The Release!

Today the print edition of Valley of the Shadow officially releases! I’m delighted to finally get this installment of the story out to the readers I left hanging on a pretty steep precipice at the end of Crucible of War. The story is complex, the pace is tight, and there are a number of twists and turns that I suspect will keep you guessing. For those who have been following the adventures of Elizabeth Howard and Jonathan Carleton, I believe you’re going to gain a few deep new insights into these two compelling characters—and also into Charles Andrews’s story. Many clouds rise on the horizon for the Shawnee as well, portending a troubling future for the native peoples and for the new nation.

I couldn’t have completed this book if it hadn’t been for the encouraging feedback I received from many of my fans and the truly helpful advice of several people who took time out of their busy schedules to read the first draft of this volume. My deepest thanks go to Linda Allen, who corrected my faulty French translations; Lori Benton, whose critiques are always on target; Rachel Leigh Smith, who offered an astute assessment of the original ending and prodded me to find the right one; Louise Gouge, Jocelyn Green, Susan Craft, and Patricia Riddle Gaddis, who gave me lovely endorsements; Regina Fugitani and Amber Goos, whose comments and corrections helped me to root out a number of errors; and Beverly Duell-Moore, who is the bane of typos and other mistakes. I have an equal obligation to too many others to list, but you all know who you are, and I thank each of you with all my heart.

Most of all, I thank the Lord who continues to renew these characters in my imagination, add new chapters to their story, and enable me to capture on paper a shadow of the vision he provides. May he use this series to bless many readers for his glory!