine such pain, sorrow and suffering as took place in our country for four long years.