Katie Lynn had nothing to gain and everything to lose by sharing her ancestors' secrets with her family. With eyes fading in their vibrancy at ninety-two years young, she faced all her inner doubts, threw caution to the wind, and did what she believed to be right. This decision had consequences that she never could have anticipated, taking her and her great granddaughters on an adventure that not only crossed the decades, but the centuries. They touch fingers with the distant past, discovering personal ties and relevancy in the experiences of their elder generations. History's broad brush paints on a landscape depicted through the characters' slightly myopic lens as they uncover their ancestors' actions. As they expand their vision to a more panoramic view they must acknowledge and confront today's prejudices and bigotry within their own family and the world beyond. They discover their lineage includes members who brushed elbows with historical figures and events like the Slave Prince, the murder of Medgar Evers, the Freedom Riders, Freedom Summer, the Montgomery bus boycott, Clyde Kennard, run-away slaves, the KKK, and so much more. This novel confronts America's past and present morality through exploring the many stages of bigotry and prejudice, of violence and pacifism, of religious, racial, and family conflict not only in the distant past but in today's global society. It shines a light on the moral character of Americans from the days of slavery to the present day. It exposes our societal issues, ideas, and ideals, displaying both the best and the worst in our citizens, revealing their foibles, yet allowing them to change. Furthermore, this novel factually portrays known figures in history and their interaction with realistic characters at the actual events of our known history, naturally replicating the sentiment and sensations of yesteryear. Today, many Americans live with the illusion that prejudice belongs to the considerations of the past. Has it really disappeared or is it just hidden, redirected, and ignored?
About the Author: DEBRA L. DIRKS was raised in the Mennonite Church, converted to Islam in 1993, received her sessions program certificate in Islamic studies from Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University in 1998, and completed the 'Umrah and Hajj in 1999. Over the years, Mrs. Dirks was variously employed as a governess, served as a substitute teacher in a private Islamic school, and worked as an office manager. For over twenty years, she owned and managed Dirks Desert Arabian Farm, which was dedicated to the preservation of the 'Asil (pure from the original) Bedouin Arabian horse. She also served on the Board of Directors of Al Khamsa, Inc., The Bani Sham Association, and the Arabian Horse Historians Association. Her accomplishments included countless presentations and speeches, as well as authoring or co-authoring over 140 articles and one book about the Arabian horse and its history. She is also the co-editor of Islam Our Choice-Portraits of Modern American Muslim Women, a book for which she wrote two chapters, and which is in its second printing. More recently, Mrs. Dirks has turned her hand to writing fiction, co-authoring the novel The Peacemaker Struggle, which was published in 2012. Mrs. Dirks has lectured about Islam at mosques, churches, universities, and conventions in Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia. Mrs. Dirks is available for lectures on a variety of topics. Her special interests include women's issues, Da'wah by our deeds, raising Muslim youth in America, and being an enthusiastic American and Muslim. She is a certified lead mentor for the Da'wah Institute of North America.