The Wanderer of New Hope

Dec. 30, 2010 - PRLog -- In the novel, “The Wanderer of New Hope,” author and local historian, R.T. Crowley, takes the reader through the history of the valley of New Hope Creek, now known as Jordan Lake.  The valley is located in Chatham County in the heart of the Research Triangle area between Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, North Carolina.  Both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War took place in the region.  In 1945, Congress directed the Army Corps of Engineers to study water resources in the area following a disastrous hurricane.  As a result, the valley became what is now known as Jordan Lake.
   
Mr. Crowley uses historical events to bring the fictional Stone family to life.  The story begins with the patriarch of the family, Lysander Stone, and his recollection of the legend behind “The Wanderer of New Hope.”  Through the years, The Wanderer makes memorable appearances in the lives of the family.  

In this first novel,  Crowley draws from his experience as a historian to tell the story of this fictional family with ties to a local legend.  As a volunteer at the North Carolina Railway Museum, located near the south end of New Hope Creek, he began a project to research the history of the valley, once considered some of the best farmland in the State of North Carolina.  The story spans from 1861 to the present with connections to “The Wanderer of New Hope” through many generations of the family.

Such research always encounters local legends and stories, and those of the area began to follow a pattern, leading to the legend of the wandering spirit in this tale.  Legendary stories describe disjointed incidents over a period of time, so linking them together through the lives of the various generations of the fictional Stone family provided a vehicle to tell the entire story in a very readable manner.  The result of this work is now presented as “The Wanderer of New Hope.”
   
While legends are often told and retold with embellishments over time, the author writes the legend in narrative, as if relating factual events recorded in time.  The combination of a fictional novel coupled with the actual tone of the legends, leaves readers wondering about the reality of “The Wanderer of New Hope” and the chance of a personal encounter.  One reader said, “We may never be able to visit the area around Jordan Lake again without feeling a touch of panic if the leaves are moving with no wind or if we see a pale yellow light in the trees.  It just might be the start of a new encounter with The Wanderer of New Hope.”   

Peak City Publishing plans to release the book on 01/14/2011.

The Wanderer of New Hope © 2011 Peak City Publishing, LLC
www.peakcitypublishing.com
Fiction/Historical Fiction
ISBN-13: 978-1935711032
$12.99

More information available at:  http://www.wix.com/peakcitypublishing/thewandererofnewhope

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About the Author: R.T.Crowley is a writer, historian, actor, and businessman with long worldwide experience in many fields, including serving as part of the US Delegation to the United Nations. Having authored books on various facets of business, he has now turned his pen to fiction with “The Wanderer of New Hope.” A distinguished speaker on many topics, Mr. Crowley is highly respected in the community and a well-known figure around town.

About Peak City Publishing: Peak City Publishing, LLC is a small trade publishing company, located in Apex, NC. Officers of Peak City Publishing include: Shiloh Burnam and Janice Monaco. http://www.peakcitypublishing.com