Author Rita Sims Quillen Weaves an Adventurous Tale of a World War I Deserter in Southwest Virginia

RICHMOND, Va. - March 18, 2014 - PRLog -- Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc, of Johnson City, TN, is proud to announce the release of the Appalachian historical fiction novelHiding Ezra, written by respected author Rita Sims Quillen. Quillen, a seminalist for Virginia’s Poet Laureate in 2012, has published two full-length poetry collections: Counting the Sums and Her Secret Dream. Hiding Ezra, her first novel, was inspired by a true story from Quillen’s husband’s family and details how a WWI deserter struggled to survive and evade arrest in the rugged mountains of Southwest Virginia.

In Hiding Ezra, Quillen unfolds a deeply emotional understanding of the complexities of war, loyalty, and family. The adventurous drama is a narrative that deepens our love and appreciation for the characters and the region. Hiding Ezracaptures the rural hardships experienced in Southwest Virginia during the tumultuous times surrounding the 1918 influenza pandemic and WWI.

The tale is of a farmer, Ezra Teague, who is forced to choose between fighting for his country and taking care of his family. Like more than 175,000 other young men, Ezra chose his family—not because he was a coward or a pacifist, but because he was practical and because he felt his Christian faith called him to do so. Hiding Ezra is also a love story, as we see the girl of his dreams, Alma Newton, try to figure out how to extricate Ezra from his predicament. Hiding Ezra is the story of an adventure, a quest, and a chase, as the authorities—including local boy Lieutenant Andrew Nettles—try to bring Ezra to military justice.

Quillen lives in Southwest Virginia on Early Autumn Farm in Scott County, Virginia. “I based my story line on a family tale, but in doing my research, I surprised at the number of men in our region who were faced with the same dilemma.” The book cover is beautifully illustrated by locally prominent artist Willard Gayheart.

Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc, includes the imprints Mountain Girl Press, Little Creek Books, Express Editions, RoseHeart Publishing, and DigiStyle. Each imprint specializes in a certain genre, from local Appalachian stories to historical fiction to children’s books and more. At JCP we believe ‘every story needs a book.’

For more information or to schedule a book signing, call Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc, at 423-926-9983 or visit jancarolpublishing.com. Follow JCP on Facebook.