I am now in the midst of a 4-book series, going back to what I suppose can be called my "roots". Because of the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War, it made sense to take another look, this time at the theater of the war that is often overshadowed by those far more familiar events that took place in and around Virginia. The first of these books, "A Blaze of Glory", was published in 2012, and dealt with the Battle of Shiloh. In May, 2013, the second volume will be released. "A Chain of Thunder" covers the campaigns around Vicksburg. Now, I'm at work on the third volume, which will follow many of the same characters through the next major struggle in Tennessee and north Georgia, specifically the aftermath of the horrific fight at Chickamauga, leading to the campaign around Chattanooga. This book should be released May, 2014. The fourth and final volume, due out in 2015, will cover the final campaigns of the war from Atlanta through Sherman's last victory against Joe Johnston in North Carolina. One aspect of this entire series is that, though you may know the names (Sherman, Thomas, Johnston, Bragg, Hood, etc), not nearly as many have studied the actual events. Many die-hard Civil War enthusiasts can name every major player at Gettysburg or Antietam, Manassas or Fredericksburg. The deaths of Stonewall Jackson or Jeb Stuart, and the struggles of Robert E. Lee are certainly pivotal events of the war. But many people I've spoken to have very little idea just how much importance is attached to the war in the "west". Beyond the history lesson, it's the characters who have drawn me into this series, and both North and South, those characters are driving these stories.

I have had an ongoing conversation with my publisher about what will follow this series. For years now I have talked about Korea, what should probably be a two-book set. They have, rather emphatically, steered me in another direction. Thus, responding to the enormous number of requests they have received, and the input I have received from readers, the next project will focus on the War for Texas Independence. Most of you know that story as "The Alamo", but that piece of the saga is a very small part of the entire history. (We know so much about the Alamo primarily because of the impact of one man: John Wayne). But the rest of the story features a fascinating cast of characters, including Sam Houston and of course, Santa Anna, and lays the groundwork for the Mexican War that follows ten years later, a story I dealt with in "Gone for Soldiers".

I hope to follow Texas with the Korea story, and after that, something set during the Vietnam era. The encouragement from my publisher has a lot to do with these choices, since, of course, if they won't print it, not much point in me writing it. I am very aware that some readers are hoping I'll move to Korea sooner rather than later, and I appreciate your enthusiasm for a Korea story. It's coming, I promise.

My goal is never just to add one more history book to the hoard you can finds in any library. As my father taught his Creative Writing students at Florida State: just tell a good story. I hope you will find these books to be just that.

JEFF SHAARA
April, 2013