Ten-year-old Tina Hamilton finds out the hard way.

She always knew her father had a secret. But all of God’s earth to Tina are the streams for fishing, the fields for planting and harvesting–a world snugly enclosed by the blue-misted Smokies. Other than the seasons, nothing ever changed.

Until the summer of 1968.

Tina’s life changes forever. Trouble erupts when northern exploitation threatens her tiny southern Appalachian town.

Some folks blame the trouble on progress, some blame the space race and men meddling with the moon’s cycles, and some blame Tina’s father.

A past he has hidden catches up to him as his secret settles in like an unwelcome guest. The clash of progressive ideas and small town values escalates the collision of a father’s past and present.

An easy, interesting read, this story feels a bit like the play Our Town meets Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird–it’s life through the eyes of a child, but with a poetic flair. There’s a bit of a family epic feel to it as 9-year-old Tina navigates life with her parents, her brother, her uncles, and lots of townspeople.

There’s an innocent feel to the story. Despite it being told from the perspective of a child, however, it doesn’t shy away from the hard lessons of betrayal and forgiveness. It addresses all of this at an almost leisurely pace while engaging the reader in the family’s story.

An intriguing, unique story.

Rated PG. Get your copy here!

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